Is running your primary workout or do you include weightlifting too? I’ve lost almost 90lbs and was mainly running. I was told for ultimate weight loss and fitness is to include heavy lifting. Its been working, I was shocked. Wondering (if you do) what is your gym routine like outside of cardio and diet. :) you look AMAZING by the way, and you looked adorable in those dresses!

Well hello anon! Imagine my delight when I saw this in my inbox! I rarely get anonymous messages…and this one has compliments in it? LOVE that!

First of all, Congrats on the 90 pound weight loss! It is such an accomplishment!! Way to go!!

To answer your questions: Yes, I mainly run. Especially right now as I’m 4 weeks into training for the Lincoln Half Marathon. Yes, I know I need to cross-train. From September until December I was consistently going to a weight-lifting class at my gym. Then scheduling conflicts and life got in the way and I haven’t been back. The plan is to go tonight! (Wish me luck!) I know I need to lift. I see results fairly quickly when I do. In fact, when I first started losing weight about 10 years ago I was lifting and doing cardio and I know it helped. (I really can’t compare me now to the me then, as I was 150 pounds heavier then and it’s easier to lose weight initially when you are that heavy.)

My normal gym routine outside of cardio and diet looks like this: minimum 2 days a week of a class called “Fire” that is about muscle endurance. So we hit all the opposing muscle groups with maximum reps using a smaller weight. Does that make sense? It has a lot of squats, lunges, planks, jumping jacks, and push-ups too. Other days I go to a class called “Fusion” that combines cardio (kickboxing mostly) and some weights. Should I get back into the weight room more? Yes. Do I really know what I’m doing in there? Nope. Not really. 🙂

And thank you Anon! This message came at just the right time. And thanks for saying I’m adorable in those dresses! I’m a bit of a ham sometimes! 😉

Is there anything you want to know? Just ask!

Stop what you’re doing and look at my pants!!

They have polka dots and are ankle pants! And it’s 43 degrees outside currently, and I’m showing my bare ankles. In January. In Nebraska. That’s a win.

An easy 5 is on the schedule for tonight. I’m shooting to run outside if I can scoot out of work on time.

Would you like an update on the date? Ehh. I don’t know. No moves were made by either of us. It was lunch and a movie and then I went home. We hugged and that was it. I’m just not into him. And I’m really not sure what he wants from me either. Whatevs.

It was great to have Monday off. I could do that every week!

Have a great week Cats!

Lincoln half training. Week 3? D7? I don’t know where we’re at. I know two-o-nine knows though! 🙂 easy 5.

A pretty perfect day for a run here in Nebraska. I ran a little faster than prescribed, but I felt good. Whoops!

I got chased by 2 dogs. One even nipped at my heels! Come on people! Keep your dogs on a leash in town!

My phone plays a tune when I hit my step goal…even right in the middle of a song.

I went to the Ocho’s Christmas party today. I even got a prize! A $25 gift card to a local store. How nice is that?!

I’m off tomorrow. And i have a date! I’ll keep you all posted!

Bridesmaid dress shopping with Melissa.

AKA: you can’t take me anywhere!

Bestie V is getting married on Memorial Day and bestie C and I are the matron and maid of honor. We had to get our dresses today. We could pick the style as long it was short and chiffon. But the color will be cornflower blue.

I thought the first dress was cute but it didn’t fit the criteria. Bummer. I ended up with the second dress, which I love the style despite my ridiculous expression!

It’s been a long day: I went into work from 9-12. Then ran an easy 4 before changing to head to Omaha for dress shopping and dinner. I just got home and I’m spent.

I’m going to The Ocho’s Christmas party tomorrow with my friend Keith. (They can have dates to the party, and I told him when I left that I was his! Aren’t I kind?!)

Monday, new guy and I are doing lunch and a movie. I’ll keep you all posted on that one!

Happy Saturday friends!

Today by the numbers:

60-degrees outside! In the middle of January! I’m a fan. This weather is expected to last through Monday.

4-miles ran before work this morning. 12:00/mile. Training for the Lincoln Half is coming along nicely.

6-days I get to work this week. I’m grumpy about that. But tomorrow should be done by noon so I can run outside!

2-miles I walked after work. Another long day of meetings and another dinner tonight with my co-workers and work leadership means I didn’t have time for a run and shower, so I opted for a walk.

3-times I got honked at during my walk tonight. The last guy even waved at me. Thanks random dude.

I’m glad I get Monday off, but this long weekend is pretty much shot. Sometimes I hate having plans!

Say What???

Random University Maintenance Man to me: “So I see you survived the night.”

Me: “What? Me?”

RUMM: Nods “Yeah, looks like you survived just fine.”

Me (very confused): “Yup. I made it through.”

RUMM: “That’s good. There were no electrical fires or anything then.”

Me (even more confused): “Nope. Sure weren’t. I’m still here!”

