A Little Experiment

I was super stoked a few weeks ago when we got back from California to see that, despite eating out constantly (and fairly large meals) I was down 3 pounds.  That elation was short-lived as I got back into my regular routine at home and started seeing the scale creep back up.  This was beyond frustrating as I was working out/running regularly and I was back to tracking everything I ate!

So…I decided to try a little experiment.  When I was in California I wasn’t tracking or worrying about what I was eating very much.  I ate when I was hungry, when we went out and then went on with whatever activity we were planning next.  My average steps were higher than when I’m at home but not by a whole lot.  I started wondering if I was putting too much into the numbers I was tracking, seeing how many calories I was supposedly burning with activity and therefore, overeating.

So, this week I decided not to track.  I didn’t open my Lose It app once.  I still planned and prepared our meals, took healthy snacks to work, the usual.  I saw a little progress.  The scale was heading back in the right direction.

I only forgot one little thing…Halloween!  I should have taken this little sugar-filled holiday into account before starting my experiment.  I did indulge a bit more than usual on some candy corn and while I’m trying to ration out the candy our non-existent trick-or-treaters didn’t eat, it’s in the house.

Welp…the candy is being removed from the house this week and I’m making a few modifications to my experiment.

*I’m only going to weigh myself one time/week (weighing every day is just stressful)

*I’m changing up my workouts this week.  Any day I’m not running I’m getting back together with my girl Jillian Michaels and her 30 Day Shred.  I should be able to do 2-3 workouts per week along with at least 3 days of running.  Hopefully more strength training will help with my running…and keeping the scale going in the right direction.

I’ll keep y’all updated on what happens over the next week.  I’m working hard to find a balance between tracking everything and throwing caution to the wind.  It’s a learning process but I feel like I’m on the right track.

3 Weeks Away…Can I Do It??

After a pretty disastrous run on Sunday morning I had a bit of breakdown.  I cried…while running.  Which I’ve maybe only ever done once or twice before.  I just started really doubting whether or not I could complete a 10K at my current fitness level and pace I wanted to maintain.

It was disheartening.  However, I did manage to smile for my obligatory run selfie!

This run was very much reminiscent of my attempt at the Beat The Blerch virtual 10K with what was going through my mind.  Check out my rambling recap on that incident here.

My biggest anxieties boil down to the following:

*I don’t think I’ll be able to maintain the pace I want for the entire distance.  I’m afraid I’ll hit the halfway mark and have nothing left and have to walk the rest of the way just to finish.  I’ve been working on maintaining a pace between 11:00 and 11:45ish and I just know it will be a struggle to keep that pace going for 6.2 miles

*My training runs haven’t gotten much longer.  I’ve run one 4+ mile run in the last 3 months.  My 3 mile runs are going great but I have to double that in 3 weeks!!

*I’m still playing the comparison game.  I keep seeing friends (online and IRL) posting longer runs, faster runs, better runs (in my mind) and I beat myself up about it.  Thinking to myself, “Why can’t I run at that pace if so-in-so can?!”

My mental running game sucks big time right now.

I hadn’t registered for this race yet because I was entertaining these thoughts and I figured, “Why spend the money on a race I may not even start, let alone finish?”  Also, the price wasn’t going to go up until November 1st.

Whelp, I decided to bite the bullet and register for the race, run it to the best of my ability, pace be damned.  Those are easy words to type right now and I know I’ll be dealing with this mental anguish probably right up until race day.  But, in the mean time I’m going to keep running.  I’m going to try and get creative with my training routes becuase I always seem to run further and faster when I’m running in a new area.

Oh, and I have to give a major shout out to my fellow “Pathetic Runner” at the “Pathetic Running Group” on Facebook.  They helped talk me down after my Sunday run.  What a positive and supportive group of strangers!!

I have the Run, Walk & Roll with Veterans 5K this coming weekend.  I’m hoping it will do me some good to be on an actual race course with spectators and other runners cheering each other on.  Those virtual races can be brutal on your mental running game.  It’ll be nice to have some encouragement.  I’m sure that will help during the 10K too.  I’ll keep y’all posted on how my training runs go this week and any more amazing advices I get from my online running buddies.

It’s TIME to…PUMP…ME UP!

Today has been a day…

I was so excited to run after work today (even if it was on the treadmill) but unforseen circumstances prompted me leaving work late and having to do a home circuit in the living room instead!

Oh well…such is life…

The Blerch was judging me! I had to work out somehow!

Since tomorrow’s my day off I’m getting a decent run in first thing…before anything else in my day gets in the way!

Speaking of running…I was commenting on a friend’s run and how awesome her pace was when she dropped this little bit of knowledge on me.  She’s been strength training and weight lifting pretty regularly and she attributes her quickness to this.

