Quote for your Wednesday

Hola Blogaritas.

Happy Hump Day to ya!

Once again, I have very little to bring to the table today. I had to postpone my Wednesday morning plan of Jillian and a medium run. I woke up with SUPER sore legs/butt/hips this morning!

A good sign that those walking lunges I did yesterday as a part of the Fitnessista Summer Shape Up are working! Seriously, walking like a 90-year-old today!

So last night I went to bed with a headache after *CRYING MY EYES OUT* all night.

Guess why. Two reasons.

#1) One of my new favorite shows Last Chance Highway on the Animal Planet! Last night I watched the episode from Saturday night that I had DVR'd.

This week Shelly rescued a sweet mama dog and her four puppies. One of the puppies was blind ....yes, a blind puppy...how much more sympathy can we ask for? A helpless, blind, PUPPY for God's sake!

And that blind puppy got adopted so fast! It was so sweet and I just cried remembering the day I dropped Dolly off to go to her new home!

#2) I bet you can guess....Losing it with Jillian. Last night Jillian had a family with a sweet, awkward, overweight 14-year-old boy who was just the sweetest thing. He lost 50 pounds and mended his relationship with Dad. Typical Jillian. I bawled.

Jillian said this during episode and I LOVED IT:

"When you take pride in your accomplishments

it doesn't mean you think you're better than anyone else.

It just means you value yourself and

you are sending that message to the world."

ABsolutely!

Hey Bloggettes. Thanks for a your sweet comments about the Heffer in the Caymans. Ha!

I am in such a *funk* lately with nothing...and I mean NOTHING...to blog about.

My workouts are boring, my life outside my workouts are boring. Nothing to blog about.

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I was really freakin' frustrated about my weight loss/workouts/Weight Watchers/myself in general. But I am feeling better...I guess.

I have been having a bad mental tug-of-war: To train for something or not to train for something. I have decided to definitely do the St. Jude Half Marathon but that's not until December so I don't have to really train hard core until like September.

Pros to Training for Something:

• A training plan will force me to come up with a schedule.
• I love schedules and plans
• By having a schedule I might be more likely to eat better and drink less beer. Summa time and the partyin's easy! ha....
• With said schedule and better eating the weight loss will come.
• I will feel super-d-duper accomplished if I do another big awesome race.

Cons to Training for Something:

• Running alone is not doin' it for me anymore. I would need to train for another tri.
• If I do another tri this includes swimming.
• I DRED swimming. I feel like it stifles my SOUL to swim because I hate it so much.

So obviously the 'pro' list is longer than the 'con.' So I guess there's my answer.

Like Bex always says, I know I won't regret it, so what do I have to lose?

In other news....

I have done a couple day's worth of the Fitnessista Summer Shape Up. Her workouts are awesome! They are quick and you sweat alot. And yall know I love a good sweat.

With her program, there are no long distance runs (she hates running) or bikes or anything like that. Mostly weight training and yoga and interval training. So I have been sort of taking her workouts and working them into my own running schedule.

This week I'll do:

• Sunday: Spent the day on the lake doing 12-oz bicep curls....lol.
• Monday: Cleaned up around the house after work...that's gotta count for something, right?
• Tuesday: Week one, day two of Fitnessista Summer Shape Up 2010 then Laura's Ab Routine (see below)
• Wednesday: Jillian 30 Day Shred Level 1, and a medium run
• Thursday: Week one, day four of Fitnessista Summer Shape Up 2010
• Friday: Laura's Ab Routine, long run
• Saturday: not sure yet....possible Jillian and a bike ride OR a sprint workout?

Maybe if I start posting a weekly plan I'll do better at following through.

Okay so I have hodge-podged together a bunch of my favorite ab exercises and have been doing them durning workouts. Try some of the below exercises and see how they work for you!

Obligatory Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or a physical therapist or a personal trainer or a super model so I *technically* don't really know what I'm talking about. This is what works for me, and it might not work for you. I'm not responsible for ya if you hurt yosef. :)

Okay so the Name of the Ab Game is FORM. FORM AND CONTROL. If you are doing these in bad form and rushing through your ab workout, you might as well just get back on the couch with a bag of potato chips. I have put a few 'form tips' on here, but do your research and make sure you're doing them right.

