<a href=" http://www.prettystrongmedicine.com " target="_blank"><img src=" http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/cheerxflip9/WIW-2014.jpg " width="240" height="350" alt="Weigh In Wednesday"/> </a>

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction

 Erin @ She's A Big Star

Time sure is marching on - I just finished another round of exams for Pulmonary and now I'm finishing up the year with Renal and a TON of practicals. ONE MONTH. Which means six until the wedding. AHHHHH! Freak out mode!

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last week: 205.6

This week: 204.2

Loss: -1.4

Total Loss: -32

Another small loss, but a loss none-the-less! Inching closer and closer to that big 199 goal. I'm starting to see differences finally - mostly in my clothes. My jeans are getting looser, my tops are fitting better, and my energy levels are increasing. It's not a dramatic difference but at least I finally feel like I'm seeing results!

The past two weeks have been taper weeks - less mileage and more moderate activity. Today and tomorrow will be my last runs before my mini on Sunday. Then I plan to do yoga on Friday and Saturday, maybe a light workout on Friday. The nerves are officially setting in. I KNOW I can do this. I just hope everything goes in my favor. 

Secretly, I know I'm scared that I will get injured - my foot or my knees - something will go wrong and I'll have to stop working out until I heal. I don't want to lose momentum going into the summer - not when I'm finally building consistency. 

Self-doubt creeps in - Did I train enough? Did I skip too many short runs? Will I be able to handle the hills? Will I finish? All I can do now is do my best! Run, walk, or crawl, I'm going to drag myself across that finish line. I will finish.

This past weekend, we had LOTS going on and I finally got a break! After my exams on Friday, I decided to freshen up my hair color and start the process of going blonde again. I want to be blonde for the wedding because I've been brunette for a while now and I was blonde when Nick and I first met. I've been coloring my hair since 8th grade - this might be the first time I've actually seen my natural color in years but oh well! Later that night, a few of my friends and I went to see The Other Woman - it was a great girls night! 

On Saturday morning, I woke up bright and early to go run my medical school's 5K we sponsored in conjunction with the Health and Fitness Expo.  I'll recap this race in a later post because I'm quite excited! 

Saturday evening Nick came up to Indy because we were going to go apartment hunting and look at furniture for the big move in two weeks! Most of Sunday was spent furniture shopping and Monday morning we went to see our possible future apartment. Everything is coming together! 

When Nick comes to visit, I try to flex my chef muscles so he won't be worried about starving to death (and he needs to get used to my "weird" eating.) I'm not Julia Child but I'm getting there...

Eggs with veggies and salsa chicken, greek yogurt with strawberries and almonds.

My new favorite meal: salsa chicken, avocado, lots of hot sauce, and a side of veggies!

Hope you're having a great week!  Whatever your goals are, keep going!

 

<a href=" http://www.prettystrongmedicine.com " target="_blank"><img src=" http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/cheerxflip9/WIW-2014.jpg " width="240" height="350" alt="Weigh In Wednesday"/> </a>

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction

 Erin @ She's A Big Star

Sorry this post is late today! I'm nearing the end of my second semester of school - one month to go - so I have lots of exams and practicals coming up. Friday is the end of my Pulmonary block and then we end with Renal! I can't believe how quickly this year went - I've been in school since the beginning of August but it feels like I just started...how do I already know so many things and not know anything all at the same time?

If you read the last few posts, things have been going well with training for my mini. I ran my longest run EVER on Sunday - 12.25 miles!!! Now I'm going to taper the next two weeks - no more super long runs, just following my training schedule until May 4. Today calls for 5 miles so I'm going to do that as a study break this afternoon.

Now for the weigh in! Down another 2 lbs which means my scale isn't broken after all.  I'm getting SO close to my next goal - ONEDERLAND.  When I looked through MyFitnessPal, I realized I haven't been this weight since Summer 2011 - 6 months after my 21st B-day. We're getting there!

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last week: 207.4

This week: 205.6

Loss: -1.8

Total Loss: -30.6

Other than fitness goals and school, I have a lot of other exciting things going on right now. Number one is that my fiancé just got a job offer here in Indianapolis! We're very happy that he gets to stay with the same company he's been with since we graduated from college! The job is a great career opportunity for him and is perfect timing for us school and wedding-wise. 

