100 LBS GONE, but not forgotten

In 47 weeks, I've shed 100 lbs (well 102.6 to be exact). That's 5 dress sizes (as I mentioned in my Sunday Funday blog). This means I've lost 31.25% of my body weight and that I'm just over 2/3 of the way to meeting my weight loss goal.



Here is a BEFORE picture of me. This was taken at younger sister Linda's pre-wedding Luau on March 20, 2009. I was quite the chunky monkey!

Here is an IN PROGRESS picture of me taken on May 31, 2010. Note that I did not say AFTER because I'm not done yet. =)

Big difference, huh?

How did I do it? Well if you are just tuning in, I started the South Beach diet on July 6, 2009. With the exception of the fact that I eat full fat cheese in restaurants or at parties (because God forbid I were to give up cheese when offered), I stick to the plan 24/7. I only swayed from my diet while on vacation in Playa del Carmen earlier this month - that was after 10 months of being a good little dieter...er...life style changer.

Other than that, I have incorporated a good healthy dose of exercise in my life. I started off trying a couple of Zumba classes, but alas...though an amazing workout, they kinda stressed me out since I never really could get the moves down. Next I moved onto water aerobics. I started off doing it twice a week and then moved on to three times a week. Occasionally, I would go to the gym and do the elliptical for 30 minutes, as well. Starting in January, I took up running and did a few local 5Ks and even a 10K. Now I'm training for my very first half marathon which is on August 1st in Chicago! Besides running, I've given yoga a try (and plan on going back when it works into my schedule) and I continue to workout at the gym on the elliptical and the recumbant bike. Once my half marathon has been run, my training will begin for the Houston Full Marathon (eeek)!

In my very first post, I discussed how many times I had tried and failed on the dieting front. There really is something to be said about *finally* being in that right state of mind to embark upon that journey...successfully. I was miserable with the way I looked and the way I felt. Carrying around an extra 100 lbs is no laughing matter. I still have aches and pains, mind you - but those are from intense exercise and there is a certain feeling of pride that comes from that kind of hurt.

I never ever preach about what diet plan any person should be on, it is just important to pick a HEALTHY one that works with your life style and then to be FAITHFUL to it. I specifically chose South Beach for me because I wanted something that did not require me to keep track of calories or journal my food, but that would rid this body of cravings. With the exception of that whole Chocolate Stat incident last month, it's done just that for me! It is also of great importance to just MOVE - whether it be walking around the block, taking a class at the gym, or doing an exercise DVD in the comfort of your own home.

I've been asked how I plan to celebrate this 100 lb. mark. I didn't have any specific plans...probably because I know I'm not done. Though I know I shouldn't reward myself with food, I did allow myself to indulge *slightly* on this Memorial Day. I went to lunch with my Amy. We decided to be adventurous (for us, this means we went to a restaurant we have never been to before). I had a margarita. It was amazing. The rest of the meal (fajitas, no rice, double beans) was South Beach friendly. After lunch, I went to my Meliska's house for a BBQ. There, I had a little bit of crockpot mac 'n cheese. It was just a taste, definitely not on the diet, but mmmm...it was good. Thanks to Greggy-D for that bite of heaven! Later in the day, I had a scoop of dirt cake that Greg's cousin Amanda made. She told me she made it with sugar free pudding, South Beach approved Cool Whip, reduced fat oreos, and some gummy worms. So, with the exception of the oreos and the gummy worm, it wasn't soooo bad. haha!

I guess I will just start planning my REAL reward for when I reach my goal weight - which will hopefully be by the end of the year. In the meanwhile, I will continue my healthy eating and my exercising (with a strong focus on running) and fully enjoy my increased energy and rejuvenated spirit.

I'm going for a French look.

I don't like to wear shorts. I never have, actually. It sounds cRaZy in the summer heat of Houston to avoid them, I know, BUT still...I do. I wear capris, skirts, dresses, and jeans...anything and everything, BUT no shorts. I won't even run in shorts. I run wearing uber awesome Nike capris.

I was out handling my business during my lunch break yesterday which translates to running errands (big shocker, I know) when I decided to pop my head into Old Navy. I have never been able to fit into anything they sell in that store. I've always had to buy from their on-line PLUS size catalogue. I wore a blue dress many-a-times last summer that I bought through those means. It was a 3X and fit me perfectly. I needed a new summer dress (or at least something to hold me over for now until I need the next size down), I tried on this cute little number (in the biggest size they carry, but still...) AND IT FIT and so I bought it:
So, up above I'm wearing it with a red flower in my hair and going for a French look - maybe more of a Gondolier, but hey...humor me!!!


How cool is it to finally start fitting in clothes in normal sizes?!

come what may

I picked up a graduation card for my double cousin, Nicole the other day (my mom's sister married my dad's brother - no, it's not incestuous). It said, "As you look ahead to where you're going, take the time to appreciate where you've been and to enjoy where you are, right here, right now." It had a picture of a rear view mirror on the front.

Honestly, I set out to buy her a funny card. I'm kind of a funny girl who appreciates humor over sap any day of the week, but this card called to me. I'm thinking it was because I never took the time to appreciate where I was in life as I always wanted to be two steps ahead.

It started in junior high - couldn't wait to be in high school. Then in high school - couldn't wait to be in college. Then in college - couldn't wait to be in the real world. Then once in the real world - couldn't wait to be married and have kids. As the years have marched on and I've grown older, I think how silly I was to think that at 22 I was in any position to be someone's wife when at 29 I wasn't even capable of establishing boundaries within the various relationships in my life, not to mention recognizing a bad relationship when it was staring me in the face. There is a long lesson-filled story there, of course, but all for another post if/when I decide to share. Basically, I was almost wishing away the present for some unforeseeable future with this misguided confidence it had to be better. BUT...better than what? Life wasn't so bad...it just wasn't what I wanted and yet I didn't do anything to improve my happiness. That's just plain dumb. We don't know what the future is going to hold, but we can definitely live, learn, and find a way to love our present state of being.