1.) Ball Crunch: 1 set of 25 I do this while holding a 12-pound weight in front of my chest. Simply lean back in a regular crunch and come up again. Keep your back flush against the ball. The difference between this exercise and regular crunch is that it takes you past the 90 degree position, thus giving you a wider range of motion.

2.) Reverse Crunch 1 set of 25 I do this one with a small medicine ball in between my knees. Pull your hips up slightly, bringing your knees towards your chest. Keep core engaged and your back against the mat.

3.) Bicycle Crunch: 1 set of 25 Most of us are familiar with this one. Stay controlled and slow, focusing on form. Bring your right elbow to your left knee, then switch to your left elbow and right knee.

4.) Medicine Ball Twist: 1 set of 25 Start in an inclined sitting position with the medicine ball in front of you. Twist your upper body to the right, touching the ball to the floor beside you. Repeat on your left side. Be sure to keep your legs out in front of you, and your upper body controlled and steady.

See how much Pink Tank Top Girl loves her Medicine Ball Twist? They're fun for everyone!

Play around and see how many reps are good for you. Since I do this in combination with other workouts (running in itself is a good core workout) the 1 set of 25 per exercise is good for me. You might want to increase your reps, or do 1 set of 25 each, then do the circuit again for a hard-core ab workout!

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

WOOF.

Okay so I just wanted to follow up to yesterday's comment I made about an old picture I had found of myself.

Disclaimer: I realize it's not 100% appropriate to post bathing suit pictures of yourself on your blog but I'm gonna do it anyway. It's my blog, it's my picture, and I can do whatever I wanna do. If you are opposed to bathing suit pictures on blogs just stop reading now.

So in August of 2007, my dad, Louise, and I went to Grand Caymen for vacation. I just discovered the picture below from that trip:

WOOF.

And this picture was takin in March of 2010: Not like a crazy-Biggest-Loser-before-and-after-pic, but my mouth just dropped open when I saw that fatty picture.

I think I *must* be around 185 in this picture. One of the heaviest weights I've ever been. I had run my first half-marathon in April of that year, and after that just got lazy and burned out and packed on the pounds!

Plus, I had just met Tom (awwwww....he loved me when I was fat) and we were all crazy and in love and silly and I just thought I could get chubby and he would love me no matter what. Which was true...but I found out that I didn't love me no matter what!

So here we are three years and thirty pounds later....much better. :)

In other completely unrelated news....

'Member how I told you that Reba loves ice so we have been filling up her outside water bowl with it?

Well look what Little Girl has figured out:

WOOF.

Ahahahahahah! Thankfully she has not actually figured out how to push the ice button on the fridge, but if there is even a SLIVER of ice left in that tray she will get it.

Don't worry, it gets cleaned daily....often multiple times daily.

My daughter is so smart, I just had to share. :)

Happy Thursday everyone, the weekend's almost here!

Long Lost Laura

With the craziness of summer schedules I don't get the post as often as I'd like! So sorry, yall....I know your day just isn't the same without a post from RITD. :)



The reason for my absence is because I was in my hometown of the *wonderful* Knoxville, Tennessee over the weekend!



I took Friday and Monday off and spend a much-needed looooooong weekend with family and friends.



On Thursday night I stopped in Nashville and had dinner with all the ladies at Peter's Sushi....one of our all-time favorites! It was so awesome to see everyone, especially Caitlin since she is newly engaged!

Sorry for the poor quality in the pic below...I had to steal it from Lacey's blog because I accidentally erased the pic I had of me and Caitlin together! It looks waaaaaay better on her blog. :(

I gotta give a shout-out to my girl Erica (here in the orange top) who has also been doing Weight Watchers for a few month and she looks amazing! I was seriously shocked when I saw her. She has always been a beautiful person on the inside and out, and I am so happy for her and all her hard work!



Yall can see more pics of our girls night on Lacey's blog: lovelace365.blogspot.com



Then on Friday it was on to K-town! I got to have dinner with ANOTHER group of lovely ladies and it was sooooooo good to catch up with all them!



