And you all know that I love my lyrics :love:

I abandoned my other journal - it was too shakey and iffy for me to go back. Just bad memories altogether. You know, the game called: Up/Down. :o

Good news: I'm down from 152lbs (where I was in the middle of April) to now a steady 144-145lbs. I would love to be at 135lbs by the end of the Summer, but we'll see how that goes. I've felt my greatest at 137lbs (picture attached).

Danny & I broke up. We weren't happy with OURselves. We became TOO comfortable. The first week of the "break-up" - I was miserable, in my room, grumpy. Danny, meanwhile, put in 60 hours of work that week. I pout, he works. We have hope that maybe once we work on ourselves, that we can figure an "us" out again. He actually had an engagement ring and everything sorted out - but, stepping back at the big picture - we're KIDS. Freaking KIDS. We were together for THREE years, with break-ups here and there. The long distance is killer -- and with school and work and social lives, we became distanced further. Gosh, I love him too much to loose him altogether - but two days ago, we talked on the phone for 30 minutes about life and he opened my eyes up 100%. He flat out told me what I needed to focus on. And he's right. (Wow, never thought I'd say that!)

Instead of thinking "There's no way" - I need to think "I could do this".

Instead of thinking "Everyone is cuter" - I need to think "I definitely pull this outfit off".

Instead of thinking "I need someone" - I need to think "I need myself"

Because in the end...

Those who wish to sing, Always find a song!

Hold me closer tiny dancer, count the headlights on the highway,
lay me down in sheets of linen, you had a busy day today... ♥

Worked 10am til 3:30pm.
Went shopping for a mother's day gift.
Got a manicure & pedicure.

Now: weights, crunches, and squats/lunges.

Later: Out for my best guy friend's birthday :cake:

hey there, i love your attitude, and your picture is TOTALLY LUSH!
i have a similar situation with my boyf, im only 19, hes a few yearsolder, but we have been together 4 years nearly, and because you both are young and change is inevitable while together, i think you both have to have space to do so. Im very lucky in tha we live together and my boyf has always put me beforehimself (against my wishes alot) but it has often meant he has moved jobs or whatever. it had often put biiiig strains on us, but sometimes it has shown that we are a unit.....anyway less ranting
we are now doing somthing for him, he is going to go to university. so we will be moving for him, and im re-starting my degree so i can be with him ,(and we are moving to a city we both love by the sea)
but i think what has worked between us is how un-clingy we both are. we can live together, have our own time, space, jobs, friends, social time and still be together.
also he has supported me through nearly 70lb weight gain and loss, so i think that made us stronger.

but i think in our hearts we know when somthing is worth fighting for and worth taking breaks for. sorry for the rant, i just wanted to say i can identify with your situation a hell of a lot, and i have been through many ups and down with my boyf too, but i hope things work out for u, which ever way they turn out.
and the weight loss is going great, :-) see u round :-)

And I will live today
And I will love tomorrow
No matter what is said or done
Even if its going wrong ♥
(Armin Van Buuren)

Happy Mother's Day to the moms :love:

My sister Alli left to go back up to Florida State an hour ago; I never thought I would miss her but I already do. We're 18 months apart + usually fight all the time, but she was my best friend the past 2 weeks. Her and I are starting our own little "program" of healthy eating & exercising tomorrow.

My summer classes start tomorrow. They are going to be quite rough. I'm going to spend the majority of the day/night organizing my room so that I'm fully prepared to do well.

As for workouts today:

Weight training (upper body)
Crunches

I'm hoping to get back into the gym tomorrow for some cardio!


Sun_Optimist: Thanks for coming by & sharing your story :) Sounds pretty similar! So glad you've found DT to help you with the rest of your weight loss. Good luck.. stop by more often!

Welcome back Woman! Sorry to hear about the ups and downs lately. Is Danny still moving down there, or is that on hold for a while?

Now is the best time to find yourself. You are getting close to finishing school, and that will be a huge change alone, not to mention everything that comes with it.

Congrats on the awesome loss lately! Something is working! Now let's keep it going! You can be so driven to make it work, so stick with it! :) We know you can do this.

Welcome to your new journal! Keep singing!

Sorry to hear that things have been so patchy-rough lately. You have a lot going on with school, multiple jobs, the Danny Situation, etc. Whew. If you can, slow down a little bit, and figure out what is important. Don't let life pass you by, because you are too busy to live it.

Hang in there, and take care.

What do you mean you didn't think you miss me! You P-O-S :D

Ok so Uhm I totally cheated today on my first day =(
I need an appetite suppressant or something.

Tomorrow I'll make my meals a little larger so that i won't find myself bingeing at 9pm, 945pm and 1030pm.

I'm planning out a Key West trip with my (boy)friend and this other married couple (whom are both in shape, eeek). I gotta get on this diet + exercise thing!

Oh by the way, I was playing around with my medicine ball tonight when I was watching tv and I never realized this, but I can lay on my stomach and lift the ball from the ground to my butt and it works out my back quads!!

And then in between each little rep, I can do a girl-push-up. I like my new little exercise!

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you’re free
Look into your heart and you’ll find love love love
Listen to the music of the moment maybe sing with me
A lá peaceful melody
It’s your God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved ♥
(Jason Mraz)

Geesh- I tried updating this last night after my work-out but my computer totally erased my entire post! Grrrrr!

Anyways, last night I went to the gym and did:

30 minutes ARC trainer (interval, burned 354 calories)
15 minutes crunches (using the ball + mat techniques)
15 minutes squats (using body bar, 15lbs)
Stretches

Today is an: OFF day for the gym, lots of work instead, schedule looks like this:

8am-10am: Work @ office
10am-1:30pm: Sewing
3:30pm-9:30pm: Work @ Cuban Delight

Feeling good... :o


Melissa & Fagan, thanks for the continued support. It feels sooo GREAT to be back and in the groove.
I'm hanging in there. :hug:

Alli, hahaha, it's true - I am surprised I missed you LOL :laugh: I find that brushing my teeth, or drinking lots of water after dinner makes me not so hungry! Try it! It may help you. WAHOO on the new exercise.. I love learning new things like that. Did you make a trip to the grocery store?? I'll type up those recipes later on for you.

I used to use the brushing teeth trick!!!! i cant believe i forgot about that!!

YES i made it to the g-store. I bought all healthy foods but low and behold my chocolate chip chewy granola bars AND some crackers were still in my cabinet!!! TEMPTATIONS!

I bought some watermelon, canteloupe, bananas, salad mix, eggs, vegetables, uuhm and some other stuff i cant remember.. lol. All healthy though!!!

My biggest feat right now is just portion control. I stretched out my stomach over the last 2 weeks from eating out every other day!!! So i need to go back to being able to eat 3-5 fistfuls of food and being stuffed!

I pretty much just recognize that the first week will be hell..... theres no nice and easy way to put it. Simply HELL!

Btw I did run today (oh, so rough, but felt so good) - i think about 1-1.5 miles. Walk/ran -- I figured Id get that interval cardio in there.

Cant go to the gym yet since I havent paid tuition :( But will be in full swing soon!! (with the spinning machines and such)

Wow.. your grocery list sounds yummy! And congrats on the run! :up:

I really wish you were here in St. Pete so we could help each other out! But this will work for now. Once we get to our goal weights - we should definitely take a trip :D

My plan for tomorrow is:

Working 8am-1pm
Getting sun 1pm-2:30pm
Back to work 2:30pm-6pm
Walking International Mall & dinner @ Cheesecake Factory

I don't have a tanning membership anymore.. but I'm so pale, so I asked mom if I could pick apart my schedule a bit tomorrow. :laugh: Then Rich has never been to International.. so we're gonna walk the whole mall & grab dinner at Cheesecake. He is aware of the "diet" so I am definitely ordering something healthy. Any suggestions?

:hug:

Hi! I am glad to see you back on DT. I missed you :)

My heart fluttered when I read about your recent breakup. Giiiirl, I know how hard it is. I also know how GREAT it is when you can gather up all of those raw emotions and use them as motivation to be an independant and healthy woman! You can get through this and grow from it.

- Kimmi

I don't want to fall away from You
Gravity is pulling me on down
I don't want to fall away from You
Gravity is pulling me to the ground
This world keeps making me cry
But I'm going to try, going to try to fly, going to fly high ♥
(Shawn McDonald)

The trip to International Plaza (and Cheesecake Factory) was a success, sort of. I ordered a grilled chicken w/ lemon herb with double veggies instead of the mashed potatoes. I ended up taking a lot of the chicken home. But I then finished half of the cheesecake and saved the rest for home too. I know cheesecake is like a bajillion calories - but you only live once. And half of the piece isn't TOO bad :o

I didn't buy anything at the mall, instead, I walked around (burning off that cheesecake, haha) & browsed.

Today's schedule:

This morning I had a bellydancing class that I just got home from, it was fun! My abs already feel tight from it.

12:00pm: Taking my Gramma to the beauty shoppe
1:30pm: Going into work for a bit
5:30pm: Practice before my softball game @ 8pm

OH YEAH - I joined a softball team :laugh:

It's co-ed, with all my guy friends and they needed girls so since I'm semi-athletic, they wanted me to join. Talk about fun to watch! I'm horrible, but it's all in fun!

Alli - How's your diet been going?? I'm trying to get into the groove of mine.

Kussanna - This break-up is weird, because we both know that we love each other, but it's just like... the distance, the arguing, the trust (lack of) - it adds up. I find myself so confused. At the beginning of the day, I wake up and I'm happy with ME.. but then as the day goes on, I'm yearning for him, for his voice on the phone. I just keep telling myself that "things happen for a reason". Thanks for stopping by :hug:

Lost the game 8-| BUT - it was fun, and I had a good time... plus as an outfielder- I did a lot of running!

The weekend is upon us! Should be a good one! :D

My goal is to STAY ON TRACK this weekend. :crosses fingers:

Have a good night.

well done for exercising, team games make it fun, i cant wait till september i am def gonna try and join a netball all hockey team at uni. get my running up to a good rate by then so im fit enough to do it.
i always feel that things happen for reasons too, some people say trusting fate makes u have less control, but i say when u have no control, let fate lead the way :-s

You're beautiful
Every little piece love, don't you know
You're really gonna be someone, ask anyone
When you find everything you looked for
I hope your life leads you back to my door
Oh but if it don't, stay beautiful ♥
(Taylor Swift)

FRIDAY! :cheer:

Schedule goes like this:

9am-11am: Work @ the office
11:30-1pm: School stuffs (brining laptop to the park)
1pm-2:30pm: Getting some sun!
3:30pm-10pm: Work @ restaurant

Possibly later... LINE DANCING with girlfriends!

~

My goal is to stay on track over the weekend! I hope to get in a 3-mile run, some pilates and some weight training.

Weight: 144.2lbs today (last time I weighed in @ 144.8lbs)

:hug:


Sun_Optimist: Wow I like your way of thinking about things! The softball team is a FUN idea, I enjoy it!

