To newness...

I stole this from someones FB Status, not sure if it's famous or an original but I liked it...

"This is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When tomorrow comes, this day will be gone forever; in its place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good"

I'm officially making this my motto. I think I'm going to print it out and put it on mirror to see in the morning, in my car to remind me as I drive and most importantly at work so I dont kill some beaches.

I was inspired to log on today so I could document a milestone. I had been battling to get my weight below 225. It would range from 223-227, but never below. This morning I weighted 220 and after my workout, damp from running in the misting drizzle, I weighed 219. I'm UNDER 220. I'm one lb away from the lightest I got in 2009. Two years later, I'd say it's about time!
November 2009 Now in 2011

It's perfect to get this re energized feeling. The can-d0 attitude is back and I'm ready to go. I'm going to make a meal plan, start adding weights back in to my routine and continue with my running group!

Life is exciting and I'm ready to live it!

P.S... it the most wonderful time of the year!!! My office is ready... are you?

Sick, eh, eh, eh ::cough:: eh, eh, eh...

So I called in sick today. No, I'm not sick. I'm playing hookie. What'd I do with this mid-week free day:

Woke up late... meaning I would have had to hustle to get to work on time but could have still made it, so I laid in bed for another hour to make myself good and late....

Ate breakfast. I'm in love with Kashi's Vanilla Almond granola cereal... mmmm so good!

Went to the mall. Walked the whole thing. Spent over $50 at bath and body works and another $20 plus at Macys. Cannot shop again this weekend, but probably will. Hello... TAX FREE.

Attempted to go to Panera/stole the parking space from a guy I didnt see while he drove soooo slow behind me and onto the next row glaring at me the whole time... I say attempted b/c when I got in there it was jam packed. I had no clue. So I left and walked the long way back to my car so I fully avoided Mr. Glaring Guy as he headed in to Panera.

Got a spicy chicken sandwich from Wendys instead sans the mayo and bread...

Spent 4 hours at Starbucks watching Everyone Is Gay and playing on Facebook and Meetup.

It was a pretty good Thursday, except for the fact that I had to fib to all the kind and concerned co-workers who texted to see what was up with my disappearing act. Gotta keep my story straight... ahs well. I needed a mental health day. They can deal. LOVE YOU!

Where did July go?

So a lot happened in July but I dont want to write about most of it. Quick recap. My party in Dallas at The Holy Grail was tons of fun. Brians party at his house was a super surprise. My actual birthday in Austin was funtastic when Amanda and Mom both sent me goodies at work and then showed up a day early. Got me meet some of my co-workers and get some drinks. The weekend was also fun times with them here; exploring new areas and swimming in gross slimey rock river water.
A little later in July I went out on a Friday for more than drinks with a few co-workers. It was a fun time but a little much when it turned into an unwarented grope fest from an older drunk guy.
Not much happened since then. I went to Opa's with Martha and met her neice for a second time.
This week I'm just trying to pick up some of the work out classes that 24 hour offers. Martha and I did a spin class last night and I swear my butt cheeks are bruised. And I'm basing that off the soreness and the bruise on my inner thigh that feels about the same. :(
It was a good work out though... I'll probably do it agian.

Happy Thursday!

Austin Adventures

So I mentioned that I found a few meet up events to try. Well on Thursday I went to a Trailer food meet-up and it was ok but out of the "trailer park" only one trailer was open and they had a special menu b/c they ran out of all their normal food. So while it was good it wasn't true to the trailer so I'll probably have to go back anyway. :)

So Austin has this bike rally every year and it just so happened to be this weekend. On Friday they had a bike parade down town where like several thousand bikes drive up and down Congress and park as the come back then walk to 6th Street to party for the rest of the weekend. Since I went down alone I just watched the parade and walked around a little but did not venture into any bars. Then when I got home my co-worker Joyce called me to see if I wanted to join her and a friend at Gloria's at the mall closest to us. So I got dressed again and met them... at 10:30-ish and Gloria's closed at 11. So then after our 1 drink we headed home. I'm glad I did not get all dressed up like she did. I just put on a clean top. :)

Saturday rolls around and another meet up was scheduled... for a Rollerderby. I've never been to one so it sounded fun. It was back down town so I went down a little early and got lunch and shopped a little then drove forever to find parking and walked even more trying to find the convention center (more appropriate, the right entrance of the convention center). Eventually i find it and find the meet up group. Most of them were really nice. The rollerderby was very entertaining. After we went to 6th street so they could see all the bikes parked there and get food. I didnt eat much b/c I didnt plan on staying but one of the girls had a son and it was her one night out so she really wanted to stay longer. So myself and another meet up friend stayed with her.... where she continued to get drunk. waisted. smashed.... and all of the above. She just kept buying drinks for both of us and I'd drink about half before exchanging our drinks and then stepped it up to just holding my full drink and exchanging for her empty. She never noticed. Not that I wanted to get her drunk but I didnt want to be drunk too and one of us had to maintain consciousness. Around 1am the other girl headed home and since the bars closed at 2 I stuck it out...

