Nothing Like Garfield to Cheer You Up

Morning everyone.  I'm a bit tired today.  I didn't even hear my alarm go off this morning, and needless today I was late to work.  Which means I wasn't able to take my measurements/weight.  I will do it tomorrow morning....promise!

I had a little setback last night.  I basically just felt real tired and worn out yesterday after work, and I ate way too much.  And I did not exercise.  No excuses....just need to accept it, learn from it, and move on.  I really think it's because I ate pizza for lunch yesterday.  We had a "stuffing" party yesterday because we had a mailing we had to get out in the mail, so we ordered pizza.  Granted, it was thin crust, and I didn't overdo it, but I think my body was telling me "NO!!".  I really felt that afternoon slump.  One good thing that came out of it?  I didn't have soda with it (which I always get).  So go me!

Today is a new day.  Back to tracking, and back to exercise.  Now it's on to my second cup of coffee at only 9:00 AM.   :)   Yep, it's one of those days.  So I'm going to leave off on a positive note with some Garfield.

Legs Legs Legs + Reviewing My Resolutions

It's Hump Day!  The work week is half over!  You know what else it is?  It's the 30th of January.  Excuse me??  Wasn't New Years Eve, like, yesterday???  You know you're getting old when time starts moving faster and faster.

One other quick thing before I start on today's topics.  So yesterday, as I was putting my sports bra on, I noticed my girls were hurting a bit.  Hm, that's weird.  I just had my period.  Then I FREAKED OUT.

"Oh my God, what if I'm pregnant???  I took a couple pills late last month, but I couldn't be pregnant from THAT, could I?????"

I rushed to my purse, got my pill pack out.......and realized that I'm halfway through week 3.  Seriously???  Good old Aunt Flo will be making another visit next week.  Just another example of how fast time flies.  Sheesh.  Pregnancy crisis averted.

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Last night's workout was 80 minutes of LEGS.  Well, probably about 65 minutes of legs, plus about 10 minutes of Rear Delt work.  My legs were on FIRE.

Boy do I love those firewalkers.  And that barre workout??  You know, with me being a dancer all my life, I thought, "This will be a piece of cake, and I'll breeze right through it."

Nope.

I think that was the hardest part of the workout.  My dancer legs are getting out of shape!  Sad.  But I'll get them back!   :)    And hopefully next year I won't be so broke so that I can join dance again.  I was in it last year, but had to drop out this year because of money issues.

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New Years Resolutions.  How is everyone doing on those?  Now that we're a month in to the new year, I thought it'd be a great time to review mine.   So here we go....

Run my first 5K
Haven't started training for that yet.  I decided a few weeks ago that I would do a 5k race in May, rather than March, because winter this year is mighty cold.  I know which race I'll be signing up for, and I'll be updating my 5K Training page in the near future, so watch for that!

Complete the Xtrain Series
In its entirety.  I chose the 30 day undulating rotation with Ride.  I'm almost through week 3, so that means I have one week left!  Pretty sure I'll be meeting this goal!  I'm so proud of myself.  I have NEVER stuck with one rotation/routine.  I usually drop out after the first week or so, either because I lose motivation, or because I want to see if there's something better out there.  Not this time.  Cathe is kicking my butt.  One thing I want to see more of, though, is cardio.  So once I'm finished with this rotation, I'm moving on to the 30 Day Cardio/Strength rotation.  More on that to come next week!

Reach My Goal Weight
Yeah, well, I'm not going to lose 35+ pounds in 4 weeks people!  I want to get down to 115.  I haven't been weighing myself (though I have taken a few peeks).  Tomorrow, though, since it's the last day of the month, I'm going to take my measurements and weight.  Pretty sure there will be a gain on the scale.  Don't judge.  I have been logging on MFP now for 2 days, and it's going better than expected.  Check out yesterday's results...

Get My Budget Under Control
I'm slowly but surely working on this one.  I've cut down on meals out and weekends out (which in turn makes me drive less, so less gas).  I've also cancelled my gym membership, as well as my cable (both together were almost $200/month!).  I think I've got a better handle on things, and I've been able to put $50/week in to my savings account.  Now if only I can keep myself from taking that money out!

Create a Cleaning Schedule/Household Notebook
Have to be honest - I haven't worked on this one.  With making sure I workout EVERY day after work, it's been a little hard trying to find balance, and my apartment is suffering.  In other words, it's a mess.  This week, though, I've actually been able to be a little more productive.  Monday night I cleaned the bedroom and washed the bedding.  Last night I cleaned the bathroom.  Maybe tackling 1 room each night would be good?  It honestly doesn't take too long.  But I'll continue to work on a schedule that I could work with.

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How is everyone else doing on their goals/resolutions?

See you tomorrow for an update on my weight and measurements!

Liebster Award

There will be a couple posts on the blog today.  Why?  Because Kim over at Less of Me, More to Life nominated me for a Liebster Award!  Woo-hoo!  Thanks, Kim!

So this blog post will be dedicated to that (there'll be another one today for the regularly scheduled program).  So basically, the Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  “Liebster” is German for sweetest, valued, welcome and/or favorite.

The Rules: Each nominee must share 11 things about themselves.  Answer the 11 questions set for you and create 11 questions for the people you nominate.  Nominate promising new bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

11 Things About Me: 

-I have been a dancer all my life - since I was 3!

-I have one brother who is 11 years older than me, so I was basically an only child.

-I only have one grandparent left - Gramps (my mom's dad).  My dad's parents died shortly after I was born, and my grandma (Gramps's wife) died when I was about 7.

-My favorite color is PINK!   :D

-I have very few real life friends - probably about 3 - but they are the best friends a girl could ask for (2 of them I've known since 2nd grade).

-I have only visited 4 other states (Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, and California); and have only been to 2 other places outside the US - Aruba and Mexico.

-I have a niece (14) and a nephew (12).  

-My family has a cabin "up north" that I love going to in the summers.  The in-laws have a cabin across the street, and my aunt and uncle (my mom's sister and her husband) have a cabin right next door.

