Working Out

For real this time.

I'm sure if I dig back through this blog I'd find this exact post. I try working out, doing a couch 25K or yoga and I'm raring to go for all of three weeks. Then no more. 

I've mentioned Ryan has been on a major work out and healthy eating kick for awhile now. For over a year easily. He's dropped about thirty pounds and looks damn good. I'm his wife, I can say it!! With the clean eating at home I'd honestly sneak junk outside of his view. Candy in my desk at work, stops for fast food, pizza at rehearsals... It happened a lot. 

So when he got back from deployment and asked me to really start going to the gym with him I balked. A lot. I'm not an exercise person by any means. But eventually I came around. He promised not to push me too hard, as he has done in the past, and to help me when I need it. 

Last Saturday was my first day in the gym. Weightlifting is my newest attempt. It's hard but I loathe cardio so hopefully this will be better. I'm doing squats (which my form sucks since I can't bend right really but I'm trying to improve), bent over rows, dead lifts, bench press, inclined bench press, lat pull downs and a small ab circuit with leg lifts, sit ups and planks. 

Saturday night we drove down to Wilmington solely to get chipotle (worth it, even if we had to nap in the truck for an hour since we both were so sickeningly full) and then went ice skating. On real ice, not the plastic kind!! 

Needless to say Sunday I cried trying to get out of bed. I was so sore. My legs hurt from the gym and then ice skating that night even though I stretched before bed. Monday my arms hurt so bad I could barely straighten them. I tried to stretch all day at work and slept with my arms straight as I could that night. Tuesday I went back to the gym. 

And I already improved. I went up in weight (not body, what I can lift) and today I wasn't that sore. A bit. But not agony. I then even did a 45 minute yoga work out when I got home. We go back to the gym Friday. Well, I go back. Ryan goes almost daily. 

We're eating healthier and for once I have no desire to cheat. The candy drawer at work has stayed closed, the chocolate covered Oreos are still on our kitchen counter, and I haven't cheated once. I'm drinking a lot of water from my new water bottle and I haven't had more than a sip of diet coke in days. Days. I usually have two or more a day. That's huge. I'm sleeping more and hydrating and I'm really trying. 

Because I don't like how I look at the moment. I know I'm out of shape and I hate seeing my reflection sometimes. I'm tired of pulling my back out. I'm tired of sucking in my stomach. I'm tired of my own reflection not meeting my eyes. I want to change it. 

It's hard. Sometimes I really hate it. But I'm really really trying this time. It's not a diet and gym binge, it's a lifestyle. It's my health and my body. And I'm ready for it to change. For the better. 

Let's do it. 

Rocking 2013

I have to say the beginning of this year has been quite awesome. I feel like certain things have finally fallen into place and we are finally moving forward with our lives in some way. Being unemployed was one of the biggest and most frustrating hurdles. After clearing that one, others seem to follow suit.

Since the start of 2013 I have...

Finally sucked up my dentist fear and got my wisdome teeth removed.

Got cast as an extra in NBCs Revolution... and filmed!

Started working out with the C25K (ok, this one has paused the last week or so but I intend to go back!)

And of course, started my new job. And my mom got a job too about a week later! We are both employed! She is back to being a Church Lady, but Episcopal not Catholic this time. Score for us both in the job market.

I also was cast in another show at the community college. We are doing Moliere's The Doctor in Spite of Himself and I am playing Jacqueline. This show is definitely a lot more male heavy but I am still really enjoying working with everyone, both old and new!

I went from days of doing nothing to working at the library, rehearsing at night, ballet once a week and trying to go to the gym where I can. Whew. Talk about a busy schedule. And with the dreaded military "D-word" floating in the air something tells me this year got busy for me for the right reason.

So my blogging hasn't been stellar, I hope to change that now that I have more to write about, but it is the time to do it that is now the issue! I went from tons of time with not much to say to tons to say and not much time to write. I will work on it. Hopefully my next entry can tell you a little bit more about my job at the library and share some fun pictures of the past few weeks.

Thanks for sticking with me, yet again.

Couch 2 5K

My husband has been on a dieting kick since the holidays started. Most men (including my husband) are very lucky in their metabolisms. He starts eating right and noticeably loses weight. Did you ever see that weird commercial of the cartoon couple and the woman says she cut sweets and lost a pound and her husband lost ten. They stop drinking soda; she looses two pounds he loses twelve. That is us. I haven't been drinking soda since my wisdom teeth removal. Considering Diet Coke is my main source of caffeine this has been difficult. Mio energy gets me through the day. I miss it! I haven't had sweets (Nutella included) and I have been really good. No dice.

