Back to the grind

Day 5 of the semester and I officially do not want to run away... yet. I'm caught up on my homework (minus a little Social Studies reading, but that's no biggie) and I've got everything cleaned up, put away, etc. etc. Just call me your little home maker.

So, I'm sure your just dying wondering how INSANITY is going for me, right? Yeah, I thought so. Well, it hasn't been going too terribly. I'm feeling a lot healthier..kind of. I mean, I'm eating better, and I'm trying to follow the workout schedule as closely as I can. But, sometimes I stray from it a little bit. Like for example, today. It was 63 degrees and b-e-a-u-tiful outside. So, my roommate and I went on walk around the oh-so-glorious (no sarcasm at all) town of Frostburg. It felt so good to be out and about in the fresh air and just enjoy being outside. Ahh, too bad it'll be winter in no time, I'm sure.

So, on to the bigger and better and way more exciting aspects of my life (not really). Susie, Lynda, and Alex (one of my friends from class), all signed a lease to live together next year. We're moving back into my old four bedroom apartment. I'm pumped. I'm glad to be back where it's familiar and cozy. While you may be thinking "what in the world is wrong with her? why would she be trying to live with three other girls?", I'm thinking.. CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. Just kidding; it's really going to be so much fun. I'm excited... but really though, it will be cheaper. ;)

Anyways, that's all the excitment I have for one day. Time for me to read this Social Studies, catch up on Pinterest, and watch last night's episode of Caged and some Teen Mom. Fun night, let me tell you. Audios.

Failure isn't an option... but today it is.

Here's the problem.. I went out of town, and didn't have time to do INSANITY. Today, I wake up late and my parents want to go out to eat and to the grocery store to get food/needs for when I go back to school. Then, I have work. I don't have time to work out. I should have gotten up earlier.. and my eating habits have sucked. All the healthiness has been thrown out the window for the past three days. Now, I set myself back and am three days behind on INSANITY. I'm failing.

Here's my problems:
1) Because I've already done INSANITY, I'm getting bored with it. (NO BUENO!!!!)
2) I love food, so I'm having such a difficult time getting into the habits of eating healthy.
3) My dad cooks such unhealthy meals; I'm sorry, they're good and I won't be getting them in about 2 days for 4 months.. so I'm going to eat them.
4) I'm losing motivation...

So, could somebody please help me?! I'm desperate to get into shape... but, I guess when I want it bad enough, I'll make myself do it.. Plus, it'll be easier when I'm at school and am in charge of cooking my own meals. Also, my roommate at Suess will help motivate me to do it..

Here's my secrets:
1) I really just want to go back to the gym. (I miss lifting and the treadmill... oh, and the hot boys that are there, ;) )
2) I have a terrible sweet tooth; it's not helping.
3) When I don't see any results... I start to feel defeated.. rather than working harder. (I need to get past that).

I'm starting to drown in a sea of unhealthiness, again.. if anyone wants to save me... please do.

INSANITY. Is. Kicking. My. Butt... in a good way. I'm not losing weight.. or maybe my scale is broke, because it told me I gained four pounds today.. that didn't go over well with me.And I don't really think Shaun T would be too proud of my progress that I'm not actually making. But, I am getting stronger. That's a good thing. I'm still struggling with my eating habits. I've come to the conclusion that it's harder being home than being at my apartment during the semester. While there, I don't buy sweets or chips or even pop. Mainly because I don't want to pay for it, which really helps me out because then I'm not eating things that are bad for me. I'm guessing it will get easier with time.. right now, I'm lacking the motivation to get out and do Pure Cardio. I've been sitting in my pajamas all day long watching movies on FX. Oops. Oh well, next week this time, I'll be trying to get back into school mode. So, I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts, i guess. I just wish eating healthy would be easier. It's so difficult. Especially in my house. It's rather difficult when there are Oreo's in the cupboard and pizza on the table for dinner. What's a girl to do? I don't understand why losing weight can't be easier? But, I guess no one said it would be easy.

