It's not easy...

I realize it's been a long, long time since I've blogged. This is because I have faced some of the most challenging and emotionally draining weeks of my life.
We received a call from Hospice on Valentine's day that Sweet Baby Ray (My grandpa) was having a hard time breathing. It was a matter of time. We rushed to Kalamazoo and were there as a family as he had his last days. Losing the last of my grandparents was really hard and I'm not completely back to normal. After that week I had a rough work week last week and I've been sick since Friday. Today I'm mainly battling with a headache because the meds are tackling my chest congestion and my nose. Ugh!

In the midst of all this I have done some great runs. I ran 6 miles last week Thursday and I did it in 76 minutes. I haven't been able to work out since, and today is no exception. I'm giving myself time to fully recover before I go back to the gym.

My eating is going well. I have kept mostly to my food plan and that's been good. I weighed in yesterday 4.6 lbs lighter than I weighed on February 1st. I weigh 211.4 right now and it feels great that I didn't gain, even though I'm still in my plateau range.

I just want to kick this emotional draining time of my life and get back to doing what I need to do to kick this plateau and lose the last 40 lbs to my goal! Ugh!

I know I can do it, I'm ready to do it...

Penguins are cute

Yesterday I had a pain in my calf. I thought I could run through the pain but I couldn't. So I walked at a 4.1 for an hour and went *Shock!* 4.1 miles and burned over 700 calories! I'm pretty proud of myself for still making it to the gym and equally proud that I didn't push myself too far. Hopefully I'll be able to run again soon. Today I am going to try to get a circuit or three in and walk about 20-40 minutes.

My food plan for today:
Breakfast: Cereal, raspberries, Orange Juice, coffee
Snack: Special K crisps *Yum!*
Lunch: Smart Ones Mac and Cheese, 100 cal cupcakes, yogurt, banana
Snack: Yogurt
Dinner: Fish, salad, goldfish grahams

We didn't have a snow day today, and really the snow isn't all that bad. We are still getting some snow but it really isn't so bad. All that worry for nothing. Plus in my heart I really didn't think that we'd have a snow day. It's count day for the district. Most of the snow was in Muskegon and Grand Rapids and south.

It's going to be a great day! How will you make every minute count?

"Oh the weather outside is frightful..."

Seriously... Can winter please just be over? We're about to get a huge snowstorm and people are banking on a snow day tomorrow. Ugh. I don't want a snow day. We don't have to make it up if we have one or two more but it's an unpaid day so I'll have to do some kind of work anyway. I hate winter. I hate feeling cold. I hate hate hate driving on icy roads that could kill someone at any turn or any random moment. Let it be spring I say!

Ok now that my negitivity is out, I'll turn back into my normal, upbeat self. :)

Last night I ran 35 min and walked for 30 minutes and went 5.25 miles! I stuck to my food plan pretty much and I'm still a vegetarian!
I really like not eating meat. Of course when I see a commercial for Logan's I crave a steak now but for the most part I'm really liking being a vegetarian. I tried some meatless, boneless buffalo wings that were yummy and I absolutely love veggie burgers! Today for my lunch I packed a meatless chicken patty! I bet it's delicious!

Well here it is, my food plan for today:

Breakfast- egg sandwich, orange juice, coffee
Snack- Special K fruit crisps (YUMMY!)
Lunch- Meatless Chicken patty, flat sandwich bun, banana, yogurt, WW PB cookie
Snack- Pretzals, goldfish crackers, peanut butter
Dinner- Fish, salad

Have a great Tuesday! Hope the snow doesn't get too bad!

"Missa sad"

Today my thoughts are with my last living grandparent. Sweet Baby Ray. He will be 98 in March. Yesterday he fell twice and they found out that he has blood on the brain again. They are going to try to operate today and he is in the hospital. Five years ago this happened and he was so much better afterward. However, Sweet Baby Ray is not the same as he was five years ago. He was brought in a few weeks ago to be observed and they changed his meds. He hasn't been as coherent as he had been. It's been hard for him to string three words together.

You know how you have that one grandparent or family member that you connect with and is just "Yours"? My Grandma Boughton was mine. Sweet Baby Ray is my brothers. He is really upset and might even drive home. I'm worried about Steve. I hope he's ok. He's alone in Iowa right now because Donna (his wife) is away on business for the rest of the week in PA. I don't like that Steve is alone to deal with this. I am grateful that he's in the loop though. That's a good thing. *sigh*

I hope Sweet Baby Ray makes it through this surgery, but in my heart I know that if it truly is his time to go and be with my grandma, he will go. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. It's a hard day at work for me today...


