tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78196664636588208192024-03-05T01:58:37.417-05:00Jai Ho: May Victory Be Yours'Jai Ho,' is a hindi phrase I found through the film, Slumdog Millionaire. It is my anthem. This blog is about my journey to fitness and happiness. It is about an entire life change. I took up running last year, and I've discovered healing from depression through fitness and good food. This new lifestyle has given me a place in this world. This is my story.adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-8319946702384928442013-02-11T10:44:00.002-05:002013-02-11T10:44:20.365-05:00<br />
<ul>
<li>Been eating fairly well lately, but maybe a little too lax on the "cheat" days when I eat whatever I want</li>
<li>Hovering around the 185 marker</li>
<li>Went for a run Friday with a friend and did a few miles around the lake behind my house</li>
<li>Last week I injured my neck and I've gone to a chiropractor three times so far getting that fixed</li>
<li>The running was a bad idea I think, with a neck injury. Doc said I need to stick to low impact exercise for now</li>
<li>Went to a tai chi class yesterday that Chris and I want to start going to together, along with a kung fu class that happens directly afterward with the same group</li>
<li>Karate has been amazing. If I was doing better with my eating, I'd probably have lost more weight and felt better than I do now</li>
<li>And that's my life update</li>
</ul>
adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-78467649977035705642013-01-07T11:57:00.000-05:002013-01-07T11:57:15.259-05:00<br />
<ul>
<li>Been juicing veggies and some fruities at home, introduced Chris and the girls to it, and they're on board!</li>
<li>Did a cool Bollywood Dance workout yesterday, kicked my butt and put me in the best mood</li>
<li>I was craving sweets the other day so I had a bowl of blackberries with some homemade whipped cream (literally just whipped up heavy whipping cream). solid.</li>
<li>Went to the gym before 8am today. Yeah.</li>
</ul>
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What are you doing these days that your future self will thank you for?</div>
adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-88128441704798430092013-01-03T12:58:00.002-05:002013-01-03T12:58:50.597-05:00Running with Wolves.Or in this case, wolves' descendant.<br />
<br />
My new house is tucked just behind Rhode's Jordan Park, a gem of a little recreational facility. There's a small lake, an aquatic center, tennis, basketball courts, you know, the usual. They also have a community center with classes ranging from martial arts to cooking to ballet. Pretty snazzy stuff.<br />
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So today I donned my new running pants (they have these yellow stripeys on them that make me happy and feel like a pro runner) and braved the cold. I brought Abby, my 60lb wimpy mutt with me, to keep me safe--ha--and also to just get her out of the house, because she's a lazy bum. I tried out my GPS watch for the first time too (a birthday present from my dad back in August. Yikes. Shows how much running I did this fall). I didn't have the manual on me, so I kinda clicked and mashed buttons til it beeped and started tracking my GPS location.<br />
<br />
My ankle was feeling locked up (probably from sitting on it while on my laptop this morning... I've <i>gotta</i> kick that habit. It's awful for my legs! Grr. So I mostly walked speedily along with occasional slow sprints. The thing is, though, that my slow sprints are somehow a speed my dog cannot walk/run. She can either go slower, or must go much faster. So I was either dragging her behind me, or, more frequently, yanking on the leash to try and keep her next to me. And when she wasn't next to me, she was criss-crossing in front of me and I'd accidentally trip on her.<br />
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I got so frustrated running with Abby--and I'm pretty sure my hand will have a blister from where the leash was rubbing it--that I'm not sure I'll take her again for a while. It was so distracting! Does anybody run with their dog and have any advice? I've taken her with me a few times before at different locations and it's always like this!<br />
<br />
I did have a cool moment when I stopped at this swingset and swung, eyes closed, sun on my face, cold air blowing around me. I felt like I was hovering in a place that was free from the problems that clung my feet to the ground. When I was done, I leapt off the swing like a kid, and the flying feeling before hitting the ground was exhilarating. And I gotta tell ya, yoga has made me a lot more agile, because I landed like a cat. I realized after I did it that it could have gone really awry, seeing as how only 20 minutes prior my ankle was bugging me...<br />
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By the end of the jog (it was almost 3 miles from my doorstep, around the lake, and back to my house) my whole body felt warmed up and I freely sprinted the last couple hundred yards.<br />
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I realized while I was running that the path is large enough to bike and run on, and with the pool facility right there by the trail, that this is an AMAZING opportunity to train for more triathlons. So I think that will be in my future again. :)<br />
<br />
<br />
In other news, I got Ben Davis's book 'Do Life' in the mail yesterday, so I'm pretty damn stocked to get rockin' n' rollin' on that read (along with the other like, 6 books I got at the library yesterday).<br />
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In other-other news, I got fat over the holidays. Did you? Because I know I did. YUCK. Like, ya'll, I got faaat. Well, fat for me. The lowest I weighed in at in August, I think, was somewhere around the low 180s. I may be imagining this, but I'm almost positive one day I was 179. But maybe not. Probably not (I think I just <i>wanted</i> to be). Either way, this morning I weighed in at 194. WHAAAT. Ew. I know that some of this is water weight and bloating, and not fat, from all the indulging that was done over the last few weeks and months, but iiiick. I feel so gross! Actually, to be fair, I <i>felt</i> gross. I feel okay now. Chris and I got back on track with our eating habits after officially unpacking and setting up the kitchen yesterday, so we're back onto the Paleo thing. So before yesterday I felt nasty. Now I'm feeling a bit cleaner, but the leaner/lighter/more slender feeling is on the other side of a few weeks.<br />
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<br />
So I'm going to go drink some more water and maybe cook up some stew and do some of this Bollywood Aerobic Dance DVD I got at the library. Because why the hell not. Ha. :)adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-30053094654772915592012-11-24T17:47:00.000-05:002012-11-24T17:52:31.815-05:00Real Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm not the kind of person who argues that everyone is beautiful. As a friend of mine puts it, "Every person has value, no matter what. But no, not everyone is beautiful. That would defeat the very definition of beauty." I do, for example, think that it is possible for a 300 pound woman to have appeal. Of course. As can an overweight man. But I just don't see any <i>physical beauty </i>or sex appeal in extremely large people. (And yeah, there are fat fetishes of which I am aware, but that's an outlier to my argument. I'm speaking generally, excluding the rare circumstances. Obviously, some people are attracted to anorexic bodies too.)<br />
<br />
I think that yes, there is such a thing as physical beauty. I typically find this beauty to be a blend of totally natural and a few highlights to make the thing astonishing. Great hygiene, a fitness regime, a good diet, and a joyful confidence and personality is the most attractive thing. Crooked teeth, curves, flat hair, stretch marks, love handles aside. This is why I'm posting the picture of these two beauty campaigns I found.<br />
<br />
Some people will <i>definitely</i> disagree with me here. I've heard people say you shouldn't "body shame" people of different sizes. This is where everything blends together... because I'm speaking strictly of beauty and health, nothing of worth. I think if someone is healthy, they're much more likely to have physical beauty. You feel better about yourself when you exercise, your body feels cleaner internally when you're not filling it with junk, and when you care for your skin, hair, teeth, etc, you're more happy to show it off. I find that the more someone dyes their hair, tans their skin, layers on makeup, and wears ridiculous clothing that changes their body shape, the less attractive they become. Yes, I wear spanx sometimes. Yup, I have makeup (and I love putting it on and how it looks.) So what am I, a hypocrite? I don't think so. I think, like anyone, I'm kind of confused by the way our culture blends physical appeal and self worth. And I think there's a difference in wearing a tummy smoother with a certain kind of dress or to get rid of really unsightly bumps in your jeans if you have a purpose, like a nice dinner out or something. You want to feel your best. But I know girls who sport these things <i>daily.</i> It's like a mask for their own body. And the makeup thing... come on, it looks good in small doses, and I love color, but when I see eye liner and mascara caked on.. I'm just not impressed.<br />
<br />
I definitely think the girls on the bottom picture with Dove are lovelier. Why? Mostly because they don't have hair that looks like wigs, oily looking skin, and a face that seems to be a mix of "I want to eat you for lunch," and "I want to kill you." Since when is THAT sexy? I would be terrified to touch these women! There is nothing soft, inviting, serene, or welcoming about them. They look breakable. And frankly, if I was with them, I'd be worried about all the flaws they see on me and how imperfect I am to them.<br />
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The joy on the Dove women's faces makes them look like someone I'd want to spend my time with and make breakfast for. Someone who could carry a conversation about things other than spray tans. Victoria's Secret has some great products, I'll admit that. Yeah, I have owned one of their bras before, and until it was too big for me (after losing weight) I liked wearing it. But I still don't understand why they deploy these alien-like fake looking models to sell their clothes... I'm serious when I say if I walked by Victoria's Secret and they had a size 8 girl in her bra and panties laughing in a pillow fight (like the 'angels' do) and you could totally see stretch marks on her tummy, I'd probably go in and by something. I honestly think it would revolutionize our culture. I hope that companies like Dove get the credit they deserve and keep making a positive impact on the way we all view ourselves and the people around us.<br />
