All Better.

Good night's sleep and I'm cured!!  Actually woke up wide awake an hour before alarm - feeling good.

TMI alert ...
Now need to get my stomach back to normal.  There's a slow-down in the usual activity!  I'm long over the extra-regularity from caffeine.  But my normal regularity is off this week.  Could it be the collagen peptides??  Shouldn't be a problem.  My other routines are the same (and I'm very much a "routine" goer).  Honestly, if I don't get some action this morning I'm going to opt for a home workout instead.  Yoga and backed-up belly don't sound appealing.  Temped to hit caffeine ... but that's not the answer.
TMI all clear ...

I'm doing this Whole30 with a friend (and a couple of her family members).  It's been fun to chat about the program with someone.  If you're not a Whole30 peep, you don't want to hear about it ... can be a little like a born-again health nut conversation.

Each time I learn more about food-body, food-mind connection for me.  I need to take what I learn and apply it to what I want from my life.  How I want to feel.  How I want to live.  

This is my 3rd rodeo and I think I'm "getting" it this time.  I finally realize I need to "work" at balance too.  I need to make an informed decision each time  Worth it?  Not worth it?  It's okay to say NO to myself if I'm having a momentary unhealthy craving.  Giving in is NOT BALANCE!!  It's giving in.  Balance is deciding to enjoy a glass of wine with a friend, not opening a bottle after a hard day and saying "I deserve this."

REMEMBER ...

GIVING IN IS NOT BALANCE!!!

This is a big realization for me.

'Nuff said.  Later gators.

Good Lord.

I might be getting sick again.  I feel run-down, achy ... just not myself today.  Energy was low, work felt hard.  I have fingers crossed a good night's sleep will cure me.

My stomach is a mess today too.  I wonder if it's the fish oil.  I'll give it some time, but might try a trial of no fish oil if it doesn't feel better.

I'm still doing the work.  My immune system is messed up right now.  I am focusing on myself and my health to get me back.

Tomorrow is the yoga-like class.  Perfect workout for a rundown body.  Car appointment and AC repair (final fix on the bandaid repair) for the afternoon.  If I feel up to it - grocery store too.  What else lol ... it has been a day or so since I've gone!

Until tomorrow cyber land ...

End of Work Week (Second Week in A Row!)

Very usual that I have two back-to-back Fridays off.  Today is my last work day of the week again.  I'll take it. (Especially since I'm on-call next weekend.)

I've been filling up my dance card over the last couple of days.  Lots of fun stuff on my days off.  I needed to get back into the social groove of my life.  Life is better with friends!

My stomach is bugging me again.  Bloated, gassy (the usual).  I haven't been taking my digestive enzymes.  Probably should start again.

My maintenance list is growing longer and longer.  Enzymes, fish oil, vitamins, collagen, eyelash grower, nail appt, hair appt, massage, Yoga studio.  I'm getting expensive in my old age.  I really try to do what is necessary (not that nails are - but I consider it a work need lol!) and not get caught up in taking stuff that's part of the latest fad.

Switching gears - got new panties from Gap Body.  They are designed for workouts (quick dry).  Love them.  So comfy and cute boy shorts (my favorite style).  Wish I picked up more during the sale (just got 3 to try).

Would like to take a minute to toot my own horn.  I've been committed to feeling better and I'm really sticking with it.  Also pleased how I'm handling the ups and downs.  I can get frustrated by stuff pretty easily, but I'm taking it in stride.  Looking at the long haul picture.  (I'm an immediate results kind of girl.)  Tabata not the answer this month ... plan B instead.  That kind of thing.

Okay it's run time.

Nitro is a Bust.

No Starbucks Nitro in foreseeable future for Atlanta area.  Bummer.  Dream shattered lol.

Tabata also kind of a bust today.  New month = new goal.  This month is cardio (aka no arms).  I go for the all-over workout - cardio I can do at home.  And because cardio is my thing, it was easy ... like didn't even need to breathe through my mouth easy.  Might take the month off tabata and switch to barre.  I'll give it this week and then decide.  Maybe she'll incorporate more arms next class.  Came home and did a quick arm workout.

Last class was the best ever - so doubly disappointing - I had such high hopes.  I swear the battle is long trying to get overall better strength and cross training.  Obstacles at every turn.  If nothing else, I'm proving I'm willing to work for it.

And my knee still hurts.

Rest of the day at home.  Chilling.  Relaxing.  No make-up.  Curly hair.  Nice.

