Starting Over Sucks... But it's On

Schedules are made, recipes are picked out and flashy new leggings have arrived... I think I am ready!

Things have changed so  much since I initially started this journey. That is a good thing! However, it keeps me guessing about how to find that right combination again. I need to remember that there was a TON of trial and error at the beginning and that will continue... forever! 

Food planning is extremely important. I am a self admitted food addict. I stress eat, depressed eat, excited eat and everything in between. While working from home I have learned that I absolutely can't keep food in the house that I can binge on. It is sad I can't trust myself, but at least I am honest with myself about it. My goal is to have an 80/20 diet. 80% healthy choices and 20% of stepping out. I feel like the 20% takes the pressure off and keeps me from feeling like I did something wrong, feeling shame or disappointment with myself. 

The exercise is on point and planned out! I made a legit training/workout schedule for the upcoming half marathons. I run on Monday, Wednesdays and Saturdays. I will then do my cross training of Camp Gladiator on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is definitely more intense training schedule than I have ever done, but I am hoping that it will help me reach goals with weight loss and the half marathon. This Thursday I also signed up for a webinar on "not your average runners" training for a half marathon. I am hoping to learn some tips and tricks! Half of the training and getting the mental mindset is doing your homework and reading up on others that may inspire you. I feel like I am setting a successful path... a hard path... but successful!

Last weekend was my first distance run in a while. 5 miles of hill running. I don't know what I was thinking going to that park, but I guess I decided I needed MORE of a challenge. Over all things felt good. I ran the majority of it and did it in a decent time. The only bummer of the run was puking my guts out after. That seems to have started early this time! I am currently reading up on how to prevent this. Once I find that right combination of hydration and food, I will do another post specifically on that. I can't be the only one with this issue right? …. well hopefully not! 

So there is the update after my first week of getting back to it. I couldn't wait to do this post and that makes me very happy. I hope this helps someone out there... you aren't alone! 

Holly

A New New Small Victories

2 years… over 2 years since I have posted. Where has the time gone? I could fill this post with 100 excuses of why. Why I have derailed, why I haven't continued to blog, etc... but I won't. I don't want to look back at the fabulous mess I have been. I want to look to the future and improving myself.

What's new...

• We still live in North Carolina and have sort of found our spot. It hasn't been easy for me to adjust working from home full time, but it gets better as the time goes on. 
• I have found a workout class that works really well for me. It is a boot came style class that is outdoors. The trainer is amazing, the workouts kick my butt and I have met some fabulous people. I have been going for a year, with some travel breaks. 
• I have gained about 20 lbs. the last 3 years. That sentence is extremely hard for me to write. I have been disappointed, ashamed and discouraged by it. I have lost and gained about 10 lbs. of that in the past year. Right now I am back down about 6 lbs. from my 20 lb. gain. 
• Running! I have found my spark again. Last September I did a run at Hinson Lake. It is a 24 hour run where you just get in as many miles as you can. I plan on doing a whole blog post about this amazing time, but wanted to bring it up. It gave me the motivation I have lacked for a couple years. 
• 2 Half Marathons are in my future for 2019! 
• I am going back to school for my bachelors in Business.

I think that about sums up my journey the last few years I have been radio silent on the blog. The journey derailed, but I am feeling confident and positive I am back in the right mind. It is a different lifestyle I live from when I first started this journey. It has been hard (really hard) to adjust, but feel I may be ready again. I hit another low... anxiety over how I looked, worried about what people thought and not wanting to do things because I gained some weight. I am done.

So here is to another year, a new start to this journey and all the goals and challenges to come in 2019! 

I am happy to be back!