"Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new." - Sammy Hagar

Happy Birthday to ME!

I'm officially a quarter of a century old and I am now firmly in my mid-twenties. So how do we celebrate this momentous occasion? FOOD! My awesome husband is taking me out for some fondue tonight. NOMZ! I've been doing well this week so I feel comfortable letting my hair down a little food wise for one meal. 

I was hoping to hit 30 pounds lost today but no luck there. I'm firmly stuck at 29 pounds lost. My body is doing the "HOLD ALL THE WEIGHT!" thing it did when I started insanity and then I dropped 7 pounds out of nowhere. So I'll wait it out. Trying to lose weight has definitely taught me the virtue of patience!

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So, I had a small revelation yesterday. I think I'll be ready to do my goal race (Run for the Diamonds) on Thanksgiving. Eleven days before that race, I run my first 10K so I should have plenty of time to recover and run the race I've been dreaming of for 20 years. It's going to be REALLY hard. The course is up and down the mountains = MEGA HILLS. And the course is NINE miles + MEGA HILLS. Yikes! I'm stubborn and I'm going to do it. I am going to need a lot of Gatorade and those energy gels to get through it but I want it to happen. Registration doesn't open until September so I have some more time to mull it over and see how I continue to progress with training. Fingers crossed!

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Insanity is going well. I'm 2 days into week 2 of the second month, and I am already seeing a different in my endurance and strength. My arms are getting much more taut and shapely. I'm losing more in my waist and hips, and I can fit in my 11/12 jeans I got a month ago that were a tad bit too tight to button. Win!

Last post I promised to post my recipe for Chocolate Strawberry Protein Smoothie! I looked at a lot of different websites and combined what I liked from all of them to come up with this. The Smoothie is definitely for chocolate lovers. You can sub the strawberries with almost any fruit. I want to try it with bananas next!

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Chocolate Strawberry Protein Smoothie:

- 1 cup of chocolate soy milk (or almond, coconut, rice, whatever-you-prefer milk! I like soy & coconut.)

- 3/4 cup of frozen or fresh strawberries or fruit of choice (I made it both ways but frozen makes a thicker consistency.)

- ~1 cup baby spinach (I just grabbed a big handful)

- 1 scoop chocolate protein powder (Optimum Nutrition is my fav!)

- Ice for desired thickness

OPTIONAL: add 1/2 tsp-1 tsp of instant coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor and put some pep in your step! 

Blend and Enjoy!

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There is truly nothing better than chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate! You can also omit the protein powder and use a teaspoon of cocoa powder instead. 

I'm tempted to go and make myself one now!

What is your favorite smoothie recipe?

“A bruise is a lesson...and each lesson makes us better.” ― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

This week is the week of PAIN.

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I knew going into the second month of Insanity that I would be sore, but I never expected to be this sore. What is most impressive to myself is that I'm working through it even though I really, really, really don't want to.

The DOMS (delayed on-set muscle soreness) is as bad as it was when I first started exercising over 6 months ago. Yesterday was really sore legs. Today is really sore arms and shoulders. If it doesn't challenge you it doesn't change you, right?

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=)

Today's Insanity workout was Max Cardio Conditioning. I don't know if it was because this was an off day from running or that the workout was only 47 minutes, but I actually had some semblance of "fun." Max Cardio wasn't nearly as bad as Plyo or Interval Circuit. Now next week it starts to be combined with cardio abs so we'll see if that feeling lasts!

People's reactions to the fact that I do Insanity are funny. Most people just don't believe me or think I'm crazy. That's fine. I like doing something that most people won't even try.The biggest tip for surviving Insanity is to take an extra rest break or two (or three!) when you need it. There has been a few times I pushed a little too much and either started dry heaving or had those little black "pass out dots" appear. Unless you faint, puke, or die keep going!

Running since the race has been interesting. I've been pushing hard to get comfortable at running 12:30 minute mile. I did 2 miles at that pace and was in the land of side stitches. Maybe in a month things will be easier? I sure hope so.

