July 2020 – Sweat & Sparkle

Two Pounds

I have been slowly, agonizingly slowly, shedding just a little bit of weight each week. While a loss is great, I knew I could do better if I tightened up and got my act together.

My goal this past week was to lose 2 pounds: not a fraction of a pound, not a decimal, but two solid pounds.

I got back to tracking my food and giving a damn where my calories come from. I no longer need GPS to make my way to my gym. I actually drank some water instead of nothing but soda.

After one solid week of putting in an actual effort instead of half-assing it, what did the scale have to say? Well, it said I lost two whole pounds! Yessssss. Not too shabby!

That means it’s time to step up and put a little more into this. How about another two pounds this week?

Yesterday was just an ordinary day for most folk, but for me, it was a very special day: my husband and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. I have to stop and do the math to figure out which anniversary it is, though, because we have actually been together nearly 14 years. We took the scenic route to getting hitched!

We had already planned a date night, so we agreed to no gifts. But when I got home from work, there was a colorful gift bag waiting on the dining room table, with a card propped up against it. My husband claimed not to know who left it there, but I have my suspicions 🙂

I looked forward to our evening all day. It was a lot of fun. I wore a top that he has said is his favorite shirt of mine, and we enjoyed a night out, just the two of us. Then we chartered a private jet and whisked ourselves away to a remote island and…okay, that didn’t happen. I was just seeing if you were paying attention.

We don’t need a remote island, though. I consider myself very lucky, because my husband truly is my best friend, too, and I just like being with him. I trust him and know he has my back just as much as I have his. That seems quite rare in the world today, especially lately, so I cherish it. It helps that he makes me laugh, and I certainly hope he gets a chuckle at some of my oddball jokes, too.

Therefore, in honor of our anniversary, I hereby decree that everyone reading this can take the rest of the day off! Just show your boss this blog post. I am sure he or she will consider it quite legitimate. Happy almost weekend!

Slow and Steady

weight-loss-motivation-quote-half-pound It doesn’t feel like almost a week since I wrote last! Time is zipping by.

At weigh-in this past weekend, I lost another 1.5 pounds. Slow and steady, I suppose. I am just happy to be back to losing each week.

On Sunday, I pulled a pair of capri pants out of the closet that are a size smaller than the ones I have been wearing. Just for giggles and kicks, I pulled them on, and they fit! I ended up wearing them the rest of the day. I don’t feel a lot of difference yet in my other clothes, but I just need to be patient. It will happen.

I hit the treadmill this morning and remembered to check my distance as well as my time! Just over 2.3 miles. Not much, but better than nothing, and it’s a great start. I can’t wait to get back to trail running, but I know my legs (and the rest of my body) are not up it quite yet. But I will get there.

running-quotes-on-moving-forward

I Love…

photo-1518199266791-5375a83190b7 I have a to-do list a mile long today, so I got up extra early to tackle it. I have had so much going on lately, my spinning head feels like it’s going to explode, and I never know if I am coming or going.

I need to take a moment. I need to pause. I need to stop dead in my tracks and focus on things that make me happy.

I love:

The smell of coffee.
The gentle purr of my fat cat when I pet him.
Laughing at my husband and the kids joking around together and being silly.
Waking up with my husband’s arm around me, or his hand holding mine in his sleep.
Our home, and knowing we worked for every bit of it and take care of it ourselves.
When someone stops me when I am working in the yard to tell me how adorable our house is or how nice the yard looks.
New roses just opening up.
Quiet afternoons with a good book.
Getting random text messages from my husband, just letting me know he misses me or is thinking of me as we go about our day.
Chicken wings (hey, who doesn’t?)
Chilly, drizzly weekends, and snuggling up under a blanket to listen to the rain.
A fire crackling in the fireplace on a cold winter night.
Coming home and seeing my husband smile when he sees me.
Animals. Penguins (and cats) are near the top of my list, but I have a soft spot for all animals.
Waking up early, realizing it’s Saturday, and being able to roll back over, tuck back under the covers, snuggle close to my husband, and go right back to sleep!

There’s a lot more, but this did the trick. I still have a lot to do, but at least now I can do it with a smile on my face.

First up? Time to cross my workout off today’s list!

Stinky

Whew, what’s that smell? Oh, just me. I was so excited about getting back to running this morning that I decided to tell you all about it before I took a shower. Don’t you feel special?

Problem is, I was so intent on watching the treadmill clock and counting down the time (gasping, wheezing, panting, and possibly shrilly crying out, “Oh, dear god, help me!” the entire time) that I completely forgot to check the distance. So I have no idea how far I ran this morning, but hey, I ran!

I had another loss at Saturday’s weigh-in. A small one, about a pound, but I was happy to see it. Last week got so crazy that I ended up not working out at least two days, so this week, I am being proactive and working out in the morning when I can. That way my workout is done and out of the way, no matter what the rest of the day brings.

Now, if you will kindly excuse me, someone around here (I’m not naming names, mind you) desperately needs a shower!