-I went to school for 5 years, am in incredible debt, and I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up.  I really don't think I've found my "calling."

-My favorite movie is The Sound of Music.  I watched it ALL the time with my Grandma when she was still alive.

-I love any and all reality TV.

11 Questions I had to Answer:

Favorite Movie?  Oh shoot.  I already answered this.  The Sound of Music!

What made you start blogging? I needed the accountability, I like talking about myself, and I love to write!!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why? Right here in MN with all my friends and family.

Walk or run?  Well, for now, walk.  But that 5K training is coming up!!

Favorite time of year?  Spring and Fall.

What is your favorite song right now? Anything country.   :)

What is your goal for the year?  Get down to my goal weight of 115 pounds, and find the confidence that I lost so long ago.

What is hockey, basketball, or football?  Not real sure I understand the question, but I'll say that my favorite would probably be football.  Though I'm not a huge sports fan.

How do you capture your memories?  I'm really bad at taking pictures (probably because I hate the way I look in all pictures), but am hoping to get better at it with this blog's help!

Iphone, Android, or Blackberry? Android.  I've seen my mom's iPhone, and honestly don't know what all the fuss is about.  I like my Galaxy SIII.    :)

Glass half full or half empty?  Hmm, depends what kind of day I'm having, but I tend to have a glass that's half full.

Questions to my nominees: (I'm lazy, so I'm picking the same questions I had)

Favorite movie?

What made you start blogging?

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be, and why?

Walk or run?

Favorite time of year?

What is your favorite song right now?

What is your goal for the year?

What's your favorite: hockey, basketball, or football?

How do you capture your memories?

iPhone, Android, or Blackberry?

Glass half full or half empty?

My nominees are:

Jonesyjl2 @ Life or Something Like It

EmDub @ Faster In Water

Toya @ Kismet and Kilograms

Back At It

Well, I was back at it yesterday with the working out.  Bi's & Tri's was on the schedule.  Usually I don't expect much of a calorie burn from weight workouts, but....

253 calories is pretty good for an upper body workout.  Please ignore my hairy arms.  

Yesterday also marked day 1 on My Fitness Pal.  How did I do?

Not too shabby, if I do say so myself.  Those extra 36 calories won't make or break me....plus, it took me about 20 minutes trying to shove my 6564568436 pound mattress back on to my bed all by myself, so that was a workout in itself.  Don't ask.  

I'm thinking that to get the most bang for my buck, I should start using my BodyMedia Fit armband.  I got one a couple years ago, and use it every now and then (yes, I'm one of those people who has a $6/month membership on the website and never use it).  I can sync that with MFP, and get actual calories burned throughout the day (rather than just through exercise, and the estimate they use based off my "sedentary" setting).  I'll put that baby on tonight so I can get good readings for tomorrow.

And to cap off this post, I'll leave you with this.  Ricky must be listening to my advice about lifting weights.  Looks like he wants to join in on the fun.  Except, well....I don't think that's what the weights are for.   ;)

Make it a great one!

With My Tail Between My Legs...

It's Monday.  And you know what that means.  Time for the infamous Garfield "Monday Cartoon."

I love Garfield...he's my favorite, and always puts sunshine in my Mondays.    :)

So this weekend I was sicker than a dog.  I laid around all weekend.  I did go to my parents' house so my dad could replace my car battery and rotate my tires, but I did nothing but lay on the couch and watch movies with my mom and the dog.  Basically my weekend consisted of no working out, and a lot of laying around.  I felt like I had been hit by a truck.  I'm feeling a little better today, but still have a nasty chest cough.  No fun.

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Remember my post last week...the one where I said I don't think I'm eating enough?  Um, yeah.  I totally have my tail between my legs right now, because last week was spent tracking some (notice I say "some") of the things I ate....and I noticed that I am way above 1200 calories/day.  Sometimes above 2000 (*cough* close to 3000 *cough*).  Gross!  And here I thought I was above the advice of tracking every morsel.  I thought I could excel at this "balanced lifestyle" thing.  Nope.  I don't have my poop in a group yet.

I've said before that I hate...absolutely HATE....tracking my calories.  It's a pain in the ass, and I feel like it makes me obsessed with food.  But you know what?  I think it's time for me to stop being a spoiled brat.  It's time to suck it up and do it.  Or I'm going to go nowhere fast.  I'm signing up for a My Fitness Pal (because that's where all the cool kids are) account today.  If anyone uses it, let me know your user name so we can be friends!  I'd love to be able to see what other dieters are eating!

And back to the grind I go...

Make it a great one!

Fitness Review Friday...On Sunday

Let me start off this post by saying...I did not work out this weekend.  Bad, I know.  This cold is kicking my ass.  Both Friday and Saturday night, I was in bed by 10:00, drugged up on Nyquil.  Then all day Saturday and today, I was drugged up on Dayquil.  I know it's DAYquil, but I still feel incredibly exhausted when I take it....why is that??  I really hope the end is near, because it is not making losing weight any easier.

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Since I didn't do Fitness Review on Friday, I'll do a really short version here (because I'm feeling really lazy and head-achey).

Saturday - Chest, Back, & Shoulders
Sunday - No workout
Monday - SuperCuts
Tuesday - No workout
Wednesday - No workout
Thursday - Cardio Leg Blast

So I only worked out 3 days last week.   :(   Which is better than nothing at all, but it's still not good.  Super Cuts is probably my new favorite workout....it was tons of fun.  I'm thinking I may substitute it for a couple future workouts, because I just can't get enough of it!

Thursday was the first day I was able to use my Polar FT4.  With some modifications (because of my cold, and sore knees), I was still able to burn 465 calories.  Pretty good, if I do say so myself.

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That's it for now.  Time to take some Nyquil and get some practice for the days I am an old Grandma and go to bed at 7:00.    :)

Let's Talk Boobies

Do your ears boobs hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie 'em in a knot?
Can you tie 'em in a bow?
Can you throw 'em o'er your shoulder,
Like a continental soldier?
Do your ears boobs hang low?

Yes.  You all now have that ditty (with my own lyrics) stuck in your head.  You're welcome.