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For now with running,  I'm going to start focusing on increasing distance and endurance over speed. The big event of this year is the 10K in November. I went race shopping crazy today and signed up for two races in September. The first race is September 22nd and is a 7K. The second race I thought was a 5 miler but it is actually a 5k is September 28th. I'm super excited for both but nervous because they are smaller races so you can't hide in the crowd as much! No matter what happens I'm going to own each and every mile! Side stitches or not!

In the far future I want to do a 10 miler and then a half marathon (my ultimate goal!). It is going to be a long, hard road to get to each goal race, but I'm learning to embrace pain. Sore muscles and pulled muscles are just part of this lifestyle. At first I was very freaked out by the little aches and pains. Now I'm starting to realize that there are going to be days/weeks of pain, but there will also be those days/weeks of feeling strong, awesome, and powerful. Right now is a week of pain. This too shall pass.

I'm debating on getting up super early on Saturday and going to the lake for an easy jog. I've been waking up every morning at 6 am feeling wide awake and usually fall back to sleep until 8. With it getting hotter during the early afternoon, I need to do early morning runs. I run HORRIBLY in the heat. Anything above 70 degrees makes me feel awful. I cannot wait for fall and winter! I've never said that in my life, but I feel better when it's cold. Summer is my self-proclaimed off season for races. I'd like to do some races with my friends but July and August are completely off limits. Unless the race is in Canada or the very northern US states.

I'm exhausted! Time for a dark chocolate strawberry smoothie! I'll share the recipe next post.

Do you like running in the heat or the cold? Why?

Color Me Rad Recap & Insanity Month 2, Day 1

The weekend was a BLAST!

On Saturday morning, we headed out to Philly to meet up and hang out with my friend who I've known since I was in preschool. It has been over 2 years since I last saw her, but you'd never know it! It makes me sad that I can't see her more often, but that's what road trips and races are for! Through her, I met a TON of new people and amazing runners. With all the excitement from the weekend, I was out like a light by 10 pm on Sunday night after resisting sleep for as long as I could.

Now for the race!

Pre-run cleanliness!
I'm the one with the black shin sleeves and hat.

The day was overcast, light drizzle on and off, and rather muggy and warm. I felt decent and had time to warm up and stretch well. There were so many people all over ranging in athleticism. We were packed in at the starting line like cattle and finally got to the open road after a few minutes. The group I was racing with was much faster than I was (about a 9-10 minute mile pace, maybe less) and I lost them after 10 minutes. I decided to just go as fast as I could and play catch the people in front of me. I had side stitches the ENTIRE race. I could really feel that I was pushing it, but due to the race not being timed and no one had a watch, I really couldn't tell what my pace was. I finished really fast but the course may not have been exactly a 5K.

The powdered color stations were horrible and I was happy that I had a handkerchief to cover my mouth with. Two of the color stations were liquid color sprayers, which I liked better but it stained my skin a lot worse than the powder. The finish line was a giant blinding burst of purple powder as I hacked and sputtered and tried not to slam into other runners who couldn't see either. I made it through the wilderness of purple haze and picked up a color packet to throw at my friends. We had a lot of fun with that.

After the race, we color bombed each other, we participated in the giant color release. That was so cool even though my lungs are probably technicolor. And the pictures that my hubby got are awesome!

OoOo pretty!

When we had enough color, we all clambered back to the car, put a tarp on the back seat and tried out best not to get color on the car. Traffic was horrible and we seriously considered running back to the apartment. Instead, the police opened up traffic to go two ways on a one way street and we were out of there! We were all glad to get a shower since we felt like we crushed up sidewalk chalk and rolled in it. I scrubbed as much color off as I could but the purple, blue, pink, and orange that got wet from the rain and my sweat stained my skin. I wasn't happy about that, but I was too tired and hungry to really care what the outside world thought of my new colors.

For brunch, we went to this awesome restaurant that offered crazy amounts of beer and sangria that looked amazing. I was sad since I'm not really allowed to drink anymore due to the new medication I'm on. And I LOVE sangria. So I ordered myself some brioche french toast with fruit and ate EVERYTHING. Everyone probably thought I was odd since I didn't participate in any discussions. I just closed down and dug into my brunch. There was only the food and that was all I cared about. I didn't realize that I did that at the time, but my husband pointed it out to me later. When my body wants to eat, it eats and nothing else matters. All I remember thinking was I'm tired...so tired...I'm hungry...Where's the food...I really want a sangria, damn meds...food is here...EAT ALL THE FOOD!

