Argh.

So. I ran today & it didnt feel very good. I'm just not sure what to do at this point. Stupid me wants to just say screw it & push through the half marathon. Smart me knows better.

At this point, I'm just not sure what to do. I know better than to push & cause further injury. I've been fine running up through 6.5 miles. Over that mileage has created issues.

I'm indecisive because I want a goal. I know that I can still run even if I have to end the distance thing. There are 5K's here in the area this spring. And the annual Popcorn Panic 5 miler in the fall.

I need to make a decision with the 11 mile run this weekend. Kevin doesnt care either way. He was running it for me.

I hate feeling like I'm giving up on something. Yet I know I'll press on. It's not like I'm going to sit on the couch & eat bon bons. I'll still run for cardio, still train hard & still keep healthy.

I mean I do have to be a buff bride still!

Argh.

Finally Friday.....

This week has finally come to an end. Well, almost. It's been a whirlwind & I've of course been looking at the wedding sites for the Vegas hotels. I have a year but realistically a reservation of our date & a deposit should be put down in a couple months. The front runners are Mandalay Bay, Planet Hollywood & MGM Grand. That's always subject to change but they have great packages at those places.

It's been a good week, getting some things squared away. Then it hit me, I have to get my closets cleaned out, things organized, etc. It'll be a big ol' clean the clutter fest at my house. I'll likely have a garage sale too since I wont need alot of things that I now have. Nice perk of us both owning homes.

Training recap
Sunday: 9.5 mile run
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Upper body training
Wednesday: 40 min elliptical
Thursday: Upper body training
Friday: 30 min run/10 min walk to cooldown
Saturday: Light lower body & bike

On tap for Sunday is my "long run" of only 4 miles this week.

Notes
I am having some hip pain that started after Sunday's run. It's happened before though not in a long time & is related to arthritis. It's been more than a few years since this happened. The last time it struck was when I was living in Vegas. It was tender to sit for too long then when I'd get up, it was tender to walk. I went to the doctor who said it was arthritis related, he did an x-ray to check the cartilage (to make sure the bones weren't rubbing) & that was fine. His suggestion was to take it easy on the activity (exercise) & take ibuprofen for pain. It eventually subsided & hasnt been too much of a factor even with both marathons, etc. Until now....

So my plan is to run through this week, see how it feels & go from there. I hate to give up the races but I also dont want to make things worse. So we'll see how it goes. Ticks me off more than anything but it is what it is.

I suppose that's really it. I mean what can really top my big news of the week! Thank you all sooooooooooooo much for the well wishes, congrats & truly some of the most thoughtful things I've read! It means so much!

Enjoy your weekend all!

The proposal, the ring & thoughts of the "big day"

So as promised, I come with details of Kevin's proposal along with pics of the ring. I thought it only fitting to post a picture of us together first. This was from our vacation last fall to Orlando & was taken on Halloween night at Universal's City Walk.

On Valentine's Day, we headed out to dinner. We initially were staying in Valpo but then Kevin mentioned pizza which I was actually wanting so we headed to Merrillville to eat at Old Chicago Pizza. Good stuff.

I bribed him to take me to the pet store after dinner so I could oogle the puppies! They had the cutest little pug puppies on the planet. They were so young that you weren't allowed to "visit" with them yet. They had little golf ball heads & marble eyes. So precious!

Back to Valpo for us & we decided to head to BW-3 for a couple beers while we watched the NBA All-Star contests.

Then I FINALLY got my birthday ice cream. To make it more appropriate, I got the birthday cake ice cream..double scoop in a waffle cone! So tasty! It was the perfect ending (or so I thought) to a perfect night. We had a low-key Valentine's day because we spent the weekend in Chicago just a couple weekends prior.

We headed back to my house from there where I was struck with the WORST case of the giggles. I'm talking can't breath, eyes watering, gut wrenching laughing. Little did I know that Kevin was trying to propose to me. I keep laughing thought & just keep thinking "why wont he let me go upstairs." hehehe Poor guy!

Finally, I regain my composure & Kevin tells me that he has one more present for me. He asks me to close my eyes. I oblige & he tells me to keep them closed tight. So of course, I do (no pun intended.)