But seriously.  All you big-booby gals can relate, I'm sure.  I am one of those gals who has the blessing of having big boobs.  It has been a curse blessing since I was, oh...probably in the 4th grade.  No, I am not exaggerating.  Lift that jaw up off the floor.  But it is most certainly not a blessing.  I was reminded of that when I saw myself in the bathroom mirror at work yesterday.  *shudders*

Seriously, I looked like a damn grandma.  I was feeling all good in that new shirt (which I bought over the weekend).  I love the colors, the style, everything.  Now, not so much.  They were hanging halfway down my torso, people!!!  That's not where they are supposed to be!  I'm 27 years old, and have never had kids!  Why are they hanging out any where near my belly button?!?!?!?!  And YES, I was wearing a bra!!

A lot of girls get scared of losing their girls when they start working out.  Not this girl.  I want them GONE!!!  I would LOVE to be an A or B cup.  The tops you can buy are so much cuter.  And you don't make Juniors' clothing look MATRONLY!

And working out?  Girl, don't get me STARTED!  Strap those babies up, or you're going to end up on the floor with a concussion.  I remember being on the dance team in high school.  Those high kick routines were no fun, jumping up and down, running here and there.  My friends, let me tell you, I wore 3 sports bras, PLUS duct tape.  Yes, you heard me right.  I had the girls on the team walk around me with a roll of duct tape to hold those babies down.  Because 3 sports bras was still not enough.  Now you know that duct tape does, indeed, work for everything (and it sure hurt like a bitch taking it off).

Do any of you blessed ladies have bras that make you look your age (not like a grandma)???  I always think I find a good one, but after a couple weeks, my ladies are hangin' back where they were before.  They're not just big, they're HEAVY!  I'm pretty sure if I chopped them off, I'd lose about 10 pounds and be in the normal weight category.

I'm taking any and ALL suggestions for a good bra to keep the ladies where they're supposed to be.   :)

Another non boob-related post will be up later.    ;)

Feeling Better & A Link-Up

I'm a little late with the post today...oopsies!  I've noticed that my blog list has been getting longer and longer.  And it takes a long time to get through all my daily blogs.  But I love it, and I won't make it smaller...I'm sure it will get even bigger over time.   :)    But a good idea for me would be to update my blog first, and then start reading.

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First things first.  I did not exercise last night.  Oops again.  I was just too wiped out from the Dayquil/Nyquil.  I am back at work today - the chest still hurts, and my voice sounds terrible at times, but I'm feeling better.

Check out my #bigasssalad....

Operation Red Bikini!!

I think I have a new favorite salad.  Which is a big deal coming from me.  It's a Southwest Chicken Salad.  I found the recipe over at Southern Girl Gets Fit (and she got it from here).  OMG, it tastes like taco dip.

**In my best Homer Simpson voice**  Mmmmm, taco dip.  **End voice**

If you know me, you know that taco dip is the highlight of all of my mom's holiday/birthday parties.  She makes it every time, and every time my brother and I fight over who gets the leftovers.  The recipe did call for some tortilla chips on the top, but since I haven't been working out as much this week, I chose to forego those (but will for sure add them next time).  I'm not a salad fan, probably never will be, and I'm sure I'll get sick of this salad by tomorrow or Saturday....but this one takes the cake.  You should try it!  One thing to note - along with the chips, I omitted the black beans (not a big bean fan) and the avocado (forgot to buy some).

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On a little more serious note - my knees are bothering me.  Like above the knee - whenever I get up or sit down, they hurt.  I'm hoping I didn't do too much too soon.  But I'll definitely be making some adjustments to my workouts so I don't injure myself.  I'm sure it's just because it's been forever and a day since I worked out consistently.  And I will hopefully build up my strength/muscles over time.

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Now for a link-up.  Katie over at KTJ Weighing In started this link-up today...head on over to her blog and join the fun!!

It's all about the non-scale victories.  Since starting weight training, I've been trying not to focus on the scale, because my muscles are probably tearing and holding on to some water.  Even though I haven't seen improvements on the scale, I did have a couple NSV's!

1. Smaller Size.  I went shopping over the weekend.  All you girls out there who need to lose weight know that shopping is not always fun.  However, this weekend was great.  I actually did not feel like a whale when trying on clothes.  And when I picked up a pair of size 10 black pants (for work), I was a little skeptical they'd fit (they didn't have a 12).  But I tried them on anyway, and they fit!!  

2. Working Out on the Weekends.  I am lazy.  Yes, true fact.  I never liked to work out on weekends.  Even if my workout schedule only allowed one rest day during the weekend, I'd still use both Saturday and Sunday as my rest day.  Not the case the past two weeks.  Score!

3. Putting my workouts first.  My boyfriend plays volleyball pretty much every night.  I used to go watch him every night.  Not anymore.  I choose to workout instead (except for that one day last week).  And this week (on Monday), I made it a point to drive home and do my workout before driving back in to Minneapolis to watch him play.  Not one ounce of guilt there - I didn't even care about the extra gas I used!

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That's it for today.  Make it a great one!

The Crud

I have the crud.  Gross.  I called in to work today, and could barely get any words out because I've lost my voice.  This isn't the same cold I had a couple weeks ago.  This one is in my chest, and it hurts.  Why is it that whenever I start working out, I get sick like this?  Is my body just getting rid of all the crap inside me?  Who knows...

Last night I didn't work out.  Womp womp.  That makes it two times that I didn't work out this week (since Saturday).  I just was not feeling well, and needed to just relax.  I probably shouldn't work out today, but I don't want to miss yet another workout.  It's only a Bi's and Tri's workout, so nothing too strenuous.

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I'll leave you with a couple things before I go.  Guess what I ordered off of Amazon last week that came in the mail yesterday??

A Polar FT4 heart rate monitor, and some weighted gloves (2 pounds each)!  The weighted gloves will be perfect for my hard strikes workouts, and will also add a little more resistance for my weight training.  And everyone needs a heart rate monitor!   :)

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That's it for now....sorry for the blah post.  Hopefully I have more energy tomorrow.