It got me thinking…I definitely don’t do enough strenghth exercises.  And I need to!  Check out all the reasons women should strength train!  30 Reasons Women Should Strength Train

And while I still haven’t attended Body Pump at my gym, I need to find other ways to get my lift on.  I’m a huge fan of body weight exercises.  I’m also a huge fan of Pinterest.  So here are my new strength training exercises.

(I’m a big nerd and actually print these things out and tape them to my living room walls)

Passion Life Love Health

Running Canadian Girl

Where did the last week go? California Eats & Euro Auto Fest

Yeah…so, I definitely was planning on engaging you with my amazing adventures in California this past week and then I got back into work, got back into my running, and before I knew it…it was Friday and the Hubs and I were heading to South Carolina for the Euro Auto Fest.  Hubby was featuring his Saab (I lovingly call him a Saab Snob)

I figure you all didn’t want to hear all the mundane details of my vacation and, besides, the pictures speak for themselves.  Central California was beautiful.  The weather was kinda weird.  I wasn’t ready for 20 degree differences driving back and forth over the hills.  I didn’t remember the Pacific Ocean being THAT cold!

Anyway, I did want to share with y’all some of the amazing eats I had in California.  It was awesome!  We did end up eating out almost EVERY meal.   At amazing places, too.  Check it out:

We ate sooooo many strawberries.  The best kind of strawberries too…purchased from roadside fruit stands!  I loved it!

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A #yummy breakfast with leftover #strawberries before today's adventure!! #vacation

A post shared by Anna Evans (@runningshutterbug) on Oct 9, 2014 at 8:48am PDT

My first crepe…the strawberry, banana, nutella version complete with ice cream on the side!

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Ice cream for breakfast? Don't mind if I do! #dontjudgeme #imonvacation

A post shared by Anna Evans (@runningshutterbug) on Oct 10, 2014 at 10:40am PDT

One of the many drinks we had fire side.  Fire pits everywhere!

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Lunching in paradise #halfmoonbay #vacation

A post shared by Anna Evans (@runningshutterbug) on Oct 6, 2014 at 1:49pm PDT

Anyway, after we got back I was thrown head first into work.  I work for a very small company and I’m the only admin person.  Needless to say, lots of emails and call backs to be made.

I survived the week.  Before I knew it it was Friday.  Time to hit the road again.  The Hubs is part of a local Saab Club and they get together regularly to show off their cars, and talk about their cars, and buy stuff for their cars, etc.  It’s kind of cute 😛

This weekend was the annual Euro Auto Fest in Greer, SC.  We drove down Friday night, stayed in a pretty craptastic hotel (which I won’t go into…I’m trying to forget!) and headed to the BMW plant to get our spot.  We spent the day walking around the lawn checking out 400+ European cars.

Of course I took my camera.  Here are a couple of my favorites from the day.

*Disclaimer-I don’t know ANYthing about these cars.  I just think they’re cool (and pretty!)

Elf Limo?  That Land Rover is ready for safari!  And how about that VW bus camper?  I would totally drive that and camp out in Yosemite.  The Rolls Royce is so beautiful too.

It was a super fun day.  The sun was shining, the weather was great.  It was fun hanging out with my hubby all day and sharing his hobby.  I may not know much about cars but I’m learning.

Hope you all had a great weekend!  Here’s to another busy week.  Next weekend I am planning on staying home and relaxing!  No plans for me.  I can’t wait!  Later, Peeps!

California-Quick Recap

I’m planning on writing a much more detailed blog recapping the amazing week the Hubs and I spent in California.

For now, here are some highlights (complete with photos, of course!)

Places we went:

Big Sur State Park

McWay Falls-in Big Sur

Bixby Bridge

1Infinite Loop-Apple Headquarters

Japanese Friendship Gardens

Moss Beach

Half Moon Bay

Big Basin State Park

The Stanford Dish

Golden Gate Bridge

So many restaurants…

Things we saw:

Fruit trees everywhere!

Sea Lions

Waterfalls

Tidepools

GIANT Redwoods

Yarn bombing!

So many pumpkin patches

Biggest Monopoly board ever

Crazy clouds/Fog

The Blue Angels

Alzatraz

Gone Girl

Things I loved:

Patio dining

Fire pits

Daily road trip adventures

Afternoon naps

Plenty of photo ops

Crepes and ice cream for breakfast

Fresh strawberries

Honey straws

Evening walks (with the kitties!)

Did I mention the photo ops??

Want more photos?  Check out Running Shutterbug on Instagram-http://instagram.com/runningshutterbug

California definitely treated me well.  Already contemplating a trip back!

*All photographs were taken by Anna Evans. Use without permission prohibited

Packing and Tracking

Here I am…when I post this I will be less than 24 hours away from jetting across the county to southern California!  I’m busy packing and planning and figuring out what I absolutely do and don’t have to have with me.  I’m taking every piece of camera equipment I own.  I’m wondering how practical that is but I’d rather bring all of it and not use it then not bring something (like my flash diffuser or monopod) and miss a great photo op because I don’t have the right stuff!

