30 Miles in 30 Days - November Edition

*This post today is for Amanda, because I promised her I would link up (finally!! it's been so long) my progress for the 30 miles in 30 days challenge.  

This month I really got my act back together with my health and fitness.  I had a harsh wake up call in October when I took my personal health assessment at work and literally failed it.  No fruits and vegetables, drinking sugary drinks (16oz coffee per day and random sodas), eating chips, processed lunches, you name it, I was doing it. Oh, and many, MANY Target brand appetizers and Applebee's trips. I don't know what happened that I got that way.  I noticed my pants were rather snug and after my test results I decided that was it. I have to go back to the gym and just do it.  So besides my pants ready to burst off my rear end, my father in law is interested in getting back in shape as well and wants to start running 5ks and 10ks.  I said I would do it with him (and Mike) so that has been motivation as well.

So in addition to what you see below, I've also incorporated breakfast, a light lunch and portioned dinners to my "diet" (except its not really a diet).  It's so cliche to say but I honestly feel more well-rested and normal.  I was so lethargic and didn't want to do anything but watch TV and gorge on shit when I was in my busting button on my pants phase. I'm in a happy place right now, let's hope it stays like this.

November TOTAL: 46.20 miles :)

I pinned the other day the Planksgiving challenge.  Too bad I didn't see this in the beginning of November. I'm on day 4, plank for 35 seconds.  I should take a picture now of my stomach to see if it shows any progress by the end of the challenge.  This will bring me to December 17th which is right in time for me to start relaxing prior to Christmas :)

I feel like I'm really great at pinning all this "at home" / "no equipment" exercises but I rarely follow through with them.  I don't know what it is.  What is so hard about taking 10 minutes (if that, really) to do these things?  But I do plan on keeping up on this one, I struggled yesterday at the gym doing this. Well, I got past 30 seconds but the over achiever in me wanted to do it longer. I lasted 45 seconds, so today should be easy hopefully.

How are you doing with your fitness goals? Do you ever follow through with what you pin on pinterest?

And a little funny for you today:

:)

what to do when you forget your spaghettios for work.

I mean, I was having one of those mornings.  My alarm goes off at 4:45am, and I snooze about 7-10 times (I don't know about you all but the iOS 7 makes it REALLY easy to press snooze!). That's just the way it goes in my life.  I can't get up out of bed for the life of me, especially now that it's very dark out in the morning and COLD.  I guess that the cool weather is going to come sooner than later. It is October 24th, after all.

So ANYWAY, it was one of those mornings today, and I drove into work with ease...very surprising because people are really crazy on the road lately. I went to put my things away and realized the spaghettios that I specifically went to Walmart for last night, had been left next to the pantry cabinet at my mom's house. UGH.  I had them yesterday and they were really so great, I forgot how much I loved them (With a side of potato chips for dipping!).

So now what? What am I supposed to do for lunch? The cafeteria food sucks and is rather pricey. I decided I AM GOING TO GET PIZZA. I love pizza...who doesn't, esp in the Northeast (the REAL pizza...not that domino's shit).  So now I have something to look forward to come noon.

So the point of those 3 pathetic paragraphs was, if you forget your lunch, go get pizza. It will make everything better.

An update on my life as of 10/24/13:  I am now the single admin in my department.  I support 8 people. It sucks. YAY!  No but really, Monday was the two people's last day at work and it was pretty awful saying goodbye, as much as they annoyed me on a daily basis.  It's much quieter now that they aren't here and I don't know how I feel about it.  One thing that I do know is that I will be able to get my work done by myself and anything that goes wrong will be blamed on me, as opposed to "whodunit" and that awkward feeling of no one wanting to admit their mistakes.  I also know that I'm going to have to learn how to multi-task and that I hope my bossypants eases up on me with her workload.  For the last two years it has been a one-on-one relationship and she is going to learn how to share.  I've been fairly busy so it's making the days go by quick with the exception of the last hour in the day- it always drags.

Gym: I took a personal health assessment at work, and failed. Yes that's right, I failed (with a 54 out of 100!)  It is because I have sugary drinks during the day (a coffee and soda) and I am not eating any fruits or vegetables, I skip breakfast, and I haven't gone to the gym in months.  I took this test because I qualify to get $10 off my benefits per month which I am willing to check in once a month with this "health" coach. So that got me thinking (and the fact my ass has grown a pants size) that I REALLY need to get back into going to the gym.  Of course I'm writing this only after 3 days of going to the gym (straight from work) and things could change within a week...but I'm really trying to make a habit of going straight from work because there will be no excuses but to just drive there. So with that said, I can say that for the month of October so far, I have logged in 10.25 miles! I'm really happy about this. I going to try to do a minimum of 4 miles per day whether it be on the treadmill or elliptical or bike.  I'm still really nervous to go swimming because of my eyes but at this point I honestly think they are healed...but I get the occasional vision of my eyes burning holes in their sockets when I suction cup my goggles and get in the chlorine water.  Whatever, I know it will be okay.