Crazy Lady & Shopping

Oh boy....I think I'm getting sick again.  I was feeling it a little bit yesterday....my chest started hurting, and my throat felt a little scratchy.  Lovely.  I just got a over a cold like 2 weeks ago!  Oh, the joys of living in the frigid state of Minnesota.

Check out that temp....2 below zero!!!  That's the temperature it was on my way home from work yesterday.   :O    And it's even colder today.  I think it was at 11 below on my way in to work.  A lot of schools up north were delayed or closed because the wind chills were so dangerous.  Brings back memories of the time in elementary school when the governor closed every school in the state of Minnesota, because the wind chills were 50 below!   :D

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Last night I went to watch the boyfriend play volleyball.  But NOT before I got in my workout!   :D    Yesterday's workout was SuperCuts.  This was a new one - it's the first time this was in my rotation, and the last.   :(     I wish it was in my rotation more often, because it. was. AMAZEBALLS!  Holy crap...Cathe is one crazy lady!!!  I think it was one of the toughest workouts I have ever done, and it was all over with in only 45 minutes.  The time flew by, and get this - I was smiling after the workout.  Not because it was over with.  Nope, I was smiling because I genuinely enjoyed it.  That is a first.  This workout series just amazes me more and more every day.  I'm only a week and a half in to it, and I'm already noticing some awesome changes.

Just a few highlights from the workout...

Today's workout is Hard Strikes Timesaver + Core.  Kickboxing is not a favorite of mine, but this workout is short enough, and varied enough, that it doesn't get too boring for me.  

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So they say if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  That has definitely been the case this week.  I still have not done any meal planning or grocery shopping for the week.  And it's Tuesday.  Needless to say, last night was a later night for us, and I went to get some Chinese food....there was nothing to cook.  Shoot.  

Looks like I'll be meal planning today, and I should probably go shopping right away after work.  I also didn't pack a lunch today.   :-\     I should go to Lund's to their amazing salad bar.....but I really don't want to go outside and freeze my nose off.  But there really is nothing here (we don't have a cafeteria here....it sucks).  I may just have to suck it up!

Hope everyone else is staying warm!

I Don't Think I'm Eating Enough

Hey hey, it's Monday!  Womp womp.

This weekend was 50/50 on the diet and exercise front.  Saturday was great.  I did my workout when I got up in the morning, ate well, and shopped 'til I dropped (for about 4 hours...I was pooped).  

Saturday night was a terrible night.  I'm not talking about exercise/diet.  I had some personal things happen that just sucked the air/life out of me.  I'd rather not get in to it here (I'd like to keep this a positive space), but needless to say, Sunday was spent moping around my apartment, doing absolutely nothing.  If you follow me on Instagram (@MyInnerButterfly), you'll know that my day was spent just like this....

I would have liked to get the couple loads of laundry, menu planning, and grocery shopping done that I had to do; but it just didn't happen.  

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But today is a new day, and I have something more important to talk about now!

Calories.  

Yep, I said I did not want to count calories, because it drives me completely bonkers.  But I'm starting to wonder if I'm eating enough.  Now, I know I said that I wouldn't be checking the scale for a few weeks, but come on!  Who can really stay away from that b*tch?!  I've been peeking at it pretty much every day.  And I'm NOT liking what I'm seeing.  Yep, I know starting a weight training plan can make me hold on to some water weight, etc.  However, I'm almost 2 weeks in to this, and rather than going down or staying the same, it has been slowly inching up.  

That's not the point.  I know I can't measure my progress by the scale only (dumb b*tch scale).  I have to say, that I do feel thinner.  I feel like my arms have thinned out a little, my stomach feels smaller, and my bra fat rolls have gotten smaller (yeah NSV's!).  The point is that, I don't want to be bad to my body.  We've all heard of people saying that you need to eat enough, or if you're at a plateau, you should increase your calories.  I haven't been counting calories, but I'd say that I'm probably averaging around 1200/day.  There were a couple days that I went to bed with a grumbling stomach.  

Not good.  

And heck, one of the advantages of increasing your activity, is that you can eat more.  

Long story short: I did a few calculations, and I really should be eating around 1600 calories/day to lose weight.  That is a scary number.  But I need to ask myself....am I in this to lose weight the healthy way?  Or do I want to try to lose it really fast, only to plateau or gain in the future?  

Sigh.  I'm scared.  I don't want to increase my calories.  What if I gain weight????  

Anyone else face this dilemma before??

Maybe it's time to break out my BodyMedia Fit to get a better measure of how many calories I'm burning now that I'm lifting (heavy) weights (well, heavy to me).  That would mean counting calories again.  At least for a week or so....I just don't want to get so obsessive about numbers.  AHHH!!!

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Okay, that's it for me today.  This post got way longer than I had anticipated.  But it's something that's been in the back of my mind.  Any advice?

Quick Update

I'm going to make this one a quickie this morning (that's what she said).  Just finished Chest, Back, and Shoulders.  This workout was a little different than Burn Sets C/B/S in that you did a ton of supersets, one exercise for chest, one for back, and one for shoulders....then moved on to the next round of exercises.  I loved this one.  It was not boring at all (I tend to get bored with weight workouts), and it was very fast-paced!

Right now, I'm (slowly) transferring Ride to my phone.  My oatmeal is cooking.  Then it's time to shower, get pretty, and go shopping!

I actually went shopping last night with my BFF from high school (we're still the best of friends...we've known each other since 2nd grade!).  But I want to go again, because I didn't have much luck.  We only went to Kohl's, so I'm going to an actual mall today.  I haven't shopped in so long....I'm ready for a day for ME.  I love shopping alone...because it's all about myself!   :)  

Make it a great one!

This Week's Fitness Review

It's Friday!  YES!  I am really tired today, so I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.  And getting in a workout right away, of course.   :)

Since Fridays are the end of the week for me, fitness-wise, I figured I would use Fridays as my day to review how my workouts went for the week.  So here we go: my first Week In Review...

