Christmas & Setting Goals...

 Christmas has come and gone and it was a wonderful one for me. I was blessed to have my husband home with us for a week and he was able to spend a lot of time with the family. He even got to meet our nephew who was born back in October but has since been on the road and not been able to see him.

Christmas came with lots of goodies too for me to eat and I admit I pigged out on them too especially while I was at my MIL's house in South Carolina. Oh My...she made a delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake and let's just say it was amazing. I need to be working out but it seems that I might have caught a little something or it's the steriods leaving my system that has caused havock on my stomach. I'm guessing it's the second one. But for Christmas, Jason and Olivia gave me a Garmin Forerunner 220 GPS Watch and Jason gave me a Raw Threads Cindy Shirt. The day after Christmas I also ordered myself a Sparkle Skirt which I can't wait to receive it in the mail. I should be out today running but it's cold and rainy out and well I just don't feel real hot to do it. I will be making up for it tomorrow and tomorrow is a no excuse zone for me. I will be walking 2 miles, then running 1 mile, then walking another 2 miles. That's a total of 5 miles...but I have to get ready for my half marathon which is only 50 days away people!!! Yep I said it!! 50 days away!!!

On the lighter note, I will be working harder since I got the watch because it also has a heart rate monitor on it. Not expected but I'm super excited on what I can do! Bring it on!

Getting Excited...

I have to say that since December is almost over...I'm getting really excited knowing that the race is only 2 months away from Monday! It's hard to believe it will be here before you know it and yes I still need to book my resort and room and all that and I will do that but I am so slack lately on it. I need to crack down on it. We have been trying to figure out if we wanted to fly down and where to stay and all that so we may have figured it out. Jason said he would look more at it when he comes home next week and he has a little more time to really look at it and the prices since he will be the one paying for it all. I have been looking for a used treadmill that I can set up in the garage to run since I have been wanting one. Whenever we move we will take it with us but it will be nice for me to use on the super cold days and I can play my music via my speakers and all that out in the garage. If we had enough room in the bedroom, the treadmill would be coming upstairs in the room with us but right now we don't have enough room.

Speaking of treadmills...I will be posting a different post just asking some advise on one. Since I am looking at a used one instead of a new one I will be asking very specific questions. But until then, I will leave you with a picture of me showing my progress of what I looked like last year compared to just this past week. I feel great too which is very nice to feel after feeling like crud all last year! The picture above is from tonight from when I arm knitted this beautiful infinity scarf for myself. It's not perfect but that is ok with me!

School is on Break! Finally!

Finally we have a break for School. I feel like a free woman! I can focus on spending time with my family and my training. I am now allowed to go running and I went for a walk yesterday but not long and forgot to charge my phone to record it. This is why I would love to have a Garmin Forerunner Watch to keep track of my runs/walks. I have been good in losing the weight still and have been able to continue to watch what I eat.

More than getting ready for the Princess Half Marathon, I am thinking of signing up for a local 5k race in February and I need to sign up before it's too late. It's the sweetheart 5k and this would be a fun race to run with friends here locally just before the big race.

Dinner

Dinner last night was such an easy dinner to make and boy was it good! Even Olivia ate it which for her to eat all of her chicken and then ask for seconds is amazing. She did try some of the zuchinni boats but wasn't too thrilled with them. So it was a no go for her there. But the fact that she tried it was amazing. She did however eat all the cheese out of the boat.

For the preparation of the chicken, it was frozen so I let it thaw completely out and then drizzled Olive Oil on top, then added some Emeril's Seasoning, Salt and Pepper on top and put in the fridge to marinate the rest of the day. I cooked it in the oven at 350 degree for around 45 minutes or so until the chicken was done. That's it.

The zuchinni boats were easy to do as well. All you have to do is slice the zuchinni in half the long way, hallow the insides out drizzle with olive oil, add some seasonings. I added just salt, pepper and garlic, place on cookie sheet and place in oven with chicken to allow to roast some. Then when you feel that they are ready to be stuffed you can stuff with anything..but I chose last night to stuff ours with grape tomatoes and mushrooms and cover with mozerella cheese and broil. That's it. They came out looking so good and the taste was out of this world!

The rest of the zuchinni that I hallowed out I just sauteed up with some olive oil and garlic. That's it. Simple. Such an easy dinner to make and extra healthy if you think about it. Definitely a keeper in our house!!!

Weight Loss Mini Goal Met..

This past week I have been unable to eat or even workout or run due to an abscessed tooth and oral surgery but I have to say that I have been able to meet one of my weight loss mini goals. A week ago I had issues with my tooth and honestly I thought that I could make it until Monday but holy smoke my tooth was killing me. So after a trip to the doctor, I found out my tooth was abscessed. I haven't been able to eat what I normally eat due to my mouth hurting but that I think has been a good thing because it meant no eating out or anything else. In the past week I have lost a good 10 pounds and I'm still loosing. I had to have oral surgery on Monday to have the tooth removed and have a drain put in but it's been a week. I still have stitches in my mouth so it makes eating a little difficult. I am still swollen some but it's not going to stop me from training for my half marathon.

I will be able to start working out on Monday and I can't wait! I am still trying to decide if I want to join a gym or if I want to just go purchase a treadmill for the house. If you have a treadmill what do you recommend? I want something that will last me several years but isn't super expensive either. I'm also looking at getting a Garmin Forerunner Watch and looking at a few and not sure which one to get. What is one that you would recommend? Have a good Saturday!

My mini goal was to be under 250lbs and that has been met! Next mini goal is to get to 230lbs. :) Halfway there!

