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Just quickly posting the linkup - I have a Repro exam this morning at 8:00 am so time to do some last minute studying/cramming :)  Happy Wednesday! 

Don't forget tomorrow is THANKSGIVING and our Virtual 5K :)

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 199

This week: 197.6

Change: -1.4

Total Loss: -38.6

 

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I'm just gonna get right to it today. I stayed exactly the same as last week.

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 199

This week: 199

Change: 0

Total Loss: -37.2

When I woke up and hopped on the scale this morning, I was feeling great. I felt that familiar soreness from working out the night before - which was a home workout using Dailyburn.com. In addition, I've been hitting my calorie/macro goals, even with a few treats here and there. But still, no movement.

Buns, Hips, & Thighs + Metabolic Hip Hop last night -- too cold to leave my house :/

I thought to myself, "but I was 197 yesterday!" How does hitting my calorie goal and burning an additional 500 calories or so equate to two pounds GAINED?  BOOM. There's my problem. Wake up, Heather! You are being ruled by the scale again. 

The whole point of WIW is for accountability and to keep track of my progress. It isn't to give myself a complex about the scale. There is no reason for me to weigh myself MULTIPLE times a day. I certainly don't want to go down that road again - restriction and binging, that is. I just want to focus on eating healthier and getting more movement into my day (not just workouts). 

I don't know what the BEST course of action is. I feel like if I don't weigh in, I'm losing my accountability. If I do weigh in, I constantly stress about it.  As someone who has a pretty crappy body image already, scale victories or defeat tend to infiltrate other areas of my life, too. 

I think it's time to take a step back and realize my whole goal here is to be HEALTHY and HAPPY, not reach a certain number.  Maybe by focusing on fueling my body and training with purpose, I will start to embrace those goals again. In addition to diet and exercise, I need to continue to focus on getting enough sleep, water, and quiet time. Unplug and unwind. 

Finally, I want to end with this quote that I found last night. I love it because I think we all have a tendency to compare ourselves to other people, maybe even get a little self-righteous if we are further along in our journey than others. 

What an excellent thought...the only person we need to be better than is who we were yesterday! Let's get out there and make it happen today!

Do you have a favorite quotes? 

Just wanted to do a quick weekend update because I'm not ready to start studying again for my next course which is Reproductive and Genitourinary Systems. AKA MY LAST SYSTEM COURSE OF THE SEMESTER! Yipee! 

So on Friday I had my Endocrine final and well as an Endocrine group exam. Soon afterwards I had a group Simulation lab where we get to play with SIM man (like on Grey's Anatomy) and pretend to be a team of doctors (who don't know how to push meds or insert IVs...help, I need my nurses!)

. SIM man is pretty cool - he is hooked up to real monitors, you can infuse fluids and medications, pull up lab and imaging results, and more. His belly distends with air, he becomes diaphoretic (sweats), he can turn blue, and you can detect a pulse and hear heart/lung/bowel sounds! Pretty sweet - we even have a woman SIM person who can be pregnant and simulate delivering a baby.  

Even though the SIMs aren't really that accurate compared to "real life" (no nurses, techs, ancillary staff), it's still nice to practice going through the history/physical plus patient care plan in a more emergent, yet controlled situation. As you might remember, we also have one-on-one standardized patients that simulate more of a primary care atmosphere.

I was pleased at how well our team worked together -- we diagnosed and managed our patient appropriately! A couple of people I know had their SIM man code/die on them so it was a good feeling to know that we didn't lose ours!

The latest in studying chic

After a very long Friday, I was FREE!  No new material to study, no further obligations, just a free weekend!  We had tickets to the Pacers game through Nick's work so we rounded up a few friends and met downtown for some fun.

We had great seats! I'm not very interested in pro sports (I much prefer college basketball) but it was still fun to get out for the night.  Sadly, I feel that old granny Heather is starting to take over because I was very happy to get home, put on some pajama pants, and go to sleep when we got home. No going out and getting crazy for this girl!

On Saturday, we spent most of the day relaxing. By we, I mean me, because Nick has been studying hard for his upcoming licensing exams. I have to admit I took some enjoyment from not being the one locked away in our guest bedroom all day. I happily watched 6 weeks worth of Scandal that I was behind in and leisurely folded laundry. Magnificent.

