I woke up this morning at 6:15 and went for my morning walk/jog, and that automatically gets my day started right! :)
Today was my eye doctor appointment, and they said I should probably get my first trial pair of contacts this week (next week at the latest)! So hurrah for that!

Annnnnnd, I'm going walking/jogging with Karen in just a little bit. :)

Today Ryan and I replaced my front brake pads, rotors, and did a caliper rebuild. And then we purchased 4 new tires, since the ones that were on it were in pretty bad shape.

My car feels so much better driving, and I'm glad to be in a safer vehicle. :) There's a few more things we need to do, but this is a very good start.

School starts this week, and I'm mentally gearing myself up for it! :)

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY KAREN!!!

I have an contacts appointment on Monday! :) I have worn glasses since I was around 15 for nearsighted vision (myopia), and I'm so excited. I wonder if I can actually get my contacts on Monday or if I have to wait. We'll see!

I know I've posted this before, and everyone's seen it - but I think a little reminder now and then doesn't hurt! :)

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-200-calories-look-like.htm

I went walking/jogging last night with April and Karen for 1.5 hours! Yay! It felt really good, and tonight I am easing back into weight-training. I'm not going to do squats, but I will do light upper body lifting. I do not want to pull my neck again and get set back on weights.

Registered online for my bicycle decal while the $15.00 price lasts, and I'll go pick it up over lunch.

Also last night, I tried on what I'm pretty sure is going to be my wedding dress. It's so lovely and looks really great, and I want to get it altered a little, dry-cleaned, and pressed. I sat down in the dress on the floor in front of a large mirror and felt like a princess. Really. :)

I walked twice yesterday, though the second one was cut short by about 10 minutes. The first one was a really good jog/walk (jog as much as I can then walk, then jog, repeat). And my neck didn't hurt. I think it's pretty much healed, because there are no more shooting pains down my neck or shoulders. There's a little bit of an ache at the end of the day, but it's a lot better. I'm going to ease back into weight-lifting on Wednesday and keep up the cardio in the meantime.

Went to USM over my lunch break with Karen and April, and I got my car parking pass, which was $50.00 for two semesters. And I inquired about a bicycle pass and found out that it is $15.00 until Friday when the price will go up to $50.00. For a bike. That I power with my body. I'll stop ranting about that, but it is really ridiculous. A good thing about either pass, is that you only need to buy one once.

And I got most of my books. I had to call the coast campus to order a book to be shipped to my house, and two more books may need to be bought next week when the bookstore gets a new shipment (there was some mixup).
Checked out my classroom locations, and I'm starting to get into spirit of school again. :) I feel more prepared and happy. Bring it on!

I ordered our wedding cake this morning from Jody's Bakery! Ryan and I talked over the styles we liked, and we both decided on something like this:
Wedding Cake Idea

But in a brighter, deep red to go with our wedding theme, and of course we chose Jody's specialty wedding cake which they normally sell in slices. It'll be three tiers, and we're going to place flowers on top, not a cake topper. I'm so glad Karen went with me, because it was nice to have her secretive nods or shakes of her head on how big the cake should be and other details like that.  :)  And Karen has offered and agreed to drive the cake to Jackson on the Friday before the wedding!  Hurrah! 

So, we've got the following accomplished or in motion:

• Place and reception
• Officiant
• Grooms and Bridesmaids
• Dresses for most (possibly all) maids ordered
• Cake ordered
• Caterer chosen (yay April!)
• Possibly my dress
• A website
• Flowers for the most part
• Rehearsal time (need to pick a place)
• Some favors
• EDIT:  Ryan's ring ordered!
• EDIT:  Our honeymoon is booked and mostly paid
• EDIT:  Passports ordered and received.

We still need to do the following:

• Invitations
• Purchase a garter and veil
• Tuxes
  
• Talk with April and Thomas about sound equipment, etc.
• Copy music we want to laptop
• Submit table layout
• Decorations
• Marriage Certificate
• Blood test
• More favors?
• Champagne and drinks for reception

Time to shake things up! I've been doing alternating weight-training workouts (A and B) for over 6 weeks, and I've had some good progress. But I know your body gets used to anything; it's very good at adaptation and homeostasis.

