No lunch means craaaaazy posts

This recipe for Chicken Piccata sounds reaaalllly good.

I might have to make it happen.

In other news, I may end up making something with either Angel Hair or rice noodles tonight. Or I may end up just eating Ramen. Time will tell.

I think I'm going to do some cookbook scouting this weekend, so I may have a new healthy recipe to attempt and share come next week. I'll let you know.

Meanwhile, can someone get me a personal trainer? Maybe if I'm paying for fitness, that will motivate me to get up off my butt and do my morning runs -- or my evening yoga for that matter. Good thing is that in about two weeks, Veronica and I will be doing Zumba!

That'll be fun. I need a vacation.

It's July -- Time to Take Stock

The year is half gone so I figured now is a good time to check in on how I'm doing with my goals I set for myself at the beginning of the new year.

1. Forgive my father and deal with the issues I've developed with relationships in general because of my relationship with him so that I can stop hurting. . Seriously, I haven't thought about this much. I'm kinda starting to think that while I'm sure the relationship affected me, that he doesn't really have anything to do with how I act in relationships now. Those actions are things that I control. I may revisit this later, but right now, I'm not compelled to.
   
2. Begin yoga/Pilates/stretching 2-3 times a week to alleviate back pain and increase flexibility, strength. Man. I don't know why I stopped this. When I was doing this (during my training for the 5K) I had less back pain and my posture was on point. My back hurts as I type this. I need to get back on this.
   
3. Do 15 -30 minutes of cardio at least once a week; work up to two (or three) times a week by July. So, about that. As you know, I ran a 5K in May, so I did cardio regularly -- about 2-3 times a week. I'm also running another race on July 19, which I've been running about 2 times a week for on good weeks. I'm not up to my goal yet, but that's something to strive for.
   
4. Sit up straight. Doing better. I was doing great with it when I was regularly doing yoga, starting to slack more now. I need to get back on it.
   
5. Set up a monthly budget cutting out unnecessary expenses and stick to it. Eh. Not a strict budget, although I have been putting more money into my savings account and striving to pack my lunch, vs. buying it daily.
   
6. Set up and begin a payment plan to pay off all credit cards and other debt by July 2010. Done. I'll be (credit card) debt free by Spring 2010
   
7. Set up another savings account so that I can have three: emergency (3-6 months salary); a life happens fund (for unexpected expenses) and a vacation fund. Done. I opened an E-Trade account a few months ago to get better returns
   
8. Increase savings contributions to E-trade to finance trip to Spain in fall. Devote tax returns to building up savings reserves and contributing to vacation fund. I did increase my contributions to the E-trade account, but it won't be to finance my Spain trip. Instead, that's the account I'll be using to save up money for grad school in 2010 -- I told ya'll I got in, right?
   
9. Do something every month to pamper myself. Get a mani/pedi. Get my hair done. Get a massage. Take a long bath. Buy myself something nice. I'm slacking on this, but I have started making regular appointments with a hair dresser and got a mani/pedi a few weeks ago that was fantastic.
   
10. Try out a new healthy recipe at least once a month. Build up my repetoire to include more than fried foods and fatty sauces. I'm a little behind, but I've got 5 Healthy Recipes up so far. So I'm two behind. I'll make it up though!
    
11. Eat out at a new restaurant at least once a month. Use this time to try different cuisines and experiment. Not doing so great at this. I need to look around and find some places I want to go.
    
12. Read. Whatever I want. Magazines. Books. Whatever. Just read. Yes! I just finished the Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and I just ordered subscriptions to Women's Health and InStyle Magazine. I'm excited!
    
13. Go see "Raisin in the Sun" at Trinity Jan. 30 - March 30. Go see a show on Broadway with Setta B. I did go see Raisin in the Sun! It was pretty good. I'd never seen it before, so I was pleasantly surprised. I still need to find a show to go see with Setta on Broadway. Sis, if you're reading, let me know if you hear of a good show!
    
14. Keep clips up and network; send update mailings to potential employees two times a year (March and September, maybe?) I'll have to put some clips together for the NABJ convention in August. That will likely count as my mailing for the fall. I'll do another in the Spring, before I go to grad school.
    
15. Write something that makes me proud, whether it wins any award or not. I've been pretty proud of some of the trial coverage I've done so far, but I'd like to do a big project or something intensive that I'm also proud of as well.
    
16. Find an organization to volunteer with and do so, regularly. Can either be one organization with a long term commitment, or various organizations with one time commitments Still haven't found anything, but honestly, haven't looked very hard after getting discouraged earlier this year.
    
