Category Archives: Bitches Be Crazy

Thursday Things

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  • Have you heard of DOMS? It stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (or something…) and I am in this stage in full effect.  Walking hurts, laying down hurts, sleeping I’m sure hurts, if I was able to know, Sitting hurts.  Eating hurts.  Everything hurts.  Today is a rest day.  It was going to be a rest day anyways, but now it is most certainly a rest day.
  • My breakfast of 1/2 a sweet potato and 2 runny eggs is officially the best meal ever.  I am pretty sure next week when I am cooking for one I’ll be eating this for dinner as well. Oh I am excited.  Not about being alone and left to my own devices, like remembering to wake up on time, and feeding the dogs, but that I can experiment with food a bit more freely.  If something I make now sucks and is horrible, I can’t throw it out and serve popcorn, the Husband won’t have that.  But next week, I can.
  • I am really trying not to be discouraged at this point.  It’s really hard not to be.  I’m going against everything I’ve ever learned about “dieting” or “losing weight” and it’s scary.  I mean on a given day I am still at a deficit in calories, and I am not hungry, so I am not thinking it’s that horrible, right?  My body will catch up eventually.  I am just ready to not feel trapped by the uncomfortable feeling that is living inside this body.
  • I got my hair cut yesterday:

Post Cut / Post Workout

  • It’s not drastic. I mean it’s shorter than it was, but there are more layers, and it feels less heavy and less dead.  My ends were horrible.  My hair is still damaged from doing the brazillian straightening system last summer, so it’s still getting better. Baby steps.  As with everything in life.
  • I have realized with this post I am very boring.
  • THIS makes me so happy.  Live in Northern VA?  Let’s help out a little girl with cancer!
  • I want this entire outfit, hair color, everything:

  • I think it’s really unfair that the mint jeans trend would catch on and was not disclosed to me by my fashion bloggers that I follow religiously, when I found the best pair of mint green jeans in January, but didn’t buy them, because I thought “Oh this will never catch on”.  NOW THEY ARE EVERYWHERE.  If I buy a pair now, I will just look like a fashion trend lemming.  I just didn’t want to be the weirdo in mint green jeans.  From now on, I will buy what I want and what I like, and if it’s trendy, I started it.  
  • This is like my anthem for this summer.  I love Ellie Goulding – ever since I heard ‘Lights’ like 2.5 years ago, and then she performed at Kate and Wills Wedding – COVERING THE HUSBANDS AND MY WEDDING SONG – and now this song is like all I can listen to.  It’s my song.  Mine.  She wrote it for me.
  • Cannibalism Evidence Found in Jamestown –  Well then founding fathers… You have some explaining to do.  My husband’s college friend’s sister was actually part of this press release, so a few degrees of separation between me and being involved in a CNN article.

Articles of Interest:

Tuesday Things

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  • I know that the investigation is far from being over, but I am ready to not hear about the Boston Bomber anymore.  He puts a bad slant to my day, even though he is in custody, and he will be brought to justice, it doesn’t bring the lives lost, back, nor does it mend the ailments of the runners who did survive.  I just wish – and I am bracing for the flack I am going to get from this – they would give him the death penalty and be done with it.  I also think it should be death by IED.  That’s just the reactionary coming out in me.
  • Yesterday’s workout was balls to the wall hard.  Oh my gosh.  I haven’t felt dizzy during a workout in a long time.  I think I might have been dehydrated, but who knows.  I ran 2 miles before lifting, because I am a cardio whore, and I like it, so that might have played a factor.  I really need to also rest in between the exercises like the book says to.  I hate wait 75 seconds.  That’s 75 seconds I could be lifting people!  This also may be why I was dizzy.  Whoops.
  • This is what I look like today:
photo (3)

Outfit of the Day

thanks to Moody for waking us up earlier than normal, I was able to actually do my hair and not half do it from it being done the night before.  Go Moody!  Now I just need to get him to get me up at 5:00 am for a workout (Trying this tomorrow!) and not wake up the husband.  Like he should wake me up and then go back to bed.  Yeah I don’t see that happening.  Oh well.

