Upper Body Workout

Alright - the long awaited upper body workout... Again, thanks to a magnificent and dear friend of mine I have been able to add many wonderful workouts into my routine including this one. Each of these is done as a super set (like the lower body workout) Pick a weight that is comfortable for you,  grab your timer, toss in your favorite core exercises and give it a go!

[Weight exercise (12 reps) + Plyometrics (1min) + Core (30 reps)] x 3 sets

#1
Side lateral raise & Front Lateral raise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-3JnFrFUOw
(6 side + 6 front is one set)
High Knees

Core

#2
Dumb bell hammer curl Press http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNe0X-yf9gA
Mountain Climbers
Core

#3
Wide Lat pull down http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9216fo6nA7A
Skater Jumps  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlIcZK3c3g4
Core

#4
Barbell reverse grip curl press http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGrFOIfKsSw 
Butt Kickers
Core

#5
Upright row http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ju6kfBM7g
Single Leg Hops
Core

Also, I'd just like to take a moment to say that I attempted the "daily 110" on saturday and boy did it leave my legs ACHING! Granted, I haven't workout out since I ran the half marathon but I honestly wasn't expecting it to be that bad. Running through it once takes maybe 5 minutes tops, but the burn will last for days! I really recommend doing what you can (even if that means starting at half the reps or dropping the pistol squats and trading them for a different lower body). Its a challenge, but that's what it's meant to be. Despite being rather sore today I pushed through another set of them just to get a good idea of what I'm up against this month. Boy do I love a good challenge! In other exciting, and fitness related, news I ordered the DVD set of the Barre3 classes I did (and fell in love with) this last year. I'm SO stoked to be able to add that as a regular part of my routine and I'll be sure to write a nice review on them when they finally come in!!!

January Fitness Challenge

Okay Ladies and Gentlemen, if you're anything like me this holiday season has gotten a little out of hand. Luckily I'm ready to get into the new year and make it better than the last one, starting of course with a new workout schedule. Some of you might remember the last one, this one is definitely toned back a little and I'm looking forward to it a lot (is that weird?). Drum roll please.............

Now I know this little calendar needs some explaining  - I'm not really ready to jump back into a ton of running so this month I'm only doing short runs and really trying to mix things up (Obviously "hoop jam" has never been featured on my workout schedule and I know not everyone hula hoops - if you want to get into it let me know!!!) Also, I know its really hard to get outside for some people (especially if you live in a place that has real winters) so the biggest thing to know about this schedule is its totally adaptable.  Just notice there are 3 cardio days (mon., wed., fri.) and two strength training days. Saturday is meant to be a fun active day - maybe you do yoga, maybe you go for a walk, maybe you spend all day cleaning (I'm talking scrubbing the tub, mopping the floors, moving the furniture kind of cleaning - don't think laundry counts!) Make it work for you.

Next the Daily 110 is an adaptation of a daily challenge that I actually never completed. This is a reminder to give 110% every day...I'm gonna be shooting to do this in the morning or right before bed - I'm really a fit-it-in-where-I-can kind of person (so maybe that means doing it broken up during work - I dont know, we'll see) This one should be INSANELY manageable. Take a look:

 

Click here for a link to my lower body workout. 

Be on the lookout for my upper body routine coming in the next couple days. 

Art Series

Ya know, I think I may have posted an entry  melting my very first wax painting creation thing and its kind of fun watching the progress I've made with the medium. I know I posted a bunch from my collection last year when I did the show at Starbucks but since then art has really taken the back burner... I did some drawings in Feb-March that I might revisit at some point but it was nothing that stuck... I dabbled with watercolors the last 6 months maybe and will continue playing with them because I enjoy their fluidity but recently I have found myself circling back to my roots - digging through my boxes (and bowls) of crayons and blasting away with my heat gun. I just thought I'd share really quick a few of the new paintings I've busted out this week. I'd like to do an underwater series since I've been drawn that category recently (no pun intended) I really loved using a different color in these ones... all of my paintings prior to this had the line work done in black and white but there's something special about the yellow in these ones... it works if you ask me. : )

So while we're on the topic of arts - about 4 months ago my little sister got me into hula hooping... Eventually I'll get down to making a fun post about it because next month I'm going to HAWAII for a hoop retreat! HOW FUN!?!?! I've never been to hawaii and I'm really looking forward to this! Does anyone else already have plans to make 2014 an awesome year?

