February '13 Length Check

13 Months Natural

It’s been another month...time for a length check!!

January 30, 2013 = 1 year natural, 11 weeks since the BC
What's the BC? See here

February 25, 2013 = 54 weeks natural, 15 weeks since the BC

First Things First

Hey guys!! You know how much I love these things, so I won't even get into it today!! So, I'm linking up today for First Things First!

 

First beverage of choice: This is a no brainer!! My first beverage of choice is ALWAYS Mountain Dew and no Mello Yello will not suffice. I love this soda and drink at least once a day. I haven’t always liked Mt. Dew like that and I can’t really pinpoint when I did start liking it that much, but now that I do it’s engrained. I know soda is bad for your body…and I know that Mountain Dew is the worst of all sodas (blah, blah, blah)…but I usually try to treat myself with one every night at supper time (I don’t actually say supper…but I think it’s hilarious, so I wanted to use it).  Now that I’m fasting for Easter (no soda, fried foods, sweets, or junk food), I don’t drink my soda at night...and my body knows it! I’ll be cooking dinner and my taste buds  will be revving up for Mt. Dew getting ready. If you read my post here you’d know about my grocery shopping escapade. During that escapade, I decided to drink outside of the Mt. Dew box. I got a box of Pepsi and Fanta (Orange). I didn’t really enjoy the Pepsi too much and there are actually about 2 or 3 cans of it left. I have, however, gotten on the Fanta train. We’ll see how far this Fantasea goes! LOLOL…I crack myself up :-)

First breakfast of choice: Since this is "of choice" I will give my ideal breakfast (that I never have time to eat!). My breakfast of choice would be Ihop's Pick-A-Pancake Combo with Strawberry Pancakes, either bacon or ham, hash browns, and shelled eggs scrambled. I love IHOP's breakfast. My best friend Nicole does too. Every time we get together we go there...except for recently. I've had a little bout with eggs, so I've tried to steer clear of them. I'm slowly working my way back to a place where I'm in love with them again! Eggs are my absolute favorite breakfast food!!

First dessert of choice: Since I don't really eat desserts, per se, I don't really have a preference. Whenever I get a taste for something sweet, I make a run to Krispy Kreme!! Who doesn't love doughnuts?? The last few times I've gone to Krispy Kreme, the Hot Now sign wasn't on, but that didn't stop me!! I think I got a dozen doughnuts each time. The last time I went, I was trying to hide them from CB, but he surprised me and ending up catching me with the doughnuts anyway. He didn't know that (but he does now ;-)! Other than that, I recently went to this local restaurant and had warm apple pie a la mode. It was the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted. It almost knocked me off my feet...but I was sitting down, so I was good! 

I hope you guys enjoyed this visit!

IOh, btw, what are your first drink, breakfast, and dessert of choice?? I'm curious to know!

1000

I JUST HIT 1000 PAGEVIEWS!!!

THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THAT NUMBER!!
...
ESPECIALLY MY FOLLOWERS!! SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO ALL OF YOU!!

WHAT'S BEEN YOUR FAVORITE POST SO FAR??

I Wanna See You Work Out For Me....

I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE and I'm pretty excited about it!

I went to the gym today to work out. I talked a little bit about my gym woes, here, but today I have good news to report. Here was my normal routine for the gym, pre-straightened hair:

NORMAL ROUTINE

Treadmill: Speed 4; Incline 2; 15 mins

Adductor: 90 lbs, 12 reps; 100 lbs, 12 reps; 110 lbs, 12 reps

Abductor: 100 lbs, 110 lbs, 120 lbs (all 12 reps)

Leg Extensions: 50 lbs, 60 lbs, 70 lbs (all 12 reps)

Abdominals: 65 lbs, 70 lbs (both 12 reps)

Simultaneous dumbbell lifts: 12.5 lbs, 3 times, 12 reps each

Alternate dumbbell lifts: 12.5 lbs, 3 times, 12 reps each

Oblique side weight lifts: 30 lbs, 3 times, 12 reps each

Leg press: 160 lbs, 12 reps; 180 lbs, 6 reps; 190 lbs, 5 reps

Since I was out of the gym for 2 weeks, I've been trying to ease my body back into the normal routine with this adjusted routine:

ADJUSTED ROUTINE (changes from normal noted)

Treadmill: minus .2 from speed

Adductor: minus 20 pounds from each

Abductor: minus 10 pounds from each

Leg Extensions: same

Abdominals: same

Simultaneous dumbbell lifts: minus 2.5 lbs

Alternate dumbbell lifts: minus 2.5 lbs

Oblique side weight lifts: same

Leg press: same lbs, minus 2 reps; minus 10 lbs, minus 2 reps; minus 10 lbs, same reps

I felt like a wuss on the adjusted routine, even though there wasn't significant change in my workout. I knew what I was capable of and I wished I wouldn't have stayed out those two weeks. But what was a girl to do?! 

The gym is usually jam packed during the week. Because I felt like my body wasn't ready, I didn't want to do my normal routine while there were so many people in there because I didn't want to embarrass myself (in case my body gave out during the workout).

I went to the gym today, and it was heaven. It's usually a lighter crowd in there on the weekends, so I feel I can work out like I want to (see here for some comic relief related to this subject)! I usually go to the gym every Saturday and Sunday I'm in town, but the break did just that to my workout schedule too...broke it! So, along with working on getting my body back to the regular weight sizes, I'm trying to get my motivation back too.

