The One Where She Strives to Live Healthier

I'm watching Friends. I thought it was appropriate to have a title with, "The One Where.."

I know, I know.. I missed a week. I almost missed this week too, but alas, here I am.

Last week wouldn't have been too exciting. No changes really. Only got one run in and weight stayed the same.

This week I got four run's in and lost only 1.5lbs this week.. Kind of sucked since I pushed so hard, but at least it's something. I'm up to 13.5lbs since January! Slowly going... My goal was hopefully 10 a month since I lost 10 in January.. but we'll see for February; still two weeks left.

I'm up to 1.25 miles running straight! Pretty sure I won't hit the two mile mark in these next two weeks, but maybe; we'll see. Just gotta make sure I keep getting those runs in!

This week also started my budget!! I don't think I've ever been excited to start one. I made my one for March (just have to break it down to two-week sets), and made one for the last two weeks! Took out all my cash that I needed and started using my sweet wallet my mom bought me for Christmas in 2010. You can see a similar design here. I'm only on day 5, but it's been alright! We'll see how it is next weekend though when my wallet is empty :) haha... but hopefully it won't be. No cash = no more money to spend. Not going to use my debit card at all because the rest of that money is for my Emergency Fund!

I also went a little crazy and started planning on my upcoming trips! I'm going to visit my dear cousin in VA in April for a few days, so I estimated how much I'd need for that and how many checks I'd get before then. From there, I figured out how much from each check I'd need in order to have that money by the appropriate time. I did the same thing for all three weddings I have to attend this summer too since I will be traveling a lot. Figured out how much I'd need, how many checks til each wedding date, and then how much from each check I'd need to take out in order to have it by each wedding. I love figuring out things like this! Now I just HAVE to stick with it. After I this summer, my Christmas savings will begin! I just bought something today to start either a Christmas or birthday present (either September or December gift). I just saw it and thought of an amazing idea for my sister! I'd LOVE to share it.. however... she reads this :)

ALSO this week was my Interview for Grad School numero dos. I'll write more about that when I hear if I was accepted onto the program. It was something...

That's all I have for today. There's supposedly a winter snow coming.. Lots of talk about The Blizzard of 93 are going on.. how it was in the 60s one day and 24hrs later there was a huge snowstorm and people were snowed in for a week. Last year was the most snow I've seen in Knoxville in the (then) six years I've been here. This is the first year I haven't seen even a little snow stick. I feel like it's coming and when it does, it'll be good. I just hope for one good snow day before spring comes! And definitely before April when I'll be driving to VA.

Stay safe if you already have snow. Have a great week!

Life.Is.Good

Life is good.

Sometimes I just kind of sit back and think about my life… I just don’t have words to explain how I’m feeling. (Side note.. I have a feeling this may be a lengthy one today. So if you’re tracking the 30 Day Challenge, see last few paragraphs). Anywho… I am just thankful for where I am today and with what’s going on in my life. When the New Year hit, I kind of got irritated because of all the “resolutions” that people make and don’t keep (pot calling the kettle black.. I admit it). But this year it just irritated me because I thought, “Why does the ‘new year’ need to be where people start fresh? You can start fresh ANY TIME THAT YOU’D LIKE.” I just kept having this thought in my head…. as I made resolutions or goals for 2012. Just to off track a minute.. I have been running this past week and when I run, lots of things go through my head. Usually it’s, PUSH YOURSELF KATRINA! But during my last run, I thought, why is it called, “resolutions?” People make goals, not resolutions.. and then the more I thought about it, the more I “resolutions” was actually good.. because a resolution is usually a cure for a problem, right? That’s what people do at the new year… find a “problem” in their life and try to stick with a resolution for it.

Anyway… just a random thought that was in my head… back to making those resolutions… I think people make them at the new year because, well, it’s the new year. It’s almost like it’s a blank sheet of paper and you get to start completely fresh. I still think you can do that at any point in your life, but maybe it just gives people an excuse to live the way they do… or for me, as I look back, I look at the year as a whole.. and wow. What a year 2011 was. SO much was gone through. I finished my first year teaching… I started my second year teaching… I had friends move across the country… I had very close friends get married or engaged… my best friend and cousin moved and is away from me for the first time in over 10years… I moved yet again… and of course, the joke of the year was always “Katrina and her boys… which boy is it this time?” Which is HILARIOUS to me, because, well, if you know me, that has never been me. I went through dating one, not sure what you’d call the next, and then a pretty serious relationship after that, then ending the year single (which I’m okay with). For each of those, hard decisions were made, friendships were formed, heartache happened… 2011 was just a whirlwind of emotions for me, lots of changes, and “grown up” decisions.

As I looked back at 2011, I knew my perspective was going to change for 2012. I had a “clean page” to look at. I wanted to go in it not knowing what was to come, but knowing that whatever God had in store, it was going to be good. And I can’t even explain that feeling to you.. but I KNEW that it was going to be a great year (not saying 2011 was.. I learned A LOT about myself). So.. it’s only February 5, and these past 5 weeks have been SO good. Maybe it’s just because my perspective has changed. Maybe it’s because I’m looking at things in a new light. I don’t know. But I honestly don’t know that I’ve ever been this happy. Let’s take a look at different areas of my life so I can explain more.

Friends: I have the greatest friends. I feel like friendships are growing deeper. I am trying to be more intentional in those friendships and new friendships that have been made.

Crossings: I can’t say how much this community means to me.. and I don’t know that I ever could. But I feel a part of something big and life changing. Through every Sunday.. through

Small Group.. through Kid City.. through Hospitality.. through FPU…

Health: I don’t think I’ve ever “stuck” to working out.. but I have the last five weeks and I FEEL good. AND I’m doing a 5K! Who would have thought. Not me, that’s for sure.