My First Half Marathon

Okay, so obviously I've been pretty off the radar.... SO much has been going on this year that I've barely had time to breathe but today I crossed a major finish line...

As some of you might know I've been training for a half marathon since september... My first 5k was a mud run back in June and at the time it seemed like a big accomplishment - who would have thought not even a full 6 months later I'd complete the Seattle 1/2... I sure as heck didn't.

This has been a year full of personal challenges... rocky relationships, loss of loved ones, usual stress from work and art AND all of the running I decided to undertake, perhaps needless to say I often felt incredibly swamped and unsure how I would get it all done (or if I wanted to, or if it was worth it). Crossing that finish line after 13.1 miles and what I might call a "hell year" was not just a physical accomplishment... it was proof that I can and will overcome anything I set my mind to.

I guess lets take it from the top... at the beginning of the year I was not a runner - I didn't really like running that much but I loved the results so I did it... A normal "run" for me would be 2-2.75 miles with a mix of walking in there... certainly not a point you'd be at and think "oh I know what to do next, 13 miles!" I started pushing my runs to 3 miles trying to prep for the mass of 5ks I signed up for - again who starts running at the beginning of the year and then decides to run five 5ks in 4 months? - this girl.

Sometime in March (maybe?) was when I stumbled onto a zozi deal for the Seattle Half Marathon in December...It's kind of funny because I had swore up and down to my ex that I would NEVER run that far - it wasn't possible and I wasn't interested.... I guess in some sort of weird rebellion I paid for the deal and said "screw it, I can do anything" Let me just throw this out there... March is a pretty long time before December, I don't know how many of you have looked at a calendar lately but there are a lot of months to lose motivation and faith in yourself (but not if you are already committed to 5ks!) so I made a plan... My 5k's would act as buffer training before I actually needed to tack on a ton of miles.... I gotta say, it worked.... Every mud run, every color run, I was more confident in my ability to complete the distance, I watched my time improve, and I even got so cocky that I did the Tough Mudder in October. THE TOUGH MUDDER!? who is this girl? Who decides to tackle 12 miles of the most amazing bullshit, the weekend after a 5k mud run, on a day her run was supposed to max at 6miles? oh thats right - THIS GIRL! The tough mudder really sealed the deal for me... I had no doubt that I would cross the finish line of the Half Marathon no matter how long it took me and thats where the race against myself began....It had finally clicked in  me that I was a runner... me... right then, right there I was a runner because running isn't about how fast you're going - its the fact that you're going... what makes you a runner is the want inside of you to run... its walking down a beautiful trail and thinking "this would make a great run" its the eagerness your feet start to feel to move you faster, to let you cover more ground, and to let yourself experience the world in a way that we often fly by it....That was the point when my urge to run really took flight and I wasn't sure that my goal of just finishing was good enough.

My first time goal was 3 hours... If I could just make it in under 3 hours I would be happy. I would encourage others to just celebrate finishing the first one completely regardless of time but in case you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of an overachiever.  Training during the month of October was AMAZING! I felt so good about my progress and I was really cutting my mile time down and even thought I'd maybe finish around 2:45 but things came to a bit of a halt when my dear friend's cervical cancer took a turn for the worst. I dropped a lot of what I was doing for a few weeks and focused on making "battle mode" t-shirts and visiting her in the hospital. It was a really emotional time that rocked me pretty hard and on top of that I was going back and forth with my doctor about my own health problems. By the end of the month all of the stress and sickness had put me nearly 3 weeks behind on my training schedule and the half was only 4 weeks away (2 of which I was supposed to use for tapering)... I tried to get caught up and altered the layout of my schedule a bit to accommodate the loss of time but nothing was really making me feel prepared. Mid November M passed away. Its still a fresh wound that brings tears to my eyes and became a focal point of my thoughts during my runs... the days I didn't want to get up and go outside, I went for her...

