Use Whatcha Got

I keep telling myself I want to live in a “waste less, want less” world – and yet – my recent buying spree continues to crush me. I tell myself, “but I really NEED that”, or “it’s a BOGO deal, I should stock up now”! This is not working for my space or my wallet. It’s time to trim the freak down. What better way to keep myself on the “lose baggage, lose stuff, lose weight” kick than to review the mass of stuff I have as I go through it all.

Right now, I have a perfume issue. For a time, I thought it was a really good idea to spend 115 a year on samples that they will pretty much GIVE AWAY at any department store or Sephora if you were nice to the sales rep. Now, granted, I didn’t have to shlep to the mall (which I try to avoid at ALL COSTS), and be my fabulous gregarious self when I all I want is free swag. For $15 dollars a month, Birchbox will get me out of the hassle, fill a box full of deluxe samples, and the second Friday of each month was a baby Christmas. Awesome.

Instant Problem. I am a hoarder of samples. I don’t know why. I love them and I keep them. I put them in my gym bag, I think that I’ll “get to them” on a “at home spa day” (internal uncontrollable laughter), or that they will be PERFECT to pack for the airplane (yes, because I’m willing to try a brand new product when I’m on vacation and want to look my best . . . .). I currently have 6 boxes worth of items. This is not normal. Something must be done.

So, right now I’m going through my perfume collection. After 1,000 mini bottles sent to me from the wonderful people at Birchbox, samples thrown in my bags at department stores, and a deluxe sample kit from Sephora, I am starting to have quite the collection. Each mini-bottle gives me about 2/3 applications, which is nice because I can see how I feel about each fragrance and if this is something I should invest in. Note: I have a “signature” scent. VS Bombshell and I go way back and it works with my chemistry SO WELL. It’s the only perfume I’ve ever worn where strangers will stop me and ask what I’m wearing. That being said, it’s always important to have a couple “scents” because your body chemistry changes and, well, sometimes they just discontinue stuff. Always have a back-up. Always have a “day” and “evening” scent. Never be without perfume. It’s my mantra.

So this week, I have been testing my collection out.

1.)    Chloe, Roses de Chloe: This has the traditional undertones of magnolia and bergamot that is found in any of the Chloe lines, but I feel that this one is much lighter and has a “fresher” smell. It stayed around really well, and lingered without being overpowering. It smelled nice and clean – perfect for the random spring day we had this weekend. This is perfect for day, weekend or work!

2.)    Lancome, Tresor:  I made the HUGE mistake of wearing this to work. This stuff is strong. It’s like I fell into a lilac vanilla bath. Personally, it isn’t for me. It’s a super popular fragrance and a Lancome bestseller. It is traditional “romantic” musk, and would be perfect for a date night. That being said, I feel like I smell like a wealthy old lady. I’ll wait and revisit again when I’m in my mid 40s and want a “distinguished” scent.

Progression

Tomorrow officially starts week 11 of Half Marathon #1 training. With only a month left before the race, it seems like a good time to have a recap of how things have been going. First of all the old adage, “If it were easy, everyone would do it” is completely true. Training for anything or making fitness an integral part of your life is hard work, and in some ways, like a second full time job. The only difference is that the ROI isn’t money, but health, fitness, and a renewed sense of accomplishment and self esteem. 

Awhile back I briefly explained my schedule. Its a combination of things I was already doing along with a running schedule. Basically it broke down to four runs a week (one of them being tempo and one long), 2 sessions of personal training, 1 session of a partner kickboxing training, and then a group kickboxing class. It is a lot. In order to keep to this schedule, I have to be in the gym or running outside every day except Sundays. 

Weeks 1-4 I was on FIRE. There was no stopping me. I was making meal plans, tweaking my schedule, staying focused and on track. I made a fitness journal and got a Nike Fuelband (best invention ever). I went to the gym and was energized with every workout. I spent my free time thinking of new ways to log my miles, research the best equipment, the best foods, and what to do on my down time. 