  • The Praxis II English Component is killing me.  KILLING ME.  I just want to take the damn test and be done with it.  I think waiting for things like this is the majority of the anxiety.  The waiting for the test day, and that morning, I will be useless until I’m actually in the testing center.  Ugh.  Plus The Husband will be on work travel so I’ll be jittery all alone.  Sadness.  Oh well.
  • Today is a run day, but with the weather looming badly outside, it will most likely be on the treadmill, which is fine, because then I can cook the spaghetti squash while I run.  Multi-tasking like an adult.  I’m liking the run 4 minutes/walk 30 seconds  interval.  I mean outside I kind of wing it, because I usually feel better on pavement than I do on the treadmill, so my ability to continue to run past the 4 minute mark is a bit higher than it is inside.  I am not sure why that is.  You would think that it would be easier on the treadmill.  But I guess not?  Who knows.  I know that my sub 10’00″ paces have been primarily on the treadmill, but I am seriously pushing myself.  I think I need to transfer that to the outdoor running and see what my legs can do.
  • I’m really liking the whole paleo thing still.  I need to experiment more with different dishes, as I have been clinging to the ones I know well, but i am growing bored of them.  I need to figure out quick dishes for lunches, and fast dinners.  Plus with my Summer Session, The Husband is going to have to cook dinner 3 nights a week, and I don’t want him to get flustered and just get Chipotle every night.  Because I love Chipotle, but not that much.
  • Regular Exercise Might Help Fine Tune Diet - Exercising may help raise hormones associated with being satisfied more!  I know this is true.  I am rarely hungry immediately after a workout.  I actually can go a couple of hours before I want food.  Even then it’s more I know I need to eat and less, I feel like I have to eat.  If that makes sense.  My go to meal post Half Marathon is Jimmy John’s sub or Pizza, and definitely Beer.  Then followed by a long ass nap.  Then followed by more beer, and sleeping in the next day.
  • I’m really excited about the 4 Miler race I have in two weeks.  I love the 4 mile distance, because it’s short, and it’s a good check on how fast I go out at races.  I try to run the first 4-6 miles of a half marathon without stopping, but since this is such a short distance, I am going to try and run the whole darn thing.  I’m bringing back the water belt as I have been told running with a handheld water bottle can throw off your gait, and since my gait is already off a lot, I shouldn’t hurt it more.  Or I should run with a hand held water bottle in each hand.  Double fist that run.
  • I’m getting my hair cut tomorrow.  I am not sure if I should go short and scare the crap out of my Husband, or just get a trim and not regret my decision.
    • Thoughts?

What should I do with my hair?

Are you running any races soon?

Do I wear too many Cardigans?

 

Food For Thought Tuesday

Friday WOD

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Lordy Lou.

Stage 2 workout B of NROLFW is no joke. I was thankful when I got to the cardio.

Lifting is hard but it will be worth it.

When I was doing some of the exercises I noticed muscle definition in my arms. Where the hell did that come from?

It’s not much but it’s there.

I’m here world. I’m finally arriving.

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Face It Friday – Paleo Week 4

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Well I am not weighing in until Stage 2 is over – I will also update my measurements then as well, so Face It Friday will be more of “How did this week go?” type post with a recap of workouts, foods I tried, things that I think worked, and things that I know didn’t.

Workout Recap

  • Friday April 19 – 3.2 Mile Run & NROLFW (Stg 1 Workout A – AMRAP)
  • Saturday April 20 – 4 Mile Run
  • Sunday April 21 – 1.5 Mile Run & NROLFW (Stg 2 Workout B – AMRAP)
  • Monday April 22 – 3.6 Mile Run
  • Tuesday April 23 – 3.0 Mile Run & NROLFW (Stage 2 – Workout A)
  • Wednesday April 24 – 3.0 Mile Run
  • Thursday April 25 – Rest Day

Total Mileage – 17.9 Miles

Things That Worked

I can usually make healthy choices throughout the day with no problem, it’s night time that for some reason all I want is sugar, bread, grease, more sugar, alcohol, etc.  So being at home most nights after dinner, it’s a real struggle.  It helps that I don’t keep that crap in my house to begin with, and that my husband doesn’t bend to my every whim of saying “I want Pinkberry” otherwise I would still be 221 pounds, and fighting for my pants to not rip. One of the key ways of keeping my in check most nights is having a reallllly filling dinner.

