Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

I've had a wonderful December so far. My BFF is in town for two weeks all the way from Maryland, and she asked me to "train" her while she is here. I told her to get ready to bring it, because I do not mess around! So, I've been kicking her ass, and its been so fun. Muhahaha!

For Christmas, my sister blew me out of the water by buying me a friggin' Wii!!!! She also bought me Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010, and I've been having fun "playing" with it. I've done the running portion a few times now, and to be truthful, I haven't really ran since my 5k in November. So, my legs think they're dying and I've been in pain for a few days, ha. But, it is a good pain, and I need to get back to running so I don't loose my endurance I've built up! So, yay for Wii consoles!

Speaking of running...I've found a running partner! We haven't actually ran together yet, seeing as I've just met him on Christmas Eve, but we're both runners without running partners, so as soon as the weather cooperates and stops being so rainy & disgusting...we shall be running. He is an awesome dude, who has an awesome sister that I know, so it'll be fun actually having someone hitting the pavement next to me for a change!

Alright kids, I am out. Hope everyone has a great NYE! Don't get into too much trouble!

Blog y'all next year!

Easily excitable.

This is a good week.

I started p90x. It makes me feel amazing.

My best friend who lives in Maryland (yeah, that's a whole 3,000+ miles away from me!) is home for Christmas for the next two weeks. We're being reunited tonight. I haven't seen her since LAST Christmas, and I am so f'n stoked she's here!

Yesterday, JILLIAN MICHAELS TWEETED ME. I shouldn't be as excited about that as I am, but, um, HELLO?! Its my woman!

Someone at work had pre-ordered her new book, and without even asking me, put my name on the wait list. I had tweeted something along the lines of, "HAHA, my co-workers know me too well; someone pre-ordered @jillianmichaels new book and automatically put me on the waitlist! :)"

I didn't think anything of it. I'm sure hundred of my tweets have mentioned Jill before. But, I few hours later my phone notified me that someone had replied to me on Twitter. I check to see who/what it was and I'm pretty sure my eyes got a little wide when I saw THIS!



Now, usually she only replies to people when they ask a question. Maybe she just thought she'd inform me I'd be waiting a long ass time for the book, hahaha. (Which, I am aware of, because she's apparently doing a book signing in Los Angeles when it comes out and I had already decided I was going!)

Ugh. I love her. She made my day. As geeky as that sounds. :p

Frustrated.

The scale and I have been had an on again/off again relationship for a long time.

For years, he taunted and made fun of me. He made me cry. Sometimes, he made me the happiest girl alive. Finally, I thought to myself: do you really need this jerk in your life?

So for about 8 months, I was strong and didn't even flirt with the scale. Then, I caved, missed Mr. Scale, and took him back.

This past month has been another battle. Up and down, up and down, up and down the numbers have gone. AND THE NUMBERS SHOULDN'T EVEN MATTER ANYMORE! I am at almost my lowest weight that I've ever been at in my adult life, and I should just be proud of myself. But no, I subject myself to feeling like a "failure" every week by weighing myself.

Up. Down. Up. Down.

I know the reasons for this too. I've been lacking severely bad at drinking water lately. I've been a coffee addict. This, my friends, is no good at ALL.

Second, I've been gaining a ton of muscle. I can feel it in my arms and legs. I can see the definition changing every week. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, of course the scale is going to show a larger number! Duh.

But, despite knowing what I need to do, I don't. Sigh. I think I need to break up with the scale again. He's no good to me.

How do you really EVER get over being an overweight child? Is this going to haunt me for the rest of my life? Can't I ever be HAPPY with myself?

This has currently been kicking my ass:



Or, to be precise, should I say its been currently kicking my ABS?

I first became acquainted with this workout on the Jillian Michaels Ultimate Wellness Cruise. I took this class with Maddie Karlsson (who is also in the DVD!) onboard, which was an experience in itself. One: I had never done any sort of group classes before the cruise and Two: I apparently have really great form during some moves, and extremely poor form during others! But, I gladly accepted Maddie coming and moving my arm, leg, feet, whatever! was wrongly placed during the workout, rather then stumble and hurt myself doing something incorrectly.

Anyway, back to the review! I pre-ordered the DVD well before it was released, and then stalked the shit out of UPS' website once I received the email that it had shipped. Finally, a half-week later, I found it in my mailbox, which improved my mood on a rainy Saturday.

I haven't been able to sit down without making a noise since that Saturday. My abs BURN. They are sore. My entire core hurts.

I. LOVE. IT.

Now, am I really expecting to walk away with a six-pack after 6 weeks? Of course not. Am I hoping it gives me a little definition, and by little, I don't care how little it is, as long as I see SOMETHING? Yes.