I'm EXTREMELY happy that Nick will finally be moving here next month! We'll have about a month before the wedding to get our new apartment settled since I will be moving out of my school apartment in mid-May. This whole year without him here has been really hard for us but I think it also gave us both a chance to grow individually before we come together as a family. 

I know we'll have a lot to get used to since we've never lived together before! In college we both always had different living situations (except second semester of freshman year when we lived on the same dorm floor). I'm glad we never lived together previously because I'm excited to go through these new stages of life with him - learning to share household responsibilities, cooking dinner together, watching TV on OUR couch in OUR living room instead of our families houses, etc. I just so excited to finally be creating a life TOGETHER! 

As far as wedding planning, nearly everything is complete. We have transportation, hotels, and all of the big stuff complete. Now we just need to meet with our priest one last time and make some decisions about what readings and songs we would like at the ceremony.

My mom has been a HUGE help getting decorations for our reception, specifically the Dessert Bar we are having instead of a cake table. Lots of glass wear, burlap, lace, vintage details, and cake stands (I have a weird obsession with cake stands and dessert displays - I don't even bake desserts!). So that's been really helpful.  I'm trying to get all the detail ducks in a row which is NOT my forte, what-so-ever. I'm definitely a big picture gal - which is probably why I'm attracted to primary care :).

The lady making our invitations (her and her husband are also our DJs for the wedding) posted this sneak peak of our invitations last night! I couldn't be more thrilled to see them!

Yesterday some sneaky friends of mine surprised me with patio furniture as an early bridal shower gift because I've been wanting somewhere to study when it's nice out! I feel so blessed to have kind, thoughtful friends. I was feeling pretty grumpy yesterday and their sweetness just turned that all around!

Finally, I just want to sign off with one of my favorite sayings these days. It's simple and to the point but I think hard work and being nice go a long way in this world. Have a great Wednesday!

What is your favorite quote or saying?

Another weekend has come and gone - I hope everyone had a blessed Easter with family and friends - or just a super great weekend if you don't celebrate! Could the weather have been any better here in the Midwest? Nope. Probably not! It was just plain gorgeous all weekend long. Anytime I can throw on a sundress, shades, and sandals, I'm a happy girl!

The perks of attending a Catholic university: I had Good Friday off school which meant an extra day to study. It has come to the point where I look forward to weekends because I have MORE time to study. But first, I decided to go home to visit family Thursday night. I made sure to get some great work outs in and do my best to eat healthy (no Skyline Chili for this girl - :( )

On Thursday, I went to a Crossfit style Bootcamp class with my auntie!  I really, really love these classes as a supplement to running! If only I could find a Crossfit gym here in Indianapolis that doesn't cost $100!  

Our workout was broken up into three sections (after a warmup):

WOD #1 (15 minutes): 7 pushups, 10 shoulder presses with 35 lb bar, 15 ball slams (20 lb), then run a lap around the building.

WOD #2 (15 minutes): 14, 13,12,11...2,3,1 wall balls with 10 lb ball & same for Kettlebell rows (20 lb)

6 minutes of abs (your choice - side planks, plank, situps, hovers, etc.)

GREAT workout! My arms were definitely feeling it afterwards.

On Friday, I made a quick visit to the Planet Fitness in my town for a full body workout. Nothing spectacular - I've recently started using the machines more (like the Smith machine for squats, tricep pull downs & lat pull downs, etc.)  I've always been a little timid with equipment but at this point, why not give it a try and mix things up?!

On Saturday I decided it was best for me to get back to Indianapolis so that I could be a studious person. I spent some time at the library on Friday but the environment just isn't the same. Before I left, I decided to get a training run in at one of my favorite parks.

It went well overall but I got that same twinge in my foot that I got back in the fall - right in the middle of my left foot. My guess is it's the tendonitis coming back from wearing my older running shoes.  

I also learned that 5 miles is my limit for not thoroughly applying Body Glyde - can you say Chub Rub?  The worst hits your skin - OUCH! Needless to say, for my long run on Sunday I was supremely lubed up.

Now for the exciting part. MY LONGEST RUN EVER! Sunday I woke up knowing I was going to attempt 10 miles, according to my schedule. I say "attempt" because 8 miles the week before has been somewhat rough post-run - I felt kind of sick to my stomach and my legs hated me.  Basically I was just scared of what would happen after I STOPPED.  