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I know this is not an original post, necessarily. Countless people argue this same point... I'm probably beating a dead horse, but man I wanted to get it off my chest. That's about it.<br />
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<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-33243342621910559672012-11-21T20:36:00.003-05:002012-11-21T20:42:46.526-05:00Leave Everything Behind.About a month ago I injured my right foot when I tripped during an obstacle course 5K that I ran. For the week following I hobbled on crutches and was bed-ridden with ice, elevated foot, and pain killers. (And <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygIOZEi4rBE" target="_blank">Dexter</a>.) A familiar scenario for me. Last year I injured this foot pushing myself too hard during a 5 mile run through the mountains by my grandparents house, and the year before I injured this foot falling up slippery-from-rain stairs on a UGA bus. I know this feeling of running myself into the ground very well.<br />
<br />
So I took a month off my foot. I did some weight lifting, and one yoga class. But each passing day without a mile of pavement and wind underneath me the darker my soul became. I just am not the same person when I am not running. Not a single other thing feeds my heart quite like running does. It doesn't matter that I'm not fast, or that I don't run every day, or that I can't run more than 4 or 5 miles on a good day. Because when it's just me and my running shoes; my legs suited in tight black shorts lunge-ready; my chest wrapped tightly in anticipation of the pounding against the pavement, concrete, rocks, whatever comes my way; and my hair haphazardly pulled back however I can; it's the most alive-and-well I've ever felt.<br />
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I know that as a runner, injuries are to be expected. It's normal; running comes with risks. As an athlete, any type, you must know that rest and recovery are often even bigger players in your game than the work itself. I think that's a huge part of discipline that is underrated in athleticism. I hope that one day I can become less threatened by the days, weeks, and months that <i>must</i> pass as I heal from the regular aches and pains of the runners life.<br />
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But despite that hope, I admit that it has been a difficult month. I cried on multiple occasions, like the morning after that yoga class when I almost fell on the floor when I tried to put weight on my right foot. Healing is an unhurried process. (And I am not as patient as I wish I would be.)<br />
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Today when I went to the gym, I didn't plan on running. I'd anticipated some weight-lifting, maybe an arm-and-ab workout. But as I surveyed the gym and asked my body what it wanted, what it needed, an alarm sounded in my core. I had to run. I searched my body to see if it was ready. I stretched my foot, turned and turned my ankle cautiously, plugged in my ear buds, and stepped on a treadmill. And I went. From the initial stride I felt something go tense and release inside of me. I got chills on every inch of skin on my body. My lungs sucked ravenously inward, my muscles stood at attention and began their functions peacefully, beautifully, gloriously. A well-oiled machine. I didn't even begin to break a sweat until 3/4 of a mile in. Somehow the very low-impact weight-lifting and daily dog-walking had kept my body in peak enough condition to run that 1 lovely mile with hardly any effort at all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KOZ7-o9NAMqxZCPQCgDGfhy5VxOaf6zklYn8VmHT6nwdzYicnYiok9ThUjS6vrFwa1wY5NW_eNvQg5nnZt5hfffuyFaJGlF-WR4-PSJzTb5ZS4ebZ2eyQZdkE9H2XKMBnmfs6zt39DD9/s1600/112112200214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4KOZ7-o9NAMqxZCPQCgDGfhy5VxOaf6zklYn8VmHT6nwdzYicnYiok9ThUjS6vrFwa1wY5NW_eNvQg5nnZt5hfffuyFaJGlF-WR4-PSJzTb5ZS4ebZ2eyQZdkE9H2XKMBnmfs6zt39DD9/s640/112112200214.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a painting I made last year from a running shoe advertisement I found. I think it appropriately visually depicts what it is I'm trying to really convey in this post.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
But I felt every step. Not in my foot, but my heart. There was a beautiful suspension in my life as I listened to old songs that were my anthems exactly one year ago when running was just a baby, graduating to toddlerdom, for me. When <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhnZkNj7kAo" target="_blank"><i>The Intro</i> by XX</a> came on my MP3 player, I grabbed the treadmill with one hand to steady and guide myself, and then I closed my eyes. There in the middle of a florescently lit BodyPlex, I went somewhere else in my soul. I was suspended from the reality of my heart that was weighing so heavily inside of me in that moment. I was suspended from the truth that tomorrow marks two years since I've been in a room with my mother and brother at the same time. It marks the beginning of the holiday season, the hardest time of the year for anyone familiar with family heartache, loneliness on any level, and any history of depression. Those were the largest truths I escaped tonight. It elevated me not to a new place, but back home, to a world where it has always just been me and my thoughts. Me and my words. The words and worlds that exist only when I let them breathe and stretch and ask questions while my muscles go on auto-pilot.<br />
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(And on a side note, I think it's appropriate that it was this day I ran again, because last year it was the night before thanksgiving that I injured myself on that run.)<br />
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So at home I now take an intermission, before I dive headfirst into this holiday season fearlessly. Because this year isn't sadness and regret and fear and worry and guilt. This year is pie-baking with my boyfriend's beautiful daughters (a gift in my own life), and hand-holding with that man as we celebrate what an entire year can do to change someone's life, and loving the family I do have around me--my father and his first holiday coming to <i>my</i> house; my sisters-in-heart who breathe life into me when I feel empty and when I feel whole, always finding room for love in me when I didn't even know I needed it; and even still, the distanced individuals who share my DNA who are freckled across the continent and will doubtlessly think of me in some regard, all of them, no matter how many days separate us from communication and embrace.<br />
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I hope only that you, dear reader, can feel this amount of peace in your heart as we find meaning in the following 40 days or so. Winter can be harsh. Our culture only makes things more emotionally stimulating to the point of exhaustion. But I wish you still the happiest of seasons yet. And we're in this together. So eat, drink, and be filled with happyheart, friend.adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-69576294383047635332012-08-25T15:03:00.001-04:002012-08-25T15:03:27.446-04:00Oh, uh, hey there...The last 6 weeks or so of my life have just been weird. Busy, fun, life-changing, hectic, intense, and awesome! I knew in the back of my head that it'd been a while since I visited this lil bloggy blog, but I didn't realize it'd been over a month.<br />
<br />
Or that my last post was a single sentence about brussels.<br />
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Ooooohhh.....keyyyy.........<br />
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The thing is, this blog isn't <i>for</i> anybody else. I don't assume that I have this grand, curious audience with wagging tongues hanging from their mouths, agape with eagerness for my next epic post. Nah. It's basically a way I can keep accountable to myself, something to look back on, and hopefully occasionally a venue for encouragement for my buddies (and strangers).<br />
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So I'll give ya'll a quick update of random life-happenings and such as of late. :-)<br />
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<br />
<ol>
<li><b>I ran the Peachtree Road Race!</b> Yeah! I totally ran 6.2 miles! I don't know what my time was... I didn't have a watch and I haven't bothered checking. I don't overly care. I'm just happy that I did it! I'm basically dragging all my loved ones with me to do it beside me next year.</li>
<li><b>I was working 80 hours a week for a lil bit there.</b> Uh, yeah. Bad idea. Fitness and nutrition totally took a major halt when that happened. Sleep was a joke, food consisted of overloads of caffeine and carbs, and I ran maybe twice in 3 weeks.</li>
<li><b>I moved out of my apartment and in with a family for whom I am a part-time nanny for room and board.</b> Moving sucks.</li>
<li><b>I didn't end up doing the triathlon I signed up for.</b><i style="font-weight: bold;"> </i>It just wasn't going to be a good idea. I had been swimming a lot early and mid July, then just stopped when I moved. I got a bike, but I haven't actually really ridden it more than a few miles yet. And running, like I said, has been sparse. I ran 4.5 miles a couple days before the race, and swam 20 minutes in a lake a few days before too. But it just didn't seem like a wise idea to push the race when I hadn't been doing the training. So that was disappointing. </li>
<li><b>I'm still signed up to run the Athens Half Marathon in about 7.5 weeks.</b> Uh. Yeah....</li>
<li><b>I turned 21!</b> And I'll just go ahead and say that beer isn't low-carb. Or rather, good beer isn't. So. Phooey. </li>
<li><b>I went to the gym today and weighed in at 184 with clothes and sneakers. </b>So somehow, despite the gallons of dark stout and pear cider I've been consuming at a rather alarming rate (along with many, many carbs... oy vey), I haven't actually put on any weight (since the last recorded weight I can find was 185 sans clothing articles). But I can tell I'm pudgier! I know I've lost some muscle (although I can still do a good couple pushups and run a few miles, etc). Strength is weird. I basically just want to get to where I am comfortable running in a sports bra and tight booty shorts. :P</li>
</ol>
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I suppose that's all for now. </div>
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But I haven't given up, I'm still pushing, and when I was running today listening to the Dark Knight soundtrack and consulted my heart as to whether or not I still felt passionate about running a marathon one day and achieving all of those dreams I once had, well, it was all still there.</div>