Jillian has me doing some ab exercises I never knew existed. And, may I just state how much I loathe burpees?! Ugh. Loathe. It starts with a warm-up, and has intervals of different ab moves for 15 or so minutes, and then you repeat them all over again from the top, with more intensity. Which, by that point, my breathing sounds like I'm a fat kid with asthma trying to run around the block after a stray dog. Truth. I'm breathing, and grunting, and sweating all over the place! Surprisngly, I haven't cursed at Jillian yet though... With the cooldown, and stretch, it lasts about 35 minutes total.


Overall, I'm pretty pleases and am in L-O-V-E with this DVD. Jillian is looking smokin' hot in it, as well, might I add! ;)

Now. Lets see if I can survive Level One for the next few weeks, and see how much I still enjoy it after Level Two. I'll admit it: I'm scared.

10.6 miles.

Hmmm.

Somewhere in this crazy big-curly-haired head of mine, I've gotten the idea that on May 1st, I can run a 10.6 mile marathon. I don't even think its an idea, either. I think its seriously do-able.

My neighbor/co-worker did it last year, and today at work she told me she just signed up for the 2011 one. I'm totally tempted to do it. I am more then tempted. I am most likely going to sign up for it if its not sold out when I get my paycheck on the 10th.

Am I crazy? Who in their right mind would willingly WANT to run 10.6 miles?!

*Raises hand*

Oh. Me.

Running is a mental sport, and we are all INSANE.

Edit: FAIL. I just realized I'll be on a cruise (and in the middle of the ocean) on May 1st. Guess I'm back to my original goal of a half marathon in November 2011! 13.2, I'll be coming for you. Holla, craziness.

A New Inspiration!

I have something to keep me motivated to for at LEAST the next year!

THIS:


One of my best childhood friends is getting married in October '11, and last night she sent me the link to the dress. Luckily I love it, and its cheap, ha! ;)

One of my other friends is getting married that month as well, so I guess I'm gonna be busting my ass off for the next 11 months or so to make sure I look good for my friends!

I'm excited. I have to head up to Milpitas to try on the dress/order my size/color in the next few weeks and I'm looking forward to it. I've been TO weddings before, but never been IN a wedding. Looking forward to getting glamed up and smokin' hot! :D

WOOT!

Run Forrest Run 5k Experience!

the training.

the anticipation.

the excitement.

the nerves.

I'm pretty sure i experienced all of these thoughts and emotions running through my head in the hour leading up to the race on that Saturday. did i train long enough? this wait is KILLING me! oh my gosh, there's so many runners around me, i love this feeling. uh...am i going to trip and fall or pass out?

i started my running adventure at the end of august/beginning of September, using the Couch to 5k program. the first week was HARD. i could barely run a full MINUTE, let alone 3 miles! and now, here it was a mere 13 weeks later, running a 5k.

and ok, ok. i know 3 miles isn't far. but for me, it is a milestone.

i initially was going to run with my friend Babs, but she hurt her knee a few weeks ago and hasn't ran since, fearing she'd make it worse. for awhile i thought about not doing the 5k. after getting off the jillian cruise, i have been super motivated and working out regularly (and loosing 7 pounds in the process. WHAT?! where'd the fat fall off from? haha...) so the Friday before the race i went down to the convention center where the health and fitness expo was being held and signed up for late registration.

5 minutes, $30, a shirt & bib later...I WAS REGISTERED. I went and walked the course to become familiar with it, grinned ear to ear, and then went home and did a happy dance. (literally. i danced around my studio.)

Saturday i woke up quite early. I stretched, ate a banana & some peanut butter, drank some powerade. I wanted to make sure i was set to go! Headed down around 8am, and watched the end of the kids’ 3k. Dude, those kids run FAST!

Finally, they corralled us 5k-ers into the street, and with a countdown of “10, 9, 8...RUN FORREST RUN!” we were off!

Stupidly, I did not check to see if my laces were tied tightly, so before I even hit the 1 mile mark I had to stop to tie my left shoe. Seriously?! I picked up my speed to catch up on some lost time, and ran my way through the next mile or so where...MY DAMN RIGHT SHOELACE CAME UNDONE. UGGHHH!

I made it through the 3 miles though, and when I turned the corner and saw the finish line i couldn't believe it was over.

31:05 was my time. I’m happy with it. It could use much improvement, but hey! Its my first and the only goal i had was to finish, and that i did!

Afterwards, I met the wonderful Cindy Lou! We were both on the Jillian Cruise, but hadn’t met in person. She found me on Facebook, and I spotted her afterwards and we chatted and gushed for a half hour. We have a lot in common and I’m glad we met! HI CL!! :D

So now I am hooked and want to do more. I actually made a goal to run the HALF marathon next November. it sounds crazy, but I think I could do it.