SPIbelt Review & Giveaway

Have I told you all how much I'm actually enjoying running? Well even though I still get leg cramps and stuff, I'm getting used to going outside and running or trying to look like I'm halfway doing it. I'm not as coordinated as others but that's alright because I have my own way of doing things.

Well I was lucky enough to be able to review the SPIbelt recently and was sent their Original SPIbelt in Hot Pink of course! How can it be any other color? I have taken this belt out with me on several runs in the neighborhood and honestly I can tell you it's amazing to have. I have been placing my iPhone 6, my inhaler, and a GU Packet in there and wow! It fits and still has room for more stuff! It's amazing too because it stays put which I love because when I run I don't like it when things bounce or rub at all. It just bugs me like you have no idea. My mom is even looking at using this belt for when she mows the lawn in the spring and summer because it will hold her iPod and won't get in the way either which is a nice feature especially when we have almost 3 acres of grass to mow on a zero turn mower.

SPIbelt is short for Small Personal Items Belt and it's amazing to have on your. Not only will it fit your small things in there it will fit my husbands iPhone 6 Plus in there too...but then it just looks all bulky after that. So not recommended on that part but the good news is that SPIbelt has other belts that may fit your needs. Whether you go bike riding, hiking, kayaking, running and more they have everything for everyone's needs. That's what I love about their products. Plus I love the fact that I can stuff my belt full of crap if I wanted to and not have to worry about a thing. I of course don't because I normally don't run far from home and if I do then it's back and forth from one neighborhood to the other. Pretty nice if you ask me. The SPIbelt is adjustable which is amazing because most belts are not so adjustable. They are also stretchy too which I like...but for me I'm losing my belly and weight so I won't be needing it long to be stretched or pulled out long. Another great reason for trying the SPIbelt out is the price. For just under $20 you can get a great belt for you to take on a run. And they have so many other color choices! Now here is the awesome kicker...SPIbelt is offering to 1 lucky reader their very own SPIbelt as well. Please see the form below to enter.

Entry-Form

New Shoes...again!

Yes..I may have done it again! I went out and got new running shoes again! I went with a pair that I was originally fitted for back in June and I have to say that it's a huge improvement over the Asics that I have now. I purchased the Brooks Ghost 7 Running shoes and let me just say my feet feel like they are in heaven right now! They don't hurt and they feel like they are completely cushioned in the back which is amazing! I have never had a pair of shoes that have felt this good right out of the box. It's absolutely wonderful to have shoes that feel this good and I even went for a run yesterday and even though I didn't feel good it felt good to run in.

I will make some adjustments to the shoes just to make them more comfortable for my runs but lets just say they are perfect for my runs and will be perfect for my training for the half marathon in February. I am hoping to not take Olivia to Disney World in February and hoping that it will be a birthday trip for me to enjoy with just me and Jason. :) Plus running the half is even better! Running on the 22nd is going to be a good thing too because the 21st is going to be the 4 year anniversary of my granddad's death so this will be for him too! One week from his birthday to be exact so no need to worry at all.  Pop-Pop will be with me during my run.

Tomorrow I will go on my run and I will push harder than ever this go round. I may have not felt very good yesterday but I need to push harder than ever since I don't have that many more days for training. May have to go sign up for a gym membership after all instead of waiting to get a treadmill for Christmas.

Walt Disney World...

Man...I can tell you I'm getting excited about running in February at Walt Disney World. I have already talked my hubby into letting me get a few extra things but I'm still trying to talk him into letting us get annual passes since we plan on going down at least two more times next year. This would be so beneficial for our family because not only are we going to take a family vacation but we also want to run in the Wine and Dine as a family too. Well at least for the Jingle Jungle 5k that is because it goes through Animal Kingdom and well what can I say...Olivia loves that park!! It's her favorite by far!!!

I am hoping to talk him into them since I didn't convince him when we went in September because then I still wasn't sure if I was going to run the race or not because I hadn't started to train. But since I have started to train and I love to run I am ready to run it and I'm ready for the challenge! What are you most excited about running the race for? Is it to see the characters or just for the overall experience?

You Know You're A Runner When....

You know you're a runner when...you can go into a big store like Dick's Sporting Goods looking for something to use to help shield your nose and mouth from the cold and you try on new shoes instead. I tried on the Brooks Adrenaline GTX 14 first and loved them, they felt like heaven compared to my "new" shoes I just got, but the soles of the shoes were very stiff, hard to move in and walk in. Hmm..I decided to look down at the shoe and sure enough they had been worn outside for a while you could tell and returned to the store. Nope not gonna buy the shoes so I put them back. I decided to head over to the other store in town and found them there and tried them on and another pair. Wides of course. Well I still wasn't in love with Adrenaline but the Brooks Ghost 7's now that was another story!! I was originally fitted for the Brooks Ghost 6 in June and they fit but they didn't have any that were wide enough without having to special order them. Soon after the 7's were released but I didn't want to pay the high prices. I tried on the 7's and Oh My!!! I have found my shoes!!! These shoes have the support in the arch that I need, they feel like heaven to my feet and when I walk and run they follow my feet through. It's so nice to have a show to do that! So now comes the fun part of ordering the shoe offline. I will be ordering them from Dicks Sporting Goods Online unless I find them online cheaper but I can't wait to take them for a run when I get them!!!!

I'm also ordering a neck gator and some kinesiology tape to help with my shin splints but I'm hoping that with the right shoes they will soon go away too!

What did you do this weekend?

Bleck...