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Carry on, kids. Thanks for the attention, my ego loves it. Cheers!</div>
adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-44675216730726149912012-07-13T19:16:00.002-04:002012-07-13T19:19:54.741-04:00Regression.Don't eat sugar. Seriously, just--don't do it. Do me a favor, right now, take my word for it. STOP EATING SUGAR.<br />
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Things I've been eating that I just have not been enjoying:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Trail mix w/ dried fruit and chocolate</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Trail mix is satan's way of attacking healthy food. It is such TRICKERY! It's not the least bit good for you. Yeah, you're getting nuts. But they're roasted to oblivion, covered in sugary/salty crap, and you eat about 1.5 almonds and 2 cashews to every nine dried cranberries and 6 chocolate chips. It's all lies. I never, ever feel good after I eat it.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Which regresses further into: yogurt covered raisins</li>
<ul>
<li><i>WHAT AM I DOING? That is ridiculous. Absolute lunacy. It's one of those things where I justify it because "I'm already eating all this other crap, why not." But I just felt sad as I ate it. Sad is never how food should make you. Ever.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Bread (croissants, chunks of bread from coffee shops, etc)</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Again, welcome to the, "screw it" mentality of dieting, when you're like, I've already had a ton of sugar today. I am having a 2 second craving for it, and I'm sure it'll be delicious. Which, most of the time, it's not too bad. But again, so much sad as I eat it. When it's over, I feel chaulky and thick. And then I regressed further to buying a $2.99 box of croissants from Kroger. ALERT: These are not food. They lied. It's plastic. I promise.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Pasta/Rice/Pizza</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Minimal intake, but when I've had it over the past couple weeks, I've been struck at how little it seemed like food in my mouth. Anything that thick and pasty as I chew it just concerns me. </i></li>
</ul>
<li>Popcorn</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Yeah--<u style="font-weight: bold;">I</u> didn't enjoy popcorn when I ate it last night!!! What?! It was just that same "non-food" feeling as I ate it. Didn't taste how I expected it would. And certainly didn't satisfy any hunger cravings. Just kept me awake while I was at work</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Coffee/Energy Drinks </li>
<ul>
<li><i>As of July 26th, I may swear off coffee and energy drinks for the rest of my life. At least for a very, very long time. I have to drink about 32 ounces of caffeine per 8 hr graveyard shift. I can't do it otherwise. And even with it, I'm a demonic sight by 8am and my coworkers are, justifiably, terrified of me.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Juice</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Pomegranate juice is lies. Just don't do it.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Ice Cream</li>
<ul>
<li><i>It's cold, it's sweet. Yawn. I feel so terrible about eating sugar that even as delicious as it may be, I can't enjoy it.</i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Things I've been eating that I actually <u>have</u> been enjoying:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Pretty much anything out of my boyfriend's kitchen</li>
<ul>
<li><i>Chris has battled weight for even longer than I have, and has done the lose/give up/gain/lose/give up/gain cycle many more times than I have. Therefore, there's a bit of inner-strength and stamina inside him that I believe has helped him stay steadier in his eating habits. He buys almost all local and organic. Can I please be more like him? I'm so grateful for the meals of flavorful meat, eggs, fresh veggies, and delicious cooked veggies we share.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Sweet Tea</li>
<ul>
<li><i>May have sugar, but I'm not gonna lie, I did thoroughly enjoy a can of peach sweet tea I got from QuikTrip the other day.</i></li>
</ul>
<li>Blueberries </li>
<ul>
<li><i>I picked blueberries with my friend Michael and his family the other day, and it has been such a refreshing, guilt-free treat. I've been eating a lot of fruit lately actually, and it is fantastic. I feel great eating it in moderation.</i></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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This isn't the hearty post I have welled up inside me. I have so many words about the Peachtree Road Race, about swimming, about eating and unhealthy relationships with food. Maybe these words will come out more profoundly after a few days.</div>
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Two weeks of the graveyard shift left. After that, when my schedule gets back to normalcy, I'm going to seriously spend a lot of my energy focusing on balance. Food, exercise, and <i>sleep.</i> I can't stress the sleep part enough.</div>
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TTFN.</div>adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-80263985706308202562012-06-26T21:10:00.000-04:002012-06-26T21:10:00.301-04:00COMING SOON<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">MY FIRST 10K</span></strong></div>
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<strong>July 4</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>MY SECOND TRIATHLON</strong></span></div>
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(first swimming in open water!)</div>
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<strong>August 19</strong></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>MY FIRST HALF MARATHON</strong></span></div>
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<strong>October 21</strong></div>
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Getting ready for some big things, ladies and gents. Can you handle it? These aren't just abstract ideas anymore. These races are all signed up and paid for. AH! Amazing. So amazing. I feel incredibly blessed and so excited for these mental and physical challanges that await me.</div>
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Update soon on my exercise and nutrition progress. :)</div>
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LOVE YOU ALL</div>adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-73477974074107628042012-06-20T21:11:00.001-04:002012-06-20T21:13:02.169-04:00I'M CALLING B.S.!!!!<a href="http://content.contentthatworks.com/images_articles/2007/health/health_20070726_programmed_programmed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://content.contentthatworks.com/images_articles/2007/health/health_20070726_programmed_programmed.jpg" width="200" /></a>Despite the lack of posting, I haven't been slacking in my nutrition and fitness adventures. Actually, I've been on pace with running and working out steadily for a while. Now eating healthfully, and consistently at that... well, Rome wasn't built in a day.<br />
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Anyway, I recently joined a gym here in Athens and was given a free personal training session. <i>Alright!</i> I thought. <i>Time to get some awesome expert opinions and some help targeting my trouble areas!</i> In some ways, the guy I met with was great. Here's my review.<br />
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<b>What Was Great:</b><br />
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1. He opened my mind to switching up my workout routine. I forgot how much muscle memory can mess you up, and truth be told, I mostly only do the same body weight exercises, and running, every week day in and day out. This is the biggest reason I'm excited to be back in a gym at all!<br />
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2. He pushed me. When we got on the actual floor of the gym and he got me doing some stuff, he didn't take it easy on me. He critiqued where I was slacking, when my abs/glutes/shoulders needed to be tighter, and where my legs/back/neck needed to be straighter. All that. It was really helpful!<br />
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3. He broke my "12" habit. He made me do everything 15 times (which I SWEAR was like 20... he was not good at keeping count...). When I would get to like, number 8, I was devastated that we were only halfway there. Who knew you could get so attached to doing 12 reps of something? Weird.<br />
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4. I realized I'm not as near to my "desired functional fitness" level as I thought I was. By making me do new workouts and keep different areas tighter/straighter and my movements smoother... it made the workout entirely new.<br />
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For those reasons, I'm contemplating getting a personal trainer for the next 6 months. I love the idea of having someone help me push myself and find new barriers to slam through!<br />
