The BEST Things I've Ever Eaten

So...I stepped on the scale today....and What the HECK! Um...remember a while back I wrote that post about time to shed the "winter coat"...well I've been trying with not too much success. As a matter of fact I am +6 from my weight last spring! Grrr!!

I can attribute part of this to my busy schedule over the last several weeks (too much fast food!) So I am officially saying goodbye to three cherished and loved items that have snuck back into my regular diet. DONUTS, ICE CREAM and McDONALDS...I will miss you!

The key phrase here is "regular". I have allowed convenience, and emotional state of mind to sabotage my eating habits. I don't think there is anything wrong with splurging on rare occasions, and celebrations...and even though I'm all about enjoying life..I don't think that Tuesday is enough of a good reason to stop at the donut shop on the way to work and "celebrate". (*wink)

So in all of this food thought today I came up with a TOP TEN list of some of my favorite foods:

 10 - Eggplant Parmesan. One of my mom's favorites.

 9 - Pancakes in general are delish, but Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes are Yummy!!

8 - Greek Souvlakia. Ideally from the stand at the square in Vaigya,

but I make my own mean version as well!

7 - Square Donuts.  Amazing!!

6 - Pizza!! Mama Mia!

I have never had a pizza I didn't like. This is the famous 747 from Maurizio's Pizza

 5 - Pineapple Upsidedown Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory

Just a piece of Heaven I tell ya!

 4 - Ahi Tuna Steak

I tried it for the first time on my trip to Boston a few years ago.

 3 - Baskin Robbins Rocky Road

My all time favorite flavor for as long as I can remember.

But kinda like pizza, not sure I've tasted a flavor of ice cream I didn't like.

2 - Chocolate Thunder from Down Under ~ Outback

It is a birthday must for me! I typically don't share food, but hard to eat this one alone.

1 - A Steak cooked to medium-rare Awesomeness!!!

How 'bout you?? What are your favorites?

...So, after all that I'm hungry again! Ha!! ~later

What A Difference A Week Makes..

Let me first start by saying I LOOOVE my Garmin!! It has been really great being able to run new routes and not have to question how far I have gone. I don't have to depend on people around me. I can be a steady paced runner....if I have a steady paced runner to run with..Ha!  I really don't look at it while I'm running, but I find it very interesting to look at all the data when I get back in from a run. I'm learning to connect the way I feel with the results from the data, and learn from it. I can compare my heart rate, the elevation, my pace etc. and there are other features that I haven't even begun to play with.

Today's long run was basically the same run as last week with a bit of a different finish to tack on another .25 to make it an even 9 miles. I'm not exactly sure what the difference was for me this week, but it sure did seem A LOT harder than last week. My overall pace went from 8:54 last week to 9:11 this week. Not a super big difference and much better than I thought it was going to be based on the way I felt. There were several times that I felt like I could just give up and die!! Of course that meant I would have to walk the rest of the way in, and I wasn't about to do that....so I kept on truckin'. Maybe running has helped me be less of a quitter...although I can be a bit stubborn...at times (*wink). I did try a new feature that let me compare the two runs...that was interesting to look at.

I always start out too fast. I probably need to change what I'm eating in the morning. And try my best NOT to miss my Thursday run. That's the "work on list" for this week.

I've kinda had a stressful week. Blah! I've been bottoming out (bg) too much lately and I'm probably going to have to break down and see my doctor about it. (..see stubborn..) Boo! I have spent way too much time in doctors' offices lately....no offense, but I'm not a fan...my blood glucose hasn't been high, and that's typically a "tell" for when something is wrong. So no worries there.. Diabetes Sucks! but at least it lets me know when I'm coming down with something.

But I did get my hair done this week, and there's nothing like a nice long afternoon of getting a little bit pampered to make a girl feel pretty!

Quick...Hit the RESET button!

Ever wish you had a reset button? You get half-way into the middle of something and think "Quick!!! Hit the reset button!!" It's usually one of those "Ah...Crap!!" kinda moments. Well, sometimes these moments can create a nasty ripple effect. One person messes up, and then before you know it somebody else is acting irrationally because of something that didn't even really involve them to begin with.  (I've been cleaning this kinda stuff up all week...the week of Valentine's Day at a middle school can be interesting) 

This inadvertently happened to me this week. I let myself get all upset over something that didn't really involve me. Well, not directly, anyway. I came to a quick realization of where my place is though that's for sure...and didn't care for it at all. Why should it bother me how someone else decides to "fix" something? But it did...I guess recently being involved in areas where I get to be in charge and make decisions has allowed me to get too used to being "important", and this situation left me feeling like the slime on the bottom of the bucket after a fishing trip. And then, of course, I needed a "reset" for my irrational feelings....but hey I'm a girl, I'm supposed to be irrational, right?

Although....being a true believer of a little pity party is okay, but then pick yourself up and shake off the dirt...and get over it, that's what I did. Or at least that's what I'm working on...I think I could use to kick off a little dirt still...and I'm sure there's a lesson to be learned in there as well, that I will try to reflect on at some point, and maybe even come out better for it.  So, if I'm supposed to learn from this experience, maybe I don't need  a reset button, but it sure would be nice to at least have an EASY button??

EEhhhh... who am I kidding, nothing is easily corrected or learned....at least not in my world! ... What about white out??!!

By the way- a good hard run helps clear the head, but  I'm still not a strong enough of a swimmer to swim with messed up focus :)

~later

Days Like These I wish I Owned A Treadmill

Well, like most of the rest of everyone in the country I am stuck inside. Around these parts we got layers and layers of ice. I haven't heard any totals, but my best guess is somewhere between 1/2 and 1 inch. I don't mind running in the cold...or in snow for that matter, but this is pretty much all ice. No traction at all. I'm not exactly the most graceful person on dry ground..so I think it's in my best interest to stay indoors today. No reason to risk an injury. The only thing is our area is under a level 1 emergency, which I guess means only emergency personnel should be on the roads. So even if the fitness center is open, I would be risking a ticket (or something) to go run on a treadmill.

This was after round one...

I haven't ran since Sunday (which by the way was an awesome run!) and I am practically aching to run!! I don't have a treadmill! hmmmph! If I thought I wouldn't get dizzy I would go down in my basement and run in circles! hahahaha :) Maybe they'll lift the "state of emergency" by this afternoon?? Or maybe I'll just be the rebel that I am and head to the hospital fitness center anyway!! Until then I'll share one of my favorite treadmill running clips EVER for your enjoyment...that is if you have power.

Just a friendly reminder to be careful running whether it be indoors or outdoors...just make sure you're sober!

~later