Due to the traffic and craziness on the way home, I didn't get to nap like I planned. Instead I spent the 2 hours being a backseat driver and yelling at my husband to slow down. I was a cranky pants. At a rest stop I decided I was hungry again and got a chicken quesadilla. BAD DECISION. I woke up early this morning and spent 2 hours expelling it from my body. I cannot eat fast food of any kind whatsoever. I thought I would be safe with that. Apparently not. I got a quesadilla in the mexican airport and nothing bad like that happened! But that was before I started eating well, eating out less often, and making my own food. My body wants no part of fast food trash anymore. If it makes me that sick now, I can only imagine what it was doing to me before when I could down 2000+ calories in one meal of my fast food of choice.

I woke up today around 9 (after getting back to sleep once my stomach had stopped revolting) and just felt exhausted. Part of the exhaustion was from the race and travel, and part of it was from the early morning surprise. I managed to convince myself to just do Insanity and that running could wait until Wednesday. Besides, Insanity keeps me in amazing cardiovascular shape so I wasn't concerned.

Today was the start of month 2 and my third Fit Test. I went all out on the fit test and beat all of my second test records. I'm learning that I'm extremely competitive and pushed through what I thought was my limit a few times. After the fit test was Max Interval Circuit. When the video started, I saw that it was 60 minutes long, and after pushing myself hard for 25 minutes I wanted to cry. I got about halfway through the workout and my body was exhausted! I paused it and grabbed the electrolyte fizz tablet that I got at my first 5K and popped it in a big glass of water. I took a gulp of of fizzy water at every water break and it really helped me get some energy back. At times I would just collapse, but I made it to cool down and was so very happy to stretch out.

Currently, I feel like every muscle in my body is lead and I know tomorrow I will be experiencing some DOMS for sure. I'm ready for bed and just wanted to get this post written, since tomorrow I will be in considerable pain due to the dentist. I'm happy in a way since after these fillings I'll be done and just have to protect my teeth from now on. Hopefully. It's still not fun and it is going to be painful, but in 24 hours it'll all be over and I'll be very relieved. Wish me luck and effective Novocaine!

Scale Victory and Second Race Excitement

"Running has taught me to be patient, to trust the process, that anything worth doing is worth training for and doing well. It has made me a better wife, co-worker, friend, nurse, sister, daughter, and person in general."  ~Andi Ball, Runner's World Challenger of the Week 

Thought you'd get away without a quote? NEVER! 

I'm beyond excited for the race on Sunday! I have just about everything set aside so now all I have to do is pack. Tomorrow we'll be clambering in a car for a short drive and enjoying the day with one of my awesome friends I haven't seen in so long. We go way back to grade school. I can't wait!!

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I had a great scale victory today! I lost 2 pounds in a week. TWO! I'm down to 176.8 now. I am beyond shocked. I haven't been really strict and I've been eating chocolate (skinny cow cookies and cream bars...SO GOOD). Only 1.8 pounds to go until I have lost 30 pounds! It has been A LOT of hard work, but it was 100% worth it!

According to some of the Insanity reviews I've been reading, you really start losing during the second month so it's right on time. I just finished off recovery week (hah! It was still hard.) and will start month 2 on Monday. It'll be rough and I might still be sore from the race, but I got to do what I got to do. Tuesday is the second dentist appointment for the rest of the fillings I need. I'm ready to get it over with, but I know I'll be doing nothing but laying around and putting a warm compress on my sore jaw. It'll also be a small mileage week due to recovering, but the following week I'll be back to 10K training. 

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Today I did a short run of a little more than a mile and a half, but I ran at a 12 minute mile during the whole thing. At first it was a bit tough, but my body really started getting into the groove about halfway through. I've been working on the treadmill to work on my running form so I can stay away from calf injuries. I've been trying to change my foot to a mid foot strike instead of a forefoot strike. Running with the mid foot strike seems to work best with my legs and knees. 