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<b>What Was Not-So-Great:</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">1. <i>"So for breakfast you wanna make sure you have some whole wheat, whole grains, you know, complex carbs to keep your blood sugar from dropping too quickly. A couple hours later you want a simple sugar like fruit to spike up that blood sugar before you go in for lunch..." </i>Whoa, whoa, whoa buddy! You're talkin' to Atkins-meets-Paleo chick over here! Do you have any idea that the "whole grain oatmeal" you want me to nom hard on at 8am is more carbs than I've been consuming in my whole day? Granted, I have backed down from the counting, and moved more into a relaxed consumption of healthier foods (except for the bad days. I may post about that soon), so the carb count is probably a bit higher than it was when I was in the induction phase of Atkins. But this guy really started warping my brain when he talked about how important carbs were. I had to use everything in me to remind myself that I don't buy into the grain-game! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">2. When I got there, he did a BMI measurement thing. I was stoked, because some of you may remember I got my BMI done back in August when I was just starting to really work out. Well back in August, when I weighed in at 217, my body fat percentage was <u style="font-weight: bold;">35%</u>. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Today, when I got it checked, I weighed in at 185, and the percentage was <u style="font-weight: bold;">36.5%</u>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Yeah, so according to these "measurements," I lost 32 pounds and somehow... I'm trying to wrap my brain around "what this data would mean".... Somehow I lost more muscle than fat? I don't get it. I absolutely don't get it. In fact, when he told me it was 36.5 I was stunned. <i>That can't be right... because that... that means...</i> "You're in the obese category." (his words to me)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">...</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">.....</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">.......</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">OBESE? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;">Oh, honey, I'm sorry. WAT. I'm <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">obese?</u> Now, I got this information before we worked out. After the session was over, I proceeded to walk to my car, drive out of the parking lot, and begin an all out wailing-session of tears and anguish for about 10 inconsolable minutes. <i>How do you lose 40 pounds and still be considered obese?</i> I was lost. I couldn't find reality. I felt like the past year of my life was almost a waste. Somewhere in the back of my head a quiet voice tried to remind me of all my accomplishments, and that I was so much healthier than I was, all of that. But the louder voice was furious that I was fat--excuse me,<i> obese</i>--after a year of effort. When people like my roommates eat straight up garbage and don't seem to gain a pound. "It isn't fair!" I felt my head-voice screaming. </span><br />
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After some tearful--sobering, yet embarrassing--phone calls with my confused-yet-supportive dad and my ridiculously-encouraging boyfriend (I don't know how he makes the most sensible notions come across so encouraging, but I bet it has something to do with enlightenment. Christopher can be a modern day Buddha and he doesn't even know it)<span style="background-color: white;">, I began to feel stabilized again and successfully maneuvered my way through Kroger, loading up on healthy foods to sustain me and my broken heart (I know, I'm being dramatic). </span><br />
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I just wanted to give up, as if giving up suddenly meant I could have all the results and success I wanted without all the emotional turmoil. Turns out that's not the case, and the truth hurts.<br />
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So I came home and wanted to do some research about this "BMI" thing. First of all, I'd thought when I did this before in August last year it was 38%. So I was like, "Okay, not too bad, only lost 1.5%." But when I found out it was supposedly HIGHER? I was DONE. That was when I literally shouted "<b>I'M CALLING B.S.!!!!"</b><br />
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I then googled "calculate your BMI." The first two only asked your weight and height. According to those, my body fat percentage is 28%. (Which, under 25% is a healthy weight. 25%-30% is obese. Oh, and 40% or higher is morbidly obese. Just so you know.) I just did another one that asks your body measurements. 40.2%<br />
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Yup.<br />
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<b><u>So, kids, what have we learned today?</u></b><br />
<b><u><br /></u></b><br />
1. Don't take anything at face value other than <i>how YOU <u>feel</u>. </i><br />
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I've been feeling amazing lately--I've been running, hitting the gym, and working on my eating habits daily. I was so encouraged that I walked into that gym today feeling on top of the world. When I found out that BMI information, I broke down. I took it as 100% truth and let my guard down. The thing was, I knew I wasn't at my fitness goal yet, but I still, for some reason, expected a lot of praise. Which leads us to lesson #2:<br />
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2. Just chunk all your expectations in the garbage. Because you're always going to be wrong.<br />
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If you're right, then you spent way too much time analyzing it and you're way too aware of reality, and probably lead a really depressing life. Otherwise, if you're like the rest of us who are <i>always, routinely</i> disappointed by the world not being like our expectations--just let it go. You'll be so much happier with however life goes that it won't matter if strangers don't praise you for your accomplishments. That trainer guy never saw me at my heaviest, he only met the girl he saw today. I can't hold that against him... I don't even want to!<br />
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3. More about this BMI thing--don't rely on numbers to determine what sort of person you are.<br />
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Yeah, I'm aware that I want (and need to, for health and longevity purposes) to lose 30 more pounds. I'm aware that I carry most of my weight in my tummy, and in my upper thighs. I don't think I'm perfect, and I know I have lots of room for improvement. But counting calories, pounds, carbs, body percentages, miles, times, all that--it drives me crazy! I look forward to one day finally being in my target fitness level and not having to constantly wonder what the scale says. When I slide on a pair of size 8 jeans and never worry again about my belly looking unsightly--that's the day I know I achieved my goal, not when the scale says 170. It's just hard to wrap our brains around that.<br />
*and yes, I realize that size 8 is a number. See though? It's like, impossible to escape. I'm trying. I'm preaching lessons to myself too, ya'll, don't think I'm nearly self-righteous enough to talk to you like I've already conquered all this.<br />
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Stay hopeful my friends, stay full of life. Please, please believe in your dreams. I know that mine took a crushing blow today, but with some research, good friends, and faith... I am back on track and more of a believer than ever.<br />
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<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-42247052433985891302012-06-06T16:15:00.000-04:002012-06-06T16:39:24.470-04:00Reaching New LengthsYesterday I woke up wanting to run. Yet I could hear the patter of rain on the tin roof of my father's house. I hadn't ran in a few days, and the urge was overwhelming. I laced up and headed out towards the traintracks where I knew I could get in a few flat miles. I intended on running only about 2, but ended up running 4.<br />
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Today I slept late after a partial overnight shift at work, and awoke invigorated--today, according to my 10k training regimen, had me running my farthest distance yet: 4.5 miles. After a 4 mile run yesterday, I wasn't sure how things would go... Surprisingly, it was awesome. I didn't time myself (I want to enjoy the moment, not fight for faster times, not right now), so I don't know how fast I did it, but I felt like I had a strong pace most of the run.<br />
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There are a lot of things that are shifting around in my life right now and I've felt very overwhelmed, even depressed at the prospects of change and uncertainty (old habits die hard). Yet when I was running today, I found joy in the structure and control of running; I get to decide how far I go, how good of a pace I keep, and how often I do it. That was what kept me going, and I know that's what will keep me strong as I make my way towards this race.<br />
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According to my training plan, three weeks from today I will run 7 miles (and about 40 between now and then).<br />
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!!!<br />
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Also, I decided this month I will not be weighing myself. I've been getting stronger (I went from hardly being able to do a full <i>girl</i> push-up a few weeks ago to doing 6 <i>real</i> push-ups yesterday with 20 girl push-ups after), noticing a change in my body (my abs are getting a lot flatter, yay!) and overall just feeling good. So I decided to see what happens if I let off the measurements of numbers for a while and just focus on how I feel.<br />
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I haven't been good about posting on here lately because it's sort of felt like it's becoming a glorified facebook status. In the past I've posted stories, links, ideas, stuff of substance. But nowadays I feel like all I'm offering are updates on my progress... cool for like, my parents, but I'd like to begin posting again things that are insightful and work my writers skill a little greater.<br />
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So be on the lookout, thenextfivemonths is going to be under some construction this summer as I brainstorm ways to revamp my purposes and execution of my plan. :)<br />
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I'll leave you with my two favorite running songs right now:
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Please enjoy the weirdness of this video. It makes me happy.</div>
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This song just makes me believe everything in my life is going to be alright. </div>
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(And I don't usually even like Katy Perry! But this song is just goodness.)</div>
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Stay hungry for success and joy my friends. <3adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-73647952776111187952012-05-30T16:10:00.003-04:002012-05-30T16:10:55.324-04:00This Ain't Easy.So I went for a 4 mile jog today. I say jog since, let's stop kidding ourselves, I run like a granny. Sometimes my speed picks up, but for the most part I plod along with little hops. That's okay--right now I'm a firm believer in slow and steady wins the race.<br />
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The exciting part of that news however is that puts me exactly on track for my training pace for the 10k coming up on Independence Day! That's pretty awesome.<br />
