Refined Goal

This year, my goal was to get healthy. Well, I've worked on that and not done too badly, but not great. So I think I need to refine this goal. I want to become a runner. Yeah, sure, I can just strap on some running shoes and head out. And I do, sometimes. That's not so much what I'm talking about. I want to be happy running. I want to feel healthy and strong when I run. I want to be upset when I miss a day of running.

It's not as if I want to run a zillion marathons or do that nutso ultra-marathon stuff (while I fully respect the dedication of ultra marathoners, I also believe that they must be a little off--eccentric, some might say--to want to run 100 miles at a time. Really. People do that for fun. My idea of fun? A LOT different.).

However, I do want to be able to hop on the treadmill and crank out four or five miles like it's not a monster, painful effort. At the beginning of the school year, I really got into running. I ran daily, working my way up to about 3 miles running and 1 mile walking (a little before the run and a little after). But, as it happens, I got off track. Derailed, actually. School and meetings and errands, and life intruded. It's terrible that it did because it's not like I'm going home to a husband and three children or anything. There's just Finny. All he needs is a belly rub, a walk, and some kibbles. Not so difficult. But derailed. Yep, that's me.

Tomorrow, there's a staff meeting and it's a Monday. Kind of a crappy day to start fresh and get my little engine back on the track (had enough of that metaphor?) so I'll be working out on Tuesday. Monday, it's errand day. Target. Publix (healthy food! No cinnamon buns! No slices of yummy cake!). HHGregg (need a new TV). Finn on a walk, especially because it's been raining the last two days. And I'll Wii Fit for some yoga and strength training.

Okay, so that's the plan. I know that no one reads this blog--at least, not more than once (hi, Facebook friends!) but I'm blogging about it because I'm hoping that it will help hold me accountable. My friends in the "real" world know that I'm working on getting fit & hot (yeah, I have some ulterior motives--hey, I live in the South and am in a bathing suit way too often to be feeling uncomfortable in it all the time!), so they'll be my backup also.

Pecan Pie!

Just got back from Publix, loaded up with everything I need to make my neighbor's pecan pie.

When I first moved in to the neighborhood, Mrs. Hallman, who lived directly behind me, came over with a pecan pie to welcome me. So freakin' different than up north! With my moving into a neighborhood of mostly older folks (transitioning to younger couples and singles, now), I was stopped all the time on my walks. Cool but a little disconcerting for a Chicago girl who knew to walk quickly, looking straight ahead, and rarely stop to talk to people. Okay, so Chicagoians are a little friendlier than that but you still had to keep your guard up. Here? Not so much.

Anyway, back to the pie. It was fab! Oh, when I first moved South, I'd had decent pecan pie (you can't attend a dinner without an offering, especially those church dinners) but it was usually so sweet. Not Mrs. Hallman's. Lucky for me, she was a neighbor. So, after complimenting her lovely pie, I asked for the recipie. Now, asking for the recipie and getting it are two different things, especially down here where tradition runs deep. But, a week later, I found a lovely little handwritten note in my mailbox with the secret to her pie. Guess there was no secret in her pecans (hardy-har).

So now, in her honor (she passed about a year after I moved in), I make her pie. Hopefully, my butter will be room temperature soon. Maybe I'll take a nap until then. Love these no-student-I'm-at-home days. Really need more of them.

After Thanksgiving...maybe...definitely!

Okay, so I've talked myself out of going to the gym this week. Bad, bad Mary. Anyhoo, I've promised myself that I'll get back on the stick Monday after Thanksgiving. Why then? Well, tomorrow's Friday & I'm not sticking around school any longer than I have to; today, I had a rather long parent conference after school (don't mind the parent conferences but hate the after school part!); yesterday, I needed to take Finny for a run (yes, two miles, thank you very much); Tuesday, had to do the daughterly duty and go out to early dinner with Dad (um, I did Wii Fit for a good 45 minutes, though, and unlocked the advanced soccer game!); Monday, felt like crud. So, there it is. I'm a slacker but I'm still eating decently and exercising a little bit!. Off the rails but not under the rails.
So, after Thanksgiving. I'm going to follow advice from one of my many fitness magazines and actually write my exercise plans in my calendar so that it's there in black and white for me to follow. And I've made a deal with one of the girls I work with--we're going to be each others' conscience. With a plan, I'll be right back on the rails, chugging up the mountain like the Little Engine That Could.