The last time I had seen them was about 30 pounds ago, and they were all so sweet and encouraging. They said I looked like I did in high school only with better eye brows and a grown-up hair cut! Ha!

Leighann and Julia! Little Leighs is PREGNANT....we think it's a girl but they don't know for sure yet.

Carsi and the-newly-married Paige

Me and Caty. Seriously, how cute are these girls?!?!?! Love them.

And here I am with my mom's dog, Pepper. She took this of me on Friday night after I'd had about a thousand glasses of wine.

Saturday we had planned on a pool party, but it was rainy so we all just lounged around the house and hung out. My mom and I had a great stay-at-home dinner on Saturday night and went out to Marble Slab for REAL ice cream! I have been eating Skinny Cow, and yall know I love my Skinny Cow, but I was craving some real calorie-laden ice cream.

Soooooooo worth all those calories. :)

On Sunday I went to church with Dad and Louise and then had lunch with them at their new house. Here are Winston and I out by their pool. Happy Fathers Day!

Sunday afternoon since Dad was playing golf, I decided to go on the lake with Carson and her husband Lee, and a handful of friends. It was sooooooo sunny and just a perfect lake day.

Caty and Carson

Me and Caty makin' that boat look good!

Me, Lee, and Caty. Lee is in heaven ha ha!

Lee and Caty's boyfriend Dan...solving the problems of the world.

Caty and Me again

On Sunday night my mom and I went to visit my Auntie Lynda at her new house! We had a great time celebrating her new home!

Me loving on Lynda's poodle Simba!
Champagne toast! Those two will use any excuse to drink champagne!
Me and my Auntie! She is on her tippie-toes and I am squatting down. I am seriously about 8 inches taller than her!

I just realized I do not have a good pic of my sweet mommy from the weekend! :( Sad. Sorry, Mom! You need to come to Tunica for a visit so I can get a good picture of your purdy face. :)

*Unfortunately* because I was a crazy eater/drinker/socializer I did not force myself to work out while in Knoxville. I took three (of my cutest) workout outfits and they did not even come out of my suit case.

I was having a little 'whoa-is-me' party yesterday morning in reflection of my debaucherous weekend when something on the Today Show caught my attention.

Dr. Nancy Sniderman (NBC Cheif Medical Correspondant) and Joy....um I can't remember her last name but she is a tiny healthy mini-person....were talking about fad diets and about how they're terrible and they make you lose weight only to put it right back on.

Dr. Nancy reitterated that you have to make a LIFESTYLE CHANGE and to form good habits. She said you cannot be expected to have NO comfort foods or NO alcohol or NO sweets....but when you do, just get back on track the next day.

I liked that because when you have a crazy weekend, or a vacation, or a celebration, you can just brush yourself off, say, "Okay, that was fun." and get back into your good routine of eating and exercise. No need to get down on yourself. Just get back at it the next day!

I was just telling Bex this morning (we did a sweaty, sweaty, sixer at the break of dawn!) that I have been really psyching myself out about my workouts and stuff lately. Like, the thought of running six miles does not seem like a ligit workout to me anymore.

But *hello* six miles in 85 degree Mississippi heat is an AWESOME workout! I need to give myself more credit and just bask in the light of 'look how far I've come.'

Every now and then I will have a mental battle but that is to be expected, I guess.

Speaking of 'how far I've come,' I ran across a picture of myself in the Caymans from a trip Winston and I took about two years ago. And let me tell you something.....well, I will wait for you to make your own judgments. I might just get ballsy and post it tomorrow. Just brace yourselves.

Weight Watchers Update:

I stayed the same this week at weigh-in. 154.5. But I am not too down in the dumps because at this point honestly WW is just a technicality for me. I am going to be happy with the way I feel, and happy with my size as long as I stay in the 150-155 range. And that's that.

Well, I'm off to meet Tom at the house for lunch and let Reba in for the afternoon. The heat index in our area is 106 today. YES ONE HUNDRED AND SIX DEGREES!!!!