That's why at 33 (well, to be fair, I said it at 32 and it has carried on into 33) I say that my journey is about mind, body, spirit, and soul. It's not just the weight I have dropped so far and will continue to shed. It is about how I have challenged myself. It's about how I have stepped out of my comfort zone on many different occasions even if I didn't like the outcome, but just to say I did it. It's about establishing those boundaries and maintaining them. It's about conquering the demons that have haunted me. It's making mistakes, learning the lessons, and finding a way to forgive myself and move on. It's accepting fault in others. It's accepting failure in myself. It's being at peace. It's my life and come what may...I'm gonna live it and enjoy it because I am not guaranteed a tomorrow. This does not mean I don't still have hopes or dreams. I have many. I'm just gonna take it all day by day and continue to do my part of self-improvement.

My mom once told me that God has 3 answers to prayers. Either He grants us the desires of our hearts directly or He does so indirectly or He tells us no because he has something better in store for us.

I think somewhere along a very difficult 4 years I traveled, I lost sight of that. I'm thankful to be back on the right path.

Sunday Funday

It was nice not to set an alarm. I just slept until I woke up...naturally...sorta. I mean Penelope has been on this 4:30 to 4:45am kick lately where she is just certain the green grass is calling her name, so we got up then. Then I flipped over a few times after that and with every flip Delilah was certain that meant she either got to eat her breakfast and/or go chase the squirrels. I nipped those dreams in the bud turbo fast. So, we slept until 8:45am. Not late by any normal person's standards, but for me...well it might as well have been 10:00am. Ahhhh....

The legs were (and still are) sore from Saturday's run, but I like it!

So here was what was on tap for Sunday:

Went to the gym for a little over an hour. Did 35 minutes on the elliptical and then 30 on the bike. Then I came home to rinse off, change into my bathing suit, grab the dogs, and head over to my parent's house. Younger sister Linda joined me. I didn't have too much time over there because of the LoSt Finale event, but more on that later!

Linda brought over her doggy, Coco, and I, of course brought over my two beasts. Since I got to the house first and my parents were nowhere to be found, I let Oliver, their pup, out of jail (their bathroom) and allowed blind Penelope and Ollie to roam the backyard with my supervision since there is a pool. After about 15 minutes and still no sign of Linda (but maybe a phone call telling me she was on her way), I locked both Penelope and Oliver up and Delilah and I went swimming. My parents have a grotto under the waterfall in their pool. There were apparently 3 frogs in the grotto and Delilah and I scared 2 of them into jumping in the pool. Delilah became obsessed with the frogs. Once Coco came over, she joined in on the crazed operation to capture the frogs. The thing about Coco is that she is perfectly content with getting on the first step in the pool, but that's where her comfort zone ends. Coco ended up in the pool twice - once having fallen from the rock waterfall while on the hunt of one of the elusive frogs. Delilah kept pawing at them and sticking her nose in the water along the edge. She, too, went head first once and then swam countless laps. Twice Coco succeeded in actually getting one - once she went so far as to physically remove it from the pool. I was so scared she killed it, but thankfully on closer inspection (Linda thought I was going to give it mouth-to-mouth, but I just wanted to flip it over right side up) it was just playing dead and after getting a false sense of security, leapt right back in the pool again. After about 30 minutes of this craziness, I finally saved the frogs by using foam noodles and putting them back in the grotto. Once I brought peace and harmony back to the oasis, my parents appeared. Apparently they had been golfing and could hear our screams from the golf course. Nice. Apparently they were not so thrilled I allowed the frogs to maintain residence in the grotto. Not so nice. =/

Here are 2 pics from their...ahem...heroic efforts. If you look closely, you can see one of the "culprits" in each picture in the water.

Next, went back home to shower and change. Fed the dogs (early) because I was going to be heading to the Fairfield area to watch the LoSt season finale at Meliska's parent's house. I left the house with enough time to stop at the Outlet Mall on my way because I wanted to pick-up some SMALLER JEANS. Yes, folks...looks like I have graduated...er...downsized from size 18 to size 16. Maybe the scale isn't showing the results as fast as I'd like, but I'd say the ol' body is definitely demonstrating the signs. This is a drop in 5 sizes in less than 11 months. How can a girl complain about that?! =)

After my very quick shopping trip, I headed to the Lost finale viewing party. Meliska's mom was so awesome and made us a brisket dinner and basically waited on us hand and foot throughout the evening. She is so sweet!!!

Thoughts on the finale - I'm still processing it. I had decided a few weeks ago that I was okay with not having answers to all my questions...what was most important to me was something else entirely and I don't want to explain it on this forum in case you haven't seen it yet. I found myself getting emotional throughout the 2 1/2 hour show last night - for several different reasons and overall, I found the whole thing to be...bittersweet.

I will also add that for the past 3 years of the 6 years the show has been running, I have joined together with my friends (Meliska, Greggy-D, Todd, Joe, and others on occasion) to watch it, so I will miss our comraderie, discussion, and confusion. I look forward to the next show we can all bond over! =)

Hope you, too, had a Sunday Funday (but maybe minus the frogs)!

a wink or a smile

Yeah...I know this is a totally unflattering pic of me trying to wink and smile. =/

I first accomplished 7 miles on March 28th. That was almost 2 months ago. It was a bit difficult to swallow that pride and do the whole back-track thing PUBLICLY, no less. In other words, owning it for all to see. Wouldn't it be great if my running training was just a continuous forward progression (with the exception of purposeful tapering, of course)? Yeah, it would, but that isn't the reality.

I looked back and read my 7 Mile Successful blog. I was 8 lbs heavier then, it was at least 10 degrees cooler, I don't have specifics on the humidity, but I KNOW it wasn't like this, and I had a running buddy (younger sister Linda). My point in telling you all this is that I did the 7 miles today, but it was HARD. The first 2 miles were easy breezy. This part was actually not the norm for me. I typically struggle through the first 2-3 miles, but I had a great attitude going into it and my muscles were nice and loose courtesy of the massage I got on Wednesday (or should I call it a steamrolling - lol). I think what also helped was that I had the massage therapist take care of my upper arms which needed some major work. I'm not gonna lie - it hurt VERY BADLY, but I understood it was a necessary evil for the greater good of my body and my running.

