it's gorgeous out!

Hey there!

So, I've missed a day or two on writing....but NOT on working out. In fact I've been working out a little more and trying to push myself a little harder when running. I find it easier to challenge myself when I run outside and can say to myself "run one more block and then you can walk a bit". Luckily for me the heatwave here has finally broken and it is incredible out... maybe even a bit cool for the normal temperatures around this time. I've also been doing a lot of ab work and I feel tighter which feels good. Obviously "Rome wasn't built in a day" and transforming you're body doesn't happen in a day either, but I'm glad to be feeling it in some capacity. I also feel even more motivated after having spoken to my older brother who said he would like to do that 5k for the Brain Tumor Foundation next spring with me! It will be good for us both physically and mentally. I've even been working on office exercises! I do leg lifts (which work your abs) while sitting on my high/stool chair at the concierge desk! Especially when I'm bored I end up doing tons and tons of them.

Well that's all for now... I find it exciting that I'm excited (for lack of a better word) to go for my run today!

Bye Couch Fry! (haha potato....french fry...)

I'm running away from my problems......on a treadmill

So, today I realized that running actually makes me emotionally feel better. And I noticed this morning that I feel stronger and it's only been a few days. Again, praying I keep it up though! Anyways, this afternoon I planned to run, and then my Dad called, my parents are currently in the process of a pretty messy divorce, and I wasn't in the best mood after the call...but for some reason as soon as I hung up, almost like auto-pilot I got ready for the gym and went and ran for 30 minutes....or did intervals of walking and running (but still). Despite being super sweaty (because on the walk back to my room it was 100 degrees out), I felt so much better. So I now have another reason I want to and need to be doing this, because it is the only way I can pretend to get away from my problems. Today I also made a pact with myself, setting a big long term goal. Sure, I intend to do a 5k, that's one goal, but the other is to feel great and to be in a bikini this time next year.

I will conclude this brief post with reference to Michael Jackson.... yes... Michael Jackson. As I was on the treadmill, his song Man in the Mirror came on-- the perfect reminder that you have to look at yourself and change yourself, and be the best "you" that you can be, before you can begin to change the world.

Catch ya later Couch Taters (haha see what I did there?)

I worked out today I sweaaaarr (cue southern accent)

So, today was the "other" day. In the Couch 2 5k program thingy I found online, you run 3 days a week. So today I did some circuit stuff in my room, your basic crunches, plank, jumping jacks, lunges, sqauts....damn im sore just thinking about it....or I'm just still crazy sore! I really want to stick to this! The hard part, I'm sure you'll agree, is juggling it all. I work 2 jobs, have a fabulous boyfriend, and great friends... and somehow need to find time to eat, sleep, workout, and talk to my mother (lol duh!). But I really want to commit to doing this. The blog has helped already in just one day. Today when I wanted to just skip altogether I stopped and thought... "well... how awkward that you started that blog, and what if someone follows it 3 months from now and it's basically blank...what a terrible role model". Then I saw a girl, in great shape running, and realized I can do this. I want to do this. I will do this. Reading other blogs and googling fitness stuff has been super helpful too! Today I decided to request the 30 day Shred dvd by Jillian Michaels on netflix-- I kept my last movie waaaay longer than 30 days, and since they don't care, I figure it's perfect! I can't wait to get it, but I hear it's pretty tough.

Well that's all for now... I WILL run tomorrow. Probably on the treadmill though,  it's DANGER-hot outside here!!!

peace out couch potatoes!

"If you want something you've never had before, you have to do something you've never done before"

The last time I remember being genuinely skinny I was in preschool. I had a flat little tummy, ate whatever, and ran around like a crazy little thing. I even insisted on wearing little bike shorts with matching sports bras.... oh yes, they make baby sports bras..but that's a different blog altogether! So anyways, I'm not quite sure when the pudge began to pile on to this little princess... can you pinpoint that moment? You know... when you discovered what candy was, or  when you stopped thinking "running-around-with-no-where-to-go-like-a-chicken-with-it's-head-cut-off" was a fun game, or more importantly when you realized you were slower than that other kid. That's the real moment. As little kids, we don't pay much attention to anyone but ourselves... and mommy of course. It's the moment that we start noticing everyone else that we inherently start comparing ourselves to everyone else. I think that's where I began. First I didn't run as fast as the other kids on the soccer team (once the coach yelled at me.. I was DONE with sports), then I was "bigger" than the other girls, meaning I was taller already than basically everyone else (something I would grow more comfortable with in later years) and soon enough I had the tiniest little bit of pudge on my tummy (such a small portion of fat that I would probably sell my soul to have now) that my petite friends didn't. That tiny bulge started it all. As I'm sure many of you have, along the way I became hyper sensitive about my body. In that scenario, girls go one of 3 ways....

1) The first extreme: unfortunately for many girls, an eating disorder becomes the easy way to achieve what other seem to have without even trying. I'll be the first to admit that I hate skinny people who eat whatever they want and never work out (my best friend is like that and she's a twig!) but eating disorders are not the answer. They are dangerous, and I hope that if you ever think that that's the way out you'll recognize that it's not a permanent or safe fix. It's taken me a while to realize this, but as the title says... "If you want something you've never had before, you have to do something you've never done before"Stop thinking that change happens overnight!

2) The girls who have it all figured out: these girls already figured out that they have eat right and stay active. It's not always fun but to them it's worth the results, and being in better shape allows them to do even more fun things than us pudgers. ( aka the ones with self-discipline that I envy)

3) The ones who feign not caring (aka Me): I spent years pretending not to care, and whining about it only to my mother or to my mirror. I ate tons of whatever I wanted, and I watched tv and sat in my room. Sports were lame, I was too clumsy for a bicycle, and whenever I went to a gym (or I should say, still whenever I go) I felt like everyone was looking at me and judging and thinking "she runs slow, look how sweaty she is, blah blah blah". I read Shape magazine and Self, but never really did any of the exercises for more than a week.... truth be told, I'm a little nervous I won't keep THIS up for more than a week.

But it's time for all of us to make a life change, especially me. My goal is no longer to be skinny, or healthy, or fit or whatever variation I used to claim... my new goal is to just do it, to actually follow through and make a real change permanently, not just for a week. Hence the blog. If people are reading about it, I'm accountable for it. I also picked a goal, I found an awesome fundraising 5k that raises money for a cause that has had a huge impact on my life. And I have to do this. I just turned 20, If I don't do it now, it will only go down hill from here. I want to be an example for people like me struggling even to just get started.

So, I started today. I found this great plan, http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/PageServer?pagename=RFH_DC_HomePage and went to my gym today and ran/walked in intervals for about 20-30 minutes. I still felt like everyone was looking and couldn't help but notice I was the chunkiest girl on a treadmill.... but if I want to get where I want to be... I have to suck it up and deal. Besides, everyone else is there for themselves. For a lot of people the gym is "me time" not "compare everyone else time" I need to "get on their level" as pop culture might say! lol.

Here I will chronicle my journey from couch potato to the finish line.... but remembering that there really isn't a finish line. I guess what I realized today is that the day I reach my physical goal and am happy with the way I look, is not the day to stop-- because I will just be reverting and regaining.

I hope you'll race alongside me!

Little Miss Couch Potato