Not really sure what got into me but around mile 8, I decided I was just gonna go for it - go for 12 miles! I kept checking in with myself as I went along - foot ok? Yes. Knees doing well? Yes. Hydration and energy levels? Check. 

This was the first time I decided to use an energy gel as well - Gu Vanilla Bean. It was like butterscotchy goodness! I took half of it around mile 7 and then made my way back to my car for a quick water break at mile 9. 3 miles later, I was done!

I was soooooo excited! The run was great -  I felt great - like I could definitely get through the last mile. As soon as I got home, I chugged a bottle of water and decided to try taking an ice bath to help with the swelling and recovery. At this point, my left knee and foot were starting to ache - walking upstairs to my apartment was a blast. 

My poor neighbors! They probably thought someone was dying - that water was SO COLD! Eventually I got used to it and I'm glad I tried it because I am not nearly as sore as I thought I would be (I think my arms and shoulders are worse than my legs!). 

Like I said before, it seems like the after effects of running are way worse than the actual activity - the worst was that I was starving and pretty tired for the rest of the day! I found myself wanting to snack on all the foods but I controlled that by making this delicious meal for dinner! 

Shrimp tossed in spinach & basil pesto (only 45 cals for 2 TBSP!) with potatoes and snow peas!

And so ends my weekend! I think Sunday will be my last official "long" run until my race in two weeks. I took a rest day today and then I'll stick to shorter 5-6 mile runs, strength training, and lots of stretching from here on out. I definitely want to try to get some hills in, if possible, which is my biggest worry for the Flying Pig Half Marathon. Not many of those here in Indy!

Happy Monday! Any races coming up for you?

I meant to write this post a few days ago because I wanted to recap how running has been going lately! I've been getting my miles in and I'm slowly starting to feel more confident about my mini coming up. I do wish I had waited to sign up for the Indianapolis Mini because it seems like a quarter of my classmates are running it but instead I went for the Flying Pig Half Marathon in Cincinnati - can you say hills on hills on hills? 

I've been training in Indianapolis which means most of my training has been flat - at least in respect to Cincy - the City of Seven Hills! It will definitely be a challenge but I'm going to do it!

I'm also toying with signing up for the Indianapolis Women's Half on June 6th - about a month after the Flying Pig and a week before the wedding. I read somewhere that if you are training for a mini or a marathon, you might as well sign up for another one since you'll already be conditioned for it. I'm going to see how my first one goes and then sign up if I'm still alive (I will be).

Honestly, it isn't the distance that is scary anymore. It's the part when I STOP running and my body figures out what I just put it through. Last week I did 8.25 miles which wasn't horrible. As soon as I started walking though, I started to get a little nauseous and my legs were very unhappy. I proceeded to take a warm bath and eat a snack which made me feel TONS better. I wasn't nearly as sore as I thought I would be the next day thanks to some foam rollin'  

Snack time!

If there's one tip I can provide as a newbie to running: make sure you are cross training!  Just do something other than running. Strength training and interval training has made all the difference for me - both physically and mentally. I feel more empowered when I challenge my body in ways other than running.  

Running is definitely hard and makes me feel accomplished but there is something about lifting weights that really kicks it up a notch for me.  Maybe it's because I'm starting to shed the self-conscious attitude at the gym - I hate knowing that people can watch me!  I wish I could workout in my own private gym. Hey Heather, care LESS. 

Nice BR shot.

On to the recap!  

Last Saturday morning, I ran the Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure 5K with my med school team members! Thanks to some very generous family members, I was able to exceed my fundraising goal of $250 which was very exciting! 

I love charity races and this one was particularly special because there were so many cancer survivors participating and many family members dedicating their walk/run to affected friends/family! 

As far as the run part went, it felt quick! I remember running my first 5K last June and having to stop to walk because I burned myself out too quickly. I'm getting much better at pacing myself and ignoring the other people around me.  Just run. 

I was thankful that the course did have a few hills - I need the practice! As I neared the finish line, I was surprised that I wanted to keep running - the course just felt too short. What a stark contrast to where I was last year when 3 miles seemed impossible... 