Saturday
Workout: Burn Sets Chest, Back, & Shoulders
Review: I was a little nervous seeing as a Saturday was my first day in the rotation, because I never work out on the weekends.  Talk about setting myself up for failure.  But I did workout, and that was a great feeling!  It was a great workout, and my chest muscles were pretty sore for the next couple of days.

Sunday
Workout: Cardio Leg Blast
Review: Put cardio and legs together in one workout, and you've got one heck of a workout!  I was sweating hard (and I had a picture to prove it).  I felt proud of myself for getting this workout in, because I had a late night the night before, and had the worst headache.  It was also grocery shopping/meal planning day, and I really didn't feel like doing anything.

Monday
Workout: Burn Sets Bi's & Tri's
Review: My endorphins were still pumping today, and the excitement and energy that my workouts gave me over the weekend were both still there.  This was a good workout, and my triceps were burning.  I also noted that I'll need some 10 pound dumbbells (which, by the way, I ordered on Amazon a few days ago.  They were supposed to arrive yesterday, but they weren't delivered because they were damaged ?!  A little upset by that, and am in contact with Amazon).  I think once I get those dumbbells, I should be all set.  Then after a while I'll need to order heavier, hehe.    :)

Instagram picture from last night...laying on the floor after a core workout!

Tuesday
Workout: Hardstrikes Timesaver (was supposed to be Ride)
Review: I really set myself up for failure by not being prepared for the Ride workout.  I was a little disappointed, because it would have been my first "spinning" workout.  To make a long story short, I didn't get the download on to my phone, and when I attempted to do it on Tuesday night, it didn't work because it said it would take over 2 hours to transfer.  So I did the Hardstrikes workout (which I was supposed to do on Wednesday).  I'm not a huge kickboxing/boxing workout fan.  This workout was an okay workout.  I'm glad it was shorter, because I probably would have gotten bored and quit.

Wednesday
Workout: None (oops)
Review: I was supposed to transfer the Ride workout to my phone.  Didn't.  I should have done Thursday's workout.  Didn't.  I was tired, and my energy was dragging.  I chose to watch my boyfriend play volleyball over working out.  Bad move.  That put a "circle" on my calendar.

Thursday

Workout: All Out Low Impact HIIT + Core

Review: What a tough workout!  HIIT is always tough, and this workout was no exception (don't let "low impact" fool you into thinking it's easy!).  And boy did that core workout kill me again.

All in all, this week was a great week.  It showed me that I can do this.  Even with a missed workout, I kept going.  Even though I never worked out on weekends before, I did it...TWICE!  I am capable of more than I give myself credit for.  And so are YOU!  You just need to dig deep and find that motivation.  This series has been a great light at the end of the tunnel for me.  It got me excited.  It got me motivated.  I have a feeling that this is the real thing this time.  And that's exciting!!

Yep, pretty sure there is no trace of muscle in my arms...but I'll get there!!

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On a completely unrelated note: I've seen a lot of bloggers talking about these Subscription Boxes.  After doing some research, I've found that there are tons of different kinds out there.  Anyone subscribe to any?  Know anyone who's subscribed?  What are the best ones out there, in your opinion??

A Soup-er Bowl + 1400 Calories

Just stepped out of my office "Soup"-er Bowl party....basically everyone brings in a soup, and we vote on the best soup.  I think we had about 12 different soups.....I just stuck with small servings of 3.    ;)    Needless to say, I'm stuffed!

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Last night, I chose watching the boyfriend play volleyball over working out.  Womp womp.  So one day was missed on my calendar.   :(     Old Heather would have taken that as a cue to throw in the towel.  Not anymore.  It's just one day out of many many more days to come.  I can't keep that "perfectionist" mentality.  It's no bueno for me.

I do plan on doing the Low Impact HIIT + Core workout tonight though.  Which means I still have not done Ride.  I'm not sure yet if I'm going to double up on Saturday, or just miss it for this week altogether (because I'm scheduled to do the Ride workout on Sunday, anyway).

I have to say, though, being on Instagram has been giving me a TON of motivation.  I get so many updates from all these bloggers I follow with their eats and workouts.  One in particular really stood out to me last night, from Megan, over at Miss Madison's Charmed Life.  She posted a picture of her calories burned during her two workouts last night............

Over 1400 calories!!!!

In ONE night?!?!  That is insane!  And really puts some fire in me to really amp up my workouts.  I may not burn that many calories, but I am going to work on really putting a bigger effort in to my workouts.  The more you put in to them, the better the results, right?

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You may have noticed things kept changing up a bit as far as my layout goes.  I think I finally picked something I like.  Nice and simple, and I made that cartoon character myself.  I'm pretty happy with it.  At first I tried out a chevron background, then a couple templated backgrounds from Blogger....but after about 665846448746 different tries, I finally just decided to go with a white background.  Perfect for me!

Oh, and I also got a good chunk of my pages done.  They're nothing spectacular, but they're good for now!  Still working on the 5K Training and Contact Me pages.

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That's it for now....time to go fill up on some water (NOT Mt. Dew, like I would normally do).  One of those soups was spicy!!

NSV & A Cult

Well hello there blog world.  You may have noticed that some new links popped up on the top of my page.  I decided to create some extra pages to free up some space on my side bars....they're beginning to look a little crazy.  That's my project for today, and all the pages are under construction, so don't even attempt to click on the links yet.  They're not done.    :)

Last night, I was supposed to do Ride.  Remember I said in yesterday's post that I hope nothing comes up that prevents me to get the download on my phone?  Well, I jinxed myself.  It did.  I hooked my phone up to my laptop, dragged and dropped the video file, and it said it would take about 55 minutes.  Ummm....

Well, after a couple minutes, it then said it would take more than 2 hours.  Crap.  So I decided to switch workouts.  Instead of doing Hard Strikes today, I did it yesterday.  Great, short workout.  Which was good, because for some reason I just got the blues after work and was not in the mood.  Another thing?  I didn't finish transferring the file.  I wanted to watch The Bachelor and The Biggest Loser on Hulu, and it was making my computer very very slow.  So I stopped it (it wasn't even 1/4 of the way done).  Which means I probably won't be able to do it today either.  I'll be doing tomorrow's workout, today (Low Impact HIIT + Core).  I'll get there eventually, people!!