This title kind of describes this week. Bleck. This week has been kind of a rough week. Not feeling that great and I feel like I'm trying to get a cold or something and having a ton of meetings at schools and what not so this is something that is not able to get around. But it's not an excuse as of why I haven't been able to go out and run. It's been cold. Very cold and I'm afraid to run in the cold. I will admit it! After having an attack last week and so it's just been one of those weeks. I am going to get out of my funk because I have a lot of training to do and so very little time to do it!

Met Goal 1!

Today I met one of my first goals that I had set for me! I wanted to run/walk at least 1 mile and today was the day I met that! I did on Saturday .90 miles but I still felt like I could have gone farther along but didn't push it. Today I pushed it a little more and I did make it to 1 mile and added another .11 miles to the total. So yes I did 1.11 miles in under 22 minutes which is a goal for me. I want to work on getting that down but I'm sure I will pretty soon. Tomorrow is rest day and actually I'm going to be spending time with my husband and daughter instead. I am going to still do my core workout and kill it and know that working out on my rest days are still good enough for me. I also plan on doing day 3 on Wednesday...hopefully I will have some of my winter clothes to be able to wear since come this weekend it will be cold with a chance of snow and wintery mix. Yep..it's coming and we know it is.

I am still kind of shocked that I did 1 mile and I know that with time I will get better! Wednesday going to try and go further than today! My legs are still killing me but it's a good feeling and not a bad one.

What kind of workout did you do today? Did you go to the gym, workout at home or just take a rest day?

Yurbuds Headphones Review

I have been looking for headphones lately that wouldn't fall out of my ears or didn't hurt them for a while. I came across Yurbuds when I was shopping at our local Target and seeing that they were only $20 I decided to get them. I chose the Women's Inspire 100 and went on about my business. I tried them out on my first run on Saturday and I have to say they worked awesome! I didn't have an issue getting them in and they didn't hurt my ears! This is a big plus for them not hurting because many of the headphone or earbuds hurt because I have small ears. 

So what do I think about them? They are awesome and amazing and I can't wait to continue to use them while I train for the Princess Half Marathon! I would eventually like to get the pair that have the microphone on them but that's just something I want and don't need. Now what I really need are running clothes and we'd be all set. 

I was not paid or compensated for this review. This is my honest opinion on them and I purchased them myself! 

Day 1 of C25k completed

Today was day 1 of my couch 2 5k training to get me started with the half marathon. After I complete this training I will start on the half training and so forth! Come February I WILL be ready for the race. Or if I set it in my mind that for every mile I complete then that's done and my final end result will be the medal at the end of the race! I need to work on my pace as well so along with this training I will be able to do so! 

Anyways I did my first day and let me say I can't believe I ran almost 1 mile. That's a big improvement from last week! I will continue with my goal of running 13.1 miles and so this is something that won't be easy but it's worth the big challenge. 

What are your plans for this weekend? Are you running a race or are you just taking it easy this weekend? 

Ran longer..Wine & Dine Half Marathon

The other day I decided to head out and try another run buy wearing the calf compression sleeves. Well I still got the shin splints but I didn't get them nearly as bad as before. Come to find out my mom suffered and still suffers from them so maybe it's in my genes. Who knows at this point. Tomorrow I am starting up with the couch 2 5k program again and will work my way up to running a half marathon. I am still planning on running in February and want to run in the Wine & Dine in November of next year. Those are little goals i have set for myself and I will get them done! 

Above is my new favorite snack which is the Pumpkin Spice greek yogurt and oh my is it good!!! I highly recommend trying it out! It tastes like your eating the pumpkin pie filling! 

Run Completed...

Today I followed through on what I said I was going to do and that was go for a run. I walked the first .10 of a mile then I ran another .30 miles then I walked the remaining of the time. I feel like it might not be a lot for many but I'm just starting out and well it's kind of nice to be able to run without feeling like I'm going to die.

I also ran my fastest yet and so that made me feel really good too. I work hard on what I work on and while my abs are still sore from yesterdays work, I feel good about what I have accomplished so far! Now if I can only get rid of these shin splints then I will be doing good.

Core Workout & Breakfast

 Today I decided to get up and start working out. After I had Olivia out the door for school and I worked on a few things in my room, I decided that it was time to not go back to sleep but to start working out. I did some core work which included some 90 degree crunches, scissor crunches and planks. I had never done any of them so it was a bit of a challenge for me but honestly it felt good. I am planning on going for a walk/run this evening and I'm hoping that the shin splints don't come back. I'm at my wits end with them because no matter how long I stretch for or rest, they still come back. Ack! I'm over them. I try to push through them but that only leads up to me getting a horrible cramp in my calf and trying to walk or run through that is near impossible. I am needing some kind of relief soon.

I have been horrible this past weekend and past two days in eating and drinking healthy. So today I am trying my best at trying to eat clean. I know that when I go out to eat this weekend with my best friend we plan on heading to our favorite place...flaming Amy's in Wilmington so that will be a splurge for me but other than that I'm needing to be good. Today's breakfast I had two poached eggs, raw green beans with pepper and garlic and a bowl of oatmeal with honey drizzled on top. Yep...clean eating here I come. Trying to think of something that is halfway clean for dinner but I'm thinking of chicken, roasted brussel sprouts and maybe some rice or a salad. I need something good.

What is one of your favorite clean meals to eat?

Balsamic Dijon Mustard Chicken Vinegarette Recip

I actually found this recipe via Neon Runner's Facebook page and had to give it a try myself. I love cooking healthy foods now and it's amazing because this recipe is sugar free and salt free! Holla!

