A Break

I'm taking a bit of a bloggy break, then I'm getting back into action.

I'm still doing Juneathon, but I'm not posting everyday because I was boring myself with those posts.  Check dailymile to see what I'm doing (if you care).

I'll see you all in a few days! Cheers :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 21

Wow! 3 weeks in already....June is already on its way out the door.  Thats scary.

Don't you just love having the day off work?  I know I certainly do!  I had a wonderful day filled with physical therapy, shopping, and working out.  In between, I managed to take a nap, and finish reading a book.  Wish I could do all that everyday :)

Physical therapy this morning gave me hope that I may be running within the next month or so.  My hip is getting stronger and stronger, which is music to my ears.  After PT, I did a little shopping spree and splurged at Lululemon.  Oh how I die in that store.

The rest of the day was filled with getting organized, reading, gym, grocery store...all the fun stuff.

The Workout

Day 1 of Jillian's 6 Week Six Pack--I'm trying to work on my core, so I'm hoping this will help.  I had to modify some things because of my hip (aka-side planks) but it was pretty good

50 minutes on the StairMaster for a total of 259 flights of stairs

47 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 6.3 miles

Fingers crossed that I can make it to the gym before work tomorrow, otherwise I won't be able to go at all.

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

Juneathon 2012: Day 20

Happy summer solstice everyone! Can you believe its already the longest day of the year?  

Hopefully you got to enjoy the sunshine for at least a little bit today.

Unfortunately, I was stuck indoors at work, and then hit the gym right after work.  But work was good, we got out on time, and most important...I'm off tomorrow.  Three cheers!

The Workout

35 minutes on the StairMaster for a total of 156 flights of stairs

16 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 1.72 miles

90 minutes of hot yoga

I'm off to read my book before hitting the hay.  PT tomorrow, and then I'm hoping for a day of shopping!

Juneathon 2012: Day 19

Holy cow did I work my little butt off tonight.  I was planning on getting up early to go to the gym, but when that alarm rang, I decided it would be better for sleep for an extra 2 hours.  And sleep I did.  But thats okay...I went after work and now I feel awesome!

The Workout

70 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 9.22 miles

30 minutes on the StairMaster for a total of 132 flights of stairs

Those StairMasters really will get you sweating good.  I felt so exhausted afterwards.   I was planning on doing a 15 minute cool down with no resistance on the elliptical, and about 3 minutes in just called it quits.  Now I'm snuggled in my bed reading blogs and emails.

Juneathon 2012: Day 18

What a busy, busy day.  I tried this morning to get up and go to the gym before work, but that was an epic fail.  I got up to my alarm, contemplated going for all of 0.3 seconds, and then reset my alarm and went back to bed.  Oh well.  Work was a busy Monday, as usual, and then I went straight from work to physical therapy, then straight to the gym.  Its 9 pm and I just walked in the door to the house for the first time since I left this morning.

I'm getting really good at eating my meals in the parking lot :)

The Workout

60 minutes of PT left me pretty darn sore, so I had a weak workout tonight

55 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 5.77 miles

The Eats

Lots and lots of fruit

Plus protein pancakes and a Clif bar

And some cheerios for good measure

They ordered from Lou Malnati's (aka the best pizza ever if your not from Chicago) at work today, and I was so proud that I resisted.  Happy dance for me.

Tomorrow I WILL be getting up early to go to the gym, so its off to bed shortly.  Ta ta!

Juneathon 2012: Day 17

How is tomorrow already Monday again?  WHAT THE HECK?! This summer is already flying by.  The weekend flew by, and now I feel like I have a million things to do before I can go to bed tonight.  

The Workout

60 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 6.43 miles

30 minutes on the Stair Master-136 flights of stairs total

This weekend I was in a total snacky mood, and never seemed to get full.  Don't you hate when that happens.  Hopefully I'll be able to get my eating back to normal, and back to being healthy.

I've got a crazy busy day tomorrow so I'm basically off to bed.  Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Juneathon 2012: Day 16

So I totally skipped yesterday.  We had a crazy day at work, and by the time I got home, my hip was throbbing so bad it hurt to even sit.  And since I'm getting closer everyday to running, I didn't want to make it worse.  So I basically just slept all night.  It was great.

I woke up early this morning refreshed and in no pain...so off to the gym I went:

The Workout

45 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 4.75 miles-varying resistance

75 minute spin class

10 minutes on the stair master-it was my first time trying this since my injury, and I was able to do it with only very minimal pain

I'm finally feeling like I'm healing up!  Woo hoo!