Expenses: I am SO looking forward to budgeting and not living and worrying about expenses as much as I do.

Work: I love my kids. This new year has been awesome and encouraging.

Future: I’m going to Grad School… AGAIN. What in the world am I thinking!? I have no idea… but I am so excited for “what’s next.”

Maybe I covered it all.. maybe I didn’t… but I just love my life and where I am right now. You know when you are in a new relationship and you’re just head over heels for that person and you just can’t stop smiling? That’s how I feel. Maybe I’m falling in love with my life..

Okay.. that’s my rant and what’s on my heart. Are you still with me? If you are.. well, thanks.

To the Healthy Aspects of it all…

FPU is great. I’m loving it and can’t wait for each week to learn something new. Budgeting is going to be hard, but I’m excited.

I lost 4lbs this week, so I’m at 12lbs gone! WooHoo!

30 Day Challenge.. well… I didn’t finish it. LET ME EXPLAIN. I just got sick of doing the same exercise over again. I think I’ll incorporate some of it every once in awhile, but for now, it’s not for me. I feel like a quitter sometimes because I only had three stinking days left.. but I don’t feel like I quit because it was too hard. Does that make sense? Instead, I started running. I’ve been doing that on Mondays anyway, well, part walking.. but I’ve started running this past week. I did it three times last week and RAN MY FIRST MILE! NO BREAKS! It was quite a big thing for me. I want to try to start adding a little on at a time and hopefully be able to run the whole 5k in April, but we’ll see. My legs felt like spaghetti last week.

Well. That’s all I have for today. Ha.. all I have.. it was quite a bit. Thanks for reading though. Thanks for continuing to read and your encouragement as well. It means a lot.

Hope you all get to go to a fun Superbowl party tonight! I don’t really care about who wins… I’m excited for the party aspect of it all and for the new previews shown during the commercials!

Til next week…

"healthy" living? psh.

Well.. I don't have much to post about this past week as far as the 30 Day Challenge goes.. I got sick and I was able to do one day, and that's it... putting me behind almost a stinkin week. I think I was most mad about this then anything. My friend Rachel and I walk/ran 3 miles on Monday, and I worked out Tuesday. Wednesday, whatever it was, hit me.. so I was down Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I was getting my energy back. Today I thought about doing one or two of them, but my uterus decided to try to rip itself out of me, causing me to be in bed until 2:00 today (sorry if you're male reading this.. but let's me honest, you know what goes on once a month). But that's another story. I should probably go to the doctor since this is two months in a row. Too bad my insurance sucks. The whole getting sick thing would benefit a doctor's visit as well.. I'm pretty sure that was more a GI thing than a sickness thing, but I don't know... I'm no doctor, but I know how weird my stomach is.
anyway.
Since it's Saturday, I weighed myself after telling myself not to expect anything after this week of nothingness... and I was right. 2lbs were back on... but again, well... I'll just say bloating. Nothing like getting personal, right?

Financial Peace University (FPU) officially started this week. I'm really excited about it! I can't wait to see the difference after 91 days. I feel like I'm off to a good start, mindset at least. The first step is to save $1000. That makes me nervous a bit because I don't know where that is going to come from.. but I'm gonna do it! Also, I mapped out the distance from 4MS (where we meet) to my house, and it's a little over 5 miles. I think I'm going to start including that in my workout since the challenge will be over. However, Lisa-Marie (the AWESOME and motivating host of BodyRock.Tv) said what they have planned next is awesome. I'm pretty sure I'm going to continue with whatever they have.

Well.. that's what I got today. have a great week. wish me luck on my last week of the 30 Day Challenge! Really going to try to push myself this week.
peace out friends.

ps. sorry i didnt put a picture up.

Two Weeks Strong!

Today ended two weeks of the 30 Day Challenge. And let me tell you.. today was enough sweat for the entire week! I did both yesterday's workout AND the 600 Rep Challenge today. Yesterday I set my alarm early to workout in the morning since it was Friday.. and when it went off, I prayed for a snow day so I could do it in the afternoon. Needless to say, God wasn't in agreement with me. I was gone until almost 1 so I did it this morning. Rested about 30 minutes in between then did the 600 Rep Challenge. AHH. 600. My time was 18:25 which I thought was just okay, but looking at everyone else's scores/times, it was about average! YES! I'm sure tonight will be rough at work just standing around. Last week after the 400 reps, my muscles got really tight.
Here's what I did:
100 High Knees
100 Lunge Kicks
100 High Knees
100 Squats, with two 3lb weights
100 High Knees
25 Straight Abs
25 V Abs Left
25 V Abs Right
25 Bicycle Abs

I checked the timer as I went through and not only can I now do 100 High Knees without stopping, but I can do it in ONE MINUTE!

I can definitely feel the difference in endurance and strength with these workouts. My push ups are rockin too and I just feel better knowing I'm doing something 5 days a week! Two weeks left of the challenge to go. I'm half way!

I've also been doing GREAT eating better. I've gone out 3 times within the last two weeks. Minus Barley's last week, I've eaten healthy at both places. Last night was just okay... went to PF Changs with friends but my chicken was grilled and I had brown rice!

I've only lost 3lbs this week, but 3lbs is still good in my book! That makes it for a total of 8lbs! Woohoo!

It's short and sweet this week, but I have to be at work in an hour and I haven't showered. Thanks for reading and for all of you that have been keeping me accountable!

Oh yes.. and I AM doing the 5K! I have a group of friends doing (running) it (straight through), but a friend of mine decided to do it with me too. I'm going to get my "5K shoes" at the outlets tomorrow!