All of it burns. All of it.

Sooo for those of you who don't know, I went to the gym yesterday! Woohoo! And just to prove it wasn't all talk, here are some pictures to describe how I feel today:

Yep. That's about where I am right now. It took a "little" longer than normal to sit on the commode this morning after I woke up, and I was cursing the day that we bought a townhome with 3 flights of stairs.

I've started tracking my workouts on Fito again, and I have to say it's really satisfying to get points. I mean, it's not like the points mean anything, but it still brings some silly joy when a robot calculates your workout and then you're awarded points which eventually lead to you leveling up.

Also as a point of accountability: behold my workout from yesterday! :)

Ow.

That lovely little workout earned me 246 points and some super sore muscles. I'm going to go back today because I know working out more will help, but ugghhh. Not really looking forward to it. That being said, I know I'll be really happy in 3 weeks that I've started again. It felt so natural being back in there, swinging a kettlebell, doing squats, planking and cursing my stopwatch for not going faster… I loved going to the gym pre-wedding. I hated missing a day.

I'm getting back on track though. I will do this! :D

Anyone else trying a new workout lately?

xo
A Redhead

P.S. - I already have fabulous plans of not going to the gym tomorrow, because I'm working my PT job until 9:30, and then still have to go to the swing dance because it's a big event. Not really looking forward to Friday for once. =\

Starting Over...

Today is the day.

THE day.

Today is the day I start going back to the gym.

Uggghhhhhhhhh.

I'm equal parts excited and paralyzed with fear. I'm not sure why- I used to go to the gym 4-6 times a week and go swing dancing and go on long walks with my dog. I used to be a very active person despite my badonkadonk.

Maybe the key phrase is "used to be". 

I meant to start yesterday, but I basically set myself up for failure and didn't have my gym bag or lunch packed the night before, and there's pretty much no hope of doing it in the morning. I don't know about you guys, but morning are just so hard. So. Darn. Hard. I tried to find light and happy songs to use as alarms, but after awhile I start to dread them and want to throw my phone across the room. Basically my last few months has looked like this:

Mornings? Nope. 

Both please! Throw some carbs in there and I'm good to go!

Angelika just gets me.

Winter's always just hard too because you don't want to be outside. It's not like I take my sweet time when walking Zoey. Heck no. It's more like "C'mon and do your business 10 minutes ago!!" Then we run back to the house while I whine about how cold it is. Anyone else feel me on this?

So. I'm going back to the gym today and I'm going at lunch because I know that that is just what works for me. I can't possibly go in the mornings (see above- ha!), and I don't want my evenings consumed with it, so lunch time is the best time. Plus I really enjoyed it back in the day of my fitness craze. Just getting back to it is soooo hard. And painful. And hard.

It's on the blog and I've told some people at work, so I am essentially forcing myself to go. I'll feel like a jerk if I tell all of you that I am and then don't. It also helps that the Bearded Wonder will be joining me. :) He's a gym rat though so he likes going to the gym. Weirdo.

I know George, I don't get it either. 

I'll let you all know how it goes later!

xo
A Redhead

True Confession Tuesday

Let me start by saying that I feel like overall, I have a pretty diverse taste in music. I used to crank the classical to do my homework, I've seen ACDC in concert (still one of the greatest nights of my life), I can throw down in a 90's music sing-off, buuuut what you may not know….

I really. Really. Really like rap music.

I mean to the point where I've made it a goal to memorize Eminem's lyrics from songs that are suitable for radio play.

So when my husband texted me from our living room to say "Missy Elliot's on!" during half-time*, I threw a sweatshirt on and hustled down to see The Queen doing her thing. Too bad by the time I got downstairs I missed it and Katy Perry was back to, well, being Katy Perry.

Is that a… shark…??

I ended up watching the full half-time show, and I swear when I heard the opening beat of "Get ya freak on", my little heart soared and I smiled like someone handed me a big ole' cookie (I like cookies. Shut up.)

I may have been in an office chair, so I had to do subtle chair wiggles. But inside?

I was hoping black lipliner would materialize on my lips at any moment...

It's not just Missy- I love Eve, had a crush on Ja Rule in high school (even with the tiny 'stache!), rapped along in the car with Eminem, and watched DMX rap at the top of a skyscraper.

It doesn't matter that I can do The Carlton with the best of them or that I've seen NSYNC & BSB in concert.

