Couch to 8k

Last year I signed up for the F5 St. Pat's Dash 5k and the Beat the Bridge 8k. I ended up deciding not to run the 5k (the morning of...) because it was raining. And I am lazy. I ran the 8k without any training and successfully beat the bridge, but just by less than a minute and was hurting for a few days after.

THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT!

Sarah and Matt have signed up for the St. Pat's Dash, so I won't be able to bail last minute this year. HAHA. Accountability! And I'm signing up for the timed group, so I've already started training in hopes of not embarrassing myself. Additionally, I want to do well at Beat the Bridge. And even though I'm sure I can beat the bridge, I want to beat last year's time (1:01:56 Time and 12:28 Pace)!

I got fitted for proper running shoes today. Turns out I'm a slight overpronator and the Brooks Defyance 8 shoes were the best/most comfy for me. I'm so glad that I went to seek advice! I also now know that my previous pair of running shoes was too tight. I didn't have the toe space that I have now... and it makes a world of difference.

Here's the game plan for the training:

I'm intentionally easing into running because I don't want to hurt myself. I only just broke in my new shoes today on the treadmill, but I felt great during the run and I was able to jog longer than ever before without stopping. 15 minutes with no break!

Electric Run Seattle

Before tonight, I had seen tons and tons of photos on Facebook, IG, etc. from the Electric Run events in different cities. And I wasn't impressed. It seemed like another trendy 5k but with a generic rave theme that didn't appeal to me.

This morning I had barre class, attempted to play tennis with Sean and Matt, and then as a spur of the moment thing Matt bought me a ticket to do the Electric Run Seattle with him and a few others. Oy vey, I was definitely not in shape for a 5k.

We took off running at the Start line because we were so anxious to begin, but after about 15 minutes I couldn't keep pace with the group. I ended up walking and somewhat jogging on my own for 3/4 of the run, but I got to take in all of the creepy and awesome parts of the semi-decorated Puyallup fair grounds. A lot of the course was winding through empty stables with some pretty cool lights set up. There were bubble machines and foam machines to play in! And there were interesting glow structures, lots of places to stop and take pictures at, and even animal-shaped shrubs with display lighting. My favorite part of the course was an intensely long row of gigantic circular arches that changed colors to the sound of music. The arches also had a strobe lighting effect and it seemed to be synced with the scratches and drops of the mixes.

Even though I can think of a handful of things the event can improve on, I enjoyed the experience! The short rave concert after was alright, we were definitely wishing for some trap music though. Maybe next year? In the meantime, these sore legs will hopefully tone down some before Vegas in 7k, or days.

Salad Days

Miami is just one week from today! With a 64-hour work week, TONS shopping to do, and no time to hit the gym.... two weeks of salads it is!



Good thing I got my salmon and taco salads recipes right. Salsa and smoked sockeye salmon are saving my salads. :)

Valentine's Day

Every year for the past decade I've been disappointed, infuriated, or distraught by Valentine's Day. This year, I genuinely did not care. And it just so happens that this year is when things changed for the better.

First of all, Victor gave me a Nike+ Fuel Band!!! This is perfect motivation to get me ready for Miami, and I JUST got a new membership to 24 hour fitness so I can go to the new Totem Lake location! The brand new machines are enticing, and with the Fuel Band I've never been more excited to work out. Best piece of jewelry ever.

Second, dinner at my fave Seattle restaurant! Seastar in Bellevue =) Two glasses of wine, my fave oyster sampler, pesto clams, dungeness crab cakes, scallop entrée, molten chocolate cake, creme brulee, lemon crisps, and one moscato dondarello later I am a spoiled and happy girl. I was so excited for the food that I forgot to take pictures of the first few courses, HAHA.

I'm in heaven.

I also sent my mom a card and chocolates for Valentine's Day but the cursed USPS lost it. I worked so hard on my calligraphy to make it!! Oh well, at least I took a picture of it so I can email it to her.

Nike+ Kinect Training Week 1

Yesterday I finished my first week of the Get Lean program in Nike+ Kinect Training. And I love it! I get a light soreness in specific parts of my body after each workout, and I'm feeling less jiggly so I know it's working. The best part about this game is that it customizes the program to how well I do, and it corrects my form all of the time. Miami body, here I come!

