Friends, I'm outta here (for a week, anyway). Time to get some last-minute word done, pack, and go on vacation!
Oh, how I need a vacation.
For those of you who didn't see my added stuff yesterday about my liver MRI test results, I heard from the doctor. There are no definitive answers. They suspect this is a typical not-of-concern hemangioma, but they don't know for sure. Now they're sending me for a Nuclear Medicine Scan. That'll have to happen after I get back from vacation. I'm going to do my best to not think about it until I return, too. I need a vacation from that mess as much as I need a vacation from work!
Although work is kicking my arse right now. I found out there's a big presentation the day after I return. Um, no, I can't have those analyses ready for that meeting, folks.
I can't wait to sit on the beach with my wonderful hubby of 5 years (happy anniversary to us!), relaxing, listening to the ocean, and forgetting about anything and everything stressful. Yay!
Have a wonderful, on-plan, healthy, active, run-like-the-wind kind of week. I'll be back around May 5th or so.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Eager anticipation and anxious waiting
For some reason it really didn’t hit me until yesterday that I’m going on vacation in a few days. Only a few days! Yay! But, damn! I have a lot to get done before then.
One thing I meant to do before I left was go get a new swim suit and a couple nice sundresses. I have a couple swimsuits that’ll do (getting new suits was just for the fun of it), but the dress thing is a little more necessary. Most of my clothes are casual or (in rare cases) business casual or business attire – I don’t have much in the way of pretty lightweight feminine dresses or skirts. I definitely don’t have enough of that sort of thing for a week’s worth of dinners. Last time I had to dress up it was for a trip in the fall … methinks the velvet and long-sleeved stuff isn’t going to work (at least without me getting heatstroke).
Yesterday, I looked at the calendar (soon! We leave soon!), and looked at my closet (oh crap, what to wear!), and I decided that desperate times call for desperate measures. I decided to take a shot at ordering the dresses online. When it comes to clothes, I don’t usually buy anything but tops online, because it’s sooooo hard to know if something will fit. But maybe, just maybe, there’s a way around that …
Have you guys heard about MyShape.com? I saw it on the news a while back.* You enter in all kinds of measurements, and then the website categorizes you into body types and gives you specific recommendations for clothes that will (at least in theory) look good and fit. It chooses the size for you … you know how when you go shopping and you’re a size 14 in one skirt and a size 4 in another? (Yes, I’m exaggerating, but you know what I mean.) The website matches your measurements against the fit of each outfit and figures out that in this dress you’re a 10, but in this you’re a 6. And if they don’t fit, there is free return shipping.
Interesting, right?
I have no idea if it works. But I figured what the hell. I have no time, no time, no time to go try on 14,000 different dresses to find two that actually fit and look good. Why not let a website do the work for me? So yesterday, I ordered two dresses from them. I spent waaaaaaaaaaaay more than I would usually spend on pretty damned near anything clothing-wise, but I was so intrigued by the concept and if the dresses truly are fabulous …
Now I’m waiting at the window, obsessively checking FedEx.com, and at the same time obsessively checking MyShape.com to see if they’ve put up any new clothing options for me. I can’t wait to find out if the system worked. Granted, the clothes are so darned expensive in most cases that I couldn’t shop there often, but what a great option for a splurge on rare occasions. IF it works.
We’ll find out soon! I’ll let you guys know.
And speaking of anxious waiting, I still don’t have my MRI test results. Argh! I did get a call from the nurse on Monday with news that my chlamydia test results were negative. Uhhh, great. I didn’t even know they tested me for chlamydia. I recognize the need to rule out all possible causes for abdominal/pelvic pain, but really? An STD? *sigh* I understand that you truly never know, and some couples sometimes aren’t quite as monogamous as is assumed, but, um, yeah. This test result was not something I would have been terribly worried about (if I’d even known they’d run the test in the first place). I feel pretty safe from STDs at this point in my life. Thanks for checking, thanks for the phone call, but can’t you just get me the MRI test results, please? I’m so tired of waiting. On Monday they told me it would likely be today (not Tuesday as I’d originally heard). So … soon. Hopefully I’ll know something soon.
Oh, and speaking of possibly damaged body parts, my knee has very slight but definitely still present soreness from my run on Saturday. I think my Monday workout wasn’t as low-impact as I’d intended. Grrrr! I really want to stay in the running habit! I want to keep the momentum going and eventually build more speed and endurance! But I think for my long-term well-being I need to stay off the knee today. Maybe it’ll be better tomorrow or Friday.