Race day came up fast - it was 2 days after thanksgiving (who does that?!) and I'm SO SO thankful that my roommate signed up with me. We made it to the start and I told her that I'd be lucky to make it to the finish in under 3 hours (you cant imagine how disheartened I was at the thought) but I was hopeful that the new medicine I'm on would help... Armed with my camelbak, gummy snacks, and headphones I was ready to finish this - crawling across the finish if I had to because quitting was never an option. Despite having horrible stomach cramps that started at mile 2 and hit me off and on throughout the run, I kept going steady for the first 6.5 miles.... I thought about M frequently and there was even one point when I passed a spectator holding a sign that said "life is short, running makes it seem longer" and as tears swelled in my eyes a bit, I eased into my run and enjoyed the scenery, enjoyed breathing, enjoyed the distance I was going... The last 3 miles were the hardest on me... I was tired, I was 99% positive I wouldnt make it back in under 3 hours and I was just struggling to push myself to the end... As I approached the stadium I picked up the pace for the final jaunt; I ran passed the bleachers and onto the field where I could finally see the finish line and above it in huge numbers 2:57:45... I took off at a sprint, realizing I was just a couple hundred feet away from my goal of "under 3". I crossed the finish line at 2:58:07 and they placed a teal medal around my neck (for those who dont know teal is the ribbon color for ovarian and cervical cancer) and I could have burst into tears... I didn't though! My dad was there waiting for me with a hug (since my mom and sisters were in Australia at the time my only cheerleaders were my dad and a friend) and the rest is history.

So why did I give you all this information? Its my plea to you to do that things you think you can't; to do the things you don't think you're strong enough to accomplish. Its my encouragement to reach beyond whats right in front of you, to work hard against the odds, to fight back and to never give up on something. The world is full of plenty of people who will give up, quit, tap out, or not even try to begin with, and maybe its just fear of failure or maybe its something else, but don't let that person be you. Don't be a person that lets fear keep you from doing something crazy - something unimaginable - something unbelievable because this is it... this is your opportunity to shine and there are no excuses because people have the opportunity to shine brightest in the dark; you just have to choose it.

Tough Mudder Finisher 2013

Thats right ladies and gents, I finished the tough mudder - Completely unplanned on 1(ONE) day's notice!

okay - okay... I did skip a lot of the obstacles - no jumping off of platforms into muddy water, no ice tub swimming (I couldn't risk getting injured/sick before my 1/2 marathon) but any of you that have been on the course know there are some things that are just unavoidable; the cliff hanger, climbing in and out of muddy trenches, sliding down, climbing over and crawling under various hills, branches and objects. All in all it was crazy fun and one of the best experiences I've had. Just being in an environment where everyone struggling to some extent, tired, or in need of a helping hand and actually having all of the support you need is a wonderful feeling.

I was a little nervous going into this - not about the obstacles but rather the mileage... October 5th was supposed to be a nice 7 mile run for me that day... how I found myself trucking 11+ was a little beyond me... I wasnt sure how I'd do, if my legs would just give out or how much I'd run... I kept thinking back to the 9 mile hike I went on back in september and how incredibly sore my hips and knees were after that...  I was really expecting a bit of a struggle...and I found it around mile 7... We had just entered the portion of the course where there was maybe 3 miles without obstacles... it wrapped around a little pond through the woods and was really a decent view (there were so many great views of Mt. Rainier that day!!!) but the ground was at a slant and it really started to take a toll on my right ankle. I could feel my legs getting tired and I realized I was still only a little past the half way point... Sam tried to give me a little encouragement (after all he was the only reason I ended up here) and I just wasnt having it. We hammered out the next mile and it gave me time to regroup and focus on finishing. I cant tell you how excited I was to get to that mile 8 sign. it was also around that point that i ran into a friend from my freshman year of high school - who'da thought?! it was a great push to have an old friend running with me. We split up a little closer to the end after I stopped to ditch my socks which had given me a nasty blister on the arch of my foot. That blister made the last mile and a half a painful walk/jog but when I rounded the last corner to the final obstacle - ELECTROSHOCK therapy- I couldnt help but run. I'll be honest... I spent the entire 4 hours debating whether or not I'd actually run through the live wires at the end but coming around that corner, high-fiving the line of kids scattered down the finish line, all the cheering and the finisher headband just beyond the hanging wires, there was no doubt... I was going for it. I made it maybe 10 feet in before the wires dropped me... and I mean HARD. I didn't know what had hit me really... well I did - but it definitely wasnt what I was expecting. I laid there stunned momentarily thinking "crap- now i have to get back up and do this again" but almost parallel with that thought I was up and going and before I knew it I was through - and SO disoriented... There was probably a full 5 seconds where I just stood on the other side of the obstacle and looked at the finish line- the volunteers were like "come on! you did it!" and i just looked around like "wait this is the end!? I'm done?!" I could have cried... 6 months ago this would have seemed impossible to me.... 6 months ago I'd have told you "no way, I cant"... but I guess I don't live with that mentality anymore... "Lets do it!"