The lack of trust really adds up...definitely. And I bet it doesn't help that he is so far away. Sigh. I have issues with trust in my relationship as well but I am coming to the conclusion that it is ALL me. When I started letting it go and living my life with him and as an independant woman with my own hobbies...everything changed. Besides, if he ever did anything to break my heart I would be out the door in a flash. So, what is the point of wasting time worrying about it? heh.

Anyway, you are doing great. Congrats on the scale creeping down!

I could never have seriously dated someone that could not trust me, or that I could not trust. I'm definitely a one-gal type of guy, though. I had a few ladies that stepped out on me, too, though, and like kussanna, that was it. I could handle them dating someone else if we were having second thoughts and a cool-off period, but not if we were "together". Big breach of trust there. Too complicated for me, by far.

Glad you had fun at the softball game. Don't work too much!

Hey Miss Thang! Glad you came back with a fresh new journal. I just want to say great job on dropping those pounds. It is so good to see you writing a brand new song aka journal for yourself. I wish you much success in all areas of your life. When all else seems to fail just breathe. Have a great weekend filled with fun!

You say you’re down on your luck
Hey baby It’s a long, long way up
Hold back now, hold back your fears
You say you’re really down and out
And you feel like there’s no way out now
Let go now let go of your tears some more ♥
(Social Distortion)

Linedancing was fun! :) Got in my workout for sure!

This is a quick post as I'm heading out the door to go visit the Florida Aquarium with some friends. Nothing more pretty in my opinion than the water life.

Thank you Kussanna, Fagan & Suny for stopping by. TRUST is a big deal. Unfortunately, Danny had trust issues with me. It kills me inside because I tried so hard to show that I'm a good person - but I think the fact that I am an independent girl, with lots of guy friends, lots of activities scared him. He had secluded himself to work and school with no social time because he just wanted to make money and move. Time will tell how things will work out, but for now, I'm taking care of myself, and while it may sound selfish, it feels somewhat "good" not having to constantly make certain that he is trusting me when I go out. I can go out, linedance with my girlfriends and not have to text and/or call 24-7. The distance is a rough situation.

Weight today: 143.8

Healthy eats and exercise has been my saving grace these past couple of weeks, I feel energized and healthy, and has kept my emotions stable. Well, that and DT of course ;)

Hope you are all having a great weekend.

Attaching a picture of my night out last weekend with friends. (In the group picture you can sorta see some arm muscle! WAHOO!)

gorgeous and always in your pics!!!
trust is such a big issue and you cant always be trying to prove yourself to be trustworthy to someone who supposedly loves you..too draining i find..
glad u enjoyed the linedancing.
hugs bell :)

Stop and stare
I think I'm moving but I go nowhere
Yeah I know that everyone gets scared
But I've become what I can't be, oh
Stop and stare
You start to wonder why you're 'here' not there
And you'd give anything to get what's fair
But fair ain't what you really need
Oh, can you see what I see? ♥
(OneRepublic)

I laid low last night... just rented a movie and hung out. Felt good to relax! :D

Workout plan for today:
- Upper body weight-training
- 2/3 mile run

I have quite a bit of homework that is due by tonight - so I need to get going on that, then I will probably go out to the backyard and get some sun. I'm craving some UV rays! And plus the sun always makes me feel so energized!

Sundays are so relaxing for me.. I enjoy the 'me' time.

Weight is steady at: 143.8 today.

I'm hoping to get it down to 142 by weigh-in for Biggest Loser! Lots of water and lots of interval training!


Bell: Hey you! Thanks for stopping by... and you're right, it's draining trying so hard to prove something to someone. Hope you're doing well! :hug:

Hiya Pretty Lady!!!

I see you got your self a new jounal, Love the title! It's totally you, your such a little singing Bee!

Well just wanted to stop in & say *HI* I'm glad your enjoying your Sunday your "me" Time we all need that now & again!

Hope u have a Great Day!

Hugs,

Cathy

Wake up call
Caught you in the morning with another one in my bed
Don't you care about me anymore?
Don't you care about me? I don't think so. ♥
(Maroon 5)

Wow.. wake up call. I found pictures of me at one of my highest weights. In a way, it feels good to know that I made a change in my lifestyle - and it's a constant reminder.

I have never attached a picture of me at one of my highest weights - even when I joined DT - I was much too embarrased to post a picture. But I'm getting close to reaching my 40lbs loss mark -- and I think it's beneficial to see the changes. I think I was able to hide my weight pretty well - even though just in my face, you can see the changes alone.

(I scanned it upside down on accident! SORRY! And I'm not quite sure how to edit it) --

1st picture: Pink top
2nd picture: White top


_________
Didn't weigh myself this morning, I overslept for work so I was up and out the door in 10 minutes. No make-up, threw my hair up in a bun and I was on my way. My complexion is looking amazing, it must be from the exercise and healthy foods.

Last night- I managed a 2 mile run in the drizzling rain, then I did an abdominal and oblique routine in the driveway and some walking lunges. I was soaked with sweat, it felt SO GOOD. My tunes definitely helped, I had my music turned onto some punk-rock type songs.

Got homework finished! :cheer:

But now starts another week FULL of projects and papers X-(

Schedule for today:
9am-5pm: Work @ office
5:30pm: Dinner
7:30pm: Gym!
9:00pm: Homework & relaxing

Like I said yesterday, I'm hoping to be at a steady 142lbs by weigh-in on Friday! So that means healthy choices and lots of cardio!


Cathy, Hey miss-thang! So glad you stopped by! I know.. I love my lyrics! haha! It feels refreshing to have "ME" time :)

looks like your doing great, i know past pictures are embarassing, but i use mine for motivation really, i think how far i have come, how i know im the same person just imrpoved inner strength and i have probably lengthened my life, im also proberly easier on the eye for my bf LOL.
keep going gril your doing great :-)

You are one pretty lady. Weight does not really impact that, in my opinion, but you do look healthier, and the gleam in your eye is more sparkly now. That is a really good thing. Healthy and happy is always better than less healthy and not-as-happy.

About Danny: from what you have written, you are just more social in general than he is. When one person is significanlty less social than the other one, jeleousy and other issues can become a big deal. If you don't figure out how to live with and trust each other's social or hermit natures, there is bound to be arguments and issues in general. That sounds simple, but is very hard to figure out in a relationship.

Another part of me also thinks that if he is still has these problems about you "finding someone better", after all of the time that you have been dating, then there is a really good chance that he will feel that way for a great long while, no matter what you do. I could say that he is insecure and all that, but in reality, I think that some people are just like that. They need their significant other around them, and to be the center of the other's attention all the time. Some perfectly well-adjusted people just need that.

I hope that you work it out. Or if you don't that you don't drag each other's emotions through the wringer too much. This type of situation can be rough. Be good to yourself!

I'm easy like Sunday morning
That's why I'm easy
I'm easy like Sunday morning
I wanna be high, so high
I wanna be free to know
The things I do are right
I wanna be free
Just me, babe! ♥
(Faith No More - cover)

Half of the week is over. :D

My eats have become to fall away from me - I need to plan ahead and stick to the plan to make sure that I'm consistently eating healthy stuff.

My body is still sore from the runs that I've been putting in... I like the feeling though, makes me feel as though I'm actually working out!

Weight is steady at 144.8lbs - I'm really hoping to drop a pound or two for weigh in on Friday, but I'll be content with holding steady too!

My hips/waist area is beginning to take "shape" - I don't wear many -low cut- pants but, I can actually wear them now and feel somewhat comfortable.

Itinerary for today:

8am-1pm: Work @ the office
- Shower, tanning
3:30pm-9:00pm: Covering my sister's shift @ restaurant
9:30pm: Late night gym workout

Workout:
- 35 min ARC trainer
- Upper body workout
- Stretches!

____
Sun_Optimist: YES, the past pictures are motivating!! & You are right, improved inner strength for sure :)

Fagan: Yes, yes, yes... you hit the nail on the head. I am, too, worried about the fact that his jealous/insecurity is just a part of "who he is". For now, I'm content with my OWN time. We talked the other day, he wants me to "fight" for him. I don't mind fighting to be with someone, but I thought that's what I was doing the past 2-3 years with distance and our up's & down's. I told him that we both need time apart... physically and emotionally. I'm so close to graduation and the last thing I need is "stress" in my life to throw me off track. Granted, he is still my best friend -- but we don't need to RUSH back into anything at all - if anything.

Ohh, I want to dance with somebody!
I wanna feel the heat with somebody!
Yeahh, I want to dance with somebody!
With somebody who loves me ♥
(Whitney Houston)

I ended up covering my sister's shift at Cuban Delight last night. She's in her last two weeks of high school so she doesn't really want to work THAT much. It's understandable, but I'm smack dab in the middle of my semesters, so I hope that my parents don't expect me to pick up TOO many shifts.

Today is much much more relaxing. I'm beginning to love Thursdays. My job, primarily, is to take my Gramma to the beauty shoppe. She's blind, so she gets her hair done each week. Shampoo'ed, styled, etc. Her appointments are Thursdays @ noon. This is our opportunity to catch up, gossip, talk about American Idol, vent/rant, etc. Well over the past months, it's become: beauty shoppe + lunch, beauty shoppe + coffee, or (my favorite) beauty shoppe + maincure/pedicure.

Today is the beauty shoppe + manicure/pedicure day. :D

Rest of schedule looks like this:

9:30am Bellydancing
-- Added crunches
-- Stretches

11:30am P/u Gramma for Beauty Shoppe
12:00pm Beauty shoppe
12:35pm Manicure/Pedicure

2:00pm-5:30pm Work @ Office (AKA do homework)

9:00pm Softball game (according to weather)

__
Thought I'd try to post my 'eats'...

#1- Egg beaters, approx 2 eggs
#2- Latte
#3- Fruit cup
#4- Carrots & celery

(rest to be filled in later!)

What's your name?
(What's your name?)
Who's your daddy?
(Who's your daddy? He rich?)
Is he rich like me? ♥
(The Zombies)

YAY.. made it to Friday in one piece & one solid pound down. I was hoping for two, but 1 is better than nothing.

Lots of things going on this weekend...

Today:

10-3:30, Working at the restaurant
3:30-6:00, Errands
6:45, Pennywise Concert (then out and about afterwards)

Tomorrow:

AM, hanging out & relaxing
3:30-10, Working at the restaurant

Sunday:

Getting some sun
School stuffs

_______
Workout today:
-Crunches
-Lower body squats/lunges
-Lower back lifts

Back to cardio on Saturday & Sunday! I'm hoping to be at 140lbs (3.8lb loss) by next weigh in!

Congrats on the pound gone!

Enjoy the long weekend! I am jealous of all your sun, it's too cold here to go sit out. But, we are supposed to reach into the 80's on Sunday, I think:)

Have fun!