So my husband naturally wanted to speed his speedy progression along and started hitting the gym and running. A lot. I do not run. If you see me running something is chasing me and you better run too. But after weeks of nagging of his persistence I started the Couch to 5K program (C25K). I downloaded the app to  my iphone and began to dread the day I'd use it.

Our first run was on a warm Saturday.  My program started off slow, a five minute brisk warm up walk, then a minute of jogging and a minute and a half of walking rotating for half an hour with a five minute cool down. Ryan ran five miles then came home and met me with the dog to do my run. No pressure right? I hated it. My ears were cold, my chest hurt and I basically wanted to cry before I was half way through. My husband tries to be encouraging with the "You can do it!"s and "Keep up that pace. It is really good!" sort of remarks but they make me want to punch him. Is that bad? I don't do positive reinforcement well I guess. Poor guy is definitely going to have it rough in the future when we have kids! I can see the delivery room now, him being sweet and encouraging me and me reenacting the Exorcist with my head spinning around screaming at him. I'll probably be one of those "YOU'LL NEVER TOUCH  ME AGAIN!" sort of people. Luckily we have a few years to go on that. Poor guy indeed.

Anyway, I hated day one. And I dreaded knowing on Monday I'd have to do it again.

Lucky for me it turned chilly that Monday so we went to the gym on base. Nothing like seeing Marines lifting double your body weight to make you feel like an outcast as you search for a treadmill. I have to say, day two was a little better. The treadmill allowed me to pace myself better somehow. Maybe because Ryan wasn't there pushing me as much I was able to push myself. Either way, I love the treadmill and hate running outside. Do you think I can do a 5K at the gym? My husband is the opposite and he somehow thinks I will run 5Ks with him come springtime. I don't even know if I can make it through the program let alone do an actual 5K with him! He is so much faster than me and more in shape!

As you can see my distance (and not shown pace) dropped slightly day two on the treadmill. But I felt a lot more comfortable. Until Ryan insisted I do an ab work out and lift some weights and I couldn't move my arms for two days. I think I did something wrong. It was funny trying to be an extra when I couldn't bend my arms more than 90 degrees.

So I had a few days off to do my extra thing and was back to the gym Thursday. And again Saturday.

You know what?

It is getting a little better.

By the way, that is overall mileage and time over all my days, not one day's work out! The first few days I was the crying face. Then the sad face. And as you can see last time I was the middle. I also had my best distance and pace on week 2 day 1 (and having Annie running nine miles on the treadmill next to me as I tried to maintain conversation totally helped with that!).

So that's where I am. I will be going to the gym again tomorrow and trying to continue. My main goal is to finish the nine week program to the best of my ability. Ryan keeps saying I should add more time and pace goals each day, but honestly for now I really just want to make it through and do what my body thinks is best. If I over think it I freak myself out... especially knowing in like a week or two the run/walk cycle becomes just running basically.

But smoothies do help.

Wildberry banana smoothies with fat burner almost make the hell of running worht it. Almost.

I'll keep you posted, hopefully this journey will be successful! Ryan said I look thinner already (honestly, I don't see a difference but he checks me out more than I check out myself I guess) but I hope I can notice a difference soon too.

Eat Right, Work Out.... Wait, What??

Last Sunday it happened.

I am not sure how exactly, but we were on the couch watching TV when my husband said, "Let's go for a walk." Ok. Rylie and I walked miles every day back in Alexandria... no big! So we started what has now become a nightly four mile (give or take) walk. We take the pup and head out as the sun is setting and the air is cooling. It's nice.

Somehow I got persuaded into doing an ab workout with push ups post walk. Did not enjoy that. My husband's ab work out is quick, fifteen minutes maybe, and it totally kicks my butt. Sore. Very sore. And somehow we are now eating better. Minimal snacking, less sugar, healthier meals, tons of fruits and veggies. I would kill for a brownie.

This all just sort of crept up on me! I think Ryan planned it that way to blindside me. Before I'd even realize what was happening we'd be working out (*shudder*) and eating better. It was a long time coming, I know, but man he is good. This week my abs hurt. The bottom, the top, the sides... add sore arms from push ups, sore legs from long walks and stretches and you have a 24 year old who sounds like an 84 year old trying to get out of bed. Or into it for that matter.