Off The Radar

Helllllooooo out there!

It's been forever, but I haven't forgotten about you blog!!! I've just been incredibly busy doing tons of awesome things so I have something to write about.

I left you guys back in August with an update about my zombie run - since then I took a trip to Portland for The Color Run, Voodoo Donuts and to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I went camping at Silver Falls State park in Oregon also! that trip was AMAZING and I got to go on an 8 mile hike that featured 10 waterfalls!! AMAZING! I've been to the NW Chocolate festival - yum, started my official training for the Seattle Half Marathon (ran 6 miles last week!) and I just finished my last 5k before the half! Those are just the bigger things, I've also got some art stuff to update on and even some baking! PHEW! Needless to say when I have a little more time to upload my pictures, I'll be giving each of these topics a post of their own.

I'm excited to share whats been going on this summer- it's been a great one!

The Zombies Attacked

Wow! its been a while and there is so much I want to put up here! This has been an amazing summer and I've barely had a moment to breathe (hence the lack of blogging). I wouldn't have it any other way.

Today I participated in my 3rd 5K. The Zombie Run! it was a blast and fairly... rough at some points - I think some people forgot this wasn't real. Regardless it was a great way to enjoy a morning run!

And I must say, they really went all out setting the scene and making this a really great experience. I'm stoke to check this off my list of things "to do". Next run - The color run PORTLAND. That should be a great one too :)

Lower Body Workout

 Once upon a time I told you I'd give you a little more detail on my plans for "lower body" and "upper body". I'm very thankful for a fantastic friend of mine who helped me put this together. He's amazing and a huge inspiration to me! Thank you!

These are done in Super Sets... you'll go through each list three times before moving onto the next set of exercises.  I'm not going to post the weights to use pick something that is comfortable but challenging and pick whatever your favorite core is, mix it up, make it something that you enjoy doing!

Warm up for 5 mins on cardio machine


Set #1 (x3)
Deadlift = 20 reps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ef2pHDech0
Scissor kicks = 1 min  (on a  ball or face down on a bench) http://www.physicalfitnet.com/exercise_video/hip_extension_on_stability_ball_with_scissor_kick_.aspx
Core = 30 reps
- - - - - 
Set #2 (x3)
Weighted walking lunge
Flutter kicks = 1 min (on a  ball or face down on a bench) http://www.physicalfitnet.com/exercise_video/hip_extension_on_stability_ball_with_flutter_kick_.aspx
Core = 30 reps
- - - - - 
Set #3 (x3)
Leg Extention = 20 reps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyvSfVjQeL0
Leg Curl = 20 reps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELOCsoDSmrg
Core = 30 reps
- - - - - 
Set #4 (x3)
Leg Press = 20 reps
Calf Raise  = to failure
Core = 30 reps
 

Another episode of ... that life thing

So things have gotten a little away from me. So much actually, that I have three different calendars I'm frequently referencing. 

Once upon a time... I had this idea... it was a grand idea, marvelous, honestly, I almost thought it'd be perfect! This time! This time I got it right!!! Well here we are, a week into July and I'm way off track! I know, I know... "there's not only one track in life, maaaan, you create you're own path..." Ahem, I 

 just want my path to be over here ------>

 

 

and I'm...

 <-----over here.

As you can see, I've got a bit going on and had to adapt my schedule a little to be a bit more realistic... I'm trying to do that balancing thing so... we'll see how this goes...