On another note, I'm anxiously awaiting for February 10th to come along. Why, you ask? Because of this:

I am so excited. What's better than Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams together in one movie? Yeah, I can't think of anything, either. I love me some CT.

Random: I'm on this new history kick. I watched "We Were Brothers" the other day, which is a movie about the Vietnam. Ever since, I've been reading up on the war, or "conflict," as it is sometimes referred to. And maybe since it was Martin Luther King, Jr. day yesterday, I've been really interest in the whole segregation thing that went on back in the day.. I hate to say it, but good Lord were people so nasty. I'm glad that is over.. although, I'm aware it really isn't at times. I forgot how much I actually like history. I guess being in all of these English classes for the past three years has allowed me to forget about that.

I promised I would post a picture of the jewelry organizer I made. So here it is:

It was pretty easy to make. I bought a utensil organizer at Kitchen collection, bought some black spray paint (so it would match my black picture frames in my room), and then took some ribbon that I had lying around, made a bow, and strung the pink ribbon through the holes of the organizer. And here it is. Not too hard, and quite effective.

I've also organized my Education Portfolio, put new pitures up in my room, and made two blankets. So, I've been pretty productive in the last week. Now all I have left to do is clean my room, and write two essays for two scholarships. Phew, I got this. Only 6 more days until I'm back at FSU. Where did this break go?!

Till next time for whoever reads this (if anyone).

What a day, what a day, what a mighty-not-so-good day.

Today has been quite the day, let me tell you. No, nothing terribly bad has happened. It's just one of those days where you get up and you think "today is going to suck." I tried to shake that feeling, but it did not, no matter what I did, go away. So, I thought, well maybe if I do INSANITY, I'll feel better. They always say that working out can help with moods and all of that good stuff.

So, I started INSANITY, and boy, I was not feeling it. My muscles were/are sore from the day before, and Shaun T, you were absolutely and positively kicking my butt today. I don't know what it was, but it was just so difficult. I could not get my body to do what I was supposed to be doing... and it was more than frustrating. I knew I could do it; I did it for two months. I knew it wasn't because I wasn't capable or didn't have the motivation, because I do. Talk about wanting to scream. There's nothing that drives me crazy more than wanting to do something and not being able to do it to the extent that I expect of myself.

Then came the eating challenge. I was starving from the moment I woke up, which I knew couldn't be a good sign because I would want to eat anything in sight. So, I ate a whole wheat bagel with whipped cream cheese, a half a cup of cottage cheese, and a banana. I was full.... for three hours. Then I was hungry again, so I ate a yogurt parfait and an apple. Don't worry, I was hungry an hour later. So, I ate a whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter thinking that it would fill me up more than fruit or vegetables. WRONG. I'm sitting here starving.. again. And yes, you guessed it... my Dad is making one of favorite things for dinner: Chicken Parmesan. Ahhh, this whole eating thing is becoming so daunting. I'm trying to not deprive myself, but I also don't know if it's ok to occasionally eat, in moderation, things such as Chicken Parmesan. I wish I could just have a personal trainer/cook. One can dream, right?

On the bright side, I have a lot of projects to complete this week. I'm going to try to get my jewlery organizer done, organize my education portfolio, put new pictures up in my room, and make three blankets for 3 (2 newborn, one 3 year old) little boys. At least I feel productive.

Ohhh, just so everyone knows.. my new favorite MTV show = Caged. Oh my gosh! It is love! I love southern boys and their accents. It's fantastic. I'm hooked. It documents three amateur MMA fighters in Lousiana and their lives and struggles. Right up my alley. I love it. Don't worry, I'm already following them on Twitter and Facebook. A little obsessed? Maybe. Don't judge. You seriously need to check it out!

Alright, that's all for now.

& it begins....