The food is a tiny bit easier than the work out... healthier recipes ala pintrest and yours truly being unemployed. Funny story how I got some fresh fish for us.

I figured we live close enough to the beach I should be able to find a fish market, right? The commissary doesn't even have a fish section (just a deli of sorts) so I was a woman on a mission. I googled a few places and asked around before deciding to head down to Snead's Ferry. Of course the instant I go outside it starts pouring down rain. I get on 17 S and STOP. Accident closes all but the left lane so my thirty minute trip took about an hour and a half. Because, naturally, once I get past the accident the rain starts again so heavily I can barely see the road. I have my wipers on full force and I am driving ten under the speed limit just to turn off 17 and have it be dry. It was weird, like it didn't even rain in Snead's Ferry yet.

Anyway I get to the first market on my list. I turn down this gravelly road (after passing, I kid you not, a street named Poverty Line Road) and see this concrete building on the water. No one is around. So I park and get out of the car and walk towards the building. Four very nice old men look at me like I am from Mars.

"Can we help you ma'am?"
"Um, yes. I'd like some seafood please?"
"Welllll we only have clams today. You want clams or fish?"
"I was hoping for some fish..."

I felt bad, but I really wanted some fresh fish, not shell fish. The guys recommended another place further down the road. At this point I have to pee like no other but I don't want to bug the old men any more. The next place is the same deal, only a slightly bigger concrete building.

"Yes ma'am, can I help you?"
"I was wondering if you all had any fresh fish?"
"What kind are you looking for?"
Aw hell. Um...
"I am not sure, tuna tilapia.... anything you have?"
"Ma'am, you'll be hard pressed to find fresh tuna 'round these parts. Tilapia is a fresh water fish. I have fish one, fish two, fish three, flounder and shrimp."

Well flounder was the only fish I recognized so I asked for that. Even now I have no idea what the other kinds were.

"Ma'am, do you know how to clean a flounder?"

I look into the big concrete freezer room and see a large, flat fish looking at me from the two eyes on the side of its head. Oh boy.

"Um, no. But maybe my husband does?"
"Do you want to call him and find out before you buy it?"
"Well, he is at work and probably won't pick up. We'll just wing it if he doesn't."
"Aw, shucks ma'am. If my brother was here I'd have him clean it for you. He does a nice job, but I'd probably just ruin the thing. I'm sorry."

I told him it was fine and paid $9 for my big ol' fish and got back in my car. At this point my eyeballs are swimming, I have to pee SO bad. I make it to a gas station, use the restroom, and find this gem of a sign.

It was on the condom machine in the ladies room. Only in the South, right?
So I finally get back into my car as the rain catches up to me in Snead's Ferry. Sigh. Another long, slow drive home. I get to the bridge the accident was on before on 17 and there is ANOTHER one. This time on the other side. The side I am on now. Great.

Overall trip time: 3.5 hours
Total fish purchased: 1

Next time I am going to Food Lion.

This is our flounder. Ryan scaled it mostly before I got this picture and then with the help of google and youtube tried to fillet it!

 Flounders and flat fish have four fillets. We got about two and a half. Oops. It is apparently a lot harder to fillet a flat fish than a normal one! I felt pretty bad about it, but the next day I made a pretty darn good dinner if you ask me...

Baked/breaded artichokes with grilled flounder and mango salsa. Plus a glass of fruity V8 yummy-ness.

The mango salsa, found online, was pretty amazing. We were just eating it with a spoon even after the fish was gone! And the artichokes are something my mom taught me to make that I just love in the summer!

So... we're getting there. I would still kill for chocolate at times, but I know it is better like this for a bit. And if I manage to tone up/lean up/whatever I know I will be happier in my body. Especially in a bathing suit. Now that we live near the beach I have to keep that in mind!



Don't forget to enter my give away!

Don't forget!

My give away ends in just seven hours! Did you enter? Good luck!

And thank you all for the very kind comments on my last post. It really helped and made me thankful for what a wonderful community this is. I appreciate it very much.

Not much to write today... except the husband has us starting a working out/eating healthy plan. It has only been a day and I am sore and dying for a brownie. Not a good sign!!!

What have I been up to?

Going to NJ to see Kim in a show:



Reading lots of books:



Being addicted to Pintrest and other random online finds:



Watching Season 7 of The Office on Netflix Instant:



Work:



Swimming twice a week with Carrie:



And hosting give aways no one seems to want to enter:



Really? One person? Come on readers! Don't you want an awesome poster to hang up of anything you want? Baby pictures? Wedding pictures? Go enter! Please? So I don't feel like every give away I do is a dismal failure?


