Exploring: Blue Rock State Park

On Sunday the sun was shining and it wasn't bitter cold outside so we woke up and made promises to each other that when we were done with the little things we wanted to get done we would do something fun outside. Anthony worked on his new fishing kayak and cleaned up the kitchen while I hit up the gym and did a load of laundry. Around 1:30 we started tossing around the idea of going hiking. I checked to see if Aubrey and Lauren and their families wanted to join us on a hiking adventure with the dogs but they had other plans already so we just decided to go somewhere close to home and just the four of us. Last Fall Tyson and I enjoyed an afternoon of walking around at one of the local State Parks and it was literally empty that day so he got to run around with no leash on and really have an adventure. There were a good bit more people at Blue Rock on Sunday but they were all fishing or shooting their bows at the target practice area so the boys had to stay on their leashes but we really had a great time. Since Blue Rock is less than 40 minutes from our house I told Anthony that we should consider going back and making a little weekend out of it and camping, and hiking and fishing. Hopefully we will actually do it this Summer but here are some pictures from our little day trip on Sunday.

Weigh In

I have really been pushing myself to do my best at making it to gym on a more consistent schedule of 5-6 days per week for over a month now. I was going to the gym 3 days a week starting at the beginning of the year but then I slacked off. About 3 weeks ago I went to the gym and decided to take the dreaded steps onto the scales in the women's locker room only to be totally shocked (and not in a good way). I have always known that the saying abs are made in the kitchen not in the gym was true. But I had never realized how totally true this really was until now. I had not been paying any attention to what I was eating. As much as I would like to say that had only been going on for a short while deep down I knew that it had pretty much started all the way back in September. Looking back at pictures I can actually watch the weight pack onto my body. 

After seeing those numbers earlier in the last month I knew that a change had to be made. Now that I have consistently stuck with making these changes become habits and actually sticking to them I know that I can hold myself accountable and I want to share my weight loss journey with you. How long this journey will last? I do not know, but I know full well that most likely I am bound to have to maintain a healthier lifestyle for the rest of my life just because looking at the way weight has effected certain members of my family on both sides. This particular journey may last a couple months but I can guarantee you that after this one has ended I am not jumping off the train I will just be switching tracks, setting new goals, and trying new workouts and types of fitness. So let me share with you what I am currently doing and how well it is working. 

In the kitchen::

-I cut out pop to only having one glass per week (and that is if I even feel like it) this week was the first sip I have had in three weeks & to be honest it really did not taste that great!

-Cutting back on breads. I am the biggest bread fan ever and between breads and pastas I can tell you that is 75% of where this extra weight has come from.

-No more shakes from the Health Club located next door to my office. (I will share more about this later)

-eating breakfast (oatmeal or fresh fruit and yogurt) no more chocolate milk and powdered sugar donuts.

-Water. Water. Water. I have literally know what camels feel like now. 

At the gym::

+working out a minimum of an hour Monday-Friday after work.

+Lots of cardio (treadmill, elliptical & bike)

+Start my workout with running a 12 minute mile followed by walking (pace of 3.5-4) for 20 minutes and then switching to the bike.

+Added the rowing machine and stair stepper into my routine 1 week ago.

Changes::

+significant difference in my endurance running that mile.

+still sweating like crazy!

+increased endurance on rowing machine from 5 minutes to 10 minutes 

+easier to exceed my recommended amount of water intake on a daily basis.

+Down four pounds overall in 2.5 weeks.

Weigh In::

March 2, 2015 -- 178 lbs

March 18, 2015 -- 174 lbs

Goals::

+Improve my 12 minute mile (currently I slow down to almost walking for a solid minute 2 or 3 times during that 12 minutes, gotta keep up the pace and I know I can knock some time off)

+Cook actual dinners for us in the evenings

+Yoga in the evening before going to bed (just gotta find an app that can possibly guide me through a yoga routine since it has been 4 years since I last took a yoga class)

+Sleep more.

