Searching For My Lost Shaker of Salt

So when the beach decides not to cooperate with your fabulous lay in the sunshine and do nothing plans by bringing in a pesky rain storm you have to simply improvise and make other (just as fantastic) plans.  Recently the hubs and I spent a week in North Myrtle Beach, SC. If you wonder why I am making the North distinction then you are not familiar with the area and so I will simply say North Myrtle is somewhere you stay with your family or grown up friends and Myrtle is somewhere you stay during senior beach week. 🙂 We woke up on our very first morning of vacation to a rain storm.

We decided not to waste the day and instead headed out to “Broadway At The Beach” a Myrtle Beach “must visit”. Since it is mostly outdoors it was pretty abandoned for such a popular spot.

After stopping in a few stores and snapping a few photos we decided (since it was a little after noon) that we would visit Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.

If you can believe this there is normally an hour and half wait for a lunch table and over 2 hours for a table at dinner. Even on this rainy, yucky day we had to wait 25 minutes for a table. We passed the time by cruising the gift shop (we bought some hot/cold tumblers for coffee) and snapping some photos of the interior. The restaurant has a cruise ship sort of decor with parrots and mermaids and such. However, the crowning jewel is the ginormous margarita “blender” in the middle of the bar area.

After we were seated a giant bottle of margarita mix dropped from the ceiling into said blender and the song “Margaritaville” boomed from all of the speakers and televisions. Apparently this happens once an hour on the half hour. People sing along, confetti falls all over the restaurant and it’s a lot of fun.

Our waitress recommended the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” burgers so that is what we ordered. We also felt it was our duty to sample some of their awesome Margarita selections. Raspberry and Mango were the best in my opinion. I LOVE a raspberry frozen drink!

I adore a good margarita so I was in heaven here! Definitely not a healthy lunch but I am ok with saying this was perhaps my favorite vacation indulgence. If you ever get the chance to visit this themed joint it is loads of fun, the drinks are excellent and the price is right (think less than Hard Rock Cafe or other themed places). The hubs and I finished up our meals, enjoyed a movie, and had a wonderful rainy day at the beach!

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The Cure For Anything Is Salt Water- Sweat, Tears, or The Sea

I found the quote in my title today and it sort of sums up how I am feeling tonight. Tonight I am getting a little more personal with the blog. For weeks now I have struggled with a plateau, a lack of drive (in many ways), and a plummeting attitude as a result.  I have thought a lot about it and sometimes it feels like that’s all I do. I think, I plan, I talk, and nothing is really getting done.

I’ve decided to use vacation as a time to rejuvenate and re-motivate. I am not going to try to lose any weight while I am at the beach. I do however plan to continue to maintain my 35 lb loss while I am there. When I get back I will be ready to take on the weight loss full force. I am just sick of trying and I am ready to do no matter what it takes. I am ready for the sweat and the tears. I am certainly ready for the sea. Sometimes all it takes is a little change in perspective to get us on the right path. I am going to lumber along until I find my path this week.

Aside from the OpenSky store that I have been talking about this week there are still more changes coming to the blog. Some of these changes are going to help this process along and in my opinion are long overdue.  Thanks for sticking with me.

I can’t be too down on things. Today was great. It was my last workday before leaving for vacation. I officially have 10 days of pure blissful freedom in front of me and I am excited! I am kicking off my vacation tomorrow with a great workout, a mani/pedi at an organic spa, and dinner /drinks with some friends at one of my favorite local places. Then, Saturday will be all about packing and buying those last minute vacation items and finally Sunday morning we will be on our way to South Carolina.

Thankfully tonight is our last night of operation “eat random items in the house”. You can’t hate too much on frozen pizza though I will be glad to get back to actual fresh food while we are on vacation.

I  did a pain free three miles for my training run. I think I was just too excited about vacation to care about the heat or the tiny lizards running around on the trail. Also, it was so crowded this afternoon. Sometimes that annoys me but tonight it felt like a kinship of sorts- a group of grumpy sweaty runners and cyclists brave enough to face the heat and humidity. 😉 Even though I am painfully slow I like being included in that group. People have been surprisingly supportive of me. There are a few jerks (always are right?) but for the most part I have felt welcomed in this community. I think it is more natural for someone to want to share his or her passion so in a way it makes sense. I was just finishing up as the sky opened up and it poured the rain. I smiled because I knew that somewhere out on the trails my hubs was getting drenched too!