Then life happened and I got sick. Not a little cough sick. Raging flu “I think I could die tomorrow” sick. I had to take an entire week off, which was HORRIBLE. I felt anxious about it. I felt guilty about just letting my body rest. I couldn’t wait to go back into the gym. The next week I came on strong and did what I needed to do and killed it! But life, once again creeped up on me and it was February vacation.

My wonderful, fabulous, amazing parents sent me down to the condo in Florida hoping I would use the time to “get away” from the craziness of my job. In order to prep my job and pack for this trip meant another 4 days out of the gym. When I got to warmer weather, all I wanted to do was rest, sleep, and be as lazy as possible. BUT, I did get out there and put three days of workout in (two run days and a 4 mile walk on the beach day). No, it wasn’t NEARLY enough, but I was determined to do something. 

Getting home on Friday, I became obsessed about getting back on track, no matter what. So threw my “rule book” into the Charles River (figuratively people), and went a little crazy. 7 miles on Friday, 3 on Saturday, a 3.6 mile run/walk on my “rest day”, and then back to regularly scheduled programming. 

WORD OF WARNING: DON’T EVER DO THAT. I am now in complete overtrain mode as my mileage keeps creeping up. I need to hit large numbers and not letting my body rest has been a major problem. I stopped tracking the fuel that is keeping me going through this, and started making bad choices because I knew my body needed something to give. I’ve lost energy, drive, motivation. It is a bad scene. I took two rest days, got back on track and finished my first ever double digit run OUTSIDE (yesssssssss.) But its time to get back on track. Its time to really go back to the purpose of this and rethink what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. 

I only have four more weeks left, so this may just be the fear and the jitters, but this is no joke training and it is hard and scary. Especially for a girl who still looks in the mirror and finds an overweight, uncoordinated, shy, unsure, non athlete. The body changes long before the mind does, and you need to listen to it in order to be truly successful. Here’s hoping I can get there.

So it is Friday, which is not a post day. But after illness and then travel I thought a quick post was warranted.

February is wrapping up and it is still snowing here. This endless winter continues to make it difficult for me to train or even get excited to workout. So what is my motivation through it all? WHY ITS MY NIKE FUELBAND SE!!!! I want to point out that I have not been paid in any way to review or promote this product. It would be nice though, I'm not going to lie.

Word of warning - it will work by itself but the app is only available for Apple products, so sorry android users - reason 1450 to own an iPhone.

That being said, my little "bracelet" is one of the best motivation tools I have to keep moving. I am rewarded with virtual badges, connect with other users (a.k.a. converts) to hit group goals, and work towards personal achievement through movement.

There is a session button for those spinners and yogis to track a more accurate point measurement when you are moving without a lot of wrist action as well. I think I am in love.

I am also at the half way mark till my first half marathon, and I'm getting nervous. My pace is staying at an average 12:20, which is DAMN SLOW, but I keep telling myself I am in fact moving so suck it up and RUN. Today I hit 7.24 miles - the longest session I've clocked so far at 1'24''. Hopefully more speed drills and kickboxing sessions will keep up the strength needed to fix my speed.

Well, I'll check in tomorrow dear ones! And the message of the day? Never miss your flu shot.

It is a Crafty Plan

Okay, so I know I already blew it and didn't post yesterday. But it actually ties into today's theme so I'll just roll with it.

Recap of last week: I made every single workout. It was crazy and Wednesday HURT like nobody's business, but I felt really proud to say - Yes, I did go to the gym 6 times last week, and yes, I completed all of my workouts. I also logged every day. And while the scale hasn't really budged this week, I had my measurements taken and I'm about the same size I was in 10th grade, so I'll take it.

So back to today. It is Monday, and as I wait for my shrimp to thaw for my pasta and artichoke dinner, I'm getting back to it and writing REGARDLESS that I forgot (i.e. was too lazy to) write yesterday.