Oh, I almost forgot to tell y’all that my wonderful husband bought me the Eye-fi memory card.  I can now upload pictures directly from my DSLR to social media!  No more waiting until I get home to upload everything into Lightroom and then post it on Facebook.  Yay!  Be excited for me!!

One thing I’ve been trying to reconcile lately in anticipation of this trip is how to try and eat healthy when I’m going to be in a new place, with many food temptations.  I won’t have my normal schedule to keep me in balance.  I’ve been really good lately thanks to the ‘Lose It’ app.  If anyone hasn’t checked this app out yet I love it!  It’s very similar to My Fitness Pal but for me it’s much more user friendly.  It’s so easy to pick the correct portion sizes.  It also gives me the flexibility to enjoy treats every now and then.  Check out this amazing combo….only 250 calories…and sooooo worth it!

I also use the Plant Nanny app to keep track of my hydration.  Even though the hubs laughs at this app and it’s silly sounds and funny looking plants, I love it.  I’ve never been more on top of my water intake!  It helps that I use this amazing water bottle with the ability to track the number of bottles I drink right on the cap.

 

I’ve already made the decision to not worry about tracking while on vacation.  That said, it does not give me the right to eat whatever I want.  Free for all with the bar nuts!  But I’m not going to be so anal on tracking every morsel that goes into my mouth.

*I’m taking my bottle with me on the trip (empty through security, of course!)  I’ll still be doing my best to stay as hydrated as possible.

Am I worried about ballooning up on my trip?  Maybe a little…but not really.  My weight has been annoyingly stable lately, every now and then it drops a pound only to return the next day or so.  I’m cool with it though cuz I’m definitely noticing some extra room in my clothes! Scale be damned!!

The activities we have planned include a lot, A LOT of walking and moving.  While I probably won’t get a single run in while we’re gone, I have a feeling that my Fitbit will be hitting 10K steps each day!

I have more laundry to do, more lists to check off.  So, this is where I leave you!  If you want to keep track of my adventures in California you best follow me on Instagram-runningshutterbug!  I’m sure I will be posting daily!  This may be the last y’all hear from me on here until I get back.  I’m not very good and posting on the blog on the go!

Whelp, California, here I come!  Stay cool, Peeps!!  See you on the flip side!

Why August is the Most Awesome of Months

*First and foremost…I was born.  Gotta get that out there.  I celebrate my birthday with some pretty cool people too…like Madonna!!  Winning!  And my friend Chris from high school 🙂

*A TON of other amazingly cool people were born.  Seriously…there are so many birthdays this month of close friends, school friends, work friends, random friends, etc. I can barely keep up!  Thank goodness for Facebook birthday notifications because long gone are the days when I actually kept track of birthday’s on a paper calendar and I would hate to miss wishing someone a wonderful day!

*BACK TO SCHOOL!  Now, you’re probably thinking that is not something awesome but I’m about to confess my soul here.  I love Back to School!!  Major Nerd Alert on this one…my favorite time of year was getting all my new school supplies.  Now, I just view back to school as the best time to stock up on my own personal office supplies.  Why yes, I need those many types of post it notes.  A multi-color, multi-functional letter sorter?  I’m in!

I want ALL the things!

*Along with Back to School, August was usually RA (Resident Advisor) training and college move-in.  I’ve spent MANY years of my life participating in silly welcome skits, coming up with the perfect get up for any particular theme, and staying up way to late crafting the most beautiful bulletin boards known to man.  But, I loved every moment of it.  College move in and all my old Housing and Res Life cronies will always hold a special place in my heart…especially each August!

One of my 1st door decorations (I may have them all in a scrapbook…don’t judge)

*The best beach days are in August.  I discovered this little nugget years ago on or around my birthday.  Everyone gets so excited in May when school lets out and the temps are on the rise.  One problem…the ocean is a little lazy to warm up.  Someone once told me that the ocean temp is about 2 months behind the air temp.  That means, in August, the water is just fine for lazy days of floating.  

*August is the month to celebrate all the quirky fun holidays.  Here are a few examples:                  –Happiness Happens Month (Just go be Happy! Because August is the most awesome!) 

–World Mutt-i-grees Month (Encouraging everyone to go out and rescue a furry friend!)

Take a look at mine! 

Jackson’s surprised face 😛

–International Geocaching Day (3rd Saturday) which means it falls on my birthday this year!  If you have no idea what geocaching is check it out ASAP! 

-Celebrate Elvis Week the 11th through the 17th (The King passed on my birthday…probably explains why I have an affinity for Elvis!)

So…as you can see, August is pretty much the coolest…hands down!  I hope you take the time to celebrate with me this month!  Woot woot!!