weekend
WW Weigh-In #20
15 days ago
Twenty weeks! This is the second longest time I’ve stayed with WW and there is no doubt it was a great decision to go back on January 1 and start 2013 off right. No. Doubt.
This week’s weigh-in….
Twenty weeks has brought me an average of a pound a week! Some weeks have been up, some have been down but it’s a pretty good pace to lose weight and keep it off. I ‘m not in this to lose it fast. I want to lose it slow so it doesn’t come back. That’s the plan – keep it off.
Things I did right this week are:
- Ran my butt off. I am in the midst of week 3 of the #mayruneveryday challenge and I’ve been doing 2 miles daily.
- Eat a healthy snack before and after a run. Bananas are my friend!
- Took my lunch 4 of 5 days as planned.
- Tracked everything, even the splurges last weekend. It’s important to track everything. Here’s a good one to remember…. Only track on the days you want to lose weight.
- I’ve been drinking Smart Water after my runs for the electrolytes.
What I will focus on this week:
- Running!
- Time to stock up on fruits and veggies again. This week, I’m going to freeze some grapes for a great post-run snack.
- I have a new chicken recipe to try thanks to our friend Ashley. It sounds amazing!
- Will finish typing up my recipes to share with all those who have asked about them. I’ve taken forever to do it (sorry!!!) and it will be a great reminder for myself.
I finally hit 50 activity points for the week…. 53 to be exact! Running every day has obviously played a big part in that.
I also received the report for the end of my first 12-week challenge. It’s mind boggling to think about how I’ve earned 396 activity points in those 12 weeks.
And because non-scale victories are just as important as what the scale says, I had a HUGE one yesterday. Since summer is here (groan), I had to buy a pair of running shorts that I could actually run in. The pair I have constantly ride up and it’s not comfortable. They’re good for just wearing, but not running in. I went to Sports Authority with a $7 rewards certificate and a 20% off coupon and decided to splurge on myself. Shorts were a priority but I also found a cute top. It was worth every penny… Never underestimate the power of nice running clothes that fit well. Thank you New Balance! I love my capris and I’m sure I will wear them again, but the shorts I bought are amazing. They didn’t ride up once during my run this morning and they are slimming. As for the top, it has a built-in sports bra which means I’m not constantly adjusting my tank top. It is so important to be comfortable while running. There’s even a little zipper pocket on the shirt for my key. Love! And most exciting of all, I feel amazing wearing it.
I’ve already done my morning run and had my coffee and a yummy egg and salsa breakfast. Next up is an afternoon with my fabulous sister-in-law Jenna, for lunch and a book event at Inkwood Books in Tampa. It’s always fun to spend time together!
Have a great weekend!
80′s Night at the Rays game!
51 week ago
by Nanci
in 80's girl, 80's music, baseball, friends, fun, Kenny Loggins, meet and greet, music, Rays, Tropicana Field, weekend
Last night, we went to the Rays game at Tropicana Field for 80’s night. They came up with a brilliant idea several years ago to do a Summer Concert Series after the games. We were lucky enough to see Daughtry the first year they had it and it was great. Last night, the series started with Kenny Loggins. 80’s girls that I am, when hubby got us tickets, I was excited to go. And even though I’m not really a baseball fan (sorry!), it is fun to go. Keep up that Summer Concert Series, Rays!
Our friends Josh and Tracy joined us and we had a great time. We even got to meet Kenny Loggins before the concert. And after the game was over, we went down on the field and listened to songs like This Is It, I’m Alright, Celebrate You Home, Danger Zone, and of course Footloose.
So glad we all got to hang out and have a great night, full of laughter and fun times!
Local friends, have you been to the Summer Concert Series? Do you love the 80’s as much as I do?
WW Weigh-In #19
51 week ago
Good morning! It has already been a productive morning for me…. After my WW meeting, hubby and I went for a 2 mile run, completing day 11 of the #mayruneveryday challenge we are participating in. Holy humidity! And then we went to Starbucks with a very excited Blue and Ozzie. They got their treats and I got my coffee. It’s a good day already!
I had a small loss this week, 0.2 lbs., which is always to be expected after a big week like I had last week. I’ll take it. With all the running I’m doing, I’m drinking more water and eating more. However, I am noticing things like my running capris being loose and I’m feeling tall and strong!
Things I did right this week are:
- I ran every day and on my best day, I ran a 9:48 mile. What a confidence booster that was! It’s always a great feeling when hard work pays off and improvements are made.
- Changed it up a little for dinner twice this week. One night I had a pork chop, sliced, over broccoli slaw. It was very light and delicious. Another night I browned some lean ground beef in olive oil with squash. I have not been eating a lot of red meat so this was a yummy change!
- Tracked everything I ate this week.
- Water, dear water. It’s a good thing I love water.
What I will focus on this week:
- Keep up with the running challenge, almost halfway through the month!
- Take my lunch 4 of 5 days this week. This is probably one of the best things I do to help keep on track and I can enjoy a “bigger” meal for dinner which is the meal I enjoy most.
- Stock up on fruits… I enjoyed pineapple last week, which I had not had in awhile. I’ve also been eyeing the fresh raspberries at the store.
- Try one new recipe this week. It’s important to change it up.
Another stellar week on my ActiveLink… I didn’t make it to my goal of 50 for the week, but 44 is nothing to sneeze at!