My unofficial time - 33:15. I think it was more like 34:00 because I started my app late. We underestimated the time it would take to get to the start line from where we decided to meet so I ended up sprinting to the start and weaving in between all the walkers - this event was MASSIVE! I really want to buy a GPS watch to I'll have something more reliable to train with! 

The best part about the race? CHOCOLATE MILK at the end! I'm obsessed with Kroger chocolate milk but since I don't usually eat dairy these days, I never buy it. I was one happy camper!

After the race, Nick and I headed to Bloomington to enjoy the beautiful spring weather and check out the Bloomington Craft Beer Festival - craft beer from all over the state of Indiana. (including my new favorite - Three Floyd's that my dear friend and MOH introduced me to in Munster, IN).  

The event was being held in an old mill close to the Indiana quarries (Indiana is well-known for their limestone quarries). I love industrial spaces like this so it was super cool just to be there and walk around! 

We also made a quick visit to our favorite Bloomington spot - Nick's!

Empty tasting glass! (Nick hates that face).

I thought those letters were the coolest and then I found out they used to be on the old Bloomington Hospital before it was bought by IU Health and the name was changed! 

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you already know how nostalgic/ warm & fuzzy I get about Indiana, Bloomington, and my college years. I swear there is something special about B-Town. I love it! I get so happy going to visit - especially during the spring and fall. I'm getting all teary-eyed just thinking about it!  

And that's that! A quick visit and it was back to the books. I managed to get a workout in before we left the next morning so I think I balanced the trip out nicely.  

What's next on the running agenda? Two more long runs - 10 miles & 11 miles (plus my shorter training runs). And another 5K.

My school is sponsoring this 5K next weekend which several of us will be running! Then it's taper week and the big half marathon!  I can't believe it is so close!

Have a great weekend and Happy Easter!

 

<a href=" http://www.prettystrongmedicine.com " target="_blank"><img src=" http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/cheerxflip9/WIW-2014.jpg " width="240" height="350" alt="Weigh In Wednesday"/> </a>

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-hosts!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction

AND... Erin @ She's A Big Star

I'm so excited to have Erin hosting with us again!  About a year ago Erin decided to hand over the reigns of this link up to Ash & I  (any Amy & Bailey). I was totally new to the blog world and had no idea what I was doing - I am so thankful to her for giving us this opportunity. Go check her out!

If you're new to the link-up, please leave a comment & say hi!

No November Project this morning. :( I stayed at school too late studying so I chose sleep. Many people in graduate school (and in general, especially the fitness world) glorifying how sleep-deprivation as if it is a badge of honor. As if by choosing to workout or study or work over an hour of sleep makes you stronger or more motivated.

I am not one of those people. Everyone needs sleep - you are not weak or lazy if you decide to sleep instead of waking up early to workout. What good is your body to you if it isn't rested and recharged?  See this article & a million more for why!

Last year when I was working nights and getting about 4-5 hours of sleep during the day, I learned that I do not function well. Sure, I can handle that level of sleep for a few days but by the end of the week, I'm sluggish. I'm depressed. I'm grumpy. I have trouble losing weight! All of these are reasons why I chose sleep when I'm too tired to study or roll out of bed at 5:30 am to go to the gym. 

That's not to say you shouldn't push yourself out of your comfort zone.  If you need to wake up early in order to squeeze in a workout, go to bed earlier. SLEEP!!! //off soap box

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last week: 208

This week: 207.4

Loss: -0.6

Total Loss: -28.8

Not much change this week. I swear my scale won't go below 207. I'm going to prove it wrong this week. I will see 205. I will. And then I'm gonna see 199. 

I'm on this cycle of really great eating and working out all week and then going HAM on the weekends. Temptations are everywhere and it makes me really mad when other people can just eat whatever they want! No fair :(

On top of my inability to control my splurges, I haven't had a quiet weekend in so long where I can just study and not go out to with friends and just focus on what needs to be done. I thought that would be this weekend and then I remembered it is Easter.  I usually look forward to going home but now I feel like my studying is piling up, I need to get some solid runs in, and I need to organize my life! HELP!

Anyway, that's where I'm at. Just wanted to do a quick WIW today because there is so much to do today! 

I also wanted to say that it isn't too late to sign up for our DietBet! We're only three days in and the pot is up to $1525! Keep sharing with friends and join up if you want a spring challenge to propel you into summer!

http://www.dietbetter.com/games/40324

Do you have Easter/fun plans this weekend? 