Hey pretty lady! It sounds like you are doing really well. Congratulations on the weight loss and an extra round of applause for keeping off 30+ for so long! It is so much harder than it appears. You are doing it!

Have a wonderful long weekend.

- Kimmi

Goodbye, my almost lover
Goodbye, my hopeless dream
I'm trying not to think about you
Can't you just let me be? ♥
(A Fine Frenzy)

I hope you all had a splendid weekend (3-day!)

I fell off the wagon, got some workouts in, but eating wise wasn't the BEST - plus, got in some drinks that just retains the water. However, I didn't seem to gain anything- so that's a plus.

I managed to be down 1lb for weigh in @ Biggest Loser. I'm shooting for 3 pounds these next two weeks so it is going to take some extra attention! I'm keeping my head up though.

Classes are beginning to get 'serious'. Yikes. But I'm staying on top of them as best as I can.

Workout plan for today:
- Running 2/3 miles
- Upper body workout
- CORE! (Obliques)

:hugs:

Melissa & Kimmi: Thank you girls so much for your continued support through thick and thin. It really means ALOT! You both are doing so well too. ---- Melissa, the heat is really amazing-but sometimes, just a little too hot, and makes for not the "best looking" skin when you're sweating- but at least I know that everyone around me is sweating too so they can't say too much! :laugh:

You can dance, you can jive,
having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene,
dig in the dancing queen ♥
(Abba)

Holey moley, gotta love this crazy life that is mine. :o

Weight today: 144.9 (up!) sniffles. NO GOOD!
-- BUT... good news, I know WHY it's up and I can fix it.

Plan for today:

-5am, wake up
-8am-11:30am, work @ office
-noon til 2pm, take Gramma to beauty shoppe
-2pm til 4pm, work @ office
-4pm, tanning
-5:30pm, gym
-7pm, chatroom meeting with classmates

I was up bright and early. Had a random call at 5am from Danny, he was just getting home and decided to call. We won't go there. 8-|

I've been taking a step in the right direction with food choices and workouts. I'm beginning to get in the groove, and I love it.

Next weigh-in for BL is a week from tomorrow. I'm hoping to knock that pound+more off for it. Com'on legs.

Hey there Miss Thang seems like your doing excellent and that pound will soon be a distant memory! Keep on rockin that program and taking care of yourself is not selfish at all it is a must in order to keep up with all things you have to do like taking your grand to the salon. Keep it up you look great!

What is this "fight for him" crap? You are not in high school, damnit. Time for those type of games to stop, in my opinion. You want to pull together to work as a team, not constantly test each other.

A woman that does oblique exercises...hehehehe. Wow, you are serious! Most ladies don't get that specific. Are you going to try cracking walnuts with your belly button, or something? :D Seriously, I think that it is great that you really work at it. So many people don't. It is good to see.

Hope your school finals and all go well. When are your finals, anyway? They finished final exams here last week, and the summer semester starts next Friday. Are you in summer session already?

I hope that the rest of your week is wonderful, and that little extra pound of water evaporates before tomorrow. Take care!

And you don't need to bother;
I don't need to be
I'll keep slipping farther
But once I hold on,
I won't let go 'til it bleeds
(Stone Sour)

Sundays are my favorite ♥

I had a productive weekend but it's time to get back to the grind of studying. I have tons of school stuff due tonight by midnight & I had my fun last night, and beach today, so procrastination has to be put on the back burner until I get this all done.

Weight: 142.3lbs (I'm down!)

Suny, Thanks hun for stopping by and sending encouragment my way! Some selfishness is a good thing... of course!

Fagan, Exactly. Last time I checked I'm graduating COLLEGE in 6 months. I don't see the point in "fighting" for someone who broke things off with me. Argh... anyways, obliques definitely. I do them just to strength my overall core, plus it feels good! As for classes, I'm in SUMMER session now. Finals are over and done with until the end of June (new finals!) Thanks for stopping by!

Congratulations on the pounds lost! You are doing great! I love the way you blend lyrics in with your narrative and notes. Have a good week.

I just write this down with hopes that you'll understand
I will no longer be disciplined by the frustrations of an insecure man
And while I kissed your face don't know that
I will no longer apologize for you former
lovers mistakes ♥
(Maria Mena)

Slept in today. :o

Now I'm @ work getting in some hours!

Amarantha, Thanks for coming by :) I was so psyched on the pounds lost! I must be doing something right. Hehe.

Back to the grind: work, school, working out, social-ness. Balance is KEY. I'm learning to slowly love myself. At the end of the day, I have MYSELF - I'm trying to get over the constant "approval" from others... it has held me back so much.

Lots going on in "fashion" world. I have tons of ideas - sarongs are about to become for -sale- to all my girlfriends; soon, I will be making "headbands and scarves" of BIKER nature to sell at BIKER SHOWS. That will be entertaining to make - we're talking skulls, American flags, anything BIKER. (and no Fagan, not bicyclers) :laugh: In addition to the things for sale, I have creative juices flowing more than ever. It's time to express them once and for all.

School is already half way done. 8 weeks total for summer, and we're in the 4th week. Procrastination is tough, especially with all the "summer events"... but nonetheless, I'm doing well with all of that. I'm shooting for all A's... we'll see how that pans out :o

Have a good Monday!

Hehe, I knew what you meant by "biker". 20 years ago, I was one of the type of bikers that you are talking about. Hair down my back, chain wallet, belt-knife everywhere I went, etc. I just got tired of being stereotyped by everybody, and gave into more nerdy parts of my inner nature. :laugh: I got tired of being Mr. tough guy...I sucked at being a real tough guy, which also helped me make the transition.

You are giving in to your creative nature. Cool. That is also part of learning to love yourself. I'm glad to see that you are not jumping right back into the dating scene yet either. You should go on A LOT of casual, not really alone with the guy, dates for a while. Maybe some non-date hanging out with multiple friends. It is good not to need constant validation, but becoming emotionally isolated is also not such a great idea, either. Especially for a social butterfly like you. I think that it would be torture.

Have a great week. Study hard, work towards getting those A's, and all that. But don't work too hard. Have some fun too. Fun rejuvinates the soul.

maybe Fagan can come be your chaperone and suss out any potential dates hahahahahhaha..
such a paternal guy our Fagan!!!!
love that you are studying as well as keeping up with your fashion enterprises!!!! i love sarongs!!!!!
hugs bell :)

Ah, the RR fashion line will soon be out there amongst the Florida social scene! How fun! Can I put in an order for a sarong?:)

I agree with dad (Fagan) about the group outings for a while. It doesn't sound like you are jumping back into the dating pool just yet, but just getting back out with friends. Work on loving you. I have heard so many times...you can't truely love someone else until you love yourself.

Keep it up woman! You are kicking tail!

Ohhh, make a skull scarf for me :)

Sounds like you are doing really really well. Coolness!

Could've been a night like any other
One of us has to drive
One of us gets to think
I'll force a laugh to break the silence
It's gonna get harder still
Before it gets easy
You can't keep safe what whats to break ♥
(Jimmy Eat World)

Wow, what a week! :o

My youngest sister graduated highschool on Wednesday, my other sister Alli drove home from college & she leaves on Sunday. Plus we have family in from out of town, so it's been quite busy around here.

I got in a GREAT workout on Tuesday night at the gym;
- Cardio
- Squats/lunges
- CORE
- Stretching

But ended up running around all day Wednesday, and Thursday pretty much too - with family and friends.

Tonight I work from 3:30 until 10pm, and then I'm going to Starbucks to work on homework, it's too busy around here to function.

___________________________________

Fagan, Wow - a biker!!! Hahaha! That's awesome! And you are right about the "dating" thing, it's too soon to jump into anything. I need "me" time.

Bell, Yes - Fagan can chaperone! HA HA! And, honestly - if you give me your address, I will send you a sarong - one of any color - walking advertisements!

... Same for Melissa & Kimmy too! If you would like one, let me know the color, I have a bunch made & I'll just sew in my "label" and send it off to you - just make sure you wear it in hopes of getting compliments :)

And Kimmy, once I do the scarfs in bulk - I'll send it over your way.

WALKING ADVERTISEMENTS! :)

Ohh. I saw Jimmy Eat World in concert a few months ago. It was a small venue in B-more...and they were great!

Going to starbucks to study is a GREAT idea.

High School graduation is such a big deal to the one that it is happening to. I'm glad to see that at least you and the two sisters that you mentioned finished. I've noticed that it is getting harder and harder for young people without a regular college degree to "get started" in the professional world. Not that you have to worry about it, miss smarty, smart.

Hope your weekend goes well. It is June. Go to the beach and have some fun! Take care.

I am unraveling unbearably empty
and if this ground gives way I just hope that you’ll catch me.
You came and saved me tonight
Defending all my life
Whoa, now I’m content with my breathe cuz I’m alive ♥
(The Spill Canvas)

Been a busy busy girl. You know how it goes. :o

Got my hair colored yesterday - it's a reddish brown, will show pics soon!

Been getting in workouts on occasion. HARD workouts. & FOOD has been OK - I've gone out to eat quite a few times, but making excellent choices for the most part. Doggy bags, salads, no desserts.

More than ever, I've been channeling my emotions through my writing. For those that don't know - writing has been one of major vices (besides dancing and sewing/designing). Since a young girl, I began writing novels, short stories, creative writing. In 6th grade, I published a children's book and donated it to a publisher in California. I had won an award and went to the Poynter Institute here in St. Pete to meet with some famous authors and took seminars for a week. I continued to write - (had a poem in Chicken Noodle Soup series), until I got to 11th grade, where I got a "writer's block" that literally lasted until a few months ago - almost 5 YEARS. More than anything, I've been writing inspirational "blurbs" (as I call them) - been focusing on mind, body, & spirit which relates to healthy eating, exercising, fashion... When I went to New Orleans in March, Danny & I got a tarot card reading. The reader told me that I would go on to publish a novel or two. :laugh: If anything, she definitely unblocked that writers block of mine, so perhaps she was worth the $80 and 30 minutes of my time.

In addition to the writing... I've been trying to become involved in NEW things... such as:

♥ Blues show tonight -- Never really listened to "Blues" music, but we'll try it out!

♥ Trivia tmw night -- Making the mind work!

♥ Local band concert on Sat night -- Supporting local artists!

♥ FATHERS DAY; taking my parents to see a comedy show -- I'm the only kid in the house, so parents-bonding time!

____________

2 years ago today... my good friend Jason died in a motorcycle accident.
His saying was always: "My lifestyle determines my deathstyle".
He was an awesome friend, we rode motorcycles together + shared some really great memories.

:lily: I miss ya ♥

Close your eyes and hum along
And I'll sing you one more love song
If everything is still alright
Why don't you just crash here tonight ♥
(Toby Keith)

I've been keeping up with everything; just a bit hectic so I haven't kept up on posting. Oops!