My Go To Filling Dinners:

  • Chicken Stir Fry with Peppers, onions, Broccoli, and Asian Slaw over a 1/4 cup of Quinoa
  • Grass Fed Beef Meatloaf with a side of roasted brussel sprouts
  • Grass Fed Steak with Roasted bacon wrapped asparagus and 1/4 avocado
  • Spaghetti Squash with Ground Turkey and homemade tomato based pasta sauce
  • Garbage Salad – take all veggies in the house and chop them up with spinach, mix in nuts, meat, or another form of protein (4-5 oz per person) and add healthy fat in the form of EVOO or avocado – MIX AND ENJOY

If I have something that at the end of the meal I am stuffed, I know the only thing I will be getting up for is refilling my water bottle.  Which is the way it should be.  I am still learning what works with Paleo and what doesn’t.  I know I have to bulk up my veggies at every meal, and sometimes it’s hard to do that, but no one said this would be easy.

I refuse to believe that you HAVE to slash calories incredibly and workout like a maniac to lose weight.  I know that you can do this, but it’s not the only way.  After my incredibly “woe is me” post yesterday I took it to the people who have lived it.

The New Rules of Lifting: Lift Like a Man Look Like a Goddess facebook group opened themselves to me with much enthusiasm.  They worked through my issues (and by they I mean like 20 women on one thread that reached over 150 posts in one day) and we came to the conclusion that A.) If I was following Paleo I shouldn’t be counting calories, and B.) since I was counting calories it was evident I wasn’t eating enough.  Me?  Not eating enough?

After much research and other blog posts, I found that I was essentially fueling my body to maintain.  I was eating enough to get me through the day and if I exercised I was eating just enough to not feel hungry.  So I was burning everything I ate which should equate to weight loss right?  Apparently not – EM2WL explains:

If you have been a low calorie dieter for an extended period of time, you may want to consider doing a full metabolism reset.  This will allow the body to reset back to its normal metabolic set point, so a small deficit will once again start the weight loss process once the reset is complete.

So while I am not doing the full metabolism reset, I am simply upping my calories, continuing to eat cleanly, and lifting/running.  I am actually so tired of being a slave to the scale that I am not going to weigh myself.  I am putting the scale away until the end of stage 2, when I will also chart my measurements.

I am more than that number.

Things That Didn’t Work

Cashews.  My mouth swells and I get all itchy.  Luckily I am not deathly allergic, because that would have been horrible to find out, you know at work, where I would have to rely on my officemate to figure out what was happening, but still annoying nonetheless. 

Coconut water.  This stuff is vile to me.  I bought two containers (small one serving) that were mixed with other fruit juices, and I swear it tasted like vomit.

Two Workouts In One Day.  Yeah I felt bad ass, but I obviously was not prepared for the extreme exhaustion I felt about two hours after the second workout.  If I am going to do this again, it will have to be after I’ve figured out my eating style and how to go about not falling asleep at work.

So, How Did This Week Go?

This week was about learning again for me.  I need to trust the process, remain in the present, not focus on months down the road, stop nit picking whatever flaws I see, THROW MY SCALE OUT THE WINDOW, and look at the strength gains I’ve made.  40 Pound Shoulder Press?  I can lift 40 pounds over my head?  Seriously?

UntitledThis is the girl who had trouble with 5 pound weights, walking up stairs, and fitting into her wedding dress on her big day…

WAHOOO

This is the girl who just did a 40# Shoulder Press, has 3 half marathons under her belt, is keeping herself in the present, and isn’t going to stop this time.

 

When Everything You Do Isn’t Enough (In Your Own Eyes)

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My “week” starts on Friday’s, when I weigh in each week.  This is something I’ve adapted to from the years of being on Weight Watchers, or weekly weighing and tracking that in some form or another.  So from last Friday to today this is how my workouts have looked:

  • Friday April 19 – 573 Calories
  • Saturday April 20 – 527 Calories
  • Sunday April 21 – 360 Calories
  • Monday April 22 – 476 Calories
  • Tuesday April 23 – 597 Calories
  • Wednesday April 24 – 419 Calories
  • Thursday April 25 – TBD

So that equals: 2952 Calories (so far.  The verdict is still out if I will exercise today or not)

I would say, for a week, that is great!  If I was following Weight Watchers still, where 80 calories unofficially equals 1 Activity Point, I would have earned 36 Activity Points this week.  Again, I think that’s amazing.