Later in the day, I worked on a project for Emergency Medicine club with some of my fellow club officiers. We are making "busy blankets" to donate to local emergency rooms. Often when patients with dementia/confusion come in, they start fiddling with things - including pulling out their IVs and messing with their monitors. Busy blankets are a great way to focus their energy in an unfamiliar environment and also provide some much needed comfort.

These are a little more elaborate than what we were able to put together...still lots of activities and objects to fiddle with. I hope they will be useful!

Saturday night was a little date night. One thing I love about our little town is the cute little restuarants and shops on the main street in town. We went to a place we've been to before - most notably for brunch - but this time we went for a hearty dinner. We shared an appetizer & then Nick got a burger and I got a shrimp flatbread. Yummy!

My favorite part? A chocolate milk stout!  N and I both enjoy trying new craft beers -- I love how flavorful they can be. Nothing like that crappy college beer. With craft beers, you tend to savor the flavors more and one is just enough to enjoy with dinner.

  

Sunday was a pretty chill day as well. Nothing too exciting, just meal prepped a bit and got organized for my next exam for Intro to Clinical Medicine which is this Thursday. Then I'll have my first Repro exam the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and it will be time for another break.  After Thanksgiving is when the real "fun" starts -- TONS of practicals, exams, and the impending doom of constructing my board study plan!

One more thing! This Friday we get to participate in a lottery to choose our 3rd year clerkship rotation groups. I'm starting to think about how I want to organize my third year schedule. Basically we all have to do nearly the same rotations 3rd year - our CORE rotations- just at different hospitals.

These include:

2 months Family Medicine

2 months Internal Medicine

2 months of Emergency Medicine

1 month Pediatrics

1 month OB-Gyn

1 month Psych

1 month Ortho/Sports Medicine

1 month Radiology/Vacation

1 month Elective 

**1 month of FM or EM carries over to your fourth year, which ever you don't get to. For fourth year, we have a lot more control over our schedule - lots of electives and time for sub-internships.

I've heard a lot of different theories on how to create your schedule: start with specialties that you don't want first, start with family or internal med to get your feet wet, etc. For instance, I'm 90% sure I won't be entering a surgical specialty so I'd like to get it out of the way if possible. I want to save my Pediatrics/Emergency Medicine/OB-Gyn rotations for the middle of my 3rd year after I have a little more experience in the hospital.  I would also like to have a FM or IM rotation near the end of my 3rd year as a good review for boards. Ah so stressful!!!

Regardless of all the upcoming craziness, I'm happy to say I'm feeling rested and ready to conquer the last month of school!

 

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Holy crackers and soup....is this THREE posts in a row? Must be a new record. If you usually only stop by for WIW, please go check out my post about the Thanksgiving Virtual 5K - we would love to have as many people participate as possible! Anyone can do a 5K -- my grandma and my great aunt walk a 5K multiple times a week. As a child learning to crawl, I probably crawled a 5K...ok that's silly. My point is, this is very doable! And if you grab some friends or loved ones, it's sure to be a good time. Beats arguing over the TV remote, amirite?

Speaking of Thanksgiving...just received this in the mail a couple days ago - my bib for the Thanksgiving Day 10K. It was the perfect motivation I needed to get my training back on track (I haven't been running outside much....just whatever is part of my workouts). I feel like the treadmill really messes with my running so it's best for me to go outside. I hate being cold. Grrrr. I'm also tired of relying on my Nike app to calculate my mileage. I think it's time to invest in a Garmin watch (**hint hint Christmas**)  I no longer have unlimited data on my phone service so I worry that running is gonna send me over as well.

So weighing in...I expected to gain a little bit after the weekend home. There was wedding food & cake, family dinners, and not a lot of working out. I did catch up on a lot of sleep - like going to bed at 10:30 most nights and sleeping until 7:30 or 8. It was heavenly and much needed! Not worried...back to the grind!

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 197.6

This week: 199

Change: +1.4

Total Loss: -37.2

Meal prepped for the week (first half of the week...) which is probably my FAVORITE meal ever. Green beans, potatoes, polska kielbasa (the good kind), and a very healthy serving of saurkraut which is not pictured. I think I could eat this most days and be happy.

For a treat this week, I made some chia protein pudding to satisfy my after dinner sweet tooth. 2 TBSPs of chia seeds, about 1.5 cup of plain coconut/almond milk, & 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder (I use Vega) = two servings of delicious! I let the chia seeds and milk soak overnight and then add the protein later.