A few seconds later he tells me to open them & I realize he's no longer standing in front of me. He's actually down on one knee in front of me. I just say "Kevin, what are you doing" & start crying. The big question was posed & I of course said "YES!!!!" He stands & puts the ring on my finger. It was a simple & sweet proposal. I wouldn't have it any other way!

The ring is perfect & it precisely what I would have picked out myself. It fits well though just a tad too big so I may have to have it sized down in the future but for now, I'm not giving it up!

About 1 minute after Kevin proposed, his sister texted to see how our night was going. She knew about the proposal so it was exciting. I called my Dad & unfortunately woke him up so he was a little taken back but excited still. I called him back the next morning to make sure he was really happy! lol

I also called my best friend that night too. She knew it had finally happened because I never call that late! She was super excited & I look forward to her standing by my side on the big day!

I spent Sunday calling friends & family, sending emails & texts so I could share my news.

We had a long run that morning so I decided to take that time to talk about the wedding itself. Kevin said he would prefer a destination wedding but figured I wanted a big affair. Actually, to his surprise (and Dad's), I would love to get married that way. Our friends & family are welcome to join us to be a part of the ceremony but we'll understand if they cannot make it. But we will have a reception back here in the weeks to follow. We are thinking a cocktail reception of sorts. Probably with a DJ, appetizers & adult beverages!

A wedding date is always an interesting thing & some girls will pick arbitrary dates on a calendar in the season of their choosing. I would LOVE a fall wedding but a special date came to mind as I drifted off from the excitement on Saturday.

February 27. It's not a date that may be important to some but it's the date that my parents were wed many years ago. It also happens to be my Mom's birthday. I can think of no better way to honor her than marrying the man of my dreams (who incidentally she never got to meet) on her birthday & wedding anniversary with my Dad. Since that date is just a couple weeks away, 2010 it is. It's really ironic that it falls on a Saturday next year. It's as if it was meant to be.

I was able to ask my Dad if he was okay with the plans & the specific date today at work. He gave me a simple "that would be okay" in regards to the date. He was also happy to hear that a big affair was not on the agenda. He'd never tell me "no" but I also dont want my wedding to be a financial drain on him either.

Where you ask? Well, Las Vegas is a front runner but we've also talked about Mexico or Florida. Kevin's only criteria is that it be somewhere warm though tonight at dinner he said a beach would be nice where he could see himself in a linen suit.

So that is my story. My life has just been filled with blessings. Marrying Kevin is a dream come true. He's truly a gift from above & while that may sound very cliche. In my book, it's just fact. God has a plan for my life. It's been filled with laughter, trials, heartache & straight up heartbreak but the common factor is that He's carried me through it all. This is no different & I try to remember daily to thank him for what's He's given me.

What a weekend!!!!!

So this weekend turned into an unexpected one because well.......

I GOT ENGAGED!

That's going to be a total tease but I will take a pic of the ring & post the whole story tonight. It was a simple & sweet proposal. I love my ring & it's exactly what I wanted (even without him knowing.)

I'll recap the other stuff I keep here for now.

Saturday
No workout, dinner out was Old Chicago Pizza (totally yummy), had a couple beers at BW-3 while watching the NBA All-Star contests then I finally got my b-day ice cream from Oberweis (local dairy.) I had a double scoop of birthday cake ice cream (appropriate) in a waffle cone! Totally yummy. Went home had a total laughing fit & when it eventually subsided, got proposed to!

Sunday
Slept in a bit then headed out for a 9.5 mile run. It went well & we maintained a 10:30 pace which was fantastic!

Eats were on until dinner out with Kevin's parents & sister.

*Rice cakes with dark chocolate spread & almond butter (pre-run)
*Cereal & soymilk (post-run)
*Yogurt & Kashi bar
*Chips, salsa & queso; cheesesteak quesadilla (it's just 1 tortilla folded) & a ginormous strawberry margarita.

I am not hungry typically on days after my long run so my food will seem low. Though dinner certainly made up for it!

Monday
Training: Off
Cardio: Off

Eats
*Whole grain waffles with SF syrup; cottage cheese
*Yogurt
*Subway turkey with cheese & light chips
*Apple
*Havarti cheese & peanuts
*Wheat pasta, spaghetti sauce with venison & garlic toast; pina colada cake

The cake is sooooo easy. You take a box of angel food cake mix & stir in a can of crushed pineapple. Bake for about 25 minutes & that's it. Frost with light cool whip & you can also top with toasted coconut. I made it for yesterday but we had dinner with Kevin's family instead. I'll let you know how it tastes.