I am in awe of how dedicated I am to making sure I get my workouts in, and making sure that I am eating the foods off the Paleo list (80% of the time).  I am proud that I have so far stuck with the NROLFW through stage 1 and am enjoying the act of lifting.

While I know I can control what I put in my mouth, and what I do for activity and how much I do, and that I know I can’t control the number on the scale, it’s still incredibly frustrating to not see it move in the right direction.

I know, I know.  You will gain weight by lifting, because you are building muscle.  BUT, when you have a good 20 pounds of extra weight that you need to lose with a Body Fat Percentage that is still high, I would expect the scale to dip, at least slightly, in my favor while this extra exertion and whole eating is going on.  But I guess I am eating too much?

Too much fruit?  Too many nuts (hah.)?  Not enough water?

On Myfitnesspal I have my caloric intake set to 1500 calories a day, and then I have the freedom to eat whatever I burn as well.

  • Yesterday: 1500 daily calories
  • Calories Burned: 419 Calories
  • Calories Consumed: 1897 Calories
  • Calories Left Over: 22 Calories
  • Calories Netted: 1478 calories

This would make me wonder if I am eating enough?  I’m not trying to be hard on myself, I am just trying to understand.  Today I was still up from last weeks weigh in, and I am just confused.  I know, trust the process.  I am trying to.  But, if you have never been called the fat ass, or had people refer to as a whale, and never dealt with body weight issues, I don’t care how much you sympathize, you don’t understand the mentality of someone who is doing everything right not feeling like they are moving.

If I do workout today, it will be my 7th day in a row, and it will be Workout B from Stage 2 of NROLFW.

Tomorrow is my run day, and Saturday is a rest day due to a daytime excursion to a brewery fest with friends.  And right now, I need that drink.

4 Mile Run & Salad for Dinner

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First after the torrential downpour last night, today was like a complete God send. It was 60′s, breezy and sunny.

We started off the day with breakfast and then back to the garden center (again) for yet more plants.

Once home, I laced up my running shoes and set out for 4 miles. It was nice and sunny out and the miles flew by.

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After some school work, lunch, and errands ( with a main level clean up on the house ) we set out for dinner at Chop’t.

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We love Salad.

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Great day, great evening!

xoxo

Saturday WOD

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Saturday started with leftover egg cups for breakfast, thens trip to Starbucks, followed by a trip to the garden center to buy plants!

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Ahhhhh plants!

Then we came home and while the husband planned the exact location of every plant I bust out 4 miles in 40’46″!

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That is the face of someone who ran outside and is falling back in love with it!

My splits weren’t that great, but who cares! I’m running outside again!

Off to shower and get food in our bellies!

Wednesday WOD

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- run 0.25 miles
- squats : 12 reps @ 40#
- run 0.25 miles
- push ups : 15 reps @ BW
- run 0.2 miles
- rows: 12 reps @ 40#
- run 0.25 miles
- push ups : 15 reps @ BW
- run 0.25 miles
- rows: 12 reps @ 40#
- run 0.25 miles
- Step ups : 12 reps @ 40# (left leg)
- run 0.25 miles
- prone jack knife : 15 reps @ BW
- run 0.25 miles
- step ups : 12 reps @ 40#
- run 0.25 miles
- prone jack knife : 15 reps @ BW
- run 0.25 miles
- squats : 12 reps @ 40#
- run 0.25 miles

- cool down -

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The Morning Workout That Wasn’t

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I was so ambitious last night setting my alarm for 5:00am to get up and get my workout done.  Hahaha.  Then I stayed up and watched Game of Thrones.  Tonight I plan on going to bed earlier, and making that 5:00am wake up for my 3 mile run.  I will get into this habit, I will force myself.  Then just think of all the free time I’ll have in the afternoons!  Ahh the glory.

