No time to slow down!

All right, so I'm moving in less than a month...which means this is going to be a crazy few weeks with packing, finishing my time up at Disney, trying to get settled into a new place, starting my new job on January 7th, 2013!

It's perfect timing with the new year :) New job, new place to live, new adventures waiting!

And new challenges as well!

This year, I am going to compete in my first sprint triathlon! I'm planning on doing the Cocoa Beach Tri http://cocoabeachtriathlon.com/ 
which will take place on April 14th, 2013...I think that is sufficient time to train and prep! I want to get registered soon...but right now every penny counts with having to move :( LOTS of expenses...but soon, I will be back on my feet and financially stable again and I will be able to sign up for this race!


Gonna be a short entry tonight since it's late, but just wanted to give a quick update!

ADVENTURE IS OUT THERE! :)

Wow...so the last week was a complete whirlwind! But it was an amazing experience all around, one I will NEVER forget and one I can not wait to experience again :)

I'll start off with leaving for San Antonio last week: I got to see my Aunt Marydell, Uncle Chuck, and cousin Chuck! They treated me to Whataburger and Rudy's while I was in Texas...DELICIOUS!!! I can't thank them enough for everything they did for me :)

So the day of the swim test: I was SO nervous...it was already cold outside (37 degrees...CHILLY!) and there were 10 other girls in my group...some of who had already done a swim test before, some who already worked at the park...but I was still excited nonetheless! It all felt completely surreal, going backstage when the park was closed, so early in the morning; hearing the belugas and dolphins whistling as we walked past! I couldn't believe that I was standing in one of the same stadiums that I had always pictured myself in; I was standing on the other side of the stadium this time though, about to dive into the cold water :)
Of course we went in alphabetical order, so I was up first for all of the events! I was pretty happy about that though, because then I didn't psych myself out comparing my performance to the other girls.
So the 250 ft freestyle swim went all right; I'm not sure what my time was, but I sprinted my little heart out!
The underwater swim could have gone better, but I still did decently well! I made it to the wall, but I was about 10 feet away from the platform, but I made it to the wall still! Next time, I will make sure to find the second drain so I don't go off course. It was so hard to orient myself when I felt so blind without my contacts! It was absolutely incredible hearing the dolphins and belugas vocalizing; it felt like they were cheering me on!
The 6 ft platform dive could have been prettier; I will definitely be practicing that one more before the next time I swim test :)
I did REALLY well during the surface dive to retrieve the weight! It was easy diving to the bottom and clearing my ears, but when I got to the bottom I couldn't find the dive weight!!! Luckily, I didn't panic because I realized that my eyesight was terrible without my contacts, especially underwater haha so I used my instincts and felt my way around the bottom and I FINALLY found it! Got back to the surface and held it over my head like a trophy! ;)
After that came the "microphone" spiel which I did really well at too! I think it was my best performance during the entire swim test...even though it had nothing to do with swimming ;) hahaha
Last was the 5 minute water tread; which was surprisingly easier than I expected! I guess I never really realized how buoyant you are in the water and it was a nice surprise!
Then they announced that everyone passed the swim test part!!! I couldn't believe that I passed on my first try :) I was elated! Even though I didn't get the position, it was my childhood dream come true :) I can't wait until I can do it again and be more prepared than ever for my interview! That part didn't go so well...I was so nervous and still so cold that it was one of my worst interviews...I was babbling and talking in circles...I was so disappointed in myself! But the questions they asked I was not expecting at all, so now I know what to expect for next time :)

But as luck would have it...as I was heading back from the swim test, and I got the call from San Diego offering me the position with SAIC in Kings Bay as an assistant marine mammal trainer!!! I accepted and now I will have a full-time job after my internship!
...which unfortunately requires me going absolutely broke breaking my lease here and having to move into a new place...but I have my amazingly wonderful parents to thank for bailing me out...again...I can't wait until I can get back on my feet again.

After this year, things finally started turning around :)

2013 is going to be the year that I get back on my feet again: healthfully, financially, and responsibly...and socially!

I know this job isn't going to be easy, but I know that it is going to be an amazing experience and a chance for a fresh start. This has been one hell of a year, but it has made me stronger than I could have ever imagined and I know that is going to help me in the long run :) It definitely makes me appreciate the blessings that I have in my life and I couldn't be more thankful<3

Here's a sweet article about the base I'll be stationed at!

http://jacksonville.com/news/georgia/2010-08-01/story/sea-lions-dolphins-enhance-security-kings-bay

THIS IS GOING TO BE ME SOON!!! :)

Level 14 and one week left!

Gonna make it a short post tonight.

Went to spinning, and it was only me, the instructor, and one other girl! It made me feel better about getting to indulge in some delicious foods :)

I wasn't able to go home because mom and dad are sick :( And I work tomorrow anyway, so at least I'll get my $0.99 Thanksgiving meal haha



Still keeping up with the training! One week to go :)

8 Days to go...

Wow...I can't believe it's coming up so fast! Now it's REALLY crunch time...

I did manage to complete my first "advanced" spin class without dying! I think that's a good sign hahaha ;)

Tomorrow I'll be in the pool again for the masters swim class, and I didn't think about this...but the YMCA will be cutting their hours on Thursday and Friday because of Thanksgiving (*duh!*) so I'll have to re-evaluate my planned gym schedule...

Anyway, it's my weekend...again! Haha this week got switched around since I have to work on Thanksgiving and the week after; but it works out nicely :)

Tomorrow, Nicole and I are having a SeaWorld day! Then, I'll be heading home to spend early thanksgiving with my parents on Wednesday :)


I think this is going to be a great week ahead!

 

...let's hope I worked my ass off enough for this! haha ;)

9 days left...

Well, the buddy-run planned for yesterday didn't go, because I just took him out to play fetch and let him have fun instead of making him work :)
I did manage to squeeze in some regular exercises like squats, arm extensions, and stretches while watching ALIAS ;) Gosh I'd love to have Bradley Cooper and Michael Vartan fighting over me!

Anyway, the countdown continues...and it's only 9 days until my big day!
I didn't make it to spin class this morning, I wish I had though...the dreams I had going back to sleep were horrible :( So I'm going to the 7pm class tonight instead!

Tomorrow: Masters swim class at 6am
Weds: Practicing water tread and doing more general exercises
Thurs: Depending on the Y's schedule, I'll go to kickboxing at 5:30p or another spin class
Fri: Masters swim class at 6am
Sat: Running
Sun: Running
Mon: Spinning at 5:30a or 7:00p
Tues: Masters swim class at 6am, nap time, then travel time
Weds: THE BIG DAY!

11 Days Left...

Gonna make a short post tonight since I've gotta get some sleep...

But Buddy and I made our 5K jog this morning :) 3.1 miles in 30 minutes!
Gonna do it again tomorrow!!!