Post run, I came home to shower and then ice my right shin. It's always something, right?!

Anyway, That Pink Girl has several times mentioned her mission to create peace and harmony between runners and bike riders. I would just be happy if my fellow runners (or heck...even walkers) would acknowledge one another. I don't require words...a nice wink (I kid, I kid...a wink would be creepy), a smile, or a nod go a long way. Today, I got two "good mornings". That made my day! I'm pretty sure I ran a good mile or better with a huge grin on my face for that alone. It doesn't take much to make me happy, y'all!

So what's on tap for next Saturday's run - I'm thinking 7 miles again...since today's 7 miles felt rough. I'm also thinking I need to GET AN EARLIER START! Goodness gracious...what is wrong with me that I can't seem to get started before 9am? It's not like the freakin' dogs let me sleep. I'm always up when the sun rises, so what's the dealio?! It would feel so much better at 7am!!! That's my goal for next week - 7am START TIME for 7 miles. I like it!

Summertime, Fridays, and some Food

Summertime is officially here. You probably think I'm referring to the season, but nope...I'm not. I'm referring to my job. Summertime = STRESS. I would say every day it's like I take a jigsaw puzzle out of a box, dumping the pieces out in front of me not knowing where to start. I finally will begin to put together the framework and feel a false sense of confidence that everything is going to be okay and then someone comes along and scatters said framework all over the desk forcing me to start over again. Once I get the frame back together and start working on the inside, seeing the big picture start to form, another person comes along and knocks the whole thing to the floor. Discouraged, I once again start from scratch and work my magic. Then there is the person who comes along and steals one of the pieces...well that's when things get really interesting, needless to say. Secretly, maybe I even like that challenge because I can get *very* creative.

Anyway, not to toot my own horn, but I'm quite good at what I do as long as you let me do my thing. I don't welcome interruption. I don't like being told "no". I don't want anything to do with people who cause me undue stress BECAUSE all those things distract me from working the magic (and make me want chocolate, but that's a whole different issue).

So, basically by the end of a Friday I am drained...not physically, but mentally and emotionally (because I take everything VERY personally) and all I want to do is have some kind of enjoyable dinner, soak in my tub, listen to some tunes, maybe read a bit, and call it a night. I, of course, am not currently dating someone, so I *totally* reserve the right to amend my Friday night's desires if/when that status changes. ;)

That brings us to tonight. I went to H.E.B. to pick me up some sushi. I'm a total mcwimpy when it comes to sushi. Basically I can only handle those rolls with the avocado, pepper, imitation crab meat, and cream cheese all rolled up with brown rice. I don't even know what they are called. I just know they are delicious and make me happy.

Oh and you know what else made me happy? Flatout makes these Artisan Flatbread fold outs that I am obsessed with - there is a 5 grain flax one that is only 100 calories with all kinds of great nutrition and I used to always be able to find them at H.E.B., but then they became popular and I couldn't find them anymore UNTIL TONIGHT! I saw two packages and I became a greedy mcgreedy and bought both of them because the good Lord knows when I will find them again - I mean it's been like 3 months since I've last seen them, y'all. Can't wait to make pizzas and quesadillas and all kinds of awesomeness with these things (they are totally South Beach friendly)! I then came home to my pups. I took my bubble bath. Now I'm listening to music, relaxing, and thinking all kinds of successful thoughts for my 7 mile run tomorrow. I'm gonna get me a good night sleep and be refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready for whatever the weekend dishes out!

What are your weekend plans?

Shut up, Sybil!

I've been struggling with my running lately. It started with my failed attempt at 9 miles back on May 1st (and then again on May 2nd) and it's just gone down hill since then. The next weekend I was traveling, so I didn't get in any running and then when I returned from vacation, I felt like I was trudging through mud. Sure, I got some mileage in this past Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, BUT...the furthest distance was only 5 miles.

I know I have PLENTY of time before my August 1st Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon...it's totally self-induced pressure...I've overcome injuries...I'm dealing with humidity...blah blah blah....yada yada yada. The biggest hurdle of all is that little voice in my head (we will call her Sybil) telling me that I'm a poser...that I'm fooling myself...that I'm not cut out for this. It's defeating, to say the least. It's disappointing, to boot.

Here are the facts - the humidity isn't going anywhere. The heat is only gonna get hotter. Time is gonna march on. The only thing I can hope to do is silence Sybil (or at least sweeten her up a bit). The problem is that sometimes she is a screamer and it's just easier to give in to her negativity than to fight it.


Instead of going for 9 this coming weekend, I'm going to do 7. It's a more reasonable number at this point. Why set myself up for more disappointment unnecessarily?

I plan on running some throughout the week just 1 to 2 miles at a time (unfortunately on the treadmill since it's too dark (read: dangerous) when I work out in the morning for me to hit the pavement cuz I don't have a running buddy). Maybe all that will change mid July when I join my running group for the full marathon training...maybe I can meet a new friend who lives nearby and wants to get up at unGodly hours with me to run on weekdays. *sigh* Until then...I need to find a way to reel Sybil in. She doesn't get to be in charge of me.

Behold: Taco Salad!

I decided I was hungry for some taco salad and so it must be.

Here's how I made it. First, I browned some 96% lean beef with a chopped up white onion.

While that was a'cookin', I dug out one of my big white bowls and filled it full of fresh spinach leaves. You see, I prefer to use spinach instead of lettuce whenever having a salad as it has greater nutritional content. Next, I diced up a Roma tomato and a small avocado. I drained a can of black beans and added 1/3 of a cup. Then, I halved a lime and squeezed the juice over the top of it all.