Unfortunately after the bars closed she was bound and determined to find an "after party" she stopped several groups of people to ask what they were doing now.
1. military men (she said she'd trust them) just walked away from her
2. indian/black guys - told us to go to a club called amnesia and they exchanged numbers
3. group of guys who she thought gave her dirty looks at a bar, stopped to confront them ended up being invited back to there house for some good old recreational fun. I told them no. We left.
4. a deaf guy who just kept using his phone to talk. I don't really think it was deaf but he had her convinced.
5. a black guy dressed up nice
6. a old man with a camera
7. a cute NY transplant who she decided I needed to go home with

We finally found my car and I took her drunk ass home. I got home myself at 4 am.

Recap - Rollerderby from 6-9 or so. Dinner from 9:30 - 10:30. 6th street from 11-3am.

Happy June

It's officially hot freaking texas summer season... and that means I'm going to be even less social than normal! JK. I've already found 3 meet ups to do this up coming week. I logged on b/c I wanted to find something to do tonight but no luck. However, there is a movie in the park on Tuesday, a trailer food outing on Thursday and a Jazz brunch on Sunday. I don't know if I'm actually going to any of them or not but I'm going to try. Socialize, Amber... socialize. It's my new mantra... Like it? There is generally so much to do but it seems like my schedule doesn't match up well. Like things start at 5:60 or 6 on a week day and I get off at 5... or later depending.

My socialness today was goodwill/mall shopping alone and now interneting at starbucks. I might go to a church tomorrow. We'll see.

Hope my lovely's are doing well!

Chuy's 5k - May 7, 2011

1st things 1st - yesterday after work I treated myself to new shoes (and socks)! And I'm so happy I did. My Puma's from late 2008 were great, but after two years they were past their expiration date. So, with great pleasure I introduce to you my new shoes:

5:30 am - snooze alarm clock
5:45 am - guilt sinks in and I get up

6:00 am - cook breakfast - egg whites and spinach and turkey bacon... and coffee
6:15 am - eat breakfast and get dressed

7:00 am - head out
7:30 am - get there (1 hr before race starts) pick up race packet and get situated - iPod in place, car key tied on shoe, cell phone/stop watch in hand.

While I was waiting (pic 1) I met Chuy the Fish (pic 2)!!

He was really nice but in popular demand so I didnt stick around too much. We bonded though since we were kinda color coordinated! :)

The kiddo's had a fun run and then the 5k'ers had to line up a little ways away out - a short jaunt through the woods behind Costo.

When the timer sounded I had a plan. I was going to do the 3rd week 1 of C25K (60 sec run, 90 sec walk).... and I did, until just after the 1 mile marker when we hit an incline. And then I got tired, and discouraged and off count - so I just power walked. Until about the half way point when I saw some other people doing intervals. I asked if I could join them b/c I really wanted to push myself but no one would know if I didnt. So i joined them... except there intervals were 60 sec of each. I lost 30 walking seconds! But I did it... I came in right at 45 mins. That's not amazing, I know. But for the 1st 5k this year AND the first one I've really exerted myself in not too shabby. I'm happy with it!

Warning - It looks like my entire face was crying. Dont worry. It's just that much sweat. The tissues are b/c I still have crazy allergies and didnt want to be drippy.

One down, two to go

...months that is. Until my 25th birthday. Not to the day, but round about. I bring this up because it was a month a go today that I had my "orientation" with the personal trainer at 24 hour fitness. He called again today to let me know it was a month to the day and wanted to know if I wanted to come in for new measurements and personal trainer peer pressure. I havent called him back.

I didnt do very well this month. I've probably only lost 2 or 3 pounds... what a drag. I know I had my lapses... like today for example. I brought my lunch but my co-worker didnt so we went out. It's Cinco De Mayo so we got Mexican... which means chips and queso. So then when someone had cake at work I had two slices!! And I wonder why I cant lose weight.

Anyway when I was talking to the personal trainer and he was asking about my goals and what my motivation this time was and I told him my birthday... I'd love to be under 200 by then. But that just isnt gonna happen. I mean, I've got a ways to go and with my "count-em-on-one-hand" weight loss this month I'm just thinking that's never going to happen.

But never say never. So to combat my chips and queso and two slices of cake - I did my second C25K week 1 intervals training this week. I'm probably not going to do it tomorrow.

I have an actual 5k on Saturday so we'll see if I can do it again then. Wish me luck.

