hope looks good on everyone

hope looks good on everyone by callmecrackrjack featuring skinny pants

September is Here

As you all know [or at least I hope] today is the first day of September. People usually use the first of the month to start their new habits/diets/other things and I definitely see September as a time to kick it into high gear. Personally, August is always my roughest month, it's the last month of summer and a popular month for vacationing. I always find that I slack off in August, I usually go on vacation which stops my workouts [and when I get home I don't want to start going back to the gym] and I eat food that is not good for me. However, I'm never too hard on myself because I know September will put me back on the right track. My goals for this next month are to workout at the gym at least 5 times a week, go to yoga at least 4 times a week, start training for 5k and just eat healthier in general. Also study, study, study! Hopefully I can get a 4.0 this semester :]

With that said, I'd like to bid August a proper farewell with my favorite picture from vacation this year. This is me and my best friend, Emily, making our way back to the resort after a night at the best bar ever.

Let's Play College

Today marks the first day of my junior year. Wow. Where does the time go?! It feels like I graduated from high school just yesterday. Looking from the perspective of the girl pictured below, I definitely did not expect to be where I am today, I expected to be moving all my shit back to Pitt to start my junior year by drinking it up with all my friends. I also expected to be on the dean's list and getting close to completing classes for my major. I guess that's why they say the future is unknown; so many things have changed in my life and have gone not as expected. Sometimes I feel bitter that I left a real college to come back home, I miss it, I miss college life, I miss campus, I miss the frat, I miss my friends, I miss the parties, I miss sports. I just miss the connection. I know I'll always be "a Pitt panther" at heart but it just gets sad sometimes.

I'm trying to have a positive outlook though. I know everything that has lead me to this point in my life happened for a reason and is ultimately for the better. This semester I'm taking on five classes for a total of 16 credits: anatomy & physiology 1, abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, nutrition for nursing, and literature with a focus on women. It's gonna be a hefty course load but I'm more determined than ever to succeed at the highest level. Not to mention I'm cramming in a lot of courses so that hopefully by next fall I can get into the nursing program at Jefferson.

I rarely see any of you update anymore [sad face]. But if you're still on here I'd love to hear about your college and what you think about the experience you've had so far. Also where did you think you'd be today when you graduated high school?

Class of 2008!

Out of Control

As you can tell from the title of this post, or so I assume, I have been completely out of control for the past five days. I have been eating total crap, slacking on my yoga, skipping workouts, and not logging stuff in my spreadsheet. The result: almost a two pound gain in a matter of a week. Naturally I would do this to myself at the worst time, right before I am about to go on vacation. Not only do I need to be in a bikini by Saturday but I also won't have the same opportunity or time to work out on vacation and I sure as hell won't be as motivated to eat well. Tomorrow I need to get back on track and I have faith that I will.

Brazilian Bummer

I called the spa today to set up an appointment for my semi-monthly brazilian, low and behold my esthetician, Cathy, isn't there anymore! This is a complete disaster. Not only does this lady use hard wax [virtually painless ladies] but I freakin love her! No lie, I'll be sitting on the table bare assed after my waxing just talking to her about life, she's a riot. I know that they probably won't give me any of her contact information because they don't want to lose business but I need to get it somehow. My sister is going in for a wax at 4 so I'm going to tag along and make up some story to hopefully get at least her e-mail address.

My dad and I went to yoga this morning followed by a late lunch about an hour ago. I had grilled salmon on top of a heaping plate of mixed greens with orange vinaigrette. As per usual I'm flying solo this week [my dad goes away on business monday-friday almost every week which basically means I get to live in a house all by myself]. I'm gonna miss him but at least I can take my bananas out of their hiding spot haha. If I leave them out in the fruit bowl he'll eat them all before I even get to one!

This is me and the banana stealer at our favorite post-ski/boarding bar in Vail, Colorado

Death By Trainer

I just got back from the gym [read: getting my ass kicked]. Today I worked with my trainer on back and biceps, with abs too of course. Let me tell you, I will never slack off on my daily ab workouts ever again! For me it's one of those things where when you've been on track for a long time you love doing them but once you stop for a couple days you never want to even think about crunches or leg lifts again. In addition to this pain I also expect my biceps to fall off my arms some time between tonight and tomorrow morning haha.

I'm contemplating yoga tonight but for now off to planet smoothie for a frozen goat...yum :]

For your entertainment: a funny picture I took of my cat a couple days ago

I've Reached a New Low...In a Good Way!

148.6!

It took me a week to get back down to my weight before Pittsburgh [149.8] but today I surpassed it! This is the lowest I've weighed since I've started college, I feel absolutely fantastic. Especially since I've been busting my butt ever since I've returned; My daily [well 5-6 days of the week] routine is yoga in the morning followed immediately by the gym and 30 minutes of cardio. It feels really good to be working out this much and I get to treat myself to things that I was previously afraid to consume when I wasn't working out nearly as much. Yesterday I had a chocolate elvis from planet smoothie [frozen probiotic yogurt, banana, chocolate, and peanut butter!].

While this is a great achievement, I can't slack off now. My goal is to stay between 125-130, so I still have some pounds to shed, especially before vacation. The photo below is a picture of my sister and I on vacation in 2008, I weighed 128 pounds then and felt amazing. I know that I won't have that kind of bikini body this year but hopefully next year [that's my second goal]. Either way, I like to look at this picture for motivation and relief when I'm feeling frustrated, it reminds me that I can get to goal because I did it before. Do you girls have anything that helps motivate you in moments of weakness?

Melanie [left] & I in Atlantis :]