* Can I just say that it seems strange to me that this was on the news? Is this truly NEWS? Don’t get me wrong, I love that I found out about it, but “news” … come on people, really?
One thing I meant to do before I left was go get a new swim suit and a couple nice sundresses. I have a couple swimsuits that’ll do (getting new suits was just for the fun of it), but the dress thing is a little more necessary. Most of my clothes are casual or (in rare cases) business casual or business attire – I don’t have much in the way of pretty lightweight feminine dresses or skirts. I definitely don’t have enough of that sort of thing for a week’s worth of dinners. Last time I had to dress up it was for a trip in the fall … methinks the velvet and long-sleeved stuff isn’t going to work (at least without me getting heatstroke).
Yesterday, I looked at the calendar (soon! We leave soon!), and looked at my closet (oh crap, what to wear!), and I decided that desperate times call for desperate measures. I decided to take a shot at ordering the dresses online. When it comes to clothes, I don’t usually buy anything but tops online, because it’s sooooo hard to know if something will fit. But maybe, just maybe, there’s a way around that …
Have you guys heard about MyShape.com? I saw it on the news a while back.* You enter in all kinds of measurements, and then the website categorizes you into body types and gives you specific recommendations for clothes that will (at least in theory) look good and fit. It chooses the size for you … you know how when you go shopping and you’re a size 14 in one skirt and a size 4 in another? (Yes, I’m exaggerating, but you know what I mean.) The website matches your measurements against the fit of each outfit and figures out that in this dress you’re a 10, but in this you’re a 6. And if they don’t fit, there is free return shipping.
Interesting, right?
I have no idea if it works. But I figured what the hell. I have no time, no time, no time to go try on 14,000 different dresses to find two that actually fit and look good. Why not let a website do the work for me? So yesterday, I ordered two dresses from them. I spent waaaaaaaaaaaay more than I would usually spend on pretty damned near anything clothing-wise, but I was so intrigued by the concept and if the dresses truly are fabulous …
Now I’m waiting at the window, obsessively checking FedEx.com, and at the same time obsessively checking MyShape.com to see if they’ve put up any new clothing options for me. I can’t wait to find out if the system worked. Granted, the clothes are so darned expensive in most cases that I couldn’t shop there often, but what a great option for a splurge on rare occasions. IF it works.
We’ll find out soon! I’ll let you guys know.
And speaking of anxious waiting, I still don’t have my MRI test results. Argh! I did get a call from the nurse on Monday with news that my chlamydia test results were negative. Uhhh, great. I didn’t even know they tested me for chlamydia. I recognize the need to rule out all possible causes for abdominal/pelvic pain, but really? An STD? *sigh* I understand that you truly never know, and some couples sometimes aren’t quite as monogamous as is assumed, but, um, yeah. This test result was not something I would have been terribly worried about (if I’d even known they’d run the test in the first place). I feel pretty safe from STDs at this point in my life. Thanks for checking, thanks for the phone call, but can’t you just get me the MRI test results, please? I’m so tired of waiting. On Monday they told me it would likely be today (not Tuesday as I’d originally heard). So … soon. Hopefully I’ll know something soon.
Oh, and speaking of possibly damaged body parts, my knee has very slight but definitely still present soreness from my run on Saturday. I think my Monday workout wasn’t as low-impact as I’d intended. Grrrr! I really want to stay in the running habit! I want to keep the momentum going and eventually build more speed and endurance! But I think for my long-term well-being I need to stay off the knee today. Maybe it’ll be better tomorrow or Friday.
* Can I just say that it seems strange to me that this was on the news? Is this truly NEWS? Don’t get me wrong, I love that I found out about it, but “news” … come on people, really?
Friday, February 22, 2008
Motivation looks a lot like a bikini
In a couple months, my husband and I celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. It’s been a great 5 years, and we have a lot to be grateful for. There have been ups and downs, but many more ups than downs. To celebrate, we just booked a trip to a beach resort in Mexico.
Now there’s a reason to lose these last few pounds!
I tell ya, going to Mexico feels a liiiittle bit like a cop-out. Typically we like to visit places we’ve never been before; we like to go, see and do … we like to sight-see and learn and experience local culture and change hotels every night or two to see more of the countries we visit. Not this time – this time we are going to a region we’ve been before, we’re staying at one place all week, and we may never leave the resort. We talked about doing an interesting go-see-do vacation, and decided that isn’t what we need right now. This vacation is all about relaxing. As far as sightseeing goes … well … been there, done that, pass me a cocktail.
I can’t wait!