So here is what you will need for the recipe:

Ziploc Bag (I used a Freezer sized)
Boneless Chicken Breasts, Stab all over with a fork...it's Ok to let it all out!

Ingredients per chicken breast:

2 tsp. Good Dijon Mustard (I used the cheap brand and it came out fine)
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 clove of pressed garlic
Pepper to taste

Put chicken in the bag along with all of the ingredients inside the ziploc bag and shake vigorously! Just shake, shake, shake...shake shake shake...shake your chicken, Shake your chicken! Allow to marinate for 3 days. It will still be just as yummy if you do it the same day like I did. Next time I'm going to allow to marinate the entire 3 days!

Put into your 300 degree oven and let it cook. I started out with 45 minutes and then tacked on an extra 15 minutes. Turned out great and most of the family loved it! Even my super picky eater of a daughter named Olivia!!! Enjoy!

Non-Scale Victory

Today I have a Non-Scale Victory (NSV) to tell you all about. I have been focused so much on my weight that honestly I haven't been paying attention to my body and how it's changing. I put on a pair of jeans that last year were a little snug on me and they today fit and are a little big on me. It's the little things that matter the most.

I would say that with not eating out all the time, and cooking at home it has really helped me gain control of my weight loss. I haven't weighed myself today because I know I'm bloated due to my monthly visitor coming but still it's nice to see those little victories.

What is one of your NSV that you have endured? Is it something that is good or something that is just too awesome to hide?

New Shoes Have Arrived!

My new shoes have arrived and lets say that they are super comfy. I wore them on Sunday to church and while in church my toes were going numb. Couldn't figure it out. Then I figured that it was because I have a high arch and just where the laces were was causing pressure to cut off circulation to my toes. Not good. I went onto pinterest and found a way that I could tie my laces to where that didn't happen again. Guess what? It was a success for me! I love my new shoes and I have even started to walk in them and take them on the road. Thankful that I had a few extra gift codes on Amazon for me to be able to get my shoes. Or else I would be in trouble. :)

New Shoes..On the Way!

I have never in my life been so excited about getting a new pair of running shoes. But I am so excited over it! I have been trying to pick out a pair that would work best for me and found that getting a neutral shoe works best for me. Of course, I chose a pair of Asics and I love the color! I am hoping that I will be able to get them by next week so that the training will continue!

I am still on the fence about if I want to run the race in February or if I want to defer the race until 2016. Jason and I want to be able to get pregnant and add to the family and so if it means me having to wait another year, then that just gives me more time to be able to train. I do however plan on running a few races in the next year so this should be an interesting journey. I'm still going to run my Princess Half Marathon, just might wait it out for a year or so.

And I am loving this weather that we have been having...minus the rain. I could do without that since now the ground is so wet that all you do is sink in the grass. I am looking forward to going for runs in the cooler air too. I am still walking the dog in the evenings as long as it's not raining and I have been so good about not eating out and drinking nothing but water. Yesterday I did however go out to eat at my dad's store so that wasn't too bad. I just watched what I ate. I look forward to going to Chick-Fil-A though and getting a grilled chicken sandwich which is one of my faves now! Hold the fries please and water!

I have found a coffee creamer!

So today I was on my way out the door to head to the local Walmart when I started to pick up a soda, Pepsi Next. I then thought about it and decided to put it back and grab a bottle of water. Wow! What a difference that is from just a month ago because I would have continued to go on about my business and not even worry about what I was drinking. Even while on vacation I did have soda but I had water and eventually drank more water than soda. Surprise, Surprise.  Well while shopping for a few things that we needed, I found a coffee creamer a friend told me about. I grabbed it and thought to myself if I don't like it I can always add some sugar or something to it. Well came home and made my cup of coffee and didn't add any sugar to it! Sweet! It's called Coffeemate Italian Sweet Cream and it's sugar free! Even better! I have tried some other coffee creamers out there that have been sugar free and they weren't that good. But this I could use on a daily basis and not put any sugar in my coffee. One more step to becoming healthy I guess.

On the other note I am baking my grandma a 2 layer cake for her 95th birthday which just happens to be today and making homemade buttercream frosting to go on it. Yum. So unhealthy but I figured it's an honor to be eating cake with my grandma who is 95 years old! I will cherish these memories forever! Ok, not going to cry today over it but I am sure I will later.  We are having a small family get together and so it's pizza and salad night with homemade birthday cake. Can't turn that down today. Tomorrow is a new day!

On Track & No Soda!

So today I have been on track of my training schedule and while it might seem like I haven't been up to doing normal things like actually running, I am still on track by just walking. Today I walked almost 2 miles which for me is a big deal because I did this in flip-flops which wasn't a good idea but hey we weren't planning on walking as far as we did. It felt great to get out in the fall air and just walk. I am actually planning on walking in just a little bit and even possibly running some in our neighborhood. I downloaded the MapmyRun on my iPhone and have found that it is that simple to use it. I will be looking at getting a Sparkle Skirt to be able to run and still keep my phone and personal items with me. Plus it's getting cooler out and so it will be nice to have something to keep my items in when I go for a walk or run.

Another thing that I have decided to cut out is my drinking soda's. I have drank nothing but water today and 3 cups of coffee. I'm still having to use creamer and sugar but I am going to hopefully change that over to splenda or sugar in the raw or sweet n low. I have to have some kind of flavoring in my coffee but maybe I will get used to black coffee one day too. (not!!!) Today I feel so much better and I noticed that my skin looks so much better compared to how it looked a few days ago. Almost glowing to me but it could be that I'm happy that I will hopefully have a job that I will love soon. So be on the lookout for me being able to purchase more and more things soon for my running and Disney addiction!

