Midweek Update... and a gross photo.

Okay. So life hasn't fallen completely apart since Sunday.

Monday... I stayed home and tried to nurse the sore throat while it just got worse. I decided that Boy II is dumb and the ultimatum thing is a BIG RED FLAG... So I'm giving Boy I another chance.

Tuesday... I went to the job interview at the kids store/guided play classes. It went SO well! Met the 4 different managers and the CFO, went to two different locations for tours, sat in on a really playful and fun kids class. Everyone was kind, enthusiastic. They promote within house and ALL of the managers INCLUDING the CFO try to put in a little time as a Front Desk Admin just to brush up on procedures. It's such a great work environment. If I pass a background check (psh... allllll those felonies), I believe I will be getting a job offer from them shortly.

The doc texted me back on Tuesday and told me to visit a different doc in the building and asked him to see me as a favor. So I got a $500 check up for free. I've got a wicked case of strep and finally have some antibiotics. (shhhh... I didn't know what it was prior to the interview - hope no one gets sick).

Look at those things. They look like Bleu Cheese Nuggets. So swollen. So irritated. 

I'm done taking the birth control until after my lady doc visit in a week or so. My moods have leveled out so much already.

Also, got to talk to my friend back home. She's decided to give me a loan to replace the loan from my roommate. Sounds silly, right? Well Friend Back Home makes a good amount of money every year and doesn't live with me so I'm not reminded that I'm in debt every morning, noon and night. So I took her up on it. Under the condition that she doesn't see payment until I'm squared away in a full-time position and my stress has gone down. And mom and dad caught wind of the illness stuff and the stress stuff, they've put a little check in the mail. $100. It's totally enough to make the difference between eating a cheap and healthy salad and eating nutritiously negative ramen. I feel like I can handle this. Life is back within my grasp. I feel bad accepting money from my parents because they aren't that wealthy right now... not at all. So I'm hoping that with the potential new job at the kids play place, I can sneak it back to them.

Seriously... I don't know what I would do without my friends and family. I've had so much help with this move. So much support. So many good feelings returned to me. If I can keep my stress in a normal range... I think I'll be able to beat off this immune issue that always arises when I'm stressed to the hilt.

There is that niggling thought that tells me I wouldn't be having this issue... the health issue or the over loaded stress issue if I were eating better and working out. I know that I ultimatum-ed myself a couple weeks ago to start the new work out regime on the 6th. It's going to have to wait until I'm not infected and can breathe and swallow properly. But I'm serious, deathly serious about starting again. I talked to Boy I about it. He'll even support me and work out with me. I want to kick his ass. heh.

Big Fat It's Looking Up Love,
Nanette

Mini Challenge and a Midweek update

It's been a good fitness week! My personal mini challenge of 300 pushups is right on track. I'm currently 120/300. Tomorrow is the last day with trainer for the week and I can't wait to take Friday off as a rest day.

Today's workout went like this...

3 rounds of... 
pushups - 10 reps
tricep dips - 25 reps
Bicep curls w/bands or weights - 25 reps
squat jumps - 50 sec
high knees - 50 sec
competition sit ups - 25 reps
Plank - 50 sec 

I've been floating around 2lbs heavier than my weigh in... which makes me sad, and skeptical of the scale. I've been working so hard! I hope it's muscle being built or fluid retention...  something! I don't want to incur Allan's wrath.

My caloric/water intake has been like this...
Sat - 1143/128oz
Sun - 1164/128 oz
Mon - 1643/176 oz
Tues - 1318/160 oz
Wed -  430 /88 oz (so far).

So I'm struggling with getting my 160 oz in per day for the Allan challenge. Particularly when I'm at home without the luxury of the great filtered water at work. 

I've been supporting people in the E2E challenge pretty well. I haven't been reading my book, but I have been doing a lot of reading about the primal blueprint stuff.

Been watching Eaba's Myfitnesspal account. She's doing well. Keepin' active and eatin'right!

Big Fat Check In Love,
Nanette

Midweek...

Okay... I'm ROCKING this week, so far anyway.

Working out
Saturday - off
Sunday - off due to lack of motivation :(
Monday - at home 15 min high intensity aerobic.
Tuesday - 1 hour with trainer high intensity aerobic.
Wednesday (plan) - 1 hour with trainer high intensity aerobic.
Thursday (plan) - off
Friday (plan) - 1 hour with trainer high intensity aerobic


Sticking to the menu
Saturday - check
Sunday - check.
Monday - check.
Tuesday - check.