Vacation over Thanksgiving Break: Not happening.  It's way too expensive to go anywhere (well, out of our price range after taking 2 other vacations this year [not including wildwood and AC]).  I just remembered anyway that Mike and I like to set up our Christmas tree on Black Friday anyway so I'm okay with this...and I get to spend 3 glorious days off of work and with Mike and the kitties. :)

Most of you saw pics on my instagram, but here are a few from the past couple of weekends.

As you can see my past couple of weekends have been busy!! We went to a wedding 2 weeks ago, and this past weekend my nieces and sister in law came to visit.  Amelia (the baby) is just the CUTEST...like a little doll.  And doesn't Jillian look just like me and my mom? It's scary.

tuesday nonsense + TBT topic revealed :)

Since I'm lacking some ideas for a post today, I'd like to share a photo that was just taken today. This here is what I walked in to see taped to our microwave in our kitchen at work.

So, this just downright makes me chuckle.  The message, the dirty cake plate, the saying "have pride in your kitchen", the OLD WOMAN FROM SHUTTERSTOCK IN A FRAME. Yes, it's hard to tell, but that is a plastic frame, the kind you get from the Dollar Store....

Funny thing is, is that I know exactly who put this very important message up in the kitchen. She looks just like the woman in the shutter stock photo.

She probably has an attitude like her as well :)

Have you ever had funny messages taped to the walls in your office common-areas??

NOW. I can't even believe that I forgot to post this yesterday (however I did on twitter!)...I was in SUCH a mood from those items I talked about that it completely slipped my mind.  I mentioned on Friday that Jennifer and I are revamping (I just love that word) Throwback Thursdays.  Once a month, special topic, plain and simple.  Well, the topic for THIS THURSDAY!!! is:

TBT to your BEST school portrait.  And when we say "BEST" we mean the worst! Bad hair day? Funny smile? Neon clothing? Maybe you aren't even looking at the camera? 

Come link up with us and show us some funny school portraits!

Honestly, I can't even wait - - and I really hope you take the time to link up!! I already know what portrait I'm using. Let's just say I have all those topics covered up above. I'm excited to see everyone else's portraits. Please, grab the button and come link up :)

Oh, and P.S. we know there are many link ups now for each day of the week.  I want to give a shout out to Manda, who has been hosting the 30 miles in 30 days link up! If you have been exercising, and keeping track of your miles, she wants to know! Check out her blog: HERE. I've been so on and off with the whole exercising thing (I know, excuses, excuses), but it really has been ever since my LASIK. I'm just so nervous that I'm going to burn my eyeballs if I get sweat in them (I'm a sweaty pig when I work out). 

Anyway, have a fabulous Tuesday!! And anyone who watched SLEEPY HOLLOW last night, shoot me an email so we can talk!

so so happy it's friday.

Why is it that the week after a Holiday, it's always the longest?  For me, I've only been at work since WEDNESDAY. It's not even like I was here for four days.  Three whopping days, and I'm ready to fall asleep at my desk.  I know what I'm doing on lunch: napping.  I have my first full-day Friday today, it's only 10:39am and I'm already feeling it.  I know wahh, wahh, cry me a river.  A lot of people didn't have the privilege of summer hours during the summer like I did.  But a lot of other people also don't have to travel 60 miles one way to work!

Ok, enough complaining.  I went to Homegoods, Pier 1, Marshalls, Target AND Lowe's last night (instead of watching the football game).  Somehow, I still made it home before kick off. UGH. :D :D

I was able to find a really adorable chair for the new "office", and a few knickknacks (future dust collectors) as well.  I also split secondly decided on a paint color for the room as well. Lowe's brand Valspar, Polar Star. A very light grey.  I found a few samples, himmed and hawed for about 3 minutes and decided, What the hell. JUST DO IT.  There is no sense in doing 8,000 live samples in your home because honestly, who has time for that, and secondly, there are just way too many choices!   

I'm keeping an active log of what I've purchased, from where, and how I paid for it.  I'm super duper excited, because I randomly found a Barnes and Noble left over gift card amongst a pile of crap in the closet, and it still had $14.00 on it.  I was reading  Lauren's blog the other day and saw that she had the most adorable block sign EVER, and that I MUST own it.  I googled it, and found that it came from B&N! It was fate.  

Precious, right?? God I'm such a cat-lady.

Gosh, I totally forgot about 30 in 30 link up, and I only posted about it two days ago!! (I'm literally hanging my head in shame right now.)  Ridiculous brain, I tell you.  So yeah, September started 6  days ago, and I went to the gym once.  I was away from my home a lot and I'm just so nervous to really get back in the swing of things with my eyes and all.  What if I get sweat in them? Are they going to burn?  I guess I could always invest in a good, old, sweat band bahaha. Hey, I don't look too bad with a spiky, frosted, bleach blonde hair do, do I ?

Have a fantastic weekend. I know what I'll be doing: PAINTING!