RUMM (laughs): “That’s great! See ya!”

My Co-worker: “What was that about?”

Me: “I have no idea. I hope he wasn’t trying to tell me he’s trying to kill me.”

Random Thoughts

  • It is really hard to honor rest days some times.
  • Conversely, it is really hard to motivate myself to workout sometimes.
  • The struggle is real
  • It is 40 degrees here today, and supposed to be 52 on Friday. I keep seeing college students go running by my office outside. I want to join them.
  • I’ve changed my hours at work from 7-4pm to 8-5pm. It really doesn’t matter as I’m salaried and do a lot of work from home, but man, oh man, that extra hour in the morning means that I’m on the treadmill at 6am as opposed to 5am. It’s the little things, people.
  • I have been sitting through a bunch of meetings this week. I have the worst time sitting still. I don’t do it well. I think better when I’m moving.
  • I only have about $650 left to pay on my Student Loans! I will pay them off at least 2 months early. I’m so freaking excited!

Happy Hump Day friends!

Five Facts

I was tagged by runningforbiscuits.

When you get this, give 5 facts about yourself and pass this on to your tumblr friends:

1. I wear a sleep mask and ear plugs to bed every night. I started this habit when I produced the morning news and had to be in at work at 3:30am! I went to bed at 6pm and had a really hard time falling asleep. I have completely normal hours now but still wear them because I sleep better (and don’t watch the clock!) with them.

2. When I was a kid I made my own newspaper for the people in the neighborhood. I called it “The Neighborhood Gazette.” I recruited my big brother and besties to help me write and produce content for it. We even had editorial meetings! I think we managed to produce 1 issue. Clearly, the journalism bug bit me early!

3. Someday, I want to write novels. That’s the dream job.

4. I don’t really like condiments. I don’t like syrup on my pancakes, ketchup on my french fries, or gravy on mashed potatoes. I’m weird. I know.

5. Years of meetings with my former boss at the TV station taught me a very random skill; I’m surprisingly good at reading things upside down. I used to read resumes that were on his desk for job candidates and report back to the other staff members with updates and then someone would go to Facebook and look those people up! Or we’d go find their resume tapes (highlight reels of stories) on YouTube!

I’m tagging two-o-nine, getittogetherg, becky-balances, xfitlibrarian, and a-yogi-who-wods

Weekend Happenings.

  • Look at the beautiful Erin Condren Life Planner my wonderful momma got me for Christmas! (I’m covering up my last name with a strategically placed thumb!) I’m obsessed. My new job requires a bit more life planning out of me, and I wanted a beautiful planner to do that in.
  • I baked banana bread Friday night. This is perhaps the most perfect loaf of banana bread I’ve made yet. I could eat it all. So, so good.
  • I ran a bunch of miles this weekend. Training is right on schedule for the Lincoln Half. An easy 3 Friday and Saturday at 12:00/miles. And an easy 4 yesterday at the same pace. Today is a rest day. I shall honor it with a class at the gym and a viewing of The Bachelor. Solid life choices.
  • So I had 2 dates with 2 different guys this weekend. (Like how I slipped that into the middle of this update? Me too.) Friday night the new guy from the wedding texted and asked me to come out for a drink with him and his friends for a birthday. I met up with them (and ended up meeting all of his friends!) They were vetting me to “make sure I was good enough for [redacted].” (one actually said he wanted to make sure I was awesome enough for him!) He had told them about me, and called me “Mel” to them. That name is usually reserved for people I know really well. Like my family, besties and one of my Ex’s. Which led to this conversation. We had a good time, he texted the next morning, and we made plans to see each other again this week.
  • At one point in the evening, when new guy went to grab a drink, his friend said to me, “Get over here, Gorgeous.” I smile, flipped my hair and came over to chat. He laughed at the hair flip and I told him that it’s a patented move. (for realz!) 
  • Another one of his friends came up to me, put his arm around me, and asked if they had scared me off yet. I told him no. He said good, and then told me that I had “Great teeth.” I told him I would tell my Dentist he liked them. We all had a good laugh. My life is so random sometimes.
  • Then Saturday I went out with the guy I accidentally said yes to a date to. We were going to go to get Mexican, then ended up at a really nice steak house and drinks after. It was fun, but I think I effectively friend-zoned him. I’m just not attracted to him.
  • I suffer from Migraines with Auras and so I take Topomax every day to stop them. It usually works, and if I get one, I just get the pounding headache and my eyes burn, but I don’t get the aura. I think I had one yesterday. I couldn’t stay awake around 5pm and ended up napping on the couch for an hour until a text (luckily) woke me up at 6:15! Whoops! I felt better though! 🙂

It’s a busy week here at work. Our leadership is in town for meetings and we’re working on a bit of restructuring our titles in our office. Should be a good time. Have a great week friends!