I understand that p90x and the Insanity workouts will probably get more results and faster, but I know that I have issues with form and this is the only way for me to work out correctly at home. The Kinect sensors also only count properly done reps, so I don't get to cheat like I do with p90x =)

Livestrong App: Day 1

I just started using the Livestrong app for Android today, and so far it's been pretty awesome. This is what the MyPlate screen looks like on my Samsung Galaxy S2:

Easy to search, fast manual entry, and overall very easy to use. Having to choose an Activity level was kind of sad for me though.. the most appropriate option was "sedentary" -- there's a difference between knowing in the back of your mind that you're unhealthy, and actually having to select it from a drop down menu.

Time to shape up!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Verdict

It's been a full week after I officially gave up on my diet, and apparently I'm still losing weight! I just wanted this to show how portion controls and healthy choices have helped me in my quest for my goal weight, even without supplements.

And yes, even after consuming junk food and alcohol last weekend I was able to somehow keep my weight down. Advocare may have been the best $200 I've ever spent.

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Fail

As you may have noticed, my Advocare posts have gone from consistent, to inconsistent, and now are nonexistent. Let me explain.

I had a rough day my second day of work, and took my frustration out with a bag of chips. And well, it worked. I felt so much better immediately after! But then I felt horrible when I thought about how I ruined my diet. For a second, I even considered that if I threw up I could still salvage my nearly clean diet-slate. But no, I didn't vomit.

I continued on with the diet routine, but a few days later I noticed that I was having diarrhea every morning. On the third day, I figured something must be really wrong with me! It was also getting really annoying. I texted my coach and she told me to stop taking the probiotic supplement. I did, and it worked. I stopped having the juicy poops!

Finally, what did me in was the curse of all womankind. My period. A few days after the probiotic fiasco, I knew my period was coming because 1) the calendar date, and 2) the cravings. I simply cannot control my eating right before my period - it's like my body knows I'm going to lose blood and is trying to make up for it in advance!

Anyway, this past weekend we went to Portland for Moonlight Masquerade and that's where the diet truly ended. It's four days later now, I'm still 5 lbs under my original weight, and I'm still very happy with my results. I also did slim down a lot before the rave, which was basically why I timed it this way! So I wouldn't have a spare tire over my tutu =P

Over the past few days, I've noticed that I continue to eat small meals every 2-3 hours each day, even though I'm not sticking to the Advocare diet plan anymore. I also can control my portion sizes and know to stop myself before getting second servings. And most importantly, I've started liking healthier snacks! Like a spoonful of peanut butter, or a handful of raw almonds. I've even continued to eat fruit for my snacks! These are incredibly valuable lessons, and because they've improved my eating habits I think that the diet was a great success.

And I mean really, who thought that I was going to last the full 24 days? I didn't. :)

Another First Day

The first day of work is probably one of the most confusing and stressful recurring occasions of my life. I'm always nervous about waking up on time, running into horrific traffic, and doing something disastrous to my outfit (like food stains or ripping my pants, LOL).

So far so good though, today was another pleasant first day. I wish I was better at remembering people, I only remember my boss from today even though I met 20+ coworkers. GOODNESS! My new employer reminds me a whole lot of DA, I guess it makes sense because they were both tech 'start ups' and have been grown into successes.

I like that there are a million kitchens on one floor, my cube is near the bathroom and also next to one of the printers, AND the view is gorgeous. I can people watch from any of the windows on my lunch break because there's so much to look at! I don't like the parking situation, I really wish I could have convenient parking. I like the free sodas, milk, and other beverages but it makes me sad that I can't drink of any them.

Speaking of diet, no update for today because I'm not at home with the scale. I did spice up my diet life a bit today though, dipped bell peppers into fresh hot salsa for my dinnertime veggie serving. YUM!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 14

With ten days left in the challenge, I already have excellent news. I fit my tight pants again and am very close to my target weight!

I've decided to continue the challenge even if I drop below 120 before the 24 days are up. My coach said I may gain some weight while I'm shaping and toning my body with cardio workouts. Grilling chicken and vegetables has helped me immensely, because I can still eat delicious things without frying and also without unhealthy sauces. Herbs, salt, and pepper have been doing wonders for me - I never knew how tasty basic seasonings could be!

My mid-section is looking more familiar, I'm getting my body back! I still have a small muffin top when I sit down, but it's more of a bicycle tire than a motorcycle tire now, HAHA.

I started toasting my smoked salmon in the toaster oven until crispy then sprinkling bits over my salad - it's actually better than bacon bits and adds an enjoyable texture.