But the good thing?  I didn't let that stop me from working out.  I wanted that "X" on my calendar dammit!  And I got it.  NSV for Heather!!  The workout was 34 minutes (I did a premix), so a little shorter, but I got a good sweat out of it!   :)

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I have joined the cult.  The cult of Instagram.  You can follow me @ myinnerbutterfly.

And I'm already addicted.  So not what I need, but I'm loving it!!  As for other social media (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Keek, etc.), maybe some day I'll get there.  I don't think my blog is big enough to have its own Facebook page.  I would probably have 1 fan (myself).  And I think it might take a lot of time...I don't know how you bloggers who work full time do it.  Maybe some day I can quit my job and become a professional blogger, but until then, I'll be slow to get on the social media bandwagon.   ;)

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Let's hope I don't get the blues again today.  Not sure what came over me yesterday.  I'm still in a bit of a "blah" mood, but hoping that will subside.  I have some work to do, so I'm out!

Overnight Oats and Maple Syrup Eggs

Good morning, and Happy Tuesday!  Don't you just hate "that" girl in the office who puts the word happy in front of every day of the week?  Please only do that if it's Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.  At least in front of me....especially in the mornings...and especially at work.    :D

Moving on.  My breakfast this morning....

Overnight oats, and a hard-boiled egg with pure maple syrup.  I know, I gagged at the thought of that egg too.  I can't remember where I got the idea, but I remember the person explaining why she thought of this concoction.  Don't you ever eat pancakes (or waffles or french toast) and eggs, and then the syrup gets in to the eggs?  Well, it happens to me, and I like it.  And I like this too.  Try it!

Overnight oats have become a morning staple for me, because I can never get my butt out of bed in the mornings to actually prepare a meal.  This is the next best option, and it's a yummy one!  Mine consists of oatmeal (obviously), coconut milk, cinnamon, ground flax seed (make sure you're near a bathroom when you start eating this), and natural peanut butter.  My oatmeal was a little dry this morning....I like mine a little runny.  So that just means I didn't add enough coconut milk.  NBD....I'll add lots tonight for tomorrow's breakfast!

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Remember yesterday when I tried my first sweet potato for lunch?  It was a success!  I did like it.  Though, it was a little rubbery for me - I think because I nuked it in the microwave.  I baked my sweet potato last night, and I'll be eating that for lunch today.  We'll see what kind of difference it makes.

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Another "X" was put on my workout calendar last night!  Today's workout is Ride.  I still haven't downloaded it to my phone, so I'm going to need to do that right away after work.  Crossing my fingers and hoping I have no issues!  That'll teach me to do things last-minute like I always do.  I'm a little nervous...it's almost an hour-long workout, and I've never done spinning before.  Sure, I've gone for nice rides in the park, at a leisurely pace.  But a spinning class?  Where I have to actually work?  Yikes!  But my workout manager I use on cathe.com says that it burns almost 700 calories...so it will be worth it!

My workout last night (Bi's & Tri's + Core) was great.  I still need to buy 10 pound weights.  I wasn't going to failure with the biceps with my 8 pound weights.  I had them in my cart when I went grocery shopping at Target on Sunday, but I took them out because they were expensive, and I can't stand to see my bill so high.  I'm kicking myself now.  I'm going to have to buy them anyway!!!  Oh well, it was still a good workout.

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Okay, well, that's it for today.  I feel like I have so much to talk about.  So maybe...just maybe....I'll post again today.  We shall see!

A First + C25K Update

Today will be a first for me.  A first that I'm sure many would be surprised with.  Today, I will be eating something new and different for lunch....

A sweet potato.  Can you believe I've never eaten one?  Well, one that is not in french fry form anyway.  I've had Sweet Potato fries from TJ's, and they are AH-mazing!  I was reading through some of my daily blogs on Friday, and got the great idea to eat one of these beauties for lunch.  I'm planning on eating it with some Wholly Guacamole, and nonfat plain Greek Yogurt.  I'll let you know how it goes, and what I think once I eat it!

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So, it's Monday.  Womp womp.  The day when no one feels like working.  And I am no exception today.  I've been productive and gotten pretty much everything done that needs to be.  Now I'm in kind of a lull, so I figured I'd update the blog.

I'm sure many were happy to see my back sweat this weekend.  You're welcome.  Today on the plan is Burn Sets Bi's & Tri's + Core #1.  Looking forward to a short(er) workout of 47 minutes.  Gives me extra time to relax.  Which I'll need, because The Bachelor is on tonight!!

Yumm-o.  The only reason I look forward to Mondays.    :)     I've been watching The Bachelor since the first season, and no I am not ashamed.  That, Big Brother, and American Idol (starts this week!).  I'm a reality TV queen.  A good thing, because I really don't have a need for cable channels then, and it saves me money.    :)

Another good thing that will save me some time tonight is my ham that I have cooking in the crock pot right now.  Yep, last week I cooked the turkey I got from work, and now this week, ham is on the menu.  I just put 2 cups of brown sugar and the ham in the slow cooker this morning.  Looking forward to going home to the lovely smell of ham tonight!  And the rest of the week, I'll be eating sweet potatoes and ham for lunches.

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C25K Update:  I've decided to hold off on training.  The Minnesota weather is pretty cold this year, and I really don't see it warming up by March.  I'd rather not do my first 5K in cold weather.  I'd also like to be able to solely concentrate on Xtrain.  I plan on getting through this first rotation, and then moving on to the 30 Day Strength/Cardio rotation.  Once that's done, I'll be able to start my training.  For the Mother's Day 5K.  It's put on by the same organization (Charities Challenge) that does the St. Patrick's Day 5K.  

Not to fret!  I still plan on keeping that New Year's Resolution!  I just figured with my weight loss goals, I want to only focus on one thing right now, and that's Xtrain. 