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The bad part of this post is that I've been hardcore struggling on my diet. I fell off the bandwagon earlier this week and weekend and ate some terrible foods, but I'm trying to slowly get back on track. It's not easy. In fact, it feels like quitting smoking or something--I have terrible addictions constantly and I find myself thinking about food all the time. This makes me sad, since the induction phase of Atkins is "supposed" to "fix you" of sugar and carb craving. I repeat: this isn't easy. I see now why so many people quit diets. Heck, I have too, but I've never really admitted it. I just get lax and then start again, blah blah.<br />
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I don't even have good words for all of the things I'm feeling. I'm tired almost 24/7 because of this overnight job that I work now, which makes eating well and working out even more challenging. I've got to find a way to fix all this! I'm pressing onward with hopes for the best, but inside I'm still scared I'm going to gain all the weight back, or stop running, or even just plateau where I am. I don't want to be 188 forever. Nope. Gotta keep pushing, even when I feel exhausted and unconvinced.adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-26425809298338343342012-05-28T04:54:00.000-04:002012-05-28T04:54:39.849-04:00<a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/85354/spirit-of-the-marathon?c=News-and-Information/Documentary-and-Biography" target="_blank"><strong>Spirit of the Marathon</strong></a><br />
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Above is a documentary that offers a great glimpse into the world of marathoning. Can't wait for my shot at it. Excited for my 10k in just over a month, and I'll be starting about a week after with my half marathon training. Just under 5 months to the Athens Half. Am I really going to do it this year?<br />
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Aiming to run my first marathon fall semester of my senior year here at UGA. Lofty goals. Big dreams. <br />
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I know I can do this.adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-60067353130731237742012-05-23T17:46:00.000-04:002012-05-23T17:46:37.248-04:00Update!<br />
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<ul style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<li>Been reading a lot lately</li>
<li>And exercising a lot</li>
<li>And just all around not writing much</li>
<li>I will say that I went on a trip to my Grammie's 75th birthday party, and for like 4 days straight was tempted with donuts, pizza, ice cream, fresh bread, pasta, cake, you name it. I didn't give in <i>once.</i> Booyah!</li>
<li>I also worked out while I was up there! Didn't fall behind and I didn't injure myself (like last time I was up there and twisted my ankle big time)</li>
<li>I'm hovering in the 187-189 range these days, but I feel a few pound drop coming soon. Every time I wake up my tummy feels flatter and my mouth tastes gross--I'm convinced that's the taste of fat as I breathe it out in my sleep. Gross, but totally possible! </li>
<li>It's amazing what a 10 minute workout of crunches, push-ups, and arm exercises can do to make you feel totally powerful and awesome. YES.</li>
<li>Oh, in sad news, my workout buddy Megan took a spill at our ~3 mile run on the trails this morning.</li>
</ul>
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<ul>
<li>Poor thing. She was a trooper though and wanted to finish the run. What I didn't tell her was that we were lost and that I was busy trying to find the main trail anyway. Since she was already bleeding and probably not feeling that calm on the inside, I just told her I knew where we were and that we were almost back. My confidence paid off as we stumbled back on our trail. I never let on even once we found our way back to the cars! Haha, sorry Meggers. </li>
<li>My boyfriend got a dog! So now the days we hang out we go for an extra couple walks with her. Awesometown! Her name is Abby, she's a year old half yellow lab half pit, but is the sweetest little cuddler you ever saw... even though she was a bit hesitant in warming up to me. That dog is some serious competition for my man, because oh my goodness does she love him! I'm excited to start training her to run with us. :D</li>
<li>Got several overnight shifts coming up in the next week. Always a joy shifting my sleep around enough to include workouts and not dying from exhaustion. We'll make it work.</li>
<li>Made my first order from Athens Local Growers yesterday! Pickup is Thursday. $20 of awesome delicious fresh veggies with my name on em! YUM! :-)</li>
<li>That's about it... stay active my friends!</li>
</ul>adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-89599075072900313362012-05-13T16:50:00.001-04:002012-05-13T16:50:35.206-04:00Necessary, but Not Worth It.Necessary, but not worth it. That is how I would describe the weekend of carb-loading, calorie-hogging, sugar-shoveling that has been done over the course of this weekend. What was initially intended as "one meal to indulge in something we've been craving," turned into a 2-3 day free-for-all that included, but was not limited to, Bratwurst and fish & chips at The Globe, breakfast at Mama's Boy, pizza from Little Italy, spicy jerk madness at Kelly's, an icecream cone the size of my head from Ben & Jerry's, sugary coffee indulgences at Walker's and Two Story, fresh baked cookies from Always Baked, and a grand finale of persecuted hashbrowns and plaid pancakes from Waffle House. GROSS. (But I must say, it was a fun tour of Athens foods. Chris had an old friend in town and we wanted to give the grand tour. I think we succeeded.)<br />
<br />
Looking back, I can't even believe I did all that to my body. WHY. Chris said this morning, "I've disrespected my body," through a weary groan. I told him I felt like a walking cupcake. All of this terrible food has made us lie in post-Thanksgiving-dinner-comas grunting caveman-like sentences... something along the lines of, "grease... make... bad... full... hurt.... eat... no..." <br />
<br />
It has been a weekend to remember, that's for sure. But honestly, I think we kept eating that terrible food because we were trying to <em>find something</em>. Trying to figure out why, strangely, nothing tasted as good as we'd remembered. When I sampled a lemon cookie at a downtown shop, I was like--ACK, too sweet! Too sweet! And I craved like, a handful of greens and some water to clean out my palate. <br />
<br />
One crap-food after another and I hated it more and more. After the bite in my last post, it was all downhill from there. I didn't want anything I was eating! Well. The first bite of icecream and the "nugs" from Always Baked were pretty awesome. And okay, I'll forever love Kelly's. But honestly, the whole weekend I missed the fresh, clean feeling I got from eating tons of fresh veggies all day, and the satisfying sensation of a really well cooked roasted chicken or steak. This isn't the life I want, eating that way again. No going back.<br />
<br />
Chris said it this morning. "I don't want to go back. Do you?" For a moment, I wasn't sure what "back" was. Atkins, or this? Honestly, Atkins feels like part of me now. It feels like where I belong. The strength and purity and balance I feel nowadays is what I want. It is the best thing I've ever done for myself, I think. So going back, I realized, meant going back to the old ways that we've relived this weekend. And I earnestly agreed with him--nope, I'm not going back.<br />
<br />
I'm running a 5k this weekend, and starting my 10k training program today. Getting back on track and embracing it. Because seeing 188 on the scale was amazing. Doing pushups feels empowering. Running 3 miles for a good workout is insane. But if we hadn't taken this weekend to give into our mental desires and temptations, they would have continued to bombard our thoughts with doubt and sadness and the feeling of being left out, missing out. Now I know... <em>it's all an illusion.</em> It wasn't worth all the food and calories and awful feelings I had. But it was necessary, because I was losing drive and focus by feeling left out. <br />
<br />
Here we go. Back on track. GO!adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-87781411877238899852012-05-11T17:19:00.003-04:002012-05-11T17:19:33.172-04:00Cheat Day.Last night my coworkers offered me a slice of cake. "Oh wait, are you still doing<i> that thing</i>?" Emphasizing the last part like "that thing" that I'm doing is eating fetuses or something.<br />
<br />
My other coworker looked at me and said, through a mouthful of cake, "Ohh yheah, how'f 'at going?" And immediately added before I had a chance to respond, "Honestly I couldn't do that, I'd kill myself. No offense." Very considerate friend, obviously. We all had a good laugh about it though.<br />
<br />
I told them how Chris and I are taking a "cheat day" to enjoy some indulgences... Moderation is key, after all.<br />
<br />
All I've had today were a few bites of bread at big city bread that came with my salad and soup, and then just now, a bite of pizza that my friend was eating.<br />
<br />
"Your face... it looks like you're sad that it tastes so good," she commented as I took my first bite of pizza in months. "Oh my god!" I said. Perhaps with a few extra expletives, just to get my point across.<br />
<br />
It was some damn good pizza...<br />
<br />
"You look like a mother seeing her child for the first time," was how she described the look on my face as I chewed that doughy, 3 cheese (THERE WAS FETA CHEESE ON IT, PEOPLE. FETA CHEESE. Which I can still have any other day. But on that pizza... GAWD help me) slice of goodness.<br />
<br />
The day has only just begun. YES.<br />
<br />
<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-2847731046931314932012-05-10T12:59:00.003-04:002012-05-10T13:06:08.540-04:00Boom! Here Comes the Boom! How ya like me now?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is a wonderful angry-sounding, intense, I-feel-like-I-could-kick-your-ass-with-my-awesomeness-right-now work out song. (Wait, am I the only one who gets that last one from this? Uhh)<br />
<br />
And it perfectly matches my mood as I weighed in at 188 this morning. BOOM!adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-67576292927041996182012-05-09T11:01:00.000-04:002012-05-09T11:04:15.474-04:00It's Not Just About Me.Stepping on the scale this week and there's no change. However, I can't say the same for my weight-loss and fitness counterpart and inspiration. Chris, who got me started on this whole Atkins thing in the first place, weighed himself for the first time in a couple weeks. I'd been urging him to do it for a while, because I could tell by looking at him that he'd lost some weight. In the past when he's lost weight, the least he'd weighed was 260. That was it. Back a few months ago around the post-holiday disaster we all experience on the scale, he was up to the upper 280's, and was devastated with himself.<br />
<br />