I have been able to get in some solid workouts and my eating habits are beginning to get better - I had a girlfriend scan some really good recipes for me. I'm going to try them out & I will post them here w/ some reviews.

I've been focusing on myself pretty well. Taking care of myself mentally and spiritually (lots of reading and meditations). In addition, I've been more open to meeting people and clearing my head. Feels good.

School is going well - so MUCH damn work though. X-(

Weight: 142lbs

Hi! Glad you are doing well and spending time on yourself.

Have a wonderful weekend :)

I am keeping up with things ♥

Sometimes I swear I don't know if I am coming or going
But you always say something without even knowing
That I am hanging onto your words with all my might
And it's alright
Yeah I am alright ♥
(Rascal Flatts)

Yikes, I've been a slacker here. In fact, I've been slacking in numerous things in my life... I'm trying to figure everything out and in the midst, I've lost touch with things that are actually pretty important. It's okay though, because I'm beginning to gather up all those mistakes I've made and I'm starting to find a balance. I'm tired of running away from my problems, instead, I'm going to attempt to face them.

Both of my sisters are home and thankfully they have kept me company - I'm in this 'alone' type of mood - that after going through my journals, I tend to get in these moods every now and then. But I always bounce back!

I'm enjoying my workouts more and more. I've been focusing on planning out my workouts to keep them fun and exciting. In addition, I've been taking up other activities that are outdoors. This past weekend, I tried golf for the first time - I really enjoyed it, but my arms are SORE! Wow.

Workout plan today:

- 35 min Interval Training
- Squats (with and without weights)
- Walking lunges
- Calf raises
- Obliques

Hi again! Maybe it is our age that makes us go through these moods? It isn't easy being 20 something. Although I am almost 30....uh oh.

You are doing great. Exercise is a wonderful mood lifter. I just wish I could get the right combination down to make me not only feel good, but also look like a cross between angelina jolie and cindy crawford :)

I ain't gonna wear
The clothes that you like
I'm finally dandy
With the me inside
One look in the mirror
And I'm tickled pink
I don't give a hoot
About what you think ♥
(Weezer)

Rise & Shine DT'ers!

It's my second day of waking up pretty darn early (and also going to bed super early!) - Even though I may be 'missing' out on nightly activities and/or nightly shows, I'm getting MUCH needed rest. It feels really good.

Schedule for the day:

8am-9:30am: Work
9:30am-11am: Joann Fabrics
11am-3pm: Sewing
3pm-6pm: Work
7:30pm: Gym
9:30pm: Bedtime

Eats:
-7am: EggBeaters
-10am: Orange, grapes
-1pm: Wrap

(Rest to be continued)

Workout:
-Yoga (35m)
-Upper body weights
-Crunches!

Tell me what you thought about when you were gone
And so alone
The worst is over
You can have the best of me
We got older
But we're still young
We never grew out of this feeling that we wont give up ♥
(The Starting Line)

Wakey, wakey!

I'm feeling quite recharged this morning. I took my shower last night, and washed my linens... in general, my room is an absolute mess because we were remodeling one of the bedrooms and all of my sister's stuff got pushed into my room for a while. So I will more than likely, take care of the 'cleaning' tonight. But laundry (all 5 loads) are done, linens (like I said) are washed and just as soft as can be.

My dad has been meeting with me about getting the marketing rolling on one of his companies. So today at work, I will be making phone calls and getting the ball rolling on that. It's like my own personal challenge to see how I would work in the 'marketing' department. It excites me.

I'm stepping away from Starbucks for a bit. $4.00 per coffee just doesn't do it for me. Plus, I found some ground coffee that is sooo delicious, so I will be making my own for a while. Let's see how much $ I can save =)

Gym tonight --> Cardio, lower body weights, crunches! I may take a Zumba class (which is like salsa/cardio)... we'll see how my schedule goes!

Have a good day all. ♥

Ah, yes. Starbucks is crazy expensive lately. I went for the first time in awhile on Saturday and got a Grande Soy Latte: $4.50.... whaaaat? Now I remember why I gave that stuff up and started brewing at home every morning. Saves me time and money. Not to mention at least 100 calories

Good luck with the marketing gig. That is really exciting! I've always wanted to test the waters in that area but never really knew how to get into it.

Kimmy, yes... I am looking forward to both SAVING MONEY and the marketing gig.. we'll see how it all goes =)

What a beautiful lady
No ifs ands or maybes
I’m releasin my heart
And it’s feelin amazing
Theres no one else that matters
You love me
And I wont let you fall girl
Let you fall girl ♥
(Chris Brown)

Thursday already. Wow!

I had a difficult time sleeping last night, tossing and turning, weird dreams, the whole thing. Yucks.

At the gym yesterday: I did about 45 minutes cardio. 35 minutes on ARC trainer to start off, deep stretching, then 10 minutes of cardio afterwards on the TM. For a total workout of 65 minutes (to add to July Exercise Minutes)

I made spaghetti last night for the family, and made whole wheat pasta for myself. The whole wheat noodles do not taste as bad as one would think, I actually enjoyed it.

I'm making something *new* tonight -- not too sure what just yet, but I have that cooking bug & I would love to try something new and healthy for the family. We'll see what I can come up with, I'm gonna browse around this site and a couple others.

Schedule:
8am-11am: Work
11:30am-1pm: Taking my gramma to the beauty shoppe
1pm-5pm: Work
5:15pm: Cooking dinner
7:00pm: Working out

hi sweets,
great to see that you are doing great as always!!!!
i think its very easy to walk away from our problems but facing up to them and solving them or working out a way to deal with them makes us better people in the long run!
i love cooking too and had a couple of friends come over tonight for dinner and really it gave me a kick to see how much they enjoyed what i made.
Have a great day sweetie.
hugs bell :)

That sounds fun! What will FSU cook for dinner tonight? heh.

I LOVE whole wheat pasta. It is all I eat lately. Or home made semolina, which actually is a great source of vitamins and minerals as well.

Have fun with gramma at the beauty shop.

But you say that you'll call and you don't
And I'm spinning my wheels
So I'm going out tonight
In my red high heels ♥
(Kellie Pickler)

Holy Sickness!

Seriously, I have been BED-RIDDEN since Thursday with a temperature fluctuating between 100 and 102º, sore sore throat, body aches, stuffiness, pressure, dizziness, vomitting. It's been horrible -- plain out horrible.

Today is the first day that I can actually stand to sit down at the computer! And I think I finally broke the stubborn fever. Yay! I hate hate sitting around and doing nothing but at the same time, my body is just so lifeless that even if I went out somewhere, I would probably not do too much.

I can't wait for this whole thing to exit my body completely so I can move on and get back into work and play time.

♥

Hi, Rebekah! I just had to stop in and tell you how much I LOVE your title of your journal. I just think it's so poetic and says a lot!

Sounds like you are on your way with new beginnings! Good luck and have a great week!

so sorry that you have been sick Bek. Hope you get to feeling better really soon.
hugs bell :)

I'm Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
You want a piece of me
I'm Mrs. Oh my God that Britney's Shameless
You want a piece of me
I'm Mrs. Extra! Extra! this just in
You want a piece of me
I'm Mrs. she's too big now she's too thin
You want a piece of me ♥
(Britney Spears)

Feeling much better! Still congested... but better nonetheless.

Thank you Bell & DJ for stopping by =)

I haven't really been concerned with eating and/or working out while I've been sick, I just want to get better!

Weight: 143.2lbs

I was hoping to be down 3lbs by August - we'll see what happens. Hopefully I can get into the gym sooner than later, just for some walks or something.

xo

Cause if you want love
We'll make it
Swim in a deep sea
Of blankets
Take all your big plans
And break 'em
This is bound to be awhile

Your body is a wonderland
Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)
Your body is a wonderland ♥
(John Mayer)

While I was sick, I spent quite a bit of time in front of the TV with boxes of kleenex and covers over me. I got bored quickly from the programs, but found Fit TV & Fuse & MTV2 to be my saviors while all the soap operas were taking over. During one of my occasional flips through the stations, I ran into the paid programming. I was suckered into buying 'Hip Hop Abs'. It is currently on its way to my front door so I'm hoping this -buy- was a good one. It was 3 'easy' payments of $19.95 (instead of 4)... and I have NEVER purchased an item from TV before.

I hope the videos prove to be fun to dance too & work on my body too! I wasn't necessarily looking to get a hardcore AB workout - but the music and dance moves looked fun! So we'll see how that goes :laugh:

Other than that... I'm working on getting 100% better. I'm @ work today... so that's a good start. I'm thinking about going to the gym tonight and getting in a 3-mile walk or something of the sort... slow, but good. And maybe some resistance machines.

17 days until annual Ft. Myer's Beach trip! I'm holding steady at 143.0lbs, looking to lose around 3lbs before the trip.

But I keep climbing and hoping things would change
And the sky turns gray, and the water from the rain washes progress away
It's like moving mountains...
It's like moving mountains... ♥
(Usher)

Weight: 141.1lb (lowest in a while!)

Hip Hop ABs came in... so much fun! But my body is still pretty weak from being so sick- so I'm trying to slowly get into the groove!

I was sick up until Sunday night-ish... but I'm feeling much better already - that sickness was the devil for sure.

Hope all is well around here, it's so quiet!

xo

aww. sorry to hear you were sick but glad you are better :)

I've been thinking about getting a yoga video that I see on TV sometimes. lol. You have to tell me if it was worth it. I am always tempted.

If I could be your angel
Your angel, Your angel
Protect you from the pain
I'll keep you safe from danger
You'll never hurt again
I'll be your a.n.g.e.l ♥
(Natasha Bedingfield)

So somehow I ended up with 'walking' pneumonia. Yikes. I'm slowly getting back into daily activities. It sucks so bad, cause my body went from being SUPER healthy to the point where I can't really do too much in a day without being completely EXHAUSTED. But - the fevers are gone. I still have a cough and congestion, but other than that... I am feeling much much better.

I've been trying to get in small workouts here and there... but I'm SO TIRED after 10 minutes... but I'm not going to push it.

While I've been sick, I have had lots of time to just 'think'... and I think that I am going to go for my personal training certification & possibly a gym class teacher certification. I think mainly the idea comes from the fact that I (a) Love helping people and (b) Love working out. I've mentioned it to my parents and they were happy for me. I will still continue to go for my 'International Business' degree (which I will have by next Spring)... so who knows what can happen with those together.

Hip Hop Abs is a blast -- and it's crazy because I can get on a cardio machine and go 40 minutes and sweat minimally... but after 10-15 minutes of the Hip Hop Abs, I'm like drenched & just dead tired.

Hope you all are doing well...xo

It will teach you to love what you're afraid of
After it takes away all that
You learn to love
But you don't
Always
Have to hold your head
Higher than your heart ♥
(Jack Johnson)

I'm attempting this "plan" written out by Beachbody that follows 'Michi's Ladder'. The plan is here: http://www.focused-on-fitness.com/nutrition/michis-ladder.php.