Today was my first day of INSANITY. But, don't get too excited. The first day consists of a Fit Test which involves me doing eight different exercises to see how many I can do in one minute. Here are my results (yes, I'm aware that you probably do not care too much about this.. but, if I put them on here, then I have a reason to do better for the next Fit Test.)

Switch Kicks - 92
Power Jacks - 38 (I HATE these with a burning passion)
Power Knees - 84
Power Jumps - 29 (These absolutely and positively SUCK)
Globe Jumps - 11
Suicide Jumps - 12
Push up Jacks - 20 (Don't forget, my push ups are kind of weak.. and that's putting it nicely)
Low Plan Oblique - 35

I feel like I kind of have an advantage on this first Fit Test.. I don't know whether or not if it's cheating.. or just having a head start. Either way, I started doing INSANITY in the middle/end of October with my roommate, Lynda. But, we only did the first month worth of workouts. We just did them repeatedly. Granted, I didn't do them everyday and I never had a routine with them. I also didn't eat healthy at all. However, I did manage to lose 12 lbs even without eating well.

Today, I also began my adventure with "eating healthy." INSANITY provided a Nutrition book which provides recipes and what you should be eating, five times a day. Not going to lie, I really like eating; so, this eating five times a day thing is looking like it's going to be working out pretty well. Anyways, today, I made a dark green salad complete with mushrooms, onions, cucumbers, pecans, and light red raspberry vinegerette dressing, a turkey bacon sandwich on wheat bread with tomatoes and lettuce, and a nice simple apple. I also made myself a vanilla, blueberry, and banana shake. I know, I know. You're probably thinking, eww. That all sounds gross. Don't worry, that's exactly what I was thinking. But, I thought, I really didn't spend $80(ish) on all of this healthy food not to give it a try. And, to my surprise, I really didn't mind it at all. It tasted really good, actually. Andddddd, the best part was that I was completely and totally full and satisfied. You can't really beat that, right?

I'm pretty sure that my biggest challenge is going to be dinner. I love eating dinner with my family. It's one of the only times we all sit down and spend time together. Not to mention, my dad is a pretty good cook, if I do say so myself. I'm wondering if Shaun T were with me at dinner tonight, if he would have yelled at me for eating that roast beef sandwich and a few fries? Oopsies. I couldn't help it. All in moderation, right? Ahh, and so the struggling begins. I think it's going to be difficult trying to decide how much to eat of certain things and what is considered good/bad. Everyone seems to have different opinions on everything. Some say that carbs are bad, some say they're good. A lot of people say that fat is bad, but then Shaun T is telling me that there are good kinds of fat, you just have to know which ones are acceptable. Phew, this is all over my head. HELP!

I'd post my starting weight and mesaurements/pictures on here... but, I'm not very comfortable with that. Maybe at the end of this I'll give you the inside to it all. But for now, my insecurity stays.

Tomorrow begins the hard work and sweat. Day 2 = Plyometrics. Knowing what I do from doing it before, this is my least favorite workout. I'm definitely going to have to "dig deep" and find that motivatoin tomorrow. Or, maybe it won't be as hard as I think. I'm feeling really good about doing this so far. I just hope this continues for the next 59 days.

So, I know this has already been a lengthy post, but I feel like I should share some of the positive aspects about my day:

1) I've begun organizing my life; starting with a DIY jewlery organizer I found of Pinterest. I'm excited about this and I'll definitely be posting pictures as soon as I finish it.