I also started running with the Nike+ Android app. It's surprisingly accurate, and it's pretty interesting to look back on later.

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 12

I'm getting better at portion sizes! Doing my best to keep my greedy eyes in check. I also am continuing to lose weight, even though I just started exercising today. It actually feels good to be back at the gym, I don't know why I was fighting it so hard.

I'm so over raw tomatoes, so now I broil them with my chicken. WAY better!

Tonight I baked my chicken in a covered glass plate with water to keep the meat moist. Seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. I will definitely be doing this again.

I am now weighing in between 122.8 and 123.2. Just a few more pounds to drop to hit my 10 lb goal!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 10

Today was my last day of the cleanse phase, and my weight seems to have stabilized around 124 lbs. This means I will start exercising tomorrow to see if I can burn those last 4 lbs and get to my goal!

I bought these little plastic baggies at Dollar Tree a few months ago, it was like a pack of 100 for $1 and I just KNEW they would come in handy! Before this I was using them for disposable ear plugs from value packs and spare earring backings, but they have been super useful for separating out servings of Omegaplex.

I'm pretty happy the Fiber 10 drinks are REALLY over. I have a feeling the Meal Replacement Shakes are going to taste a million times better, I won't find out until tomorrow morning though.

I've been weighing in between 124.3 and 124.9 the past few days, so this is probably my naturally healthy weight with balanced diet and no exercise.

I'm noticing that the fat below my rib cage is disappearing, which is nice.

Of course losing the fat below my rib cage makes my spare tire more defined. Gym it is.



I also cheated today. I went to Fran's Chocolates (my fave) to pick out a gift, and as I was walking in I told myself I must REFUSE any samples. But lo' and behold, the chocolatier offers me a salted chocolate thin and it looks SO HARMLESS! My brain said no but my hand said yes. So much for willpower...

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 8

No progress on the weight loss since the last post. Today I resumed taking the Fiber 10 drink (days 8-10 of the cleanse) so maybe that'll take a couple of additional pounds off!

Went to lunch with Menie yesterday, and I had to make the best out of a restaurant menu. I chose to get the Salmon Kebab entrée with Greek Salad (and no cheese). I think that was the safest bet, even though it probably wasn't Advocare approved. And of course, I didn't eat any of the white sauce. Even still, it was REALLY DELICIOUS!

And more grilled chicken with blanched vegetables. Grilled chicken is more work than broiled chicken, but is definitely juicier and more delicious.

My Advocare instructions don't say I have to only eat white meat (it just says chicken or turkey meat, not fried) but I may further limit myself to white meat during the second phase. I'd like to lose just a little bit more weight!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 6

I'm running out of ideas on ways to prepare chicken! This was poached chicken, it was..... only alright.

Steel cut rolled oats taste better than instant oatmeal. MIND BLOWN.

Cucumber soup. I love soups, especially now when the weather is cooling down.

Tuna, spinach, and hard-boiled eggs. YUM. Fave dinner so far I think?

The weight loss is slowing down. Have I hit the plateau? Sigh, I might actually have to exercise to get to my goal...

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 4

As each day passes, I'm getting better and better at this whole diet thing.

I'm trying to make my meals more interesting by adding things like grilled chicken.

The Spark drink is actually replacing coffee just fine, I thought I would be a zombie at work from not getting my caffeine fix. Turns out I'm not an addict!

I'm loving the yam part, I can eat yams for days. I think it's the only sweet non-fruit item that I've had since I started. I also made lemon pepper broiled chicken breast for dinner today. It was delicious!

And finally my current weight. When I first started, I was weighing anywhere between 127 and 130 (fluctations throughout the day) and today I weighed in between 123 and 125. Progress is an excellent form of motivation, and I can't wait to see how much more I can lose in the next 20 days!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 2

Preparing meals has been a challenge for me, and I'm finding it highly stressful. Staying at my boyfriend's house every other night means that I have to plan meals two days in advance, not just one.

Another challenge is drinking the Fiber 10 drink. IT IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. I feel like vomiting WHILE I'm trying my best to chug the shake. The best way to describe the consistency is probably coagulating fat, with dirt floating in it. Luckily it's the first thing that I drink in the morning, so I'm still half asleep. I can't wait until the fiber shake part is over.

