almost forgot!

I can't believe I almost forgot to mention that I got a mountain bike!!  I hit my first trail this past week and it was awesome!!  oh, and I do hate the porta potty background here... I promise the bike ride scenery was much nicer! 

Cheers!

I'm a good "maintainer"

Well, it's official... I stink at losing weight these days.  But, I'm great at maintaining.  I've been teeter-tottering between the same 5 pounds for almost six months now.   I have to start kicking it up A LOT.  I don't want to be a maintainer... I want to be a loser.  haha

I just went to Old Navy to try on capri pants... I didn't find any that I liked.  Plus, I'm in between sizes right now and I don't want to buy any in the bigger size.  And, I'm not going to buy pants that are too tight.  ugh... I'm frustrated.

Good news though!  I did win the first workout challenge between me and the boy toy!!  So,  I got 50 bucks!  woot woot!

Now, we have a lot of new rules on the second workout challenge.  We now have a "sub-challenge."  So, we have the original "who gets the most workouts in."  They win $50 bucks from the other person.  Then our sub challenge requires you must workout at least five 30 minute workouts a week.  We've both put $100 dollars in the pot for that challenge.  If you don't do the minimum, you lose your money.  If there is one winner, they get the $200.  If we both lose, we have to donate the money to a good cause.  So, we've got that challenge keeping us even more motivated.  

Other news (yes, there's a lot)  I'm now 26.  So, I'm thinking about changing the name of my blog... I don't know.  I had a lot of goals for my 25th year.  I did lose about 17 pounds during that year... which I am very proud of!  However, I have 32 more pounds to lose.

So, I am happy to post again... sorry it's been SO LONG.

Cheers!

evil girl scouts...

Why do I buy your cookies?

Why do I eat so many of them?

WHY WHY WHY do I let you get in the way of my healthy diet?

And just when I thought my boy toy and I were about to clean out every box I got in a week or less... my dad dropped by two boxes for us today!!!!  AGHHHHH!!!  

I will not tell you how many stupid cookies I've had this week... because I stopped counting... because I am in denial...  

Good news... I did a walk/run today... 3.25 miles.  

Oh, and I'm beating the boy toy in the challenge still... BUT he is really close behind me.  I was super sick last week (complete with a fever of 102) and he spent my days ill catching up.  GRRRRRRR.

Cheers to cookies!

Cheers to twenty five years!

Im feeling so inspired!

my neighbors house...

my house...

me (and boy toy in the back)

ice... ice... everywhere ice...

I guess all it takes is an unexpected vacation from work ...

School was out for four days.

My parent's power was out for two.

My cable was out for 1.5.  **sniffle** 

But, I had actually been feeling like crap on Monday and was DYING for a snow day so I could get tons of sleep and start feeling better.  Well, getting four snow days was way more than I had wished!  So, I'm still not feeling 100%... sinus stuff.  But, I had a lot of time to read silly, girly magazines, sleeeeeeeep, and get some stars for the workout challenge.  (ehem, I'm winning so far, by the way)

The last two days I've done an hour of cardio!  And it feels good to be back in the game since being sick.

I spent a couple of hours today ignoring my messy house and just surfing the net.  I stumbled across a rather inspiring blog post.  And that, my friends, is what got my lazy ass off the couch and onto the treadmill.  ;)    (That, and the thought of telling my boy toy about my second gold star... two days in a row... on the challenge will feel awesome when he gets home!)  

But, mostly I was inspired by the way Brene wrote on her blog about battling addiction and not just alcoholism but food addiction.  The way that she was able to poor herself out there about a topic that most women would fear admitting in public.  It got me SERIOUSLY thinking about my relationship with food.  I enjoyed how she said she had "neutral" feelings about food.  How she says "you no longer run as fast as you can towards the foods that you crave, nor do you run as fast as you can away from it."  This is something that I've been battling with myself.  I often have weeks where I allow myself to eat whatever, whenever.  I also have the weeks where I'm a strict "dieter" type.  And I am then amazed with my willpower.  But, I realize that life is too short to always run from the foods you love, but aren't the best for you.  So, I allow myself to eat them every once in a while.  But, the problem with me is, I have to make sure that my "every once in a while" doesn't turn into every day... that's the problem.  I must make sure that every trip to the grocery store doesn't involve the ice cream aisle.  Because, really, I freakin' love ice cream.  However, I have some serious weight and fitness goals to work on.

