Good Morning!!

I've officially turned into a morning person! Woo hoo! I get up every day at 5:30 and so far, I LOVE IT! I start my coffee, do my quiet time, go for a 30ish minute walk/jog, then shower and get ready for the day. It's a great new routine and I plan to stick with it!

Instead of trying fad diets and specific eating plans, I am simply starting to cook at home and not eat out. I can tell a huge difference in how I feel and look! Even if the recipe has butter or milk or cream cheese in it, eating small doses of that at home is healthier than picking up fast food. Every day my jeans fit better than they did the day before!

I also found a new workout website that I LOVE! It's called Blogilates. Google it and it's the first site. She is pilates based but she has all different types of videos. She has longer pilates videos that focus on the whole body. Or, shorter challenge videos that focus on one body part. You do your workout to the beat of a current pop song (call me maybe, what makes you beautiful, etc) so it's upbeat and fun! I just did the inner thigh challenge - holy moly.

This week has been a pinterest recipe win week! No pinterest fails!! (I'm about to eat what I made tonight. it could be a fail but it looks and smells great!) I made Jalapeno Shrimp Enchiladas tonight. Earlier in the week I made Broccoli Cheese soup. And, last night, I made Creamy White Chicken Artichoke Lasagna. I love cooking!!

Tonight, I'm going to brew some decaf coffee, sweeten it with Pumpkin Spice creamer, read, and prepare for this storm/cold front coming in!!

For Saturday: Go Hogs! Beat Ole Miss!!!!!

Out of Shape

It's amazing ridiculous what months of inconsistent workouts can do to you! I started Jillian's 30 Day Shred back up today and thought I was going to die (or throw up). Man, I'm out of shape. But....I'm back in the game! I've picked out all the recipes I'm going to cook this month & I'm challenging myself to 30 Days of Jillian. Then, a day of rest and a new 30 Day Jillian DVD in November.

Here we go!

It's a Daily Choice

Getting up early to spend time with the Lord instead of pressing snooze...it's a daily choice.

Working out when I really really really don't feel like it...it's a daily choice. 

Making a fruit smoothie instead of eating something chocolate...it's a daily choice. 

Cooking dinner at home instead of driving through a drive-thru on the way home...it's a daily choice. 

Loving people when they hurt you instead of getting frustrated/mad/angry/bitter...it's a daily choice.

I know I should have learned this lesson a long time ago but in the past couple of weeks it's really started hitting me. All decisions have to be made daily. I may fail one day but the next day is a new day and I have the chance to make the right choice. Today, I chose to get up early to be with the Lord. I chose to work out. I chose to eat at home. I chose to make a fruit smoothie. Tomorrow might be completely different. Selfishness or laziness might take over. But, it's okay because Saturday will be a new day. All I can do is make choices for the day I'm in. Good choices day after day after day will turn into good habits and long-lasting change. This is what I'm going for. 

Happy (almost) Friday! Remember, if you messed up today, tomorrow is a new day!

2 weeks from today...

is my 25th birthday!!!! Wow! I can't believe it's already almost here.

Last year, I wrote out a lot of goals for year 24. Around my birthday, I'll do a recap post and see what goals I accomplished, didn't accomplish, and got started on.

I definitely didn't accomplish my weight loss goals. However, I did challenge myself a lot, made some progress, backtracked, and learned a lot of what works and what doesn't work for me in the weight loss department. So, year 25 will be the year for the get healthy switch...for real this time!

I just finished Day 2 of Jillian Michael's Ripped in 30. Gosh it is SO MUCH harder than 30 Day Shred. However, if I completed 30 Day Shred in 30 days, I can do this one 5 days a week! This one has 4 weeks of workouts instead of 3 and it's A LOT more intense. I might even stretch it out more than 4 weeks so that I can really improve on each week before moving on. This will decrease my risk of injury (since I'm old now! ;) ) and will increase my stamina, endurance, and confidence.

Welp, I'm off to figure out what's for dinner. What can I make with an egg, salsa, cheese, chicken, pork chops, and berries? haha that's about all I have in my apt...I just can't get myself to get back out into the 110* heat for the store tonight.

Cheat Days

Running after a cheat day is HARD. I gave myself a cheat day last Friday because friends were in town & I had a wedding shower to go to that night (cake...duh). Saturday, I was regretting that cheat day. I had the worst run I've had in a long time. I could barely run 5 minutes. TERR.I.BLE. No more cheat days for me. I'm increasing the fruits, veggies, & lean meats & getting strict again!

I only have 5 days of 30 Day Shred left. Woo hoo! I can't believe it! I am obsessed with Jillian now...can't wait to get more DVDs!

This weekend is Ganson's wedding!!!!! YAY! Cannot wait...I've been waiting for this since the summer of 2010 ;)

I found a dress yesterday for the Rehearsal Dinner. I ran to TJ Maxx on my way back into cway & tried on like 9 dresses. None of those were screaming "buy me!" As I handed them to the worker, a random dress on the dressing room "no thanks" rack caught my eye. I tried it on & LOVED it! I brought it home & figured out I literally have like 11 different jewelry options. This dress will probably end up being one of the best purchases ever. Score. I'll try to post some pics from Friday - or you might have to wait until Easter (yes, I already know I'm wearing that dress for Easter too).

God & I are getting close. As an almost 25 year old single girl whose future is only known by God & who is coming up on the end of her 2nd year of her 3 year contract, I'm going to God with questions & requests for wisdom, clarity, understanding, discernment, etc. to know what the next step is. It's scary. It's exciting. It's weird. It's faith building. It's trust building. It's mysterious. It's part of life. It's drawing me nearer to Him. I love it.


Other than the storms in the middle...I'm loving this 10-day. Bring on summer!