I got tired of the wuss routine and pushed myself today. I was very proud of my accomplishments today! Here's what I did:

TODAY'S ROUTINE

Treadmill: adjusted

Adductor: normal

Abductor: normal

Leg Extensions: 60 lbs, 65 lbs, 70 lbs (all 12 reps)

Abdominals: 70 lbs, 80 lbs (both 12 reps)

Simultaneous dumbbell lifts: adjusted

Alternate dumbbell lifts: adjusted

Oblique side weight lifts: 35 lbs, 3 times, 12 reps each

Leg press: 170 lbs, 10 reps; 180 lbs, 8 reps; 200 lbs, 6 reps!

I lifted 200 pounds with my legs!! That's the most I've lifted ever. I was so happy and excited when I did it. I did it with a type of ease that's not exactly easy but it's not unbearable. I've discovered the best feet placement to give me maximum coverage for lifting the weights, so I'm eager to life more...but again, I will not push my body too hard! I will work up to more weight with time.

In case you haven't noticed, the leg press is where my main focus is with working out. My workout routine is centered around my midsection (stomach, thighs, butt). My goal for the upcoming month is to get all my numbers at least back up to the Normal Routine numbers, then to surpass each of the normal numbers by the end of the March. Also, 250 will be my leg press goal!

I'm excited and I feel I deserve some applause! For those of you who have set workout goals for the year, where are you with those? Share with me; I'd love to hear from you! :-)

Check out the I Love My Online Friends GFC Blog Hop at The Things We Find Inside (button on the sidebar). Happy Monday followers and visitors!

Sunday Social

It's Sunday Social y'all!!

Here we go!!

1. What was your biggest middle school fashion mistake?

Middle school fashion? I can barely remember what I wore yesterday, let alone thinking about what I wore all the way back in middle school. Thank goodness for pictures, right?! Because of the pictures, I vaguely remember wearing way too big jeans and way too big shirts. I remember a lot of plaid shirts. And, I also remember wanting these platform Reeboks sooooo bad. I begged my mom to get me those for the longest time and when I finally got them, I don't think I wore them but a hand full of times...lol. Kids!

2. Who were your best friends in high school? Pics?

I had a number of friends throughout middle school and high school. But the ladies who have been with me since middle school are my three best friends to this day: Dorothy (affectionately known as Dottie...my longest friendship - since 5th grade), Nicole, & Tia (list in alphabetical order...lol)! We all bonded through band. Me, Nicole, and Dottie played the flute; Tia played the clarinet. We've all come such a long way and I am extremely proud of each of these ladies!!

I guess we thought we were Charlie's Angels...lol! :-)

3. What was a typical weekend like for you in high school?

Well, I haven't changed too much from high school to now. I was a homebody then and I'm still a homebody now. I don't know if this is by choice or if it's by circumstance...LOL. If I could have it my way, I'd be much more outgoing than I am, but I digress. Typically, especially in the fall, my weekends would be full of marching band activities (hear more from me about band here). We traveled almost every weekend for band competitions. The band was really good and at our largest during my first two years. The last two years things were changing. The atmosphere was changing with each new class that entered high school...and it was downhill from there! LOL.

4. Did you have any boyfriends?

Tell us about that.

I did. They weren't anything extraordinary, just your typical high school relationships. Not really too much to tell there.

5. Did you have any secret codes with your friends?

Spill your secrets!

I'm trying to think back to high school and the things my friends and I did and said. I'm sure we had our little inside jokes and sayings, but I'm drawing a blank!

6. If you could relive one day/moment/experience from middle school or high school, what would it be?

There are three moments I would relive (I know it just says one, but I have to make up for questions 4 and 5)! First: The summer before my senior year, my friend and I were able to go to this program called Project Uplift at UNC. While there we just so happened to meet two young men, from the next city over from our hometown, who were attending the program as well. We all hit it off and ended up spending some time together once we all got back home, but it was high school! We hung out a few times and lost touch. By some bizarre twist of fate, years and years later (after high school, college, and grad school!), I ran into the guy I liked the most out of the two. Fast forward to today, me and my CB are doing well! I would relive those moments because who would have known that those moments would be so special for my future! :-)

Secondly: I would relive getting my acceptance letter from the greatest school in the nation! That's right, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Once I read that letter I felt as if I had the whole world ahead of me. I would go off to UNC, become a pharmacist, and stack money!! LOL. Needless to say, things definitely did not happen like that, but I would relieve that moment because it was the beginning of a new chapter for me.

Thirdly: I would relieve graduation day! Just as the acceptance letter was the beginning of a new chapter, graduation was the kick start. It made me realize that things were about to get real. I was going to be on my own. I was going to leave home and never come back!! (That was my slogan in high school...my mom brings that up from time to time...we get a kick out of it now) I would relive this moment, but I would want to change it a bit. I wish I could have gone into college like a blank slate, instead of going in thinking I knew everything. I wish I didn't know what I thought I wanted to major in and I definitely wish I wouldn't have taken both Calculus and Chemistry during my first semester there...big mistake!! LOL. But, I learned a lot of lessons from my college experience. I pass these lessons on to every young person I know entering college (at least the ones who'll listen...lol).

What are your answers to these questions?? I'd love to hear!

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You'll enjoy it!