Now that we are at the end of January, I'm watching people slip back into old habits - the gym is getting a little quieter, and overall people are losing focus. And I think I've cracked the code. Habits are really hard to get going. We have lofty goals, and believe, honestly, that we can change instantly because we want to that moment. We forget that we are human and that life happens. We have amnesia about the fact that we may have tried and failed before. So, naturally, we slip. And that one stumble is all we need to give up entirely. I am on this process, and I have started my New Year Resolutions with gusto - with one caveat. I'm allowed to stumble. If I lose a week, so be it. Find a way to pick it up and move forward as long as I don't give up.

Take for example my journal. First of all, the journal is a process, and finding a way to make a journal work for you is important. I needed tangible proof of my goals, as well as a creative outlet. The idea of a planner journal was born! First, I took stock of my "craft supplies" (from my misspent youth as a card designer) and then went to Michaels. After some organization, I have a fair amount of supplies ranging from colored paper to embossing ink and a heat gun.

Sometimes you gotta lay it all out there!

Organization is Key!!!

Now comes the hard part: what is this thing supposed to look like and what is the function?! Well, this is where it has to become pretty personal. For example, I have an exercise, food, and wellness goal. I decided to have an overall monthly idea of what I wanted to happen, but needed more direction than just a page of "I must do the following". But I believe that once something is written down it is easier to stick to it. So, that is where I started:

                       

 Then came some experimentation. I have a million health magazines, and I am inspired by what I see. The problem is, they get lost in the sea of papers and other meaningless stuff I have lying around, so I thought each weekly page could do with some clippings I found interesting. For those of you born after 2000, it is like a low-tech pintrest. Also, this could be a good place to keep track of my workouts and any modification to my plans. I still like writing my workouts down, so this was key for me. I also started by thinking I would use it as a food log as well.

I think week 2 came out a little better, so I'll show that one off. I added my workout for the week, a motivational (yet snarky) quote, and a book that looked interesting to read. I added an envelope for a couple of reasons. I could write my daily "how did I do" to put inside, but also, to reward myself. The reward 10.00. I choose a series of goals to work on, and I reward myself based on those goals. My wellness goals are just as important to me as my food and exercise goals, so I make sure to include those too, such as mediate, read, or eat mindfully at the table. I'm a fan of S.M.A.R.T. goals (meaning, I'm writing my professional ones so they are on my brain), and I wrote three challenging yet attainable goals that are measured through checkmarks though out the week. The goal is to reach 50% of the goals (one must be food, one must be workout, and one must be wellness related.) If I achieve the goal the money stays in the envelope and I can spend it however I want, whenever I want. If I do not achieve my goal, the money gets taken out of the book, and put into a "bank" I have in my desk. At the end of the month, all money in the "bank" gets donated to charity. 

Research is proving that the threat of losing money is more productive than even the thought of gaining money, so I didn't want to put it into a savings account or towards a bill where the money still benefits me somehow. I will not get to spend this in any way, but it will go towards something that helps others, which was better than the first idea which was to just toss it on the street and see what happens. (And for those who are business minded, I know you're thinking tax break, but I seriously don't have enough to itemize. Don't worry.)

So where does the "stumble" come in? Well, this week. I forgot to do a week. I was busy, I had my workout plan on my computer, and I am using (and loving) My Fitness Pal. I realized I needed to do something. I first thought "OH GIRL! YOU BLEW IT! Toss it in the trash like all your other half baked ideas". But that is the problem with resolutions, and I was not going to give up on this one. It just needed a tweak.

First, I was in a "blue" mood so that was the theme. But more importantly, I added both weeks that I missed into one journal entry to keep up my momentum and avoid the "I have double the homework" feeling. I checked off all the workouts I had done, and added check-marks to each goal so I could see if I was progressing on something even if I wasn't achieving it. (Still keeping the same reward system.)

Next, I realized that I am using MFP really well, and writing something down AFTER I have already logged it is redundant and not very appealing. I decided to make the second page a little more inspiring to continue on my journey as well as a recap of the week. I added food ideas I found in magazines, a recipe that looked interesting to try, and then a place to jot down my thoughts for the week.

