:: GOAL TRACKER :: Update 1/25/10

:: get a job!
I have some good-ish news to report on the job front.  After 6 months of sending my resume off into the veritable abyss that is the job market, I got two nibbles.  One for a part-time position and one for a full-time position.  Obviously my preference is for the full-time position, and luckily that is just the more appealing job to me anyway.  But I did already get an offer for the part-time position, which was bumped up to full-time when they heard that I was up for another position -- hot dawg!  However, even though it would now be full-time, the position is only temporary and on an as-needed basis.  So I'm still holding out for the original full-time job.  I just completed my second interview with them this morning and I'm hoping to hear back soon on whether or not I'm continuing on in the process.  It's a long process apparently, but I'm more than happy to be patient through it all if it means I'm going to have a job within the next month.  So I'm asking y'all to keep your fingers crossed and send good thoughts my direction please!!

:: move to San Francisco
Still contingent on my job search, so at this point it's on hold.  Of course for those who know me, you know I tend to have my head up in the clouds a bit, and so of course I started looking at what apartments are available now and just briefly starting coming up with a furniture layout in my head for the ones that I really liked... I'm a dreamer, what can I say?

:: read more books
I am happy to report that I'm finally getting back on track with Eat, Pray, Love and I'm nearing the end.  I'm not even going to bother with A New Earth at the moment because I'm just not all that excited about finishing it right now.  Great book, but just not the time for it.  And unfortunately, while I am very excited to be a part of the book club The Book Lushes, I am going to have to sit out on the first book.  I just feel swamped with the all these interviews and preparing for my sister's baby shower.  One book is enough for right now.  Don't hate me, Sarah!  I'll hop on the train on the next book!

:: relearn French
I haven't quite put those CDs and computer programs to use yet (and by that I mean not at all), BUT I do have the pleasure of listening to my boyfriend's new French roommates converse in French on occasion, so I'm hoping to pick up a little from them.

:: lose 15 pounds
Ummmm, yeah.  I don't know when working out meant that you gained weight, but apparently that's what I've been doing.  I know you can gain muscle mass, which weighs more than fat and so increases your overall body weight, but I really didn't think I was building that much new muscle.  I mean, I do weights and strength training but I use light weights and do repeated reps.  I just figured that muscle helps you burn more fat so I should include that in my routine.  Yet somehow, I've gained two pounds back... >:(.  And I haven't even been eating any more than usual either.  So I think I'm going to stick to just cardio and maybe one or two calisthenics, and hopefully I'll see an improvement soon.  But today was an awesome workout, p.s..  I ran 2.5 miles today and probably could have gone longer if my feet didn't feel like they were on fire.  I think a change in my music playlist really kicked my spirits up a notch.  Today's playlist included:

"Highway Star" -- Deep Purple
"Paranoid" -- Black Sabbath
"Fuel" -- Metallica
"Mony Mony" -- Billy Idol
"Little Bird" -- Annie Lennox

It's good stuff.  I highly recommend it ;)  Now I'm off to run errands and take care of stuff I neglected over the weekend - whoops!  I don't regret it though because my weekend was fantastic -- brunch with boyfriend and friends, checking out a new neighborhood, taking a break from everything, Big Love...  nothing wrong with that.

:: HEALTH :: How I Conquer My Workouts

I don't know if there's anyone else out there like myself who looks for excuses not to work out, but if you are one of those people, I have to say this to you:  Just start, and I promise you it will get easier!  But the first few times can be a bitter struggle so here are just a few things that really help me get the best out of my workouts and not want to throw my running shoes at someone's head...

1. FRS and/or espresso has been key for me.  They really get me going and keep me going.  With regards to the FRS, I like the Low-cal Orange drink concentrate (best bang for your buck), and any of the chews are palatable (notice I didn't say "delicious") and handy to have around.  For espresso, I'm going to have to support my Nor Cal roots and say Blue Bottle Coffee is my go to.  Not just because their based in the Bay Area, but because the coffee is just THAT good, plus it's organic and shade grown.  What else would you expect from Nor Cal?  We always have some of their beans on hand so just I make myself a quick shot before hopping on the treadmill.

2. Walking with my mom has been uber helpful.  The first portion of the workout flies by because we basically chat the time away.  The chatting also helps me forget that it's 6:30 am and 40 degrees outside.  So I highly recommend working out with a buddy.  If you're doing cardio on a machine and don't have a buddy, a good magazine or book is your next best friend; anything really to keep your mind off the fact that you're working out.