17. Go on dates with the BF that (sometimes) require more than just driving to Boston and cooking food. We've done movies, bowling, amusement parks, small gatherings and even an art show or two. Not a complete success because I could be doing more, but it's a start.
    
18. Take pictures to document life and stretch my creative muscles. Epic fail. I've been forgetting to document big things - like events -- in my life, let alone just the regular mundane things. I'll strive to do better with this.
    
19. Start doing crosswords to exercise my mind. Sporadically.
20. Be present at all times. Start each day as if it were on purpose, not an accident. Getting better at it, day by day.

48.40*

I did it!This weekend, I ran my first 5k! The title right there is my time -- I'll explain the asterisk later.

The race was fantastic. That picture is what I looked like immediately after the race. Well, actually, I threw my head back in exhaustion then smiled for the camera, but you get the idea. We had beautiful weather and my team won the race. Like, literally, one of our members was the first woman to cross the finish line. I think she did it in 22 minutes. Yeah, before the race, we asked how fast she runs. She said sometimes 6 minute miles, but she wouldn't be running that fast today. We found her afterwards, she was interviewed by a paper in Michigan and everything. She was like a little roadrunner.

It was a long weekend. I had a seminar I went to all day in Boston, then I rode down to NYC with Marcus, who was in town for a PawSox game. I didn't get to my sister's house until about 2 a.m. We got up at like, 6 a.m. to get dressed and meet the rest of the team for the 9 a.m. race. There were SOOO many people in Times Square when we arrived for the race. We picked up our swag and got our team sign and set about taking pictures to document the event. Well, I set about taking pictures to document the event. I even had a fanny pack to carry my camera! Yeah, I'm a dork. I wrote out dedication sign for my mom (a breast cancer survivor) and we set about kicking cancer's butt.

So the race was actually not as bad as I thought it would be. Anyone who knows me knows that I don't really like exercise. Not a particular fan of sweating and being uncomfortable. So this was big for me. I got almost through mile two without stopping. Then I stopped maybe midway into mile three and ran the rest of the way at a slow jog. I was running with Amazon Girl who is frigging awesome, and she was encouraging me to keep going. Then, when I did stop, she told me that I was doing really well considering we were ducking and weaving between walkers and running up more hills than should be allowable by law. She's great. Shout out to Amazon Girl.

After the race, they had a little fair, so we went around and picked up all of the swag we could. I got a sewing kit, some Arizona flavor packets for water bottles, tons of coupons, some reusable shopping bags (though my ones from Walgreens broke!), and bunch of other stuff I didn't need. We saw Jessica Alba and ate Cosi sandwiches. Yum. To the sandwiches. Though I'm sure the guys will say yum about Jessica. Oh! And we took group pictures. All of our team didn't show up for the race (some were sleepyheads) but here's a pic of all of our group. Including my coworker Lynn (fourth from the right) who traveled all the way from RI to run with me. We were running together, but she's in better shape than me. I think she finished the race in 33 minutes. Go speedracer.

So about that asterisk.

We were so excited, snapping photos and looking at the confetti, we didn't realize that the confetti meant the race had started. Literally, we were just sauntering about with the sign taking pics. Then we realized we should run. So, when we made it to mile 1 at like 18 minutes, we all scoffed. We knew it hadn't taken 18 minutes, and that the rest of our time would be skewed.

So, officially, I ran the race in 48. 40 minutes. I'm going to say I ran it in 42 minutes. Not a big difference, and really, it's not that important because I'm just amped I finished! Also, our team raised more than $1,500 to go toward cancer research.

Take that cancer!

Baby steps

I did my first run outside. On concrete. In a neighborhood.

Real life is no joke.

I've been running on a treadmill and I kept hearing people say that treadmill miles don't translate into real world mileage. I figured I'd lose a little bit, but man, as I jumped over uneven sidewalks and dodged unruly trees, I felt as though I was almost back at square 1.

Almost.

With that being said, I'll say this: I'm a punk. When I started to get uncomfortable, I'd ask the BF to stop (he offered to run with me, even though he only had his Vans -- how nice is that?). He'd oblige. He did make me run the last few blocks back to my house nonstop though. Kept saying, 'come on, just a little further' when I started to slow down. I wanted to tell him I wasn't going to stop, but the quick pace we'd been keeping needed to come down a notch if I wasn't going to collapse on my doorstep. Then he raced me to my front door. I lost.

So yeah, I think I've decided that if I have the chance to run outside versus doing a few hours in the gym, I'm going to choose to run outside. I didn't hurt as much, and I'm not going to be pumping weights come May 2. I'm going to be running in Central Park/Times Square. Oh goodness. What did I sign up for?

Racing for a Cure

You guys are fantastic.

I put out this plea last week -- along with some e-mail solicitations and notices in my work newsletter.