The plan also gives you a schedule to sorta go by... it looks like this:

Breakfast (7am)
Snack* 2-3 hours after Breakfast (9am-10am)
Lunch 2-3 hours after Snack (12pm-1pm)
Snack* 2-3 hours after Lunch (3pm-4pm)
Dinner [finished at least 3 hours before bed] (7-8pm)

*Snacks should be small (meal replacement bar, pieces of fruit, etc)

So I will give it a full week to see if there are any immediate results. It's more of a test than anything.

To insure no swayings... I will create a plan for the week!

Beachbody Plan, Week 1 (approx. 1200 cals)

July 30, Wed __ [DAY 1]

B: ½ cup Egg beaters (flavored w/ salsa); 1 slice whole wheat toast
S1: ¾ cup OJ, 1 small meal replacement bar
L: 3 oz. turkey meat w/ 2 slices whole wheat bread; steamed veggs
S2: Fruit (apple/orange)
D: 1½ cups pasta with ¼ cup marinara sauce, 3oz. broiled chicken breast, steamed veggs, romaine lettuce with 1 tbsp. low-fat dressing

July 31, Thur __ [DAY 2]

B: ¾ cup oatmeal with ½ cup banana slices, 1 cup lowfat milk
S1: Fruit with ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese
L: 3 oz. tuna, 1 tbsp. nonfat mayo, 2 slices whole wheat bread, steamed veggs
S2: 1 small bran muffin
D: 3 oz. broiled salmon, steamed veggs, brown rice

August 1, Fri __ [DAY 3]

B: 2 waffles, lite syrup; ¾ cup OJ
S1: 1 cup lowfat yogurt
L: 2 oz. ham/ 1 oz. swiss cheese, 2 slices rye bread; 1 oz. baked lays, piece of fruit
S2: ½ cup frozen yogurt or sorbet
D: 3 oz. grilled red meat (lean cut), 1 small baked potato, steamed veggs

August 2, Sat __ [DAY 4]

B: 1 cup oat bran cereal, 1 cup fruit
S1: celery and peanut butter
L: ½ cup turkey chili, 1 oz. cheddar cheese, sourdough roll, ½ cup fresh fruit
S2: Rice cakes
D: Salad w/ grilled chicken, 1 cup veggs

August 3, Sun __ [DAY 5]

B: ½ bagel, cream cheese, ½ cup lowfat milk or OJ
S1: ½ cup nuts
L: ½ cup broth-based soup, small wrap with ham/swiss
S2: 1 small granola bar
D: 3oz. skinless turkey breast, steamed veggs, 1 cup brown rice

Ummmm....1200 seems kind of low to me. Especially if you are also going to work out a lot. You are pretty active. Make sure that you don't start getting light-headed all the time, huh? Eat enough to prevent lots of bone loss, and all that too. You have to live with the bones that you have for the rest of your life, you know. Body fat fluctuates, even for naturally skinny people.

I hope that you feel all-the-way better soon. Respitory issues during the hotter times of the year SUCK. Transitioning back and forth from air conditioning to "hotter than hell" can be quite irritating to your bronchia and throat. blech.

Take care!

personal training or gym teacher cert would be awesome for you!!!!! you would be fabulous at it..i had considered it myself but went with the teacher aide instead..i think it would be awesome to make a career out of something you love and getting a workout plus getting paid for it!!!!
hugs bell :)

You would be a natural at it, go for it!! I like how you have your food planned out.

Be my friend
Hold me, wrap me up
Unfold me
I am small
I'm needy
Warm me up
And breathe me ♥
(Sia)

Replies off the bat:

Fagan-- Yeah! 1200 is quite low... but I am honestly not really getting BIG workouts in, by the time I'm done working 6-7 hours, I've been DEAD tired. I'm trying to focus on getting my immune system up and running... in the past 3 days, I've done stretches, yoga, pilates, and some bellydancing. I'm CRAVING a nice long bike ride or run, but I just don't want to 'overdo' it yet. But after the week or week & a half of 1200cals, I'm gonna bump it up for sure! =)

Bell & Jump-- Thanks for the support! I'm quite agitated at myself because when I was away at college, I got hooked on working out/eating well and that's when I joined DT in 2003/2004 & began losing weight -- I REALLY wanted to change my major to 'sports medicine or nutritionist' but I was chicken **** and didn't want to take CHEMISTRY. :o But now... if I really like the personal training and what not, I will go for sports medicine after I get my BS in International Business. I'll be a professional student. :laugh:


OK... so the first day is off to a good start. I went to the grocery store with my mom after Big Brother. Anyone watch that? It's amazing what shows you get hooked on while you're sick. Any other time, I would never watch a TV show! =P

I no longer work at Cuban Delight... I'm happy about it for the most part, I don't have extra cash coming in during the week but I'm working more hours at my dad's office which will be EXTREMELY beneficial when I start classes and studying for my CPT. I left on good terms so I'm sure I'll be by to visit.

I'm talking to Danny again! I'm sorry to be dragging you all through my relationship up's and down's...We've continued talking since the 'break-up' and I waited for him to get over his whole 'You must prove it to me' schpeal. But through some major discussions, we both still love one another... 3 years is a lot to waste... and granted, the distance is a bummer - we can't do anything about it while we're both in the middle of our school sessions... I graduate in Spring '09 w/ International Business & minor in Espanol, and he graduates a year later with Accounting. So we'll see where this all goes.

Weight this morning: 141.0lbs

And I'm always, always,always late
And my hair's a mess,
Even when it's straight

But so what,
I'm better off everyday
When i'm standing in the pouring rain, I dont mind
I think of you and everythings alright
I used to think i had it good
But now i know that i misunderstood
With you I'd say, i'm better off in every way ♥
(Ashlee Simpson)

Went to post a lonnnng post earlier + BAM! hit the wrong key and lost it all. Grr. :laugh:

Wow.. I feel like Fagan, I've been putting in work hours like WHOA! It's nuts, but this is the time to do it... no school in the way at all. I no longer work at Cuban Delight... I'm glad to be gone to tell ya the truth! I left on good terms though, so that's always good. So I'm solely working at my dad's office which has grown tremendously (yay for Dad!). He has so much work coming in, that we just hired 4 new guys and had to *sniffs* tear down the wall to combine both sides of the building *sniffs* meaning that I no longer have a sewing room *sniffs* ! BUT.. it's ok =) So I spent the weekend helping with all the organization and moving of EVERY single thing. Now I have my 'own' office persay, feels pretty neato.

Family/friends are psyched for my 'decision' about personal training & nutrition. The gym 'Shapes' is hiring, so I go in there next week for an interview/discussion for part time. I'm psyched. Shapes is an all-girls gym and the facility near me as a pool, rock climbing wall, and CARDIO STRIPTEASE! WATCH OUT! :laugh:

I talked with the Director earlier today... I'm pumped. They have a hands-on course at the beginning of October (3 days), after that, I take an exam & then I start a 2-week process of 'following personal trainers'... they then pay for me to take the national certification. In addition, Shapes Academy offers many other classes and seminars to enhance your ability of training and nutrition. Wahoo. However, I am needing to take this slow because I STILL am working on my degree in International Business. So I'm gonna be a BUSY girl... and thankfully with the restaurant behind me... I will be STUDYING/HOMEWORK at my dad's office and then 2 nights per week will be getting in PERSONAL TRAINING. So this is all school-related.

After getting my bachelors in IB - I'm going to go for a degree in Health Science of Nutrition *shivers*... the thought of Chemistry makes me tingle. But my parents are right behind me. This is WHAT I WANT TO DO.

I have lost a solid 40lbs and I have learned so much from personal trainers that I've had in the past AND from this site... the least I can do is to help girls in their teens/20s do the same. I've had CRAZY self-esteem issues (and still do at times) and I want to learn how to help other girls so that they don't have to go through the depression and binges and eating disorders. It's just not fair.

The Director of Shapes is also an accredited professor for ACE (American Council of Exercise) & was thrilled to hear how 'pumped' I am for this career path.

Some of my friends are like "what about International Business?"... "what about Fashion"...

IB will help me if I decide to open up my own practice, it will help me with marketing, management, business letters, ETC ETC!

Fashion will ALWAYS be my passion... can we say WORKOUT CLOTHES? Move over Stella McCartney :o

Lost in this world
I even get lost in this song
And when the lights go down
That is where I'll be found

I get lost in this world
I get lost in your eyes
And when the lights go down
That's where I'll be found ♥
(Anouk)

Went on a mini-beach vaycay... it was semi-relaxing! Got some sun though!

I signed up today for a program called 'Swim to Stay Fit' at my local pool, where I pay $26/month to swim whenever I'd like bw 7am and 6:30pm. Normal pool hours are 9am to 4pm... so it's convienent for me since I do work a normal-ish schedule. I should be starting that tomorrow =)

Other than that... I need to go to the grocery store! I'm all out of food!

Classes start the 25th of August. Eeeks.

xo

How lovely to be able to swim whenever you want to. I do envy you. That will be wonderful exercise for you.

My neighborhood pool closes at the end of this week, and I am trying to find something that I can do during the wintertime that won't cost an arm and a leg.

Enjoy -

I've thought about leading spin classes for money. It would take few hundred dollars and a test or two to become certified enough to instruct classes at my gym, but I figure "why not get paid to workout?". I don't know if I could only do something like that for a living, though. I'm not a people-person that way...:laugh::o I know that people would already have to be into spinning to show up for my classes. Not because I would be too punishing for newcomers, but because I lack the whole "smile while yelling 'come on let's go!'" mind-set thingy that good entry-level instructors need.

I'm glad to hear that you are not working at the restaurant anymore. Restaurant work for people with food issues is not so good. I know. I worked in that industry for over a decade before I went back to school. If I were you, I would not go back to that kind of work if I could help it. Its not that I don't think that you have the willpower to handle the food and all...it is that I personally find the combination of being around food all day, with the high-pressure with few rewards enviroment just not worth it in general. Just that little bit of added pressure to avoid mindless individual-bite nibbling on crunchy items all day long, makes it not worth it to me. It got to the point where I just set a rule that I could not eat ANYTHING at all at work, even between or after shifts. That sort of stuff really messes with my head. Not worth it.

Glad your summer is going fine, that you are feeling better, and that you have top-notch parents that really support and care about you (give em both a few extra big hugs, huh?). Be sure to have some fun with what is left of the summer too. You will be out in the real world with less time for fun than you think soon enough. You are so driven, that I don't think that we have to worry about you becoming a party-slouch, though. :D

Take care.