Last night I went to the gym and ran 2.67 miles in 30 minutes and then walked at about at 4.0 for another 15 minutes. I ended at 3.71 miles and burned 601 calories. I stuck to my food plan yesterday and I'm completely on track!

Food plan for today:
Breakfast: Egg sandwich, Orange Juice, Coffee
Snack: Grapes
Lunch: Tuna sandwich, orange, 100 cal strawberry cupcakes, granola bar
Snack: Apples
Dinner: Veggie lasagna, salad

I am hoping to get to the gym tonight at 7pm or so to run 30 minutes and do 30-35 min of strength training...

"Gotta live like we're dying"

I ran yesterday. I went over 5 miles in less than an hour plus I also accomplished all three circuits of strength training! I was a sweaty mess, but I feel great! Today I'll run for 45 minutes. :) Hooray for getting back into my workout routine!
I also stuck to my food plan yesterday! Whoo hoo!

Today after dinner I am going to go into Muskegon to get a birthday present for Kaden. He's six on Friday and I'm going to his birthday party on Saturday. It will be a good time.

I'm also starting to make some summer plans. I'm going to Indiana the first Friday in June with the group Q girls. It will for sure be a good time. :)

My favorite holiday is coming up a week from Sunday- Valentine's Day! :) I just love the promise Valentine's day has and even though I haven't had a particular sweet Valentine's day with someone, I know that one day I will...

My food plan for today:

Breakfast: Fiber One shredded wheat cereal, orange juice, coffee
Snack: Grapes
Lunch: Mini bagels with Peanut butter, orange, granola bar
Snack: Graham crackers, milk
Dinner: ?? and salad

It will be a great day! Go get your workout! Be inspired!

"I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me..."

Well, it's February. The wellness program started at work yesterday. I weighed in at a whopping 216 lbs! Yikes! It's time to kick it into high gear and get moving! I have only gone to the gym 2 times in the past two weeks! (Although last week was nuts with working on The Wizard of Oz at the high school and I was also sick). Tonight is the night. 30 minutes running (at least) and 35 minutes of strength training circuits. I'm pumped. Tomorrow I'm going to do 45 minutes of running (at least) and on Thursday I'm going to go in the evening to do 30 minutes of running and 45 minutes of strength training. Friday I'll do 45-60 minutes of running and Saturday I'll do 30 minutes of running (at least). I'm going to stick to this gym plan- you watch me!

As for my food plan- I'm still vegetarian and I'm going to try to stay vegetarian for another month. It's starting to be a little inconvenient but it's keeping me away from the main meals of head start lunch. Yesterday we had chili and I totally stayed away!
Today is beef tacos- so I can eat lettuce and tomato with the kids.

So here is the food plan for today:

Breakfast- Egg sandwich, Orange Juice, Coffee
Snack: Orange
Lunch: Bagels, Peanut butter, 100 cal strawberry cupcakes, orange
Dinner: Fish, Salad
Snack: String Cheese

Should be a great day!

"If I only had the nerve"

Seriously I might fall over. I'm that tired. I am fighting off a cold, working backstage on the play and working long days at work. I can't seem to get ready to fall asleep before 11:30pm if I'm lucky. *sigh* actually *BIG sigh*

I'm still vegetarian. Last night I tried a veggie burger and I loved it! It was so much better than I thought it would be!! Mamasita had one too and she liked it too! I'm really glad I'm still eating fish. Otherwise I wouldn't have as many options as I do now.

I haven't gone to the gym since Tuesday. I have to miss tonight too because I have to go work backstage. *sigh* So now my gym plan for the rest of the week is:
Today- no gym :(
Friday- 45 min run at gym 1:30pm
Saturday- 20 min run, 35 min strength training, 20 min run
Sunday- 30-45 min run

That should be somewhat helpful since I have my monthly weigh in on Monday!

Here is my food plan for today:

Breakfast: Fiber one shredded wheat cereal, 1/2 banana, orange juice, coffee
Snack: Orange
Lunch: Tuna sandwich, Orange, granola bar, 100 cal pack strawberry cupcakes, pear apple sauce
Snack: Cheerios
Dinner: Who knows... Maybe a veggie sub sandwich...

Well wish me luck on my tiredness and fighting this cold. It's going to be a rough weekend! Oh and if you are around the area, come check out Wizard of Oz at the High School Auditorium- tonight, Friday and Sat nights 7:30pm and a matinee on Sunday at 2:00pm. Tickets are $5 each! Be sure to find me and say hi!