May oh My

So it was another month before I got back to blogging. Not too much went on in April. Or at least, nothing that sticks out as extra ordinary. I guess thats why I failed to write anything. So in the last post I said I joined the gym. Well I did, and so far I've gone a few times a week. I havent really lost any weight but I'm feeling a bit better and I'm not as sore the next day as I was when I first started. However, I really want to up the exercise and think that 5ks are the way to do it. I still really want to get to the point that I can run one. I mentioned it last year and didnt really do it. But this year I'm hoping to change that. I signed up for one May 7th and there is another one in August or September in Galveston, running on the beach, that I want to do. So that's just two but I also found a free training group that meets on Mondays and Wednesday not too far from me that I might check out. That way I can get a little training in before I actually do too many 5ks. Maybe the next one I can jog or something...

I did 4 5k's last year that I can remember. The Susan G Komen, Rahr Oktoberfest, Turkey Trot and Believe 2010 in McKinney. This Saturday is a Chuy's 5k... mmmm mexican food... I mean, yay running!!!

Wish me luck. It's been a while. :/

April first... not fools

I'm not big into pranks and only was the subject of one today... via text so it doesnt really count. Which is good b/c I didnt play any either...

What I did do today is sign up for 24 hour fitness... and go thru myspace pictures so I can never sign on again. I got all my old pics and have no need for it any more. What I found while looking around were some cuuuuute pictures like this one of me and sister face:

and this one of SUPER cute prego Allie... btw I LOVE her hair like this. Hint, hint:

and b/c I didnt really have anything else to say I'll leave you with a newish pic of me sporting some new clothes b/c I'm sure you care. :)

Happy April! Lets spring into happy times!

The Weight Rant

So I’m pretty sure no one really uses this anymore… or reads mine. But that’s ok b/c I’m going to go on this rant that everyone gets annoyed by. The Weight Rant.

I’m really trying to make myself want to try. I just don’t get how anyone can really will themselves to want to work out. I can eat right or just not eat but then when I go out with people all that go out the window and I pig out on crap food. AND since I never exercise I’ll stay the same then blow up! Then gradually get down to my ‘maintained’ weight until I pig out again. It’s disgusting… BUT I really, freaking seriously want to be under 200 lbs my by birthday. Like for freaking real. I WANT IT SOOOO BAD!

So since I’ve procrastinated this redundant New Years resolution for so long I have two months less time to do it in which means I have to work that much harder… The only good thing is that it works out to still be a reasonable amount of weekly weight loss I just have to be consistent. I can’t have a slack week where I loose nothing. That would BLOW everything… So this is me started over for the 18th million time. I’m going to do this time this. I’m going to be at least 199 by my 25th birthday. Mark. My. Word.

21 Days Later

Soooo in the past 21 days I've moved to Austin, had a Good-bye Dallas party and started work. Today was only the 3rd day of my new job and I'm not really sure what to think of it. I wanted something different and that it definitely is. Everyone is really very nice and already know me by name... I however, have like 6 names down. and. that. is. it. No good. Monday was nice b/c they took me out to lunch and I didn't really do a whole lot. Yesterday was crazy b/c my manager just started throwing things at me and switching topics so fast I had no clue what was going on... today she called in sick so it was better again. Hopefully tomorrow, even if she's back, she'll be a little calmer about the work load/training. Either way it will be a new day and I'll try to make the best out of it. I'm trying to post some way over due pictures on FB and it's going soooo slow so I figured if I did something else to take my mind off it, it might speed up. So back to work... there are a couple of people who are also relatively new. And by that I mean w/in the year. So I'm not alone, but I still feel like the uber outcast. But really, everyone is soo sooo nice. My boss, the one that was out sick today, came over on Monday with arms out stretched for a hug. The other lady who has the same position as I do, and my other boss tell me how happy they are to have me every time they see me. So hopefully I dont let anyone down... and can live up to their expectations. I'll try to keep ya posted.

Love from Austin.

So this is the New Year…

It’s only the 5th, but I feel like so much has changed. The big thing being that I accepted a job in Austin, Texas. So not only is this a new year, it’s going to be a new year, in a new city with a new job. Eeeeeek! A lot of change all at once. Right now we’re trying to pack up my current apartment so I can be ready to start moving in by the 15th. I don’t actually start the new job until the 24th but I need that week to get settled. I have no clue what this year is going to bring but hopefully the change is good and everyone will be happy and healthy. I know I’m going to be on the road a lot more even if it’s just little trips to and from Dallas – or maybe down to Corpus or San Antonio… I didn’t really make a new years resolution, except to make sure I stay in touch with my friends and family while I’m away but I don’t think I’m going to have a problem with that. As always I want to loose weight but that’s so generic. How about you? Any resolutions…

To leave you with a pic from the Christmas Season...

Happy 2011!