I think I missed the pretty autumn scenery window...the leaves are mostly gone and the trees are bare...winter is right on the horizon. Go away, cold weather! We don't want you. 

Yesterday's weather was actually pretty balmy - I definitely had too many layers on. I busted out 4 very sluggish, unenthusiastic miles right before the rain started. Perfect timing.

After getting some studying it, I realized I wasn't getting tired enough to go to bed so I headed to the gym for a little WOD action - the Fallen 15 WOD in honor of Veteran's Day. I definitely modified some of the moves - I'm not comfortable doing a "power snatch" yet (LOL) so I did a clean and press. I attempted handstand push ups and then switched to regular ones :) It was a great workout! Not on my Becoming Extradordinary program - honestly I'm getting bored with it and can't wait to start a new week. For about 4 weeks its been the SAME moves...not a fan. I need lots of variety or I do this and deviate. Boo.

Time for me to run...two exams on Friday so I need to hit the studying grind hard. Can't wait for the weekend!

How many of you are looking forward to Thanksgiving? *raises hand* What's not to love about getting together with family, sharing a delicious meal (or in my case, two or three meals), watching some football, and collapsing into a food coma on the couch?  

While a lot of that sounds enticing, I always dread that over-full feeling during Thanksgiving. It's not that I feel "guilty" or upset with myself, it's more than I know a day filled with extreme indulgences tends to lead to me getting sidetracked from my goals. 

I'm so excited to announce that Ashlee, Erin, and I will be hosting a *virtual* Turkey Day 5K this Thanksgiving - that's November 27! Below are the "rules."

Rules are pretty simple:

• Get moving on Thanksgiving! 
• Complete a 5k (3.1 miles) on Thanksgiving Day. You can run, walk, jog, or crawl - outside or on the treadmill. Whatever works for you!
• Take a selfie (or have a friend take it) for sweaty proof. 
• Post the photo (you can get creative with a collage if you want) to Instagram with the hashtag #WIWturkeyday5k and tag the three of us (Ash, Heather, & Erin)
• Bonus: You can get a bonus entry in the giveaway if you do a 5k on Friday as well - before or after shopping :)  

We are currently working to get a nice little prize pack for a lucky participant! Not only will you be making positive changes, but you could also win some goodies, too.

For me, this challenge isn't about guilt or an "eat it, now negate it" mentality (although if that works for you, go for it). It's about creating balance and keeping your health goals in the forefront of your mind.

Holidays can be stressful! What better way to counteract the stress than by getting your body moving? You'll be filled with energy, ready to play with your kids or cook a delicious meal. Maybe that energy will spill over into making time to volunteer or share your meal with someone in need. The possibilities are endless! 

As for me, I'll be participating in the Thanksgiving Day Race 10K in Cincinnati that morning. I'm so looking forward to *hopefully* beating my time from last year! 

Last years' race...pretty sure that jacket actually fits now :P

We challenge YOU to get moving this Thanksgiving (and Black Friday!). I hope you will challenge your friends, family, co-workers, etc. Let's make this our most active Thanksgiving yet!

Will you be participating in our Virtual Turkey Day 5k? What is your favorite part about Thanksgiving?

I feel like I've adjusted pretty well to life in Indianapolis. For the greater part of my adulthood, I've spent that time away from home, mostly away at college in Bloomington. I've always kept myself busy with a variety of activities in addition to focusing on academics. I've made tremendous friendships with people in my new city but every once in a while, I find myself getting really homesick.

This weekend we were presented with a perfect opportunity to go back to Cincinnati- the wedding of two of our oldest friends. It was a beautiful wedding filled with everything that makes Cincinnati home to us. B & C were married in the church I grew up in and then held their reception at Great American Ballpark (where the Reds play) down in the heart of Cincy. Our families also share a lot of mutual friends so the night was like a mini-reunion - from friends I haven't seen since high school to people we haven't seen since our own wedding. Add in some late night coneys, a beautiful view of the city, and some weekend date night fun, and all of sudden I'm not ready to leave.

The night was perfect. But it also triggered in me that nagging homesick feeling that I generally try to repress. If you've been reading a while, you know that we are very close with our families and we LOVE everything about our hometown. And while I'm thrilled to have to opportunity to pursue my education and start a life in a new city, I can't help but be reminded of everything I'm leaving behind.  
I miss seeing my mom and getting daily hugs from her. I miss seeing my grandpa, my aunt, and other extended family on a regular basis. I regret that the friendships we've left behind are cultivated mostly via social media and the occasional visit home. Most of all, I hate the guilty feeling I get for neglecting the books or other responsibilities in favor of having a little fun with family and friends (and vice versa). 