Notes
The run yesterday went well. I'm having just usual soreness other than in my left hip. It's bothered me before but it's more related to arthritis. I dont think it'll stop me though. Only time can tell with that.

Feeling good really about everything.

Life offers blessings & it's up to us to take hold of them enjoying every moment of whatever it is that comes our way. For me, it's an amazing man that I get to spend the rest of my life with. A great new family that has welcomed me from day one. And some super cute nieces too (one who we wont meet until this summer.)

So for today, take stock in the blessings you have & be thankful for what you do have!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

It's been a bit of a busy day.

Slept in a bit, made us breakfast (Hungry Girl Veggie Sausage pinwheels), got groceries, baked Kevin some cookies (not from scratch), baked a cake for tomorrow, saw a movie, ran to another store. Now I'm just vegging a bit!

Today's goodies have included candy corn with peanuts (yep..addicted!) Made the HG breakfast thingy for us, had a couple squares of the Lindt cherry/chili bar & some lowfat buffalo chicken bites (yummy!)

No workout today to allow my legs to rest for tomorrow's long run.

Not sure what our plans are for dinner at this point yet but I'm sure Kevin will have something up his sleeve.

I did go see Confessions of a Shopaholic. It was a cute movie though I wouldnt put it on my top 10 list of best movies.

That's all I've got for today.

Friday the 13th!!!!!!!!!

What's the irony this year that it falls right before Valentine's Day? hahaha I do love me some scary movies though I'm a bit surprised they did a remake (for the bazillionth time) of the Friday the 13th movie. I guess they are trying to appeal to the next generation.

For today
Training: Upper body
Cardio: Off

Eats
*Oats, PP, blueberries & soymilk
*Kashi bar & coffee
*Cedar Lane burrito
*Apple
*Nachos (venison & black beans, 2% cheese, light sour cream & hot sauce)

Notes
Food has been light today. Not super hungry & see no point in forcing myself to eat. Training was great & I feel good increasing som weights. Actually, on some, it's time to go heavier but I do not want to be crazy sore when running so I hold back. Summertime will be for breaking through that wall! Cannot wait!

Long run of 9.5 miles is on tap for Sunday.

Tonight we have a VU game as well as one Sunday afternoon. Probably catching Confessions of a Shopaholic tomorrow while Kevin's at work then we'll do something lowkey tomorrow night since we celebrated Valentine's Day in the city a few weeks ago.

Have a fantastic weekend all!

Short & Sweet.

Almost FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just got home, got a few things done & need to get dinner going.

What'd I do?
Training: Off
Cardio: 40 min elliptical

Eats
*Cereal, banana & light soymilk; egg whites & 2% cheese slice
*Kashi bar & coffee
*Tuna, olive oil mayo & wheat crackers
*Apple
*Nachos (made with venison), black beans, baked tostitos, 2% cheese, light sour cream & hot sauce

Notes
Not much to comment today. Good cardio session this morning. I'm psyched for the weekend long run & planning us a good dinner as a reward! Lasagna, garlic toast & a LF pineapple cake.

Have a great night all!

ps....thanks for the comments & I think I'll do start a weekly Biggest Loser post! I love hearing the thoughts about that show. Totally in agreement with Paula that they need to start playing the game. And Dori, I think the split is happening with voting off one member of each team. I suspect that will continue!

Monsoon!

I keep talking about the weather but it's so wacky this year that it's hard to not talk about! Today it's raining cats & dogs outside! We expect to get 2 inches of rain by the time it's over.

I've been thinking alot about life in general lately, folks that come & go in our lives, etc. It's just interesting sometimes to think about the path life takes us & just when you think it's safe to get comfy, it turns upside down on you! Interesting....

