Brandy's Blog (1,016)

I stopped worrying so much about work this weekend and actually ENJOYED my time off!  I ran the Girls on the Run 5K (with a S-L-O-W time due to some killer hills).  I ran a 39:50, one of my slowest times yet.  But that was okay.  I got out there and did it.  And I supported a great organization that encourages health and good self-esteem in young girls.  

Then, hubby and I went shopping.  He wanted a few new t-shirts, I needed something to keep my hair from stinking the rest…

Thankfully, the end of the school year is upon us.  I have two more weeks left with my kiddos, and while I can say (for the most part) that this group of students is by far the best I've ever had, I can also say that I will be glad when the school year is over. I need some time to recuperate!  I've really been feeling burnt out lately.  Crispy around the edges.

This is especially true after having some issues with some students that ultimately ended up making me cry in my…

I drove to St Louis Friday night with my hubby so that I could wake up early Saturday for the Color Run.  It was a lot of fun!  I was COVERED and soaked by the time it was over since it was raining the entire morning.  Here's a few pics from the race:

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I had another 5K this morning.  It was awesome!!!  I always dread going on a run beforehand, but I never regret it afterward.  :)

This one was to benefit the elementary school's running club.  I am all about encouraging healthy habits in little ones!  It was a "color run" and they used actual "color" from the official Color Run--great practice for me since I'm doing the Color Run next weekend.  I even got a finisher's medal.  It was so cute to hear the kids on the run: "I just…

All my life (okay, I'm actually just talking about post-puberty), I've been defined by my big boobs.  Family get-togethers were fraught with me being the butt of some joke told by my very jealous (older) female relatives.  I learned to stay out of the kitchen!  As I gained weight college and post-college, the one thing I felt I had going for me was my chest.  At least my boobs were big.  They balanced all the rest of me out.  

Last week, I went to Victoria's Secret to buy a…

The scale has gone up a little bit, but I feel like the reasons are more than just my inability to handle not being on WW.  One, TOM is here now.  Two, due to my MIL being in the hospital, the stress has been up.  Stress typically means a higher number on the scale, even if I haven't changed anything.  Three, also due to having to drive to the hospital is not getting a chance to exercise.  By the time I get home from visiting at the hospital it is late, but I still have to prepare for the…

That really chubby girl in the green tights sorta in the background--that's me.  Yep.  I saw this picture and wanted to cry.  Seriously.  I look wider than I am tall.  This picture really got me down.

But then I thought about that comment Roni made about the picture that made her sad (…

After only two weeks of weight lifting and also running when I can, I got a compliment from a male colleague at work!  He said he could tell I've been exercising and it looks like I've lost weight.

Considering the scale hasn't shown any changes, I must be toning up?  It's great that someone random noticed! 

I am super tired today, but I'm going to do weights after I get back home from the school play tonight.  I promised my students I would go. It makes for a…

I'm quitting my membership to WW.  But I'm not a quitter.  My plan is to eat sensibly, follow my workout schedule, and weigh in weekly.  If, after a month, I have not lost weight (or gained--eek!), then I will go to counting points on my own (without WW) to help me stay on track.

The problem lies in the system for me.  If I am counting points (or calories), then I become obsessed with the numbers and it truly becomes a numbers game: how much can I eat and still stay within my…

I'm going back and forth about staying on Weight Watchers.  Yes, I lost my first 30 lbs on the old WW.  Then I gained a little.  Then I went on the new WW and lost 30 lbs again.  I'm around 50 lbs down from when I originally began losing weight about 5 years ago.  

But I've moved on from just points (or points+).  It just doesn't seem to be working for me anymore.  I'm more focused on finding whole, real food.  I'm more about holistically changing my life: exercise, eating…

It's cloudy and yucky outside.  I was really hoping to get in another outside run today.  I will have to wait on that though.  I'm going to do weights today since I ran out of time yesterday and I can't run today.