I can't believe the big day is only 11 days away now...I'm definitely getting more and more nervous, but I KNOW I can do this...I need to not only focus on my physical strength right now, but also my mental strength...I can't psyche myself out about this, I gotta psyche myself UP!!!

 

Gonna make my dreams come true :)

One way, or another!!!

Level 13!!!

That's the only thing I have to say for now :)

Hopefully I'll have a better, more in-depth update soon!


But I did make it to Level 13 today, so my next challenge is to level up by next Friday!
I also have a very important event on Wednesday, November 28th, so here's the game plan:

Friday (tomorrow): Master's swim class at 0600 and spinning at 0700
Saturday & Sunday: Buddy run for a total of 6 miles
Monday: Spinning at 0530
Tuesday: Swimming at 0600
Wednesday: Buddy run and possible fun swim in the canal as long as it's high tide:)
Thursday: Masters swim class at 0600
Friday: Masters swim class at 0600
Saturday & Sunday: Buddy run for a total of 4 miles
Monday: Spinning at 0530
Tuesday: Running or swimming depending on travel time.
Wednesday: The BIG day.


This is my time to shine.

The fact that I have this chance, just goes to show that I've come further than you ever thought I would.
And knowing that just gives me even more motivation and determination to show you that even though you tried to break me down all those years ago, you only made me stronger in my desire to prove you wrong :)

I know I'll get here someday soon<3

Here's to Being 23!

Fitocracy: I still have 600 points until Level 13, so I will make sure to level up by Friday.

Well, I'm finally 23! And I am going to make the rest of the year 2012 the best I can by BEING the best I can.
I'm making birthday resolutions! They're like new years resolutions, but a jump start to try and develop healthy habits during the holidays when temptation is at it's peak!

But I've decided that by the end of this year, I want to fit into my skinniest jeans again. I want to lose pounds AND inches and tone up so that way 2013 can kick off with a head start on healthier habits for the new year! I don't have to keep up with all of these by the end of the year, but I want them to carry over into 2013.

So here they are, my birthday resolutions:
1) I will not go out to eat more than one meal per week (to save calories AND money)
2) I will make my credit card debt go away (with lots of help from mom & dad...I love yall!)
3) I will get to my goal weight by losing 15 more pounds
4) I will choose 2 days/week that I will wake up early to do a morning workout before work
5) I will start my training for a triathlon sprint
6) I will make more time for myself and Buddy to unwind and relax after a long day or week
7) I will feel better than I ever have before and take at least 5 minutes every day to reflect and meditate
8) I will finish a rough draft of my CogSciLab paper to be able to submit it for publishing early in 2013!
9) I will finally land my dream job.

:)

LEVEL 12! And possibly a new morning routine!

As it turns out...I can take Buddy on a decent walk/jog in a matter of 20 minutes...5 minutes for him to do his business, and 15 minutes for us to squeeze in a 1.5 miler! And with the weather cooling off, it felt SO nice to get out there and sweat it out and burn off some of Buddy's excess energy with this cooler weather!

I will admit...there will be mornings where we just run out so he can potty and then run back inside so we can cuddle on the cough...but I do like this new idea for a routine :)

We went on a 1.5 mile jog this morning and a 1.5 mile jog this evening...a total of 3 miles today! It felt awesome; the weather was great, Buddy had a blast as always, and now I can treat myself to a bowl of fruit loops for dessert ;)

And by doing that...I managed to LEVEL UP today!!!
12 it is :) Now I have 2,745 points until level 13...I'll be aiming to meet that goal by Wednesday, November 7th!


Tomorrow the plan is stretching/pilates while watching ALIAS! I've been trying to think of a good workout game while watching that show...so far I've come up with:
*Every time a city name comes up during Sydney's travels
*Every time Sydney meets with Vaughn
*Every time Sydney kicks someone's ass
*Every time Rambaldi's name is mentioned
*Every time K-Directorate is mentioned

...now I just have to put exercises to those ideas! haha

Anyway, staying on track and feeling great still!
Can't wait to see future results as long as I keep this up :)

Great day today!

So, today I slept in...A LOT! It was absolutely fabulous getting to relax, watch TV, snuggle with Buddy...definitely a great way to spend my weekend day :)

Plans changed a little bit...instead of laying out by the pool and reading, I decided to take Buddy to the dog park and he LOVED it, as always!!! This was our first visit to the Dr. Phillips dog park and man was it nice! Had a beautiful lake view, lots of nice people, and tons of room for Buddy and his friends to run and play! We will definitely be going there for our next weekend :)

As for my workout plans today, I did my very first Cardio Strength class and it was awesome! I can definitely tell that I'm building up my stamina and strength, because if I had tried to take this class when I first joined the Y, I would've died during it hahah
After the cardio strength class I decided to stay and do their Latin Cardio/Zumba class! Man those are so much fun!!! I wonder what it takes to become a certified Zumba instructor...that would be a side-job I would have SOOO much fun doing!!!

Overindulged...blah!

I had my biometric screening today at work! Everything was great: blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI...and then something happened...I went to the weigh station (the one I was dreading OF COURSE) and then...I discovered that I've lost EIGHT POUNDS since I joined the Y!!! Holy moly was that a great feeling!

So the fall festival was today and it was SO SO SO much fun!!! The food was delicious, the pumpkins were impressive, and it was all around a great time!

But I think I decided to splurge a little too much and I don't think my body was ready for that much of an intake of junk food today, so I ended up getting home and not feeling so great :( But I took an awesomely long nap, had a small/healthier dinner, and continued watching Once Upon A Time and just took some time to rest and unwind for my day off :)

Tomorrow I plan on being more productive; I've got some fruit that needs to be eaten, I've got yoga and cardio strength penciled in for tomorrow, and I will take Buddy for a nice walk and relax by the pool for a while and finish the book The Art of Racing in the Rain!

I've definitely been so happy since joining the Y; it's very motivating when you start getting to know your group exercise instructors and they ask you where you were last week haha when you can't hide from slacking off, it's a lot more motivating to make sure you get there!

Anyway, ready for tomorrow to get here so time to go to sleep!

Strength.

Wow...today was a bit of a rollercoaster day; started off great by taking Buddy on a 1 mile run (which he absolutely LOVED!) then got to go to Bahama Breeze for lunch with the team.
Then I was reminded of Uncle Jerry and things took a turn for the worst :( It was kind of a cascading effect where first I thought of him, then I thought of other things that were happening around the same time, then I thought of things that had happened in my past and I was a wreck.

I had my time to cry it out, then I pulled myself together again.
Reminded myself of everything good that I have in my life.

That's when Ranier and Khyber made my day a little bit better again :) I was setting up for Khyber's analogy session, when Ranier pops up and is looking at me through the square frame at the first window after I hung it up! So I was just talking with him and thanking him for being so darn cute because it made me smile! THEN as I was hanging up the circle frames in the next window, Khyber comes over and does the same thing! They were  both just hanging out, looking at me through the frames and being their adorable selves, and it turned my day back around :)

Then I got home to see Buddy, took him for a nice walk, then went to kickboxing.