This upcoming vacation definitely gives me a motivation boost. Knowing that I’ll be in a bathing suit … knowing that I’ll be in PUBLIC in a BIKINI… that’s definitely going to keep me focused. Plus, most of my nice clothes will only fit when I’m at goal. And won’t it be nice to look at pictures of myself on our honeymoon and look at pictures of our 5 year anniversary trip and be able to say I’m the same size?
Heck, I may even be able to say I’m in better shape. We leave for our vacation exactly one week after the 5k I’m planning on running.
Yay! If I wasn’t focused before, I’m definitely focused now.
How are things going, you ask? I’m still on track in my “back to the basics” week. I drank all my water yesterday, journaled everything yesterday, and managed to make healthy choices eating out last night. Even after splurging a little on Tuesday night, I still have plenty of flex-points left for the weekend.
From an exercise standpoint, I finished Couch to 5k week 3 day 3 on Wednesday. It was hard but not impossible … it was easier than Week 3 day 1, but harder than Week 3 day 2. (Even though all three days were the same – isn’t it odd how the difficulty seems to vary even though the workout doesn’t?) Tomorrow will be much nicer weather than today, so I’m planning on doing my couch to 5k week 4 day 1 run tomorrow, along with a strength training session. I’m still on track as long as I do it before Sunday. I’m nervous about week 4 (it looks a lot harder than week 3), but I’ve surprised myself before doing these runs so maybe I’ll surprise myself again.
I’m going out to dinner again tonight, but based on what I hear about this place I should be able to make healthy choices. If all goes well I may even be able to get a little popcorn at the movies tonight and still be on plan.
All in all, things are good! The only challenge is that I still haven’t made it to the grocery store. To get my fruits and veggies in, I’m dipping into the cabinet and freezer … applesauce, edamame, and other frozen veggies are my friend right now. I’ve got to get to the store – I miss fresh produce!
Now there’s a reason to lose these last few pounds!
I tell ya, going to Mexico feels a liiiittle bit like a cop-out. Typically we like to visit places we’ve never been before; we like to go, see and do … we like to sight-see and learn and experience local culture and change hotels every night or two to see more of the countries we visit. Not this time – this time we are going to a region we’ve been before, we’re staying at one place all week, and we may never leave the resort. We talked about doing an interesting go-see-do vacation, and decided that isn’t what we need right now. This vacation is all about relaxing. As far as sightseeing goes … well … been there, done that, pass me a cocktail.
I can’t wait!
This upcoming vacation definitely gives me a motivation boost. Knowing that I’ll be in a bathing suit … knowing that I’ll be in PUBLIC in a BIKINI… that’s definitely going to keep me focused. Plus, most of my nice clothes will only fit when I’m at goal. And won’t it be nice to look at pictures of myself on our honeymoon and look at pictures of our 5 year anniversary trip and be able to say I’m the same size?
Heck, I may even be able to say I’m in better shape. We leave for our vacation exactly one week after the 5k I’m planning on running.
Yay! If I wasn’t focused before, I’m definitely focused now.
How are things going, you ask? I’m still on track in my “back to the basics” week. I drank all my water yesterday, journaled everything yesterday, and managed to make healthy choices eating out last night. Even after splurging a little on Tuesday night, I still have plenty of flex-points left for the weekend.
From an exercise standpoint, I finished Couch to 5k week 3 day 3 on Wednesday. It was hard but not impossible … it was easier than Week 3 day 1, but harder than Week 3 day 2. (Even though all three days were the same – isn’t it odd how the difficulty seems to vary even though the workout doesn’t?) Tomorrow will be much nicer weather than today, so I’m planning on doing my couch to 5k week 4 day 1 run tomorrow, along with a strength training session. I’m still on track as long as I do it before Sunday. I’m nervous about week 4 (it looks a lot harder than week 3), but I’ve surprised myself before doing these runs so maybe I’ll surprise myself again.
I’m going out to dinner again tonight, but based on what I hear about this place I should be able to make healthy choices. If all goes well I may even be able to get a little popcorn at the movies tonight and still be on plan.
All in all, things are good! The only challenge is that I still haven’t made it to the grocery store. To get my fruits and veggies in, I’m dipping into the cabinet and freezer … applesauce, edamame, and other frozen veggies are my friend right now. I’ve got to get to the store – I miss fresh produce!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Making a plan & the Healthy You Challenge
The scale has started drifting back down after my out-of-town gain. Come on little scale! Lower, lower!
Yesterday I had a good on-plan eating day, and last night I had a great workout at the gym with my trainer, husband and friend. (For those of you just tuning in, I go to a trainer with my husband and a friend of ours once a week.) Now I just have to keep on keeping on.