I need to get my butt in gear today: I have grading (annotated bibs, notebooks, and some rough drafts); typing lesson plans including substitute teacher plans for Tuesday; finishing laundry and folding/putting away; putting away dishes; and making the food for Sunday…

I kinda flaked out yesterday and didn't do my weights.  Was it because I was super tired?  Yes.  Was it because I was so sore last time that I was a little afraid to do them Thursday? Yes.  Was it because I stayed at work until nearly 7pm helping with cheerleader tryouts that evening? Yes.  

But, I'm not going to let that mean anything.  I will just work out by running today and doing weights. Then, if I fit in a run tomorrow, I will have made it back on track.  If I run…

Today was my off-day working out.  I was so sore yesterday I figured I needed to have one of my off days be on Wednesday.  The other will be either on a Sat or Sun depending on the week.

I remembered my breakfast and lunch today.  Only part of my lunch (the baked potato) was not all the way cooked through (My bad) so I didn't eat it... I just can't win!

Here's today's meals:

B: whole wheat homemade waffle with peanut butter and maple syrup

L: turkey…

I got up this morning super early so I could go running.  I did about 2 miles.  Hopefully soon I can work myself back up to 3 miles.

Today, I am tired.   I want to go to bed early tonight.  I think I need it!  I was so tired that this morning I left my breakfast and lunch on the counter when I set off for work this morning.  So I was stuck with crap food at work.  Boo.

Here's todays meal plan:

B: I planned on having a homemade whole wheat waffle with peanut…

I was hoping for a three-day workweek this week, but that didn't happen.  We had to trudge through the snow and ice this morning to get there, but we made it happen!

I got up early this morning and did some weight training/ab work and BOY am I sore!  Between shoveling snow yesterday and doing this workout, I can feel my muscles every time I bend down or squat.  But I felt more awake, more energized, and in a better mood because of my workout.  It is…

I sucked it up.  I KNOW that making excuses is not going to work for me.  I know I need to suck it up and just go out there and exercise.  But for the past few months I've had excuse after excuse.  I planned to go to the Y today, but with the snowstorm, I couldn't.  And instead of using that as an excuse not to exercise, I just adjusted my plans. I got out an old workout DVD and did that instead.  And you know what, I feel great afterwards.  It's true, you never regret taking the time to…

I have a wedding to go to this afternoon.  It snuck up on me.  I can't believe it's the end of March!!  

Anyway, we got some news about my MIL.  She does have cancer, but we don't know if it is lymphoma or colon cancer yet.  Surgery will be soon and then we should know more.  So scary.

Hubby was sent to work in Mississippi, and I know he isn't happy about being gone for all of this.  With him gone though, I may be able to stay on track with exercise and eating.…

Life has a way of kicking you in the metaphorical genitals.  

Here's what's going on:  1)Parent/Teacher conferences are this week.  2) My husband is leaving tomorrow for work in Mississippi.  3) My mother-in-law has been told (yesterday) that she probably has cancer and we are now waiting for the freaking doctors to get their paperwork straightened out so they can get her in for some more specific testing.

GAH.  And I snapped at one of my classes today.  I guess…

Yesterday I ended up getting a stomach bug.  I just feel ick.  I am not getting anything done like I had planned, but that's not surprising.  My plans always get ruined somehow!

My plan today is to take it slow and get things done as I can.  No church in case I get sick.  Plus I don't want to spread my germs.  Maybe no work tomorrow if I can't bring myself to eat anything today.  

I was wanting something to kickstart my weight loss.  I don't think being sick was…

I have been avoiding blogging.  I have been avoiding tracking.  I have been avoiding the gym.  I have been in a funk.  Not necessarily a depression.  Not necessarily in any way where I have stopped completely caring about my health.  I have been trying to figure out a few things on my own, aside from being obsessed with all the numbers: calories, points, pounds, and the like.  And guess what?  I am closer to the weight I was before I got sick in January (ie allergic reaction, spider bite,…