By this time, the beef was just about done. I added the taco seasoning mix and a spicy ranch dressing powder packet. I mixed it together really well and added a half a cup of my beef/onion mixture on top of my salad. Of course, every taco salad needs a dallup of sour cream and some salsa! This is the picture I took before I dug in and started making the pretty picture not so pretty.

Just as I was raising the fork to my mouth, I realized one VERY important detail I left out. THE CHEESE! How could I forget the "icing on the cake", y'all? I mean if you know me at all, you know that I take the whole "Behold the power of cheese" thing VERY seriously. I quickly put that fork down, darted to my refrigerator, grabbed my brand new bag of 2% 4 cheese Mexican blend and sprinkled a healthy portion upon my salad. Voila - perfection!

You can tell I'm officially back from vacation...I packed a lunch, went to Walmart during my lunch break to buy groceries, and actually cooked dinner. Cheers to a happy, healthy week!!!

Vacation Recap: Playa del Carmen

The plan was for me to drop off my dogs at the parental's house at 6:30am. Penelope was staying for the entire length of my trip and my mom was to drop off Delilah at "the doggy hotel" once they opened. My mom wanted to work with little miss blindy and Delilah is kind of a handful, so whatever worked for them was cool with me.

Amy was meeting me at my house at 7am and my dad was going to pick us both up and take us to the airport. We really didn't have to wait too long to board the flight and people-watched our way onto the plane. We took special note of a couple where the girl had obvious implants. Amy mentioned that the girl should have spent a little less money on her boobs so that she could have had enough money for a cheeseburger. I saw her cheeseburger and raised her some french fries. Let's just say the chick's outfit left little to the imagination.

Interestingly enough, the travel agent booked Amy and I across the aisle from each other. There was a guy who had the middle seat next to me who mentioned to me that his girlfriend was in the back row and that he hoped to join her if the plane wasn't full. Since Amy had intentions of sleeping the whole time, I offered to switch places with the girlfriend. They were quite thankful and I felt like I did my good deed for the day.

The flight was pretty smooth sailing until the last 15 minutes. I had befriended the people in the aisle across from me. It was a husband and wife traveling with the wife's mother. It was going to be their 19th trip to Mexico and they were telling me how they had gotten trapped in Playa del Carmen over September 11th - a pretty crazy story, actually. Anyway, about 15 minutes before we landed, we hit some pretty terrible turbulance and I was sure we were going to die. The wife of the dude across the aisle from me zoned out - she went to her happy place apparently. This meant that the husband and I talked a mile a minute to each other trying to pacify each other from thinking about other things so that we would not worry about our impending doom. The plane literally came down to the ground completely wobbly and it was very uncomfortable. Everyone gave a huge sigh of relief when we landed safely and the wife thanked me for keeping her husband company. Once we got off the plane, we had to go through Immigration, then get our bags, and then wait in the longest line ever to go through Customs. We *finally* were able to go outside and find our shuttle.

Imagine our surprise to have to wait in line next to the couple with the chick who needed the cheeseburger. Imagine our *pleasant* surprise that the boyfriend liked to hear himself talk and didn't shut up for the 20 minutes we had to stand there next to him. We also found out they were going to be on our return flight. Oh joy. We then started referring to them as our "besties".

Eventually we got on our shuttle bus and we were taken to our ridiculously huge resort, the Iberostar Paraiso Beach. It turns out that the Iberostar is a 3 resort in 1 complex. It is the Paraiso del Mar, the Paraiso Beach, and the Paraiso Lindo. Basically, there are three different reception areas and they share restaurants, the beach, the pool, and everything else you can imagine. It's so big that they offer a trolly service to get you around the properties, but honestly it's just quicker (and less lazy) to just walk the place, not to mention it's so beautiful and you never knew what kind of creature you would come across along your path.

We saw peacocks, flamingos, swans, parrots, some other kind of bird we never did identify, some kind of large lizard that we initially thought were iguanas or komodo dragons (or people who got way too tan), and even fake aardvarks. It was kinda like a petting zoo, only with creatures you would really have no desire to actually pet. We were hoping to find a llama, but no such luck.

By day, we relaxed pool side or at the beach. The beach seemed to be infinitely cooler because of the nice ocean breeze. We would often fill up our big cups (brought from home) with water and then have the bartenders make us something fruity/tropical on the side. One time, one of the bartenders misunderstood Amy's request and filled her 24 oz cup with a strawberry colada. He was quite proud of himself, too, for blending *just* the right amount to fill her cup. All poor Amy could think of was how badly she was going to dehydrate in that unforgiving sun.

Every night there was entertainment. Our first night was either Hollywood night or movie night - not sure because two of the nights were quite similar. Regardless, it was quite entertaining and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The second night we had the other one...Hollywood or movie night. It was a little less enjoyable, but not terrible. The third night was musical night and it was very well put together. In fact, of all the resorts I've been to, this was by far the best entertainment. We skipped out on the fourth night.

We decided we owed it to ourselves to partake in a spa day since our vacation was so cheap courtesy of Amy being an amazing employee at her work! We both got two treatments each. Before our treatments, we were able to enjoy the spa's different showers, jacuzzis, an aromatherapy steam room, and a relaxing pool. Then we got whisked away to our treatment rooms. I had the Paradise treatment with the perfect mixture that offers the sea and the Earth. It begins with an exfoliation with a mixture of marine salts and bee wax that not only clear the dead cells also hydrates the skin, later a mud and marine seaweed massage wrap and a neck massage with exotic essences inspiring serenity and harmony and my second treatment was a deep cleaning facial.

Overall, it was an incredibly relaxing vacation. It was so heavenly to not have to set an alarm clock, to not have to deal with the disruption of a cell phone (work phone calls) or the "need" to be on the computer. The only schedule we had to maintain was our spa appointment, our dinner reservations (8:30pm each night), and our shuttle pick-up on the final day.

We did have only 3 complaints of our resort - first...we thought the pool should have had seating in it (benches around the edges in some locations). It was a huge winding pool and my pics don't do it justice. Secondly, the bathrooms were so slippery...there should have been mats on the floors to prevent slippage. Finally, though there were some labels for some of the food at the buffets, it would have been nice if everything was labeled.

