It’s amazing the progress a lot of you have had!  It’s definitely inspiring.  And also a big wake up call.

I’ve avoided the scale for a couple weeks.  I’ve been afraid that I’ve gained weight.  My clothes still fit the same but I felt like I haven’t had my own well-being as a priority.

Good news is I stepped on the scale this morning. No weight change.  Well, no increase. Definitely good news.  I would just love to see it drop again.

With my busy schedule, it’s been hard to make it to group exercise classes.  I absolutely LOVE group classes.  Now I need to find an exercise routine that I can do on my own.  I need to find something else that gets me moving.  I can’t get myself pumped to do the elliptical for an hour, but I can’t always arrange my life around the gym’s fitness schedule.  I know I can’t be the only one. How do you do it?

I’ve wanted to come back.  There have been so many things that I have overwhelmingly wanted to share but feel like I can’t tell the closest people in my life.  Not because I have anything particularly juicy to say. I don’t want to overwhelm them.  In real life, I’m the listener.  In blog world, I have so many thoughts. So many rants that I need to get out there.  I need the release.  And what better way than to share my most personal ideas across the internets?

Major updates in bullet form:

• There has been a new boy in my life for 7 months.  (For you out of the box thinkers, he is of the adult variety)
• I have figured out that maintaining what I’ve lost seems to be just as much work as losing it since meeting this new boy. (Read: New beers are yummy.)
• School got a lot harder last semester.  I’m trying to learn how to juggle school, boy, dog, and working out. 
• I only have 10 more weeks of class then I start rotations! I’ll be working for free for the next year and half.  My life is about to change.
• I have fallen in love with the crock pot.  Please send me your recipes!

I’m sure there’s more I’ll rant about later (lucky you).  Now please catch me up and rant to me!

I’m such a chef.  I realize no pictures means no proof… but these were devoured pretty quickly.

BOMB DOT COM!!

Recipe here

These might become a new staple.

It’s a problem

I spent all week moving last week.  I was so busy that eating became an inconvenience.  I still ate… but I became mildly annoyed at myself for being hungry when I was in the middle of being so productive.

STOMACH! Y U NO HUNGRY WHEN IT’S CONVENIENT FOR ME?

Today I had no plans but to wait for the AT&T guys to come set up cable and internet.  Finally!  You begin to really appreciate these guys when you go without cable/internet for a week.  I watched Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix… walked Gig’em… then about went crazy.  It actually crossed my mind to study. For fun.  WHAAAT?

So tomorrow —- I think I might just wake up early to go to a Turbo Class.  One plan.  One plan > 0 plans.*

Why is my life either super busy or super dull?  This is crazy.

*Ok — Confession I will mostly likely hang out with J tomorrow night.  So I guess that means 2 plans.

Going to a wedding by yourself is a pretty intimidating experience.  I packed my car by myself, booked a hotel room and slept in it by myself, and showed up to the wedding by myself not really thinking I’d know anyone besides the bride.  I embraced the opportunity and had a great time.  It was a very freeing experience.  I felt super independent, mingled, and had a fantastic time. 

It also became a self-motivating experience in terms of my weight loss.  I wore the same dress that I wore on my 21st birthday, but I looked so much better in it.  I’m sure most of it has to be due to the incredible amount of maturity I’ve gained since then… but the weight loss also stands out.

Then:

Now:

This picture is kinda funny… I feel like I’m a ghost in the mirror.  SPOOKY! I’m not dead though, I promise.

I’m taking this as an opportunity to WAKE THE HELL UP.  The summer season has really gotten to me.  I’ve indulged more than I should and I’ve lied around more than I should.  Time to find that balance again.  I’ll use my own progress as a motivation to keep on trucking.  No whining here… just straight up ACTION.

Oh and one more picture.  Look how much I obviously wanted that bouquet:

1) Park on the 4th floor of the parking garage

2) Hop down the stairs with joy because you’re so excited to get to class

3) Reach the bottom floor and realize you forgot your backpack

4) Run back up the stairs to retrieve your essential class supplies

5) Rinse and Repeat.

Just trying to better my life one forgetful moment at a time.

I usually love Jenny Craig/WeightWatcher’s commercials when they come on.  They’re full of inspiring people and, well, everyone loves a good before and after.

BUT

This one commercial came on as I was procrastinating and watching a little cable. At the end this really cute lady said:

“Thank you, Jenny, for making me pretty again.”

WHAT?!

For some reason little things like this upset me.  Strike out the word pretty and add healthy, energetic, fit, confident, or even thin and the whole sentence changes meaning.  

I don’t mean to sound like a Dove commercial and get all up on my self-confidence platform but I really disliked what could be interpreted from that commercial.  Weight does not affect beauty.  I wish I could tell her personally.

Headed to a wedding in Jacksonville, Tx. By myself. This has been an interesting trip. I’m reaffirming my independence and planning to have a fantastic time.

It’s really hard for me to stay quiet when I over hear some people talking about their new weight loss plans.

Experience number one:  One day in undergrad I overheard this girl talking about how she was following the Beyonce diet.  She was only drinking lemonade and cayenne pepper.  And I’m pretty sure she was going to the tanning bed daily.  I wanted to interrupt her and say, “Helloooo!  You’re a HEALTH MAJOR!  How do you not understand that is not a healthy lifestyle?”  I didn’t.

Experience number two:  I had gone a few dates with this one guy and he mentioned using twitter a lot.  I found his twitter page and he had tweeted “The Dolce Diet rocks!  I’m down 5 pounds this week.  I’m going to run at the gym and I’m not leaving until I lose 2 more!”  or something like that.  Come on, man.  You’re not losing fat.  Plus, you’re pretty muscular.  You’re going to lose it all.  Get over yourself.

What happened today: I overheard one of my classmates talking about how she was eating everything but carbs.  She’s trying to lose weight.  And she’s also going to start training for a half marathon. Props to you for working at being healthier… but you’re in PA school.  Doesn’t a carb-less diet sound a little bit like a bad idea?  Especially if you’re going to be going on long runs?

I don’t want to chime in and act like a know-it-all.  But I also don’t want to see anyone harm themselves.  

I think I’ve taken this too far.