Got 584 points on Fitocracy thanks to my workouts today :) And finished WAAAY under my calorie goal so I treated myself to a couple of cookies!

So far I'm keeping with the weekly plan...tomorrow? Spin class in the morning...let's do it.

Level 11! Already on my way to 12

So I made it to level 11 on Fitocracy after I did my "Super Sprint" triathlon on Friday!!!
That workout consisted of: 1.56 mile run, 6.22 mile bike ride, and 400 meter swim.
It was the first full brick workout I've done and it actually wasn't as bad as I was expecting!

Since I've been doing a lot of cardio workouts and I can already start feeling them getting easier, I'm going to start mixing in more cross-training and working on strength and flexibility next.

One thing I need to get back on track with is working out in the morning though, because by the time I get home from work I know I'm not nearly as motivated...and I've definitely been slacking in my "turning into a morning person" department...so I'm going to try to keep working on that as well.

I have 1969 point until I level up to 12, so here's the plan for the rest of the week:
Tomorrow: Take Buddy on a short jog (1.5-2.0 miles) in the morning to enjoy the beautiful cool weather outside, then Cardio kickboxing at 6:30p
Wednesday: Spin class at 5:30a, Stretching at 6:00p
Thursday: Stretching at 6:00a, Cardio kickboxing at 5:30p
Friday: Pilates at 8:30a, Yoga  at 9:30a/11:45a, or Cardio Strength at 9:30a/5:30p
Saturday: 1.5-2.0 mile Buddy walk/jog in the morning and evening with stretching
Sunday: 1.5-2.0 mile Buddy walk/jog in the morning and evening with stretching

That's the plan so far!
Now I just need to follow it...and I WILL.

Hoping to level up by Sunday! That's a lot of points...but I can do it :)

Level 10!!!

I made it!
Spin class helped me get to Level 10 today :)
It totally kicked my booty too, but it felt easier than the last class I took; it was a different instructor, but I'd like to think it's because I'm getting stronger and building endurance ;)

So I have about 1800 points to Level 11 and the workout plan for tomorrow is kickboxing after work!
I'm planning on leveling up by Sunday :)

Gotta get to sleep, but I have my interview with Behavioral Husbandry tomorrow! Fingers crossed that all goes well :)

Think Pink Success!!!

Well, although I didn't get a chance to train as much as I had hopes I would get to for this event...it was a complete success! :)

I made two PR's today!
5K run in 27:44
400m swim in 8:15

 

Today was a very inspirational day for me; I made a huge milestone for my fitness today, I was lucky enough to be a guest speaker for the GETSMART program and spoke to middle school and high school kids about STEM fields of study, and I got to network and get information from the graduate school and career fair at HENAAC, and continued to figure out more and more about my future :)

All of these opportunities motivate and inspire me to finish my paper by the end of this year so it can be published next year and study as much as I can for the GRE so I can eventually get into a graduate program where I can conduct marine mammal research.

Things have definitely been looking up and I'm doing everything I can to keep it that way :)

I have my interview for Behavioral Husbandry on Tuesday, I am thinking that the workout I did today for the event might become a regular thing for me so I can build up to a triathlon sprint, and I discovered that my bathing suit doubles as a pretty fantastic sports bra! ;) Haha

Biathlon/Duathlon fitness challenge accomplished...

Triathlon Sprint?

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Another success!

I actually did 30 minutes of Cardio Yoga this morning! But man, am I feeling sore from kickboxing yesterday! hahaha So painful...but it feels so good!

Tomorrow I'm going swimming in the morning :)

This quote was in my magazine, and I feel like it's very fitting for the past couple of months, but it is true and as much as it sucks at the time; it's worth going through the pain to gain the strength.

Much like working out; no pain, no gain, right?!



Think Pink Biathlon, 5K run and 400m swim, is in 3 days...let the countdown begin!

I'm racing in memory of my Auntie Joyce, for my Bama since she's a survivor, and for my mom and myself since we are high risk for breast cancer.

LEVEL 9!!!

So, I decided to take Buddy on a run and then go to Cardio Kickboxing class...and it got me 655 points, which was enough to level up on Fitocracy!!! :)
The kickboxing class was SO much fun! Totally kicked my booty too hahaha I was inspired to go to the class because I just found out that ALIAS is now on Netflix!!! I used to be so addicted to that show and wanted to be just like Sidney Bristow ;) She's such a badass! Not to mention...she had her pick between Bradley Cooper and Michael Vartan....YUMMY! ;)

Since I think I'm going to be uber sore tomorrow, the plan is to do some cardio yoga in the morning to stretch it out :)

Also...things have been going GREAT!!!

Sunday was SO much fun with my former roomie, Amanda, and her brother, Chucky, who was visiting this weekend! I got them into Epcot and then took them behind the scenes at the Seas!!! It was so awesome to see them get as excited about it as I do! :) After I got off work, I met up with them at Soarin' and we rode that...Chucky and I saw the Coronado Bridge; our former/future home city! haha Then we went to Magic Kingdom to watch the fireworks :) It was so awesome! After the fireworks the place kinda cleared out and we were able to ride Pirates, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and Philharmagic!!! That was definitely the most that I have laughed in a really long time and it was great to spend time with some awesome people in the most magical place on earth ;)

Then there was today...I FINALLY got an interview for the Behavioral Husbandry Internship at Animal Kingdom! :-D I'm so excited!!! It will be next Tuesday so I have a week to prep :)
Also, this wasn't something I wanted to publicize on Facebook, but a few weeks ago a lump was found in my mom's last mammogram and it was extremely scary to think it might be cancer, so waiting to hear the results has been miserable; but she heard back from the doc and things look okay!!!

All in all, things are looking up :) Oh, finally!

I absolutely LOATHE being sick!!!

Wow...so the past few days have been rough...fever, sore throat, ER visit because of the sore throat (I swore I had either strep or tonsilitis!), and now just sniffles...which I'm actually thankful for now that the worst is over *knock on wood*

Anyway, I'm not going to dwell on the days that I haven't been able to work out due to illness because I can't help that I got sick (trust me, I tried EVERYTHING in my power not to...)

Just time to look towards the future!

I'm hoping that tomorrow I'll be able to take Buddy on a decent walk as long as the weather holds out and as long as I'm not gasping for breath since I can't breathe through my nose at the moment haha

Level 9 awaits! So does a 9 day workweek thanks to my sickness screwing up my weekend...but anyway, the goal is to make Level 9 by next Wednesday; which I should be fully recovered and ready to go! I'm actually being quite generous since I have my biathlon coming up in only 10 days...but whatever! I'm ready :)

Time to rest up and get ready to take on the world once more!