I'm off to enjoy this beautiful weekend.  I hope you do too :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 14

Sorry for my exceptionally boring posts, but when you wake up literally before the crack of dawn to get your workouts in, then work a full day, then do a million things after work...there isn't much time or energy for creativity.  I'm trying to get better...I promise :)

The Workout

60 minutes of spinning-sucky instructor.  I like getting up early to go to the morning class, but she kinda sucks and I don't get as good of a workout as I do with the other instructors.  Its making me contemplate not going.

60 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 7.25 miles

45 minutes of PT-holy heck is my hip hurting today.  He killed me.

The Eats

More of the same :)

Tomorrows Friday.  Thank God! I've got another early workout planned, and then I'm relaxing the night away after work.

EdenFantasys

Oh EdenFantasys...how I love thee.  If you've been following me for a while, you've probably read all about how much I love this website, and I hope I've at least tempted you to check it out.  I mean seriously...it is awesome!  EdenFantasys is an online adult retailer that sells everything from sex toys to makeup.  Plus, they offer free, discrete shipping on all orders over $59, and include a free gift with every purchase.  Their huge selection of products is constantly growing, and they always have some good specials going on.  Looking for a good deal?  You're bound it find it.  Have I convinced you yet?

One of my absolute favorite things on the EdenFantasys website is their amazing lingerie collection.  They carry all different styles and colors of lingerie, so I've never had a problem finding a piece (or 10...or 20) that I just love.  They have a wide variety and even carry plus sizes, which I'm sure can benefit a lot of people.  Some is more conservative, some more racy...its awesome!  They even have fun costumes if you like to add a little role-play to your life.

Some of my favorites right now?

 This would be so cute to give for a lingerie shower for the bride to be!

You like?  I'll definitely be going on a little shopping spree tonight.

Check out EdenFantasys, and find what will make your dreams come true :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 13

I'm literally too exhausted to type.  I got up at 6 am so I could get a few things done before work, left the house at 8, and didn't get back home until 930.  Work was crazy busy, and then I did a long workout at the gym.  I want to get up around 4 am tomorrow to hit the gym and do a spin class, and then I have PT...all before work starts.  Its wayy past my bedtime at this point.

The Workout

90 minute hot yoga

60 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 8.15 miles

I know you don't care what I ate today and quite honestly I don't feel like writing it out.  Lots of fruit, celery, and of course some cheerios :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 12

Well my friends, I did it again...I made it up at 4:15 and was out the door before 5:00 am for a morning spin class and workout.  After getting ready at the gym, I headed straight to work, had physical therapy at lunch, and then came home to make dinner and then lunch for tomorrow.  I still have to head to the grocery store before I can relax and hit the hay.  What a long day.

The Workout

60 minute spin class-Loved the instructor today, my legs and my abs were really feeling the workout.  It was so worth getting up so early.

45 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 6.6 miles.  I did some before spin class and some after, and used two different types of ellipticals.

The Eats

Pre-Workout Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Post-Workout Breakfast: Chai Tea Latte + 1/2 cup each PB + Chocolate cheerios

Lunch: Fruit Salad with watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries + kiwi

Dinner: Quinoa Pizza Bites

I'm off to hit the grocery store before I crash.  See you tomorrow :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 11

Aren't weekends seriously so much better than week days?  I mean, waking up this morning, all I could think about was that I'm ready for another weekend.  Boo.

I'm keeping the post short tonight because I'm tired, and because it was a fairly uneventful day.  I had a busy but not terrible day at work, and a wonderful evening at the gym.  Basically I came home, talked to my mom for a bit, then made lunch for tomorrow and now I'm laying in bed.

The Workout

40 minutes on the elliptical- 4.27 miles total

90 minutes of hot Ashtanga yoga-fabulous class, I was dripping in sweat.  

Is it bad if your sweat tastes just like water (not salty at all)? Or does that mean you are just really hydrated?

The Eats

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch: Fruit Salad with watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi + handful of Baked Lays

Dinner: Fruit Salad with watermelon, pineapple and kiwi + Chocolate Brownie Clif Bar (eaten in the parking lot of the gym)

Snack: Cherries

I'm off to bed.  Hoping to get up at 4:15 am to make it to spin before work.  Wish me luck :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 10

Wow...can you believe that June is already 1/3 of the way over?  Seriously...where does time go?  Its crazy.  Also, did the weekend fly by to anyone else?  I can't believe I'm already facing another week of work.  I miss being in school where I had the summer off to relax and have fun.  

Despite another day of fabulous weather, I pretty much stayed put inside because being in the sun aggravated my sunburned skin x 1000.  Today I would have ran a half marathon...if I didn't get injured.  I hope the race went well for everyone, and that nobody suffered because of the heat.  