Do I feel slimmer yet? No, I feel bloated from drinking boatloads of water. I also feel like I'm starving because I can't eat at night any more - I used to eat a majority of my food after dinner (tsk tsk, I know). I miss coffee, and alcohol, and eating bbq. But this will all be worth it. I'm already down to 125.5lbs!

Advocare 24 Day Challenge: Day 0

So, you know all of those awesome food pictures that I've been posting since I moved to Seattle? Every one of those plates has been catching up to me, as has age. My weight fluctuates between 127 and 130 throughout the day, and that is certainly the heaviest I've ever been.

I've decided to give the 24 Day Challenge from Advocare a shot. If I can't get back into shape now, I'll be hopeless in a few years! Also, I've accepted a job offer very recently and will be starting in a few weeks. I definitely want to look my best so I can feel my best, and win everyone over! It's a contract-to-hire opportunity, so the key here is to get hired. Who doesn't love an upbeat, healthy, glowing, hard-working temp?

My goals:
- To fit comfortably into the jeans that I wore when I first moved to Seattle
- To have more energy from a balanced diet
- To feel healthy again, no more muffin top creases when I sit down

If I could lose 10 pounds in the next 24 days, I would be thrilled! I'm actually not expecting to lose more than 10 pounds because that's lower than my average weight. Realistically, I'll be satisfied if I lose 5 pounds. The more valuable gain here is learning how to control my portions and make healthier eating choices.

I've read the instruction sheets at least 10 times per page, and started divvying up the supplements and separating them by assigned days. I have an Excel sheet with meal plans ready but I'm still anxious about getting it right. Halloween is just around the corner, and I'd really like to trim down a bit before then. LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Summer Hobby - Golf

A few weeks ago, Sunny took a road trip down to San Francisco and was kind enough to pick up my golf clubs! He also promised to teach me how to play golf, since he used to teach professionally and all. How awesome is that!

Today was the first lesson. After work, I headed over to Columbia Super Range and we worked on posture and swing. There are SO MANY things to remember! But I think I'm picking it up pretty quickly. I had an awesome time, but I wish the driving range wasn't so ghetto. Sean actaully told me that the range we were at is one of the nicest ones in the area, and Sunny later agreed. WOW. Seriously? It was only one level, the grass was all dried up, the railings were rusted, and the range smelled like hot frogs. I was not impressed, but I guess I've just been spoiled by the driving ranges in San Francisco.

Anyway, Matt is always telling me that in Seattle you have to have hobbies to enjoy the nice weather. I found mine! I'm hoping that with Sunny's help, this summer I'll be able to hit well enough to actually play a game on a course. If I keep at it, I'm sure I'll be able to do it. And inbetweens I'll start running - I can run around the beach I found last weekend! My new Brooks running shoes are absolutely wonderful, the treadmill is a totally different experience and I think I finally have enough support to start hitting the pavement.

This summer is going to be good times. :)

Feeling Like A Fatty

I went to San Tung for dinner last night, it was my first time. Everything tastes so good in that gooey fried chicken sauce, like RIDICULOUSLY GOOD! I thought the crispy part of the chicken kind of tasted like pork rinds? V did the ordering, and we also got the potstickery things and the string beans. Those were delicious too, but probably because they came into contact with that secret sauce on my plate. SO- now I've seen what all the hype is about! The only thing that didn't look so good was the peanut noodles.

And THEN the night before that, I went to Joy Sushi in San Mateo with Dom & B and I don't think they liked it. Oh well, I still like it. LOL. And on top of that, yesterday for lunch I had Little Luccas with Julian. And on top of THAT last night for midnight snack I had In & Out.

ALL OF THE EATING AND NONE OF THE WORKING OUT!!!!!! Well, at least I got some studying done.

Law Abiding Citizen & Becoming Wiser

I saw Law Abiding Citizen earlier tonight and I thought it was a PHENOMENAL movie. I won't spoil - I'll just say it's about a man consumed by revenge and I la-la-LOVE it. When people get what they deserve and consequences are forced upon them, it makes me feel like there is hope for righteousness. I highly recommend!

I also got my snow pants today, they fit perfectly and are super cute. I'm excited! This almost makes up for my failed Poison Ivy costume.

As for making better decisions, I resumed my GMAT studies today and I've realized that it has been at least two months (maybe three) since I've smoked a cigarette. AND I have no desire to! I also started wearing my seat belt in July, and plan to keep it up forever! ;) I'm getting older AND wiser!