In the mornings I have been filling Reba's water bowl (which is actually an old HORSE feeding bucket) with ice cubes instead of water. It melts fast so it is just icey cold water for a few minutes and she LOVES it and gulps it down! She thinks ice is a treat. This way I at least know she starts the day off hydrated.

Please remember to keep a close eye on your four-legged children in the crazy crazy heat!

Feelin' Frustrated...

Frustrated does not begin to describe how I feel right now.

I just got back from Weight Watchers Weigh-in and gained a pound last week. Follow me, here, if you will:

• Since I am on maintenance, I must stay within 2 pounds of my goal weight. Goal weight is 150, so I need to be 152 or lower in order to NOT HAVE TO PAY.
• Today I was at 154.5. SO not even close. Therefore, I am having to pay the $55 for the very first time and I am pissed!
• Having to pay would have been an easier pill to swallow if I had at least been close, or if I had lost and just not made my goal. But GAIN A POUND and HAVE TO PAY. Insult to injury.
• Last week, I knew we were down to the wire so I followed the eating program to the 'T,' worked out 5 days for 90 MINUTE WORKOUTS EACH, and didn't even use up all my 'Flex Points' like I usually do.
• And still, I am almost 5 pounds away from my goal weight.

I am just so frustrated because I feel like I worked so hard and sweated so much and now....nothing to show for it. How do I expect to ever be able to maintain 150 pounds if I can't even get there with $55 as motivation?

Soooooooo frustrating!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!! I am at my desk grinding my teeth right now because I am so annoyed with this body.

And the thing is....I look fine right now. At 155. I feel fine. I am size 6 for goodness sake! But it's the simple fact that I have a goal---an attainable goal--- and I can't meet it. For me, it is more about simply acheiving a goal than anything else. Sigh.

I am thinking I need to switch it up. I have been doing the same workouts, the same run, the same sprint and swim routine for too long. I need a change to shock my body into losing those last 5 pounds!

Let the workout reasearch begin...any suggestions? I need a website, a book, a blog, a magazine, a DVD, ANYTHING that would be a good resource for a new workout routine.

Help, girls, Help!

We need to go from Laura's Summer Firm Up to Laura's Summer Switch Up. :)

Okay, enough with the pity party....

In completely unrelated news....

Remember when I told yall about the Dredded Dolly Drop Off and the camera crew that was there filming for the Animal Planet?

Well, the show that they were filming is called "Last Chance Highway," and follows the journies of dogs just like Dolly, being rescued in the South and getting sent to deserving families in the North.

Well, the people on the show, Shelly Bookwalter and Kyle Peterson were on the Today Show this morning talking about it! They said they have saved over 30,000 stray animals since the Last Chance Highway program started, and they are still going strong. I recognized Kyle as the man who took Dolly from me and put her gently into her travel crate for the trip. He was so nice and sweet to her. And me. Cause I was crying.

The show premiers this Saturday at 8pm Eastern on the Animal Planet. Since I know all yall are probably too cool to stay home on a Saturday night and watch Animal Planet, I will (probably not watch it either, but DVR it) give you a full recap next week!

Yaaaaaaaay for the Dolly-Savers!!! :)

Rock Star

Hey Friends...hot enough fer ya?

I mean, I feel like I say this all the time....and it's weird because I have lived in the South for all my 28 years so you'd think I'd be used to it by now but OH MY STARS IT IS SO BLAZIN' HOT OUTSIDE!

Maybe I'm getting old, or maybe I'm spending more time outside, or maybe Al Gore is on to something with the whole Global Warming bit, but it seems to me that it gets hotter and hotter each year.

Today the heat index in the Memphis-area is 105 degrees! Whaaaaaaat? I have been leaving my sweet angel daughter inside on days like today and for that I know she is greatful. We always keep three different buckets of fresh water in her yard for her, but I still worry. Yall please keep an eye on your pets during these hot, hot, hot days. Make sure you change their water every single day and watch for warning signs of dehydration and heat exhaustion (stumbling, dizzy behavior, dry gums and nose, sunken eyes, etc.).