The picture above is from our walk today. It's going to be dark when I attempt to run or jog in the cold, crisp air so I'm sure the pictures won't come out that great!

And Time to Train...

Now is the time to start to train for the Princess Half Marathon! We just returned from our Disney World Trip and loved it. I did so much better compared to last year and even though my feet and my legs were killing me I feel like I actually accomplished something. I walked and even ran some while on our trip and yes I might be out of shape but this trip gave me more encouragement than you will ever know. I feel like this was the right thing for me to do and while running inside Magic Kingdom even for a short distance to try and get to where I could get a good look at Wishes, it made me feel like I could do the Half Marathon with no problem.

Now that we are back from our trip is time for me to start training for the Half Marathon. It's time to start getting ready to get in shape and head to Disney World in February. I love going to Disney World and we want to stay at Beach Club or Bay Lake Towers. After seeing Stormalong Bay at the Beach and Yacht Club makes me want to stay there because their pool is amazing! It has a lazy river in it. Might be more expensive to stay in but hey it's worth it to me.

Almost time for Color Me Rad!

It's almost time for the Color me Rad race which will happen on Sept. 6th this year I'm going down to Wilmington the Friday before so that I can get ready for the race. I can't wait and it will be so much fun! I have been looking forward for this race. What new race or races have you signed up for lately or have you ran?

I am looking forward to running this race and might not be fast at all but it's a start. I will be sure to do my inhalers before the race and i will bring them along with me. I hope that this is the start of my addiction to running and losing weight. I have lost 50lbs now and i want to lose another 70lbs and I have to say that after 3 years of not being able to wear a pair of Jean shorts; today I can officially wear them!

My weight loss journey has just begun and I am looking forward to seeing how much I can lose in the next year and keeping the weight off.

How Many Miles?

I have decided to join in a group that has given me motivation to set a mini goal for myself for the month of August. I have seen where other runners have also set goals for each month they run and well I wanted to do the same. I am starting on Friday and I can't wait to hit the pavement and go. Even if it's to just walk the dog or enjoy a nice walk with Olivia. I have set my mini goal for the month of August to 60 miles. I don't think that will be hard to do especially since I need to start really working out and start running if I want to run in this Princess Half Marathon. I need to start to train too since I have that 5k to run on September 6th for the Color Me Rad in Wilmington, NC as well so this needs to happen. I will try my hardest to do and I can't make any promises that I will make it but giving it my all is what I'm going to do!

How about you? Do you have any mini goals you set?

Asthma...ugh!

I swear if it's not one thing it's another thing with me. I went to the campground camping and ended up getting sick and they thought they would have to hospitalize me last week. That wasn't much fun at all but needless to say I'm doing much better. They gave me steroids to take which make me extremely moody and emotional and so I have been kind of staying away from most people because of that very reason. Also they put me on spiriva to try to see if that would help with the severe wheezing that I have been having on top of my regular inhaler that I use daily. I finally did the Spiriva today and within an hour of taking it, my lungs were nice and clear and I could take in a nice deep breath without hearing the wheezing sound. I haven't had any shortness of breath either which is the first in a long time too. So I'm wondering if adding that onto my daily routine of asthma treatments for a while will help me with being able to breath while running? I'm going to talk with my doctor when I go back in for my check up in August and see if it's something he would suggest I stay on. If so that would be wonderful to continue to stay on and be able to breath while running.

The air has turned a little cooler today and honestly it's a bit chilly out. I want to go curl up in some pjs but I only brought some shorts with me. Oh well, it will be ok. I might even wake up early in the morning, do the spiriva again and my daily medicines and see about going for a little light jog and see how I feel. If I do well on that then I know that is the thing for me. But right now I just want to go to bed. I just finished my homework for the week and I'm exhausted. Looks like it's an early bedtime for me the next few nights.

Good night!

Weight Loss

I am so happy that I am still on a weight loss kick and I have lost a total of almost 40 lbs since last June and that means a lot to me. It might have taken over a year to do this but I wasn't serious for a while but now it's all good. I am now officially under 260 pounds and I feel awesome. 

I may say that I have to figure out where I will need to stay when we go stay for the Princess Half Marathon and I am trying to talk to Jason into getting Annual Passes for our trip in September so that when we go in February we won't have to pay for our tickets to get into the parks and being able to park hop. Then we can get a discount on our rooms and we can get the dining plan too which would be great too so it will be just perfect for our little family. 

It's Official!!!!! I'm Registered!!!!

Registration is now OPEN for the Princess Half Marathon Weekend and who is in? I know that I am! It's official! I'm now registered for the Princess Half Marathon on February 22, 2015 and I can't wait to run it! I have many friends who are running it and some of them I have never met except online but that's the fun about social media is that you can get to do this and meet people! Who would have thunk that I would be open to running a half marathon with having asthma and all that? But I am going to look into getting a better control on my asthma now that I am going to be running and I need to learn to breath while running a lot better. I need to still go pick up my shoes from the running store but we haven't had the time to go up to Durham to get. Between school and mini vacations and getting ready to move it's been difficult to get up there. Oh well, I need to get up there soon and get them! Way before we move or go on vacation so that I can start really cracking down on training!

While I registered I also went ahead and got a Commemorative Pin for the Half Marathon which is a just like a pin that you would trade but this is something that I would not trade. I plan on keeping it!

