When things don't go as planned

I had an amazing Friday evening with some great friends. I had 4, yes 4!, separate invites to go out. Each with a different set of friends. There is NO way I would have ever imagined this a few months ago. I decided to hit up the Frist Museum because it was free Friday to see the Aaron Douglas exhibit. The Fisk Jubilee Singers were also performing, but it was too packed and we couldn't get in. I also checked out Societe Anonyme Inc. Exhibit. If you would have asked me a year ago if I would have enjoyed a modern art exhibit, the answer probably would have been maybe. I love it now. I guess I can thank the ex for that.

After the museum we decided on an Italian place for dinner that we had all never been too. I am pretty picky about my Italian, and basically nothing will ever top Italian food in Italy. The waitress made some assumptions and comments about us that totally through the mood for a bit, but we were able to recover and at one point I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt. I decided on a creamy presto and tomato sauce on whole wheat penne with sausage. I ended up eating the whole plate and 3 pieces of bread. I should have only had one piece of bread and half the pasta. I also had my first drink of the new year, a glass of red wine. Oh and we had ginger biscotti that was heavenly.

After dinner we headed to a bar and I had a Hoegarden. So one beer isn't that bad. Of course the conversation was great and I had a really good time.

Exercise for yesterday consisted of walking on the treadmill for an hour.

Today I got up a little before 8 and was at the gym by about 8:40 in order to make up for my pasta indulgence. I did my weights for 45 minutes and the arc trainer for 45 minutes. I then waited for about 15-20 minutes for the treadclimber because I like it that much. I hope more people don't start to realize how great a machine it is :)

The rest of the day was a lazy day. I came home and made a salad of mixed greens, mandarin oranges, black beans, crasains, and honey mustard dressing. I buy actual honey mustard and it has a lot fewer calories. I took a nap, did some laundry and made dinner. Dinner consisted of sauted bok choy, stewed tomatoes, and whole wheat pasta. Yummy! I made one serving of pasta and the veggies. It was so much I had to split it into 2 servings. Now I have leftovers for tomorrow or Monday.

Tonight I am going out with some grad school friends. We are going to this country/hip hop bar. I have been there once before and it is quite the experience. Hopefully I will have pictures to prove it.

Have a great night!

An Amendment to the "I Love Me" List

So I was doing some more thinking about the list and I have two modifications to make:

2. When did you surprise yourself with your physical strength?
When I was in South Africa at the Cape of Good Hope. We went up to the area where one of the lighthouses was located. It was still a good 20 minute hike to the lighthouse form the parking lot. At first I wasn't going to do walk up there. Then I thought "What the heck? Who knows when I will be back in South Africa again?" I climbed to that light house and wasn't completely winded while some of my classmates were! *Hopefully* I will have all of my pictures uploaded soon :)

3. When were you braver than you ever thought you could be?
I still don't view myself as brave. But when I went through the breakup a week before my birthday, I really surprised and amazed myself at how I handled it. Sure I cried a lot and stopped eating for a while, but I also was able to book a last minute trip to Seattle for my birthday and see my lovely friends and family. I could have moped around for a while, but instead I reached out to friends in Nashville and I can honestly say the last 4 months have been 4 of the most enjoyable months I have spent in Nashville.

TGIF!

There hasn't been anything particularly grueling or difficult about this week, but I am glad it is almost over. I think class and working picking up just got the best of me. this week. I was in bed by 8:30 PM last night.

Despite a busy week, I have kept up with my eating and gym routine! Yeah! Go me! When I was on the treadclimber yesterday, I couldn't stop staring at my reflection in the mirror. My arms and legs are really starting to look lean. My clothes are starting to fit better (a lot better!). Making healthy choices is starting to get easier and easier.

I have been updating my resume in preparation for my upcoming job search. I have also been looking at job postings as well. There are so many out there. My major concern is that I am not actually in Seattle right now. Today I signed up for a professional development class in grant writing that I am super excited about. I am not excited about the fee for it, but I don't have to take a vacation day to attend!

My CSA was full of yummy greens this week. I have been eating amazing salads the past 2 days. I love trying new combinations. I have really enjoyed crasains-black beans-apples-balsamic mix I created.

Have a wonderful weekend!

The " I LOVE ME" List

The "I LOVE ME" List. Thank you for this Krissie!

1. What do you absolutely love about your body?
My height and my collarbones. I used to hate being tall and now I have really embraced it. I have collarbones now, enough said

2. When did you surprise yourself with your physical strength?
Probably the last time I worked out with my trainer in November. He always pushes me and I always push myself just to show him what I am capable of.

3. When were you braver than you ever thought you could be?
I am not really sure I have experienced this yet. I have a feeling it will occur in the coming months.

4. When did your self-control blow you away?
Last Saturday at the cookout, I didn't gorge myself with food. Instead I enjoyed the company of my friends.