Overall, I'm just amazed that I'll be running my second 5K this Sunday. I've always stood on the sidelines of my dad's races thinking to myself, "Okay, this year I'll get in shape and do this." But the year came and went with no progress. It wasn't until I hit absolute rock bottom that I found the courage and determination to actually commit to running. I won't really feel like a true runner until I run a half marathon. My mother thinks that I'm absolutely insane for wanting to be a distance runner like my dad. I've done the research and I know that even though it may be stressful for my body, in the long run it is better for my body than not. And with a family history of bad knees and heart disease, I need all the help I can get to stay healthy for as long as possible.

I want to wish my father a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY! He is my hero and the reason I race. On Sunday I'll be running this race for him. I hope that one day in the future he'll be on the sidelines cheering for me as I cross the finish line of my first marathon. I know that would make him so happy (and a bit concerned since he knows how hard marathons are). I love you dad!

Like father, like daughter...

"I want to get more comfortable being uncomfortable. I want to get more confident being uncertain. I don't want to shrink back just because something isn't easy. I want to push back, and make more room in the area between I can't and I can. Maybe that spot is called I will." ~Kristin Armstrong, Mile Markers blog, Runner's World.com

I signed up for runnersworld.com quote of the day and I am loving it! I have a thing for motivational quotes if you couldn't tell.

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Anyway, today's run was FANTASTIC. After dealing with side stitches during each of my last two runs, I finally was free of them during today's run. I felt light, airy and really motivated. I rocked out to every song on my Ipod, and I'm sure the people who walked past the gym thought I was nuts since I like to lip synch. I didn't care. It has been a while since running felt that good, that easy, that free. I decided since I was having such a good time I'd see if I could run a 5K. I finished the 5K and then some. I am extremely happy since I was really getting nervous about the race. 

Now I'm excited for the race! I'm sad my Dad won't be running this race with me, but I'll be racing with some pretty cool catz so it's all good. Bring on the color!!

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This week in Insanity is "recovery" week. Uh huh. I put the DVD in expecting Shaun T to have a yoga mat and a recovery shake. Nope. I was thoroughly disappointed. Yes, it was easier than most of the routines from month one, but it still leaves you breathless and burning! I was worried that my calorie burn would be low, ha ha ha. I'd say it's about 50 calories lower than my usual burn. I'm excited to be at this point, period. I never thought I could take on this challenge. The body is an amazing thing. 

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My legs are doing okay today. I really love my foam roller. The foam roller is going to be my BFF for however long my body will let me run. If you're having issues with muscle strains, do yourself a favor and get one. Foam rolling can be really uncomfortable, but it helps more than it may hurt. Mostly it just feels weird. 

I'm trying to figure out what to get my Dad for Father's Day. I think I'm going to print out one of the pictures of us from my first race and frame it. I want to put on the frame, " #1 Dad" on the top and "Thank You" on the bottom. I really think he'd like that and it's from the heart. Something along those lines. Sounds like tomorrow is going to be a crafty day! 

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Amen. My Dad is the reason I run.

What are you doing for Father's Day? Any races coming up?

"Trust your gut. You are your own best coach."- Ryan Hall, U.S. Marathoner

That quote in my header is true. You are your own best coach. I'm learning that every day I continue pushing myself to become a runner.

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I'm learning to love the roller!!

Since getting the foam roller, I'm learning how to work through my calf problems. My calves are the next obstacle to overcome in this journey to become a runner. Some people have knee issues, some people have tight hamstrings, but this is my Achilles heel (and my achilles tendons are decently tight too). Instead of crying over it, I'm doing every self massage, every foam roller technique, and lots of icing and hot baths to continue training, healing, and strengthening my weaknesses.

I decided to do a 2 mile run today (it was actually 2.27 to my surprise). I had a side stitch during 25 of the 30 minutes because I'm still getting back into the groove after a week and a half break. The past two runs have been really painful, but I push through because I'm not going to break now. I've come too far, pushed too hard, and achieved too much to let pain rule my life. My pace is slower than I'd like at 13:19, but I know in a few weeks I'll get back to where I was.

