This week’s workouts: (aka Indy Half Training Week 1— starting it a little early to double up some of the double digit runts)

Monday: 2 mile walk

Tuesday: 1.30 mile run with dog, 1.70 mile run without headphones

Wednesday: 3 mile walk with dog

Thursday: 2 mile run with dog, 1 mile run without headphones

Friday: Gym — elliptical, bike, rowing machine

Saturday/Sunday — will be getting in 4 miles

*this is on top of my standard 3 miles a day walking for my pedometer

This week otherwise:

- got 22 rejections from jobs (somehow this number no longer phases me)

- applied to 3 fellowship opportunities

- officially applied to the last of the 48 contiguous United States (Iowa was the hold out!) for a job

- knitted a pot holder, had to restart another project, organized my knitting & crochet needles

- got whistled at while running in my Race Epic shirt (I vote next year’s color to be NEON ORANGE!)

- saw the number on the scale continue in a way it shouldn’t continue

- built a mantra based on the fact that this body WILL carry me to 26.2 miles this year meaning I need to get things in gear and figure out something that’ll work for dropping this weight [healthily]

- realized that a lot of the supplements I’m taking are to reverse the side effects of all the medicines I’m taking for PCOS.  New doctor this month, maybe something will work this time.

……realized that it is February 1st and the month of January just flew by.

I deactivated Facebook today. Why? I honestly don’t know. One minute I was looking at a Facebook message and the next I was in account settings and pressing deactivate. It felt liberating.

And then I killed an hour at the gym after a spectacular annual dentist visit.

Life isn’t great right now but I’m trying to not dwell on it. It is what it is.

Each day my dog gets 3 distinctly different long walks — his morning walk Dad takes him on is 3-4 miles and the route usually repeats on Monday and Fridays, Tuesday-Thursday he gets 3 different paths.  His midday walk, which is about 1-1.5 miles, is generally the same 2-3 routes throughout the week.  I get him for his evening walk/run and I tend to take him anywhere from 1-3 miles (leaning closer to 2 miles these days) and I go a different route each day of the week and coincide it with the complete opposite direction of his morning routes.

Are we the only pet owners who actually think that making different routes for him to be stimulated and not get bored with the same scenery?  I feel like we spoil him…

In other news, apparently the state with the most job applications I’ve applied to this month is Texas.  I mean, Texas, honestly?  I sent out an application today in the mail today to Austin and realized that this is the 9th job application I’ve mailed/applied to online since the beginning of November.  Not once has there been posted a job in Colorado this month that I’m qualified for.  I will say one thing, I have noticed a distinct shift in applications from East Coast (and Colorado) out to the West Coast this past month, everytime I apply out west all I think is “Go West, young man.”  Which, ironically, is a quote in Chapter 1, page 5 of my Master’s thesis.  Yup, get to show my nerd power.

Other random things:

• tomorrow is a super stressful day that will involve destressing in the afternoon at the gym, grocery shopping, and puppy running because I’m an awesome big sister like that
• I’m almost completely done with all but ONE of my Christmas/Hanukkah gifts for friends (the 1 not done is a graduation gift that is taking too long to complete)
• My nose has been running like crazy because of cold weather and allergies yet I can’t take anything until these medical tests are done (Dad asked if my nose was running a 5K…haha Dad)
• I’m nerdishly excited to be finished with knitting presents so I can get started on this sucker
• The weight I’ve gained with this whole medical drama has attached itself in 3 places — face (chin area), stomach, and on my thighs.  I didn’t notice this until I tried to wear my medium running shorts and they were too tight in the thighs.  Seriously over this whole not losing weight thing.
• WIW — same weight I was at the beginning of the month, er, up like 0.2 or something like that.  Still, pretty consistent with what I’ve been seeing on the scale — which I magically haven’t stepped on the entire month until now.

To do list:

- 2-4 pages thesis (ugh ugh and UGH)

- skype <3

- gym

- laundry

How’d I do?:

- finishing up page 3 of 4 added pages needed for thesis now.  It’ll be done before the morning and resubmitted.