Daily scoop
Training: Lower body & abs
Cardio: Off

Eats
*Cereal combo, soymilk & banana; egg whites with swiss cheese
*Kashi bar & yogurt
*Kashi bar & yogurt
*Cedarlane burrito & italian veggie soup
*Baked tostitos, ground turkey breast, 2% cheese, light sour cream & hot sauce

Notes
Training was good this morning. Taking it fairly easy with legs since we have a long run this weekend. Also tossed in some abs. Being a self-professed ab slacker, I try to do them at least twice a week.

Food was a tad off today & I ended up eating 2 snacks in a row because I was working on reports & wanted to get them done before I headed out for errands. So I just had those & got a "meal" when I stepped out. Not sure what's for dinner tonight. I havent decided what I want but have plenty of wiggle room for dinner & a snack tonight too.

Questions
I had a couple questions posted in my journal (that's trying to die out..lol) but I thought I'd answer them here.

Races: Valparaiso Mini Marathon is April 11th & the Fifth Third Bank 25K River Run is on May 9th in Grand Rapids, MI

Music: Anyone getting ahold of my iPod would think I'm a nutjob but I love a variety of music. For cardio some faves are Pitbull, Lady GaGa, Missy Elliott, Snap (yep, old skool!), Buck Cherry, Kanye West, Trick Daddy, Notorious BIG, Diddy (or whatever you want to call him), etc. That's a start but I can sit down & post up my playlists if anyone is interested!

Have a fab evening everyone!

Random: Did anyone else get the Kashi recall email? I was freaking since I have a mad assortment of Kashi bars at home but nothing affected thankfully! For those wondering, they are pulling alot of items that were even made on machines that could have been used to produce tainted peanut products. Crazy, eh?

Bring on summer....

Heck, I'll settle for spring to be honest. It's currently 60 degrees outside. Ironic since this time last week, we were totally dumped on with over 2 feet of snow. It's so weird though the remnants of the snow remain. Flooded fields, roads & ponds.

I finally got on Facebook today after forever. I'm really really bad about keeping up on there but some childhood friends have been adding pics so I had to check it out. Wow, the memories that came flooding back from seeing them were overwhelming. I honestly got teary-eyed. Not a hard thing for me to do anyway. But it was good memories. The fun we all had as kids. It's great to reconnect with them again!

Today's dish
Training: Upper body training
Cardio: Off

Eats
*Rice cakes & chocolate PB2 (pre-workout)
*Cereal combo, soymilk & banana; egg whites
*Pumpkin, SF pudding (powder only) & fiber one
*Ground turkey breast & broccoli w/ LF cheese
*Yogurt & apple
*Lean turkey sausage, wheat bun, mac & cheese (at friend's house)

Notes
Still feeling slightly blah today but it'll pass. I had a great workout this morning & not feeling at all sore or anything from yesterday's run. I did a pretty steady run but tossed in a few speed intervals for giggles. Poor newbie next to me on the treadmill kept looking over to see what speed. I couldnt help but smile.

Tonight's date night with my best girlfriend & her little man. We dine & watch Biggest Loser. I'm so glad that Joelle is gone. She really didnt have her heart in the process. I wont say the game because I know that process. It's hard, not fun but you really have to have your heart in it to win.

The prize? Health, happiness & the pure accomplishment of finally taking control!

Random thought: Have you guys tried the Fiber One pancake mix? I've been making them for Kevin but finally tried some on Saturday (with blueberries!) Really good!

One of those days.....

So. It's Monday. The day we all dread. The alarm went off this morning & Kevin decided we werent getting up to head to the gym. Fine by me so we just spent some quality time together instead.

Today was just kinda blah for me. I get these moments that hit me like a ton of bricks out of the blue. They are days that I just miss my Mom so much it hurts. I'm not 100% sure why it started though I realized as I ran (great therapy) that it could be related to babies. A good friend had her baby this weekend & Kevin's sister had her ultrasound on Friday. It struck me that I will be living those moments in my own life without my Mom. I know she'll be watching over me but it wont be the same. Anyway.....it was a tough day but a cute email from a friend really made me giggle!

Today's stuff
Training: Off
Cardio: 42 min run (4 miles) & 8 min walk (cool down)

Eats
*Cereal combo (multigrain cheerios & fiber one), banana & lt. soymilk; egg whites
*Yogurt & Kashi bar
*Subway turkey with cheese & light chips
*Baked tostitos, ground turkey breast, light cheese & hot sauce
*Pumpkin, fiber one & SF pudding

Notes
Aside from feeling a little sad today, it was a decent day. I had a good run this evening but I'm feeling like the treadmill running is taking a toll on my body. It feels off for a short time. We head outside this weekend for our long run (9.5 miles!) so hopefully that'll feel better.