Plus, I could use that extra hour of sleep in the mornings....because sleep is good for losing weight!

Make it a great one!

Back Sweat

2 posts in one weekend??  Crazy, I know.  It's crazy how excited I am about this Xtrain series.  I've never been this excited to exercise.  I love how every workout is so different.  I love Cathe...she is the best of the best!

Speaking of Xtrain....

Check out that back sweat!!  :)     Cardio Leg Blast was on schedule for today.  I tried this one out on Thursday, but stopped about 15-20 minutes in to it because I was so sore, and my legs were about to give out any minute.  And today I made it through the whole workout!  I did rest a little during one of the cardio blasts, and I had to take it easy on a couple of the moves.  But I'm really looking forward to the day I can make it through the whole workout without having to make any adjustments.

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Food-wise, I think I made some huge strides as far as weekends go.  I didn't go out to eat at all on Saturday.  However, I did go out last night, and had 2 (smaller) rum and cokes.  Went to bed around 3, and I had a bit of a headache (only 2 drinks and I had a headache...can you tell I hardly ever drink??).  But I didn't let that stop me.  I went grocery shopping, and once I got home, I put my workout gear on and got to work!  Felt good to get that second "X" on the calendar!   :)

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It's almost 9:30.  My meals for tomorrow are packed, along with the boyfriend's.  I'm feeling really on top of it right now.  What a good feeling!  

Day 1 In the Books

My January exercise calendar.  And as you can see, January 12 already has a big old X on it.  Just finished my first workout of the rotation: Burn Sets Chest, Back, and Shoulders.  As I type this, my oatmeal is cooking.  I know, breakfast is a little late today, but I let myself sleep in a little bit.

I have lots to do today.  Meal planning, grocery shopping, laundry, a couple errands.  I'm thinking I'll do a little of that today, and a little tomorrow.  But at least I have one thing - work out - crossed off my list!   :)

Make it a great one!

Cut Short

Happy Friday....all I have to say is TGIF!!  Even though it was another short work week for me, it still felt like it dragged on forever.

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Last night I had Cardio Leg Blast + Burn Set Bi's on the schedule.  I got my dumbbells, band, and tubing ready to go....

Cathe was waiting for me....

But I couldn't make it through the first 10 minutes.  My legs HURT.  I decided not to do the Cardio Leg Blast portion, and skip to the Bi's portion.  I feel like my weights for the biceps workout were a little too light.  The heaviest weights I have are 8 pounds.  Looks like I'll be making a trip to Target for some 10 pounders.  Although...Cathe was using 20 pounds for this workout.  Say WHAT?!  She is one strong lady.

I was a little disappointed I didn't make it through the workout, but I figured I should maybe rest my legs a bit so I'm ready to go when the rotation actually starts on Saturday.  And let me tell you...my legs are thanking me today!  They're still a little sore, but now I can at least walk without a limp.    :)

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I decided that I'll be doing the 30 day undulating rotation + Ride.  I purchased the Ride download last night.  The download is ready to go on my computer.  Now I just need to transfer it to my phone this weekend, and I'll be all set to bring my phone and headphones in to the gym with me, and set my Cathe workout up on the stationary bike!  I've never taken a spinning class before, so this should be interesting.

I know this rotation wasn't even on my radar the last week, since I hadn't originally purchased Ride.  But since I was having such a hard time deciding between the 90 Day Undulating and the 30 Day Cardio/Weights rotations, I decided....what the heck, I might as well see what this other rotation looks like.  And I felt it had the best of both worlds, so the extra $20 I think will be worth it.

I'll be posting the calendar with my rotation later today or tonight.  For now, it's back to work I go!

Measurements

Hahaha!  Totally me.  Yesterday and today have been torture.  I can barely walk.  Anyone know if you can get one of those handicap signs if you begin working out after a LONG hiatus?  Because I need one.  I also need some help getting on to the toilet.  I need to use the handicap stall so I can use the railings.  Hehe!

Last night I did Hard Strikes + Burn Set Tri's + Core #1.  My triceps were on fire, and I definitely feel them today.  Along with the soreness in my legs and butt.  My core is starting to hurt....I'm sure that will turn in to a LOT of pain later.  But I love it.  That means it's working!!

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So this morning I took my measurements, since I'm starting my rotation on Saturday.  Obviously I'll be recording my weight, but we all know that measurements are most important when starting a weight training program.  So here are my starting stats (the weight is up a bit because of that time of month...and my muscles are probably holding some water right now)...

Right Arm: 11.5"   13.25
Left Arm: 11.25"    12.5
Chest: 43" (holy boobies!!)    49
Waist: 34.5"    43
Hips: 40.5"    45
Girth (lower abs): 40.5"  (oh, love handles, how I loathe thee)    46.25
Right Thigh: 24"   25.5
Left Thigh: 23.75"    25.5
Right Calf: 13.75"    15.5
Left Calf: 13.25"   15
Starting Weight: 151.4
BMI: 28.6

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There ya have it!  Saturday is day 1 of Xtrain (even though I've done a couple workouts already...I just couldn't wait for Saturday!!).  I'm still deciding if I want to do the 30 day cardio/weights rotation, or the 90 day undulating rotation.  I'm going to do a little more research, and when I figure that all out, you'll be the first to know!!

Make it a good one!

Ouch!

Oy!  I have to say.  I. am. SORE!!  Every time I get up, I'm reminded of the Xtrain workout I did last night.  My butt and thighs are really feeling it today.    :O    I can barely walk, let alone sit down to go to the bathroom.

But I'm really excited for my workout tonight....Hard Strikes + Burn Set Tri's + Core #1.  Yeah, and I'm sure my abs will be feeling it tomorrow.

Love it!!   :D

1st Workout!

So I mentioned yesterday that I would be getting Xtrain 1 day earlier than scheduled.  When I got home, I changed in to my workout clothes (remember, I said that I can't get the package until I did day 1 of C25K), took my keys, and headed to the mail box.  The gym is on the way to the office, so I thought I'd stop at the mail box and bring my slip with me to the gym so I wouldn't have to go all the way back to my mail box.  Got there, and there was no slip from the UPS guy.    :(    I started to get a little worried.  And a little angry.  But I went to the gym and did day 1 of C25K.