I just wanted you all to know that I really freaking love rap/hip-hop/r&b and kind of have a vocal crush on Usher** (whaaaat?).

On a completely different note: I'm still trying to do the FABulous February workout. I missed it yesterday, but the way it's laid out I can do day 2 today, then day 3 tomorrow, and it'll catch right up. Beardy is doing it with me, which is nice for the support, but I kept yelling "DON'T LOOK AT ME!!!" as I fumbled through mountain climbers.

I don't care what our vows said, this wasn't going to be pretty...

Anyone else have a confession they wanna share?? You can post anonymously! :) 

xo
A Redhead

*Note: I don't do football so I was in our bedroom waxing nostalgia watching 101 Dalmatians. :) 
**Note pt. 2: Ok but seriously, who doesn't?? Does anyone make a better slow jam?

Something new for February

I think over the many, many, many many many years I've been working on some type of weight loss or body improvement, I've come to the realization that I can't say "I'm starting tomorrow!" or "I'm starting Monday!"

I just can't do it.

If I decide I'm starting something, I basically have to start the second I decide, or I'll talk myself out of it later. Or I'll forget (yep, that's totally happened). Case and point, the 90-day challenge I joined with some ladies back in October happened on a completely random day, and even though I found myself going "Wait uhhh what but cookies!", I still started making changes to my diet right then.

So for February, I found this link on a friend's Facebook page for "FABulous February". I'm going to try it, because you start out doing 5 sit-ups (oh Lord…), 20 mountain climbers, and 10 jumping backs. That's doable, right?

Imma let you finish, but shut it Kanye.

You get 2 rest days a week, and do a different routine every other day. Since it starts "small" (the mountain climbers scare me. a lot.), I think it will be easier since it's not like this is going to take forever. Every little bit of movement helps, right?!

I just don't feel great a lot these days. I have a part time job now (helloooooo discount!) which is great, but I'm finding my back and knees sore a lot more because I'm standing for hours at a time. If I could strength my bodaciousness, it would probably help with discomfort.

Sooo that's where I'm at. I'm too lazy to print the chart, so I have it set as my background picture on the laptop. I'm using Youtube to find proper form for stuff like the mountain climbers and back extensions.

Sidenote: homeboy in the mountain climbers video makes it look too easy. I don't trust him.

Regardless of your political leanings, you have to admit Michelle gives a mean stink eye.

Anyway. That's me. How's everyone else doing?

xo
A Redhead

Cookies to change your life

Let's get real for a second.

Sometimes you need a cookie. But not some crappy dry cookie. You need that perfect cookie that's a delicate mix of salty and sweet.

We have found that cookie.

We. Found. THE. Cookie.

It's here. That's the holy grail of cookie recipes. The best part? It's a recipe for cookies for 2. As in we don't have 5 dozen cookies laying around (CURSES!), and we could indulge in moderation.

Granted, I wanted to smack my husband's plate out of his hands and eat his cookies off the floor, but whatever…

Oh you like them cookies??

Yeah, OK, I was giving him the side eye. Or at least his cookies. And that's not some shady euphemism, this is a family blog! A family blog that's really passionate about cookies, anyway...

So, I'm really proud of us that we even sought out a recipe for cookies for only 2. You know, instead of the typical 2-5 dozen. Hello self-control! I've made a new policy that we can't keep sweet stuff in the house. Cakes, cookies, ice cream… None of it. If it's around. I will destroy it.

Seriously, this is the story of my life. 

It's for the best interest of everyone around that we don't keep it in the house. There's stuff to make things like the Holy Grail of Cookies, but that requires effort, and thankfully I'm not always into effort-making when it comes to junk food. But Heaven help me if it's readily available…

Anyway. I succeeded in moderation with the most amazing cookies I've ever had, annnd I found the recipe to end all cookie recipes.

Bully for me!

xo
A Redhead

Let's talk about something different...

So there are 2 big things on my mind these days: money. puppies.

Haaa you thought I was going to say something about babies, didn't you?

Not for awhile, my friends. 

So anyway. The Bearded Wonder has recently gotten himself a shiny new job, but prior to that we were saying "muchos gracias" to uncle Sam for unemployment benefits. Suffice to say, money has been a constant thought on our minds for 6-ish months. I started reading this blog, Budgets Are Sexy, and I have to tell you, it's cracking me up. It's real, practical advice, and the guy calls himself J Money. He basically teaches you how to make it rain by saving money and doing side hustles (see? I'm picking up his slang already. Holler. or something.)