Yo! I promised this post like two weeks ago so here it finally is! If you've been following along for the past month, you're probably wondering what this November Project is that I keep talking about...

It's pretty damn cool.

NP was started in Boston as a way for the founders to stay fit during the cold winter months. The concepts are simple - accountability, positivity, encouragement, fun, FREE FITNESS. That's right, November Project is completely, 100% free which basically means that if you are within a reasonable distance to where groups meet, there are no excuses!  It seems like everything costs money these days.

What I love about NP is that it is open to ALL fitness levels. I am definitely more in shape now that I've ever been in my life but I'm still working. I'm pretty slow. I'm not where I want to be strength-wise but anyone can modify the workouts to their ability levels. 

Another thing I love about NP is that people are FRIENDLY, ENCOURAGING, and freaking HILARIOUS!  I actually look forward to workouts because everyone stays positive and helps each other out - whether its a high five or an end of workout hug, you know everyone is supporting you and wanting you to do your best.  

Ever since I moved to Indianapolis, I've been missing boot camp back home. I had yet to find anything comparable to this in Indy that didn't cost me my first born child until NP. 

Praying to the Gods of Squat

So what do we do? Depending on the day, we do a workout for 30 min to an hour. Lots of stair running (ugh...hate it!), body weight exercises (squats, pushups, burpees, mountain climbers), and we end with fun group pictures!

Membership is simple. Just Show Up. I was introduced to NP via my friend Marguerite (who keeps me accountable). She currently lives in Washington DC and suggested I give NP a try since she knows I write this blog and am on my fitness journey. I contacted the leader on Twitter and made plans to attend the next session. From then on, everyone has been so great!  They welcomed me with open arms (literally...HUGS all around)

So where can YOU get involved? The current locations can be found on their website. If they don't have one in your city just yet, you can always start one!  Go for it.  

NP is all about building community, promoting fitness, and being accountable. I'm sure there will be much more NP in the future for me and I can't wait to see the Indianapolis chapter grow! 

<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.prettystrongmedicine.com/" title="Pretty Strong Medicine"><img src="http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g30/cheerxflip9/WIW-2013.jpg" alt="Pretty Strong Medicine" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Hello everybody! Welcome to Weigh-In Wednesday!

Please go check out my sweet co-host!

Ash @ A Step in the Right Direction

If you're new to the link-up, please leave a comment & say hi!

Just got home from November Project - it feels great to already have workout in the books for the day! I've been trying to get a few morning workouts in this past week and I find that my energy is getting better and I am more likely to make healthier choices overall.  Knowing that I've already worked out makes me want to preserve my hard work instead of using the mentality that "I'll just burn it off later." I hoping that this will evolve into a routine! Below is my new November Project grassroots gear. 

That's all fine and dandy but let's take it back like 10 hours ago...every decision is a struggle. At this point, I'm not sure when it will ever get "easier" to make these positive changes. Thank goodness I have an amazing NP buddy in Washington DC to motivate my ass when I don't wanna wake up early and WORK.

It's as simple as that, friends. I HATE that I'm one of slowest people at NP. I hate that I'm still carrying around all this extra baggage and fluff. I hate that every day is such a struggle to make the right choices but Margie is so right.  If you don't like where you are, WORK TO GET THERE. I will never reach my goals if I keep being scared to fail. 

Every day is a choice. 

Today I CHOSE to work hard. Tomorrow, I will choose HARD again because it will be worth it.

As far as the weigh in, I forgot to take a picture but I'm right at 208. You'll have to take my word for it. 

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last week: 210

This week: 208

Loss: -2.0 

Total Loss: -28.2

Like I said last week, I was worried about going home for the weekend. I still indulged a bit but I'm trying to keep it more controlled - less alcohol, less unhealthy food, and more activity. On Sunday morning, we took Nick's dog to the park for a walk so I could get some running miles in!  

I did enjoy this marg, though! That was my treat!

The pup is ready for a workout :)

The good news? We have a Dietbet coming up which is just the motivation I need to propel me into this half marathon, the summer, and the wedding! 

WIW Dietbet Starts Monday, April 14! 

www.dietbet.com/wiwbet

Please join us and share with your friends and family! 

I want to know: What's for breakfast this morning? 

I'm having swag & eggs!