Weekend Recap

Once again Mother Nature blessed us with a weekend full of sunshine and a little bit warmer temps, although I would prefer it in the 50's I could not complain. Nicer weather is in the forecast and I can see Spring and Summer creeping in and I could not be happier.
+We did the majority of shopping that Anthony needed for our cruise.
+Enjoy dinner and drinks at Tumbleweed just the two of us.
+I made it to the gym Saturday & Sunday.
+Took the fur babes hiking at Blue Rock State Park on Sunday.
+Mom & Dad dropped by with a pizza for dinner on Sunday night.
+Mom and I made wine slushies withy you Anthony got me!

Weekend Recap

+We thoroughly enjoyed the nicer weather we are being blessed with here in Ohio. We took advantage of it and spent some time with the pups at the State Park.

+My Uncle bought an Argo for their  property and we were visiting when he brought it home. Needless to say all the men climbed in it and took down into the bottom of their property and played.

+Anthony dropped me off at Hobby Lobby while he went to Tractor Supply and I found their whole section dedicated to fairy gardens and I really want to build one for our garden this year instead of putting a whole bunch of money into flowers that aren't going to come back.

+Sunday Shalene and I went to Reynoldsburg to go shopping at Old Navy and Target to get stuff for our cruise. It was so much fun and I found a bikini that I really like and ended up buying. 

+We went to Smokey Bones for lunch and it was amazing!!!! The buffalo chicken dip was delish and they actually put breaded chicken finger chunks in it instead of how we just put rotisserie chicken in ours. I  am definitively going to be changing up my recipe!

If this was a sign of how amazing the weekends are going to be leading into Spring I am so pumped! The nice weather has me wanting to enjoy every second outside and be thankful that winter is leaving. Plus each weekend is closer to our big family vacation!

Bippity Boppity Boo...

I just got home from going to see Cinderella with Miss Molly and my Aunt Lori. It was a great movie, the only biff I had was the fairy Godmother never once said Bippity Boppity Boo. But other than that it was a wonderful way to spend my rainy afternoon. 

Anthony has the whole entire weekend off so I am not real sure what we are going to get into. Tonight we are going to meet up with some friends at the Weasel Boy, a local brewery. But other than that there are no plans on the agenda and I don't really have a problem with it other than tomorrow morning I will probably be getting stir crazy.

This week I got on the scales after one of my really tough workouts and had my fingers crossed I would see some results to assure me I have been kicking my ass at the gym for a good reason. And I definitely liked what I saw, down three pounds!! I was pumped to the least. 

Last night after my workout with one of my co-workers we realized we were totally twinning with our glasses. Gotta love being a 4 eye wonder.  

And the best thing of all is coming to work to a Scentsy warmer on your desk. Especially when it was one that you ordered on back order back in September and were expecting it in January, long story but I finally have it and cannot wait to plug it in!

I hope you all have an amazing weekend and I am hoping I can stick to my healthy eating habits over this long weekend that I get to spend with my hubby. 

Weekend Recap

We ended up having a fairly eventful weekend. Not too much of anything extremely exciting went on but it was all a lot of fun and I can honestly say that when I woke up this morning I was questioning where my weekend had went.

+Saturday morning I had my first eye appointment in three years. In got new glasses and some contacts. I haven't worn contacts since I started my new job a little over a year ago so all the ladies I work with were excited to see me without glasses. 

+My Grandma and Mom joined me to go to a flea market show at this old barn. It was not quite what I was expecting but it was a fun afternoon out with my Momma and Grandma.

+Anthony and I had a date night to Buckeye Winery in downtown Newark on Saturday night. I enjoyed a wine slushie and a glass of wine and Anthony had a local brew. Unfortunately they were sold out of my favorite wine but Anthony decided to buy a bottle of blueberry wine to give it a try.

+Sunday morning we woke up at the crack of dawn and were on the road to Pennsylvania. Anthony ended up buying a fishing kayak from some guy on Craiglist. It turned out to be an amazing mini road trip and was only two and a half hours from home. The best part was his smile on his face for the rest of the day because he has been shopping around for this big purchase for almost a year now!

+I hit the gym when we got home then came home and we cuddled with the furbabies for the rest of the evening. Cooked dinner together and actually went to bed early. 

All in all it has been an amazing weekend and I am thoroughly thrilled that the forecast for this whole week is expected to be in the 50s and up. I don't think I can express how exciting that is!