I would like to say the staff couldn't have been friendlier, the grounds couldn't have been better maintained, and even our fellow vacationers were fun to interact with!!!

Our shuttle picked us up ridiculously early to take us to the airport. Amy had a theory that it was the Mexican government's *evil* plan to force the tourists to spend ridiculous amounts of money at the airport before departing. It worked - Amy and I had a few drinks and ate some food, but I will say we had a blast doing it!

Oh, and in case you were wondering...we did see our "besties" at the airport in Cancun and in the Immigration line once we were back in Houston, but we managed to successfully avoid them.

Now it's back to reality, but of course I get to start planning next year's escapade! =D

I got your number, Verizon!

Imagine my shock when I saw my Verizon bill and it was for well over $500. That deserves a big fat OMG! I looked at the itemized on-line bill and noted I was being charged $409.99 for equipment. Oh well...that explains it...clearly an error on their behalf, so I called them up to settle the issue. Uh oh...found out it wasn't "their issue" but rather mine. You see, about 3 months ago my cell phone went crazy. I have the enV LG and I could feel the screen moving underneath the screen - I realize that doesn't sound like it makes sense. It was malfunctioning...it was also doing split screen weird stuff and because of all this it was going through my battery charge in about 5 minutes time. I also could not use the touch screen function, so I had to flip open my phone to answer a call each time. It was barely functional. There is a Verizon store around the corner from my office. Despite the fact that I have insurance on my phone, it wasn't necessary to use in this case because apparently this was a manufacturer's defect (incidentally, the same thing happened to my sister's phone about a month later). The girl told me they didn't have my phone in stock (this confused me) and that I would have to wait a few days to receive my phone in the mail. I was upset because I don't have a home phone (well I do, but it's a bare-boned plan strictly for my house alarm phone) and I need my cell for work. I asked if they have loaners, but she told me no. I knew I had no choice, but to make do with my circumstances. It was a rough 4 days (over a weekend, no less), but I managed. As soon as I got my "new" phone (read: refurbished which explains why they "didn't have any in stock), I tore open the package, rushed over to the Verizon store as instructed by the girl who helped me 4 days prior and another employee set-up my phone for me and transferred the contact list for me. He handed me back my old phone and my new one and sent me on my way. Once I returned to the office, I threw the old phone away. What was the point of keeping it? It was useless and nobody told me otherwise.

Flash forward to 3 months later and apparently throwing it away was a $410 mistake. I don't understand how Verizon charges a person $410 for a refurbished phone, by the way. I also don't understand why they don't just keep the phone once they transfer over the phone numbers since they have the phone in their possession and it is clearly useless at that point to keep it. The only thing I can think of is that it is one of those rebate type of deals where they hope people won't turn in the rebate or, in this case, won't send back the phone. When I spoke to a manager initially, I didn't remember if I had thrown it away (I thought I had, but wasn't 100% sure since the phone would have been at work and I was at home at the time). I argued with her that nobody told me. She apologized and said they should have. Well gee...thanks. She told me to just send it back and they would credit my account. I decided I would find out the next day whether I had the phone or not before I pursued it further. I went to work and looked in my drawer and discovered it wasn't there, I then had a conversation with my brother-in-law Jay, who confirmed that he recalled I had thrown it away. I called Verizon back up and immediately asked to speak to a manager. I had the *privelege* of speaking to a useless woman who asked me if I went back to the Verizon store the moment I realized I threw the phone away. I told her I didn't understand the question because I purposely threw the phone away and only now realized it was an issue...hence the phone call. She told me she couldn't help me. I said I have been a customer for 10 years and that I didn't think it was fair that nobody told me anything about returning the phone. She told me there was a note in the package they sent me. I said I didn't even look at the package. I was so excited to have a functional phone, I ripped open the package and went straight to the store. She told me I should have read the materials. I told her that I would not be renewing my Verizon contract over this and she said I would have to do what I felt was right. Wow - really Verizon?! $410 is worth losing my over $1500 a year contract? I asked if there was management above her. She said yes. I said great, let me speak to them. She said I could try to call back. I told her that was the wrong answer. She said she was sorry I felt that way. I asked when exactly I'm supposed to "try to call back?" She said she didn't know. I told her that is EXACTLY why she should have offered to have someone call me back and that she obviously doesn't know how to offer proper customer service. She said fine...someone can call me back. Gee...don't do me any favors, lady. I asked when I could expect a call back. She said since it was Friday (9:00am, by the way), probably not until Monday. I explained to her I would be out of the country until Thursday and she should put a note in my screen for them to call me either Friday or Thursday. She said okay. Guess who never got a call?!

I figured out a plan. I went on-line (and even got an on-line coupon to save an additional $20) and purchased the Droid phone. Yes, it cost me, but truth be told I've been having some issues with my refurbished enV and I've been contemplating getting a smart phone anyway. I still save a significant amount of money because I will have my refurbed phone to send them back and they can credit me back with the $410. I'm not sure about whether or not I will renew with Verizon when it comes time (this phone purchase makes me have to deal with them for another 2 years and this is the first time I've had a problem - though it is a BIG ONE with them).

Oh and in case you were wondering...I did ask my sister if she sent her old phone in when she was sent her refurbished. She said that the initial contact she had at Verizon did not inform her of this, but when she went to get the contact list switched over, the guy told her. Nice consistency, Verizon.

Oh well....where there is a will, there is a way. Looks like I found away to circumnavigate their system (albeit for a price, but I get a cool phone for a trade-off of sorts).

Verizon - you are officially on notice - clean up your act or in 2 years you are outta here!

Na-Na-Na Boo Boo!

After my 10 day hiatus from exercise, I kicked exercise in the shins today, stuck my tongue out at it, and sang a VERY obnoxious "Na-Na-Na Boo Boo" while shaking my tail feather at it!

Here's how it all went down...