Not much else to add today, I really just want to head up to bed but I'm going to wait up to watch 24, perhaps see what Obama has to say then will crash for the night.

Sleep well, friends!

Where'd it go????

Sheesh, it's already 1 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. But it's been a decent weekend so no complaints.

Saturday
Yesterday started with a good cardio workout. Did 40 min on the elliptical then spent 20 min on the stairmill. I really enjoy (yes, really) getting one long cardio session in each week. Since this was a stepback on race training, I did that yesterday since I'd already run twice this week. Felt good.

Headed to see The Uninvited & was floored by the ending. Really good movie. Enjoyed a kiddie popcorn, some Jr. Mints & a few candy corn.

Last night we headed to the boat, dined at the buffet (who had steamed crab legs last night) & played a while before heading home. I completely crashed shortly thereafter!

Sunday
Went to church with Dad then joined our friends breakfast. Though I'd already eaten so I just enjoyed some hot tea & the visit. Did get my errands done after that too then just headed home to have some lunch. Currently, just being a lazy bum on the couch!

I am using my grill tonight for the first time in a while. It's been covered in snow but yesterday's temps (60 degrees) melted the majority of the snow. I'm excited to be able to do that tonight.

Probably calling today a rest day from the gym. It's icy in many spots due to wacky weather so trying to run would include either dodging puddles or ice skating.

Pretty uneventful really though I enjoyed every moment of my weekend. I think I'm actually going to curl up on the couch here in a second & take a little siesta!

Hope you've all enjoyed your weekend!

Another one bites the dust....

Sorry, now that song is planted in your head. Let me change that for you. *if you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it* Ha! I'll wait for the hate mail.

So the week is just about over & I'm anxiously awaiting 4pm though I may skate out a bit early. We'll see.

Seems to have been a successful week in terms of getting things done. Though I'm realizing some things about me, where I *think* my head is & where I really find it to be. It's a good thing..no worries! I indeed sweat the small stuff but am getting better about that. Life is just too short. That's a lesson I've learned the hard way. A really really hard way.

Today's goodies
Training: Upper body
Cardio: Off

Eats
-Rice cakes with dark chocolate spread & almond butter
-Bagel, egg whites, veggie sausage crumbles (love these things) & 2% cheese
-Kashi bar, banana & peanuts
-Crackers, goat cheese & apple
-Chipotle fajita salad (romaine, grilled veggies, black beans, salsa, tad bit of cheese & vinagrette)
-Italian beef, wheat roll & 2% swiss slice; oven potatoes

Notes: Making dinner for us tonight at home then probably watching a movie or something at home. Just vegging tonight!

I've been trying to incorporate some other things back into my diet again...like the goat cheese. I love that stuff & am eating it quite a bit again! And last night I got some creamy havarti! Sooooo yummy! I'm not a fan of blue cheese unless it's in a salad but love most cheeses otherwise! I was stalking the brie today at the store too!

I'm also finding that I feel better/more satisfied with having more fats in my diet again. Plus my skin seems better too...less dry. So yum for fats! lol It's mostly through the cheeses, nut butter assortment, etc. Cheesy suggestions for me are always encouraged!

I think that's about it though I'm going to pimp out a blog from my friend, Marcia. She's got 2 different ones but the "Raising a Healthy Family in a Fast Food World" has a review of Organic Food Bar Kids that she got her little girl to sample. It sounds alot like the grown-up larabars. But anyway...check that out along with her other blog "Mission Possible" for some product reviews. You can find both links to the right under my "daily reads."

I'm enjoying a "free day" & still catching a movie! Underworld isnt at the Valpo theater anymore so I'm either seeing Uninvited or New in Town. Anyone see either of those?

Have a safe weekend!

The king & his throne.

Okay, so it's the wrong kind of throne but Alex would sit on the toilet & watch me get ready when he was a kitten. He wasnt quite big enough to make the leap to the vanity then but now he sacks out across the vanity while I'm doing my thing every morning. It's quite cute!