Reading her post just made something click inside my head.  I'm not even sure if I can put it into words yet.  But, it's a good feeling.  I've been maintaining my weight for about two or three months now.  And it's about time I started losing again.  I'm ready...

PS.  After three tries this month... I finally made the perfect hard boiled eggs today!  yum!

Cheers to inspiration!

Cheers to twenty-five years!

The Boy Toy Is Movin' In!!!

Yup, that's right.... he broke his lease yesterday and is moving within the next month.  So, that means I have to make room for boy stuff... hmmmmmm.  Thankfully he doesn't have much crap... I am the one who has a house full of STUFF.  

The best part was that his mother already gave him the speech on "you better contribute and help out around the house... Jen can't do it all!"  Seriously, I love this woman.  He's already been caught unloading dishes THREE TIMES THIS WEEK!!!  The best thing is, two of those were pre-mommy-talk.  :)  He also mentioned that when it gets time, he will help with mowing the lawn!  I told him, "awesome... but only if you do it with your shirt off!"  haha  Then we made up this whole scenario about him mowing with his shirt off and me out in the bushes video taping him while making my own soundtrack music.  bow chicka bow woowwwwww.  Ok, have I mentioned that we are dorks?

Today I am doing laundry and I've cleared out a bunch of clothes in my closet that don't fit or I never wear.  He now has room for all of his clothes in my closet.

As far as our workout challenge, I did the first workout today ... a 45 minute walk/jog!  I had to rub it in... So, I sent him a text that said, "I'm workin' out beeeoootch!"  Haha.  He thinks he's going to win... yeah right!

Well, I'm off for more laundry and rearranging of my things... 

Cheers to my new roomie!

Cheers to twenty five years!!

Bring It On Part Duex

We are making the poster and finalizing the rules of our challenge TONIGHT!  Oh, and deciding the PRIZE!!!  I can't wait...

BRING IT ON!!!!!

Cheers to competition!

Cheers to twenty five years!

Bring It On Challenge

No, I am not talking about the cheerleading movie... but, now that I mention it... let me throw out some Bring It On quotes!

~Awesome!  Oh, wow!  Like, totally!  Freak me out!  I mean, right one!  The Toros sure are number one!

~Why does everyone have to go on a diet?  

~Because!  In cheerleading, we throw people in the air.  And fat people don't go as high.

Ok, moving back to topic.  My boy toy and I are starting a workout challenge tomorrow!!!  WOOO HOOOOO!!  Complete with DIY poster and colorful star stickers.  :)  yay!

We are still working out the details.  But, basically we are challenging each other for about three months.  He has a tri to do in April and I have a 5k in April.  So, we are kicking it into high gear.  The rule is that you don't get a sticker for a workout under 30 minutes, and then different color stickers mean different things... there will be cardio stickers and strength training stickers.  We both feel like dorks that we've gotten this detailed, but it's fun.

Soooooo, what are the stakes???  He is saying that we should just do cold hard cash.  Loser pays the winner 50 bucks.  But, I'm wondering if we can get something juicier than that.... hmmmmm...

Cheer me on, folks!!!  I've got to BEAT HIM!!!!

Other notes, (since I've been such a slacker on my blog).

I've told my family that a mountain bike is the only thing on my birthday wish list.  I just want a nice beginner bike.  My birthday is in March... so, just in time for SPRING!  I can't wait.  So, the boy toy is getting me a helmet and maybe some other cool accessories.  :)

Cheers to being the winner of our challenge!!!

Cheers to twenty five years!!!