Next time... use superglue

Well my idea of keeping my fingers crossed in attempts to not getting sick was unsuccessful. Next time, I will have to superglue my fingers so they stay crossed... Wait, I have already done this once before! Ha, in first grade, two of the neighborhood kids and I were playing outside and we found a tube of something and the next thing I know, I am inside wearing mittens on a snow day because my fingers were super glued together! True story. Yes, I did get hit with whatever is going around and yes it took me down for the count. I ended up with a 102.8 temperature on Thursday evening and have battled a fever ever since. It amazes me how hard your body has to work to fight something off like this. I am exhausted and I have barely been able to do normal everyday activities let alone get a good workout in. I thought that hitting the gym for a good cardio session was a fabulous idea to "sweat it out". It worked, I had one down pour of a sweat going, but I think it had just kicked my fever into overdrive. Oops. But hey, its Monday (and Valentines Day at that) and I am pushing forward with my SuperWoman cape on. Tell all those who you love that you do in deed love them and enjoy today!

A pug with her SuperWoman Cape on!

xoxoxo,
J

Keeping my fingers crossed!

What an awful way to wake up... It was 2:30 am and I woke up coughing with a stuffy nose and an aching in my chest. I still had an hour to sleep so I dozed off before being rudely awakened by my alarm. Man do I hate that sound! Usually I am up and at em, buzzing around the house before getting my a.m. cardio in but today was NOT one of those days. It took me 5 times of hitting snooze and then proceeding to chuck the alarm across my room before peeling myself out of bed. I felt/feel like poo. I popped a couple Advil along with my pre-cardio vitamins and hit the elliptical. Now by no means was it the best workout BUT I did not talk myself out of it nor did I allow myself to snuggle in my bed and go back to sleep for an hour. I can not be sick. There is no if's, and's, or but's about it! End of story! Sooo packed some extra vitamin C and stopped off for cough drops and the day must go on.

I was trying to solve all the worlds problems the other day when I was running on the treadmill and this thought crossed my mind. Beyond the finish line there is always a new race, so never stop running. (Originally this is a quote I had heard but I applied it to this journey). I will make it to the stage in 7 weeks then again a couple weeks later but then what? What comes next? Do I stop training and dieting or do I switch gears to something else? For those of you who wonder what the answer is.... it is N-O. This is not an easy sport that I have committed too but I will tell you that I am addicted to the lifting, to the amazing self-discovery, to the mental toughness that I have developed, to the voice in my head whispering "just one more, one more minute, one more repetition, one more mile, one more percent...." For me, there is always going to be that 'One More' factor that will push me until my good is better and my better is best.

Almost 7 weeks out... Keep training :)

Ciao for now,  J

Jogging in Stilettos

And I survived... Back from Vegas and for the most part I am in one piece. I made it through security with my cooler, although the main security guy got a kick outta the fact that I also had a pair of heels in my cooler (not enough room in my suitcase) and made a few wise cracks that I had cold feet (even though it wasn't my bachelorette party and I was not the one getting married). The trip was a success and I followed my diet/exercise plan for the most part, getting up Saturday am with my sister and hitting the gym first thing for cardio then walking the Vegas strip about a million and a half times. No, its not the same as getting in some sprint work but walking (and at times running) in Stilettos is a killer calf workout so I am going to count it! I am not happy about how the diet went while away for the fact I missed a couple meals and I ended up getting sick from my cheat meal (total bummer)! The girls who I was with are such an amazing group of women and they had my back to say the least! Even when the group of creepy Australians tried to pet me, they were ready to throw some bows...

One of the conversations from the weekend that really hit home was with my sister. She told me that she was proud of me and what I was doing and also said that she can't believe the amount of self control I have. I have to admit, it does amaze me the lengths we will go to in order to achieve what we want. I don't see these little instances, or events in which I am dieting as a restriction to what I do. Sure the event might be a bit nicer if I could share in a drink, or even just a hamburger (without getting sick). I know that this whole process is worth the hard work and effort, and anyone who has been around me, and has shared a 'cheat' meal knows that I can chow down like the best of them.

In Vegas with my Sister

J