Bring on the "Summer Sizzler" routine for 2 weeks, starting tomorrow!
http://www.figureathlete.com/article/most_recent/summer_sizzler&cr=

The nutrition aspect is pretty close to what I've been eating for the past two weeks anyway, except for the Metabolic Drive shakes, fish oil, and BCAA supplements. I'm excited to see how my body will respond with those added.

Also, my neck is feeling much better, and I'm going to start back with a cardio session tonight (weather permitting) and again tomorrow. It may be a few more days (even a week?) before I can start back upper body weight-training, but there's a lot more I can do in the meantime.

My neck and shoulder are much better today, and I am back at work. There is a dull burn/ache in my shoulders, but it's tolerable. And I do plan on going for a good, fast walk tonight after work.

School starts back in less than two weeks! I'm ready to get the ball rolling, and at the same time, I'm reluctant to start back. We've stayed pretty active throughout the whole summer, and it's felt so good. :)
It's almost time to put the nose to the grindstone, though; and I'm trying to think of the end result. Once the semester starts, I'll have just three more semesters to go until I graduate with my B.S. degree!

I left work yesterday at about 1:20, because my neck just burned and ached too much to stay. I alternated heat and cold yesterday afternoon, and I tried to go for a walk around the block last night. Two laps later, I headed home, because my neck started throbbing again with random streaks of pain through my neck, shoulder, and upper arm.

I got up and took a shower this morning, and I was thinking I would go to work. My range of motion is better, and I can look farther left than yesterday. But I didn't, because it started to hurt again after moving about. Pulling your neck or back muscles is truly a bummer, because lying in bed feels so relieving for a little while and then gets uncomfortable. Then I sit up, but I can already feel it starting to burn again.

Anyway, that's what's new with me. No upper body weight training for at least a week, and hopefully I can start cardio back up later tonight or tomorrow. I was very disappointed when I first pulled my neck Monday, because I have gotten into a good, consistent weight-lifting and cardio routine for the past two months. But that's how it goes, and I know I'm going to pick it right back up when I get better. If anything, I feel so much better and more energized when I workout.

Went to the gym this afternoon, and I finished very good sets of squats and dips. Went to work on the front pull downs, and my neck cramped up, left side. ( http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/LatissimusDorsi/CBFrontPulldown.html ) I actually started to do something dumb and finish up my reps with one more set, but I did not. Cramping got worse, and pain shoots up my neck and shoulder if I look left. It's just a dull ache sitting here.

For those of you who don't know it, I had neck surgery near my 19th birthday. I'm usually okay, though it does tighten up from time to time, and the doctor did tell me that it would probably cramp up occasionally and maybe even when the weather changes.

I'm taking it easy, letting the muscle rest, and took a muscle relaxer. It has helped some, but this most assuredly sucks. "Most assuredly" seems to be my common phrase lately, btw. :)

EDIT: This is definitely a pull. :( Youch.
Here's one of the muscles I think I either pulled - or it's just cramping up badly due to stormy weather patterns? http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/LevatorScapulae.html

This weekend was wonderful, busy, and relaxing. Went to Brandon Saturday with Ryan for my mom's birthday get-together. My sister-in-law makes truly delicious chicken and dumplings. I feel like I did really well, though, because I made myself a saucer of food and didn't overdo it. It was really nice hanging out with my family. I love my mom and think she was very happy. :)

Went swimming Saturday night for a little while, and yesterday I walked twice. The first time was walking/jogging with Ryan around 1:30 for about 40 minutes, and it was such a beautiful day. We would walk for about 60 seconds, then jog for 30 seconds, and alternate that for almost the entire time. I also concentrated very hard on even, cadence-like breathing versus ragged gulps of air.
The second walk was with April around 9:30 for 30 minutes, and that felt good too, if anything that I got a second workout done. :)
Going to lift weights today after work and start back doing my morning workouts tomorrow.

Breakfast of champions: 1/2 c. granola, 1/4 c. plain yogurt with capful of imitation vanilla extract mixed in, and a handful of raspberries and blackberries! Yurm!

Pictures from Karen's flickr of me! Woo!

The interesting thing about this dress is that the zip up on the side is much looser now that I've lost some weight since I first bought it! Yaay!
I love the dress, though, and need to learn how to take in clothes. I also want to buy another dress or two soon, and I could just take them in as I continue to lose weight.



We went to Suwanna's for a Thai dinner that night! Yummy!

