July Goals:

1. Log weekly miles & workouts on DailyMile <—when I did workouts they were logged

2. Keep up with 1/2 Marathon Training Schedule <—runs weren’t kept up with as much as cross training during 2.5 weeks of July, so half win

3. Do 30 Day Shred for 30 non-consecutive days (running days no 30 Day Shred) <—did not happen.  And I honestly don’t know if I can stomach to do it for 30 Days or not

4. Do not overindulge in this last month at school. <—YES!  I joined myfitnesspal and this helped a whole lot without overindulging.

5. Lose 8 pounds this month.  Really would love for this to happen because then I’d be < 1 pound away from 21X for my birthday month. <—did not happen, I lost a couple of pounds to finally get out of the 230s, but not enough to make a large dent in 21X for my birthday.  Still, a loss or maintain is still really good, so I’ll take it as a win.

August Goals:

1. Finish as much as I can of 24 for 24 Challenge

2. Swim 3 miles a week

3. Lose 6 pounds to get to 219 and say goodbye to the 220s

4. Continue with daily updates of myfitnesspal

5. Continue weekly updates of dailymile

6. Try 2 new recipes for dinner

As per my One Month post I made earlier today, I realized I should probably update ya’ll on my 24 things to do before turning 24.

So here’s the update: Nothing’s changed.  I knew it’d happen because this month has been all about school, finishing up with work, and moving back home.  And I’m alright with that.

Loose schedule of how I’ll accomplish my 24 for 24:

- I’m chipping away at Number 2 (losing 20 pounds) but know I won’t fully accomplish it, anything in the 210s or low 220s will make me happy since my weight has pretty much remained the same despite the minimal efforts I’ve taken.

- Number 3 (30 Day Shred) has started back up officially today, this morning in fact.  And I feel sick from it but my stomach isn’t in its right mind this week so I guess it’s alright.

- Number 7 (new workout video) is in the works and won’t really be announced until after my fitblr giveaway

- Number 8 is happening in TEN DAYS!!!!  Or thereabouts, depends on when we go to the Y when I move back home

- Number 9 (save money) is ongoing

- Number 15 (fitblr giveaway) is super in the works and should be announced at the beginning of August

- Number 17 (website work) will actually be taking place starting Saturday, as I have no schoolwork to do (well, I have thesis stuff but that doesn’t take up a full day’s worth)

- Number 19 (read books) will be happening starting tomorrow *gasps*

- Number 20 (recipes) will start sometime this weekend

All in all, I’m pretty happy with the way things are rounding out.  There are 2-4 items in the 24 for 24 that I am worried I won’t complete, but that won’t discourage me from trying (Numbers 2, 3, 5, 6)

Be on the lookout for my true long post that I mentioned in my earlier post…I’ll be posting it later tonight after this pesky homework gets finished.

For those more recent followers, or those that don’t recall, I announced at the beginning of June about my 24 for 24 challenge — 24 things I want to do before my 24th birthday in August.  I never really announced how I’d go about marking down what I accomplished and haven’t accomplished, so I’m just going to do a one month update.  

Here’s the update:

As the title says, 24 things to do before I turn 24 in August

1. Run a 5K in under 45 minutes.

2. Lose 20 pounds (not holding my breath on this one, but if I hit 21X I’ll be just as happy as long as I’m out of the 220s).

3. Do 30 Day Shred for 30 days.

4. Find a new recipe to make. (Chewy Banana Bars 6/14/2011)

5. Bike 3 miles (on the roads—not stationary).

6. Try out the elliptical machine for at least some cross training workouts.

7. Discover a new workout video after 30 Day Shred.

8. Join the YMCA and swim 3 times a week.

9. Spend money wisely. (working on it, don’t know if my VFFs purchase count under this or not, haha)

10. Pick back up playing the piano. (been fiddling around with it a bit everytime I’m home)

11. Be adventurous, don’t stick to the same running routes. (definitely been switching it up at home and at school)

12. Reach 60 followers (36 as of 5/28/2011) **(50 as of 6/4/2011) 64 as of 6/15/2011; 96 as of 7/1/2011 (guys I’d be amazed to hit 120 by my birthday at this rate—DOUBLE what I wanted before)

13. Clean out clothes closet (most likely won’t happen until right before birthday)

14. Stop making excuses.

15. Have a fitblr item giveaway <—more to come on that at the end of July/beginning of August

16. Stop living by the scale—get rid of daily weigh in “check-ups”  (by golly George I think I finally got it!)

17. Get my webpage up and running <—it’s been a goal for 4 years now and I touched it the most when I first created this tumblr but I’m ready to switch to a more permanent webpage.

18. Start work on a major crotchet project for my friend.

19. Read 6 books that are not assigned or used for class assignments.

20. Work on a database/document for all recipes that I use/have/want to try (and divide it out as such) (halfway accomplished, won’t be finished up August when I have more time)

21. Use my foot spa more often (yup, each time I’ve been home!)

22. Organize books, music, and dvd’s (I’m moving back home so 6 years of having a second room is being crammed into my childhood room, so it’s going to get messy)

23. Make goals for the next year (this is a sketchy one because I have no clue where I’ll be for the next year—academic, professional, living)

24. Accept that who I am becoming is who I want to be.

A lot of these are things I have as on-going accomplishments, but I’d say at least 10 of these are things I’ll be doing at the beginning of August because of time constraints and the fact that they are at home and not at school things to do.

The Do Life Tour stop in Orlando this past weekend really has me on a complete turn around for life.  I’ve been doing well since I started my 1/2 marathon training, the days that I missed runs I made up for it on other days.  And most of the cross training days I have been able to complete.  Having a training schedule is really super helpful to keeping to my goals.  Well, partially keeping to my goals.  As part of my 24 for 24 challenge I wanted to do 30 days of 30 Day Shred, unfortunately I tapered off at day 8 because, well, I honestly don’t know.  A combination of not having time, not having motivation, not having enough space in my room.  Whatever the excuse was, it was there. 

Anyway, while getting to know some fellow fitblrs during the 5K, it really came to my attention that we’re part of the minority—we’re getting out there and doing it.  And my motto all along has been “At least I’m getting out there and doing it”, which I think is something to live by for those struggling to find the motivation.  Even if you get out there and walk 2 miles instead of going on a run, you are still getting out and doing something.  It’s important to realize that you need to create a routine and plan to stick to it.

I’ve gained a number of followers recently, along with a large number of questions to answer.  It’s amazing to be considered an inspiration to people and to be answering fitness questions (if you had asked me about this a year ago I wouldn’t believe it to be possible!).  I encourage my followers to ask me questions—I love to have things left in my inbox to look at after a long day of work. :)  But in the process of answering these questions I went looking back on my blog, back to 6 months ago when I started this journey in life.  It made me realize that I’ve come so far to accept who I am, the body I have, and who I want to become.

So if ya’ll are looking for motivation, look from within, look at your old posts, look at your followers.  You can do this.  No more negative talk.  No more tomorrows, no more I’ll do it later.  Do it now.  Lace up your running shoes, go outside, run a half a mile, run a mile, run two miles, go on the elliptical machine for 20 minutes, go ride a bicycle.  Just go out and do something active.