Today I had a full day.  I got up early and hit the gym for a while, then ran to the grocery store, and have been doing some chores around the house trying to get organized for the week.  I still have a few loads of laundry left I'd like to get through before I turn in for the night, and some papers to go through, so it won't  be a relaxing, lazy night.  I've got a 5 day work week this week, so I won't have much time to get anything done during the week.

The Workout

50 minutes on the elliptical for a total of 6.56 miles-Again, I switched between two different machines.  I was able to increase my resistance a little bit.  Still having some pain, but I feel like I'm getting that much closer to running again.

60 minutes of spin class-This instructor had a thing for hills and working your abs.  I was drained and not as mentally into the class as I would have liked.

1.5 mile walk with the puppy dog tonight

The Eats

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch: Smoothie from a banana, strawberries, and spinach.  Plus a little bit of Chocolate + PB Cheerios

Dinner: Zucchini bites + 1/2 piece Tyson breaded chicken breast tenderloins (if you haven't tried these...you should.  They're from Costco and they're wonderful)

Snacks: Cherries and too much watermelon

Time to be productive.  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Juneathon 2012: The Real Day 9

Did you like my fake post last night?  I was seriously beyond exhausted, so I couldn't manage a real post. Plus, I had pictures to upload and everything...way to much work for me.  So yesterday was actually an awesome day for me! I got up early and spent several hours at the gym, getting an absolutely wonderful workout.

The Workout

50 minutes on the Elliptical-6.25 miles total.  I broke this into two sessions and used two different types of ellipticals.  I did a 30 minute workout before spin, and a 20 minute workout afterwards.  Keeping the resistance fairly low, I had only minimal hip pain!

60 minutes of Spin Class-the instructor yesterday was definitely my favorite, she does a good mix of hills and speed.  I was exhausted afterwards.

75 minutes of yoga-I somewhat regretted this while I was in there because it was so freaking hot, but I am so glad I went.  I felt really refreshed afterwards.

After leaving the gym, I rushed home and changed into my swimsuit, and headed to a friend's to be poolside for the day. 

 It was wonderful, but I have a nasty sunburn to show for it.  I'm neurotic about my skin and applied sunscreen...so I don't know what the dealio is with the burn.

See those lines?  You can't really see how red I am but ouchie.  My skin still kills today.

After we were done swimming, the boy and I went and stuffed our faces with junk food, then went and got frozen yogurt at Yogurtland (new in IL and OMG so good), and then went to see Snow White and the Huntsman.  Liked dinner, loved froyo, really liked the movie.

Then I was beyond tired so I headed home.

The Eats

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch/Snacks: Massive bowl of watermelon + 1/2 cup each Chocolate + PB Cheerios

Dinner: Cheese pizza + some fries (yikes..I know.  But it is one of our fav. restaurants and I can't say no to their pizza)

Snack: YOGURTLAND!  So good! I normally get the plain frozen yogurt and top with fruit, but I was feeling adventurous last night.  I tried 3 flavors:

Plain-loved it

Peach or Apricot-didn't like it.  Ate around it and tossed this part

Cake Batter-quite yummy for frozen yogurt.  Plus I ate it with a few animal crackers.  Nom nom.

Juneathon 2012: Day 9

I had an incredible workout today and I can't wait to share it with you all... but it is going to have to wait until tomorrow.  Between waking up at 6:30 to hit the gym, working out for nearly 3 hours, and then spending the entire rest of the day at the pool, I'm absolutely wiped.

Plus I have a sunburn so bad it hurts to move.  So I'm lathering myself up with some aloe and hitting the pillow.  Good updates to share tomorrow :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 8

So today I woke up... Bad hip pain. Went to work... Hip pain got worse. I've got a pretty good limp going on, which has been getting better. Blah. So as much as I wanted to partake in spinning or some hot yoga after work, I decided to baby my leg. Probably a better decision. But I do want to hit the gym hard tomorrow. Fingers crossed the hip cooperates.

 

Juneathon 2012: Day 7

One week of Juneathon complete!  Woo!  Today was a super busy day for me today, I was off work, and had a to-do list about a mile long.  I think I accomplished all my errands except to pick up the dry cleaning...I got there 5 minutes after they closed.  So sad.  I still have another list of things I need to do around the house/order/online crap, but that can get done throughout the weekend.  Don't you just love productive days.

The Workout

Before heading to the gym...4:30 am.  Looking stunning.

15 minutes on the elliptical-arrived at spinning a bit early, so did a slow warm up before class

60 minutes of spinning-I got up again at 4:15 this morning to go to class, and I was somewhat disappointed.  This was a new teacher to me, and I was not such a huge fan of her class.  Maybe it was just today, but still...when you wake up that early you want to feel like you got in a killer workout.