So this weekend was full of non-paleo items, tons of sugar, too many tears over Bridget, and an immense amount of feeling sorry for myself.  On the ride to work today I realized that while I might have the plan for eating and working out down pat, I need to get my head in the game.  I need to stop being like “Oh Woe Is Me” all the time.  I made these decisions, so I need to live with them or work to change them.  So I woke up (1.5 hours after I meant to) and cooked a breakfast, made coffee and shuttled myself out the door to embrace my Monday.

I had a hair appointment this afternoon, that I cancelled so I could workout when I get home.  It feels better this way, plus my hair can take a few more weeks without a cut.  I’m almost done with this semester and then I have some time between then and summer classes, so I’ll plan on celebrating with a hair cut (and most likely dye at that point too) then.  I am refocusing my priorities, and it needs to be:

  • School
  • Health
  • Family
  • Work

I am very good about currently putting work last, I show up, I get my job done, but other than that I am not allowing myself to think about it at all.  This will obviously change when I am teaching but for now, I can’t let something that brings me little to no joy take up so much of  my time.

The Husband and I attempted to go see the Cherry Blossoms in DC (along with the rest of the world) and made it just across the bridge before turning around.  Our time was too precious for that.  We came back out our way, did our grocery shopping, and then came home.  It was National Beer Day or something I like to call Sunday, so I partook in a New Planet Gluten Free Pale Ale.  It was very good, and I will be buying more.

We ate a late dinner on account of our late lunch at Chop’t and then settled in to watch Game of Thrones (but not before seeing my Caps beat Tampa Bay again!).  10pm came and I hustled upstairs, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and fell asleep with the best intentions of waking up, but that didn’t happen :-)

The nice thing about my new way of thinking is that I can always fix my mistakes.  If I see a gain on the scale, I know I screwed up, because I know what last weekend brought.  I will fight like hell for the rest of the week to detox that crap back out of my system, and next weekend will be different.

ootd

ootd

Sugar as a Trigger

Slide show from WebMd about Sugar Addiction

I realized this past weekend, that wheat products are not where my binges come from, like I originally thought.  It is from sugar.  One taste and I am instantly woofing down anything sweet.  This is why even “diet” things like sugar free ice cream, diet soda, etc, didn’t help because my body expected sugar, and then didn’t get it.  I don’t notice the same effects when I eat fruit, so natural sugars found in plants – in their pure form – obviously don’t set off my sugar cravings.  I am satisfied after a delicious orange and don’t require seconds (though another orange wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world).

This one bad choice I made spiraled into a bad choice weekend, which now I am coming out of.  Besides feeling gross and bloated, my head hurts, I have a fresh patch of acne forming, and my throat feels hoarse.

This is my lesson to learn from!

Drinking Your Coffee Black Is. Not. Hard.

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Whole30 Plan

While I am currently not following this to a T, because let’s face it, I built in a cheat day, and so far my cheat item that I am thinking of is Peanut Butter (It could be worse), I think it’s a great guide if you want to start a 30 day process of cleaning up your diet.  I am planning on doing this later on, after I hit my 2 months of Paleo-ish eating and living.

Workout: Rest (Most likely)

I don’t do crossfit… yet.  I can’t afford the box.  I could most likely afford a normal gym membership, but the two crossfit boxes near me cost about $170 a month.  Uh No.  I won’t pay that.

I finished up B5 in NROLFW last night, and man those shoulder presses suck.  THEY SUCK.  I have to squat a bit to get the umph to push the dumb bells up over my head, but hey, whatever works right?  I am thinking today will be rest only because I have exercised Sunday – Wednesday, and would like a break, me thinks.  Who knows I might go for a run or do something none lifting.  WHO KNOWS.

Menu:

  • Breakfast: Smoothie (Almond milk, banana, strawberries, protein), 2 eggs, 2 sausage links, coffee
  • Lunch: Turkey Paleo Meatloaf, Baby Carrots, Water
  • Snack: Apple
  • Dinner: Grass fed steak with Roasted Bacon Brussel Sprouts
  • Snack: Orange

Tomorrow is Friday!  I don’t have class tonight!  I am excited about these two things!  I will be working on school work and Praxis II studying this weekend, along with Gardening and an outdoor run on Sunday morning.

Ohh the enjoyment.