Our excitement for the weekend includes the Rays game tonight and Kenny Loggins post-game concert (and meet and greet!). Yes, I am such an 80’s girl. Grocery shopping, cleaning (if I have to), reading, another run tomorrow morning, and then Mother’s Day lunch. I hope the weekend doesn’t pass too quickly…
Have a fabulous weekend!
What is your favorite go-to meal during the week? How often do you take your lunch?
Catching up on the weekend…
12 weeks ago
One day, I would love to have longer weekends. A 5-day weekend and 2-day work week would be fabulous. <sigh> A girl can dream, right? I guess the second best thing is to have a great weekend and enjoy every minute. This past was weekend was just that…
After a mile run Saturday morning, hubby and I went to Fit2Run so he could have a gait analysis done for new running shoes. He is now the proud owner of a pair of Asics Gel Nimbus. I love that he wants to run with me, it’s another way we can spend quality time together. After shoe shopping, we headed to Hooters for lunch with our friend Ashley. It was such a nice day, we sat outside. What is it about a good meal, ice cold beer, and nice weather that makes the perfect lunch?
We also ran into this adorable face at lunch… My most adorable niece! Her mom and dad apparently had the same idea for lunch after purchasing tickets for Autumns upcoming dance recital.
After lunch, we went into Wal-Mart as quick as possible, and then headed home for a a couple of lazy hours. Later, hubby went to a graduation party and I met my mom at Ozona Pig for dinner. Seriously, my favorite pulled pork ever. And deviled eggs. And green beans. Yea, it’s THAT good….
After BBQ heaven, we headed up to Crystal Beach for sunset, it was the 4th after all. We love to get up there about an hour before sunset and enjoy the breeze and the view. There are always dogs up there, since it’s right in the midst of a small community. We see many of the same people up there every month. It never gets old. This particular evening, the sky was a gorgeous blue when we arrived and then as the sun set, the clouds rolled in. Every sunset is always unique.
On Sunday morning, hubby and I headed to Memorial Causeway for an early run. There is something so calming about a run as the sun is rising. It’s not something I can do during the week, so it’s a treat to do on Sunday. I ran a a full 3.20 miles without music.
A late breakfast at home, some blogging, reading, and a nice nap, and then it was time to head out to family dinner to celebrate my mom’s birthday was which Friday. She wanted to go to Longhorn Steakhouse which made everyone happy. Another food my family loves is steak! I also tried the Skinny Blackberry Sangria which was VERY good. I would definitely have it again.
And how do you follow up a nice birthday dinner? A trip to Cold Stone of course! Conveniently, there is one right behind Longhorn so we walked. I had Chocolate Fudge Brownie Frozen Yogurt…. Oh yummy chocolate gooey Oreo goodness in a cup. I should have taken a picture of it. But, I did take a picture of cutie-pie Autumn with her cotton candy ice cream and being silly with her Uncle Mike. Fun times!
Hubby and I ended the evening at home and watched The Blind Side. Obviously we are way behind on seeing it since it came out in 2009, but it was such a good movie! Perfect end to a great weekend.
What is your favorite way to spend a weekend?
The best run ever…
63 weeks ago
It’s become a nice tradition for hubby and I to get up Sunday morning and head to Memorial Causeway to run over the bridge. Last week, we changed it up and went over the whole causeway to the beach and then turn around and head back. We ran a good bit of it with walk breaks. This morning hubby had the brilliant idea that when we got over to the beach, we would take our shoes off and walk the beach for a bit before we head back over. I used to be such a beach girl so I was all over this and loved him for thinking of it.
I took this amazing shot of the Clearwater from the walkway leading up to the bridge…. I am currently obsessed with the panoramic feature on my iPhone.
Our run started at the beginning of the Memorial Bridge and it was my goal to run the first mile before I took a walk break. Hubby runs ahead of me (darn my short legs!) but I knew I would catch up to him at some point if he took a walk break. Up and over the bridge was great and the first mile was done. I didn’t want to stop, I didn’t need to stop. I kept running. And I ran over the the entire causeway all the way to the beach. My Garmin said 2.15 so I ran a full 2 miles without stopping. I can’t believe it did it and it felt so amazing.
The beach was not busy yet… We took our shoes off and walked on the soft cool sand for a mile. We have the best sand here in Clearwater Beach. The beach is so pretty here and I once again asked hubby why don’t we ever go?!?! We need to! Look at this view….
They have the sugar sand festival going on still and we saw some of the sculptures on our walk back towards the pier. Amazing! And of course I had to have my picture taken with the dolphin, everyone knows how much I love dolphins.
And then we were back to the round-about and it was time to head back over the causeway. I told hubby I was going to see if I could run back over the entire distance again. And I did it. Today was one of those days where everything clicked and felt right and I ran my heart out, without stopping. I felt great the entire time, even running back up the bridge. Hubby snapped a picture of me while I was running…. I think he might be just a little proud of me, one of my biggest supporters.
I ran the exact same distance headed back over, 2.15 and did it faster than the first time over. I was well within my half marathon pace the entire time, even a little faster at some points.
Another thing that made this run nice… I didn’t have any music. I have always had music when I run, except when hubby and I go out because we can chit chat along the way if we’re keeping the same pace. We weren’t together for much of my run and it was just me and my breath. I think it made a big difference.
Best run ever… It’s the kind of run that makes me really look forward to the next, the kind that reminds me why I love it so much. Running is my way of getting out of my own head and all the worries and stressors that I have for that small bit of time. And it reminds me that anything is possible with hard work and dedication. Anything.
Do you run with music or without? What makes for a great run for you?