60 minutes of physical therapy

So today was my first day of PT.  I have a tear in my quadratus femoris muscle, on top of the stress fracture in my hip.  This is a hip rotator muscle, and apparently it is a major muscle for stabilization of the hip.  Which explains my significant pain when walking.  My physical therapist told me he has never ever seen someone tear this muscle...I'm not entirely sure what to make of this.  Also he and my ortho told me that the way the pain is presenting is very off for my injury...this muscle is located towards the butt, and all my pain is isolated in the hip area.  He said it is presenting more as a hip flexor tear...so he did a ton ton ton of evaluation to try to determine the best exercises/stretches for me to do.

I also found out that there are 3 stages of muscle tear-where Stage I is tiny microscopic tears, and Stage III is where the muscle tears and completely separates from the bone, requiring surgery.  He said mine is basically a Stage 2.8...I have significant separation from the bone but not quite enough for surgery.  Yikes.

So now I start PT for the next month at least.  Twice a week.  Should be interesting.

The Eats

Pre-Workout Breakfast: 1/2 cup each of Chocolate + PB Cheerios (I told you I'm obsessed)

Post-Workout Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch: Fruit Salad with watermelon, pineapple, and kiwi (eaten in the parking lot outside Nordstroms...just keeping it classy up in here)

Dinner: Rotisserie chicken tossed into a salad with FF Italian dressing.  Thank you Costco.

Snack: Gianormous bowl of watermelon (I'm obsessed...post coming soon)

Delicious dinner.  I love dinners on nights of Costco trips.  They have the legit best chicken.

Basically my whole day was filled with twenty thousand errands, so I'm off to read approximately 2 pages of my book before I crash.  Night all.

New compression socks came in the mail today.  If only I could run.  

Juneathon 2012: Day 6

Day 6...almost one week in!  I'm so glad I decided to do Juneathon this year because it is really helping me stay motivated to at least do something every day, especially since I fell out of my habits due to my injury.  I start physical therapy tomorrow, so I'm sure I'll have an interesting report on how that goes.  I'm nervous but kind of excited, I'm really hoping it helps me feel less stiff. 

The Workout

20 minutes on the elliptical-I had some time to kill before spin class because you have to get there early to get a number in order to get a bike, so I decided to hop on the elliptical.  I did it very slowly and at very low resistance, but even with this, I was still experiencing some hip pain.  Nothing significant, but it was definitely present.  No running for me anytime soon.

1 hour of spin class-A new instructor to me tonight, and I liked her.  Didn't burn as many calories as I sometimes do, but it was still a great workout that got my heart pumping.

The Eats

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch: Fruit Salad with a handful of tortilla chips

Pre-Workout Snack: Chocolate Mint Clif Bar

Dinner: Chipolte Burrito Bowl

I usually don't like to eat out during the week, but one of my coworkers had a burrito bowl today and I couldn't get it out of my head.  So I decided to go ahead and treat myself to one.  It was delicious.

I really need to start taking some pictures to go along with these boring posts.  I'll work on that.

Juneathon 2012: Day 5

I did it!  Today I officially accomplished one of my goals for Juneathon.  I woke up early and went to the gym BEFORE I went to work.  When the alarm went off at 4:20, I was so tempted to reset it until my normal wake up time, but I forced myself to get up.  So glad I did, because I took a great class this morning and had a kick butt workout.  Drinking a chai tea latte on my way to the gym definitely helped, but thats okay.  I'm so pumped I went, and would really like to make a habit of going every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

The Workout

60 minutes of spin class.  It was great, the instructor was tough, and I was dripping in sweat by the end.  

The Eats

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes + Chai Tea Latte

Mid-Morning Snack: 1/2 cup each of Chocolate + PB Cheerios

Lunch: Fruit Salad consisting of watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi

Dinner: Quinoa Pizza Bites

The only downfall to getting up so early is that its only 8 pm and I'm ready for bed.  So I'm off to read some of my favorites blogs, catch up on email, and hit the sheets hard.

Juneathon 2012: Day 4

I work as a nurse in a pediatrician's office, so Mondays are always crazy days for us.  We see all the kids who got sick over the weekend, on top of all the physicals and everything else already scheduled.  They're nuts.  Unfortunately, today I was experiencing some pretty significant hip pain at work.  Worse than it has been lately, which makes me quite nervous.  Therefore, I took it easy tonight so as to not further aggravate the area.

The Workout

90 minutes of hot Ashtanga yoga.  It was glorious.  The class was packed tonight but I left feeling sweaty and refreshed.  Not the cardio workout I would have liked, but I had less than zero motivation to swim tonight.