 

I felt like this pin was fitting considering that I probably had a virus...and it made me feel like a zombie lol

Wooo..slacking a little bit and I already feel it!

Wow, it's amazing how once you start a habit you definitely feel it when you don't keep up with it! I've felt SO tired on days that I haven't started with a workout...which I guess is a good thing! It's forcing me to get up earlier and squeeze in at least 15-30 minutes of walking with Buddy, doing yoga, or even a quick jog.

The past few days I went a little off the wagon because...FOOD AND WINE FEST BEGAN!!! Mom was able to take half the day off to come with me to the cast preview and we had SUCH an awesome time! (Shout-out to my Seas folks who let me give her a backstage tour!!!) It was definitely a needed bonding time for us :) So much has been happening lately that it's nice to just get away from reality for a while and indulge in foods from around the world! And go figure...the very first booth we find is none other than HAWAII! These signs just keep showing up everywhere haha

But today I got back on track and hit the pool for a bit; it was nice to swim while it's actually sunny outside instead of 6am in the morning when it's pitch black outside!!! It's all still worth it though :)

And I can't believe September is almost over with already!!! It's absolutely insane...but I can NOT wait for the holidays coming up! Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years! But holy cow...that means that my internship will be ending soon and I still don't know what I'm going to be doing afterwards...AHHH! It's so scary!!! But I guess living by the seat of my pants isn't so bad haha

Anyway...tomorrow's plan in a jog with Buddy and some Jillian Michael's yoga :)

Elyse and I are trying to level up on Fitocracy by Sunday...and I only have 800 points to go! We can totally do this :)
Level 9 here I come!

Block Workouts...gonna take some getting used to!

Wow, so today was my first block work out: running, then swimming and it was pretty tough, but it was a good step towards training for the biathlon! In case you were interested, here is the link to the race webpage :)
http://www.orlandohealth.com/drpphillipshospital/think_pink/think_pink.aspx?pid=6775

Anyway, this morning was still successful! Did one mile in 11 minutes, then suited up and did a 100m warm up, 2 x 400m, and a 100m cool down and finished my swim in about 30 minutes. Earned about 450 Fitocracy points!

Tomorrow I plan on doing some at-home yoga in the morning instead of going to spin class...my legs are killing me and I think my arms and abs could use some attention! I also want to do the Y's Zumba class tomorrow after work :)

I've actually started noticing that when I work out in the mornings, I tend to yawn A LOT less throughout the day and feel more awake. Hopefully this will be my new substitute for that morning cup of coffee ;)
It seems to be working fabulously so far!

Surprise rest day!

This morning when I woke up, I was WAAAAAAY to sore to think about going to spin class...so I rearranged my schedule, rested/slept in this morning, and tomorrow I'm going to the Y at 0530, running for 15 minutes, then swimming for 30 minutes. This will be my first EVER block workout, and I figure now is as good of a time as any to try and prepare for what it's going to feel like when I tackle my biathlon in 19 days that way it (hopefully!) won't be so daunting on the day of the race.

SPEAKING OF...the day of the Think Pink biathlon at the Y is on Saturday, October 13th at 0700...then, I've been invited to be a guest speaker at the University of Tampa's GETSMART event that day (I did it back in April too!) which will go from about 1000-1230, and FINALLY that day I will attend the HENAAC/Great Minds in STEM Conference Graduate School/Career Fair from 1400-1600...WOWEEEE! That is going to be a full day haha but I'm so excited :) It's going to be fantastic!

So I'm working on my fitness AND my future!!! Things are looking up...finally :)

LEVEL 8!!!

I did it AGAIN!!! Made my level up goal by the time I set it for :)
This is really starting to become a habit...and I'm LOVING it!

Went for a run after work today since the weather was BEAUTIFUL! I took Buds on a walk since he still isn't back to his full health, but I took him on a 20 minute walk before my run.
Stats were:
3.54 miles in 37:16 (including warm-up and cool-down); 5K time was 30:11; workout pace (w/o warm-up and cool-down) averaged at 9:09/mile, and I burned 393 calories!
It felt absolutely AWESOME :)

And in the end, I rallied up 420 points on Fitocracy...which pushed me over by 8 points to LEVEL 8!
So now I have 1744 points until Level 9, and I think I'll be able to make that by next Sunday; that averages out to 5 good workouts around 350 points each. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to manage that now! It would've seemed daunting about 2 weeks ago, but now I feel like it's a decent goal to set! :)


In other news, Buddy is feeling better but still not fully recovered from his belly-ache, I got a GRE practice book so I can start studying for that little gem, and work is still going as great as ever :) Still waiting for an interview for the Behavioral Husbandry position...so I've just gotta keep my fingers crossed!!!


Things have been really rough lately...there's a lot of baggage in my life that not everyone on Facebook needs to know about every little detail...but it's there. And it's been really hard to deal with, but that's all a part of the challenges of life and the healing process that follows.

I read a quote today from one of my magazines that said, "You don't know strength until strength is the only choice you have."
I've definitely experienced that in the last few months, and I can't say that it's only going to get better from here; but I can say that now I know I'm strong enough to deal with whatever God has planned for me in my life :)

Back from the weekend!

I'm pretty sure this is the first time EVER that I haven't fallen off the wagon when I've been home for the weekend haha my parents ALWAYS have my weakness foods...cookie dough, crackers, chips, ice cream, cookies, etc...but my will power was strong!!! Mom and I indulged in a few cookies, had some good, healthy meals, and enjoyed our time to relax (what little of it we got hahaha)

As for working out, those were my two rest days for the week and today I got back into the swing of things by doing 30 minutes of Jillian Michael's Yoga Meltdown...WOWIE that kicked my booty!!! I can still feel my muscles quivering from those crazy poses hahaha but it felt good! And now I'm 414 points away from Level 8 :)
The plan for tomorrow is to have a morning run, then when I get home from work do some more yoga...the easier kind this time hahah
Then Monday will be 530 spin class,
Tuesday will be either swimming at 600 or kickboxing at 1830
Wednesday will be a rest day
Thursday will be either swimming, yoga, or body ballet
Friday will be either swimming, zumba, or spin class
Saturday will be a rest and/or yoga day

Then hopefully start all over again :)

Only 3 weeks until my biathlon!!!

And sadly my running Buddy is out of commission for the next few days to give him some rest to get over his upset tummy :( Poor kiddo has NOT had a fun 24 hours....but he's getting better! Soon enough he'll be back to normal and getting MY butt out of bed to go for a run again ;)

0530 spin class?? HELLZ YEAH!!!