- skyped :D

- Treadmill — 2.10 miles @ 30 minutes (got 2 phone calls which made pace slower)

- Bike — 7.01 miles @ 30 minutes

Only thing that didn’t happen was the laundry.  It’ll be postponed until tomorrow morning.  And I will be up early for it then because I got a lot going on tomorrow.

I was majorly disappointed that the USA Men’s Beach Volleyball was delayed by 20 minutes.  BUT I got to the gym a little late and didn’t start on the treadmill until 4:05, and I was just wrapping up a slow mile 1 (where I got the 2 phone calls) when the match finally started.  So I pumped it up and cranked out another mile because I had a prime treadmill for the games (which I have yet to get in about a month).  Tomorrow was suppose to be 2 miles, and it might still end up being that, but I’ll be satisfied with just 1.

Then I went over to the bike — another prime spot — and continued watching. By the end of the bike I had to go to the bathroom so bad and I just figured I’d call it quits with my workout for the day since I got a solid hour of cardio in and my body was still sore from yesterday.

All in all, a good day today.  The scale might barely be moving, but my attitude, determination, and strength is pushing through, and it’s making me happy that even if I am at this weight (which I hope to not be much longer) that at least I am living a healthier lifestyle even if the pounds don’t reflect it.

So I’m in a really great mood for no reason in particular, therefore I’m going to share some fun facts this Monday:

1. My Disturbed radio station on Pandora always plays a Disturbed song as the first song each time I open Pandora.  My Sara Bareilles station takes 3 songs before playing one of her songs.  Weird?

2. In a few hours I’m going to be looking at new glasses frames and I’m undecided what I want.  After years of wireless frames I’m kind of wanting to stick to what I love.  But a lot of people have commented on liking my computer glasses (in a lighter color).  What to do??

3. I have a Skype date with the boy tomorrow! :D

4. In 21 days I will be 25 years old and I’m more excited about where I’ll be spending it than the actual number itself.

5. It takes 12 minutes to vacuum my entire house — tile floors and rugs included.

6. My personal trainer friend has ramped up his elliptical workouts because I told him I was going to be doing elliptical workouts. (Note: We sadly have different gym memberships and can’t work out together. :( )

7. I bought a garden gnome on Amazon back July 3rd and it is still “temporary out of stock”.  Who in the world bought out this specific garden gnome?  Seriously, I thought I was the only one addicted to garden gnomes!

8. I have enough leftover lasagna for 4 meals this week.  It’s going to be an awesome lasagna filled week!

9. I’m kind of super excited for the month of August.  No lie, it’s going to be awesome.  16 days at home, 15 days traveling visiting friends and family.  (Dates non-consecutive)

10. Five Finger Death Punch’s American Capitalist fueled my Friday gym workout.  It will do the same today. It is awesome. And only $3 for the full album!

Today:

- gym

- thesis  (only 3 pages)

- Skype

- attempting to win a Words with Friends game (still working on it)

Yup, lofty goals.  And guess what? I tackled them!  Yes, some were more successful than others, but at least I got to the significant things.   Although thesis needs to be a lot more.

And even snagged a 3 hour nap in there right after breakfast.  I honestly tried to get started on my thesis but my eyes were closing and I knew better than to try to work on a page or two before sleeping.  In the past I’ve done that and ended up deleting the page anyway, so it’s best to just go for the sleep and get back to it later.

I definitely feel energized and accomplished today.  But today has to happen again tomorrow as thesis chapters are due at the end of the week and I’m behind by at least 10-15 pages for both chapters combined (I have pages here and there for both chapters), it’s going to be a long next few days.

Also red velvet froyo for the win.  Delicious!

Tomorrow — repeat of today sans frozen yogurt, an additional half mile running, and main goal of thesis writing.  Maybe even 5:30 A.M. at the gym if I go to bed early enough.

