I Like to Move It Move It

Hi friends!  I just wanted to post a quick little update about my super awesome day!  It was beautiful outside today, although a bit chilly for my taste, and I wanted to make sure I went out and enjoyed the lovely weather.  So, first I had a deeeelicious breakfast of half a Pink Lady apple (to which I have become addicted thanks to the fabulous miss Bitch Cakes), edamame hummus from Kroger on a piece of whole wheat toast, and a tasty egg fried in cooking spray. 

It was so good I might eat the same thing tomorrow!  I like to slice my apples up really, really thin for two reasons.  One, I have really sensitive teeth and I can't just bite into a whole apple.  We also keep our fruit in the fridge because we get fruit flies badly, so the thinner I slice an apple the faster it can warm up to room temperature and not hurt my teeth.  Second, I have to spend more time chewing, which makes me feel more full.  Since apples are already filling, it's like double bang for my buck - er, chew. 

After breakfast I went and took my new bike out (hope to get a good picture soon to show you guys), but it was so windy and still chilly that I was only out for fifteen minutes.  Also, I went to the gym yesterday like I said I would and rode the stationary bike for 40 minutes, so my quads were waaay more sore than I realized and more than fifteen minutes of bike time this morning just wasn't going to happen, haha.  Instead, I took my bike back home and went for a walk to enjoy the beautiful day.  I went without my iPod and walked around a track nearby my apartment.  Next time I think I might take my iPod.  The track and its park is located between two of the busiest streets in town (I'll have to snap a picture next time so you can see what I mean) and after awhile I got tired of just listening to cars whizz by.  It was nice to clear my head, though.  So I walked to the track, did three laps around it (each lap it .59 miles), and walked back for a total of around two miles.  I walk pretty slowly, though, so between my bike time and my walk I was moving for an hour and a half today!  I think that's pretty awesome.  : )

Another awesome thing is that my friend Katie has agreed to be my fitness buddy!  I really love the blogging community, but sometimes I miss having that real-life support and I've been hoping somebody would become my fitness buddy here in town.  Katie said that she wants to start working on her fitness again (she's a rugby player and used to be much stronger, but lately hasn't been playing much I guess), and since she has already graduated and can't use my university gym, we'll have to find creative non-gym ways to get exercise.  I think that's great because I'm graduating soon and will need to work out at home, and I want to get a good out-of-the-gym routine down that I can carry into summertime. 

Now that I'm finally not sick, I can't even tell you how great it feels to move and sweat again.  I'm actually looking forward to exercising every day, even if just a little bit.  I want to focus on moving for at least half an hour every day (not counting walking to and from class during the week) and finding things that I like to do.  I want to build a routine that allows my extra weight to come off while I'm enjoying myself, instead of focusing on losing X amount of pounds in Y time so that I can eventually enjoy myself in the future.  I know I'll be going on many more long walks - Katie and I have one planned for tomorrow, actually - and I want to build my set of fitness equipment at home.  I already have 5, 8, and 10 pound dumbbells.  I think my next additions will be a jump rope and some resistance bands. 

So, I'm off to bed hoping tomorrow will be another beautiful day filled with tasty food and happy exercise.  Hasta luego, amigos!  : )

Still Recovering

On Sunday, I was forced to go to the doctor by the most severe sore throat I have ever experienced.  I couldn't eat, drink, swallow, or sleep for three days.  What I thought was a cold had become much worse.  The doctor tested me for strep and I had to wait three more days (although thankfully with pain medicine) before the test came back positive.  Apparently it wasn't a common strain?  Whatever.  I'm finally on antiobiotics and just today I have been able to fucntion without the pain medicine.  I used to get strep throat all the time as a kid - at least three times a year, if not four or five, but I have definitely forgotten how bad it is.  I'm still having some trouble with swallowing and I can't open my mouth very widely, but I'm just thankful I'm feeling better.

I was hoping I could get back in the gym yesterday, but since I'm still recovering I'm putting gymtime off until Saturday.  In the meantime, I've been working on what I can control - healthy eating.  I've been making a point to eat my fruit and veggies.  I haven't had any problems remembering to drink water since it helps my throat so much.  Oh, and I weighed myself the other day - I don't weigh 210 at all, I weigh 205!  Originally I wanted to be able to run a mile before I graduate college at the end of next month, but that won't happen since I haven't been able to go running lately.  Instead, I'd like to be under 200 pounds, which is so feasible it's not even funny.  While this blog is not focused on weight loss numbers, just seeing my weight as 1-- would be...incredible.  Mind blowing.  I would be elated.  I graduated high school weighing just under 190, so if I could graduate college weighing just under 200 then I wouldn't feel nearly as bad about the twenty pounds I've been putting on and off for the last four years.  It would be a great psychological boost and a reason to continue my efforts over what is going to be one of my most chaotic summers yet. 

I was thinking the other day about the balance between my go time, when I'm busy doing class or homework or other things, and my down time, when I want to relax.  I've realized that if I went to the gym as often as my body wants to, I will have no down time whatsoever.  No time to just sit around and let my mind be calm.  So I've been thinking of ways to have active down time, ways I can get exercise that lets my mind be calm.  See, usually when I'm exercising I'm doing a lot of weight loss/healthy living thinking.  My brain is running pretty much constantly, and I really need the mental blankness of relaxation to recharge.  Since the weather is getting warmer I've been thinking that I'll start going on walks without my iPod.  I have always loved going for walks, but when I listen to my iPod my brain tunes out the world and then all I can hear is the barrage of my own thoughts.  That's bad for mental down time.  When I walk without my iPod, I'm much more inclined to actually listen to the world around me, to let my mind be still and just hear the sounds.  Going on iPodless walks is probably safer, too.  Nobody likes being hit by a bus. 

Okay, well I have to go to class now.  I'm hoping that I can snag a nap when I get home.  Too bad I can't exercise in my sleep...