That's it.  Nothing fancy today.  Actually still a fun day.

Starbucks Nitro

I read an article months ago about the new Starbucks Nitro coffee coming end of summer to select Starbucks.  To say I'm excited is an understatement.  I've been stalking info about it ever since. I actually want to do a whole girls coffee outing to try it. (Only downside is it's caffeinated but one won't kill me!).

Problem though.  Starbucks is being very quiet about which locations.  Even about what cities.  It's not my little itty bitty Starbucks. But there is a Starbucks not far - considered an "evening" location (meaning it has wine, small plates, etc.)  I have hope they might be previewing.  They previewed the "evening" stuff really early on.

Fun fact - first Starbucks I visited in Atlanta while house shopping.
Fun fact - also happens to be in the plaza where Sprouts is located (where I get my decaf blends).

I'm almost out of coffee so Sprouts run today.  I'm going to stop in Starbucks and ask about Nitro.  Please, please, please!!!  Yoga is about 1/2 way to the plaza so I'll go right after.  That will be my "adventure" today.

(Car can still wait a little ... I'll call today though.)

I was just going to say how happy I am that I DON'T need to go to the grocery store today ... as I just said I'm going to Sprouts.  I'm not counting Sprouts lol!!  It's just a fun grocery store.  Between Whole30 and feeding a family of boys men grocery store all I do some weeks.

An interesting Whole30 aside.  One of the benefits of the program (as the founders claim) is that you regulate your hunger hormones and hunger comes and goes as it should.  I really notice that this time.  Not hungry between meals - then suddenly hungry.  Hungry in the morning.  Less hungry at night (even though I've had some hunger at bedtime).  My dinner meal is getting smaller as my lunch gets bigger.  The way it should be.  When I'm eating like crap, I can go most of the day without eating and then huge calorie binge in late afternoon/evening.  Then the cycle repeats.  Not good.

Okay folks.  Off to start my day.  Come on Starbucks don't leave me hanging!

Monday done.

Hectic, busy day -- but it was a good one.

Run was okay this morning.  Incantations were uplifting.  Run was a struggle ... knee, ankle, muscle fatigue.  But I did it.

Up to bed super early.  Can't muster anything else.  Came home and did dishes, cooked dinner, helped eldest set up payments for various things.  Put a fork in me - I'm done.  Snoring hubby last night didn't help matters either.

Really hungry day today.  Ate well.  Ate a lot.  Actually hungry again now.  I must be in fat burner mode because I really did eat large portions - and this is real hunger.

P.S.  Poke cake was a hit at work.

Today was fish oil, collagen peptides and eyelash vitamins - I should be a down right machine tomorrow!!

No plans after my workout tomorrow.  Might try to do car service (still on my list - I have 500 miles left).  We'll see.

I sort of let go of my weekly challenge.  I still look for one of the three things (variety, learning or giving) but haven't focused whole heartedly.  Most days I find something.  It was a nice idea (in theory lol).

I'd like to say it's now a presentable bedtime - but it's not.  Who cares - I'm calling it.  Good night.  Fingers crossed for a great Whole30 sleep.

Nightmares.

Horrible dreams last night.  (No laugh-out-loud last night!)  Hubby snored all night too.  Combination led to a crappy night's sleep.  (Probably pissed about snoring and it translated to bad dreams lol).

Actually glad sleep is done.  But I'll be happy to try again tonight!!

Knee is improving - yea!  Left ankle is feeling off (trade me in for a new model).  I'll try to run on it but I'm not sure.  Ugh.

Anyway ... enough bad stuff.

Already downed my protein this morning.  Excited for possible good stuff but it does add "something else" to my morning routine.  Even though I prep for work the night before, I have a list of stuff I do before I run.  Now it's list +1.  I know it's small, but all the small add up.  I'm actually considering prepping a little more.  I like zen-time before the day goes crazy - not run around and do lots of little stuff time.

Hmmm ... maybe I'm in a bad mood this morning.  I feel annoyed.  Bad dreams feelings staying with me??  Or chicken and the egg ... bad dreams because of bad mood.  Let that roll around - mind blowing lol.

Either way, hope workout and incantations brighten me up.

Shall I leave you with a quote this morning?  I'll get my book, open a page and let the chips fall ...

"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing.  It's when you've had everything to do, and you've done it."  -- Margaret Thatcher.

Interesting.