Bragging rights:

My husband graduated from basic electronics school yesterday. With honors. And the second highest GPA in the class! I am so so proud of him. His next school doesn't start until the first week or so in November so he is coming home this week. Probably on Friday or Saturday once his leave gets approved. I miss him so much and I am honestly convinced time is dragging to get me to the end of this week. To have him HOME for a few weeks will be such an enormous blessing and I really just cannot wait!

Fellow Bloggers:

I have read Wife [Window] of Wounded Marine for a long time. Today I signed on to AOL to check my mail and saw her face on the front page for this Huffington Post article. It moved me to tears more than once, and on her blog today she does clarify some things, but it is definitely something you need to read.

Yoga

I have to say, after over a year living in Alexandria, we are truly and finally settled. We're friends with our neighbors, which I am so grateful for, and finally doing things out in the area. And not touristy things, local things.... like going to our favorite restaurant multiple times, walking not on the main streets and still knowing where we're going, and my new favorite... yoga class!

Not being closer with our neighbors (glasses of wine and dogsitting will do that to you) my friend Courtney convinced me to go to youga with her last week. Our other neighbor Brittanie actually teaches the class so I had it on both sides! Then Ryan heard of the possibility of me doing exercise and gave me the shove, metaphorically and physically! After work last Monday I rushed home, changed, and made my way over to Pure Prahna, the studio not too far from home.

I was pretty nervous. I knew all these people were not beginners, and it had been a looooong time since I had done yoga. In high school, at my theatre school, one of our teachers was a hardcore yoga teacher/enthusiast, so when we did warm ups every day there were sun salutations and other various poses included! But, like I mentioned, I was hardly anything more than a beginner! Getting into the class I was grateful Courtney was there with me as a familiar face. Everyone was so lean, tall, and muscular! They had their own mats and fancy yoga outfits and I had that horrible first day of school feeling all over again.

Once Brittanie got there and started the class I quickly settled and calmed myself down. Most of it was familiar... we started with sun salutations and chanting which helped me to focus. I recognized a lot of the poses we were doing (even if I had to sneak a peek at those around me to make sure I had them right) and just made sure to keep breathing.

It got warm in there really fast. It was crowded, there was not really much room to go off your mat so I was terrified I'd lose my balance and create a domino effect, but all those people moving and breathing made it warm! I thanked Courntey profusely for getting us there early and getting a spot near the window. Man oh man that breeze was like heaven!

There were only one or two poses I couldn't do at all, the crazy headstand (I did prep for it though) and the bridge. My chest has healed from my surgery but it did not care for being bent and stretched backwards that way and revolted just a tad. And the fish one took me a minute to get, I didn't know where to put what and Brittanie had to come show me!

After class I felt loose and invigorated. Sure I was drenched in sweat and slightly limp noodle like, but it felt awesome. The limp noodle feeling lasted until the next morning.

Then the pain hit.

My muscles were so not happy with me. My joints ached and muscles I forgot existed were protesting at this whole 'working out' thing. Honestly, I was sore until Thursday! I was popping and cracking when I moved and my body altered between weak noodle and pain central.

But I went back last night.

The window, sadly, was closed. I really need to remember to wear shorts as my pants and tshirt make me waaaay too warm. This class was even harder! Lots of leg things with balancing and blocks and things in the air... but I did it. I even managed to get myself up in the bridge and hold it for a bit! Even if Brittanie had to say, "Remember to breathe... especially if your name is Allie!" So I breathed. Then I came down in a heap five seconds later! But it was hot in the class. We had the windows shut and the fans (thank god) were on so I did relish the moments I felt air moving. It was so hot the floor and out mats were literally slippery, I had to control my inner klutz to avoid slipping!

I enjoy it. I like having friends nearby (even if it took awhile) and I like having something to do for myself. I love doing things with Ryan but since we've been married I haven't gone out to do something routine for just me. He supports it, since I am finally doing some form of exercise, but I am going to have to drag him to one soon! He doesn't seem to believe me when I am sore for days and tell him how hard it is! He will see. And there are plenty of guys in the class, so he can get over it.

We also may be going on vacation soon! SO excited. I will let you know if it works out. Fingers crossed. And we may dog sit for Molly (Brittanie's dog, we watched her once in December and she LOVES Ryan) in July which also has me pretty happy.