The Eats

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Lunch: A glorious fruit salad of watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, and kiwi + a few pretzel Goldfish

Dinner: A fruit salad of watermelon, pineapple, and kiwi eaten in the parking lot of the gym before yoga

Snack: 1/2 cup each of Chocolate + PB Cheerios

Hoping to get a good cardio workout in tomorrow.  Fingers crossed

Juneathon 2012: Day 3, cont.

After my less than desirable workout this morning, I headed back to the gym for an evening swim.  I definitely wasn't looking forward to going, but now that its done and over, I'm glad I went.  I can't believe tomorrow is already Monday, where does time go?

The Workout:

60 minutes of swimming-swam approximately 5500 meters

The Eats:

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Pre-Workout Snack: Handful of chocolate Cheerios + handful of PB Cheerios

Lunch: Sliced turkey breast + a sliced apple

Afternoon Snack: Watermelon

Dinner: Zucchini Bites, and 3 squares of Lou Malnati's thin crust pizza

I'm off to read in bed until I fall asleep.  Have a great evening everyone :)

Juneathon 2012: Day 3 & A Rant

So I woke up this morning pumped and ready to roll.  I had a weird day yesterday, where I just felt kinda funky and off all day.  I felt like I had an elephant sitting on my chest, and I would get these weird grip-like pains around my chest on and off.  Strange, and really unappealing.  We did end up going to one of the graduation parties, but I never felt quite right. As a result, I laid off the booze (aka I finished half a Mike's Hard and then quit) but was able to enjoy some good food, delicious desserts, and great company.  It was a fun night, but I was bummed because I drove everyone to the bar and headed home to bed because I couldn't shake those pains.  

Fortunately, I slept well and woke up this morning and the pains were basically gone.  I still feel them a little if I take a deep breath, but nothing at all like yesterday.  So I jumped out of bed, made some breakfast, and did some organizing before heading to the gym.

Suited up and ready to hit the gym.

I got to the gym, rinsed off, and headed to the pool.  Unfortunately, the pool is only 4 lanes, so its small, but its never been a problem.  Today there were 3 lanes taken, so I hopped into the empty lane and started my swim.  A few minutes in, I saw like 2 more people on the pool deck, obviously trying to get in the water.  One guy hopped in my lane and started swimming opposite me.  No big deal.  

As my swim continued, I see this huge group of people come out of both locker rooms and walk towards the pool.  Obviously these were not people looking to work out, as they're standing there in their two pieces and canoodling with their boyfriends.  They all jump in the pool and proceed to freaking stand there.  STAND THERE AND TALK.  And make out, and basically dick around.

Now I'm sorry, but when you see that people are in the pooling swimming laps and obviously trying to work out, don't get in their lane and stand there and talk.  I was furious.  I swam by a few times hoping they would move or start swimming or do something, but no...just standing there and talking.  Showing off their boobs to their boyfriends.

So I leave the pool pissed.  For real?  I'm not one to quit easily on my workouts, but I was not putting up with this.  There are a million other places to sit and talk...you really have to do it in the lap pool?  Go sit in the double-decker hot tub with the waterfall.  Or the sauna.  Or the steam room.  Anywhere but in the freaking lanes of the pool who are actually trying to work out.

And its not like I have anywhere else where I can go work out.  The pool is basically my only option at the moment.  AHH!

The Workout:

Swimming for 15 minutes-appx. 1500 meters.  

I'm hoping to be able to go back tonight and get some real swimming in, not this craptastic workout from this morning.  We'll see.

The Eats:

Breakfast: Protein Pancakes

Pre-Workout Snack: Handful of chocolate Cheerios + handful of PB Cheerios

Lunch: Sliced turkey breast + a sliced apple.  I forget how good apples and turkey are together.

Dinner: Zucchini Bites.  I discovered this recipe on Pinterest last week and they are holy-cow delicious.  I'll share my tweaked recipe soon :)

Fingers crossed I'll make it to the gym again later tonight.  I really would like a good workout.

Juneathon 2012: Day 2

I was riding the struggle bus this morning hardcore.  Last night I looked up the class schedule at the gym today, and really wanted to go to the 10:15 yoga class.  So my tired, delusional self decided I would get up early, swim for at least an hour, then shower and go to yoga.  Fail.  I reset my alarm like 100 times this morning because I was so tired.  Never went to yoga.

This is something I really struggle with.  I wish I could be someone who could get up early in the morning and get my workout done.  But I just can't.  One of my goals is to start getting up early twice per week so that I can take a spinning class before week on the mornings they are offered early.  I know that once I am able to get back into running, I'm going to need to get my runs done earlier in the day due to the heat.  But I so terribly struggle with getting up early and getting my butt moving.  Le sigh.  Any tips?

