reefer madness

at work i update the fuel prices whenever we receive a delivery to our fuel site... and today i noticed for the first time that reefer is listed as a fuel type on the software. i'm sure there is some valid fuel explanation for this, but at the time i could only think mary jane and it made me laugh.

i made mock mash potatoes yesterday. basically mashed cauliflower, but surprisingly good... if you like cauliflower. i added a bit of everything to make it more like loaded mash potatoes... cheese, cream cheese, butter and salt. only a little bit of each to give it flavor and more substance. it was really simple... boil cauliflower til uber tender, use hand mixer or processor to mash them... add fixins. i will claim it as a successful new recipe venture, sometimes plain old broccoli just won't do it. i loathed cauliflower as a child... loathed, so i guess my tastebuds have adjusted or grown up too.

tonight i pushed the time just a tad on my run. total distance: 2.56 miles. i will gradually add to this distance and while i run i'll adjust the speed according to my breathing... i'll be adding time more often than increasing speed at this point i think. thanks for all the suggestions! i'll do what i can, and report back my findings.

now i gotta go fill my tank with reefer.

monday monday

morning all! another weekend filled to the brim has past. was summer always this busy? this is only my second summer with a full time job, so i guess i am not used to scheduling all the festivals and summer fun around work, lol.

germanfest was this past weekend, and you know i was there! my sister won a tuba playing contest, for serious (she does not actually play tuba... but she did get a first place medal that is engraved haha). we listened to a band from germany named chikera (i liked to call them shakira). they played traditional german stuff, who the hell is alice about 15 times and american wedding reception classics... like shout. it was entertaining and fun.

i then visited a friend who lives in the boonies... a mostly farmland area of wisconsin (like many areas of wisconsin). more fun was had and on the detour home i got some nice cow pictures. you can expect a detour picture log this evening. :)

i'm done with the 9 weeks of c25k, but not with a 5k yet. i'm trying to decide whether to increase time and speed, or to just increase time until i can complete the distance. i really enjoy doing HIIT on the treadmill, so maybe that will help with my endurance as well. considering that's how the first few weeks of c25k are designed, it may just work... hmmmm. and of course, my higher intensity portions are at a much faster speed than i can maintain for longer intervals. but i get equally sweaty ;)

and they'll never be lonely anymore

the wedding last weekend was a success. the bride (my step-sister) was happy/beautiful/giddily drunk by the end of the reception.

we went early saturday morning to buy centerpiece flowers from the farmer's market, and then arranged them... so the day was loooong. it was a lovely time though, and i enjoyed being a proud member of the dancing fools at the reception... i mean that's what wedding receptions are for right? dancing around like an idiot while others who wish they were also dancing like idiots watch. :) so. much. fun.

completed week 9 day 2 c25k today. it was hard. i need to prepare more properly food/water wise. i drink water all day long, but i've been going right after work to the y... i think i need to have a snack later in the afternoon to boost my energy for the work out. what do you guys eat and/or drink pre/during/post work outs? do you snack at all before? there's only one official day left, but i'm not to 5k distance yet... i won't claim to be a graduate til i do! i'll keep you posted on my progress.

here i be

a few before and current pics... hopefully soon i'll have some cute ones! hahaha.

I try to delete/destroy terrible terrible pictures on myself, but we were testing the features on my camera... so these before portraits survived. It's a complete guess (i never weighed myself before), but I think both of the before pics were at my highest weight... or more. The current portrait is from this evening, pardon the dirty hair and face :) The current full length pic is from july fourth weekend... so you may guess why i'm making a crazy face and acting silly. Please note the awesome pbr sign behind me and the fact that a game of bar shuffle board is in the works, soooo classy. i loaned my belt to the birthday girl... and those darn jeans had a mind of their own!

surreal

weigh in: 167.6... bachelorette party included HOLY CRAP!

i have lost 100 pounds. i've discovered that if i tell people numbers, the surprised reaction they respond with makes me feel more like they are thinking "oh my god you were that huge!" rather than "wow, what an accomplishment!" i think i'll just share with you for now. 6 more pounds and i'll be at the very tip top of the "normal" weight bmi range for my height, but i'm not where i want to be yet (body or fitness). my weight loss will be slowing and eventually ending, so i'm planning for the next step. increasing my fitness level and keeping exercise a priority are my main objectives right now.

my last week of c25k approaches. i plan on running in addition to some kind of organized weight program after i complete c25k. i have to do some research to figure out what'll be best. suggestions are welcome!

she's a maniac

:)

i'm happy because last night i went out for my step-sister's bachelorette party and i danced like a maniac. it was fantastic! i have never felt so comfortable in my own skin and it was great. last night made me realize that this healthier version of myself is more than just health or looks... it's that feeling. it's the feeling that drives me right now... not the scale, not the clothes size, not the way i see myself in the mirror, but the mindset that resulted from all the changes i have made. i felt no shame, no embarassment... where as in my old mindset i would have felt uncomfortable... almost like i wasn't the right kind of person to be there, let alone to be dancing and mingling. i am definitely not this self-loving and positive all the time*, but last night made me realize my self perception is changing in a good way.

i did have to delay a day of the couch 2 5k because of the party, but balance makes life better right? i'm thrilled to death for my sister and her fiance, and i can't wait to see her walk down the aisle.


*i reserve full rights to be debbie downer when i feel like it, but for now... :)

whipper snappers

i just wrote out a long winded post, and then the igoogle blogger gadget deleted it! bummer major. i'm sure it was longer than necessary though. here's a summary of the lost post:

- drank a lot july 4th weekend, 3 days in a row
- we realized we're not as young as we used to be... or maybe it's that we just don't drink every weekend
- i ate on plan most of the time
- the scale was kind monday, was up a bit but not as much as expected
- i am in week 8 of c25k
- my step-sister's bachelorette party is this saturday, the wedding is next saturday
- i don't have a dress for said wedding
- i swear i'm on plan most of the time, these posts make me look like a lush!
- i need to post more often and catch up with all of you too... i miss ya!

i love a paid holiday

today is my friday, i hope it's yours too! one of my best friend's birthdays is on the fourth, so celebration madness is about to occur. i'm driving directly after work to meet up with my college folk for concert on the square (the symphony orchestra in madison plays outside in the summer), followed by a show at the comedy club. more celebrating throughout the weekend.

last night i really wanted to go to summerfest, but my friend ditched because of the weather... but i went anyway! i actually really enjoyed going by myself. i'm a fan of people watching, so i got my fair share. there wasn't really any band i was going to see, i just love summerfest in general. i ended up watching "the band of heathens" full set, and i highly recommend them. they are from austin, and they are brilliant live. i would call them blues/country. i always reserve judgment on musical acts til i see them live, you must be good live to be a musician. i looked them up and they will be on austin city limits sometime in the near future, check em out yo.

i'm happy to say i successfully lost half a pound for jack's challenge! congrats to anyone else who participated and kicked that half pound's ass!

i was packing this morning, running late and forgot food for lunch!! :( i leave at 3, but i'm already thinking about food. doh! oh and i'm on track c25k wise. tomorrow will be the last day of week 7? idk what week, the one of 25 minute runs.

happy fourth everybody! i think in addition to celebrating my friend's birth, i would like to start a tradition of watching the episode of it's always sunny in philadelphia titled "charlie goes america all over everybody's ass". i love a tradition, lol.