I'm beyond excited about this opportunity and I'm so happy that I have made this decision to start running and start training and start losing weight. One of the things that I have been wanting to do is to have a baby and in order for us to have a baby is to lose the weight for me to have surgery and so this is a big deal for me to do this. I plan on signing up for a 10k in the Outer Banks in November to get a better corral placement. :) We shall see if I do! :)

Who else is signing up? Better hurry up since they are filling up fast!

Almost Healed...But it's almost time to sign up!!!

My back is almost back to normal! Yay! That's a relief too! But did you know that it's almost time to sign up for the Princess Half Marathon?!!! Yep! The sign up date is coming up very quickly and I am getting more and more excited about it! I can't contain my excitement!

I have in the past kind of let my excitement get in the way of how I let my performance get the best of me but this year I have decided to start up early and run no matter what. I have been reading other blogs and reading about the Princess Half Marathon and saying how it is very Walker Friendly so that makes me feel a lot better. I have however entered to try to win a spot to go to the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco on October 19, 2014 but if I don't get into that then I will sign up for a half marathon in Myrtle Beach and run/walk that. I mean who wouldn't want to run/walk at the beach? I know I would! And then I am going to sign up for a 10K at the Outer Banks in November to hopefully get a better corral for the PHM. I don't want to be in the last corral because I want to be able to stop and take pictures so with that said the training needs to start happening soon. I feel like with this move coming on it will never happen but it has to. Even if it means while at Disney World in September, me having to train there I will! I mean what a better place to train at than the very place I will be running at in February! Talk about motivation there!!!

While we are at Disney I am going to be checking out BLT and even the Yacht Club because well I can. I want to really stay at Bay Lake Tower in February because it has access to the Monorail and well who doesn't want access to the monorail instead of a bus at 4am? This chick that's who!

Weight wise I am down another couple of pounds which makes me very happy and I can tell my clothes are fitting nicely now. I have even started to find clothes that haven't been able to fit in years fitting. So that is a nice plus to this weight loss. We are heading to the lake for a few days with the family to go camping so if I do happen to post anything I will try to post something that is relaxing looking!

Back Out

So this past Friday, I had a package that was delivered to my house and I threw my back out. I was planning on getting started on my running and walking experience since Jason was home but instead I have been laying on the couch and in bed all weekend long.

I am doing much better today compared to how I was on Friday and Saturday. But I am still not 100% to how I was on Thursday. I also wanted to let you all know that I am moving. We are moving back to Nashville, NC which is where Olivia and I moved from. We are excited to move back to the area and we are excited of the opportunities that are going to open up for us!!

But hopefully by the end of this week I will be officially packing for a small getaway with my mom and the girls and taking Yoda to the vets to be boarded for a few days. And then I will be also packing up the house too. Oh boy...this is going to be fun!!! All while trying to train for the PHM!!!

Eating Habits

I have been trying to change my eating habits for the better and I have been finding it is easier than I thought it would be. I have gone from drinking sodas to not drinking any. Big change there. I have been drinking nothing but water all week long which is a wonderful thing for me (meaning no caffine). And I have been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables. I went to the grocery store yesterday and got a bunch of fruits and veggies from the produce area of Harris Teeter.

I had for dinner last night a turkey wrap with light mayo with olive oil, 3 slices of cracked pepper turkey, sliced tomatoes, sliced avocados, fresh mozzarella and balsamic vinegar drizzled overtop of all of the inside ingredients. It was so good and filling.

For breakfast I had today Quaker Oats, Apple Cinnamon Granola warmed up with some skim milk. It was so good and filled me up quickly.

Lunch was a turkey sandwich on Nature's Own Honey Wheat Bread with light olive oil mayo, 2 slices of turkey, 3 slices of roma tomato and salt/pepper. Then I had a small bowl of fresh broccoli crowns and some fat free ranch dressing. It was just perfect for lunch.

For dinner I am thinking of cooking up the pizza that I promised cooking for Olivia, but I am planning on roasting some fresh asparagas in the oven and possibly some fresh zucchini as well. I love both zucchini and asparagus and so this is the perfect thing for me to eat along size with the pizza tonight. It's so hot out today that I don't feel like doing much tonight. I have to do accounting homework tonight and finish working on a few things too.

Another thing that I picked up while at the store was some spicy black bean burgers. Yes they are veggie burgers but they are so good and filling. And good in protein which is what we are looking for.

What have you been eating healthy to help lose some weight?

Let the Countdown Begin...

I have been not really counting down the days until it's time to sign up for the Princess Half Marathon 2015!! So with that being said... I have started a countdown!

 Who else is signing up for this race and is getting excited about running it? I am now looking for other races to run in the area and even though I haven't fully started to run...I think I am addicted to finding races. Uh oh...we might have another addiction here on our hands. besides Disney! Haha!

Running Shoes Fitting

Sunday, my hubby and I went up to Durham to go purchase a "new" car for him and while we were up there we headed up to Bull City Running Co. so that I could get fitted for new running shoes. I went in and got the most help that I have had since beginning my running journey. They watched looked at my feet, watched me walk, asked me to balance on one foot and see how my leg balance was. They also measured my feet and that is where I found out that I have been wearing shoes that have been way too big for me! Whoops! My feet actually measure only a size 7 and of course I have to have EE which is wide width. But geeze. Why didn't the last running store I went to last year figure that out. Instead they put me in a shoe that was way to big and hurt my feet like crazy!