Anywho...

The Workout

75 minutes of swimming.  Approximately 6200 meters.  I think I kept my count pretty good, so that may actually be exact.  I was wiped out after all that boring swimming, so I plopped my booty in the sauna for a few minutes and then heading home.

I'm praying and keeping my fingers crossed that all this swimming will help keep my cardio endurance up so that when I'm back running I'm not dying and gasping for air.  Hopefully.

The Eats

I know you probably don't give a crap what I eat from meal to meal, but I'm gonna tell you anyways.  Maybe it will help hold me accountable and make me eat healthy throughout the whole month.  We'll see.

Breakfast: Protein pancakes

Pre-Workout Snack: A handful of chocolate Cheerios and a handful of peanut butter Cheerios.

Side Note-have you tried the PB Cheerios.  They are oh-my-gosh-so-delicious.  They are my new favorite snack.  Not kidding.

Lunch: Fruit Salad, consisting of watermelon, pineapple, and strawberries

I'm heading to 1, 2, or 3 graduation parties today and then out to the bars for the evening, so I have no idea what dinner plans will be.  I plan on keeping the boozing to a minimum (remember...I'm crutching around), and hopefully stick to eating healthy.  Maybe I can grab a drive-thru salad somewhere between the parties.

I really want to start adding pictures to my posts.  Goal for tomorrow.

Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!!

Juneathon 2012: Day 1

So I'm cheating a bit and actually writing this post on May 31st, using my workouts for today.  I unfortunately have a crazy day tomorrow and don't think working out is going to fit into the schedule.  As much as I would love to get out early and swim, I don't think I'll be able to make it through the night if I do.  But my alarm is set for 4:30 and I am going to try.

But I wanted to get JUNEATHON 2012 started, so here is my first post.  It is still a workout from the past 24 hours, so its going to do in a pinch.  This one will have no pictures, no meals...pretty boring.  Sorry friends.  

The Workout:

60 minutes of swimming.  I did at least 104 lengths of the pool.  So that is at least 5000 meters.  It was boring as heck.

Side Note-Does anyone know how to get their Garmin or Polar to work in the pool?  Both of mine are waterproof and made to be used while swimming, but neither of them are actually working.  It makes me angry.  Particularly the Garmin-its a Forerunner 310XT Multisport.  If you have any tips I'll love you forever.

60 minutes of spinning.  Modified to fit my leg, but I was able to stand up and spin at times.  Considering this was my first spin class I don't have much to compare it to, but it was a great workout.  We did some tempo, hills, jumps...I was surprised even my arms felt like they were getting worked out.

So if by some miracle I get up and out the door tomorrow morning, I'll have an official June 1st post.  If not, see you tomorrow :)

Some Firsts

I've had some exciting firsts this week I wanted to share with y'all.  First...a quick little update on my little hip situation.

I went to the doctor today.  I seem to be healing as expected, but am nowhere close to a full recovery right now.  Running is still in the far horizon.  I'm still to use crutches for the next 4 weeks, and he wants me to start physical therapy twice a week.  So I do PT twice a week for the next month, and then have a recheck and go from there.  I've been given a little freedom to start working out a bit more, within limits, so I'm doing a little (crutching) happy dance!

Now my firsts:

I did my very first yoga class last night.  It was amazing.  I recently joined a new gym, and they have a ton of classes that you can attend that are included in your membership.  Score.  I've been wanting to do a yoga class for ages but never want to pay the pricey fees for the classes.  So last night I worked up the courage and went to one.  The class I attended:

Ashtanga Yoga-a sequenced yoga practice which utilizes breath, poster, and movement to cleanse, stretch, and strength the body and mind.  It is a powerful and strenuous routine which will leave your body totally revitalized.

I must be honest, I was nervous as crap before I went in.  I started seeing Lululemon-clas girls walking through the locker room, and I almost psyched myself out.  But I decided to just man up and do it.  I of course took a spot in the back corner of the room mostly so people couldn't see me, but also so I could watch other people in case I got lost.

In the end, I loved the class.  I definitely felt like a newbie and didn't know all the poses and whatever, but I felt great afterwards.  I have to watch my leg and be careful doing certain things, but I was mostly able to keep up.  Bonus-it is a heated room, so I was pouring sweat.  Double win.

My other first is tonight I did a spin class.  Hanna over at bouffe e bambini  started raving out them, as she started doing them after a shin injury.  Reading what she wrote made me want to try it, and I'm so glad I did.  I definitely have to modify it to fit my hip at the moment, but I loved the class.  Hip was sore afterwards, but I felt like it was worth it.  Not as great as running, but still a good sweat.  

Back to my happy dance for being active again.  Wee.