This message brought to you by your friendly Mississippi Humanitarian Runner. :)

Last night (in order to stay on pace with the Summer Firm-Up) I did Jillian and then went on a 15-mile bike ride. I chose 15 miles because that usually takes me about an hour. I am to the point now where if I want to see a change in my body I have to put in a 90 minute workout about 5 days a week.

Sheesh, that sounds like a lot.

Those first 20 pounds were actually *easier* to get off than these last 5 or so. Just goes to show that I really needed to lose them!

So the bike ride was awesome and wonderful. By the time I got started it was already 6:30 so the sun was fairly low in the sky, making the temps a little more bearable. My ride goes way out on some country roads (don't worry, I'm always less than 1 mile from someone's house I know), so the route is surrounded by cotton, wheat, rice, and soy bean fields.

This time of year the fields are so leafy and green and lush and they smell like pure nature. Reminds me of camp. So I just enjoyed the ride and took in all the beauty of the Delta. By the time I got back to town I was nice and sweaty and hardly even noticed what a good workout I had gotten....I was just so entralled by the scenery.

*Anyway* I wanted to ask yall if you have tried or seen this product I tried this morning. We got a 16-oz can of it in our swag bag from the Gibson Guitar 5K (along with a full-sized bottle of Lubriderm body lotion, a lavender scented candle, band-aids, floss, and a coupon for a free chicken biscuit from Chick-Fil-A which I promtly threw away so as not to be tempted. This swag bag was random as can be, but whatev....).

I have always been scared of energy drinks because most are just full of sugar. And we all know that sugar=calories=fatty fatster.

But this one only has 2 grams of sugar in the 16 oz bottle so I figure it can't be too terrible. And only 20 calories in the whole 16 ounces.

It also has 100% of your daily value of Vitamins B3, B5, B6. And 250% of your daily value of Vitamin B12. I'm sure there's artificial sweeteners in it, but that doesn't really bother me since I basically bathe in Diet Coke.

So this morning after a humid five-miler with Bex, I wanted to do Jillian and needed a little more of a boost. I had this little guy in my frige from Saturday and decided to give it a try.

It tastes like lemonade, not carbonated, but comes in a can. I felt like 110% during my Jillian workout, and had some energy to spare. So I guess it worked. I liked it, but probably won't make it part of my daily....um....energy-increasing routine.

I think Emergen-C works equally as well and for some reason I feel better about drinking it instead because it's more natural, and you mix it with good 'ole H2O.

What do you think? Have you ever tried these energy drinks? Are they totally bad for you or what?

Great Weekend

Omigah yall this is my 100th post! How exciting. If I had thought of it I would have had a giveaway or something. Maybe for the 150th.....

So we had a great weekend of NO WORK for once! Tom and I both had the weekend off and it was lovely and perfect.

On Saturday Bex, Mr. Bex, and I ran the Gibson Guitar 5K. I usually try for a PR in every race I do, but this one I was not holding my breath for it.

The heat index was over 100 degrees on Saturday, and I have never been a fan of night races (this one was at 7pm) because I just hate running at the end of the day. But for this race I felt pretty good.

It was a neat course, starting and ending on Beale Street. Going down by the river in the middle. I actually enjoyed it and didn't feel like I was going to die of a heat stroke. I think I finished around 30 minutes which is not too terrible.

Bex and Mr. Bex finished in 36 minutes for his first race EVER! This was a hard race to start on, but he did awesome and had a good time.

Also, our friend Nikki was there with her husband and daughter. Nikki works at our rec center here in Tunica and is an uber-athlete. I think she came in 4th overall or something. She finished in 23 mintues! She is a machine.

Afterwards we all went to Pearl's Oyster House for dinner and it was awesome and delicious. It was a fun night!

Yesterday I slept in until 10 and then was a lazy bum all day. It was a welcomed day of nothingness. :)

And today I'm back to Summer Firm-Up....I hit the snooze button a few too many times this morning but will go 'meet up' with my girl Jillian and then go for my bike ride this afternoon in the 5 o'clock heat! O-well, I will get a good sweat out I'm sure!

Have a great week everyone!

Friday Randomness

It's Friday, It's Friday, It's Friday, YAAAAAAY!

I love a Friday. Especially when I have an actual WEEKEND to enjoy!

