The Treadmill

I just have to say that I am really proud of myself for sticking with the treadmill thus far. Of course we've only had it ~2 weeks, but I have used it every single day since we got it, with the exception of days when I go to my karate class. I walk 30 minutes, and for the past few days I have mixed in some running with my walking. The pounds and inches are NOT melting off as I had hoped that they would, but I feel better, and I know I'm taking a step in the right direction. I have read (and who knows if this is true) that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% activity. Gosh I hope that isn't true. The diet part is what really trips me up. Well I am proud of myself whatever the case.
For those that don't know, I have recently become a redditor. A user of the website "reddit.com," which can be NSFW, so be careful if you check it out. But there are some really good, supportive people there, and some crazy and hilarious people too. One of my favorite subreddits is r/loseit. (For the uninitiated, you can go to www.reddit.com/r/loseit and see what I mean.) It has been really informative and motivational.
OK well I just stopped in to toot my own horn. I'd better get back to the grindstone. :)

Girly Time!

I've never been a big believer in "girls' night out" or any of that stuff, but I have to say that I had a blast today hanging out with some the coolest, sweetest girls I know. It *is* fun to have some time with the girls. I am glad to have some classy female friends that aren't interested in being catty, or bashing their husbands. We eat, we shop, we talk, we watch movies, we talk about things going on in our lives, how great our families are. There's no anxiety or competition, just good old fashioned fun. I am glad to have some great female friends that break the stereotypes. Anya, Erin, Sharon, and my bff Chrissy-- thanks so much for showing me that it's great to have female friends. :)

Don't Tread on Me ;)

Just wanted to post a quick update to say that Charles and I finally caved and bought a used treadmill off of craigslist. We got a NordicTrack, and it seems to do the trick quite nicely. I have been trying to walk on it for 30 minutes a day, and I have done so every single day since we've had it, with the exception of days that I actually make it to karate class. I really enjoy the convenience of having it my home. I think it also helps that I have kept my expectations low/realistic: I am not trying to run, I am not trying to spend an hour. I can't see the TV from the treadmill, but I can hear it, so I can either listen to something on TV, or read, or pray, or think. That's enough options for me. We have had it for only a week, but I like it, and even though money is a little tight at the moment, I think it was a good investment for our health. I enjoy walking, but prefer to do it indoors to minimize freckles and leathery skin. I think this is something I ought to be able to keep up with. :)

In other news, my friends Ben and Sharon discovered a great frozen yogurt place. It's called Sweet CeCe's (or is it CiCi's? bah, who knows...). It's one of those places where you pick your yogurt flavor and your toppings and then pay based on weight. They have several flavors of yogurt to choose from, and tons of toppings. They also have a punch card system where you get a punch on your card everytime you buy something, and when you get so many punches, you get free stuff. ProTip: Tuesday is Double Punch day! We've been there twice so far, but it's Tuesday as I write this, so can you guess what the future holds for me? Is it crazy that I am basically undoing all the treadmill's work?

Oh yeah, speaking of delicious things... Sharon made this GREAT pound cake for a cookout the other day, and she shared the recipe with me, so I wanted to share it with anyone here that is interested. Amaretto Pound Cake, nom nom. http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/amaretto-almond-pound-cake-50400000110796/

OK I had better get back to the multitude of other things I need to be working on. Have a great day, everyone!