Juneathon starts tomorrow! Who's ready?!

(of course tomorrow may be the one day I don't get a work out in.  I have a crazy day scheduled.  But I'm going to try my hardest.  Just being honest.)

Juneathon 2012

JUNEATHON 2012!!

My new challenge! Have you heard of it?  If not, heres a little recap:

Run Everyday.

Blog Everyday.

Log Everyday.

RUN EVERYDAY

So obviously, you are supposed to run everyday.  Or do some time of workout.  For me, I unfortunately will not be running.  Which is making me even a little more excited actually.  I don't love swimming, and since its the only activity I'm actually cleared to do right now, I'm hoping to get a little extra motivation.  I take that back, I do like swimming, buts its BORING as heck.  So for the month of June...some sort of physical activity every day.

Side Note: Does crutching around count as physical activity?  Cuz I feel like I get a heck of a workout from that.

I kid, I kid...sorta.

BLOG EVERYDAY

Record your workouts.  Within 24 hours of doing them.  Meaning you will blog everyday.  This is probably going to be the hardest part for me.  I'll try to make it interesting.  

I'll take some pictures.

I want to share my meals, in case anyone is wondering what I stuff my face with everyday.

I'll share some tips if I have any.  Or some gear that I love.  Or something.

LOG EVERYDAY

In order to sign up, you had to also sign up for Running Free.  Its a website that allows you to track your workouts, find others and follow up, and you can comment and encourage others or whatever.  This website is new to me.

I've been using Daily Mile, which I like a lot, and Running Free sounds similar.  It looks a bit more complicated though.  So I'll probably be logging my workouts on both.  Follow me :)

Interested?  SIGN UP!  I'm thinking it will be super fun, but will definitely be a challenge.  I'm excited.

I'M BACK

Miss me?  I've taken a bit of a break from blogging as I've been sulking recovering, and haven't been doing much of anything exciting.   Having to gimp around on crutches 24/7 pretty much means I've been doing a whole lotta sitting around.  Watching TV, shopping online, all that fun stuff.  I think my credit card may be ready for me to get off my butt and get back to running.

But alas, that is still a no go for a few more weeks.  I've got a recheck scheduled on Thursday, but I'm still in pretty good pain, so I know there is no running in the near future.  I started going stir crazy last week, so I "cleared" myself to start swimming.

It was awesome.  I felt great to get back to doing something, and to know I'm actually burning some calories instead of sitting around consuming them.  Watching me swim is probably quite a sight...I can't really kick with my one leg, can't flip turn because I can't push off the wall with my left leg...its attractive, let me tell you.  I probably look like a fool, but I'm glad to be back doing something.

So stay tuned, now that I'm starting to heal up and have gotten out of my sulkiness, I've got some big things coming.  Get excited :)

EdenFantasys

Time for another post about one of my absolute favorite websites...EdenFantasys!  Surely by now you've checked out this fabulous site, if not, you're totally missing out.  EdenFantasys is an online adult retailer that basically sells some of everything, from sex toys to lingerie.  They are constantly adding new products and expanding what they carry, so there are always fun new products to try.  They have tons of other great perks too...free shipping on all orders over $59, free gifts with every order, and tons of great deals and discounts.  Its fabulous.

As I was browsing through their website today, I saw something that caught my eye.  Under the home page, there was a section titled "50 Shades of Grey."  Ummm...hello!  Have you read these books?  I'm currently in the middl of the third book, and I've been hooked.  So of course, I was totally intrigued when I saw this category.  If you've read the book (and probably even if you haven't), you know there is lots of S&M, sex, and more in the book.  Want to create your own 50 Shades?  EdenFantasys totally has the hookup for you:

Silky blindfold.  Perfect for blocking out your vision and heightening all your other senses.

Wrist cuffs.  Reading the book may make you want some of these for your own collection.  Sounds like they can be quite entertaining :)

Massage candle.  Pour the melted wax onto your partner for a romantic massage.

Intrigued?  I figured you would be.  You'll have to check out their other 50 Shades products :) Visit EdenFantasys...and make all of your fantasies come true!!

And the Verdict Is...

Remember last week how I posted that I was super bummed because I had developed some weird hip pain?  Well, after nearly two weeks of ongoing pain with absolutely zero running/any working out at all...I was still in pain.  A lot of pain.  And I was not happy.

So on my day off of work last week, I called up the orthopedic, booked myself an appointment, and went to see the doc.  Several hours later, after meeting with the doc several times, PT, having an X-ray, an MRI, and maybe a few other crappy things, I was given a diagnosis.

A stress fracture.  In my hip.  Then yesterday I got a call with the final results of my MRI.