2) I ran into my best friend, Merri Kathryn, whom I miss so much, at the mall today. It was totally unexpected. But, the hour or so I spent with her was much needed. Love youuu. :)

3) The devotion I read for today was absolutely and positively spot on for what is going on in my life.. This is what it said: "I am with you and for you. When you decide on a course of action that is in line with my will, nothing in heaven or on earth can stop you. You may encounter many obstacles as you move toward your goal, but don't be discouraged - never give up! With my help, you can overcome any obstacle. Do not expect an easy path as you journey hand in hand with me, but do remember that I, your very-present Helper, am omnipotent. Much, much stress results from your wanting to make things happen before their times have come. One of the main ways I assert my sovereignty is in the timing of events. If you want to stay close to me and do things my way, ask me to show you the path forward moment by moment. Instead of dashing head-long toward your gaol, let me set the pace. Slow down, and enjoy the journey in my presence." Now, if that isn't perfect, I don't know what is? Sometimes, it's important for me to just stop, rewind, and refocus. Often times, I tend to forget that not everything can be done my way and I can't plan every aspect of my future, only God can do that for me. It's a lot to take in at times... or is it just me being stubborn? Hmm.. guess that's something for me to think about.

One last thing.. this bothers me, greatly. I wasn't on Twitter the other day, (follow me! @courtneyh1324), but, apparently #godisnotgreat was trending. To put it simply, it breaks my heart. Not to shove my religion down anyones throat, but there is no one like my God. And let me be the first one to tell the world, there are greater things that are yet to come and I whole-heartedly have faith in that. Yes, I'm not perfect. I act in ways i shouldn't, I've said things I know I shouldn't have; Lord knows I've taken wrong turns and travelled down roads that I have led me to awful things. But, that doesn't take away from the fact that because of the Big Man Upstairs, I've gotten through every trial and curve ball life has thrown me. So, I'm sorry kids, but don't tell me that "#godisnotgreat" because I will, and more than happily, show you 40,000 reasons as to why #godisgreatandmighty. All I can say is I pray for every person who tweeted that...

Ok, I'm done venting and writing this book. I'm sorry if I bore you. But, you're still reading this if I did, so thank you for listening. I'll be back to keep everyone updated... and without adding 20 extra ramblings.

Let's give this thing a try.

So, I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing. I will be the first to admit that I'm absolutely and positively clueless about blogs and blogging. But, I'm going to give it a try. My best friend, Seuss (aka Susie Sebastian) just began a blog about her adventures in veganism. Yep, that's right she just became a vegan and I'm so proud of her. You should follow her - suzsebastian.blogspot.com. She's inspired me to start this and do better... in everything. So, here I am.

I guess my main goal of this blog (right now) is to keep me focused on my "New Years Resolution." I know, your eyes probably just rolled. But, I'm totally serious. Every year I make a promise to myself to be a better person, eat healthier, and get back into shape. And, as you guessed, every year I fail miserably and break that promise. So, this time, I'm going to make an honest attempt to succeed. 2012 is the year for greatness, or for the world to end, if that's what you believe (I, however, find that to be quite ridiculous..but, whatever you're into).

I'm going to be blogging, at least for the next 60 days, starting on Monday, about my adventures with Shaun T and INSANITY. Yes, I know, I'm truly insane. But you know, a lot of people think that I can't do it.. and I say, watch me. That's my motivation. I'm going to do it, wait and see. My eating habits are going to completely change and I'll be exercising 6 days a week. I'm curious to see if this will put me in better moods or worse moods. To be determined. It's going to be a struggle for me to eat differently. I love sweets, pasta, steaks, potatoes, you know.. the works. Not to mention, I'm not a big fan of change.. but, I'll adjust. I will say that I'm not afraid of hard work and a little sweat.. I love it.. most days. I'm ready to finally feel healthy and be able to "strut my stuff"with real, honest-to-goodness confidence. We'll see how this goes..

Anyways.. goals for the new year:
1) INSANITY + Eating healthier = Losing 20 lbs (hopefully)
2) Be positive
3) Be true to myself
4) Start this blanket making project
5) Go on more missions trips

I figure since I like to talk (obviously) that  I'll be sharing more than just my journey with INSANITY.. so, stay tuned in.. I'm assuming this blog will be alot-a-bit sporadic, sometimes crazy, but always entertaining.

xoxo,
Court

"...the Lord will fight for you; you need only be still." [Exodus 14:14]