That's when he got serious and started Atkins in the middle of March. Late April he was down to about 263, I think, and was stoked about it! (Duh!) But there's that 260 line that he hadn't broken in ages. He came by my house where I have a digital scale and stepped on yesterday...<br />
<br />
257!<br />
<br />
You can bet we had a little dance party right there in the bathroom! I was insanely proud of him. He told me he hadn't weighed that in <i>years</i>. WOW.<br />
<br />
He and I are right alongside each other in our goals. About 30 pounds left each for our ultimate goals. And totally attainable.<br />
<br />
So while I may not be praising the glorious triumph of the 180's yet, I'm celebrating and basking in the excitement of watching someone I care about find their own success and joy. But I've literally been 190.3 3 out of the 4 times I've been on the scale the past couple times.... I am so stinkin' close to breaking that barrier!<br />
<br />
Supposedly according to my plan, I'm going to transition from Atkins Induction (which is the most rapid weight loss) into Phase 2 (ongoing weight loss, or OWL), which includes slightly higher carb counts, like berries and nuts, on May 21. But I may delay it until I'm down in the 170s. We'll see. <br />
<br />
10k training program starts Sunday, and May 19th I'm running another 5k! Awesome.<br />
Life is good.<br />
Summer is here.<br />
Success is ours!adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-71084460925153247252012-05-02T16:29:00.000-04:002012-05-02T23:10:45.890-04:00Before and During.Alright. I've been promising it for months. Finally, here you go. This is what happens when you decide to change your life and get fit. This is what happens when you take your sophomore year of college and lose 35 pounds.<br />
<br />
Some people may not like that I'm baring myself, but truthfully, the honesty I've had making myself vulnerable with my words on this blog has been much more embarrassing and scary than showing ya'll what I look like in a swim suit. <br />
<br />
Cuz let's be real, I've gone out in public wearing both these swimsuits now. The only embarrassment is that I ever let myself get as fat as I was there only 9 months ago. Here's to progress! Here's to being proud <i>of what you make of yourself.</i><br />
<br />
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<br />
<ol>
<li>Being tan never makes up for being fat (unless you ask the stylists for all the Biggest Loser finale episodes. In which case, spray tan orange, spanx, and changing your hair to the opposite color makes up for still being fat. I'm just ripping on them because I hate how fake everyone looks after. Okay, rant over). Although I certainly tried last summer. No apologies for looking like a porcelain doll right now. That is not my focus.</li>
<li>Look at the difference in my posture. I intentionally tried to stand how I usually stand... The past two weeks I've been going to the chiropractor and less back pain has equaled better posture. And I mean, when you're proud of yourself, you carry yourself differently.</li>
<li>Some people might be like, OOOH, SHE'S SUCKING IN! Well, I'm not. I am holding myself how I think I normally do, with someone tight abs. But I'm not sucking in. K? K.</li>
<li>Raising my arm to show the figure may have <i>slightly</i> altered the smoothness of my belly... but not much. What you see is what you get. still some pudge. Still a ways to go. But I'm on my way. :)</li>
</ol>
I share this not to boast, but to try and do a few things<br />
<ol>
<li>Encourage you if you're on this journey too. Or even thinking of starting. Dedication, determination, and finding the right resources and support system... it's the only way to go. And I'm more than willing to encourage you ever step of the way. :) Just ask :)</li>
<li>Show that eating well and doing diverse workouts for not even a year can drastically change your health and wellness. I feel amazing right now. AMAZING. I didn't starve myself, I didn't take diet pills. I ate nutritiously (sometimes falling off the band wagon, but always getting back on, thanks really due to the people around me who encourage me to never give up!), and working out--walking, running, swimming, whatever. </li>
<li> I didn't want to show one horrid pic and then one perfect pic when I've hit my goal weight. I want to show that there is a journey and there are plateau's and they look something like this. Fitness and health isn't a before and after. But comparing the effects of a scary old lifestyle with a new, improved one--that's what's worth sharing something like this.</li>
<li>To make a statement--not that <i>both bodies are beautiful</i>, blah blah... Cuz honestly, I don't think the body on the left is "beautiful." I see a pretty girl who felt full of fried food and self-doubt. That's not lovely. But the <i>potential </i>that resides within both pictures is what got me across the finish line of my 5k's and the triathlon. It's what's alongside me training for the Peachtree Road Race and making plans for my first half marathon and next triathlon. It doesn't matter to me how beautiful I am--though sometimes I feel insecure and buy into it--what matters to me is the joy I feel in life. And feeling strong... that brings me joy.</li>
</ol>
If you want to change your life--start today. Start now. Don't wait to <i>become</i> something or someone... <i>be</i> that way now.<br />
<br />
Much love, my friends. Much love.<br />
<br />
EDIT: <i>because after posting this on fb I got a lot of positive feedback, I felt encouraged to go ahead and post a few more. :)</i><br />
<br />
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<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-66845377810264122232012-04-20T22:31:00.003-04:002012-04-20T22:35:07.147-04:00Happy UpdatesToday marks day 13 of being on Atkins. <br />
<br />
Basically what that means is that it's been two weeks since I've had any of the following:<br />
<ul>
<li>Bread</li>
<li>Popcorn</li>
<li>Sugar</li>
<li>Bread</li>
<li>Rice</li>
<li>Pasta</li>
<li>Fried food</li>
<li>Potatoes </li>
<li>Honey</li>
<li>Oh, did I mention bread?</li>
</ul>
And I honestly don't miss it. Weirdly enough, the bread thing wasn't hard to kick, but the desire for sweet-flavored things has gotten stronger. I have realized over the past few weeks that the constant eating of bread was a combination of two things. The first was simply habit. The second was hunger. Bread was a super fast, convenient way to feel full. Same goes for pasta, fried food, and potatoes. So easy to turn to.<br />
<br />
The weird part is that the "desire for sweet taste" is not the same as, I think, as a "sugar craving." Because when I'm like, "AHHH WANT SWEETNESS!!!" I stare longingly at bright red strawberries and cute little organic mandarins from Trader Joe's. But they have glucose, and according to the science of Atkins, that will really fudge up what my body is doing right now in<a href="http://www.atkins.com/Program/Phase-1/How-to-Do-Induction-Right.aspx" target="_blank"> induction phase</a>. So I push through.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, Atkins has some awesome protein bars, different ones for snack or "meal replacement" (which usually equals for me, "scarf down at the first instance of hunger while you take the next hour to cook up and prepare an actual dinner." which has been working really well! that sounds like sarcasm, but I'm serious!) as well as shakes. I know that I need to still get most-to-all- of my nutrients and stuff from REAL food, since those bars and shakes are loaded with preservatives and artificial sweetener. Everything in moderation. I'm still reading and learning about the pro's and con's of this diet daily. I take nothing at face value.<br />
<br />
On an awesome note, about a month ago I weighed in at 206 (!!! that was frustrating when I'd gotten all the way back there), but earlier this week I weighed in at 192! Awesome! I am so close to the 180s now, that any temptation to give in can seriously BITE ME.<br />
<br />
(Oh, and please don't be fooled into thinking this was easy. Just consult Chris, who was the recipient of a desperate voicemail only last night, where I was standing desolately in the middle of the ice-cream isle at Kroger, my face pressed against the cold glass, starting at these "Sugar-Free Banana Creme Pops," <i>only 4 net carbs per popsicle!</i> and whining that even the sugar-free stuff was nearly a fourth of my daily allotment of food. I could hear Jillian Michaels in the back of my head, reminding me that they use the same chemical to make artificial sweetener to embalm people.) <br />
<br />
So I admit, I don't have all the answers. But I am willing everything in me to not become "Diet-Girl" (a fictional novel heroine I have been creating in my head), and that this attempt will be what it takes to become healthy for life. I'm not aiming to lose weight, I'm aiming to be healthy and fit. I have to remember this. Sew it into my skin.<br />
<br />
Yeah I wanna look fine as a fox in a little black dress on my twenty-first birthday in exactly 4 months. But I also wanna be able to run a 10k in 2.5 months and swim a mile and actually stand a chance trying out jiu jitsu moves with my boyfriend (I usually just laugh when my strength breaks. Well, I usually just laugh when I do anything. Curses of the Eternal Optimist. Ooh, there's an interesting book title. How about, 'Diet-Girl: The Curses of Life as the Eternal Optimist. <i>A Memoir</i>').<br />
<br />
Oh! Last thing I wanted to record was that working out these days is a BLAST. I'll blog on more detail about this later, but the main thing is this: Atkins induction phase gets you to where you're no longer burning any glucose (cuz... you don't HAVE any in your system!) when you work out, so you immediately burn your fat store. This is 1) how you lose so much weight in this first phase, and 2) great because you have an insane, almost endless amount of energy to work with when you are working out. Meaning that almost everything I do in the gym is fun, because I'm not exhausting myself. <br />
<br />
AH, SO MUCH TO BLOG ABOUT.<br />
<br />
Okay, I'm done for now. Time to shower and go to work.<br />
Be happy world. And remember--Take care of this moment.adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-27083843354406759612012-04-14T13:09:00.001-04:002012-04-14T13:09:34.388-04:00Hey. Guess What.You're awesome.adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-29356604407510703572012-04-10T11:04:00.000-04:002012-04-13T11:24:39.609-04:00Slavery.<div class="ii gt adP adO" id=":zi">
<div id=":zh">
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<br />
<i> I
couldn't control myself. There I was with jelly beans in my hand, and
they came up to my mouth against my will. In my mind, I knew I didn't
want to eat them. I was screaming with my eyes, begging not to eat them.