As for me, I'm freezing my bits off today! We ended up with well over 2 feet of snow from the dump. I never made it to work yesterday either but was quite productive at home. Now I can go see Underworld: Rise of the Lycans while Kevin's at work on Saturday!

Daily stuff:

Training: Abs

Cardio: 3 mile run; .5 mile walk (cooldown)

Eats:

*Chicken sausage, cereal & soymilk

*PP, soymilk & clif z-bar

*Amy's burrito, banana & nuts

*Clif builder bar, apple & nuts

*BW-3 naked tender wrap & a few tortilla chips

Notes: Running this morning was uncertain since we trained legs & rode the bike last night. When the alarm went off, I felt pretty good so headed to the gym. The run was good, did some abs & headed home to do my thing. Now, my legs are screaming, glutes are sore, etc. Ah well, tomorrow is upper body only.

Getting my haircut tonight, it's starting to just get too long for layers (starts looking stringy.) So I'm getting it cut just below or at shoulder length but keeping some layers in it. My only criteria is that I am still able to pull it back in a ponytail! That's a must for workouts!

That's my story for today!

Snow day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, that's right. It's a snow day here in Valparaiso. Pretty much the whole city has shut down, they arent plowing side roads & we've "received" about 18 inches of snow! Tack on the winds & it's drifing like crazy. I've had to shovel twice now & both times took me about an hour!

So for today, I'm catching up on some shows that I record, doing some laundry, running the sweeper & picking up a bit. Currently watching, Millionaire Matchmaker. Pretty interesting.

Wednesday, Feb 04
Training: Lower body
Cardio: 30 min bike

Eats
*Cereal combo & soymilk; chicken sausage, egg white & light cheese
*Chicken sausage, low carb tortilla, veggies & goat cheese; rice cake with cocoa spread & almond butter
*Same as above
*Chicken sausage, light cheese & low carb tortilla; lara bar
*Ground turkey breast, baked tostitos, light cheese, lite ranch & hot sauce

Notes: It's early in the day but since I'm home, I thought I'd post up for now. Training & cardio are later tonight. It was scheduled that way due to the weather.

And yes, my meals are quite repetitive today. I've been cleaning like a mad woman & just needed something I could grab quickly.

So that's a wrap for now though I'll update later once the show is really over!

Evening Edit: Food has been updated for the day, workout complete & shoveling session #3 complete. Snowfall totals in excess of 2 feet!!!! I'm so sick of snow. We've had record snowfall & I suspect by the end of the winter totals will be around 5 feet! That's unheard of for this region!

It's been a good day here at home, got tons done & will be able to enjoy my Saturday afternoon more as a result!

Sleep well friends!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

Yep, that's right. It's snowing here AGAIN! Not just flurries or a few inches either! Yesterday's forecast said Valparaiso would get in excess of 8 inches. Today that translated into "we dont have a color for that amount" on the weather report. Ready? We could get 16-18 inches by morning! Speechless? So was I!

I work about 15 miles from where my house is & here it's flurries but out there. It's a whiteout! This is what Kevin sent me just a bit ago & what you dont know is that there's a MASSIVE high school across from that store!

Who wants to come visit?

Tonight I'm heading to my friend's house for a birthday dinner for her BIL then watching her little guy while she goes to a meeting. I initially planned to run while watching The Biggest Loser but that's not going to happen now.

Tuesday, February 03

Training: Upper body

Cardio: Off

Eats

Rice cakes with cocoa spread (think Nutella minus the hazelnuts)

Bagel, egg whites, veggie sausage crumbles & slice of cheese

Cottage cheese & Kashi pumpkin bar

Jalapeno chicken sausage, brown rice & broccoli

Protein, soy milk, Clif Z-bar & apple

(Updated) Italian beef, bun, cheese slice, pretzels & LF dip; bite of brownie

Notes: Training went well this morning but I was wiped out! This is a stepback week for race training so that gives me a little more leeway for getting my runs in this week. And it's supposed to be in the 40's this weekend so I'll try to get one in outside. It's forecast for rain though so we'll see!

Not much else to report at the moment. Will update dinner later & I also amended the weekly training schedule.

Enjoy your evening!

**spacing is off after the picture. Not sure why.

Listening.