I was also sure to get in my huge serving of water today. I have been feeling a little bit gross (yes that is the technical name for it) lately and I think it’s because I haven’t been drinking enough water. I think this ginormous pink container took care of that!

I finally finished up my list for the beach today. Are you a list maker? We always forget something when I don’t make a list. It’s one of life’s little necessary evils for me.

Tonight I am staying up late, watching cheesy movies and snuggling up the hubs and the pups. I cant think a of a sweeter way to start my vacation.

Have a Happy and Healthy Thursday!

PS:  Click HERE to enter my Delicate Soles giveaway for some fabulous rollable flats

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To Body Pump or Not To Body Pump

To Body Pump or Not to Body Pump-that is the question. Maybe someone with far more fitness knowledge than I have can answer it. With the training (running 3 times a week and cross training 2) is it ok to throw Body Pump into that mix two days a week? I certainly don’t want to overdo it but there are some areas where I just feel weak overall. I think some strength training would be ideal. Tuesday and Thursday are shorter training runs (never more than 5 or 6 miles max) and Body Pump only lasts an hour. If this isn’t a good plan then what should I be doing to get in that much needed upper body strength training? I need to figure that out.

I am constantly amazed at how much I don’t know about fitness. When I was in my teens and early twenties I was very active but never learned a lot about exactly what that meant for my body or my health. I didn’t even realize its’ importance until it was too late.  Starting this process essentially means learning a whole new skill set. However, I am dedicated to doing so because I think it’s so incredibly important. A healthy lifestyle is definitely something I want to pass down when some tiny Running In Pink Project fans finally come along. Did you grow up in a health and fitness conscious household?

Today’s training went well. Since this is week one mileage is still very low and I did my 2.5 miles today without complaint. My legs felt strong in spite of yesterday’s bike ride and I am steadily improving in terms of my cardiovascular strength. I also remembered to stretch out really really good before the run and it truly makes a difference. I snapped a photo of this cute butterfly right after leaving the trail today. It kind of captured the mood of the run. It was just a nice, peaceful run.  Next training run is 3 miles Saturday morning.

Today’s “eats” were simple (and did follow my WW good health guidelines) but I did have on of my favorite dinners. We fixed (healthified) BLT’s with center cut bacon (less than 200 calories worth) and whole grain bread along with organic tomato soup. YUM! A little tip-adding some fat free sour cream to tomato soup can really “summer up” the flavor!)

Finally the yummy bread in smaller slices!!

No HFC! Love that!

Simple Summer Dinner

Tonight I am enjoying some much-needed time with the hubs and pups, watching some Vampire Diaries reruns (lame I know!) and shaping up my weekend plans. I do heart a weekend!

Have a Happy and Healthy Thursday!

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Skin Deep

If this week is any indication this is going to be one hot and sunny
summer. www.skincancerprevention.org lists some tips on how to stay
safe in the sun:

1.      Do not burn: Avoid sun tanning and tanning beds.  Ultraviolet light
from the sun and tanning beds causes skin cancer and wrinkling.  If
you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless
self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

2.      Generously apply sunscreen to all exposed skin using a Sun
Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 which provides broad-spectrum
protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB)
radiation.  Re-apply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after
swimming or sweating.

3.      Wear protective clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a
wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, where possible.

4.      Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun’s rays are
the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

5.      Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect the
damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.

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Also, if you are anything like me you were a little spooked by the big
story a few weeks ago linking the use of sunscreen to skin cancer
(crazy right!?). While the thought is very frightening there are a lot
of facts to consider. Visit About.Com/Cancer for more information on
the alleged link between skin cancer and sun block.

Finally, Some Running In Pink Project tips for fun in the sun:

1.      Big Sunglasses. It covers your pretty eyes and tons of that
sensitive skin around the eye area. Added bonus- They look fabulous!