Suddenly, it was like I was a puppet in a body that was destroying
itself. It was a blur of corn syrup and bright colors made of every form
of sugar imaginable, all being shoveled into my mouth as if it wasn't
actually poisoning every system of my body. I was crying, shaking,
thrusting my head away from the food, fighting it. It was like the sugar
climbed into my mouth completely and 100% against my will. I felt so
guilty... I just wanted to make it at least a few days before screwing up
this Atkins thing. I was so disappointed in myself, and I felt like I
would never get control over it... Sugar owned me, I was its slave, and
there was no turning back. I winced as another handful of frosting and
jelly beans and bread and icecream made it's way up to my lips, my body
shrieking with resentment...</i><br />
<br />
And that's when I woke up.<br />
<br />
Welcome to the weirdest,
most surreal dream of my life. It was so <i>real.</i> The sting of the
sugar stuck in my teeth, the tears in my eyes, the regret and
frustration I had feeling like a slave to sugar. I woke up and just
stared blankly with my eyes at nothing. I... hadn't really had sugar. I
made it two whole days! Even when I was eating the healthiest ever, I
still was having sugar. Raw honey, fruit, all that stuff. This is unlike
anything I've ever made my body do with me. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dessertcomesfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/1439992503_9f079975c3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://www.dessertcomesfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/1439992503_9f079975c3.jpg" width="400" /></a>You know how some people claim sugar is a real addiction? After
having that dream... I would absolutely have to agree. Look how my
subconscious feels about it! Writing out the details of that dream, I
realized that perhaps that dream is a representation of my "Health" and
how it feels as it succumbs to what I've done to it for the past two
decades. Honestly, after such a traumatic experience, I don't know that
I'll ever have sugar again. Anything other than naturally occurring,
like in fruit, at least.<br />
<br />
<br />
When I woke up this morning, I had a
mind-splitting headache. Withdrawals? That's really scary. I did some research this morning and yup, headaches are often a symptom of cutting sugar out of your diet. WEIRD. STUFF. It makes me thankful I'm doing it, though. Chris assured me the first 2 days are the hardest, but the thing is, that man hardly ever has bread or sugar anyway. I read on one article and the comments below that many people struggle for <i>two weeks.</i> "What surprised me was that the <i>second week was worse than the first</i>," Connie Mixter commented on <a href="http://howtothinkthin.com/freedom.htm" target="_blank">this article.</a> UGH. Sooo not looking forward to THAT at all! But it will be worth it, I know it will.</div>
</div>
<br />
Yesterday I was hardcore fighting the urge to succumb and eat some candy... there
where Crunch eggs and Reese's eggs and Jolly Rancher jelly beans all at
work for the taking!! I made myself drink a bunch of water, then ate
dinner. After half of my serving, I was
full and the candy didn't even look appealing. Granted as the night went
on the temptation began to come back, but I felt like I was aware that
it was something I could control. So crazy that I then dreamed about the sugar attack after that! I think it proves that I have/had more of a true mental/emotional addiction to sugar, not just a physical one.<br />
<br />
I could end this post here, but I just have more on my mind. I'm going to post this crazy article I found on another blog the other day... just take a look at this...<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Carbs Without Cause: 8 Foods Worse than White Bread</b></span><br />
You know to avoid the pale sliced stuff, but what about these other processed offenders? </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b>1. Fancy Coffee Drinks</b><br />
Not only can these have as many calories as a meal, (sometimes
upwards of 400) their carb count can be on par with a pre-marathon pasta
binge; some have 60–80g of carbs per serving. Add in sugars, saturated
fats in whipped cream, and chocolate flavorings, and you’ve got dessert
in a very large plastic cup. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b>2. Bagels</b><br />
Bagels are a morning ritual for some, but according to Villacorta,
unless you’re hitting the gym right after (and plan on staying until
lunch), you may want to rethink, even if you opt for whole wheat. “Depending on the size, I normally recommend a bagel to someone who
is going on a two- to three-hour run afterwards,” he says. The reason is
portion size. Many deli bagels can have 250-300 calories and more than
50g of carbs each.<br />
<br />
<b>3. Juice Drinks and Smoothies</b><br />
Smoothie and juice spots are everywhere, and they can seem like a
healthy drink to get on the go. But a 16oz fruit-heavy juice can have as
many as 75g of carbohydrates and 64g of sugar (ditto for smoothies). If
you can’t start the day without juice, stick to about 4oz, which has a
reasonable 15-20g of carbs.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Cheese Crackers</b><br />
If you’re going to indulge in a few processed carbs, don’t do it
here. While the carb count isn’t necessarily through the roof (about 18g
per serving), these orange snacks are particularly cringe inducing
because there is literally no other redeeming nutritional factor.
They’re full of chemicals, additives, and artificial colors, plus they
may also contain high-fructose corn syrup. And don’t be fooled by
organic versions. They may be filled with less artificial junk, but
processed flour and high-fat cheese can still be “organic.”<br />
<br />
<b>5. Baked Goods at Coffee Shops</b><br />
Muffins used to be a baseball-sized treat. Now they’re more like
softballs, with some containing nearly 64g of carbs and more than 30g of
sugar. If your morning muffin is made with processed flour, sugar, and
butter, it’s really no different than a slice of cake. Stick to a
two-ounce serving and choose whole grain ingredients—think bran, not
lemon poppy.<br />
<br />
<b>6. Yogurt with Fruit on the Bottom</b><br />
It’s the ultimate chick pre-workout/afternoon/late-night snack, and
yogurt on its own is a great choice. Problem is, that fruit is sugar
central. All yogurt contains lactose, which is a naturally occurring
carbohydrate; generally in a single serving it equals about 12-15g of
carbs, which is fine, but when you add the jammy fruit you can nearly
double that amount. You end up with nearly 30g of carbs, half of which
is the processed, quick-burning kind. Stick to the creamy (and
protein-packed) Greek variety and add some cut-up fresh fruit.<br />
<b><br />7. Movie Theater Popcorn</b><br />
It may seem obvious, given the size, but for many of us it’s a key
part of the movie-going experience, and besides, even if you order a bag
once a week, how bad can that be? According to Villacorta, very.
Popcorn is already about 1,200 calories, almost all from carbohydrates
(and a whopping 580mg of sodium) for a large-sized bag. That’s before
you add the butter. Don’t waste an entire day’s worth carbs and calories
while you mindlessly munch your way through <i>The Hunger Games</i>.<br />
<b><br />8. Yogurt-Covered Raisins</b><br />
Essentially candy for health-food nuts, and who eats just one—or
five? In fact, a scant ¼ cup contains 20g of carbs and 19g of sugar.
Skip the bulk candy aisle at your health food store and pick up a small
bar of dark chocolate instead. [Extracted from SHAPE.COM]</blockquote>
<br />
Guys. Those are literally ALL of my vices. Well, <i>were. ;)</i> I can't believe it... EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Even white bread! Ha. They're all terrible for you. Which I guess is obvious, but on my broke-girl's budget, those are almost all things that always end up in my cart when I'm just grabbing some easy-to-eat foods, without thinking about it. Jeeeez. <br />
<br />
I want to swear all of those things off forever, along with:<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/142/50/87645850_XS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/142/50/87645850_XS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">this is not food, ya'll...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<ul>
<li>Ramen Noodles</li>
<li>Fruit Juice (the creepy sugar kind that isn't even refrigerated. Yeesh)</li>
<li>Soda (unless it's natural cane sugar... I'll drink that as a splurge every twelve years. That stuff is TAAAASTY)</li>
<li>Really any sort of pasta that comes with a seasoning packet or foil bag of cheese... Last time I ate that, I was sick for two days. Okay, so maybe I'm becoming a total snob. Bite me, because I couldn't give less of a hoot. I've been overweight and unhealthy nearly my entire LIFE. So, I'm not apologizing for being snooty. *Okay, you can have your soapbox back, thanks.* </li>
</ul>
Really I just want to ensure I never, ever, ever, ever eat Ramen again. (Or peeps. Ha.) I just literally despise my soul when I consume those things.<br />
<br />
I would eagerly suggest that if you're reading this right now, you seriously consider hopping on the anti-sugar bandwagon with me. Don't worry, you don't have to cut it out completely... just try and consciously not eat it. Focus on fresh, naturally occurring sugars, and you'll already be so much better off. But if you DO decide to knock out sugar completely for a while, give me a call. We'll get together and share a bowl of raw greens and talk about how much they suck, but how happy we are that we're eating them (even if it's with plastic grins on our faces). I'm still waiting to LOVE the taste of raw veggies with nothing on them. <i>It will come, it will come, it will come.</i> I have to keep telling myself that, or I'll never get anywhere... hey, better to be honest with myself!<br />
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Peace be with you, brothas and sistas. :)adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-41496933805967674902012-04-09T11:09:00.004-04:002012-04-09T11:09:49.785-04:00Law of Attraction, Be with Me.So, Atkins. Yesterday went well. I was surprisingly full and satisfied all day, and going to bed knowing I didn't consume <i>any</i> sugar and no bread or starches whatsoever was a very happy feeling.<br />
<br />
Today I woke up and made eggs, and had a raw, naked "salad" of red leaf lettuce and two whole radishes. Which were really spicy... I struggled to eat them, and read an article about their health benefits as I munched on them to help me get over the weirdness of their flavor. Chris assures me that after a few weeks and you crack your sugar addiction, you'll crave veggies. I believe him, I've been there before with vegetarianism/veganism... I'm just anxious to <i>get there.</i><br />
<i><br />*The journey is the destination, the journey is the destination, the journey is the destination*<br /></i> Haha. <br />Oh, and I got lost exploring the Botanical Gardens yesterday. But it was a fun kind of lost, until I started getting hungry. But the hunger subsided when I breathed deeply and felt thankful for my life. College girl, all the freedoms in the world (literally), and pretty much everything I could want out of life.<br />