I'm gonna keep it short, sweet, and to the point:

Woke up at 0400 this morning.
Walked Buddy.
Had a banana, chocolate, and peanut butter smoothie.
Drove to the YMCA.
Did the spin class...got my ass kicked my by 65 year old instructor that I could barely keep up with...and he was even SINGING ALONG with the songs that were playing! Talk about some serious cardio endurance! So that's pretty motivating considering I'm only 22 years old and couldn't even keep up with him lol
Went back home, walked Buddy, made a spinach and cheese egg scramble.
Had a green tea latte at work.
Worked.
Came home.
Napped.
World of Beer with Brandon!!! SO much fun and SO awesome to catch up with my dear friend :) PS: We need to do this again soon!
Now I'm home, Buddy is walked again and we are snuggled up in bed together :)

BTW...I earned 731 points today on Fitocracy from my spin class and walking today!

Only 546 points away from Level 8!!! :) Staying on track!

SURPRISE!!! Level 7...woohoo!

WOW!

So, it REALLY paid off for me to wake up at 0515 this morning and get my booty to the Y to swim! I didn't join in the Master Swim Class (because I am SOOOO out of swimming shape...lol) so I took my own workout and did 1500 meters, freestyle and breast stroke, during 45 minutes...took it pretty easy, but had a few laps where I pushed myself!

Then I go to enter my workout into Fitocracy, and I earned 558 points from my workout! Little did I know...I also conquered FOUR quests: 1) Gullible Guppy-Swim 100m in one session-20pts, 2) Torpedo Trial-Swim 250m in one session-50pts, 3) Submarine Sprint-Swim 750m in one session-200pts, and finally 4) The Pool Mile!-Swim 1500m in one session-400 points!!!
That gave me an extra 670 points and put me at 4,073 total points, and only 1277 points away from Level 8!
I'm going to make Level 8 by Sunday :)

The plan for tomorrow is to attend the 0530 or 1800 spin class! I felt SO great and energized today since I got up early and worked out, I'm thinking I might brave the 0530 class tomorrow!!!
I guess we'll have to wait and see :)

Latin Cardio!!!

So I FINALLY joined the YMCA!!! It was so much fun tonight! I ended up doing their Latin Cardio class, and it was like Zumba! I really enjoyed it and the instructor was a hoot :) haha!

Anyway, 202 points down...1005 to go until I reach Level 7! Goal is still to hit it by Friday...so tomorrow the plan is to do the Master Swim class at the Y...6:00am...let's see if I can make it! I've got my gym bag ready, bathing suit set out, work clothes good to go, and plans for grabbing breakfast on the way to work!

Feeling good about this new week :)

Stuck in a Funk...

So the past few weeks have been a little tough to deal with, and I've definitely let myself slide by taking refuge in being lazy and vegging out on the couch instead of being productive and working out and eating right...I feel like I've had some pretty good excuses lately, but ultimately this is setting me back from what I've been working so hard for!

I'm stuck on Level 6 in Fitocracy...but that's going to change this week! By next Friday, I will be on Level 7!!! That is 1207 point away until I level up, so if I run one day and then swim another day and do a spin class on another day and then throw in some ZUMBA or kickboxing classes, that should keep me on track!

On Monday I am going to get my YMCA membership started, and then it's all uphill from there :)

The IMATA workshop was AMAZING last weekend! I definitely needed that little getaway trip; helped me clear my head and see that great things are waiting for me in the near future!!!

Starting tomorrow I'm getting out of this funk!
Gotta get signed up for the Think Pink Biathlon one month from now too! Starting to train tomorrow!

LEVEL 6!

All right! Made my goal this weekend!!! Thanks to 50 minutes of excruciating yoga along with about 15 minutes of Buddy walking and all of my secondary walking  and stairs at work today I was able to level up! I am now at Level 6 and ready to step it up a bit!

I am joining the YMCA this week so that I can start building my swimming skills again...I need to be ready in case I can take the swim test for a marine mammal training position soon!
Also, I want to do the Think Pink Biathlon at the Y in October :) I think that would be a great "in-between" step before I even think about trying to tackle a triathlon!
They've got some awesome group ex classes and a masters swim team, so hopefully I can go to those! My goal is to go to 3 classes/week so that way I can get my money's worth and not waste the money that I'm paying to get in shape!

Things in my professional life are going better than I could have ever expected...it's crazy to think that this time next year I could possibly be achieving my life-long dream :) Just gotta take another step in the right direction...which is where turning in my application for the next internship period came in handy today! Hopefully I'll hear back from that soon...applications close on Oct. 5th, but I'm hoping I won't have to wait until then hahaha it's too far away!!!!!!

I forgot to mention; Buddy's vet check up went really well again! He's an ideal 74 lbs, has beautiful chompers, clean ears, and plenty of muscle! That's my healthy baby boy!!! :)
Now I just gotta start being as healthy as he is...haha!

Boo-ya!

Quick post tonight since it's already late and my computer is dying!

Went on a walk/jog with Buddy today; stats were 3.21 miles in 45:47 with a 14:15 pace! I think he had fun on our walk today...or he's trying to hide them so I don't tire him out again like I did today ;) I also got conquered the quest of 3.1 miles which puts me at 200 points away from Level 6!
I'm going to wake up in the morning to do cardio yoga and then I can hopefully squeeze in some Zumba or kickboxing after church tomorrow (yes that's right, I AM going to church tomorrow...it's been a while and I kinda need it right now)

Ate decently well today, had an AWESOME day at work, and now I'm wrapping it up with a picture of my sweet baby boy napping on my sneakers :)

Getting back in the swing of things!

Well today was progress! I'm still at Level 5, but instead of stopping after I completed the Jillian Michael's kickboxing DVD, I went on to do another 45 minutes of Wii Zumba! Pretty proud of myself for that, especially since I wasn't feeling well yesterday :(
Luckily that has (mostly) passed, and now I'm ready to go!

I'm going to be joining the YMCA so that way I can have a place to lap swim again (gotta be ready for the swim test!), and also go to awesome GroupEx classes like Yoga, Ballet, Kickboxing, Spinning, and Zumba! Also, the Y opens at 5:00am M-F, so hopefully that will be the kick in the keister I need to start working out before I go to work! Also, they are having a "Think Pink Fun Run/5K/Biathlon" and luckily it's one of the weeks that my days off will be Friday/Saturday instead of Thursday/Friday! So I think starting to train for that will be a good motivator! After my mom's breast cancer scare earlier this year (which turned out to be benign, YAY!), my Bama being a survivor, and losing my Auntie Joyce to breast cancer, I always find the strength to perform at my best when it's for a good cause :)

Ate pretty well today! Worked out! Got new Shape, Fitness, and Eating Well magazines in! And also found a clearance book called "The 28 Day Plan" by Christine Greene with plans for Detox, Energize, Cellulite Buster (which I hopefully won't need for a while haha!), Get Fit for the Beach, Flat Stomach, and Buns and Abs. It was 5 bucks, how could I pass it up?!