3. MUSIC!  There have been days, in the past at least, when I wouldn't workout because my iPod wasn't charged.  It's bad enough that I'm on a treadmill going nowhere and staring at the same point on the wall.  But if I don't have some good music to jam to then forget it!  Here are just a few songs that really get me pumped, especially during a run:

"Life During Wartime" - Talking Heads

"Everybody Wants You" - Billy Squire

"Shake It Up" - The Cars

"Run to The Hills" - Iron Maiden (for obvious reasons)

"The Girl's Attractive" - Diamond Nights
"My Sharona" - The Knack
"Kodachrome" - Paul Simon


4. They say that variety is the spice of life, and I think it's especially true for workouts.  Nothing is more discouraging to me than waking myself up bright and early to repeat the SAME EXACT THING THAT I DID THE DAY BEFORE.  Plus it has this eerie "Groundhog Day" feeling to it, like my life is going nowhere - yikes!  So when I see good workout moves in magazines or online, etc., I tear them out and keep them in a binder so I can always refer back to them.  I'll incorporate different moves into my routine and mix them up from time to time.  That way my body doesn't get too familiar with them, causing my efforts to plateau, and I dread the deed less.  It's a win-win.  



F.Y.I.: I'm smack dab in the middle of week 2 and I haven't backed down once!  I'm feeling good...  really, really good!

**DISCLAIMER**

I am not a trained or certified anything.  As always, check with your doctor before beginning any new supplements or programs.

:: HEALTH :: The Real Work Begins

In addition to starting my blog, and in the honor of making transitions, I have gotten serious about getting myself into shape.  And for me it's not about what size I am, but about feeling awesome and being healthy.  I always have those moments when I see moms (or sometimes grandmas) that are crazy fit and I think to myself "god, I hope I'm in that good of shape when I'm that age."  But who am I kidding?!  I'm not even in that good of shape now!  Not that I'm totally out of shape either, but let's just say I'm not where I want to be -- where I know I can be.  I grew up dancing so being fit was just par for the course.  But when I stopped...  heh heh, hello!  Nice to meet you metabolism.  So I've been there, done that, and I don't want to do that again.

In the past I'd workout sporadically, but I never really stuck to a regimen.  Well last week I started a serious workout routine and, to my delight AND surprise, I stuck to it everyday (except Sunday: free day)!  I also started this week out with full force.  And for the first time I feel like this routine is something I'll actually be able to stick to because I've been feeling so AMAZING after each workout.  Not to mention that by telling you I'll now feel like a total ass if I fail to stick with it.  So now you have to hold me accountable, got it?  And I have to give a big shout out to my mom, because it's been her dedication to getting up for a walk at 6:30 every morning that's kept me getting up with her and continuing to workout after.

Exactly what have I been doing, you ask?  Let me break it down for you:

Every Monday/Wednesday/Friday I get up with my mom at 6:30 am and we walk 2.5 miles, sometimes stopping for double espressos mid route.  Next I hop on the treadmill and run for 1-2 miles, then walk a little more to bring my heart rate back down.  I finish up with about 30 mins. of strength training -- from weights to pilates, calisthenics to yoga -- and then stretching.  All in all I travel about 5.5 miles and my workout totals about 2 hrs.  Then Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday I do just the cardio portion, to give my muscles a break, and I'm at it for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  And everyday before I start I have either FRS or some espresso, which makes a WORLD of difference.  It really helps prolong your endurance, and after working out I'm totally still energized!  The first day I tried this I was on fire ALL day -- I imagine that's what it feels like to be on crack...

Anyway, aside from just sticking to my routine, I've been blown away with the fact that I've been able to get through each workout without carelessly bailing on it at least once or twice.  First of all, running even 1-2 miles is a huge feat for me considering that, in the past, it was a struggle to run for the duration of a single song.  My body and running never got along.  There was always something in extreme pain: knees, hips, back, chest, shin splints, you name it!  Fortunately the joint problems went away over time, and I learned to control my breathing so my chest wouldn't tighten up.  And I can't really explain it, but I somehow managed to "think away" the shin splints.  I found that simply focusing on my upper legs allowed me to use those muscles to push through each step, which put less stress on my lower legs.  So I conquered those problems and now I just have to build my endurance.

I also came up with other tips to help me get through each workout and not just give up when the going got tough.  Stay tuned and later this week I'll follow up with what gets me through my workouts!