I had a great trip to an Island with my friend that was a much needed get away from my phone, and all things crazy. I got a lot of art done and had someone place a cupcake order. I (eagerly) offered to throw my roommate's birthday party!!! And I've got the Color Run coming up this weekend.... Oh my sister asked if I'd be interested in doing a commissioned piece for her... which acted as a motivator to finish this project i've been stewing on forever! Yikes. 

So what does that mean 6 days a week dream? I might not see you for a while yet.... but on the brighter side... my new calendar is much more colorful! I even highlighted the fun things in blue! :)

Things don't always go according to plan

Hey! So, how did you all do on your June fitness challenge?

......  yeah, me too.

I really hit it off strong the first two weeks (that's normally the case for me) but after the mud run I got pretty sick. It really wiped me out for a bit over a week... and then I got part 1 of my new tattoo, dad's birthday, father's day, mom's new trip to Australia... excuses excuses... the point being, life got in the way again.

Anyway, the best part of this is getting to try again. Tomorrow I'll post the new July challenge (slightly modified from the last) and we'll give this baby another go!

I've got tons of art projects to put up here and in all the time that I haven't been working out, I've certainly been busy with other projects to compensate - can't wait to share them :P

Survivor Mud Run 2013

Good news gang!

The last few months have been rather... rocky (to say the least) and one of the things that had been hanging over my head was whether or not I was going to do the mud run I signed up for back in January. 

After a turn of events, I found myself signed up without a partner and highly doubting my ability to do this thing (how silly of me right?!) Fears aside, I started telling people that I was doing it this weekend... that naturally leads to the fear of failing to do something you said you would yadda yadda yadda....The time came around and I laced up my old sneakers and found myself at the starting line..... 

This was hands down the BEST decision I've made in a long time... I'm still soaking in the glory 

of finishing my first race... there really arent the right words to describe the feeling I guess.... Accomplished.... thats a good one.Today I accomplished something that seemed, and more than likely was, IMPOSSIBLE for me to do 4 years ago... something that even 2 years ago I would have doubted... today was one of many milestones. Oh and here's some pictures!!!

 

Did I mention this was awesome!!!

Rocky Start...

So I really expected more out of Saturday than I could give....I prepped for my roommate's going away party, picked up a new housemate and then helped host a long and wonderful "see ya later" party. (He's going on this AWESOME bike trip along the coast, I can't wait to hear about all of his stories when he gets home!)

Anyway, I definitely didn't manage to fit my long run into the day but made sure to do the aa challenge (with my medicine ball)((today was a breeze I'd have been ashamed otherwise)). Sunday I spent a lot of the day recovering. I did a lot of laundry and napping... 8:00 rolled around and I put on the "insanity cardio" video. It was great and I think, a fair trade for that long run.

Needless to say I'm a bit sore today, had dinner with a friend and missed my short run.... add on to my cardio tomorrow and get my days back on track. I'm really trying to keep on schedule but you always have to have room for life and adjustments. I'm excited to see how this month goes.

Oh, and the weather has been beautiful! Looking forward to the weekend. :)

oh my... it's only Monday...

June Fitness Challenge

Who's ready for a fitness challenge?!

I'll admit, the last month has not been my most glorious when it comes to my activity level. I've ended this month feeling a bit more like a bump on a log than I'd like so I decided it was time to revamp my workout plan and start doing things that will help me reach one of the "resolutions" I set about 6 months ago.

I'd really like to have a dedicated workout 5-6 nights a week... right now I manage about 3-4  but really would like to bump those numbers up. Now, I know everyone has their own starting point and right now this might seem a little crazy to some and too easy to others, but keep a couple things in mind: one, this is supposed to be a challenge. two, you can modify anything you'd like (or message me and we'll figure something out) to make it work for you. This is, after all, just my personal plan.

How it works:

we're shooting for 6 days a week. 4 days of cardio, 2 days of strength training and a daily "AA Challenge". Sunday will always be your rest day!

Short run days: 
This run will be my timed run. Set a route and run the same route, tracking your time. I'm gonna shoot for something around 3-3.5 miles.