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I'm facing my second 5K at less than 100%. I may walk during part of it, especially if my calves start acting up. I'm taking my foam roller and will stretch beforehand to make sure I'll stay as loose as possible. After reading a ton of articles on working through different running issues, I've found that you're not always going to be 100% for every race. Learning how to run through this and having a bad race is going to be good for me. I'm learning more about myself running through 2 miles of pain than if every run was easy and effortless. All runners have days when running is a chore, and it makes you appreciate those days where you feel like you are floating. I've had too many good days. Now comes the time to separate the women from the girls.

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And I'm not a little girl anymore.

Besides getting back to running, I finally finished my first month of Insanity today. The feeling of accomplishment at the end of the workout was amazing. I actually did it! I actually made it to the halfway point of the program! Next week is recovery week and I am looking forward to that! I only have 3 more runs until the race and some extra stretching is more than welcome to make sure the muscles are primed and ready to rock!

Even though things have not been ideal so far, I'm excited to have accomplished so much. Running my second 5K in a week, getting halfway through Insanity, and getting my weight in the high 170s are three goals I'm very proud of. There's still plenty of work to do, but at least progress is being made!

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Yep, that's the pill I take too.

What accomplishments are you proud of so far? What hurdles have you overcome in order to reach your goals?

“In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.” - A. Camus

Foam rollers are a wonderful gift to all athletes and wanna-be-athletes like myself.

I love you foam roller.
Mine is smaller for travel and such.

I received this wonderful gift to myself yesterday afternoon. It was an odd sensation rolling out my calves and legs in general. Foam rolling is constant pressure on your muscles until they loosen up. The fun comes when you have horrible knots and strains (like me!). I wouldn't say it hurts, per say, I'd just say it is uncomfortable. And you have to remember to breathe. The release and recovery is worth all the "pain."

I got to run 1.5 miles today. Yes, it was a slow run, but it was a run all the same. Without Insanity to keep my cardiovascular system in shape, I really felt the lack of conditioning over the past week and a half. I had a  side stitch for most of time, but managed to get the entire distance in. Gangnam Style helped me push through the pain and keep going when I wanted to quit. Of course at the end I wanted an extra 5 minutes, but I knew better than to overdo it. My right calf isn't exactly healed yet, but I just couldn't wait. I may rest tomorrow just to make sure the right calf continues to heal before the next 5K.

Also, I got to pick back up with Insanity! I did the Cardio Recovery, which was a lot of stretching and strength work. Just what the doctor ordered!

So now we wait and watch and hopefully recondition. The Color Run isn't timed so I won't have an exact measure of how I did. I'm glad it isn't timed since I'm not as conditioned as I was for my first 5K. I am looking forward to seeing my long lost high school friend and getting covered in color!

Fingers crossed the leg keeps on healing!

The Calf Injury Saga & Pity Party

I was all dressed up and ready to go.

"Finally!" I thought, "Today is finally the day I get to return to running! There's a small pain in my other calf, but some self massage will clear it up. No worries!"

The massage didn't help. Now my calf is really hurting.

"No problems, I'll jog around the apartment and it'll loosen up!"

Five minutes of jogging later, pain is shooting up my calf and frustration is slowly building.

"This can't possibly be. I haven't done ANYTHING that would possibly pull this muscle! Except my body keeps getting really tense at night. No, just some more jogging."

Five minutes of jogging later and the pain is still there.

*Start of pity party*

"Why me! Why why why! All I want to do is run. That's all I think about. It's all I want to do and yet my body won't let me do it! Who pulls their leg in their sleep?!"

*Insert crying here*

My cat was confused at the noise I was making.
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My body is not being very nice to me lately. I still (technically) have today and tomorrow to rest for it to be a whole 7 days off since my injury. I really should rest the whole week. I hate resting.

My insomnia is back. After 3 days of crazy amounts of sleep (9-12 hours), it's baaaaack! I'm going to try and stick to a strict bed time routine to get my internal clock reset. This 3am-11am sleep schedule I find myself on is not working out.