I am not sore yet today... tomorrow might be a different story. I was a little shaky going down the steps to the deli outside of work, so you never know :P



(images from google, not mine!)

96s

Sorry for the lack of entries! Ryan is on his post parade season 96s, so we've been busy! This weekend was filled with walks, trips to the gym (I did 4.25 miles on the elliptical!), and a trip to King's Dominion. King's Dominion Monday was amazing. It was empty! We went to the water park first and waited on literally no lines. We went on all the slides multiple times, played in the wave pool, and got a little sunburned. After we went to the actual amusement park and we went on all the big rides we wanted to.

There is a huge rollercoaster made for Dale Earnhardt that is the biggest, fastest coaster on the east coast. It was huge! Sometimes when I go upside down on rollercoasters the blood rushes to my head (or away from it?) and I see black temporarily. Yea probably not a good thing, but I am used to it. But on this rollercoaster, I blacked out. Majorly. Like a good twenty or thirty seconds of where I saw nothing but blackness! It freaked me out!!! I was so woozy after that. Yikes.

But we were bad dietwise that day! We split McDonalds on the way down, I had a cheeseburger and he had an angus snack wrap, then we had two small fries and then split a three piece chicken select. In the park there was corn dogs, funnel cake fries (think funnel cake but it long skinny pieces, amazing), french fries, and more chicken fingers! So yummy!

Ryan had work yesterday and we thought he was going to have duty, but he didn't! Josh had it, but he was called for Dover Duty ( :( ) and Ryan was going to take his regular duty. Dover time got pushed back and suddenly my husband was home! Yay! We were bad again and went to Chipotle last night (baaad craving) and then went on a loooong walk to make up for it.

Ryan just got off work and when he gets home we're getting in the car and driving to South Carolina for the labor day 96. Woohoo. So we'll be there til Monday spending time with his family for the first time since the wedding. Wish me luck!

Hopefully I will update Monday when we get back. Tuesday is my first day of work (EEEEK!) and Wednesday I turn the ripe old age of 23. Oh Mylanta!

Enjoy the weekend girls! I hope you all have 96s to enjoy with your men!

Getting Better!

I took a day or two off from the workout thing and maybe had some french fries and a snickers bar and I felt a lot better. My elbow was hurting until about this morning. Now it is a little stiff but definitely a LOT better. Friday was horrible, it hurt like hell! My friend Kristin (who is moving back to Chicago last week) and I planned to go to Mount Vernon (Washington's home) last week. We packed a picnic and get there, the whole 8 miles it is up the street from my house, and it was CROWDED.

We heard the people working there saying their busiest day is the 4th of July and this was worse! Apparently Glen Beck (with his rally on Saturday) told everyone who was in town early to go to Mount Vernon for the day. So it was packed!! We went to a nearby park for the picnic and then braved the line. We toured the property but skipped our scheduled mansion tour since it wasn't really going to work for us to wait in a huge line for over an hour! So Kristin gave me ten bucks and upped my ticket to a season pass so I can come back!

Today we went to the barracks and did laundry and I got back on the work out train. I did 50 minutes on the elliptical (4.25 miles!) and a small ab work out. My body was not thrilled but I pushed through it. We've been eating healthy too. Josh came over and we walked up to Bumblefish and had some sushi. It was delicious!

Ryan and I have started a new tradition. When I couldn't work out I agreed to walk with him at night. We walked down to Old Town and the waterfront and home, maybe three miles or so. It is romantic, we have wonderful talks, and we even saw fireworks on Saturday night! We just got back from our walk tonight. It is something we're going to try and definitely keep up.

Tomorrow we are going to King's Dominion and are pretty excited about it. We are also both dying for a cheeseburger and may get a McDouble and a small fry each and then walking it off in the park all day.

We'll see (:

Ow

My elbow hurts. I think I did something to it lifting weights.

For anyone who knows about these things... it is right above my elbow, the muscle that almost reaches the bone. I cannot totally bend it or straighten it. Any ideas??

I wrap it and ice it... but it isn't getting much better. If anything it is worse. And swollen.

I love doing things with my husband, I really do. But I am not able to do his workouts. I need some tailoring here!!!

Working Out....

So on Tuesday Ryan made a decision. He was looking for the remote and it was in his lap and he couldn't see it. Operation Work Out begins. We had some squash pasta that night for dinner that my mom had made, but I am not a big squash fan (it's a texture thing) so I was already feeling a little blah.