I'm still not 100% back in healthy living mode. Eating is going all right, but otherwise, I'm not where I want to be. We're three weeks post New Year's, and although I'm doing OK I'm not where I was pre-Christmas. It is time to get myself back in the mindset! Now!
It. Is. Time.
I'm a little bit of an anal-retentive OCD type, so the best thing for me to do is make a list of ways to get back in the groove. If I make a specific list of things to focus on over the next few weeks, I bet I can make it happen.
Get My Ass Back in Gear List
Yesterday I had a good on-plan eating day, and last night I had a great workout at the gym with my trainer, husband and friend. (For those of you just tuning in, I go to a trainer with my husband and a friend of ours once a week.) Now I just have to keep on keeping on.
I'm still not 100% back in healthy living mode. Eating is going all right, but otherwise, I'm not where I want to be. We're three weeks post New Year's, and although I'm doing OK I'm not where I was pre-Christmas. It is time to get myself back in the mindset! Now!
It. Is. Time.
I'm a little bit of an anal-retentive OCD type, so the best thing for me to do is make a list of ways to get back in the groove. If I make a specific list of things to focus on over the next few weeks, I bet I can make it happen.
Get My Ass Back in Gear List
- Force myself to work out even when I don't feel like it. I have my sights set on going to either a cardio/strength/stretch class or a beginners yoga class tonight. I have to get back to my pre-Christmas workout level. I was doing cardio 3-4x per week and strength training 2-3x per week. That is completely doable.
- Stock the fridge. I can't eat right if I don't have healthy options around, and right now the cupboard is bare. After the gym, I'm off to the store.
- Continue to build a support system. You guys are the greatest. Every time I look at this blog and the comments it lifts me up and keep me going. Thanks for being out there. And the more the merrier, I figure. So, I decided to join the Healthy You Challenge. It seems like a great way to connect with even more folks who are working towards health and fitness goals. Hello, Healthy You Challenge folks! Welcome!
Here's the official "look, I'm in the challenge" button. I'm not posting any specific weight loss or non-scale victory buttons yet. I'm curious to get your opinion. Should I set my weight loss starting weight at around 152, where I started eating right and getting fit again last fall? Or should I set my starting weight around 167, where I was when I first lost weight back in 2003?
Re-gaining weight makes things complicated. I need to be sure to avoid that this time.
Anyway, what do you think? Do I go with 152 or 167? Hmmm ...
Monday, January 21, 2008
... Aaaaand then back to the 140's
I'm back from my trip out of town. So much for the 130's! Ah well, I expected a gain. Some of this 140-ness is water weight, and the rest I'll work off before much time passes. It's definitely not all water weight. I made some not-so-smart choices this past weekend in terms of eating. But it sure tasted good!
On a completely unrelated note, after taking a business-related trip this past weekend and working a big chunk of the weekend before that, I'M TIRED.
I need to plan a vacation soon. One that involves lots of relaxation in a bathing suit. That'll be motivation!
My husband and I are considering a couple options. Anyone ever been to the Big Island of Hawaii?
On a completely unrelated note, after taking a business-related trip this past weekend and working a big chunk of the weekend before that, I'M TIRED.
I need to plan a vacation soon. One that involves lots of relaxation in a bathing suit. That'll be motivation!
My husband and I are considering a couple options. Anyone ever been to the Big Island of Hawaii?
Thursday, January 17, 2008
I'm in the 130's! Yaaaaaaaaaay!
I had such a crazy-busy day yesterday that I didn't get to share the news. The news is ...
I'm in the 130's! Yaaaaaaaaaay!
I'm in the 130's!
Yaaaaaay!
I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! I'm in the 130's! Yaaaay!
I'm in the 130's!
I'm in the 130's! Now you go, sir!
I'm in the 130's! Yaaaaay! Yaaaaaaaay! Yaaaaay!
Right. I'm sure you all think I've lost it, and that is probably true. In the way of explanation, let me offer this:
... because for some reason my reaction to seeing my long-awaited number on the scale reminded me of that skit. Don't ask. I can't explain it.
Anyway, this will be my last post this week. I'm going out of town for work late this afternoon. I expect I may be back in the 140's when I return, what with eating out for every meal and air travel and all, but I'm prepared for that. I'm bringing workout clothes, and I'll do my darnedest to make the best food choices I can. Whatever I gain I'll take off again in a snap when I return, so why stress, right?
I will miss all of you! Good luck, be strong, stay the course!
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