Come on get higher
Loosen my lips
Faith and desire
And the swing of your hips
Just pull me down hard
And drown me in love ♥
(Matt Nathanson)

Gosh, loving that song right now! :o

My sister got her wisdom teeth out last night (my youngest) so instead of shopping for swimming stuff, I went straight home to see how she was doing. We ended up watching Olympics all night- til 11ish. Saw Phelps and Vanderkaay get 1st & 3rd in Freestyle, then saw Peirsol & Grievers take first and second in Backstroke. AND Coughlin & Hoezel take 1st and 3rd in backstroke for Women. DAMN USA! KICKING BUTT IN SWIMMING! I was jumping up and down. Haha. :laugh:

Interview tomorrow afternoon @ Shapes. An All-Women Gym in my area. It's an awesome gym, has a pool, and the place near my house is newly renovated so I'm hoping for the best. We'll see how that all goes. I HATE mentioning to people that I have an interview cause I'm always so scared to have to come back and say... "Nope, didn't get the job". But I'm going in with no expectations - just a great opportunity..

Jo -- YES! The fact that Florida is HOT pretty much all year long is definitely a GREAT thing for me. The pool is open year-round and the pool is heated to 80º all year. Thanks for stopping by =)

Fagan -- Oh you are right, no more restaurants for me! It's great fast money, but not worth it in the end sometimes. As for the personal training and class instructing -- I don't know if I have the abilities to smile and yell at the same time hahahaha, but... everyone I'm around always says "WOW, YOU'D MAKE A GREAT TEACHER".. but I never wanted to teach something like history or english. AND I love the fact that Nutrition and Weight training and endurance training is always coming up with new and improved ideas, so I'm learning along with everyone else most of the time. -crosses fingers that it works out- Thanks for all the constant support =)

Hey Bekah!!!!

It's been forever since i've been by your journal,. Goodness I gotta start stopping by more often:) Anyways just wanted to say *HELLO*

Oh & I hope the Interview went well today! I'm keeping my Fingers crossed for ya! I used to work for a Womens Only Gym & I absolutely LOVED IT !!!! Didnt have a pool or anything just the circuit training it was soo much fun I pretty much got paid to socialize & got to excercise for Free what more can a girl ask for!!! Awww Good Time's I soo miss it!


Hope u have A Wonderful Day!!!

Hugs,

Cat

Time flies when you're busy! :o

Let's play catch up: Moved youngest sister into her dorm (first year in college), middle sister went away to college, I am the only child @ home & just started my final year today. Got the job at Shapes Total Fitness for Women - I start in a couple weeks. Personal training workshop in early October & I start personal training part time afterwards. Danny & I are GREAT, EXCELLENT, AMAZING. Diet has been steady. Workouts are 'eh' as of late, but I'm slowly getting back into it after pnemonia.

*whew* ; sorry to be gone for so long, but it just has been CRAZINESS.

I can't wait to get back into my ROUTINE of life. :D

Love is the answer,
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy and
Sometimes life can be deceiving
I'll tell you one thing it's always better when we're together ♥
(Jack Johnson)

First week of classes are just about over. :D

Conversational Spanish is CRAZY - out of 20 people in the class, I would say a solid 10 of them ARE spanish-speaking at home. But I will survive it. Other than that, my business/marketing classes online is just going to take reading and paper writing. I actually have 2 papers to get started on.

Started taking multi-vitamins and they are working fabulously. I have more energy and spunk then normal (scary!) It's a long-weekend, but I don't really have any 'plans'... just relaxing, paper-writing, laying out in the sun & possibly going out tonight with some friends.

Next weekend, I am going over to West Palm for Danny's birthday. We're going out to dinner and a night on the town on Saturday night & then going to the season-opening Dolphins game in Miami on Sunday (against the Jets). I've never been to a pro-football game; so needless to say, I'm excited. (EVEN though I love the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!).

I should be touching base with the women at Shapes Total Fitness this next week to figure out the hiring process. I take my personal training certification workshop classes in early October. As an 'employee' - the workshop will cost $200 as opposed to $350. So I'm happy to have that discount..

Eating has remained nice & steady, this week will be more focused around getting in workouts though.

Have a nice Labor day weekend. xo

There's a lot that I'm still learning
But I think I'm letting go
To find my body is still burning;
And I'm alive
And I don't need a witness
To know that I survived
I'm not looking for forgiveness
I just need light
I need light in the dark as I search for the resolution ♥
(Jack's Mannequin)

Hurricane Gustav's outer bands are pretty much determined to ruin my 'sunshine' day. But that's OK -- funny how things work out... I NEED to do my homework & papers; so I guess this is Gustav's way of saying 'GET IT TOGETHER BEKAH!'.

I was the DD (designated driver) for 8 rambunctious boys last night. I make a big deal about DD -- it's just not safe to drink & drive, at all, and it bothers me. And since I haven't really been a fan of alcohol as of late (besides a glass of wine or an occasional margarita), I volunteered. It was entertaining to say the least. :laugh:

I have been eating quite well as of late & my body feels HAPPY! I was up 1lb, but I'm not freaking out.. most likely water weight. I think the steady food intake will take off inches. I never feel stuffed - but I am maintaining a healthy 1200-1400 calorie diet (whereas, usually, I would skip a meal or two because frankly, I wasn't hungry).. so sometimes it feels like I'm forcing myself to eat, but afterwards it works out!

xo

DD driver for 8 boisterous boys!!!! you sure are game!!!!!
keep up the great work with your eating and exercise.
hugs bell :)

But hold your breathe
Because tonight will be the night
That I will fall for you
Over again
Don't make me change my mind
Or I won't live to see another day
I swear it's true
Because a girl like you is impossible to find
You're impossible to find ♥
(Secondhand Serenade)

Danny has had male PMS - I swear men get it too. :laugh:

This weekend was good, calm, relaxing besides the 8 boys who made my night hysterical. Everything turned out OK though.

Spent Labor Day working; with my mom & dad. Small things.

Bell: Thanks for stopping by! :)

Gym tonight:
30-40m walk/run
Upper body weights
Crunches

xo

So Whatcha think about this
Now we’ve talked it to the ground?
Whatcha think of me, you’ve seen me up you’ve seen me down?
I’ve gotta real good, feeling about you I don’t tell you I just don’t tell you!
Tell me what do you want from me?
I just wanna be there for you babe you can ask of me anything I’d give it in a heartbeat! ♥
(Elissa)

Work til 5:30pm and class from 7:00pm til 8:15pm.

I'm hoping to get in some gym time after class, but we'll see!

If not, I plan on doing crunches and upper body free weights @ home!

Since I have been getting in a steady diet for about 2 weeks now, I think that incorporating some good exercises will be GREAT! Hopefully I will see some inches burned off- and possibly even pounds!

I'd love to buy some cute FALL/WINTER clothes this year so we'll see how that all goes :)

I'm sorta fretting about this weekend because I am going out of town to see Danny on his birthday - birthdays usually mean parties, and parties aren't usually centered around good food and non-alcoholic beverages :laugh:

So I'm making sure my A-game is on when I go... not giving into the temptations!

Hi FSU.... good luck this weekend! You know you can do whatever you put your mind to. Just make a plan before you go and you'll have an easier time making up your mind what to eat. Take care and have fun!

When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I'll be here forever
Said I'll always be a friend
Took an oath I'ma stick it out till the end
Now that it's raining more than ever
Know that we'll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella ♥
(Rihanna)

DJ: Thank you so much for the support for this weekend, I know I will be able to fight the temptations because in reality, I really don't want that STUFF anyways!!! :)

I got in some crunches and lots of stretches last night. I feel like my body is so tight, and I need to stretch it out - perhaps a hot bath or hot tub will do the trick. I notice this when I go running-- which I did twice this week. I hate it though.. I grew up dancing so I'm used to being limber and bendable, so that's one huge point I am gonna work on this next week.

I've been a busy girl because I've been trying to get all my stuff together for this weekend. However, it feels good to be organized instead of doing it last minute!

After class, I stopped at Borders and bought 'Twilight'... I've heard sooo much about it so I've given in. I need a good read, and I esp. love the fact that there's a series and apparently its turning into a major motion picture. I read 1 chapter last night & I can't wait to move forth with it... Any Twilight readers out there??

I'm glad that you are feeling better, Bekah. Bad summer respitory sickness sucks.

So...you and Danny are back together? I've been really busy lately, and have not visited in a while, but I thought that you guys were still cooling things off. But you know...it was probably a good thing. You really know how much you care about a person, sometimes, if you try to scale it back, and can't or don't want to.

I'm glad that you got that new job at the gym. I can't wait to hear how your first couple of weeks go. Based on what I've read here on DT, I think that you will be a natural.

Don't party too hard this weekend. Well...not hard enough to get into actual trouble, anyway. :D

Take care.

Have fun this weekend Bek :) not too much fun though!!!!!
I am going to look for Twilight tomorrow when i am at Borders..sounds like it might be something i would like. let me know how you like it.
hugs bell :)

She got her own things
Thats why I love her
Miss independent
Wont you come and spend a little time
She got her own thing
Thats why I love her
Miss independent
Ooh the way you shine ♥
(Ne-Yo)

Fagan: Me... Trouble? NEVER! :laugh: Me and Danny took a 3-month break, we dated other people, and still ended back up together. I learned TONS about myself in those 3 months, as did he. I think it was definitely needed and we're not letting stupid things get in the way. I'm hoping that everything will be GREAT from here on out. We'll see :)

Bell: YES, get Twilight! I'm a fan already. The author, Stephanie Meyer, is an excellent writer. I bring it everywhere with me LOL!

I fly out tomorrow morning at 8am. It's a 50 minute flight. I WANTED to take the train but it was sold out. I would have saved a good amount of money (and had plenty of READING TIME) but nonetheless, $130 for a round trip flight isn't THAT bad, I suppose.

The plans are as follows:

Sat-
9:30am - arrive @ airport, Danny picks me up
10am to 5pm - drive to hotel, lay out @ pool, go to the mall (to buy his sister a gift), get lunch, site-see a little bit
7pm to 9pm - dinner at a really nice restaurant
9pm - out and about with friends

Sun-
* check out of hotel
* drive down to Miami
* tailgate with friends
* Dolphins/Jets game starts at 1pm
* after the game, drive back to his hometown & visit with his family

Should be a nice weekend! & I don't have much opportunity to get into trouble! LOL :)

Plans today: Crunches, lower body workout, cardio: 25-30 minutes!

Sounds like a great weekend! Jam packed with fun things to do.
Don't know much about the NFL, but isn't this the first weekend for it this season? Either way, it sounds cool. I've never been to an NFL game. Oh, and the shopping sounds FUN! LOL.
Hope you have a great time.

You give me something to hold on to
I hear your voice and it quiets my mind
every beautiful melody
every perfect piercing line
you give me something to hold on to ♥
(Allie Moss)

Such a great weekend :) I needed that, badly.

I was on good behavior eating-wise too..

However, TOM is most definitely coming and I can feel that bloatiness. Yucks! But lots of water will do the trick, so I'm sucking down the water like a fish today!

Fluer: Yep it was opening season!!! Thanks for stopping by and showing support :) I totally appreciate it!

AND I NEED TO TONE! So it's to the weights tonight!!!!

