MIA

Guys! So sorry I've been MIA for a week. I got emails this morning from two different friends asking where had I been? Was I okay? The blog is empty and lonely! It made me feel good that people actually read. :)

So the reason for my unexcused absense was because last week was a crazy one for me. On Wednesday and Thursday I spent the days loading in a the Southern Womens Show in Memphis. The casino I work for was the presenting sponsor so we had a huge booth (huge, as in, 1600 square feet. Yeah.). The show took place Friday through Sunday during which I worked 12-14 hour days each day. So needless to say by the time Monday rolled around I was in no mood to do anything that required brain activity or dealing with the general public. I took Monday and Tuesday off, back to work on Wednesday, and am just now getting my inbox to a manageable state. Whiddled down my unread emails from 300 to 70! Woot!

So that is the reason for my neglectful blogging. So sorry. But I'm back now.

This Saturday Bex and I are doing our first practice triathlon. We have lovingly dubbed this event 'Mock One.' 'Mock' because clearly this is not a real race, just practice for me and Bex. And 'One' because this is one of three mock-triathlons we will do before the Big Day on May 23. Hopefully I will be able to talk Tom into waiting in the driveway for us to cheer us in at the 'Finish' line.

First we will go to the gym on Saturday and will swim 1/4 mile. Weather permitting, we will then bike 12 miles and run 3.1 miles (a 5K). This is the standard distance of a sprint-distance tri, and we feel like if we can finish this we will be feelin' pretty good.

Time-wise, I am hoping to finish in about an hour and a half, give or take a few minutes for the transisitions. Here's how it will go (again, hopefully)

• Swim: 10-11 minutes
• Bike: 45-50 minutes
• Run: 30-32 minutes

So wish us luck because it'll be interesting. Our rain plan is to just do the bike at the gym and the run on the treadmill. If we have to do this we will be very disappointed, and it will make our time look better (biking on a stationary bike is faster than biking on the road)....but we've got to get it done even if it rains, so it is what it is.

Check back on Sunday or Monday to see if we survive....I mean, how we did. :)

*****

I have a new product I have been trying lately.

Disclaimer: The maker of this product is not paying me for this endorsment. I wish they were but they are not. If you know anyone that works for them please let them know I love them and would like for them to pay me for this lovely advertisment that a total of about 40 people will see. :) Thanks.

I have been feeling like with the two-sport workouts I've been doing, I'm not getting enough protien. I had looked in to supplements (thanks Amy for all your suggestions), protein powders, all that good stuff.

My concern with the supplements was that some of the reviews said they had weird after taste, and a few other minor but annoying side effects. For the protein powders, I was a little worried they'd have TOO much protein, and I'd wind up looking too bulky and wasting points.

So after the Move It Memphis 10K there was a vendor at the finish line giving out samples of their product, Muscle Milk. Have any of you tried Muscle Milk before? I think it sounds gross but I really like it. They make a product called Muscle Milk Light that has only 100 calories, but 15 grams of protien. Lean protien is a necessary component to losing weight and getting those long, lean muscles we all love (case in point: Purple Bathing Suit Girl). I have been drinking one 9-oz Muscle Milk Light within an hour of a good hard workout. If I take it before, I'll have it an HOUR before my workout. If I take it after, I'll have it about a HALF HOUR after my workout. If you are planning to try a protein shake/drink before your workout, use your best judgement as to when to take it. Some people's stomachs are more sensitive to others when it comes to eating pre-workout.

The protein is helpful to repair your muscles and this particular product is low in fat, calories, and sugar because (to quote the Muscle Milk brochure) "someone who is training for football season needs to eat differently than someone training for bikini season." And clearly we are the bikini season crowd around here.

Here are some details about it, in case you want to try it for yourself:

• Taste: Drink it COLD. It tastes like chalky chocolate milk. For a protein drink, it tastes pretty good. Also comes in Strawberry and Vanilla.
• Cost: I bought a four-pack of 9-oz bottles at Wal-Mart for $7.75. Not too bad considering what you're getting.
• Nutition info: 100 calories, 0 sugar, 15 grams of protien, 2.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs.
• Weight Watchers: a 9-oz bottle is 2 points! That's really low!

Weight Watchers Update: So I was nervous about this week's weigh-in for a few reasons. Because of the show, I had little time to work out but DID have to lug around my equipment all weekend so certainly burned a few calories there.

Also, we handed out candy at our booth, so Jolly Ranchers, Dum-Dums, and Sour Patch Kids were staring up at me all weekend and I caved *quite* a few times.

AND...now for the whammy...our booth was across from the German Roasted Nuts booth a.k.a. THE DEVIL. Have you every had German Roasted Nuts at a carnival or trade show? They are ridiculous. Think pecans + butter + sugary-goodness mixture + roasted, and put in a little plastic baggie of heaven. All this equals THE DEVIL.First of all, they're a lot like movie popcorn. You can smell them a mile away, and if they could bottle the smell of German Roasted Nuts and put it in a pretty glass bottle I would wear it as perfume. So delish.

Second of all, did I mention they are THE DEVIL!?!?

I swear I looked over at one point and there was a little red deamon on my shoulder saying, "Don't those nuts smell gooooood? Who cares about your waistline? Who cares about those size six jeans? Just do it. Do-it. Do-it. Do-it."

And so I did.

I caved and ate, like, a million German Roasted Nuts over the weekend. Okay maybe not a million but probably 50. And that is 49 too many. I don't even want to think about how many WW points are in one German Roasted Pecan. Ick.

But I digress.....

I guess it might have been all the loading and unloading and running all over the AgriCenter all weekend, but I lost 2 pounds this week at weigh-in! I was pumped because I was praying for a loss, any loss. I would have been happy with 1/2 pound!

So current weight is 156. Total weight loss to date (since December 23) is 15.5 pounds!

AND Helen (my mom, sometimes I call her Helen) sent me another care package of size 6 pants, all of which fit me, and one of which I am wearing as I type.

Gotta love that Weight Watchers!