Anyway, here's to getting to Level 6 on Fitocracy by Sunday :)

Wedding Weekend Extravaganza!!!

Wow...this weekend was completely amazing! Words cannot express how incredibly happy I am for two of my best friends getting married :) It was honestly one of the happiest days of my life too getting to share Tim & Andy's special day with them and I feel so blessed to have such amazing friends! It was also very awesome to make new friends (WOOO girls reunion in the near future for sure ladies!) and see old friends as well :)
I can't believe I caught the bouquet either haha I guess in hindsight I was standing right in the line of fire...but it was so much fun! And the looks on my parent's faces were pretty priceless ;) hahaha! Love you guys!

Here are some highlights from the amazing night we had!

Anyway, to get back to the purpose of this blog, this weekend was exempt from working out and eating well due to wedding festivities!
But it's time to get back to the grind; hoping to squeeze in a Jillian Michael's DVD in the morning! I've got a good lunch ready to go and I think I'm doing better with breakfast choices other than JUST having cereal ;)

LEVEL 5!!!

All right! So I've been hanging in there with that Fitocracy app and I made it to Level 5 today!!! I have a total of 1,625 points! I already beat my goal to level up by Wednesday :) So now I have 975 points until I get to Level 6!!!
With the wedding craziness this week, I'm thinking that I'll set my goal for next Friday (Aug 31st) to make it to Level 6!

I was able to fit in a 15 minute walk with Buds and then 30 minutes of Jillian Michael's Kickboxing DVD, which is what got me to Level 5!

Not sure what I'm feeling for tomorrow...maybe some cardio yoga in the morning?? It totally kicks my ass, but I really enjoy it for some reason hahah

Work is still going fantastically wonderful! 

Just gets better and better everyday :) 

I'm going to keep doing whatever it takes to get where I've always said I would be. 

And when I finally get there, I'm going to think of everyone who told me I'd never be able to make it.

And then I'll just smile thinking about how wrong they were to doubt me.

:)

 Motivational Mantra of the Day:

CFTB: Days 3-6

Took it pretty easy on Days 3-5; especially since I spent the day walking around SeaWorld! Which was totally, fantastically AWESOME!!!

Anyway, I consider today a TOTAL and COMPLETE SUCCESS!!! I overslept this morning, so there was no work out in the AM...and when I got home from work I had dinner and started vegging out on the couch...but then, something amazing happened...1) Buddy looked at me 2) I decided that he needed to go for a walk 3) I got up off the couch 4) I decided that I would take him on a decently long walk, around 30 minutes or so 5) I got my workout clothes on 6) I grabbed my iPhone 7) We got outside and it was BEAUTIFUL weather! 8) Instead of walking for 30 minutes, we RAN.

Not only did we run...but we kept under a 10 min/mile pace!!! Pretty freaking fantastic if you ask me!
:)

 

WOOHOO!!! Yay us!

Also, I made it to Level 4 on Fitocracy!!! I have 497 points until I get to Level 5, and I'm going to make that by Wednesday :)

Day 2...WOOHOO!

Yay!!! Slept in this morning...but it paid off later! The rain made it really cool outside and Buddy and I went for a run while Jesse cooked dinner!!!

Here's the stats:
Just completed a 2.22 miles Run in 00:23:08!
My fastest song was One More Night-Maroon 5 and I burned 243 calories!!!
I had an average pace of 10:25 /mile too!
Awesome time :)

Eats for the day: Hot pocket breakfast, lunch consisted of peppered ham and colby jack cheese on a bagel thin with fruit salad and yogurt with granola, and finally Velveeta Cheeseburger mac and cheese for dinner!

Quote for the day from Pinterest:

Day 1 of Mission: CFTB

All right! So this morning was a success :) Buddy and I got up at 5:45am this morning for a run!
Here are the stats: Completed a 2.37 miles Run in 00:26:37. My fastest song was Everybody Talks-Neon Trees and I burned 265 calories!!!

My meals consisted of an egg, swiss, and avocado sandwich for breakfast, a Healthy Choice Italian Penne meal for lunch, and dinner included imitation crab with marinara sauce on angel hair pasta. And for dessert? A root beer float!!!

So far so good! Today at work was pretty awesome at work too :) All around a very good and successful day!

I'm now at Level 3 on Fitocracy and have 453 points left to get to Level 4! My goal is to be at a Level 4 by Friday :) My run this morning was 249 points, so that would be equal to doing about two more 30 minute jogs at about an 11 min/mile pace...not too bad I think!

Quote: "If Forrest Gump can run for over 3 years, you can get your ass on a 30 minute run this morning."
Haha! Thank you Pinterest!!! ;)

Back to square one lol but help me Fitocracy!

Well, I've decided to take on a new training plan because I would really like to complete a triathlon sprint within the next year and possibly run in one of the Disney half marathons coming up. Also, I think I've found that if I try to stick to the Active.com training plans, I lose motivation...that thing had me scheduled to work out 6 days/week and there would be times I would look at the scheduled workout, think to myself "Yeah...I'm definitely not going to do that," and then just not be motivated to do anything at all!

So thanks to my previous roomie, Amanda, I remembered her telling me about this awesome app called Fitocracy. It's like fitness social networking, except when you add activities you get points to work up to the next level! So for every level you move up, the more points you have to earn to make it to the next level! That is more up my motivational alley, because now it's like a game! Big shout out to Amanda for introducing me to the app! (Yall should get it too so we can motivate each other and track our points together!)

Anyway...I've got a lot to look forward to in the upcoming months :) I've gotta start training, getting back on track, losing the jiggle in my legs, being able to fit into more than my "fat" jeans...(yeah, that's been the latest downfall...)

According to one of my new favorite quotes: "If you don't like starting over, then STOP GIVING UP."

That's the new motto because it's so true...I'm getting sick of saying "This is it!...All right, for real this time!...Okay, here we go again!..." Yeah, it's all getting old.

Much thanks to Pinterest for keeping new motivational and inspirational pins popping up for my fitness boards so I can look back at them and keep on trucking.

Day 1 of "MISSION: Change For The Better" begins tomorrow :)

First bump in the road...

It's ALWAYS when I'm at my parents' place that I fall off the wagon! :(
Soooo much temptation...cookie dough ice cream, lucky charms, etc...yes, this weekend did not go so well hahaha

Starting back up again tomorrow with the healthiness! I've got a 30 minute walk/run/walk scheduled through the Active.com training plan...let's see if I can actually follow through with it this week! I've been so motivated watching the Olympic volleyball teams lately! It's SO exciting!!!

Anyway...I'm hoping that once I have some money saved up again I can start taking my ballet and kickboxing classes soon...I miss them :(

Good luck and good night world!

