Back to Work

I started back at work this morning, and I thought it would be best to start off on the right foot.

Necklace from: my mom (I think it's from Avon?)

Shirt from: Old Navy

Skirt from: Target

Shoes from: Kohl's

 

And I felt great! We are a casual office, but it's always nice to get done up (especially when it helps you feel more confidence). I really think I'm going to try to get dressed up Monday through Thursday (aka- no jeans) and then go casual/cute on Friday's.

Goal: 1200
Food: 1298
Exercise: -217
Net: 1070

 

Breakfast:
Whole Wheat English Muffin (110)
1/2 Tbsp Creamy Peanut Butter (42)

Lunch: 
Sushi (560)

Snack: 
Swedish Fish (225)
Dinner: 
2 Slices Cheese Pizza (360)
Exercise:
30 Donkey Kicks, 1.37 mile walk  Calories burned: -217

Positive: I started back at work today and I rocked my outfit. I looked good because I felt good. I had confidence in myself and I really think it showed.

The Good: First day back at work and so much has changed since I left. So much good changes that I can't even begin to explain how excited I am to be back. A few people have left (and all but one will be missed). A few people have joined. I start training next Monday and cannot wait to learn my new job. I am no longer on the bottom of the totem pole!

The Bad: It's difficult being away from Isabel. I have gotten used to being with her all day every day for the past three and a half months. I don't want to leave her in the mornings, but it definitely helps if she stays asleep. If she wakes up before I leave there are a lot of tears on both ends. I miss her during the day when I'm at work, but am thankful that she is with my parents and that they have her call me. When I get home, she usually wants nothing to do with me and has a horrible time listening to me. It's a difficult balance we have yet to find.

Thoughts: 
* I am hoping to get to bed earlier tonight. I tried going to bed early last night, but could not fall asleep. I think tonight might be a little easier, but since Patrick is closing and doesn't get home until close to 11 I will probably wake up then.

* I am having a difficult time with the 30 Day Push challenge. I made my 10 goals for the year, but thanks to some help from some friends who are also doing the challenge, some of my goals are not measurable. I will need to focus on making more measurable goals next week (since this assignment is done weekly). I'm going to keep these ten for now:
1. Have more confidence in myself
2. Be more positive about my body and what it can do
3. Go back to school for marine biology
4. Save over $10,000 in our house savings account as a starting point
5. Sign up for the Dopey Challenge
6. Make weekly workout schedules and stick with it
7. Be more organized at home
8. Be more comfortable in the kitchen
9. Start my own business cross stitching my photography
10. Buy a new family car

* I realized today how much I love my job. I left feeling very stressed about things and came back with an entirely new outlook. Training is going to be all week next week and I have such an amazing feeling about how things are turning out.

* My mom is having surgery on her back tomorrow. Nothing serious, and in all honesty it is a routine surgery. But routine in my family has not always ended well. Almost four years ago my dad's heart stopped during a routine surgery. It was the fault of the anesthesiologist, and I have never really dealt with the feelings about that day. Fortunately, the hell of that month is far behind us and he's a pretty healthy man, but every time one of us has to have surgery it washes up those memories and it's a scary few hours until we get the call that everything is okay.

Sunday July 7th

I decided to start over this morning and in doing so I updated my profile on My Fitness Pal. In doing so I decided to change my weekly goal from losing 1 pound a week to losing 2 pounds a week. This will lower my daily calorie goal from 1540 to 1200. I will also be eating the calories I burn. I think when I was eating 1540 calories I was eating too much, which was why I wasn't losing any weight. That may not be the reason why, but I think it is the most obvious and I feel like this change may be what I need to start seeing the scale move in the right direction.

I will weigh in monthly as well as take measurements monthly. I will also be focusing my food intake on the good healthy guidelines set by Weight Watchers. These include dairy, whole grains, protein, fruits and veggies and water, among a few others. If I can focus on eating healthier foods then I know I can succeed.

I made a workout schedule for this week and hope to stick to it as best as I possibly can. Obviously things may change, but this is what I would like to have happen.

Sunday July 7th: 20 Donkey Kicks, 30 minutes stationary bike, 30 minutes elliptical
Monday July 8th: 25 Donkey Kicks, 30-45 minute interval run
Tuesday July 9th: 30 Donkey Kicks
Wednesday July 10th: 35 Donkey Kicks, 30-45 minute interval run
Thursday July 11th: 40 Donkey Kicks
Friday July 12th: 45 Donkey Kicks, 30 minute stationary bike, 30 minutes elliptical
Saturday July 13th: 50 Donkey Kicks, 5 mile run

I also decided to start Chalene Johnsons 30 Day Push again. I watched the first video yesterday and am feeling dedicated to making it the full 30 days. I have seen a few people make it through the entire program and experience such wonderful changes in their lives that I want to put in the work to get that positive change myself. I made it about 2 weeks last time and am focused to complete it this go around.

