Tuesday, January 29, 2013

January 21-27

Today's weight (on Sunday): 173.0.

Workouts:
Monday: Ran 5K
Tuesday: Spin class (1 hour)
Wednesday: Ran 2 miles
Thursday: Spin class (1 hour)
Friday through Sunday: Off

Food:
Went out to eat once (Indian food) and actually cooked all weekend. I even made a veggie juice. I also ate a lot of gummy bears. And probably a lot of chocolate chip cookies. Let's call it a draw.

Overall:
I have a five-mile run a month away. I need to really pick up my running. Last night, I went to the gym and made myself run faster than I ever have. I couldn't sustain that speed for the entire run, of course, but I plan on continuing to push myself outside of my comfort zone.

I also started the reading for my literature class. I missed being in school. I missed talking about books. I missed thinking about the ways language and power work. It's good to be back. If I can't teach, I'm glad I can at least continue my own scholarship, even in a small way.

And I accomplished my two goals from last week. Easy goals, sure. But sometimes you have to write down something easy, just for the satisfaction of knowing you'll be able to cross it off.

Goals:
  • Work out five times this week.
  • Run 3.5+ miles non-stop.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Look/hear: The Pogues

One of my all-time favorite songs, which should be guilty pleasure but isn't, is The Pogues' "If I Should Fall From Grace With God." I love this song wholeheartedly, every time I hear it. I don't care if Irish folk-punk is corny now (or always). This goes in my All Time Top 10, easily.



This one's pretty great, too.


There are certain bands I will always love -- bands that remind me of high school, bands that remind me of my friends. The Pogues are one of those.

January 14-20

Today's weight: 171.8.

Workouts:
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Ran 5K
Wednesday: 3 miles on elliptical
Thursday: Ran 5K
Friday: Ran 2.5 miles
Saturday and Sunday: Off

Food:
Finally starting juicing again. It feels good to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, even if they only way I can seem to eat them is blending into a liquid. It's a start. My lunches were a lot of Jimmy John's being delivered to my office. In fact, I may have eaten from a restaurant every day last week. Yikes. And my weekend? More restaurants. Not so good. Though those weekend meals were shared with my mom, my boyfriend, and my boyfriend's family, respectively. There are few things that make me happier than a good meal with someone I love.

Overall:
I wasn't able to get out of work soon enough to make it to the spin class, but I am going to go tomorrow. It feels good to be working out regularly. Bloodwork from the doctor came back -- I'm healthy on all fronts. The most surprising: I don't have low iron anymore, despite not eating meat. I've had low iron for years. I'm rarely able to donate blood when I've tried. So, despite my poor eating lately, I haven't done much damage. Yet.

I'm starting a literature course this week, which will take up some of my free time, and keep me from the gym at last one night a week.

But, despite feeling blue that my long weekend is over, that it's back to work, that it's back to working first shift while my boyfriend works second, I feel good tonight. Hopeful, as ever, for what the future, near and far, holds.

Goals:
  • Work out at least four times this week, and go to at least one fitness class.
  • Keep juicing.
I didn't manage one of my goals from last week -- back-to-back fitness classes -- but my work schedule hasn't been conducive to that just yet. So, if I can make it to spin, I'll be happy.

Monday, January 14, 2013

January 7-13

Today's weight: 177.0.

Workouts:
Monday: 3.5 miles on the elliptical
Tuesday: 2.5 miles on the elliptical
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Ran 3.1 miles
Friday: Ran 2 miles
Saturday and Sunday: Off

Food:
The pace of my job has picked up tenfold. I haven't been eating lunches regularly, and often wolf something down after work, before the gym. No good. Tonight I bought some fruit and vegetables (mostly for juicing) and some yogurt and granola bars for work. If I can't take lunch, I can at least something healthy.

Overall:
I felt a little down at the start of the year. Getting another cold didn't help. The gym being closed most days before January 4 didn't help, either.

But, I'm feeling better. Got four easy workouts in last week. Fitness classes at my gym started up again this week, and they've added a new spin class. I'm looking forward to working out again. And feeling proud that I managed to run a 5K without stopping. That's probably the first time I've done that in a while. I have a month and a half to get up to five miles, but I think it will be fine.

In other healthy news, I went to the doctor today to get a flu shot and bloodwork done, since I've low iron even before I gave up meat, and I've had a pretty poor diet for the last year. Now it's off to the dentist, and then to finally relax at my best friend's house. Feeling OK. Feeling like I'm taking care of myself.

Goals:
  • Make smoothies or juices this week to use up the fruits and veggies I bought. I've given up trying to cook for now -- my job and my other plans are too time-consuming and I'm too dumb to figure it out for real. So, juicing it is -- for now.
  • Keep flossing (finally). 
  • Go to back-to-back strength training and spin classes this week.
 I think this is going to be a good year.

Sunday, January 6, 2013

2012/2013

My New Year's resolution is simple: Take better care of myself, so I can take better of others.

Of course, it's not really that simple. It's made up of so many other things. But that's the gist of it. This year, I have some big goals. Some are more tangible than others, but they're all interconnected in that they're about taking care of myself in some way. Because I am much better to be around, and much more able to care for others, if I'm doing OK. There have been many things lately that reminded me how fragile and fleeting life is. I want to make the most of the time I have, with the amazing people in my life.

In 2013, I want to:
  • Finish a 5-mile run (I'm running one with a friend in March).
  • Finish a half marathon (I've got my eye on a big one in a beautiful place next fall).
  • Apply to PhD programs.
  • Pay off my credit card and start saving again (nearly there, finally). 
  • Eat better, and finally lay off Diet Coke. I'm sticking with not eating meat, but I need to get way better about eating vegetables.
  • Make time for the people who sustain me. I am so, so lucky to have many wonderful, inspiring people in my life. But in my quest to see everyone equally and regularly, I often miss out on spending more time with people like my mother, my roommate, my best friend, or my boyfriend -- people that hold an extra-special place in my heart. Don't get me wrong -- I care about everyone in my life, dearly -- but there are some people I know I won't see as often soon (my roommate), and who I owe so much of my happiness to (my mom, boyfriend, etc.). 
  • Make more time for reading, writing, studying, and general mental health care. 
That's it. I'm trying to keep things (relatively) simple, and just be kind to myself.  It's something I've never been good at but, dammit, 2012 was a great year. I worked hard. I need to remember that.

After all, in 2012, I:
  • Finished graduate school.
  • Taught and tutored writing to college freshmen.
  • Taught writing to high school students, my most difficult and rewarding job yet.
  • Realized that I could never do anything else, really, but teach. 
  • Decided to go on for a doctorate.
  • Ran several 5Ks, setting my best time yet. 
  • Discovered how much I like biking, spin class, and setting out for long summer rides on my own.
  • Learned, finally, how to be alone.
  • Learned how to be together.
  • Spent time with many loved ones. 
  • Started dating a kind, brilliant, generous and gentle person, who floors me every day with how good he is.
  • Saw my sister renew her wedding vows.
  • Visited beautiful parks, lakes and rivers in Illinois, Wisconsin and Arkansas.
  • Saw some of my favorite bands and musicians, like Deer Tick, Reigning Sound, Sebadoh, Mike Watt, Hayes Carll and Lucero. 
  • Presented papers at two conferences. 
  • Gave up meat. 
  • Grew up.
2012 was a hell of a wonderful year. Here's to 2013, and the big, intimidating, and exciting things it holds.