Bittersweet July

This month has been a huge whirlwind...getting settled into the internship, making new friends, preparing for two of my best friend to get married, and losing one of my closest family members...
July 3rd was when I found out that my Uncle Jerry died, and it was extremely painful for my parents and I, as well as the rest of the family. I'm really not ready to talk about it much more than this, but I will miss him so much and I know that he is watching over me as I continue to achieve my dreams.
It's taking A LOT of time and strength to not dwell on the fact that he's gone now, but at the same time the pain gets a little bit better every day. I've had to turn to my faith a lot more than I have in the past...it's been a few years since I've really had to rely on faith alone and it does get scary not being able to understand why things happen the way they do sometimes, and you just have to trust in God and keep the faith :)

Anyway, that was my intro for the fact that I've been slacking on working out and bettering my eating habits...but it's time to get back into a routine; a regular groove to keep things moving throughout the days and start feeling better about myself and about everything happening in my life.

Things have been rough lately with personal stuff, financial struggles, and adjusting to a new job and new coworkers...like I keep saying, I REALLY wish I could be a kid again because things were so much easier back then.

But it's time to get back in shape and look to the future; applications for the next internship period are coming up on August 20th, Tim & Andy's wedding is on August 25th, and there's so much more to look forward to in the upcoming months :)

I'm going to try and take up yoga and jogging again.
The plan right now is to wake up between 5:30a-6:00a, either walk Buds for about 30-45 min or walk Buds for 15 min and squeeze in a 15-20 min morning yoga workout.
In case I decide to sleep in, the back-up plan is to hit the treadmill or do Jillian Michael's Kickboxing/30 Day Shred DVDs or Wii Zumba after work.

Well, if I'm going to try to wake up early tomorrow then I better get to sleep :)

Thank youuu Disney!

So as it turns out...Disney offers FREE workout plans from Active.com! And I now plan on taking advantage of them :) I might tweak some of the things to tailor it to what I have available...but it will all amount to the same as long as I stick with the plan!

Also trying to get back on the Drop 10 Diet from Self magazine...but it's a lot harder to stay on track living with a man who can eat twice as much as you and not gain a pound (curse you Jesse!!!)
But I think portion control and taking over the kitchen for dinner instead of letting Jesse cook for me will help curve the cravings of meaty and cheesy meals lol

Tomorrow my workout goal is to walk 10 min, run 10 min, and walk 10 min.
We'll see whether I get up early enough to fit it in the morning, or if I'll just have to wait until after work to get it done :)

Here's to trying to stick with the plan!
Less than two months until Tim & Andy's wedding...gotta look good for that! ;)

Ballet Day!!!

Yesterday I decided to take a break from workout since it was my first day of on the job training and I wanted to make sure I got to work in plenty of time...and I did! Even with the monsoon that Debby brought for us hahaha

So today I treated myself to a beginner/intermediate adult open ballet class at the Orlando Ballet School! :) I figure for only $10 and being able to head over there right after work, it will be a nice treat to try and keep me on track for working out and getting back in dancing shape! My goal is that two years from now in 2014 I will be able to dance on pointe again!!! That means a lot of stretching, a lot of yoga, a lot of patience, and A LOT of hard work hahaha
Anyway, the class was GREAT! The instructor, Nick, was awesome and tailored the lessons to our own ability levels so that we weren't bored or pushed too much! They have the classes Tuesday and Thursday nights, so I think this will be a nice treat for me once a week or so :)



Overall, today was AMAZING!!! I got to be a part of a lot of dolphin research today, INCLUDING a marine mammal/research team meeting! It blew my mind to hear about all of the projects they have done, are doing, or will be doing in the near future and then listening to the concerns of the teams, hearing them come up with solutions, and then seeing some of their changes put to action! BAH! It was just so totally awesome. That's about all I can say!
And on top of that, getting to go out to lunch today with the team and then trying mango-key lime pie for Barb's early birthday celebration...DELISH!

As far as food goes, I did really well today! A waffle with cheese and an egg this morning, iced coffee before work, broccoli cheddar soup and a California club at TGIFridays with a Dr. Pepper to drink, and then I didn't really have a dinner, but I did have a before bedtime snack (1/2 and English muffin with almond butter and a pear with cinnamon sprinkled on top!)

I also baked some blueberry muffins tonight for snacks in the days ahead...maybe even breakfast tomorrow! ;)

Busy Busy Busy!!!

So the past two weeks have been a bit of a whirl wind!

But basically, the scale has NOT been my friend this year...I am now TWENTY pounds away from my goal weight instead of ten...ugh...that means more work to do!!!
My eating habits have DEFINITELY gotten better since coming back from the road trip, but I have still been extremely unmotivated to work out...BUT I got the new Jillian Michaels kickboxing DVD and a Gaiam
A.M. yoga DVD with 5 different morning workouts...perfect for a 5 day/week job! ;) Also picked up some 5 lb weights for my rotator cuff physical therapy, because I would REALLY like to play volleyball without worrying about damaging my shoulder for eternity haha

This morning I did 50 minutes of cardio yoga...and yes, I expect to be sore in the morning haha as sad as that sounds...but I was already sore after SCUBA diving on Thursday! (Oh no...decompression sickness! lol jk, jk)
Working at Disney has been absolutely AMAZING though!!! It's definitely motivating to think of all the amazing things I'll be doing the next few months (well, hopefully years!)

Here's a picture of part of my uniform!

SO EXCITED!!!

I start my first day of on the job training tomorrow AND the first day of another successful week of eating right with the addition of exercise!!!

Stay tuned for my adventure to lose 20 pounds in the next 4 months!!!

Day 3...staying on track!

All right, another small victory!!! I just passed on a couple fistfuls of kettle corn for a bowl of strawberries with some Truvia sprinkled on top :) Yay for self control! I was already slightly over my calorie goal for the day, so I went with the strawberries and am going to do some Wii Zumba or Wii Fit tonight!!! Jesse got called in to work again, so it's just me and Buddy and the weather has been super rainy and stormy today.

Can't complain for some stormy days like today to justify some well earned laziness! hahaha

\

So far I've been sticking with the plan...and I've had little victories! Hopefully they'll all start to add up to big victories!!! :)

Days 1 and 2 a success!!!

All right, so yesterday was the kick-off to restarting the Drop 10 diet...well...in my case I'm trying to make it the drop 15-20 diet lol

I've started logging again on MyFitnessPal and yesterday Andy and I did two one hour classes at Sexy Assets (one pole, one belly-dancing!) and they totally kicked my butt, so I'm a little sore today and taking some recovery time before doing my second exercise day tomorrow.

Meals today and yesterday have been very good! I know it's early in the plan but I'm off to a good start :)

So far, so good...so let's keep it up! :)

This picture was from when I went on a college visit trip with my mom to UCF to find me an apartment...and I found this graduation ears cap!!! :)

ONLY ONE MORE WEEK UNTIL I START AT DISNEY!!! :)

Wow...definitely had a setback...time to get back in the game!!!