Day one was all about getting started and the daily homework was to write down your values, what's important to you, what you want people to know you for, what you want to be remembered for, what the guiding principles in your life are, and what things you feel have a calling to you. It was more difficult than I thought it would be, but I did it. Today I've been working on what my priorities are and I am still trying to make it through that. We'll see how the next 28 days go and if I become more organized and focused on my goals.

Goal: 1200
Food: 1922
Exercise: -898
Net: 1024

Breakfast:
Chobani Flip Cups- Key Lime (180)
Soy milk- Regular Light (60)

Lunch:
Chicken Caesar Salad- dressing on the side (503)

Snack:
1/2 soft pretzel (200)
Swedish fish (150)

Dinner:
Taco Bell Chicken Cantina Bowl (560)
Taco Bell Pink Lemonade Freeze (270)

Exercise:
20 Donkey Kicks
35 minutes Stationary Bike (9.59 miles)
33 minutes Elliptical (2.91 miles)
Calories burned: -898

Positive: I made it through my scheduled workout at the gym. I felt like quitting a few times during both the bike ride and while on the elliptical, but I pushed through and I am really proud of myself for sticking with it.

The Good: I started over today instead of waiting another day. The binge-fest did not need to continue as the vacation is over and it is back to reality. I very easily could have put it off a day and started at the beginning of the week, or better yet I could have waited until the 12th so that my challenge would have ended on our one year anniversary. But I didn't do that, I tracked my food and worked out.

The Bad: I need to go grocery shopping and buy fruits and veggies. I am hoping to do this tomorrow so that I have some healthy foods to bring with me for my lunches for work starting on Tuesday. I know that if I bring healthy foods to snack on and have for lunch then I will have nothing to worry about. As long as I bring only what I'm going to eat for that day then I will be fine. Until I make it to the grocery store to get these healthy foods I am a little stuck searching for foods in our slightly bare cupboards and refrigerator.

Thoughts:
*Donkey kicks are going to do wonders for my backside. I hope... I only had to do 20 on each side today and towards the end of the second set of 10 I could definitely feel the burn. I am looking forward to toning up and getting through a challenge. Getting up to 100 is going to be painful. Painful and so worth it.

*It was nice being able to sleep in this morning. I woke up a few times between 6 am (when Patrick left for work) and when I got out of bed at 8:30 am. After waking up no later than 7 am while on vacation I needed the extra sleep. I can say that I am looking forward to getting up at 6 am when I go back to work on Tuesday. Yes, you read that right. I am looking forward to it. I love having a schedule and going to work every day is the best kind of schedule.

*I am trying to decide if I want to go to the gym before work or after work next week. Since I am only going to be going 2-3 days a week I need to see how busy the gym is when I get home from work before I decide if it's worth it to get up extra early to get in an hour workout, shower at the gym and then go to work on those few occasions.

*It felt great getting back to the gym tonight and I am so glad I went and that I stayed for the entire time scheduled. I also talked to someone about my two free training sessions and am hoping to set those up sometime this week. I received an email last week while on vacation that said the following (mind you while reading this email I totally felt confident in my choice to join this gym):

"As a new member in our club, it is our duty to get you started on the right track to reach your fitness goals. Nothing is more important to us than providing our members with the finest fitness programs.

Body Xchange trainers have been trained extensively for weight loss management, overall fitness performance, muscle toning, athletic training and post rehabilitation exercises. With your membership you will receive two orientation sessions ($120 value).
 

If you are an existing member that has never had the opportunity to work with one of our fitness professionals, please sign up immediately for your two sessions.

Our belief is......"Results cause Motivation", so if you're not getting them we want to help.

Remember one thing: You will not change your health and physique overnight. Be patient and the results are guaranteed. If you are new to exercise, we recommend 2-3 times a week at about 45 minutes each workout if you are able to. If 45 minutes is too much, do what you can and add a few minutes each visit. Within 30 days, you will do just fine. THERE ARE NO MAGIC PILLS!"

 

*I hate doing laundry. HATE IT!

 

*My husband is annoying to live with. I only type this because he just said "I must be really annoying to live with" and because I know he reads my blog occasionally. I am hoping he will read this so that I can see his reaction. Truth be told, he is not annoying to live with.

 

*I already have the outfit I plan on wearing for my first day back to work. I know it is fancier than need be (we are a casual office) but I like dressing up and I feel more confident when I get dressed nicely and put on make up and do my hair. Can't promise I'll be doing my hair, but I am planning on doing my make up.

 

*I am having mixed feelings about going back to work on Tuesday. On one hand I like having the schedule, I'm excited to make my promotion official and to start training for that position and I'm excited to see my coworkers again. But on the other hand I have not made the best use of my three months off of work and I feel like I spent the majority of the time lounging around in a near depression. I am going to desperately miss the time I have been able to spend with Isabel. I never thought I would be the type of person who wanted to be a stay at home mom (at least not full time), but now that I have to go back I don't want to.

 

*I am ready for success. I am ready to allow myself to experience success. I deserve to be successful. I can only get out of this what I put into it. I am so ready to work my ass off (literally) in order to be healthier and more physically fit. I am ready to be in great shape so that training can be easier and so that I can enjoy running again.