"Sweetie come on a run with me."
"No thank you.
"Aw c'mon. It'll be fun."
"Nope. I don't run."
"This will be the slowest I run! It has been so long you can keep up!"
"No way."
"Please? I love you!"

That is how I ended up in running shoes and shorts stretching outside of our apartment. So we start down the trail and I don't make it very far before I start walking. Longest half an hour of my life. I would run, then walk, then run and push, then run. Meanwhile Marine Husband runs ahead a ways, runs back and circles me, says something motivating, and runs forward again. Repeat process. He ran the whole time, probably a few miles. I almost saw my squash pasta again on multiple ocassions.

Ok maybe my home cooking had something to do with the 20lbs he has put on since we got married. But I only maybe put on five. If that. His lifestyle choices have added to the poundage... tossing back beers with the guys does not keep weight off! Anyway, he now thinks this is a bonding experience. We have a gym schedule.

I am in pain.

So much pain.

After the run from hell we do abs work on our hardwood living room floor. Joy.

Yesterday I meet Ryan at the barracks to go to the gym. We do chest and triceps. I cannot lift my arms today. My left elbow is swollen and hot, I cannot straighten or totally bend it. I have ice on it now. We do all sorts of torturous heavy lifting and my loving husband says,

"Ok a lap around the track."
"No. I ran yesterday."
"You need to do cardio too! Half a lap."
"No."
"Stop being a spoil sport. Just do half."

So that is how I end up running a quarter mile after a two hour work out.

Today my arms won't go above my head. My shin splints are already showing, giant bruises on my right shin... so hot. Wrapped that. Iced elbow.

Did I mention it is day three?

Somehow I get to the barracks during his chow time and we do a back and biceps work out. Add more pain to more parts of my body.

I am allowed to take a day off tomorrow since I have plans. Saturday he wants to swim. Shoot me now! I am in so much pain. I don't do pain well. At all. I am so weak. There is nothing like lifting the ten pound weights in high reps while giant Marines on either side of you are benching your body weight. It is so embarassing.

Oh, eating healthy too. Baked lemon pepper cod and rice last night.

I almost ripped the Snickers bar out of Ryan's Sgt's hand yesterday. I don't diet well.


Why is his life choice pulling me in? Because I "motivate him and make him want to do it." If I had the strength I would have thrown the dumbbell at his head.

Ok I am a little bit of a baby about this stuff, but I will bear it since I am not working. Once my full time job starts I'll do maybe three times a week. I am not doing this six days a week torture. Ugh.

He wants to kill me.

Our Schedule
Monday - Legs
Tuesday - Run/Cardio
Wednesday - Chest, Triceps
Thursday - Back, Biceps
Friday - Run/Cardio
Saturday - Swim
Sunday - Off

Save the date!

I ordered these magnets today.... kind of excited (:




I have an interview tomorrow at RV Pharmacy (for front of store stuff) and possible TRAINING after! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Oh, and I got an email saying my wedding gown was in (like 3 months early!) so once I have a works schedule my butt will be in alterations. Shame, no dieting or working out has occurred yet. *sigh*

Going to the gym...

I have not gone to the gym religiously.... ever. I was never one of those girls to love working out, go running, or anything like that. I'd prefer a nice bike ride or a hike. I'd rather spend the day building a big set in a theatre lifting platforms and moving lights. I never found running in place to be a worthwhile activity. And whoever the hell thought lifting big heavy things in sets and repetition would be fun is just insane. Long story short, I hate working out.

So why the hell am I doing it around four days a week?

Because earlier this summer I mused out loud, "Hm, maybe when I go to Disney I will start going to the gym." And Ryan overheard it. So in Iraq he started working out. And eating healthy. He is doing it in the desert, I should be able to do it here, right? Long story short my lazy ass is in the gym now.

We have bickered about it, talked about it, and now I am going. Like I said, I hate working out. But I love Ryan, so I am doing it.

Luckily my apartment is the closest possible one to the gym or it would never happen.

I am up to 15 minutes a day on the elliptical (not a lot I know, but like I said, moving in place? Not my idea of fun) and I do some free weights and machines with exercises my suddenly all healthy lean, mean, fighting machine boyfriend recommended. I figured I could fudge my way around for a few months and gradually work up to it, but now with Ryan coming home so soon (YAY) I really need to stick with it. And eat healthy.

We'll ignore the chicken fingers and fries I had for dinner. It will be our little secret, ok?