Well it has been WAY too long since I've posted...but it's also been WWAAAAAAAYY too long since I've worked out/eaten really well...but it's time to get back in the swing of things!

Before and during finals was really brutal...but that's all over now! I'm moved into my new apartment with Jesse, our road trip vacation was AMAZING, and I start my new job at Disney next Thursday!!! :) I think one of my favorite parts of the road trip was the ride back when Jesse and I stopped at Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach and we got to take pictures with a sea lion, see their awesome dolphin show, see their rough-toothed dolphins, and talk with one of the trainers!!! We also got to have dinner with Hillary which was totally awesome!
Here's a picture from the stop:

I've definitely been resting/relaxing and taking advantage of not having any assignments/projects to worry about, but I'm getting antsy to get back to work! Especially to keep working on my paper and trying to get it published!!!

Things have been a little bit of a roller-coaster lately, but I've been handling them A LOT better than I thought I ever would be, and I'm so proud of myself about that! Not gonna go into details, but this was a big step in the healing process for me :)

Anyway, I've gotten back on MyFitnessPal (friend me please!) and started logging my meals again and MY GOSH have I fallen off the wagon lately! Especially with the road trip, I just HAD to have good food while we were traveling; especially the stuff you can't get here! So I might've splurged...a lot...and it might've caught up to me in the form of 9 pounds...UGH...all my hard work gone to waste over the past few months...but that's okay, because it makes me even more determined to get it off now that Tim & Andy's wedding is less than 3 months away! (Sidenote: SO EFFING EXCITED FOR THAT!!!)

So I've gotten my motivation board back out (NOT my Pinterest one, that's just an extra) and hopefully I'll be able to stick with it better this time :) No, not hopefully...I WILL stick with it this time!
There we go; determination!

Now here's what I got so far:
1) Motivation (check!)
2) Determination (check!)
3) Resources (Krav Maga DVD set, Jillian Michael's DVD set, Wii Fit and Active, Wii Zumba, apartment complex gym, my jogging "Buddy" and my yoga DVD set...check!)
4) Time (before my internship starts I have plenty, so gotta take advantage of the time I have now and then MAKE time once I start at Disney next Thursday!)
5) Food (healthy items...check!!!)

So as of tomorrow, Tuesday, June 5th I begin the old exercise and healthy eating regime!
Be prepared for more posts to come as I update on my progress, set backs, and accomplishments!!!

Thanks for reading! :)

Craziness is FINALLY dying down!

So wow...I can't even BEGIN to describe how busy the past two weeks have been absolute madness! I've barely had time to breathe, let alone BLOG!!!

But anyway, this one is going to be short, sweet, and to the point :)

Have not been working out AT ALL...such a slacker...holding off on running though because my left knee is starting to give me issues :( So some PT is in order as well as some cross training...which leads me to: BALLET TONIGHT!!! Finally hahaha I'm so excited! It TOTALLY kicked my ass, but was completely worth it!!! Can't wait to go back again :)

Other than that, my eating habits have slipped a bit and I've been eating out A LOT lately...not good for my waistline OR my wallet :(

So once again, here we go with the gung-ho attitude...but until my plate is full again (metaphorically, of course!) I'm going to take advantage of what little free time I have left!

And as far as ballet goes, TOTALLY a motivator when your tough Russian ballet teacher compliments you on your turnout :) It definitely makes me want to get whipped into shape so I might be able to do a production someday! I would absolutely love that and make it a "pointe" to get to that "pointe"... :)
haha! Get it? Get it?!
Yeah...it's late lol goodnight!

SeaWorld, Jack Hanna, and KMWC!

So this weekend was pretty epic! It was even better than ever being at SeaWorld and knowing that I would be working there this summer! My future place of employment; a dream come true!!! :)
It definitely solidified my decision for pursuing animal care/training before going to graduate school!

We started off the day yesterday by going to Blue Horizons, then the Clyde and Seymore show where I saw Branden and Shana from when I was an intern at Shamu Stadium! And they TOTALLY hooked us up with a group picture with Zoe the sea lion!!!

AND they totally hooked ME up with a picture too!!!

THEN we went and waiting in line for Jack Hanna's show!
AND we even got to meet him afterwards!!! (group picture to follow)

 MY HERO!

So yes, this weekend was amazing :)

I was super lazy today but got some stuff done; and I fit in 30 minutes of cardio yoga!


And now, I'm more inspired and motivated than ever!!! :)

Dream Big!

Yesterday I was able to fit in a jog with Buddy; we stopped at the dog park for our halfway point (only 2.0 miles yesterday) and Buddy had SO much fun playing with his puppy friends!

Today was a rest day for me :) Tomorrow I'm going to try to wake up early and take Buddy on a run before Jack Hanna at SeaWorld!!! SO EXCITED! Definitely going to try to get a picture and autograph! ;)

Anyway, things are going well and I can't believe in one month I will be graduating...moving on to my "big girl" life, and all of the struggles of adult-hood hahaha already been getting a glimpse of those lately and it's ABSOLUTELY NO FUN. But hey, as long as you're doing what you love it's okay, right??

Speaking of...I've been doing a ton of soul-searching lately as I was stuck in education/employment purgatory hahaha and I've decided that I've been trying to talk myself out of wanting to do animal training and do the more sensible thing by going to grad school...I do still want to go to grad school, but I've come to realize that there is a REALLY BIG part of me that would regret if I didn't try to get a job as a trainer and do that for a few years...plus it would be REALLY good experience since I want to do cognition research with captive marine mammals some day, having a background in training would be a HUGE plus!
So as of now, I've given in to my true passion of wanting to be a marine mammal trainer for a few years before continuing my education and going to grad school :)
Now I know that if I had tried to do the more "sensible/logical" thing and go right into grad school, I would always look back and regret not doing training for a while. As much as I love research, I still love training just as much and I think to get to where I want to be for doing research I need to, and want to, do training for a bit :)

YAY FOR EPIPHANIES!!!

:)

Anyway, the Drop 10 Diet has been going GREAT! I've only really splurged once...which was last night while Amanda and I were watching the Sex&TheCity Movie (curse you and your delicious baked goods Amanda! hahaha!) But I did fit in about 40 minutes of swimming yesterday between classes, and on Tuesday I did the Drop 10 toning exercises and 20 minutes of Zumba!

Not sure what I'm going to squeeze in today...but I'm getting pretty damn good at Wii Zumba if I say so myself! ;) In the spirit of those crazy picture captions, I figured I would dedicate one for myself:

WHAT I THINK I LOOK LIKE DOING ZUMBA:

 WHAT I REALLY LOOK LIKE DOING ZUMBA:

HAHAHA! Fun stuff :)

I'm hoping the weather holds out so I can take Buddy on a run, and then tonight will be a committee meeting, and then celebrating at ladies night!!!


LIFE IS GOOD!