 This week worked for me much better, and I have found myself going back to my journal daily for reflection and "checking off" my progress. It is more user friendly for me, and it is more enjoyable to make. So far - no money is in the "bank" and it is all is staying in the envelopes for now. I'm excited to see how much I can put together for a fun splurge!!!!

The Schedule!

Alright - I'm back. Really, that right there is progress.



That being said, I'm really trying to keep up with all the "fun" activities I tell myself I will continue to do instead of only focusing on work and ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE. So, its time to give this blog some structure. I work well with structure. And planners. And to-do lists. Really, if I could find  a job that would just allow me to write down things I needed to do for that job without actually accomplishing anything, I'm pretty sure I would be their best employee.

I digress - back to structure! So, I have more freedom on the weekends, Mondays, and Thursdays, so those will be my posting days. Each day needs a theme otherwise I won't see the point, if I don't have a point, I'm really grasping at straws to say that this is in any way enjoyable for others to even attempt to read.

Now to themes:

Sunday: Fitness review day. As a school employee, I operate on a Monday through Friday Schedule. So, it makes sense for my "workout weeks" to start on Monday and end on Friday. Sunday seems like a perfect day to recap on my progress, or lack there of, for the week.

Monday: The start of the new week needs something productive and planning is really productive for me, so it will be around that idea. This could be sharing my meal plans with a review on a recipe I tried or my workout schedule for the week, or an idea for mediation I plan on trying. Next Monday's idea is already scheduled per request, and it will be a recap of my journaling and reward system!!!

Thursday: Fitness related. I start to lose steam by the end of the week and need something around fitness to keep me motivated! Look for a Fuelband review coming your way!!!

Saturday: PRODUCT REVIEW!!!! Misconception. Fitness has nothing to do with beauty. FALSE!! I have had to invest in SO MUCH MORE products to aide in my journey. For instance: I have never had calluses on my feet, and I never plan to thankyouverymuch. Mani/pedis have become MY LIFE!! And as I become more fit, I actually start looking younger (2 years ago most people placed my age at 26, and now I have been getting more 24s). I want to keep that up, and that takes practice too! And its girlie and fun and honestly, we all need a little girlie and fun in our lives!!!

Okay, so there you go - look for tomorrow's review day to kick everything off!!!!

I am not going to lie - blogging is hard. I try - I really do. I have really good thoughts throughout the day and know that I can have some witty remark or comment to add to the wold. But what happens? I come home and find my couch. Or better yet - I can't find a reason why I need to add to the noise of the internet.

And yet, here I am. Again. THIS WILL BE THE TIME I WILL STICK WITH IT!! The other little voice in my head says don't hold your breath. But that little voice told me to quit with yesterday's workout too - so really she can suck it.

So its a new year and and a new me. And I WILL try this again. So what have I been up to you ask? A whole lotta work my friend, that's what! I really never realized the differences between alternative education and "mainstream" were until I took up residence as the CTE counselor at a nearby school. It isn't harder, but its different, and that takes time getting used to. I love it, and I love my kids, but man it takes up my time.

That said, somehow by the grace of all that is holy, I managed to keep my weight off and I'm sitting a little prettier in the 160s. Not perfect, and certainly not my goal weight, but it was nice to take some "time off" and not see my 30+ lbs loss creep back up on me. So now its time for goal number 2: run a half marathon.

Holy Lord in Heaven, my level of respect for people who have been doing this forever has gone up 20 fold. So what have I've been doing? GOOD QUESTION!!!

Right now, its two times a week with a trainer for strength, kickboxing with a co-worker, a group kickboxing class, and four days of running with a recovery walk on Sundays. Its week 3, and I'm doing okay for the most part. 

I've also gotten hot and heavy with My Fitness Pal and a Nike Fuelband. Updates on both coming up soon. 

Welcome back, thanks for sticking around, and maybe I won't run out on you again.