Yep, that's my theme of the day. Listening. My body is telling me it's still tired & would rather not cardio tonight so I'm going to listen. Saturday was alot so maybe one more day off just needs to happen. I know that if I dont, I'll only be beating myself further into the ground. It's just not necessary!

Monday, Feb 02
Training: Off
Cardio: Off

Eats:
Egg whites, veggie sausage crumbles & 2% cheese
Cottage cheese
Chicken caesar salad with croutons & full fat dressing
Protein shake (with water) & apple
TJ's chicken sausage, low carb tortillas, goat cheese & veggies
Protein, blueberries & almond butter

**Edit to update last 2 meals**

Notes: Going to start keeping tabs of my eats again. I'm not going to be counting macros, etc so I want to have my food written down somewhere. May get boring to read but it's my blog! hehe

This morning was rushed since I stayed at Kevin's last night. Breakfast was snarfed down quick & I forgot a Kashi bar to have with my cottage cheese. Otherwise all meals will have some form of protein with either a carb or fat. Why? Because that works for me! lol

I'm also committing to making 1 new recipe each week moving forward.

I suppose that's it! Lots of good stuff on TV tonight....House & 24 on Fox. Chuck & Heroes returns to NBC too so I'll have to decide what to watch & what to record.

I sound like a TV junkie but I do have some shows that I love to watch! I guess it'd be different if I was a couch potato all the time.

Oh & let me not forget to mention that MORE snow is on the way for the region. We expect to see in excess of 8 inches overnight.

Good times!

Weekly Plan

Here's the plan for this week.

Sunday: Off
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Upper body training
Wednesday: Lower body training (AM); 30-40 min run (PM)
Thursday: Off
Friday: Upper body training
Saturday: 3 mile run

This week was thrown off this morning since we opted to sleep in. Our bodies were still feeling pretty beat up from the 8 miler on Saturday coupled with walking in the city (we estimated at least 4-5 miles that same day.) So we slept today instead though I'll head to the gym after work for some cardio.

We are just about 10 weeks from the Valparaiso Mini Marathon (a half) & so far feeling good.

I'm ready for a GREAT week!

And that's a wrap!

The weekend is just about over but not just yet. It's Super Bowl time & I'm heading to Kevin's to watch the game & make dinner in just a bit.

Our overnight trip to the city was WONDERFUL! We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel, wandered the Mag Mile & I did score some Lindt Cherry & Chili bars (thanks to Michelle!) They are so good. Just a hint of cherry & a subtle though wicked hint of chili. Really yummy!

We had a beer at ESPN Zone watching the IU game, hit up Macy's on State (the old Marshall Field's for Chicago buffs.)

Saturday lunch was at the Grand Lux Cafe & I had the Asian Nachos for my meal. They were wonton wrappers fried flat & covered with chicken, peanut sauce, wasabi cream & peanuts. Truly decadent!

Dinner was a big debate because neither of us were really wanting anything in particular so we ended up at Rock Bottom. Munched on fresh guac & kettle chips then I ordered the Smoked Salmon Fish & Chips. It was REALLY rich tasting & by the second one I was pulling off the breading. Wandered some more then stopped at Houlihan's for a couple more (had 2 with dinner) beers while we watched the Bull's game then headed back to the hotel.

This morning we slept in, hit Trader Joe's then came back to Indiana & had Cracker Barrel for a late breakfast. Yummy!

All in all it was a super weekend though a short trip it was really nice to get away & just enjoy each other!

Training recap:
Everything was ON like donkey kong this week! Saturday's long run was split between the treadmill (5 miles) & the elliptical (3 miles.) Though with all the walking yesterday in the city (at least 4 miles) our legs are tired! Things are on track & I'm really feeling good!

Next weekend is a step back (only 3 miles) then we hit 9.5 & have agreed to run outside for that one. This winter has been brutal but it's time to suck it up! lol It'll be fine though. We've both picked up some gear so will be good to go! I may even try to do one of my runs during the week outside depending on the snow.

I think that just about covers it. Nothing really profound to ramble about at the moment.

I just really realized this weekend that enjoying life & taking advantage of the blessings that I have is just crucial. Life is indeed too short to not do that!

Plan for a great week...it is what you make it!