The dogs and I woke up naturally at 6:45 am (yeah, I know...we are nutty). We sauntered around a bit...I fed them, took my thyroid pill, waited my obligatory 30+ minutes, ate my "healthy for my heart" H.E.B. brand oatmeal, then headed to the park for an undetermined run. It was HUMID (all caps for a reason, my friends). I did 3 miles - relatively easily - decided it was the perfect amount to get me back into the swing of things and yet not too much to leave me crippled from the planned 5 miles I want to do tomorrow.

I swung back by the house and took my blind little wonderpup, Penelope, for her first walk around the block post-surgery. She really enjoyed her exploratory adventure. I dropped her back off and then picked up Delilah for a nice mile jaunt (hearing Penelope screaming bloody murder for the first block because she couldn't believe we abandoned her - apparently forgetting she already had her turn).

I came home and finished my vacation food blog and then headed to the gym. While at the gym, I ran another mile on the treadmill. I'm trying to get myself gradually accustomed to it in case there comes a time when I am forced to do "real" mileage on it. I then headed to the bike for 30 minutes (10.75 miles). After the bike, I sauntered over to the elliptical for 30 minutes on the glute program plus a 5 minute cool-down which meant another 3 miles.

My hip feels fantastic! One of my knees is a bit tender - not the one that gave me trouble when I tried to run my 9 miles, though. No...it's the other one....this one narrowly escaped hyper-extension a couple of weeks ago when I slipped on some water one of the dogs dripped on the kitchen floor. Then throughout my stay in Playa, I kept coming *this* close to falling as a result of some slippery floors - all of this put some more stress on the same knee. Oye - can't a girl catch a break?!

Point is, I might have been a lazy mclazy for 10 days, but I am back full force with my mission clear and *most* of my body ready to take on whatever challenges may come its way.

Oink Oink Baby!

I'm an oinker. After 10 months of being as perfect a South Beach dieter as possible, I jumped ship when I landed at the bar in the lobby of our resort, the Iberostar Paraiso Beach. It wasn't that it would have been impossible to maintain my diet while there. It's just that it wouldn't have been very fun and I would have been very hungry (and...er...thirsty). I weighed the pros. I weighed the cons. I made a decision and....most importantly, I own that decision!



Have you ever seen a build your own donut bar? Me neither! It was most exciting. With the exception of one 60+ year old dude, I'm pretty sure I was the oldest person partaking in this amazing invention. There was a tray of plain old boring donuts. Then there was a bowl of chocolate frosting and a bowl of vanilla frosting sitting on warming trays with big spoons in them so that you could scoop up the frosting and strategically ladle it over your donut. Then they had trays filled with sugar, nuts, coconut, chocolate sprinkles, and multi-colored sprinkles to complete the look/taste you so desired. It was truly ingenious and I was in hog heaven.




I also need to make a special shout out to Nutella. I was first introduced to this bad boy back in college while I was on a European month long trip (for college credit). What could be better than combining the decadence of milk chocolate with the exotic boldness of hazelnut? Nothing, I tell you! Imagine how difficult it would have been for me to pass up spreading some of this delightfulness on some petite croissants each morning (yes...in addition to my build my own donut).




Then there were the nachos. Every day, Amy and I ate nachos. I can't even say the cheese was that good...it was often luke warm and kinda runny, but the guacamole was excellent! We also had fried cheese sticks as these items were served up at the snack bar by the beach which we were forced to eat at for lunch when we lost track of time and missed the buffet lunch.



Now, I don't want you to think I was being completely gluttonous with chocolate and fried. I was also bold and adventurous, trying foods I'm still shocked I tried.




Let's see...Amy picked up the cutest little tiny eggs you've ever seen. She thought they tasted funny and had me taste test one. I decided they were pickled, though neither one of us could figure out how come the eggs were so preciously small....that is until later when we found a sign which labeled them as quail eggs. GROSS!



Every night for dinner, there was a buffet restaurant you could eat at, or you could make a reservation for one of three specialty restaurants. During busier seasons they have 6 or 7 specialty restaurants open. The number of nights you are staying determines the number of reservations you are allowed to make. Our four nights meant two reservations, so Amy and I decided on the Japanese restaurant (because we wanted some Sake) and the Steak restaurant. The nice concierge man offered us up the third specialty restaurant because he was a very very nice man, so we also were able to eat at the Mediterranean restaurant. Amy and I got bold and daring at each of these establishments.



Sunday night, we went Japanese. The appetizer turned out to be a plate of sushi. Sure, there were two non-offensive California rolls on the plate (this translates to we could and would eat them without being squeamish and/or without considering ourselves to be uber adventurous). Then there were the other samples. One had raw octopus on it. Another had raw salmon. A third had some unidentified something or another on it. We halved each of these. Amy ate hers sans ginger (I love me some ginger) and then we both saturated ours in soy sauce and had at it. The rest of the meal was pretty typical Hibachi style and we were pretty Sake happy, so it was quite enjoyable.



Monday night, we went Mediterranean. The appetizers were served buffet style and we noticed that there was caviar served on avocado slices. We figured why not and had ourselves some, while sipping champagne. I didn't quite care for it. Amy didn't think it was half bad. The bottom line was that we tried it.




Tuesday night, we went to the Steak House. First and foremost, it needs to be said that this was the cutest of the restaurants. The resort decided that it should be Texas themed, so country music was playing, the waiters were wearing little western shirts, and some of the menu items had cowboy themed names. It was so cute. This, too, had had appetizer buffet set-up. Amy and I temporarily lost our minds and decided to try mussels. Quite honestly, I'm shocked I did it. Had Amy not done it with me, I never would have. We did the whole "1, 2, 3..." and swallowed it together thing. I then said, "it tastes a little like artichokes." Amy, thoroughly disgusted said, "it tastes a lot like ass." We laughed and drowned our taste buds in champagne.




Overall, I would say the food was mediocre, but that is pretty typical of resorts in our price range. We mostly drank water by day (lots and lots of water), champagne by night, though I did enjoy one or two daily dirty monkeys. I think this was Kahlua, vodka, a piece of banana, some milk, and ice blended together for awesomeness. Oh, I also tried cactus orange juice. It was...interesting.