I miss the familiarity of my hometown that has become such a huge part of my identity in the past 24 years. To be able to run errands without looking up directions in my phone or to be able to drive the 5 minutes down the street to my favorite Panera and Kroger. To run miles and miles on familiar streets without the possibility of getting lost. 

We haven't quite developed a level of spontaneity and comfort in our new city (part of which, I'm sure, is due to the fact that we don't have the opportunity to explore much). Don't get me wrong - we are very happy to be here. But I think N & I both still feel very much like visitors. 

Our goal right now is to do our best to move back to Cincinnati in the next few years. Sadly, I know the likelihood of this happening soon is very, very slim due to my career aspirations. Residency will likely take us elsewhere (unless I am fortunate enough to match in Ohio) but no matter how long it takes, I think we aspire to raise our family within the 275 loop :)

I'm not sure if Indianapolis will ever truly feel like "home" to me. My heart is still in Ohio. 

How do you deal with being homesick?

 

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We have a new look to our link-up today! I'm so excited - Ash got all creative on us and really spiffed things up! Make sure you add the new link to your pages and let me know if you encounter any problems. I'm a novice coder.

Doing a quick weigh-in today. Things are back to where I was after the small gain despite it being an exam weekend. I started wearing my FitBit again and its disturbing how little movement I get during a study day. I've really been tring to make myself get up every 30 mins or so just to walk around (really dance around) or just do some laundry. Any movement to help outweigh my sedentary lifestyle. I wish I had one of those treadmill desks! Once I know the material decently well, I do start to write at my whiteboard so at least I'm standing and moving about!

Weighing In

Height: 5'8"

SW: 236.2

Last Week: 199.2

This week: 197.6

Change: -1.6

Total Loss: -38.6

I have a very thoughtful husband that keeps me well-fed when I'm busy!  Am I the only one who NEEDS to start the day with lots of protein & fat?  I've found that eating a bowl of oatmeal/cereal or similar carb heavy breakfast leaves me feeling hungry just an hour or two later. This is one of my favorite breakfasts - scrambled eggs with onions and peppers and bacon! It's not an everyday choice (bacon is a weekend treat because I bake it in the oven) but generally I eat eggs and veggies more days than not!

I just started Week 4 of Becoming Extraordinary which is essentially the same workout during weeks 4-7: muscle group splits plus running (my schedule is on last week's post).  I don't always follow the schedule exactly - sometimes I switch up the order or I swap out exercises. I add extra weight when I can and I'm really just trying to build up my endurance. 

Last night I decided to do legs (normally on Friday) and I found that I was really starting to get pooped near the end of my workout.  I struggle with whether or not to eat before a workout but I may start adding a small snack before the gym. Maybe half a rice cake with PB or half a banana - just a little free glucose for my muscles.  The last thing I want is to be super full when I'm trying to run but I also don't want to be losing stream midway through a good workout.

 Speaking of losing steam...I got crazy on Friday and signed up for the Flying Pig Half marathon again for May 2015.  But that's not all. I decided I really wanted to PUSH myself so I signed up for the Skyling Chili 3-Way Challenge!  This means I will run the 10K & 5K (in that order) on Saturday & then run the half on Sunday for a total of 22.4 miles.  Essentially what I plan to do is train for a half marathon - probably using Hal Higdon's Intermediate schedule - and make sure I'm running many days back to back so I get used to "streaking."  I realize with all this running that my lifting may suffer some but I still plan to use it as my cross training.  

The plan is to start "official" training at the end of January and possibly run a tune up half in April (thinking the Hoosier Half Marathon in Bloomington) so I can get used to running hills. I'm excited for the new challenge (& all the awesome swag...because I really just run for the medals). 

Speaking of running - Upcoming Virtual 5K

Mark your calendars because Ash, Erin, and I want to invite you all to participate in our Virtual 5K on Thanksgiving Day! We know everyone will be enjoying turkey with their families and hopefully lots of other yummy foods but it's also important to balance that out with some movement! You can walk, run, jog, or crawl, whatever works for you! 

We will have more details to follow - including some prizes for participants - very soon!

Are you interested in participating in our Virtual 5K on Thanksgiving Day? Will you challenge your family to participate with you?