Today's workout WAS ROUGH! But I successfully completed 150 crunches (50x on sides and 50x center), semi-successfully completed 100 push ups (They were super weak by the end.). Speed walked .5 miles and did a bunch of squats, lunges and tricep thingies... It was a set of 8 exercises with 5-7 minute walking between sets. I did the set 3 times. When I got up from the floor to cool down on the treadmill, my head was spinning like I had gotten up too fast. It kept spinning. Then my hearing went dull... then tinny. It was like I was inside a tin can. Trainer Sarah told me to breathe deep, sit down for a second and she grabbed my water bottle from across the treadmill. That's what pushing yourself too hard feels like.

I protein'd up today. Tomorrow is going to be another hour, last week we were doing 30-45 minute sessions. But we're upping the game to an hour this week. She let me pick 3 of the exercises for tomorrow, we're replacing all burpees... video for you April - since I can't really explain it...   I'm replacing them with mountain climbers since I have to fake the burpees anyway. But I'm not sure what other exercises I want to use yet... I've got some research to do tonight.

Also, made lunch today with a friend - mesquite pork chop, blueberries, sauteed zucchini, tomato slices and 2 apricot halves. All for like... 280 calories. AWESOME! 

Big Fat Hardworkin' Love,
Nanette

Communication - mid week check in.

Hey all,

Sooooo... I did this thing. I mustered some bravery and talked to my boss (who previously threatened my job if I lose student status). He looked at me like I was an idiot for thinking I would lose my position... but ultimately I just had to fill out a couple of forms and I get to keep my Distance Learning job. PHEW! So I get to keep my 20hpw @ $12.50hourly job! THANK THE UP ABOVES. Thank YOU for the thoughts, prayers and well wishes.

I can get my alumni status at the university even though I have one credit left to fulfill. Which means I can still use the gym but I will need to pay them for a semester of use ($125 for 6 months, not bad). So I will only be without a gym membership for about a month.

Things are sort of gelling together... I can breathe a big sigh of relief and relax into a little routine. I have secured two jobs and I'm contemplating taking up a third since I'm not going to school and all.

I didn't eat enough yesterday. I've had this problem a couple of times. But yesterday was the worst it's been in a long time. Had a banana for breakfast. Almonds and dried apples for lunch. Then went to work out. After the work out I got home and ATE TOO MUCH - I dare call it a binge even though I stayed below my calorie goal. I can't let myself get that hungry and I don't want my biggest meal to be the latest. So on my terrible terrible food days I'm not eating enough before 7pm. I'm mulling over a personal challenge for myself next week. Something about eating a certain percentage of my calories before 7pm.

My book is going alright. I'm 8 days in out of the 100. I'm journaling a little every day. I have a hard time sometimes with the prompts. Just sorta feeling like they don't speak to me. I'm not a very spiritual or religious person. So some of it seems a little woo-woo to me. But for every lame day there's usually an awesome one too... I'll keep going with the book. Plus I really like the 100 days thing... it's like a check list and I'm SUCH A DORK FOR LISTS.

Exercise has been alright. Only alright because I haven't been every day. I've been going two days then taking a day off. But the days I'm going, I'm pushing harder, going longer. Like last night. Usually in 25 min on the elliptical I make it 2.0 miles. Last night  I made it 2.5 miles. The day before I went on an hour long walk which is normally 2.25 miles was 3.0 miles.

I've been a little bothered because I weighed in yesterday... which I normally don't do. I usually only weigh in on Friday so I don't get obsessed or let that stupid number ruin my day. I weighed in in my workout clothes instead of my bathing suit. It said 333. WhAT?! I just weighed in last friday at 326. I'm trying to ignore that number or figure out why it was so high, But I've been doing so much better this week. I'm surprised. Under caloric goal every day. Meeting my minimum exercise goals. Hydrating like a crazy person over 96 oz a day. Taking my vitamins. Not taking my birth control.

So I'm wondering... is this normal? I wouldn't know, bc I don't weigh myself on Mondays. Maybe that's my body pattern gain then drop before Friday. I've been having a little swelling and muscle tenderness since my massage but not enough to justify +7 lbs. This is the obsession I was trying to avoid. I'll still be good though. I'm going to keep on plan for the rest of the week to see if I can get that delicious lower number on the scale Friday.

Quote: This is not a commitment to a challenge or a diet plan. This is a commitment to your body and a commitment to lifestyle change. This a commitment to a healthier tomorrow.

Big Fat Confused Love,
Nanette