This week has been a fun/short week for me since I had Monday and Tuesday off.

On Wednesday morning I got up extra early and did Jillian. Love it. Then I met Bex at the gym around 6:20 for a sprint workout. Still going strong all the way up to 9.0 miles per hour. I love it. If you have not tried a sprint workout yet, you totally should. You will sweat more than you knew you could every sweat.

On Wednesday I weighed myself before the workout, then got back on the scale directly after. I was down 1.5 pounds after that treadmill sprint workout! Amazing.

Thursday evening I did a swim workout. It was my first time back in the water since the triathlon. I hated it as much as I remembered. Just kidding...sort-of. I just don't *love* a swim workout because I have to do them after work because the aqatic center does not open early enough for me to go in the mornings. So I dred it all day.

For my swims, I have been doing a regular free-style swim for about 25 minutes. Then swimming with the paddles and pull buoy for 20 minutes (working out the arms), and ending with 15 minutes on the kick board (focusing on the lower body). I have enjoyed this hour swim workout, and it is what works for me.

Then I went home and did Jillian followed by a giant plate of venison spaghetti and garlic bread. Yes, I said venison. As in deer meat. We eat a lot of it at my house because if Tom kills one deer a year we have enough deer meat to feed and army! Ground venison tastes, looks, and cooks much like ground beef but it is MUCH leaner.

Which brings us to this morning.

I'm not all for working too hard on a Friday, but Bex wanted to do a long run so being the good partner that I am, I obliged.

So when she showed up at my house around 6:10, the thermomoter on her car read 79 degrees. Bananas! It was sooooooo hot starting out, and it only got hotter. By the end of our 7-mile jaunt we were both absolutely dripping. That much sweat usually makes me feel good, but this run was nothin' but hard.

I had to walk only a little bit at mile 5. Like .15 of a mile but still....I was a little disappointed that I had to walk at all. I was able to catch up to Bex and finish with her, so my overall pace was the same as if I'd ran the whole thing. Which is fine I guess.

So I skipped Jillian today, but will do it tomorrow, along with......

This run/walk takes place in down town Memphis on Saturday night, and Bex has convinced her husband to do it with us. Mr. Bex is a crazy hippie, so he only has....like these...rubber-comfortable-rafting-shoe-thingys....he doesn't have tennis shoes. But he is going to do it with us!

Watch him finish like 10 minutes before me. After the poor showing at my long run this morning, I'm thinking it's a definite possibility.

Tom is coming, too, and after the 5K we are all going to eat somewhere wonderful.

Looking forward to it....if you're in the Memphis area you should come out and join us!

Okay so I have to tell yall something really random....

On Tuesday I was out running errands and ran into Chilis to grab a quick lunch. There was a picture of THIS on the menu:
It looked so good and I thought, 'Why can't I just have guacamole for lunch?'

So I did.

And oh. my. goodness.

This stuff is heaven in a ramican.

They make it fresh right when you order it and it's full of (of course) fresh avocados, grilled corn, tomatoes, garlic, and topped with a little bit of parm cheese. RIDIC.

You get your guac, some salsa, and unlimited chips for $4.99. I was FULL after I destroyed this dish and I really didn't feel guilty at all. Avacodas are a good fat, after all (yeah....keep tellin' yourself that, sister!). If there had not been other people around, I would have licked the bowl and not thought twice about it.

So treat yourself to some guac and an El Presidente this weekend at Chili's!

Okay so down to the important stuff. Do you remember my friend Caitlin who started this blog with me? Her then-boyfriend is a techie and he figured out how to start the blog for us and all that good stuff. I say 'then-boyfriend' because he is her 'now-fiance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Yaaaaaaaaaay Caitlin and Ben!

They met about a year ago at a friend's engagement party and the rest is history! I have known Caitlin since we were in PRESCHOOL....we went to middle school, high school, college, even pledged the same sorority....all together. She is the greatest.

With being friends for so long, we have been through a lot and have BOTH seen a lot of boys come and go. It really warms my heart to know that Caitlin has ended up with someone who brings out the best in her, encourages her, falls all over her, supports her, and appreciates all her AWESOMENESS. It is important for these men folk to appreciate our awesomeness, you know.