One Day
Is all it takes for things to turn around now
All I know
Is I got you and you got me babe
and when that morning comes I'll make coffee and you'll read the paper
We'll talk about our plans and I'll keep saying how lucky we are ♥
(Meiko)

I've been taking multi-vitamins for Active Women & they have been doing wonders for my energy level and complexion; etc...

First exam of the semester is tonight *shivers* - it's in Spanish (third level)... it's going to be tough, but I will do OK nonetheless.

Crunches + upper body weights tonight.. Toning is a must. :)

In addition, I took a mini--trip to the grocery store - but I need to go back and get more veggies and fruits!

The storm IKE isn't hitting Florida -- but the storm is pushing water our way pretty significantly.. in fact, my streets are flooded at this time because there is a high tide & I live on the gulf ... well in a little bay that is connected to the gulf...

Look how scary it looks in my backyard:

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y222/Roxystarre7/DSCN1355.jpg

Across the way is a strip of mangroves + I canoe there with friends/family on occasion... it's a GREAT workout!

I'm wishing you well with that exam tonight. You'll kick butt, as usual.

That storm looks pretty scary. I actually miss storms like that. My dad lived in Jacksonville, Florida after my parents were divorced, and my sisters and I lived with him every summer while I was a teenager. I always loved those big, dark, sudden storms. Hurricanes, I could live without, though. I've been in 3-4 hurricanes, and they can be no fun at all. One time, it took us 3 days to cut all of the downed trees off of the road so that we could leave our block, we had to boil our drinking water for 7-8 days, and we had no electricity for 16 days. Thank goodness we had a natural gas stove and range. Many of our neighbors down the street came and cooked stuff on our stove, or shared camping stoves, and/or used the downed wood for fuel in outdoor BBQ grills to cook most of their food. It sucked.

Hope you have a great week. Take care.

Hi, Rebekah:

What a picture! It looks mighty scary. We lived in south Texas for a while long ago, and I remember the hurricane flags flying, although the hurricane went elsewhere.

Best of luck to you with your exam. They can be scary, too.

Keep smiling -

You Got Me
No need to wonder why.
Don't have to question,
So clear your worried mind

Gotta keep you movin' ma,
That's how we do it ma,
We chasin' dreams and makin wishes,
I'm your shootin' star. ♥
(One Block Radius)

I did NOT want to get out of bed this morning :laugh: I was so comfy.. dreaming about what's going on in the 2nd book of the Twilight saga. Lots of people told me that the second book *New Moon* wasn't that GREAT but I am hooked! I recommend these books to anyone!

The test last night went great - at worst I got a "B". All that studying definitely paid off. Plus, I would love to become fluent in Spanish and then learn Portuguese afterwards (to converse with some of my family from Brasil). My dad gave me an excellent compliment last night -- he said that my 'love for culture' reminded me of his dad & mom. For some, that may be just a normal compliment - but for me, it's intense because my dad's parents were C.I.A spies and travelled the world.

Today is 9/11 ... wow... time flies eh? *prayers & thoughts for all those affected*... it just reminds me how thankful I am to be living here in the United States. :D

Plan of action for today:
-Cardio, cycling & walking
-Lower body workout
-Crunches

Danny flies into town this weekend (well, he flies in on Sat and leaves Mon AM)... I'm thrilled.

Tomorrow, I'm going to the USF Bulls game with my BestFriend, Monica - then on Saturday, Danny flies in.. we have two birthday parties to attend & on Sunday morning, golfing with my brother & friends, then watching football all day. Wow.. I sound like a guy. :laugh: Golf... football... I'm definitely going to have to squeeze some 'shopping' in there TOO!

Fagan & Jo : Thank you for stopping by & wishing me well on the storms AND my test. All is well.

You are my fire
The one desire
Believe when I say
I want it that way

But we are two worlds apart
Can't reach to your heart
When you say
That I want it that way ♥
(Original by Backstreet Boys -- sung by Goot)

It's the weekend, it's the weekend. YAY!

TOM is here. Blahness.

It's going to be a real busy weekend, but I will be on my A-game. My mom and I went to the grocery store last night and stocked up on excellent choices. My mom wanted me to put the fam (my parents) on a good program - so I wrote out 5-6 pages worth of information that I've collected over the years.

I got in some crunches & upper body weights last night... no cardio, I was exhausted by the time I got home. However, tonight is more upper body weights and crunches & tomorrow morning is a jog & swimming. Should be a good workout.

I will get into the groove soon enough! :) Classes have been going really well - I enjoy it, so I'm sure that helps!

Happy Friday you all, xo

And this life is filled with uncertainties
But don't hesitate when it comes down to me
Don't let it end
Before it's begun
Because tough love is better than none
Tough love is better than none ♥
(Trey Lockerbie)

What.. A.. Weekend.. :D

I'm sore, tired, exhausted... but in good spirits..

Danny flew in on Sat night & stayed til this morning, it was a good weekend.

But now it's back to reality & work/school. 8-|

I took photos on Sat night and noticed a difference in my arms; I had stopped doing toning and was in a picture that made me shiver so the past 2 weeks, I have been getting back into toning. It was a good difference this time, so that made me happy that I was able to NOTICE it.

I'm taking today off from the gym since I'm so sore from a morning full of golfing yesterday; but back to the grind tomorrow!!

Good ole Mondays! xo

Now I'm speechless, over the edge
I'm just breathless
I never thought that I'd catch this lovebug again
Hopeless, head over heels, in the moment
I never thought that I'd get hit by this lovebug again ♥
(Jonas Brothers)

*YAWNS* x 1,000,000!

I went to the McCain Convention that he hosted in Tampa, Fl this morning & I took my grandma (who's blind) along with me. So it was exhausting. I mean, we had seats and everything, but the trip there and back & parking and walking to the convention center made me so sleepy! Totally worth it though, there were a couple of nice speeches given. In addition, I was interviewed by a couple of newspapers... um... why me? LOL! There were TONS of women there and lots of Veterans as well. Good crowd of people, and surprisingly LOTS of kids my age.. never thought I'd see that considering the views of alot of my college friends.

After I dropped my grandma off at home, I rushed into work for the remainder of the afternoon. When the clock hit 5pm, I just had to leave... usually I linger around for a bit, but I felt myself just wanting to fall over and take a nap right there. Now, that I'm home, in comfy clothes & took off my peeptoe heels, I'm more in a 'relaxed' state than exhaustion.

I will get in some crunches tonight & some upper body weights (not many considering my shoulders are still sore from golf, but enough to feel it in my triceps and biceps). Tomorrow morning, I'm going for a bike ride before work, so I'm excited about that. It's back to cycling - I have a 50 mile ride on Oct. 18th for 'Share the Road' Ride - trying to promote the well-being of cyclists on our roadways & fortunately, my city has done WONDERS these last couple of months to ensure the safety of all riders (cars, motorcyles & bikes!).

I'm slowly getting back into that *grind* of eating well and exercising. My parents asked me to put them on that plan because they were beginning to eat out alot and there's very minimal exercising - so I wrote something up and we've been beginning to follow it together!

Eats for today:

1- Special K cereal, 2% milk
2- Spicy chicken wrap with light dressing
3- Handful of mixed nuts
4- Chicken breast, veggies, brown rice
Bev- Fresh squeezed lemonade, water

Put in a long hard week doing this 9 to 5
And you’re just the girl to get that off my mind
You shouldn’t ‘ve worn that dress
You shouldn’t dance like that
You got this little heart of mine in overdrive
I sure love this conversation
The band is good, the music’s loud
But would you get the wrong impression
If I called us a cab right now ♥
(Lady Antebellum)

Wednesday! Whew.. almost the weekend. I slept really well last night and I needed that good 8-9 hours of sleep & my pup slept in my bed with me (this is the dog that Danny & I bought in Tallahassee while away at college, and I'm having 'visiting rights' now HAHAHA.. it's a joke since usually the dog lives with Danny but he's been with me for 3 weeks now! He loves it here at my house because my parents have another dog, and the two of them are best friends and play all the time!)

Working 9-5:45pm, class 7-8:15pm~!

Eats for the day so far:
- Egg beaters (Southwestern Style)
- Canadian bacon
- 'Skinny' latte

More to be updated later!

I am floating away
Lost in a silent ballet
I’m dreaming you’re out in the blue and I am right beside you
Awake to take in the view
Late nights and early parades
Still photos and noisy arcades
My darling, we’re both on the wing, look down and keep on singing!
And we can go anywhere ♥
(Owl City)

Had some funny dreams last night :laugh:

I'm so psyched the Biggest Loser is on the roll... this particular challenge really gets me going! Plus, I end up meeting so many new people and it just makes me happy!

Sent in my money for the Personal Training workshop - so it's set in stone, I go to the workshop Oct 4,5, & 11 - then I take an exam and do a case study & I'm guarenteed a job at Shapes (Total Fitness for Women). From there, I'll take my national certification exam & either continue at Shapes or go to another gym (possibly co-ed). I attend Golds Gym & I really like it but I feel as though my better 'clientel' would be at an-all girls gym.

Actions for today:
8:45am-5pm -- Work
5:15pm -- Dinner
6:45pm -- Spinning @ the gym (+ stretches!)

Rebekah,

Hello! I have not been on DT in sooo long! Thank you so much for checking on me a while ago... I had some stuff happen, but, oh well-- that's life!

I need to catch up on your journal. Personal training? Back together with your boyfriend? Are you still sewing? What else is new??? Guess I can read and find out, eh?

Well, it looks like you are doing great. I will be back.....:D

-kristen

Baby will you be my corona and lime.
And I will be your main squeeze.
And if your brother don't like my style.
We could take it to the street.
We could take it to the street. ♥
(Shwayze)

Perfect Friday song to groove to! :dance:

Went to SPIN last night & it kicked my butt - in a good WAY! We sprinted, climbed hils, stablized our bodies & just worked our quads, we hovered, & danced a little bit too. I really liked the instructor!

I'm going with my mom to get a 1-hr back massage tonight; I'm pretty excited, between golf, workouts, and Spin last night -- my back is begging for some TLC!

I'm hoping to get some cycling shoes ASAP because my feet went numb while spinning- it was horrible, but after talking to the instructor, I think there were a couple of factors. I focus on pushing with my foot rather than pulling... in addition, I point my toes (mainly because I'm shared my foot would come out) AND I strap my shoes into the foot placement sooo tight. And cycling shoes would help with all of the above.

Busy but relaxing weekend ahead! xo

FSU ~

Like you I LOVE a great lyric, and therefore love the layout of your journal. I find that there is always a lyric for the mood that I am in, and because of this listen to just about every type of music you can think of. It's all about the mood that you are in.