I've decided to pick up my own side hustle, and am in the process of getting a part-time gig with Lane Bryant. I love that store. They have fleece lined leggings for my booty, and super cute dresses that make me sashay like RuPaul. I won't work too many hours, but it should be enough to reasonably update my wardrobe (you know, replacing the 6 year old pencil skirt that's stretched out and can't be worn in public anymore…), but then also use for actual fun money (like plane tickets for my cousin's super sweet wedding). That way we don't have to use our actual salaries for stuff like this, and I'll have fun doing it. I worked for them in college, and I've mastered the art of lovingly giving opinions to total strangers. Boom.

ALSO. I just lowered our cell phone bills. Woot wooooot! Prior to the super enthusiastic woman on Verizon live chat, we were paying $134. Post super enthusiastic woman on Verizon live chat, I scored and extra gb of data on my line (probably because they pity me with my poor broken phone), and $30 off our bill every month. It's still expensive for cell phones, but shoot- $30 month = $360 for the year. I'm not mad at it.

I never could eat Chiclets again after this movie...

Next: puppies.

Please tell me you've all met Theo+Beau at some point in your internet travels. Put down your coffee, click that link, and then come back. Not a second sooner! They are quite possibly the cutest pair the world has ever seen. I can't count the amount of times I've seen that link float around on Facebook, or received emails including a picture and a comment to the effect of "D'aawww!"

If this doesn't make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, then you need to go to church.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting my friend's puppies a whole 3 days after she got them. They were tiny, tiny little things, and I actually picked one up in each hand, and jokingly rubbed them on my face. Kinda weird, but I have no regrets. Plus the pictures are hilarious (and on my husband's phone so you can't see them. =P ) Just to be snuggled up with puppies? Ugh, this kid is basically living my dream. Every. Day.

My feels! My feels!!

So all this to say: Jessica Shyba, creator of that cute little boy and rescuer of that cute little pup, is coming out with a book. A book that's SO cute, the world just may explode and flowers may rain down in all war-affected areas of this world. It's coming out February 3rd, and I'm going to pre-order it so fast, Amazon won't know what hit 'em.

Check it out here, because really it's the perfect gift for anyone who loves babies, puppies, unspeakable joy, and world peace (re: flowers). Or if you think someone is really cranky, send 'em a copy and it should melt the cockles of their heart quite nicely, and then you'll have a new friend. You're welcome, world.

xo
A Redhead

It's happened...

I've changed the look of the blog again. I know, I know, I went through a phase last year where I changed it regularly, but I think I really like this one and I think it's going to stick for a minute! =)

New year, new blog look. Sounds good, right?

Sorry there's been nothing but radio static as of late, but I've been mulling over revamping the blog… I know it started out as a tool in accountability with eating and exercising, but honestly, it's so up and down. I mean if you're a fat kid trying to lose weight or tone up or whatever, it's generally pretty up and down. But as I've mentioned before, if there's nothing happening on the blog, then there's probably not much happening with the food/exercise.

I've been thinking of expanding the blog to be about any and every thing happening in our lives, but would anyone really read it? Then again I didn't expect people to read this blog, so who knows! =)

I had started that 90-day thing with some friends, and it was officially up at the start of the new year. Admittedly some of my resolve started to fail around Christmas time… I don't think I'm back to where I was when I started it, but I've definitely had more sugar as of late. That should probably stop- my craving for sweet nonsense is getting higher again. I don't know why I do this to myself, I know that I always feel infinitely better when I cut that crap out.

Granted, my sugar consumption is still less than it's been in months, but it's still higher than it was when I swore I'd cut it out. I'm going to try to make some smoothies this week to see if that will satisfy "The Craving". I'm a frozen fruit, banana, water, chia seed kinda girl- nothing fancy or ridiculous to pack in the calories.

Anyway, how's everyone else doing? Set any resolutions for the new year? The only resolution I've set and kept was made ~5 years ago and it was "Don't make resolutions". =) As usual I'll keep plugging away at trying to exercise, meal plan, and decorate my house with a tiny, tiny budget.

xo
A Redhead

P.S. - I pondered running again the other day, and then I thought of this:

The struggle is real.