Hot, sweaty mess....

I'm talking about my post-workout self! (Get your head out of the gutter)....sheesh! ;)

Well, I'm here at the girl's house, just delivered my first batch of fries and completed Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred Level 2 for the first time. EVER. Holy cow! So.... I remember when I first started it (2 years ago... yea yea, I never got past level 1, ok... shut up)... ANYWAYS..... I remember the first time I started it and I was on level 1 and DYING....gasping for air, swearing I was on death's doorstep, praying to God that Jillian didn't kill me just then...... and I was so proud when I happened to whip it out the other day and I was like "oh man... piece of cake!" Now, it's a small step, but a step in the right direction and seeing I've definitely improved and that's a great feeling! I can't wait to look back on this blog and this day and thinking "Yea, level 2 was almost traumatic and now it's also a piece of cake!" Lord, please help me on level 3, but my goal is to definitely have level 3 be a piece of cake within the next 58 days! (seriously, where the *EFF* is time going?!)

So, forget the Atkins..... I'm still watching my carb intake, but just trying to eat healthier in general..... Though I'm currently obsessed with roast beef and cheddar cheese with green bell peppers..... amazing. My diet has consisted of a flax waffle, greek yogurt, bananas, apples, salads with chicken (not to be confused with chicken-salad), and vegetable lentil soup I made on Sunday with a couple of Atkins bars thrown in to satisfy my sweet tooth :) My lunches are probably my favorite.... Arugula with cherry tomatoes, lemon pepper chicken breast and Marzetti Veggie Lite Ranch dressing.... freakin out of this world!!!!! Anyone that knows me knows I love to eat LARGE portions...... I always have. Salad is a great way to eat a large portion and not feel guilty (especially since most of it is just arugula). I'm not going to lie, I've been on this "eating healthy" journey for a good 10 years... Yep... at the ripe ol' age of 12, I used to be able to eat an entire "sampler" from Denny's..... and at 6, I could eat an entire French Dip by myself (with 3 rounds of Au Jus because I would drink it. I loved it sooooo much)! OH, and hand me a Dr. Pepper or 5, and root beer.... At 13, I wanted sooo badly to be skinny like my stepsister... she could always wear the bikini and would complain about being 118lbs.... Psh... If I could go back, I'd slap her now ;) I've always been the "chunky monkey" of the fam.... and she never drank soda.. so at 13, I said "no more soda." 3 years later, I tried a Dr. Pepper and the carbonation just messed me up like nobody's business. So, that cut out soda for me! Next was cutting out the junk food... and to be honest.... It took a good couple weeks of eating better to realize I was feeling better...... You truly are what you eat. Now, when I want to eat 'crap' food, I think about it in terms of being hungover... I call it a food-hangover.... "is eating this crap worth feeling like sh*t tomorrow?" MOst of the time... it's not.

Don't get me wrong, it's a daily struggle and probably always will be..... but, for the next 58 days, 1 amazing cheat meal a week and that's all I'm allowing....... and working out hard core! The other night, I went for a 3 mile walk/run and man I can't wait to hit that pavement again! I'm constantly inspired by MamaLaughlin (www.mamalaughlin.com) who started running to lose weight and she makes it so real... she hated it at first but did it because she hated being fat more... and that's me. I now look at every opportunity I can to squeeze in a few moves here and there... like today before the girl got home, I ran up and down the stairs a few times.... when I blow dry my hair, I'll bust out some squats.... watching tv, I'll do some crunches, situps, or my personal favorite... picking up my dumbells and doing simple arm toning exercise..... let's face it... even a T-shirt can look sexy when you have toned arms. 58 days is coming fast!

Speaking of which.... So, I've yet to accomplish doing any sort of race that benefits any cause this year.... and yesterday I was asked to join team: For The Mama's And The Tata's and it's a 1k in Sacramento on May 11..... yes... 57 days from now (for you non-mathemeticians, that's 1 day before my 25th Birthday-which also happens to be Mother's Day this year)! What a better way to end my 24th year on this earth and start this "accomplishing the goals I've set out to do" mindset I'm adopting for my 25th year! I've also decided to dedicate the run to a woman I met briefly (she's a friend of a friend who I went to Tahoe with a few years back to watch their kids)... I just found out she has cervical cancer and only has a few months left to live... leaving her 13-year old daughter without a mommy (don't worry, she will be well taken care of by the mutual friend we went to Tahoe with). Now, the 1k is for Breast Cancer, but it's still a cancer cause, and it's my first run ever and I'd love nothing more than to be able to put forth my best in her honor. Kelli,  my first run is for YOU!

Prayers are much appreciated for Kelli and her daughter and family. I will be posting a link on my facebook page (coming soon!)  https://www.facebook.com/mollie.gustafson so feel free to give a shout out to Kelli and team: For The Mama's And The Tata's!

Well, I think this is it for today.... I'm off to make another batch of fries for the girl.... and get in a good workout as I have a few hours left here! Hope everyone's week is going great!!!!!!!