And of course I've got to say he's not too shabby himself...got a job, got a house, got a dog, got his act together, got a good family, good lookin'....a perfect match for my girl.

They are, like, googly-eyed-high-schoolers in love with each other.

I wish I had some of their engagement and ring pics on this computer but I don't. Never fear, I am visiting Nashville next weekend and will get to see Caitlin in all her engagement glowy-ness! In the mean time, here are a couple of us girls:

At dinner in Nashville

At Amy's wedding in December (it was at Amy's engagement party where they met!)

Our friend Lacey blogged about the engagement and did have some good pictures.

Visit her blog here: lovelace365.blogspot.com

Congratulations Caitlin and Ben! I can't wait to hear all about the wedding plans!

Summer Firm-Up

Heeeeeeey Friends!

Miss me?

I missed you.

I was *way* out of comission for the last week. I have had an insane work schedule....like, I'm talkin bout leaving my house at 6am and not walking in the door again until 9pm. Crazy Train. Needless to say, I was thrilled to have yesterday and Monday off for a much-needed rest.

And now we're back to the same ole same ole day-to-day stuff.

It has been brought to my attention that I have not updated much on the Weight Watchers front. Reason being that now I'm technically on maintenance and let's face it, it's just not exciting. Not exciting, that it, until your girl GAINS 3.5 pounds in seven quick days.

Yes.

You heard me. 3.5 pounds.

After the triathlon, I 'took some time off' but it wasn't like I was sitting around eating cup cakes and chili cheese fries every day. Okay maybe one day but not EVERY day. Not enough to warrent almost a 4-pound weight gain.

But after sweatin' it out all weekend at work, I weighed in this morning and lost that 3.5 pounds thank goodness! So it's all good. I just have to keep at it.

Which leads me to something (semi-) fun I've decided to do. I read The Fitnessista blog (for some reason I am having issues with my external links so here it is: fitnessista.com) and the author, Gina, is too cute.

She is a fitness trainer extrodonaire, and a raw food chef. I am neither, but I like her blog a lot. She is doing what she calls the "Summer Shape-Up," and it looks totally awesome.

She does a lot of yoga and stuff like that, which I don't really enjoy so I've decided to start my own.

Enter: Laura's Summer Firm-Up (you know, so as not to steal her name or anything)!

The Fitnessista does different stuff each week to reach maximum athleticness, but I am no expert so mine is much simpler. Just something I'm trying in order to....you guessed it...firm up for summer!

So here we go...

Specifics:
Bike: 15-20 miles
Medium Run: 5-6 miles
Swim: swim one hour
Long Run: over 6 miles :)
Everyday: JILLIAN's 30-Day Shred with 5-lb weights

Day-by-Day Plan
Day 1: REST
Day 2: Bike
Day 3: Medium Run
Day 4: Sprint Workout on Treadmill
Day 5: Swim
Day 6: REST
Day 7: Long Run

(sidenote: Day 1 for me is Sunday because I like to take a day of rest on Sunday)

So whatcha think about that Jillian every. single. day? Boo-Ya!

Pretty hard-core, huh? I thought so.

I've mentioned before that I really want to firm up and get nice and toned since I've lost a good amount of fat. Shredding it with Jillian should be a good way to get that taken care of. Hopefully. I'll let you know. :)

We are on....wait for it....DAY TWO of Jillian so of course I'm feeling like a bad ass. We'll see how long that lasts.

What are YOU doing this summer to get ready for that new bikini?

Bloggy Break

Hey yall...how was your Memorial Day weekend?

Mine actually wasn't as bad as I thought it would be because I got to spend the day on the lake with friends on Sunday, and got off work early yesterday. So I'm sporting a *TAN* finally and it looks lovely if I do say so myself.

So I am going to be crazy busy at work this week, at events in Memphis. That being said, y'all won't hear from me for like another week....I know, I know....please don't cry. I will be back.

After this weekend I am HOME FREE from working weekends for a while thank goodness. I am *over* working when everyone else is off. No fun at all.

Peace out sistas....