So through all this body dysfunction, I'm still managing to lose some weight. I "cheat" weighed myself this morning and was down to 179.6 (I was 180.2 last week). My official weigh in day is usually Friday so I'm excited for it. I'd love it to be 179.2 so I will have officially lost a pound, but any loss is a good loss at this point.

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I threw myself a pity party today and even though I know there are way worse situations to be in, it really helped. The pity party was therapeutic in a way. Now I feel all zen-like and accepting of the world. All the frustration just kept building and building until it finally erupted today. In college, my Psych 101 professor taught us that the physical act of crying actually helps relieve sadness and is a good anti-depressant. Whether that study was true or not, it seems to help me. I'm an over emotional, theatrical kind of person so repressing strong feelings doesn't work for me, especially sadness. I know I look and sound like a spoiled five-year-old child, but after the 5-10 minutes of "tantrum" everything is okay with the world again. Or I could be going through the stages of grief. Or both.

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Thankfully whatever it is happened fast.

Now I'm just figuring out what to do next.  More healing! And maybe some lunch.

Here's hoping Friday is the day!!

The 180 lb. Reward Outfit!!

 Here's the new outfit! I'm probably going to wear it to a wedding we have in August.

Still have to tame those hips!

I love my huge calves. :)
Even though they are problem children...

Tomorrow I get to go back to running. HURRAY!!! I'm going to take it easy with only a 1-1.5 mile run just to make sure everything is feeling good. I'm always nervous getting back into it, but I know to take it slow and easy. I want to go hard or go home. Argh. I have to make sure I can run that 5K!

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough.” ― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

I love that quote.

I love The Last Lecture. I read that book when I was at the beach during the summer of my 19th birthday. The book is so inspiring and made me want to pursue graduate school and become a professor. Well, those plans didn't pan out, but I simply didn't want it enough.

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I try to remind myself of this.
Especially now.

Anyway, I find myself injured again. Right calf, same spot, very frustrating. I have a foam roller picked out and just need to get the go ahead from the master of coin to purchase it. The biggest problem I have is getting too stiff during a workout, both Insanity and running. I've been doing well with running, but the plyometrics in Insanity require a level of flexibility my calf muscles just don't have. My hamstrings are very tight as well, so stretching is a MUST. The foam roller is supposed to help with calf problems, runner's knee, and a plethora of other issues so I'm really looking forward to using it.

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This is the one I'm getting since it has a DVD.
I have no clue what I'm doing.

I go back to my general doctor in July/August to check up on my anxiety and blood pressure, and I'm going to bring up the problems with my calves and toes turning blue (freaky, I know). Maybe the doctor will send me for an ultrasound or MRI to check on it since I've injured it 3 times in the past 4 months? Here's hoping that the foam roller therapy works well!

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This is accurate of the weekend.

On the food front, this past weekend was just awful. I shoved so much food in my face, especially Friday when I ate 4 pieces of pizza! FOUR! I haven't done that in 6 months. Of course I had quite the tummy ache afterwards so I will not be doing that again any time soon. I ate at maintenance calories since I couldn't control my emotional eating. Whenever I injure myself I get really down and feel like the rest is going to set me back (it never really does to be honest, but that's how I feel) and I'm going to regain all 25 lbs I lost in a weekend. I gained .2 lbs. Not too shabby for a weekend of gluttony.

Just got to keep on swimming, swimming, swimming...

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Today I was so bored I made up my own routine of punches and body weight exercises from everything I learned from Insanity and Jillian Michaels. I managed to fill up 24 minutes with impromtu exercise and burned 165 calories. Not amazing, but it is something. Also, I went to the store and it felt great to get out. My calf is a tad sore, but I'm sure getting out and walking helped shake up the scar tissue in there! I bought so many fruits.

Now I'm going to break down some seedless watermelon and pineapple that I got at the store today. YAY!! I'm hoping to go for a slow 1 mile run on Wednesday and see how everything shakes out. Until then, I shall keep waiting and doing body weight exercises. Patience is a virtue that I am learning...unfortunately.

1800 Minute in May Challenge Recap: 1206 minutes
A very respectable number! I'm going to focus on healing and stretching for the month of June. My goal is to do the foam roller 2 times per week to help loosen my muscles.