Hope you find those spinning shoes that you're wanting & that you take the time to really savor that massage. I got one last year for mothers day and it was WONDERFUL. If only we could afford those luxuries more often. I think if I won the lottery I'd be at the spa once a week. :laugh:

MD

Update on the day:

I want to begin counting calories again. I went over to FitDay.com & it was acting weird... so I googled 'counting calories' and found: caloriecounter.com. I'm not crazy about it - but it did the job for today! I'm trying to focus on keeping each meal balanced and preferably within a 1200 to 1400 calorie range.

1- Special K cereal + whole milk = 300 cal
2- Wrap with grilled chicken, ranch = 340 cal
3- Parfait (yogurt/berries) = 160 cal
4- Flounder fillet, steamed broc, brown rice = 392 cal
Bev- Coffee, water = 18 cal

Total cal for the day: 1210


MD: Yes, lyrics move me! I can groove out to just about anything! & I will def take advantage of the massage with my mom!! I wish I could afford one per week but it simply cannot be squeezed into my budget LOL!

Good to see that you are in a nice-feeling groove. Your description of spin class makes me want to go TODAY. 8-| I have not been to one since May, and am looking forward to when they start offering more classes next month.

So, you are going through with the training to become a personal trainer. Good. I'm very interested in how it goes. I DO think that you would do well in a coed gym, though.

There are lots of 35+ year old guys that NEVER were athletic or jocks that don't like to admit it, but are scared to death of working with some super-jock dude. When you are really out of shape and need help to prevent getting injured too often while getting into shape, not only is humiliation terrible, but you also need to be able to feel comfortable with your trainer. For many of those guys, a woman trainer with a professional attitude often works even better to get them started. I've seen gay men trainers work well in similar situations, but the client...can't be a homophobic bigot.

Professional attitude is the key. The instant it becomes clear that the guy is just there because he is sweet on you, it is time for you to fire him. I talk to the trainers at my gym a lot, and they bring stuff like this up, and trade advice on how to handle it all the time (last week, in fact). It also happens with guy trainers that train women. Most women are more subtle about it, but it is just as poisonous to the client-trainer relationship. You have to set serious boundaries between your personal life and your clients.

Hope your weekend goes well. Pet the puppy. Take care.

Hey there buddy!!! I love the layout of your journal too! Very posative and upbeat...and very unique!

WOULD YOU BE MY PERSONAL TRAINER? he heeee....yes, I know...as soon as I move to Florida....

Glad you made ith through all the storms/rough nasty weather....

I've been off and on with the calorie counting...I need to be consistent...thats the only way I'm gonna lose! My hubby is taking a wellness class right now, and the instructor says no one...not even women, should go below 1500 calories a day to lose weight unless they are totally bedridden...lol, what do you think of that? She says that 1500 calories (and those are good healthy calories...not a snack bag of chips in there or anything) is what our body needs...and that less means were depriving oursevles of nutrients of one kind or another....

I don't know... 1500 means I wold go LOOOOOOOOOONG stretches at a plateu...then give up...so whats the point of that? maybe if I mixed it up...couple days at 1200, day at 1300, day at 1500, then back down to 1200?

So, I"m rambling in YOUR journal...so sorry....what sort of dogs do you have?? Aren't dogs just the best? I hope to someday be the type of person my dog allready thinks I am....lol...(we have a golden retriever)

I'm joining a gym Tuesday...I need SOMETHING to go to after work to beat the after work stress/blahs....I've been searching...based on hours/location/amenities....but haven't decided just yet...there is one I really like, but it's not open on Sundays...and thats a big thing cause i have more time on Sundays than any other day to exercise....

YOU keep up the awesome work, have a super weekend!

The 7 things I like about you
You hair, your eyes, your old levi's
And when we kiss, I'm hypnotized
You make me laugh, you make me cry
But I guess that's both I'll have to buy
Your hand in mine
When we're intertwined everything's alright
I wanna be with the one I know
And the 7th thing I like the most that you do
You make me love you ♥
(Miley Cyrus)

Ohh another Monday! 8-|

I had a crazy-relaxing weekend... almost TOO much relaxing. I didn't go out at all. On Friday, I watched a movie with my gf, Saturday- I ran errands with my mom and then spent the night hanging out with my mom and gramma. On Sunday - I went to the shooting range with my bro & his friends for an hour or so, and watched football and took like 2 naps. I NEVER take naps, so I must have needed that rest.

I slacked on food somewhat... a couple mistakes but in general, not horrible. We just didn't have much of a selection at home. I will definitely need to make a trip to the grocery store soon. I've been cooking dinner for my family each night - trying to get them making good decisions, etc.

We moved the elliptical machine inside the house - we had the treadmill, bow flex, and elliptical outside in the garage (it has A/C out there too) but they ended up being nothing but dust collectors. So I had my brother move the elliptical inside so that my mom & dad & maybe even Gramma could begin using it.. & ME TOO!

We're taking baby steps!! :)

Plans for today:
8:30am-5:45pm Work
7-8:15pm Class
8:30-9:30pm Gym

Fagan: I really really am so happy that you told me about the ideas of working in a co-ed gym... you are sooo right! Thank you for that! Everything you said is great advice.

Yogi: YAY my new buddy - answered everything in your journal! Thanks for stopping by & visiting!!!!! Weigh in tomorrow! YIKES! Hope you are feeling better!

I'm unusually hard to hold on to
Blank stares at blank pages
No easy way to say this
You mean well, but you make this hard on me
I'm not gonna write you a love song
'cause you asked for it
'cause you need one, you see ♥
(Sara Bareilles)

Weigh in for BL Challenge - I'm down to 144 from 145.2. So a small but nice loss for the week. I hope this continues. I can deal with small baby steps! It's a step in the right direction!

My mom and dad both have the flu - so I'm staying clear of them! I cannot afford to get sick right now! Hand sanitizer is my best friend for sure!!

Busy day today...
8am-5pm Work
6pm-8pm Seminar on marketing
8pm-9:45pm Renting Sex and the City with my gf

DAY OFF FROM THE GYM!

& lots of studying! Spanish test is on Wed night. I'm nervous - it's getting pretty hard and I def need to devote some quality study time to it. I'm hoping to get through all the homework (20 pages or so) today @ work and then I can begin to actually STUDY!

Now it's time to go check out journals! xoxo!~*

i think you will be a wonderful personal trainer as you have all the traits that it takes to motivated people...look at what you are doing to help your own family already.
good job on moving some equipment inside they have a way of becoming dust collectors if they are out of sight for sure..Jasons step mother had like a museum of fitness equipment..every informercial ever seen she has the equipment..some not even out of the box some years later...
keep up the great work girl!
hugs bell :)

with all of that equipment, maybe you could train people right out of the house? Kidding...sort of.

I'm sending super-study vibes your way. Hope you feel good, and do nice things for yourself this week. Take care.

I like chocolate, but my hips sure don't
I like drinkin' red wine, but tomorrow my head sure won't
These are just some things that I love that are bad for me

I like shoppin', but my purse sure don't
I like wearin' high heels, but tomorrow my feet sure won't
These are just some things that I love that are bad for me ♥
(Danielle Peck)

Test is over... sippin' on a tiny glass of vino. :secret:

The day was a stressful one because of all the studying and catching up, plus work at my dad's office is swamped, so I'm constantly running errands and trying to help out in any way possible.

I got in some crunches & upper body weights - didn't make it to the gym to do cardio today but I'm not too bummed about it - I don't think my body could have taken it. Stress really wears me out.

However, the stress is now put on the back burner - two papers due by Sunday, so I'm getting started.... TONIGHT! Whew.

Had a girlfriend post me a message saying 'Bekah, I'm reading 'what to expect when you're expecting'..... UM WOW! That's pretty much saying that's she now preggo right ?!! This is my THIRD gf in the past couple of months, not to mention, the OTHER 4 girls now getting married. Something is in the freaking air... I was telling Danny about it & he's like "WHOA what do you think it is?" and I'm like... "Well probably because everyone is so broke, that they are staying home and keeping busy" :laugh: Who knows?! Heehee.

Thursdays are my savior because I get to relax for a good 1-2 hours since I take my Gramma to the beauty shoppe each week and then either (a) go to lunch or (b) get a manicure/pedicure. And tomorrow is MANICURE/PEDICURE DAY! Yessssss!

Also tomorrow is SPIN with Joyce.. my fav. instructor so far + some lower body if I can manage, of course.

Not to be a talkaholic, but my personal training books came in for my workshop next weekend. I began looking through it, wow.. no wonder people fail the certification - it's pretty intense stuff. Thank god this is something I really enjoy!

Bell-- Aw thanks girl for the compliment. My mom is a skinny minny... but she isn't 'healthy' & my dad USED to be a skinny minny but he has really packed on the pounds - eating is his vice. So I'm hoping to help them both out - just for their well-being, I could care less about 'looks or pounds'.. I want my parents to be healthy and live for a long time!

Fagan-- Haha, yeah.. it sounds like a good start up eh? I get more work done personally at the gym however.. it's like I walk in, and I'm in the zone. At home, I have the dogs, my parents, just too many distractions.

with all the racing around you do a manicure/pedicure is so deserved!!!!
hahahahha about all your GF's getting married or getting pregnant..be careful its not catching :)
i am sure that the personal training course will be gruelling but i have no doubt that you will be up for it!!!
Good luck getting your papers done.
hugs bell :)

Rebekah:

Hey sister! How are you?

As far as all of your friends getting married: If I remember correctly you are a couple years younger than me (I am about to be 26). When I was about 21-23 a ton of my friends got married. I'd say about half are divorced already, or are planning to. So, there is something to be said for finding yourself first! I have changed so much in the last 5 years, I am so grateful I didn't marry any of the last 3 boyfriends I have had! :laugh:

I have also heard the certification is tough! But, you can do it! I think you have such a passion for this, and are such an encouragement!

I hope you have a great Thursday with your grandma!!! :D

-kristen

There are that many ladies getting pregnant at YOUR age? Now I know I'm becoming an old fart, because that is the first thing that I thought. Sorry. Well...I do sort of hope that after all of that time investment in college and all, that you get a nice and stable 2-parent adult household with some of the initial relationship kinks worked out before you bring a young'n into the mix. Not really for money and professional-life reasons at all. My biggest motivator for wanting that is for the kid(s). No matter what you do, money and financial security can come and go in your life rather quickly, but emotional and relationship stability, with the right people for you, is very important. Enough of that. Just be careful with yourselves.

I also can't work out at home that hard. For me, home is a place for handling life's business, house-hold chores, relaxing, and chilling out. Too many distractions, and other things in my face that could use some attention. Do I fix something in the house, play with the dogs, clean something, do yard work, read that article that has been sitting on the kitchen desk for 3 weeks, or work out? :shrug:

Have fun in spin class. I'm sure that you are going to kick serious butt with the training certification. Thanks.

Aaahhh.... manicure and pedicure! love getting those things! Enjoy yourself and relax!

I think it's great that you are so dedicated to working out. And getting certified is something I think you'll definitely be able to do...especially because you love it so much. Once you get into it, it probab