Monday-Monday

Unfortunately, I talked myself out of exercising today. But I didn't eat a lot so I hope I made up for it. I was even going to do my Wii Fit but I'm just too exhausted today. However, I did take Finny for a brisk 20 minute walk, which is at least exercise! And I got good-for-me stuff at Publix today. Yummy almonds, wheat thins and hummus, chicken, salad stuff...sounds pretty good, huh? Myabe I can talk myself into eating good-for-me stuff as easily as I can talk myself out of exercise. Uhg. Why is it so hard?! I just wanna be healthy!

I know, I know, so do it already. That's what I say when people whine too much. I just have to get back on track. And I need to convince my brain that it doesn't just want to sit by the fire and read--it wants to run on that treadmill! It wants to walk Finny on the Riverwalk! It wants to participate in the Turkey Trot this weekend and race five miles! Yes, indeedy!

Maybe I need a little more inspiration. I'll read some of my favorite magazines.


Yea! Magazines!

Going off the Rails

Finny says, "Mama, why you so mean to me, make me play outside? I wanna come in!"
Just finished this Kathy Reichs--she's great. Love her character and love her writing. She hasn't sold out like so many who hit the big time and publish crap (thanks, James Patterson and John Grisham)!

Here's what I'm reading right now:


This summer, I made a concerted effort to get healthier. I'm way too "sturdy" and, while I've always been a sturdy girl, I don't want to add "plump" to my list of adjectives. And I was doing great! I was losing weight at a pretty quick rate (1-2 pounds a week), my school had a treadmill that I used right after school and I was working out about every day during the week and usually on Sundays over the weekend. It was working. But now I've gone off the rails. I'm eating terrible things, exercising minimally and trying to convince myself that I'm doing okay. It doesn't help that my scale's battery is dead so I can't do my weekly check-up! Uhg. I don't know what happened.

Okay, okay, chocolate happened. And beer. And football parties with yummy nibbles and pizza. And Girl's Night at Bonefish with Ocean Trust martinis and Bang Bang Shrimp. Yeah. I know what happened. But I can't seem to stop myself. Is there a way to get back on track? I know there is, I just have to convince myself to do it. I'm a social eater and drinker and a closet food junkie (that's junk food, of course). Living alone doesn't help the matter. Finn is always there, encouraging me, food hound that he is. He's no help. I really just want someone to give me a stack of food options and recepies so all I have to do is pick out what I want. Guess I'll have to do that myself.

I really need to be held accountable. I'm great at justifying what I eat and I really need to stop. Just put on my big girl pants and lose that weight! If anyone has any suggestions for one who's fallen off the healthy eating wagon, send 'em my way! I could really use some practical advice on how to avoid all those temptations--besides, of course, just not buying them.

Weird Week

Have you ever just had one of those weird weeks? It's not a terrible week but maybe you have PMS and really need a mental health day (or week) and so most everything irritates you? Well, unfortunately, that was my week.
With too many meetings this week, my tolerance for bullshit was at an all-time low. So when one of the girls who was talking to us went on and on and on about why people should be more careful about marking honor rolls and all the places she had to go to fix our mistakes and why she thought people messed up (yep, and on and on), I really had to bite my tongue. Instead of telling her to shut up about her job and just do it, I picked up my stack of papers and graded 'em. Better than barking at someone, I thought.
I cannot wait for Thanksgiving break. While I'm not overly excited about the whole drama that's being created over where to have dinner, I'm excited for bro & his girlie K to come down. It's been too long since I've seen bro & his fiancee & I've missed them. Especially because none of us are especially good when it comes to calling each other. Mostly we get our info about each other's lives from Mom. It'll be so fab to see them--and my doggie nephew, Max, will be coming too!

Big Accomplishment!

I finally got to cross something BIG off my to-do list: my medical flex spending plan paperwork. Boy, that's been following me around for a while. Oh, it may not seem like much to some of you but I hate dealing with numbers and do just about anything I can to avoid it. But I promised my self, if I got it done & turned in, when my reimbursement check comes, I can get a new TV. Yes, I'm finally updating my little 28"-er and joining the flat-screen revolution. In the meantime, I'll have to do some research to find a good, middle-priced one. I don't need a 42" flatscreen, just one big enough to watch my Bears play and to enjoy a good game of Wii bowling. Not too much to ask, is it?