<br />One of my best friends called me yesterday, a girl who's known me since I was 12 and has loved me unconditionally for the past 8 and a half years. One thing she commented on when I responded to her "how are you?" with, "I am wonderful. Life is good," was how I'm always so positive.<br /><br />I kind of laughed in her face. I was happy to hear someone say that it was so apparent, but I told her this:<br /><br />"I have a lot going on in my life I could complain about. But when 800 of your facebook friends are college kids, predominantly middle- to upper-class, white kids with faith and 3.5 GPA's--who still complain about their first world problems, it kind of just makes me want to shut the hell up about my issues and try and be a positive voice in the midst of all that."<br /><br />Which I suppose could be taken as pretentious, presumptive, and arrogant. But I don't overly care how it comes across frankly, because I know that it is at least in some way, true. And I can only hope I can get as good about not over-sharing/whining to my close friends... because if you asked my best friend and my boyfriend if I'm as positive and optimistic about life in private, they'd both probably laugh heartily and then shake their heads with fear in their eyes. Yeah... I'm working on that.<br />
<br /> <br />
So here's to having a positive outlook on life. Stop doing like me and counting down til Summer, keeping track of the number of assignments and days of classes left, wishing away life. I want to live in the moment. I want to love my assignments. Law of attraction, be with me.<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-58759011875045247462012-04-08T18:01:00.002-04:002012-04-08T18:10:42.056-04:00Radishes are Surprisingly Delicious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today is Day 1 of Atkins.<br />
<br />
I know, ya'll are thinking:<br />
<ol>
<li>"I thought your last post said you were going vegan?" </li>
<li>"Uh, where's this coming from?"</li>
<li>"Why are you dieting? Why not just keep eating healthy?"</li>
<li>"Fad diets? Really Ellie? We thought you were so much more hipster than that... Way to go mainstream on us. We are so disappointed in you."*</li>
</ol>
Well here are my answers.<br />
<ol>
<li>While I really enjoyed being vegan last Summer, it was a huge challenge, and I really enjoyed how I felt eating so many veggies. However, I am not sure veganism* is the best tool for <i>weight loss</i>, and I'm feeling more apt to take it up when I'm working to <i>maintain</i> my weight in the future. That way I can explore cooking with vegan recipes without thinking about calorie counting obsessively, and all. And, it got really hard not eating meat when I was tired or cold. I want to focus on a lot of strength training right now, and I <i>need</i> excessive protein to do that.</li>
<li>I think most of you, if you've read any of my blog or know me personally, know that I never would have started a "diet" out of the blue. (I hate diets, right? "It's a <i>lifestyle change.</i>"*) So, yeah, this wasn't my idea. In fact, I was entirely unconvinced of this whole thing until one of my best friends, my boyfriend Chris, started doing Atkins last month and has since--in just 3 weeks--lost 19 pounds. Yeah dude. That's insaneeee. He looks great, but it's not even about that. He has started acting so differently since starting this diet that I was kinda pulled in. His whole demeanor has improved, and he swears that he feels, "cleaner, more alert, lighter." Yeah... I want that.</li>
<li>So why <i>Atkins</i>, though, is what you're asking. I mean, why not just eat healthy... what <i>is</i> Atkins, anyway? It's a complicated process to explain it all, but it is basically a low-carb diet, with a foundation based on a few key ideas:</li>
<ol>
<li>Eat tons of vegetables. Specifically leafy greens (and avoid starchy veggies).</li>
<li>Consume a bunch of protein (eat meat, freely).</li>
<li><u><b>NO</b></u> processed sugar (so, no bread. Yeah...). No sugar at all, actually. So, no fruit either.</li>
<li>Drink tons of water.</li>
<li>Work out, too, or it pretty much won't work. </li>
<li>(Oh, and I forgot to mention. There are multiple phases. These are the parameters for Phase 1. After 2-4 weeks, the restrictions will ease a little bit, and I can have stuff like fresh fruit and such.)</li>
</ol>
</ol>
So that's why Atkins. Because basically, yeah, it IS eating healthy mainly. I mean, at this point, I've lost a solid 30-35 pounds, and I really want to get off the next 35 pounds NOW! No more tiptoeing around. This is important to me. So I needed something strict and specific to latch onto that can pull me into a new level of effort and intensity.<br />
<br />
I feel it when I work out or eat well for a few days--my new level of health and fitness is only a small ounce of greater effort away from what I give now. No more start-and-stop running/working out. Doneso.<br />
<br />
Chris has been a huge support and inspiration, and I'm super stoked about getting into better fitness. It's awesome to have someone to share this with, too.<br />
<br />
I've been running and hiking and doing ab and arm workouts lately too. Going to push really hard to stay paced and consistent. Everyday it's a decision.<br />
<br />
Oh, and regarding that last concern I know you all were having about my going mainstream... don't worry, I'm reading a memoir called <i>Yoga Bitch </i>right now, and all of my groceries are from local farms, organic, and/or fair trade.*<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">*I have a lot of words to say about genuineness, hipsterism, and what it means to be pursuing fitness and wellness. I will be posting/ranting about that here soon. Don't you worry.</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Be well, everybody. Here's to 30 days until SUMMER. <3</span> </span>adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-89777533265231542962012-04-03T09:32:00.001-04:002012-04-03T09:33:19.384-04:00Hi.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm alive. No panicking. Broke, but alive. When I get more moneys, I'm going to start buying from <a href="http://athens.locallygrown.net/">http://athens.locallygrown.net/</a>. Check it out. Also, pondering going vegan.<br />
<br />
And I'm excited to start going to yoga at <a href="http://www.rubbersoulyoga.com/" target="_blank">this place</a>.<br />
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Enjoy exploring the links. Oh and, I did this on Saturday: <br />
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<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819666463658820819.post-52565382105356877282012-03-12T10:24:00.001-04:002012-03-12T10:24:14.225-04:00My Thriving Place.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmlIOzcegVaPzyyeTmduRf9J_pYroHFGvkmtmVMUqTgraXSsgq5yqNC35AQ4Ljfk3GH5OQQPplCjQrP5Vt01-8DHubX7O-YLOEB1h2V3uDqBZiO-sKuscsbZJyrIOQ6Z9bToVX0GfEAZS/s1600/031112193329.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnmlIOzcegVaPzyyeTmduRf9J_pYroHFGvkmtmVMUqTgraXSsgq5yqNC35AQ4Ljfk3GH5OQQPplCjQrP5Vt01-8DHubX7O-YLOEB1h2V3uDqBZiO-sKuscsbZJyrIOQ6Z9bToVX0GfEAZS/s640/031112193329.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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That is the stretch I wrote about in my last post, when I ran the 5k portion of the Tri, threw my arms out in a victory yell. There is something so glorious about that one stretch of path. I went running there yesterday, and that's where I got this cool shot of Lake Herrick below, too. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqLoKXrpEowM79echyphenhyphenVe-JqEWgCXah0_fZ88zMtKpCPgxkBwOp9HsqlZ0Q2xJvI3ZiwT0S2p4JlSSMph0fIioew7A6P1AYgeLRwj8QnRHBthiyyk-mzX8gAhHE8uBKWcndbjV3A3JjGuW/s1600/031112194250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkqLoKXrpEowM79echyphenhyphenVe-JqEWgCXah0_fZ88zMtKpCPgxkBwOp9HsqlZ0Q2xJvI3ZiwT0S2p4JlSSMph0fIioew7A6P1AYgeLRwj8QnRHBthiyyk-mzX8gAhHE8uBKWcndbjV3A3JjGuW/s320/031112194250.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">gotta love camera phone quality...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is my thriving place. I anticipate many future runs in this place. I've found myself really enjoying trail running, to the point where I feel bored and less inspired when my feet are pounding pavement. So interesting how the act of running can be so different via treadmill, track, road, and trail. So interesting. People who say they hate running really must give it a shot for a few months, testing all these various venues. Each is so different. Each has it's own benefits and drawbacks. I love it.<br /><br />In other news, I'm running two 5k's in the next few weeks. Pretty pumped about that. Also, the 4th of July <a href="http://www.peachtreeroadrace.org/" target="_blank">Peachtree Road Race</a> registration is next week... Really excited to see if I'll land a spot!<br />
<br />
Most excitingly, my friend Chris told me a few weeks ago about this thing called a "burpee." In case you don't know what that is, check it out:<br />
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These things will kick your BUTT. Well, he told me about this thing going around called the "100 Burpee Challenge," which basically entails such:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 1 = Do 1 burpee</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 2= Do 2 burpees</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 3 = Do 3 burpees</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 100 = Do 100 burpees</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
So, naturally, I challenged him to do it with me. Here's the real kicker--you forget a day, you gotta do them the next day WITH the ones for that day as well. So,<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
Day 7 = Do 7 burpees</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 8 = Forget to do 8 burpees</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Day 9 = Do 17 burpees</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Incentive not to forget, right? The good thing is, you don't have to do them all at once. So when we're up to 60 burpees a day, I can do three increments of 20, etc. But it'll be really cool when we're doing 35 burpees in a row and feeling strong. AH. I'm excited. It's also just fun to say burpee. Another bonus.<br /><br />So today is day 9. I forgot on day 3 and had to do 7 on day 4. Boo hoo. Other than that I'm on track. I'm thinking of challenging Chris to do the Day 100 with me, on camera, all at once. So maybe you'll be looking forward to that.<br /><br />Lastly--remember how I promised a before and "during" shot? Well. Okay. I gotta own up and do what I promised. I don't have the bod I'd hoped to be showing off, but I think it's time to make good on that promise. So... be on the lookout for that today or tomorrow. <br /><br />Happy Spring Break! :)</div>
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<br />adelina augusthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09670505094507343164noreply@blogger.com0