2.      Wear white. Even if you just have a touch of a tan you will look
great. Plus you will stay cooler. Added bonus: White in the summer is
super chic!

3.      Save Face. By using a foundation or bronzer with sunscreen you are
saving your gorgeous face from a painful burn. I also love love  love
the tinted sunscreens offered by cosmetic companies such as Clinique.
Added Bonus: You’ll look great with the fresh look a bronzer provides.

4.      All things in moderation. Come inside for a bit. You’ll cool down,
be able to tell if you are getting burned, and have a chance to
re-charge. Added Bonus: You’ll have enough energy to sip cocktails by
the pool when the sun starts to go down.

Have a Healthy and Happy Summer!!

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Friends Don’t Let Friends Eat Crappy Food

Today was just filled with unhealthy temptations. I was in a huge hurry this morning and had to resist the temptation to stop and pick up a little microwave meal since fast food is a huge no-no on the challenge. Luckily I took the few extra minutes to toast up an Ezekiel English muffin and try out my new peanut butter. The peanut butter is super sweet and might work better in oatmeal or a smoothie but I LOVED the taste.

I also grabbed a banana and a V8 fusion (which are ½ off at our Kroger this week. Score!)

My workday got off to a hectic start and I was out the door for appointments before I could even check my messages. This happens sometimes and unfortunately I forgot to pack a snack (usually fruit, nuts, or a bar of some kind) just incase I got hungry. I did of course. Luckily my water and general business got me back to the office where I was about an hour and ½ late of my “normal” lunchtime. I was so glad to put my little salad together.

I warmed the chicken a little and mixed everything up so all of the veggies were coated. Yum!

In the midst of this I notice our break room table is covered in doughnuts, bread, cookies, and homemade candy. It looked like a temptation on “The Biggest Loser”. I am not kidding.  I didn’t touch it and I am proud to say a work pal who just started Weight Watchers didn’t touch it either. I told her that people leave goodies in there all the time and you kind of just have to ignore it. Don’t get me wrong- I won’t ignore all treats. If it were baklava, a cupcake, or monkey bread I would probably partake. The key is planning I think. You can plan to work a treat in here and there. The whole reason they are “treats” is because they are not supposed to be eaten everyday.  I also think that when you are actively trying to lose weight you have to prioritize. A plain-jane doughnut really is not worth the calories while a piece of fresh chocolate mousse might be. I saw this truck driving home and it made me think. If you were going to consume the extra calories would you rather it be a candy bar you grabbed at the gas station on whim or some yummy desert that you planned for calorie wise and can eat from a pretty dish while watching reruns of Sex and The City?

-It says: Slow Down Decadence Cant Be Rushed-

My day stayed just as busy at it started and mid-afternoon I had a rolo (I know random) and the Luna Bar that I bought during my workday travels this week. This flavor was so sweet I almost felt like I was eating a cookie. I cannot sing the praises of the CLIFF bar people enough. I have yet to try a flavor that I didn’t like. I am also a LARA bar fan. What is your favorite protein/snack type bar?

Since I am flexing out of work tomorrow (meaning I have already worked a full work week) I have big plans for a long and challenging workout so I used tonight as my “rest” night. I settled in to watch the NFL draft and I had a crazy craving for chicken wings and fries. I am going to fight that urge until at least football season so instead I made a honey mustard sauce with 1/4 cup mustard, 1/4 cup honey, and some lemon juice. I salt and peppered some boneless skinless chicken breasts and poured 1/2 the sauce down over them, baked them at 350 degrees for 20 min, flipped them, poured on the rest of the sauce and baked for another ten minutes. Add to that a side of sweet potato fries (the chipolte spicy version) and I was in heaven. Maybe not the most balanced meal but it killed the craving while being low calorie.

I am getting geared up for my early weekend. Besides tomorrow’s “go big” workout I have a day of light shopping planned while I wait for Bryan to get home.  After that Bry and I have plans to catch a movie and buy all of the supplies and goodies for our BBQ Saturday night with Bryan’s family.  I am looking forward to making some modified BBQ foods for myself while everyone else has some cook-out favorites.  What is your favorite cookout food?

Have a Happy and Healthy Thursday!

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