Upper Body: 
I'll upload what my plan is for this day when i figure it out. - just pick your favorite upper body workout and go at it... finish up with 20 minutes of cardio. :)

Intervals:
I'll probably be at the gym and on these days, slaving away on the elliptical for 45-60minutes. i'll keep everyone updated on this, especially after week 1. (in case this needs adjusting)

Lower Body:
I'll upload what my plan is for this day when i figure it out. - just pick your favorite lower body workout and go at it... finish up with 20 minutes of cardio. :)

Stairs:
Find the most grueling set of staircase in your area and run up and down them two at a time, as fast as you can, for a half hour.

Long Run: 
Take whatever your short run was and add at least a mile to it. Take this run slow, enjoy it...let it help get rid of the ache and remind yourself that you get to rest the next day! ;)

And last, but certainly not least....

Daily Abs and Ass challenge!

Things to note:

Don't feel like you have to do everything in one set - if you have to break it up throughout the day thats TOTALLY okay! this is just supposed to be that extra push.

Form is most important! Theres no point doing 100 shitty anythings... and you certainly dont want to hurt yourself. Do as much as you can, the best you can do it!

If you cant do all of something, make sure you track it anyway... dont be discouraged by not doing something, be encouraged by watching yourself progress. Just try your best

and finally....

LET ME KNOW IF YOU DO THIS WITH ME!!!! I'll be posting before and afters :)

Baked Potato Bar

I’m not sure how extensively I’ve mentioned my job at work or the fun things that I’m in charge of there but I figure this is as good a time as ever to give a little more detail on what I do for my “real” job. Sometime shortly after I was hired, I was made the leader of the team that does the company event planning, naturally. 😜

 

I REALLY enjoy this portion of my work, granted it can be rather consuming of my personal time but nonetheless its something I’m thankful to be involved in.

 

A week before I was planning on leaving for my vacation I thought it’d be a great idea to host a baked potato bar as a staff appreciation lunch. it actually turned out to be a total hit and who knew you could cook potatoes in a cooler!? I sure as heck didn't.

 

I spent all of Tuesday and Wednesday prepping for this thing, making salad, chilies, chopping up toppings, and 4:45am rolled around Thursday morning at which point I was required to pull myself out of bed and being baking potatoes. I can honestly say this was the first (and hopefully last) time that I've found myself wondering “do I sleep in another 15 minutes or get up to bake potatoes”. Considering how exhausted I was by the end of this I’m a little surprised nothing went majorly wrong. As a matter of fact, the only thing that would have made this better was more bacon and if the potatoes were a little less cooked when I tossed them in the cooler, but even then, NO ONE complained.

 

This was definitely an event that had me (and hopefully everyone else) a bit more excited about the possibilities that company events hold. I really do appreciate all of my co-workers and I feel blessed to be in such a (controlling) position, in which I have the ability to let them know their work is appreciated.

 

All the managers at the company ended up pulling me into their office this week to give me a thank

 

you card and a gift which really made me feel loved. It was a great reminder that not only does hard work pay off, but also that the good things that you put out into the world come back to you - maybe not immediately, and maybe not how you’d expect them, but they do. 😊

 

 

Something new...

So I think I've officially decided I’m going to be adding a new section of updates to my blog. I haven't a solid idea for the frequency in which I'll post about this topic but its a major portion of my life that I generally speaking, choose not to share with people.

 

Fitness, exercise, healthy eating - its my life.

 

a bit of background:

 

I grew up my entire life as a “fat kid”. Seriously. FAT KID - right here! it wasn't even until I was almost 18 that I really decided to do something about my life.

 

I grew up in a house where my weight was seen as hereditary. I was just a big kid.. my dad’s family was big, my family was big, I was big - I mean it all made a little sense... I started developing health problems around the age of 10, more specifically I was diagnosed with PCOS, a syndrome which is greatly weight related, that not only causes cysts on your ovaries, but is accompanied by a slew of other issues, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, etc...That's a lot for a 4th grader to be handed.