.....Otherwise known in its shortened version among weight-lifters and dietitians as BCAA's.

I was just looking over a supplement page today ( https://www.figureathlete.com/onlineStore.jsp ) and talking with April on the phone, when I looked at the BCAA's, again. Branched-Chain Amino Acids are found in basic sources of protein, more predominantly in fish and red meats, but I never really paid attention to the supplementation of them in pill form.

Welp, Ryan sent me this wiki link on it ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branched-chain_amino_acids ), and I'm awe-inspired by these sentences:

"The first manner through which the metabolic pathway is affected is the increased production of insulin. It has been demonstrated that BCAA supplementation in accordance with carbohydrate intake following resistance exercise increases insulin output by 221%, which is much greater than the 66% supplementation without leucine. Leucine is the most readily oxidized BCAA and therefore the most effective at causing insulin secretion from the pancreas, and stimulating the metabolic pathway."........
"This translation leads to the production of proteins to build muscle."


This is wonderful!
1. It promotes insulin sensitivity and production. Which means low-sugar, complex carbohydrates will be processed more efficiently as fuel for my body.

2. It increases production of proteins and therefore increases muscle growth. Muscle burns fat, and increased muscle just means a healthier body overall.

One thing I will say about supplementation is that you can get everything you need in a thoroughly balanced diet; however, I have particular weight-loss and muscle building goals and expediting that - and in healthy manner - is awesome!

Exercising over the past few days:
Saturday, weight-training
Sunday, over 2 hours swimming
Monday, morning walk and evening swim

I never thought I'd say this, but I love my morning walks with Karen. I have never been a morning person, and yet, I woke up before my 6:15 alarm again! It helps to already have my workout clothes ready before I go to bed - and a good walking partner! ;) Karen is most definitely a morning person.

This afternoon, Ryan and I will be doing our weight-training, probably workout B and that means deadlifts. This week I'm concentrating on keeping my calories around 1200 - 1400 a day and eating complex carbs, especially on weight-training days.
And my breakfast of champions this morning around 7:30 was 1/3 c. grape nuts and 1/3 c. plain yogurt mixed together, with a few sliced strawberries and blueberries tossed in.

http://www.myhattiesburg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32259

Ryan's thread on myhattiesburg.com exploded and apparently this guy is known around town for trying to sell cheap home equipment like weedeaters for cheap (all obviously stolen).
Through other people on the thread, we've got the tag number for the guy and turned that in with the video to a detective at the police department. Even if we don't get the weedeater back, it will be awesome if the guy gets caught and punished accordingly. What a jerk!

And ahhhhh, the power of the internet, nerds, and taking a little initiative. :D

Our Ryobi weedeater was stolen last Monday, and Ryan noticed it was missing today.
The guy who stole it, though, didn't realize we have audio and video surveillance:



Ryan called the police and made a report, and he's posted it to youtube and is going to post it on myhattiesburg.com.
Another point to mention is that Mark was actually home that Monday morning.

I received my passport yesterday, and it only took a week and a half to arrive! Yaay! Ryan's passport arrived in one week flat. So now we're pretty much set for our honeymoon cruise in December. I'm pretty happy with our wedding and honeymoon planning, because we're getting a lot of things done early. Our wedding is right at four months away, and the honeymoon's three weeks after that over Christmas break.

Ryan and I are going to my 10 year high school reunion this Saturday night! I'm really looking forward to it, if anything just to hang out with our small group of friends and have a nice dinner. :) I haven't seen Lager's since it was remodeled into The Bulldog.

Last night I laid out my workout clothes and went to bed early, and I woke up this morning before my 6:15 alarm. Got up, texted Karen, and hopped on the bike to ride 5 minutes up the road to the walking park. We got in our power-walk with a little jogging and then I rode the bike home. It felt amazing! I am by no means a morning person, but I think I can do this in the mornings. Hopping on the bike right away and having to pay attention to the little bit of traffic really wakes me up and is a good warmup. Karen and I are going to try keeping up a consistent morning schedule.

Plus, this is in addition to my weight-training exercises and any cardio I do after work! I'm making real progress, and I'm very happy and motivated. :)
Eating cleanly, plenty of sleep each night, walking in the mornings, and weight-resistance or a type of cardio in the afternoon is a recipe for success!