Anyways, they had to order a few pairs of shoes for me since they didn't have any in my size. My size in running shoe is a size 8 but still that is amazing since I have been wearing a 9 which would explain maybe why I have been tripping over my feet all the time when I attempt to run or maybe why I get horrible shin splints. I'm hoping that with the new shoes that I will continue to get better at not feeling like I am tripping over my own feet and continue to lose weight. Now that I am all signed up for my first 5K I need to start training for it. I might only walk this one because it's not timed which is kind of stinky but still. Then I will actually sign up for one that is timed just to see how I do. I will find one close by home for that one but the Color Me Rad one seems like the perfect one to sign up for as my first one to run/walk in!

I will be going back to Durham on Saturday to see if one of the pairs of shoes they ordered is right and I will also be getting maybe a pair of Compression Calf Sleeves to help with the shin splints just in case. It doesn't hurt to be prepared. ;)

Color Me Rad 5K

Have you ever run a really cool race before? Something like Color Me Rad 5K? I haven't and I have always wanted to! I have always been interested in running in a race that was filled with lots of fun colors and something that just was short and fun to run in. And being that I am now training to run in a half marathon why not start out in running a 5k first?

Color Me Rad 5K is coming soon to a city near you! I have always seen this race from so many of my friends running in one that I wanted to be able to give it a try. This year is the year that I am going to! I have signed up to run the race on 9/6/14 at 9:10am in Wilmington, NC and I'm beyond estastic about it. This is a race where if you want to be able to blow rainbow colored snot rockets for a week then guess what? You can!!! You may be asking how it works and this is how the Color Me Rad 5K race works. You will start off the race wearing a nice clean white shirt and with each color zone you get to you will be blasted and hit and bombarded with color! And after getting through all of the zones and you have crossed the finish line then you will have your final coating of color. You will soon look like a tie-dyed person instead of a live person. Haha! I can't wait!!!

About the Color Bombs and Blasts! In previous years the color bombs and blasts have been made with gluten but starting in 2012 they started using gluten free! Awesome!!! So they are now GF Cornstarch Color Bombs and Blasters! Awesomeballs! I can't wait to look like a tie-dyed smurf! Let's see which one of my friends I can talk into running/walking this with me...I might have to sign up Olivia to run it with me too since it seems like I might have her that weekend. :) Whoop Whoop!

If you'd like to sign up and either get "RAD" with me or get "RAD" with someone else you know then use this code, "RADFIT" to get 15% off until July 1st.

Races...Running

So even though I have been thinking about not running the Glass Slipper Challenge, the more I think about it, the more I think I can do it! I have been losing weight like it's going out of style and I feel more confident now that I have a friend who is standing behind me helping me and is my cheerleader for sure. Kristen has been cheering me on even on one of my bad days. It feels so good to be able to just walk a full mile and not be completely out of breath. I love how easy each new day it is that comes that makes it easier and easier to do. I am actually planning on signing up for a 5k in the Baltimore/DC area on 8/23 and also one in Wilmington on 9/7. I then will be looking for my first 10k and then my first 1/2 Marathon to run. I feel that if I can do it I know I will be ready to run! Only 1 month and a few days until it's sign up time for the Princess Half and Glass Slipper Challenge so I need to decide if I want to run both or just one. Decisions Decisions.

I am going up to the Raleigh/Durham area this weekend to get fully fitted for new running shoes and I am looking forward to it. I am also going to get some Compression Calf Sleeves and new socks to wear while running. My next goal is to purchase a Garmin Forerunner 220 and a Fitbit "one" as well.

I Want a SparkleSkirt!

After getting new shoes and compression calf sleeves and a gps running watch...I plan on getting myself a SparkleSkirt. I have seen several of my running friends wear them and they swear by them. They don't ride up when they run which to me is a win win situation because the other day when I was running it was like my thighs were eating my shorts. I wanted to at that point say the quote from The Breakfast Club, "Eat My Shorts!" and honestly my thighs were saying that at the time. So annoying if you ask me. I also like the fact that they have a hidden pocket in the waist and in the leg. I plan on getting one for when I run in the Princess Half Marathon in February and hope to get more than one to wear on runs in the future. Here is one that I am looking at getting. And a few more I like the look of. :)

No Running Tonight

I didn't get to go running tonight due to thunderstorms so that's kinda is stinky. But I did however do 2 hours worth of housework which included sweeping, dusting, doing laundry, making beds, bending over and picking things up and more. The house is cleaned up and it looks nice too.

I burned 1217 calories just by cleaning the house. I even broke a sweat doing it. Who knew it was hard work cleaning a 3000 something square foot house? I sure didn't?! I plan on going for a walk/run at my parents on Friday and then on Sunday we are heading to the North Carolina Zoo and that is exercise in itself. We normally park in Africa because the way we walk is all uphill which is a great workout for us all and it's supposed to be a pretty day. We plan on packing our lunch and eating there . I'm hoping Yoda will be alright while we are there and he is here for most of the day. Last time we went to the zoo we got rained out halfway during our trip so we're hoping this go round we will be able to see of the exhibits.

Another thing I plan on doing is going on Saturday to Dicks Sporting Goods and trying on several pairs of different running shoes. I want to see what pair feels the best to me. I have tried on Asics before but they were the Kayanos and they hurt my feet. But I haven't given any of the other models a try. I will try them this time. I need to find a good pair that has a ton of support. What is your favorite pair of running shoe and why?