Food vacation is over - back to South Beach diet - but work vacation still remains until Monday!




Stay tuned for another post about our actual daily vacation adventures!

Over Packer???

I don't know if I'm a random packer or an over-packer. Maybe a little bit of both OR maybe, just maybe I'm ingenious.

Below is something I bought last year from Amazon.com when I went on a cruise with my siblings. It's a straw beach mat that you can either put directly in the sand or up in your beach or pool chair.

Then there is this nifty little pouch I also purchased last year from Academy. It is waterproof and ideal for holding your iPod, camera, and anything else you may be concerned about getting wet.

Since we are going all-inclusive and I'm going to try to stay on my diet as much as possible, but still enjoy myself, I was trying to think of some things I could bring with me to help. Of course I'm bringing a box of snack bars with me. Though I mostly eat South Beach snack bars, there are some Atkins bars I eat depending on the nutritional information (Atkins has a tendency to be a much higher fat diet). I discovered these bars a couple of weeks ago and really enjoy them. They are 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein.

Since I started my journey over 10 months ago, I have SEVERELY cut back on the alcohol consumption. I very rarely drink...first and foremost, it's empty calories. Secondly, it goes straight to my head. Finally, it doesn't really fit in with my training schedule. I do recognize, however, that being at an all-inclusive resort on a vacation means that I most likely will partake in some drinking, BUT I want to minimize the amount of sugar/calories I consume. Technically, South Beach allows wine. I'm a wimpy wine drinker and sometimes wine makes me feel sick. My solution...I figure I can always order a shot of vodka, a bottle of water, and a glass of ice. I will then add a portion of a packet of this (or any other flavor I so choose):

Can't forget the sunscreen! I'm bringing 2 different SPFs - 15 and 30 and in the spray-on variety because I find it provides a nice even coverage and dries quickly. I also bought a separate SPF 30 face specific sunscreen because I have worked very hard to get my face acne-free and I plan on maintaining it that way. I also purchased lip balm with SPF 45. I can't stand when my lips are chapped or burned. To complete the skin-care portion, what trip to the tropics should be embarked upon without aloe vera (just in case)?!?!

Last, but not least...what trip would be complete without a travel gnome? My friend Meliska gave him to me a long, long time ago (we became friends over a mutual love for the movie Amelie, garden gnomes, scary movies, and all things European). I forget him every time I go on vacation, but NOT THIS TIME! He is already in my suitcase and ready to go on his very first trip! Be on the look-out for pics from my trip - it might be like a Where's Waldo kinda deal! =P

trickster hipster

Was it the build up of the Voltaren running through my body?

Was it the glucosamine I started taking two weeks ago?

Was it the fear of a large scary needle coming at me?

Who knows?!

I canceled the injection because mysteriously I woke up on Thursday morning (4/29) sans pain in my right hip. I felt positive it was a fluke or a PSYCH! (which had happened a time or two before) and that a run would have that hip hurting in no time. Believe it or not, after my 3 miler and gym workout on Saturday - no pain. After my 4 mile run and 5 mile speed walk on Sunday - no pain (well from the hip, at any rate). That has never happened before...usually the hip pain rears its ugly head as soon as physical activity is resumed. How can I go to my ortho's office tomorrow and have him inject me in a specific location when the specific location eludes me at this given moment?

I can only pray that the pain is gone for good. It truly would be a shame to have to do the injection at another time when time-wise this scheduling would have been ideal given the whole vacation thing. I think that is my biggest fear...that I will come back from vacation, do a long run, and voila - hip pain returns. BUT...alas...I must remember my glass half full roots and the power of positive thinking!

In other news, I've been a lazy bum. I had all these high hopes of going for a run on Monday morning, followed by Yoga on Monday night. Didn't happen - first and foremost...my body was sooooo sore from that 9 mile combo run/power walk on Sunday. I used different muscles in my legs than I normally do when I run, I think. Also, my arms are still sore - I must have been swinging them like nobody's business! I averaged 14:46 per mile, so I was going pretty fast there considering over half the distance was walked. I guess I don't have to be so hard on myself, though, because I'm not going to be laid out for a week or two now that I'm not getting the shot.

Oh, and I finally decided to do something about my hydration issues. I bought this cool hydration bottle from Target yesterday (when I was supposed to be at Yoga). It holds 16 0z. and my plan is to fill it every hour while at work (oh...and to drink it). It even has a cool latch thing, so I can hook it onto my purse if my hands are full. I think my muscles would recover faster if they were properly hydrated, don't you? I mean I truly am ridiculous. I can go all day long without drinking anything and I am not proud about this...it was a terrible habit I got into long, long ago. I use to HATE water and I avoided it at all costs. I don't mind it now, in fact with the exception of iced tea while at restaurants and a daily glass of skim milk, water is all I drink.

AND last, but not least...a Penelope update...2 weeks post surgery and she is doing well. I took her cone off on Saturday because we were both tired of me scratching her ears for her. You see, there is a good chance a cone-wearing dog can get an ear infection because they can't perform their own ear maintenance. She was miserable. I was miserable. I had to trust she would leave her demon eye alone. Yes, that's right...I said demon eye. It looks red, ugly, and scary, but rest assured...it will turn grayish/bluish eventually as did her left eye. We had a follow-up eye doctor appointment today so that she could get her stitches removed (she was a very brave girl) and they were pleased as punch with her progress thus far. We won't have to go back for another 5 weeks. Oh...and it's much more peaceful in my home without Penelope ramming her cone into every wall and every piece of furniture...she has a much better sense for everything (magically) coneless (go figure)!

Travelin' Fool

I am a travelin' fool this year!

It all starts with my flight this coming Saturday to Playa del Carmen for 5 days / 4 nights in paradise with Amy. For the story on how we got 3 of those nights and the flight free, visit here.