Partly Cloudy

Mostly Sunny

Isolated T-Storms

Isolated T-Storms

Isolated T-Storms

Sunny

Partly Cloudy

Sunny

Sunny

85°

86°

86°

82°

79°

83°

81°

77°

78°

Happy 20th!

My YOUNGEST bro turns 20 today. Did you get that? My youngest brother is no longer a teenager. All the sibs are in our 20's. Where has the time gone?! Happy Birthday Bro!!! (He doesn't read this but it's the thought that counts) Tonight, we're going out to eat for his bday - I was officially invited by the sis-in-law, despite Chan's not wanting me to come. Oh well...I'm going anyway because he's my brother & I love him & he deserves to have me it's an  honor to drive to LR to be around on his bday.

Happy 1st day of Spring! I'm celebrating by wearing a coral & mint scarf (from India, of course), my coral cowboy boots, & a size smaller jean!! Woo hoo! I'm officially down 11 pounds & a pants size. The lifestyle change is still going well. I haven't been quite as strict on the sweets (my downfall) which is probably why I feel like I'm plateauing. So, I'm about to decrease the carbs & save the sweets for the most special occasions (bdays, weddings, & showers). I'm enjoying this change, the results, & my increased love for exercise & all things healthy!

Today is the last day for Level 2 of Jillian. After tonight, I'll be 2/3rds of the way done with the 30 Day Shred! I can't believe it. I've LOVED Level 2. I'm a little terrified of how difficult Level 3 will be but I'm ready! I'm ready for more muscle definition, more energy, & more results. LET'S GO!!

In honor of spring, do something 'springy' today! :)

Pi Day

Yesterday was great! I got a lot accomplished at work. It was sunny & 80* out. God met me in my quiet time & I enjoyed His company. I made some support calls & got a few appts lined up! Some Fay friends came down for a cookout. We hung out & had delicious pie afterwards (you have to have pie on pi day!) We drove around to see some of the cway trademarks (Stoby's & the Hendrix tunnel). Then....at 11:00 pm...I went home & did 30 Day Shred because I hadn't done it yet! Holy Cow. I'm just going to toot my own horn & say I'm so proud of myself & feel so accomplished. Haha. Not only was I just up hanging out past my bedtime...I actually worked out past my bedtime! Wow. Ok, enough about that. I failed at getting up to SHRED this morning (I had only gotten 5 hrs of sleep when my original alarm went off-who can blame me?!) so it will be another late night of shredding (after 501) but I'm okay with that! I'm just excited that I actually desire to work out & crave doing it everyday! Haven & I even agreed that we could give ourselves yesterday off if we wanted to because we were hanging out so late...but I just couldn't do it. I committed to 30 days in a row & I'm going to finish my commitment!

In other news, I'm obsessed with this weather. I plan on being outside as much as possible this weekend (except that I just looked at the weather & there are clouds & lightning on each day...boooo). Maybe I'll just have to shop for some new jeans instead (my old ones are too big! woo hoo!)

Next week, my youngest bro turns 20. What?!?! None of us will be teenagers anymore - we are ALL in our 20's! Time is flying. But, I sure do love how my relationships with my bros mature/grow as we get older & in more similar phases of life. (they still treat me like I'm the younger sister that they think is an idiot...but, hey, I know it's all in love). I love my fam!

Happy Thursday, friends! 1 day closer to the weekend!

Shredding & Nail Polish

I've officially completed 1 week of Jillian Michaels! Woo hoo! That's further than I've ever gotten in the 30 Day Shred. Every day it gets a little bit easier. I can tell my strength & endurance are increasing & I'm pumped to see how I feel at the end! Only 3 more days of level 1 - Sunday, I'll jump up to Level 2.

More exciting exercise news....yesterday, I ran 10 minutes straight! It felt great outside & I was feeling great so I just went for it. Loved it. I need some new shoes, but other than that, running felt good & I can't wait to improve in that too!

I'm still loving healthy foods. Chick-Fil-A is seriously the only fast food that ever even sounds good & I don't go there regularly (haven't been in weeks). I've been off Diet Coke for a month now - wow! I drink my morning coffee, lots & lots of water, & hot tea.

I'm feeling good! I'm committed to this lifestyle change & I can't wait to see where it takes me!

Also important: I bought 3 new nail polishes this weekend :) I know neons are way in this year but pastels are much more forgiving for the yet-to-be-tanned-winter-white skin I'm sporting right now. So, I got 3 pastels  - Revlon Dreamer (periwinkle/blue), Revlon Minted (mint green), & Revlon Charming (lavender/lilac). I've been looking for the perfect shades of these colors for a while & they jumped out at me on my weekly Wal-Mart trip. Love.

Happy Wednesday!

Lifestyle Change Progress

I ate half a cheeseburger & some fries for lunch. I'm feelin' it. I'm tired. I feel weighed down. I just feel blah. I don't want to eat the rest of the day because I'm so full (and I didn't even eat that much!). This proves to me that the lifestyle change is working! Eating greasy foods just isn't appealing to me! They weigh me down & I don't feel as good as when I eat lighter, healthier foods. This is great news!!!! :)

It's 67degrees outside & it's supposed to be 70degrees tomorrow. I plan on going home & walking until the sun goes down (or close to it). I love spring & summer!!!!

My clothes continue to fit better. Today, I was able to wear a shirt tucked in with a skinny belt through my belt loops! Used to, this skinny belt wouldn't have been able to buckle if I was wearing it through belt loops!

Yay for progress! I'm kind of glad I ate that cheeseburger today. I've been REALLY good the past few weeks without knowing how I'd feel about unhealthy foods. Well, after today, I know I crave the healthier ones & I feel better after eating healthy! So, back on track we go! :)