Thanks you to (and some people who probably don't read this blog) we've already raised $270 toward breast cancer research.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

If you haven't donated (or already have and want a repeat of that happy feeling), and would like to, click here.

I'm working out tonight to get ready for this run. What's been great is the amount of support I've gotten from everyone. From running and training tips, to people donating or stopping by my desk to tell me stories of the survivors in their lives. It's been great so far -- and I've only just begun!

The race is May 2 -- so keep the love coming!

I'm Running for Cancer!

Well, for a cure for cancer!

I'm running in the Revlon Run/Walk for Women -- a 5K race to fund cancer research this May in NYC. raiser My sister formed the team I'm running with -- The Conquerors -- as in : No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

I've always supported cancer awareness initiatives, from buying the breast cancer stamps to donating to other people involved in cancer awareness things.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2000. It was my senior year and I remember watching as she went through a mastectomy and then chemotherapy. She was one of every seven women you meet that will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. More than 182,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 21,000 with ovarian cancer this year alone. Finding a cure for cancer in all it's forms is so important and events like the Revlon Run/Walk for Women is helping bring the world one step closer by helping fund important research.

But none of that research happens without you.

Whatever you're willing to give - a quarter, $5, $25 or more - will go toward financing research, education and prevention programs. Please consider supporting my team of the Revlon Run/Walk for Women by visiting this site and making a donation.

However big or however small, know that your donation will make a difference.

Just a status update:

I'm not doing great on the breakfast thing -- despite the entire cooked package of bacon in my fridge! The other day, I did eat some waffles and juice, though. So that was a success. But then I waited too long to eat again and just ended up eating after I got off from work. Success reneged.

I did, however, manage to work out Saturday and Monday, so I'm off to a good start on the whole "cardio once a week" thing. So I'm proud of that. I'm going to cook some salmon later, and save some for lunch tomorrow, so I can eat when I get hungry instead of having to go to get something or rush home to eat. Baby steps.

Cooking up success...maybe

So I'm going to try to take Kenya and Veronica's advice.

I just finished cooking an entire package of bacon. I'm not going to eat it right now. I put it into a storage bag and I'm going to eat it -- some of it -- in the morning.

I also bought some toaster waffles at the store today. I remember when I went to visit a friend, she ate waffles before work and it amazed me that it was so easy! I figure I might be able to do that.

Anyway, so now, at least I have options. Easy options. Instant oatmeal. Yogurt and granola. Bacon. Grits. Eggs. Toast. Waffles. Now I just have to exercise them.

Anybody got a biscuit?

So, I brought my workout clothes to work today with the full intention of getting my skinny tail on a treadmill. I'm thin, but put me on a flight of stairs and I'll be breathing like Crisco is coming out of my veins by the time I reach the top.

That's not attractive.

But is it wrong to ditch your workout because you're hungry? And you know what the sad part is? Today I actually ate breakfast (strawberry banana yogurt with granola) and lunch (ham and cheese sandwich with tortilla chips and an apple).

So tell me, why, at 7:30 p.m. do I feel like my stomach is going to implode if I don't get something in my belly immediately?

I need to do better about planning for this late afternoon/early evening snack.

Sigh.

Tonight though? That gym bag is staying at my office and I'm thinking it's going to be a DiGiorno night.

Oh yeah

And I worked out on Friday!

For a whole hour and a half!

I laced up my sneakers and ran/jog/walked on the treadmill for like 40 minutes. Then I did some weight machines to buff up my triceps and biceps.

It felt pretty good.

By the way, Beyonce's "B-Day" is THE BEST album to work out to. Ever.

And I'm thoroughly enjoying NERDs "Seeing Sounds." I got about halfway through it, I suppose while I worked on my arms.

Maybe I'll hit the gym again tomorrow -- or bust out a Pilates tape. Yay me!

(T-Dot's) New Workout Plan

I'm trying to get my exercise life back on track.

At the end of this month, I'll be travelling pretty much for two weeks straight. And in between the conventions and parties and shenanigans, I'll be spending a lot of time in strange cities in hotel rooms.

With exercise equipment. Maybe even a pool (I have a racing speedo!)

So I'm packing my running shoes and exercise clothes. Should be interesting. Because I'm so unmotivated. And even though I'll be staring at a posh bed with premium cable (YES!), I'm going to try to do my best to get up (or stay up late) and getting my work out on.

My goal is to just be able to run up the stairs at my job (4 floors) without getting too winded. Small successes are all I'm looking for, really. Plus, less jiggly thighs and arms wouldn't be a bad side effect, either.

Who wants to buy me a new iPod so I can get right to some tunes?