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!

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 (:

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