I then remain Houston-grounded until I depart for Chicago on July 30th. Do you know why I'm heading to The Windy City? Yep, that's right...my very first half marathon - the Chicago Rock 'n Roll Half on August 1st. It's a short trip, though. My very mean boss whom I often refer to as "dad" is making me return home that Sunday night so that I will be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (yeah right) to work first thing on Monday morning. Summer is our busy season at work, you see, and work just couldn't deal without me for a morning. I should feel honored... =/

Next on the list is trip #2 to Chicago for Labor Day. My family is flying in for my cousin's bridal shower (amongst other festivities) and to take advantage of the 3 day holiday weekend to visit with relatives.

Then, on October 10th, I have a wedding to attend in Scottsdale, AZ (yay) for that very same cousin, Rachel, who will *finally* be marrying her one true love, Austin!

Can you believe that the next stop will be trip #3 to Chicago?!?! It's true - annual management meetings will be scheduled for November 12-13. My father and I always stay for an extra day, though, since my brother will also be flying in from D.C. with his wife, April, and it gives us some more time to visit with our family.

After that, my immediate family will bypass our usual trip to Viva Las Vegas and head to Disney World instead! My parents rented an amazing house with 5 master bedrooms and 2 additional spares plus a swimming pool and lots of other cool ammenities for 9 days! I haven't been to Disney World since 1992 - I'm thinking it's changed a lot since then! We also plan on going to Universal Studios which makes me particularly excited because of the new Harry Potter World!

Then it's back to Chicago for the 4th time to celebrate Christmas! Man...I sure do hope I won't wear out my welcome at my Aunt Patty and Uncle David's house - 4 visits in a year is a record!

That's a total of 12,744 miles! I think that just upped my mileage enough to get me a free ticket. Can't wait until 2011 when I can put it to good use!

Nein 9

I had this HUGE plan of running 9 miles on Saturday and following it up with some kind of awesome run on Sunday (of unspecified mileage). It was sort of a shot in the dark because there have only been a handful of times I have run BOTH Saturday and Sunday and those times were always with a low mileage run on Saturday followed by a significantly longer run on Sunday.

Well in typical best laid plan fashion, it didn't quite work out. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate humidity? I suppose you would be hard pressed to find a person who loves it (or likes it for that matter). It truly is awful, but that's neither here nor there because I have to find a way to get my body accustomed to it because it's going nowhere and I have a half marathon to train for (followed by a full marathon upon completion of the half).

You know the really weird thing...my hip didn't hurt AT ALL for the 3 miles I did get in on Saturday. I swear it heard me schedule the steroid injection and it got all scared and decided to be good. But enough about the hip...let's get back to my lame 3-miler....I walked the remaining 0.8 miles of the course, then headed to the gym...I did 15 minutes on the elliptical on the glutes program level 12 and then I did 30 minutes on the bike set on a random program on level 12. Overall, it was a good workout.

I guess the important thing to note here is that if I had actually done the 9 miles on Saturday, there is most likely no way I would have had an equivalent workout on Sunday as I did in actuality on Saturday. I sound like I'm justifying my non-strategic backing out of my long run on Saturday, but not really...I mean I was quite disappointed with myself, but it wasn't like I just went home and sat on my booty...I still burned over 1000 calories sweating.

Okay, so that brings us to today with attempt #2 at 9 miles (though technically this weekend's run was supposed to only be my third and final week on 8 miles). Thankfully, I woke up to a most beautiful day with significantly lower humidity. I've mentioned before how this whole running thing is half physical and half mental, you see. It's so true and unfortunately, I let the mental side get to me way too much. I had a different plan in place this go-around. I love running my new route which extends each lap to 3.6 (give or take) miles, BUT since I don't like carrying water or Powerade Zero with me (I leave it on a park bench at the starting point), I find myself completely dehydrated well into my lap. I think that was part of Saturday's problem, actually. With this in mind, I decided it would suit me best to run the 1.8 (give or take) mile path 5 times around and swing by my trusty park bench for some hydration in between each lap. I felt FANTASTIC for the first 2 laps! No hip pain AT ALL! I'm almost starting to question this whole injection thing...I mean if it isn't hurting now, why do it?! The only thing that is nagging at me to continue with the plan is that my hip has done this before and then come back with a vengeance and it really is perfect timing with my vacation. BUT, I digress...so, I swung by the table for some Powerade Zero. After I gulped down the remaining half of the bottle, I went to start running again, but my left knee was vehemently in opposition of the idea. It was the oddest thing...there was zero indication of a problem during my run. I started massaging it, stretching my leg, but to no avail. In fact, it took me a few minutes to be able to walk around without the pain. Finally, I was able to walk on it, so I decided to power walk a lap. Upon completion of that lap, I tried running again, but the ol' knee was still having a temper tantrum, so I felt it best to finish out the the remaining mileage power walking.

Overall, I'm disappointed. It truly sucks that my hip was happy, my energy level was on par, the humidity was significantly better than the day before, there was even a cool breeze on occasion, and I felt like I had that 9 miles in the bank. Too bad the knee decided not to be on board the train with the rest of my body and my spirit. At least I know what 9 feels like...even if I didn't finish it out running. I'm only crediting myself with the 4 miles I did run and will attempt 9 miles again post recovery from the injection. For the record, though...I just want to say that power walking is some serious business, too!

So what is on tap exercise-wise for the rest of the week? Well, I will ice up my knee, then Epsom salt bath my body tonight. I'm thinking of running 3 miles each morning before heading to work - Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I will also have Yoga on Monday night. I won't be able to do the Yoga class on Wednesday night courtesy of THE SHOT. From there on (for a week OR SO), I'm gonna be VERY limited in what I can do - hoping to use this opportunity to do some arm weights so I won't be so weak during Yoga.

Oh and I wanted to make mention that Meliska and I went over to Lauren's house on Friday night to watch The Spirit of the Marathon. If you are even slightly into running, I totally recommend it. It follows 6 people who are at varying levels in their running as they prepare for the Chicago marathon. It's an awesome movie! It was a great girl's night with two of my favorite girls, as well!