Today I became stronger.

I ran 2 miles in 27 minutes (going upwards of 7 mph on the treadmill!).

I biked 7 miles in 30 minutes on the stationary bike.

I stretched out my legs post-bike run for another 0.30 miles at 4 minutes.

I chose to eat tomatoes and carrots instead of takeout pizza at the religious school open house tonight. Despite the little voice in my head that used to say well you did workout so you could afford a slice or two.

Today was a good day.

The delicious healthy choice for dinner instead of pizza. (no real quick meals could be made at home so when I was grocery shopping I grabbed this beauty of 230 calories that was super delicious!)

Crappy picture of me all spiffed up post-open house.  I tried to take a picture when I was at the gym but people were walking by and it was super hard to grab that oh so secretive picture for ya’ll.  Obligatory gnomes in the picture as well….look at me showing off my collarbones for ya’ll!

I’ve had a bit going through my head towards the end of RWRunStreak that I never really got to sit down and type out.

And then Smit posted his post and I laughed (no, not at the post) but because of the fact that I felt my trips to the gym were, in fact, a chore; and that my eating had become too focused on the numbers and not the taste or enjoyment; and the fact that things in general were too routine and focused.

Then life happened.  I missed a few days at the gym after my running streak, I ate a few meals that I didn’t focus on the nutritional content but the portion size, I started to live life according to my schedule and not having it revolve around diet, exercise, and focusing on the healthy.

I didn’t go to the gym for 6 straight days.  3 of those 6 days I didn’t even run!  But I picked back up and went back to the gym after my mini-hiatus (I was busy with life, so it wasn’t like I just didn’t want to go to the gym).  Not because I felt like I had to, but because my body wanted to.  No training schedule to follow, completely freelancing in the gym.  

My eating has been spot on, without me even realizing it.  When I had my long day on Tuesday I ate a large breakfast, had a medium lunch, and packed entirely way too many healthy snacks (grapes, carrots, cucumber, banana, apple).  I didn’t think twice, I just thought about what I would want while driving to and from and what could hold me over long enough for a workout and a late dinner.

I’ve been living life.  Going out with friends, spending time wandering around and not being cooped up in the house.  It’s nothing like what it used to be for me when I was living on my own, but it’s better than what it was.

For the first time in a long time, I feel complete.  I know part of it is the temp employment that will help me get a completely structured schedule back in my life (albeit short term) but it feels good to be living life.  To be doing life.

Today’s goals:

- Enjoy the workout of helping a family friend pack and move.

- Attempt to get the dog out for a run despite the fireworks.

How’d I do?

- Spent an hour lifting, moving, shifting into moving van boxes, tables, chairs, and so forth (with help, of course).  Sweat, sweat, and more sweat.

- Running/walk/drag puppy (make-up day for RWRunStreak) — 1.40 miles @ 40 minutes

Reaction:

Well today went better than I expected.  Moving was a bit hard and heavy, but as I remarked back in March in NYC, if I was 40 pounds heavier this day would not have been possible.  

A few days ago I was hanging out with a friend and he asked me when the last time I had fast food was.  And I had to think, and think some more, before I realized it was back in April when I was visiting friends that I had fast food mainly because it was the only (and I mean ONLY) option for that particular day.  This morning I had a fast food breakfast because that was the only option available again.  And I didn’t think twice about it with all of the sweating, heavy lifting, and working out I’ve been doing these past few weeks.  One meal, one time, luxury.  To think that once upon a time I stressed upon it because it would throw off the day or make me feel bad.  Growth people, growth.

I’m exhausted, 4:45 A.M. alarm clock, out the door at 5:30, putting stuff into a moving van from 6-9, breakfast, grocery shopping, more errands, making dinner, and finally settling into computer time.  It’s days like this, where I’m non-stop doing things that I feel so productive.  Bonus for the fact that it’s also day after a holiday and a few days after the start of a new month, meaning that job postings are lacking for the day so I won’t get too far behind.