 

I spent nearly the next 8 years trying to lose weight every way imaginable. my parents and doctors tried fat blockers and nutritionists.... I was young and being bounced around... it was really hard for me to get a grip on what any of it meant and more importantly what baring my weight had on my value as a person. It was something that I didn't only struggle with on the surface... I wasn't your typical insecure adolescent.. I had serious value issues. I felt broken, sick and unlovable. my value became so tied to my appearance that my hate for my body became a hate for everything that I was. 

 

How long can a person survive while hating themselves so much?

 

I’ll never forget the moment I TRULY decided I HAD to change my life. Its impossible to allow that memory to slip from my mind... I was out at Snoqualmie falls and had taken a 1 mile hike down to the bottom of the waterfall.. it didn't seem like an issue at the time... however, the return to the car would be a relatively steep one mile walk uphill... at the time I was close to 300 pounds. That mile KILLED me. Not only was I out of breath, it broke me down mentally. I wanted nothing more than to walk and talk with my boyfriend at the time and instead my chest was heaving, my eyes were watering, and I wanted to be left alone so I could walk to the car on my own. “go on ahead of me, I'll just meet you at the car”  it was one of the most embarrassing moments of my life... I was ashamed.

 

At this point, I had found a new level of desperation. My mom took me to sign up for Jenny Craig, and on our first weigh in I was tipping the scales at 280. when they asked me my goal weight, I told them I'd be happy with 50 pounds, in reality, I wanted to be down 100 but doubted the reality of that goal. I mean, my doctors thought I'd always be fat, my parents said it was my genetics, I'd been trying for years to accept that I would go through the rest of my life being bigger....the idea that this was all within my control was incredibly foreign.

 

I stayed with Jenny Craig for about a month and in just that time lost around 20 pounds (I miss how quickly weight came off back then😜) That was all it took to kickstart me and get me to  understand that this crazy idea of being ”average” was actually not so crazy. I had learned what a normal serving of food looked like and from that point forward everything else seemed to fall exactly into place.

 

Fast forward 4 years:

 

I’m now 21 (September is coming fast! cant believe its almost another year gone) and weigh around 200. I went from a size 24/26 to a size 10/12 and all of it was through a lifestyle change, and I don't just mean the food I put into my mouth or the number of hours I log at the gym; It started with my perception of the impossible. It started with redefining the perspective of my life, from something I was born into to something I was creating.

 

So have you caught on to the new topic?

 

FITNESS!!!! - Health and well-being in all of its aspects.

 

Stay tuned!

 

 

Hiking Little Si

 

Saturday was a beautiful kick off to May here in Washington. it was honestly almost too hot for my NW tastes but the sun is always welcomed here!

 

Meg and I decided to venture out for a little hike, originally planning on going to Mount Si, but after some serious advice against it, we found ourselves in the parking lot of Little Si. I'm going to be honest here, Mount Si would have been better suited for what I was looking to get out of a hike but I'm not going to complain about a pretty hike on a beautiful day with my sister. where's the sense in that?

 

The trail was pretty busy and we were extremely lucky to find parking in the second lot... the top was crowded and there was only one good view.... but again, who's complaining? it was a good day.

Lesson learned and now when I reach the top of Big Si I can look back and know that I've conquered them...in order :P

 

Ben Howard

Okay I only snapped a few pictures at the show and when I finally get the videos onto my laptop I'll link them onto here but Ben Howard was AMAZING! He's definitely one of those artists you NEED to see live. There's nothing like it. I highly recommend it!

I also sat next to this awesome gal who inspired that month's cupcake (which will be coming in a future post) She was really a pleasure to talk to and it was great t.

I really cant get over how amazing this show was. Each of the band members played 4 different instruments, I swear! it was remarkable to watch! I cant wait for him to come back to town!

New Car

 This is my new baby.

 

Not even a year ago I posted a blog about my new little red wagon.... that wagon drug me through hell and back and last month, when news came that I was having transmission problems, I had to let it go... it was bittersweet but a learning experience if nothing more....

 

the past is the past and THIS is my new Mazda 2. I LOVE IT! its perfect for me in every way and i'm so happy that i'm not dealing the hassle of a car that is constantly breaking down. I bought this beauty with 26 miles on it  - april 13th.. I've already put over a thousand miles on her and I must say... I think we have a long and adventurous future in store. : )