I felt great afterwards, and was so happy to get that first day done and out of the way!  I also got new shoes from the boyfriend for Christmas.  They were a little stiff, so I'm going to need to wear them in a little....I could feel them start to give me blisters.  But I know they'll be great after a few times wearing them!

Once that was over, I headed over to the office.  I asked if a package came for me.  She said no, and my heart sank a little.  But then she said if it's UPS, the UPS guy doesn't usually get there until later.  Went to my apartment, happened to see the UPS guy, and I RAN there and asked for my package.  I probably scared him a little, haha.  And it was there!!!

As you can see, the All-Out HIIT Workout was out....that was my first workout.  Well, a premix off that disc.  I did the All-Out HIIT + Burn Sets Shoulders.  Note to self:  I think I'll need to start sucking it up and getting up early to do C25K, and Xtrain at night.  I was really burnt out from the run.  But I made it through (with a few breaks, of course), and I felt AWESOME!!!  I loved the workout, and can't wait for the next one tonight!

Then I cooked up a nice salmon dinner with about 1/4 cup rice and asparagus.  I ate that while I watched The Bachelor and The Biggest Loser (episode 2) on Hulu.

Oh, and I cancelled my subscription to Hulu Plus.  It turned out to be a joke.  I could watch The Bachelor for free on my computer, but not streaming on my TV?  That coupled with the fact that I could usually only watch the current season of a show (but all seasons of a show on Netflix); well, I thought, what the heck is the point of paying???  Hulu Plus sucks.  Plus the signal always went in and out on my TV (I don't have that problem with Netflix, so it's not my connection).  Lame.  So if you're thinking of getting a subscription....DON'T!  Until they put more content on there, I'm happy with the free version on my computer.

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That's it for now.  I have an hour lunch break today (had to be here early to set up for a tutoring program that we do for a local middle school), so I may just post again.  We shall see.  Have a good one!

Weekend + This Week

Okay, this is going to be a long one, folks, because I haven't had time to blog the last few days.  Oops!  Now time to make up for it.

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First things first....I got some AWESOME news when I checked my phone this morning....

That would be my Xtrain.  It was originally scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, so this was a great surprise!!  To say that I was excited would be an understatement.  I think I squealed a little and scared the cat.    :D

I took a quick peak at the Workout Manager on Cathe's site, and was able to see what the rotations looked like.  I'll probably be doing the 30 day cardio/weights rotation.  It's 6 days per week, with one rest day.  I'd like my "rest" days to be Fridays, so Saturday was going to be day 1 for me.  But I'm really excited.  So I think I'm going to start mid-week of week 1, and then do all of week 1 starting Saturday.  I just can't wait anymore!!!

I'll be doing day 1 of C25K right after work.  I'm telling myself I can't go to the office to get the package until I've finished that workout.  So a little extra motivation to get myself going for day 1!  Woo-hoo!!

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Now on to the weekend.  This weekend was pretty low-key for me.  Saturday I had a hair appointment.  I didn't do anything different really, just cleaned up the ends/layers and added some side-swept bangs.  I also got my eyebrows waxed.  That was LONG overdue.  I was growing a forest up there!  All of that for $75...ugh!!  I really need to find a cheaper place.  The wax was $20.....$55 for a TRIM???  Maybe Great Clips isn't so bad after all.

Saturday night was playoff game #1 for the Vikes.  And the last.  Whoever decided to take our quarterback out of the FIRST playoff game and put the other one in (who had not played ONCE this season), was a dumb***!!  A sore elbow?  Come on.  Me thinks someone was a little chicken and didn't want to screw up even bigger than he did the first time we played the Packers this season.  Oh well.  There's always next year....which is what we say every year.    :)

Sunday was the big day for this little guy....

I brought him in to get neutered at 8:30 in the morning.  I felt so bad, I even cried a little as I was leaving.  He looked so scared.   :(    I know....really, Heather?  What the heck am I going to do when I have kids???  I'll probably pass out if they ever have to have surgery.  While he was in his surgery and recovering, I went to my niece's 14th birthday party.

I cannot believe that is the same little girl I held in my arms when she was a baby.  She's a good 6-7 inches taller than me now (although, I'm not too hard to beat in that department)!!  She is one sassy frass of a girl, but such a sweetheart.

At 3:30 I got called that Ricky was ready to come home, so I went to pick him up.  Poor little guy peed on his blanket.   :(    That was not a fun car ride home.  It was pretty entertaining to watch him when I let him out of his carrier.  He was still pretty drugged up and could barely walk!  Haha, it was great.  He's doing much better now.

Yesterday was the 3rd day of my weekend, because I took the day off!!  I didn't know how close I would need to watch Ricky, so I took it off just in case.  It was great, and I got a lot of stuff done.  I finally cleaned my apartment and got rid of all the boxes from Christmas (I know, that's pretty bad, seeing as Christmas was 2 weeks ago already), meal planned and went grocery shopping, and I cooked this turkey....

We got a free turkey and a free ham from our company (it's a tradition they do every year before the holidays).  I'll be eating LOTS of turkey over the next week.  We ate it last night, I'll be making buffalo turkey wraps for lunches, and I have a turkey hash recipe that I found, which I'll make on Thursday.  I'll freeze the rest and make a soup this weekend...maybe turkey chili or turkey taco soup or something.  We'll see!

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I did weigh myself this morning, but I'm not recording it.  I forgot it's that time of the month this week.  Had a little freak out until I remembered that.  So you'll all have to wait until next week.  Although, I'm starting to wonder if maybe I shouldn't do weigh-ins now that I'm starting Xtrain.  I tend to gain a little weight when I first start a weight training program (which is normal).  BUT...I'm still doing the Dietbet.  I'll have to wait and see.

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I think that's it.  I have a buffalo turkey wrap to eat.  I'll leave you with this....saw it on Elle Noel's blog, and loved it!

Make it a great day!