A stress fracture.  AND a torn ligament.  All in my hip.

AKA-a lot of pain.

Also AKA: non-weight bearing for several weeks.  Then partial weight bearing for several weeks.  AKA crutches for at least 6 weeks.  And no running for at least 8-10.

Cue me being not happy.  Not happy at all.

I'm supposed to run a halfsie marathon this weekend.  I was so pumped.  Now I can barely limp around.  I may have had a major meltdown or two over the past week.  I am not not not happy.

So if I'm a little absent around here in the coming few weeks.  Pardon me.  Its difficult to talk about working out/staying fit if I'm not working out or staying fit.  Instead, I'm hobbling on crutches and doing a whole lotta sitting.  A whole lot.

Boo.

Getting Started: Products I Love

After joining the gym, I decided I wanted to keep closer track of my calories, and figured out how hard I was really working.  I did some research, and decided there were two products that I really wanted.  First, a heart rate monitor.  Second, a way to track my steps...aka a pedometer.

For the heart rate monitor, I spent a lot of time doing research and trying to decide on the perfect one.  I knew I wanted one that would track my heart rate, calories, and that was waterproof.  Based on reviews, I also knew that I definitely wanted one with a chest strap, because they are supposed to be much more accurate.  I finally decided on Polar FT4 Women's Heart Rate Monitor.

I really love this watch, but in retrospect, I wish that it had a few more features.  However, for my basic workouts in the gym, it is awesome! Your heart rate is easily visible, and you can scroll through to see your heart rate, calories burned, time in the zone, and how long you have been working out.  When you are finished, you get a nice summary that tells you your total calories burned, your min and max heart rate, and how long you were actually in your target heart rate zone.  I found this watch super easy to use, was never bothered by the chest strap, and almost never had any problems getting the watch to track my heart rate.  I would highly recommend this watch to anyone looking for a good monitor.

Besides a heart rate monitor, I wanted to get a pedometer, so I could track just how active I was during the day.  Again, after doing some research, and remembering seeing some reviews on other blogs, I decided to get the FitBit Ultra.

At first, I thought this product was great.  I LOVED it!  I wore it all the time, and I was able to track how many steps I took during the day, how many flights of stairs, and how many calories I burned.  You can also record your sleep, so you see how long you were asleep for, and the quality of sleep that you got.  It all syncs to a website that is fabulously set up.  It tracks your progress, and allows you to add in tons of information.  You add in your weight, BMI, and can even track size measurements.  You can track food intake, log additional activity...it really is awesome!

I must say, up until very recently, I loved my FitBit Ulta.  Recently though, it has been giving me big problems.  For some reason, it has stopped syncing to my computer, so I am no longer able to track my progress.  Also, I've realized that while I'm running, the distance is off, so its not actually tracking me that well anythings.  There may be settings I can play with to try and improve that, but since I've already wasted so much time trying (and failing) to get it to sync to my computer, it unfortunately has taken up a spot collecting dust.  This is quite an expensive product to work for such a short amount of time, as now it is basically worthless to me.  I would definitely be careful if you are considering purchasing this product...I don't want the same problems to happen to you.

Do any of you use a pedometer or heart rate monitor?  Any favorites to recommend?

I am not being compensated for this post.  All products were purchased on my own, and my reviews are my own personal opinion.

Getting Started: What I Did

I figured for those of you who are wanting to get started on getting in shape and losing weight, plus leading a healthier lifestyle, I would share some of my "essentials" that helped kick start my journey.  Since starting, some of my tastes have changed, and I've found new products that I can't live without, so I'll be sharing those with you as well.  Get ready...and learn about some of my personal favorite products.

In the beginning, I was too embarrassed to go to the gym and actually work out in front of other people.  I felt like my stamina was so low, and I didn't want to see people that I potential know while I was huffing, puffing, and struggling through my workouts.  So, I decided to start working out in my own home.

I bought a Wii, and with it, bought Wii Fit.

With the Wii Fit, I also found some cool accessories, my favorite being the Aerobic Step Platform.

I would wake up in the morning, and do this for about 20 minutes.  Let me tell you, at first, this was exhausting.  I would put on some good music, and step up and down as fast as my little legs would let me.  It was a great way to start working out, and really got my heart pumping.

My other favorite thing to do on the Wii, which really started getting me in the habit of working out daily, was Wii Zumba 2.

This is what finally got me feeling like exercise was fun, and I enjoyed doing it.  The dances were fun, I liked beating my own scores, and I could do it in the comfort and privacy of my own house.  Can't beat that.

Have any of you used the Wii to work out?  Any favorite games?

I am not being compensated for this post.  All products were purchased on my own, and my reviews are my own personal opinion.