First Run

Yesterday, Monday, May 26th was my first run. I went down to the track and I had a good run. I didn't last long but it's ok. I lasted longer than I thought I would. I keep getting shin splints and so I think it's time for a new pair of shoes. I need to work on my form too because I will admit I am a heel striker and have been ever since high school. I was in band and when you march you have it drilled in your head that it's heel to toe and so that's what I think. Well...guess what I keep thinking when I run? Yep..that's it! I am going to my parents house on Thursday sometime and I will do my run at their house and it's so tempting to go back into Planet Fitness and join again. I miss going there on my lunch breaks and working out or going on weekends I don't have Olivia and working out. Oh well...one day I will get there again.

I ran .28 miles and I was super sore last night when I went to bed but this morning when I got up I was not that sore. I plan on getting some compression calf sleeves to help me out with the shin splints because I have been told they are some of the only only things that will help get rid of them.

Good Report from the Doctors

Today I had just a checkup at the doctors office and he said that from a month ago when I was last in there I had lost 7lbs. That made me feel so good and he could tell that I had been doing good. He gave me a few pointers to do and work on but other than that he said everything that I was doing was just perfect.

I'm still hurting as far as the mouth pain goes but not as bad as I was. So that is a good thing. Also you may notice that since last year compared to last June which is when I had my last weigh in of 297 I have lost 30.2lbs. Yay! That's a big thing for me. It might not seem like a lot for many of you but after being put on steroids for half a year this is wonderful news that I'm not heavy in that sense anymore and only 16lbs to go until I hit 250 lbs which is my next mini goal! I am working hard on it and I know that by the end of June I should hit that goal with no problem. I have also decided to start up with my T25 possibly next week but will let you know a little further in the weekend if I really chose to do that or not. It's very difficult but I think I can do it!

Glass Slipper Challenge Or Just the Half Marathon?

Recently I found out the cost of the Glass Slipper Challenge and whoa! I didn't expect to see the price so high just for two races. I have talked to Kristen and we both have a big decision to make if we want to still run the Glass Slipper Challenge or if we want to run just the Half Marathon. If we do just run the Half Marathon, I might run the 5k that Friday through Epcot or just walk it and enjoy it. I am also looking at running a half marathon this fall to get my time in so I will not be in a corral I shouldn't be in.

I feel good about this decision that I have decided about running in the Princess Half Marathon and possibly the GSC. I have been looking at treadmills and not sure if I am going to get one yet or not but it's something that I have been checking into.

Baked BBQ Chicken 9 WW Points Only Dinner

Tonight's dinner was only 9 points on Weight Watchers new points value and I have to say it was quite filling too. I used my Tupperware Ultra Pro Pan to bake my chicken in and used my Chicken 'n' Ribs bbq sauce on them. The chicken was only worth 2 points and the bbq sauce was 1 point. I also cooked 3 small ears of corn on the cob and made a small salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. This was a total of 9 points total for dinner and I thought that wasn't too bad at all considering my dinner last night was worth like 15 points.

Above is a picture of the baked chicken that I made tonight for dinner.

Treadmill..Maybe

Jason and I will be going to Play it Again Sports to check out what they have as far as Treadmills go. I did get a tire pump to pump up Olivia's tires so that we can pump up her tires on her bike and we can go for a walk/run but on the days that it's just so nasty out I want to be able to work out at home and still walk/run at home. So I want to be able to lose this weight and I want to be able to start training for this Glass Slipper Challenge as soon as possible. I'm a new runner and I want to be sure that I will be able to keep up with the pace that is set by runDisney of 16 miles. So if I can get this set then I'm sure I can be good to go!! I want all three of those medals and I want to be a Princess!

What treadmill do you run on and what works best for you?

Walking and Running

Today I was going to start working on the Couch to Run 10k program but seriously can't because it's storming out today. Go figure! So instead I will be working on homework instead. But I like my new teacher in my accounting class this go round.

I have been walking in the evening and it feels good. One thing that I have been wanting to get is a Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Watch for helping me start out with my running and so I hope that I can get one soon. I'm not sure if the Fitbit will be able to do the same thing that I want it to do. I am also going to register for the Glass Slipper Challenge when it opens up in July as well as one of my oldest Best Friends, Kristen who is just as excited in running this with me. I will also look for a half marathon and a 10k to run that I can run before the two races in February 2015.

One thing that I have not had now is no soda since Sunday. That is a big thing for me because I am addicted to soda or at least was. I now have only been drinking one Diet Citrus Green Tea a day and the rest is all Water. That is amazing and I feel so much better too. This week though I feel kind of out of it because I have a tooth that needs to be pulled on Monday. But I have been eating a lot of fruits and veggies too. I have also decided to go back to doing Weight Watchers and I feel like I made the right decision on this too.

Have you ever run a runDisney event before? 

I'm still here...but making changes!

So I'm still trying to work on losing weight and running. I had to stop for a while due to my joints and muscles hurting and not feeling like I had any energy. Well after a few tests that I had done I found out that my Vitamin D was very low. I have a Vitamin D Deficiency and that would explain a lot of different things that has been happening with me. I have been on 50,000 iu of Vitamin D once a week for 2 weeks now and so it's something that honestly has been making me feel so much better. I have energy and I am now able to walk a good distance without my legs swelling and hurting so bad. I feel so good about it too!!!

So now onto what I am going to do in February!!! I am going to do the Princess Half Marathon and the Glass Slipper Challenge at Disney World! I'm doing it with one of my best friends, Kristen who has been a runner for years. I plan on getting a running watch as well and so things are going to be good. I have been losing weight as well since starting the vitamin d which makes me super happy. I am going to try to update this at least 3 times a week! If I miss a few days please don't shoot me because I am still in school and starting a new semester this coming Monday.