5. What is your proudest moment ever?
Being accepted to the Gonzaga study abroad program

6. When was the last time you felt absolutely beautiful?
New Year's Eve

7. Why do you deserve to meet your goals?
I never give up, ever

Chips, Chips, and more Chips

So I had planned today that I would eat lunch out. I was craving Pei Wei and that was vetoed by the boys in the office. So we ended up going to my least favorite Mexican food place in Nashville. It is pure crap, but everyone loves it. I don't get it at all. Everyone raves about the cheese dip. It isn't that good. Their chips however I can handle ie I have no problem eating. I ended up ordering a chicken burrito with rice and beans. I ate way too many chips, the whole burrito, and about 3/4 of the rice and beans. I was so full I felt disgusting the entire afternoon. At least it was a late lunch so there was only about 2 hours left in the day by the time I was back to my desk.

Even though I was feeling full I walked on the treadmill for 65 minutes between work and class. When I got back to my office a co-worker stopped by and asked if I had lunch plans for tomorrow. I was planning to go to the gym, but I haven't had a chance to really talk with this co-worker in a long time since we have both been so busy. SO we are going to Pei Wei tomorrow for lunch :) Have no fear. I will still be going to the gym after work for a few hours

So I had my entrepreneurial growth class. Somehow I have been put in charge of starting the graduate entrepreneurial round table group to throw ideas back and forth between current students and past students. This scares the shit out of me. What if I pick a bar (or some other location that serves drinks) and people don't show up and I am there by myself? I think that is my biggest fear. Now I just need to draft an e-mail and pick a time and place...

An Update

So anytime I have a little success with weight loss after a slump I do some major day dreaming. I look at how many weeks there are until X event. And how many pounds I could reasonably lose before X event. Have ever really lost the potential poundage before X event? Nope, never, not even really close. So I am not really sure why I did it tonight, other then sheer boredom from my class lecture.

Anyway, the X events coming up for my are the cruise. I will be gone January 31-February 4. So that means I have 2 more weigh-ins before I leave. Since I get back on a Monday I am not going to weigh-in on the 4th. I also have 16 weeks until I graduate. 16! one-six! Sixteen!!!! Wow. It will be here before I know it. I am trying really hard not to put major goals in front of my because past experiences have not proved successful. I just need to focus on each week as it comes.

Today was crazy at work. I was at work for about 20 minutes and things just didn't stop after that. I managed to pull myself away during lunch and walk on the treadmill for 60 minutes. I really fought with this. I didn't want to go, but I knew I wouldn't get any exercise in if I didn't go during lunch. I ended up going and ate lunch at my desk when I finished. Then I had a meeting. And before I knew it, it was 4 and ready to go to a class interview/meeting that lasted until 6. I then drove across town in 10 minutes and made it to my 6:15 class on time.

I grabbed a granola bard and chips ahoy candy bites from my desk and ate those during class. While I wasn't really that hungry when I got home I figured I better eat something more substantial, so I ate my left over Pei Wei Spicy.

This is the pink shirt I wore today. I wore a pink cable knit sweater over it. It feels good to be able to wear clothes I previously wore.



Tomorrow I have a 10 AM meeting that will probably be 2-3 hours and we will probably go out to lunch after. So I am going to gym between work and class.

I hope everyone had great weigh ins today!

Easter Challenge!

I am down 3 lbs this week to 195! Oh yeah! And I am wearing a shirt that I don't remember wearing since my 24th birthday! I have continued to only weigh myself once a week. While I am conscious that Monday is my weigh in day, it hasn't stopped me from enjoy foods on the weekend.

Yesterday evening I ended up going to Pei Wei for dinner. (I love the place.) I came home and made some sweet potato latkes using up the sweet potatoes I had. I froze some and kept some in the fridge. I think they turned out ok for the first time.

Now, if you have read this blog for a while, you should know that I love John Mayer. I think I might have mentioned this before about Justin Timberlake's LoveStoned/I Think That She Knows Interlude and how the Interlude is the best part of the song. If I haven't, it really is. John Mayer also feels this way. He just posted this video with his interpretation. I could melt. I pray, pray, pray he does this on the cruise :)

No Excuses

Good luck everyone on the Easter Challenge!

Rock Band!

Oh my gosh. I had so much fun at the cookout last night at my friend's house. We pretty much played Rock Band all night. I want one bad. And I just looked at the website and they have it for xbox360. I might seriously steal my brother's just so I can play that game :) I do not sing, but I can play some mean drums and guitar.

Eating went pretty well. I had a chicken sandwich and some salad(s), not a whole lot of tortilla chips, and some baked beans. AND I did not go back for seconds.

This morning I was out the door before 8 AM and headed to the gym. Weights for 45 minutes. Arc Trainer for 45 minutes. Tread Climber for 45 minutes. I was drenched in sweat when I left the gym which is such a great feeling.

This afternoon I need to run to the bank, get a manicure, and do some reading for class. Happy Sunday!