Couch to 5K

If I haven't said it before, let me just take a moment to tell those newcomers what I'm talking about, the rest of you can skip down a paragraph or two. I have felt, since about the time that I married Matt, that I wanted to lose some weight. It wasn't bad, but I just wanted get rid of a few pounds. Then I noticed some of my clothes didn't fit so great anymore. I didn't really have a good job, for a while I didn't have a job at all and I guess I was a little stressed out and a little depressed. I'm not making excuses or crying for help or anything, it just was. Sometimes, I have a hard time getting motivated to do things as well, which makes life a bit harder than it should be. I finally realized I needed to get moving when I weighed myself and found I was close to 160 lbs. I'm about 5 feet, 6 inches and I was working on getting to the unhealthy weight, according to BMI charts. So I joined a site called MyFitnessPal.com. It helped me track calories and set goals for myself. When I first joined, I was so embarrassed by my weight, I LIED to a website and put in 157 lbs. for my starting weight. Thankfully, the next time I weighed myself, I did weight 157, so it's a hope that I either lost it really quickly or was already on my way to not weighing 160. Since then, I have become an avid collector of workout videos. I eat much healthier (most of the time), and I've lost 6 lbs. If you start from the 160 weight, I've lost 9. My goal weight, at this moment, is 145. It puts me squarely in the healthy BMI and body weight, and its not some strange weight I have concocted for myself based on what I weighed in high school. (Holy crap, I was really tiny and I thought I was fat, I am so dumb.)

So. That was longer than I expected. But, the point here is that I've plateaued a bit with my weight loss. I bounce back and forth between 150 - 152 lbs. (oh boy does that piss me off) and I've gained back some muscle I lost in my legs. I've also put some muscle on my arms, which is really exciting! I've never had arm muscles before! So, I noticed that a friend of mine from the Fitness Pal website/Facebook had started a program called Couch to 5K. This program helps you get prepared to run a 5K in about two months. Maybe a bit more. It starts you out slow and then you work into doing the full 3 miles. Today was my first day. It was much easier than I expected, for myself. I would like to remind you, dear readers, I started being serious in August of 2010 and I've been doing cardio workouts about 3-4 times a week. So, starting the running wasn't as bad as I originally anticipated. I expect it be hard about week 3. But I think I would like to try to get in shape for a 5K (that's three miles, right?!) and do one of those. And, it can only help my weight loss goals and overall fitness goals. (I'm totally going to get ripped abs. Someday.) I already feel so much better about my body and I think that's what important.

I'm also blogging about this as a reminder to myself. I've been slipping a little these past two weeks because I LOVE LOVE LOVE junk food. It's a problem. So, this is a reminder to myself that I'm proud of the work I've done and I can find low cal/healthy sweet things to eat. Yeah.

So the pictures for today are pictures of myself and I hope you don't think me narcissistic. I just want to post my progress and I just got done running so that's all I'm thinking about. I was going to take a picture of the treadmill I used in the apartment's facilities, but I forgot my camera.

My front. I has the curves, and I kinda like 'em. My legs look so much better than what they were and my dance muscles are back. It's nice. Also, skirts that once were too tight fit wonderfully and my pants are too big. 

I think this face I'm making here is super cute. Haha, I was concentrating. Imagine what I look like in class. This is more for myself, so don't think I'm showing off or anything (there is nothing to show!). I just want to take pictures every now and then to show myself (fine, and everyone else) the progress. I feel pretty ok about this picture, actually. My pants ride up pretty high though so try not to be alarmed. 

Thanks for reading, I know that's not my normal but it's been on my mind a lot lately. 

If you want a quick funny story, get this.  Earlier at work, I ate an orange that was apparently going bad and I didn't realize because the taste was pretty ok when I was eating it. So, I then go home and start to have gas issues, you know how it is. And if you have any delusions that I'm some sort of health nut now, let me just shoot that in the foot; I was starving and ate an entire small pizza from Papa Johns. I do not regret it half as much as I should. So, here I am, bad orange and entire pizza in my stomach. I will skip the details, but I spent some time visiting John, then went to run. Other people were there. It was a fight to keep my gas issues, which did not go away with the visits to John, to myself. Yeah, super classy. Let's just make sure no one comes here ever again, huh, Strain? Geez. 

Happy Wednesday, friends. Be proud of yourself for something.

OH THINGS.

It is late! But I wished to share my pictures from Monday and today. Here they are:

 This is a shot of the sushi bar I frequent with JR and/or WFJ. I went there on Monday for a "Valentine" sushi date with JR. She rocks.

 

 This was my shot for today. You can see, sort of, the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial. This is what I see every morning on my way to work. You can see how gross the windows are on the metro.

 BUT OH WAIT. MY BOOKS WRITTEN BY MY BEST FRIEND ARRIVED AT MY HOUSE. MAKING THIS THE MOST EPIC DAY IN HISTORY AND I MAY HAVE POOPED MY PANTS. Seriously, this is the most awesome thing ever. She worked so hard and she's been so driven and she's learned so much. I'm so proud of her and I'm so happy to have been there the entire time. It's so awesome to hold this in my hand and just go, "Wow. This is real. This is her book. She did this." You are my hero, Tominda! ROCK.

 My thumbs up of approval. They are amazing. Go buy one, right now. Here is where you go. DO IT.

This is my excited face. I'm holding my phone to my ear because I called Tominda as soon as I saw the package.


You know what the best part of this is?

There is going to be another. Hot dang kids. Hot dang.

Fish & Flowers

Monday is dumb day to have Valentine's Day. Therefore, the Husband and I have spent the weekend doing v-day things and homework.

Yesterday was the play at the Kennedy Center. I didn't know how giant it was. Or how busy it is. I think when I went, there were three different shows going on in the place, each in a different giant auditorium. It's so busy; the Kennedy Center hosts about 2,000 performances a year with approximately 2 million guests. There are two large entrance ways, one called the Hall of Nations, the other the Hall of States. Both of these hallways are 250 feet long and 63 feet high. They attach to the Grand Foyer. The Grand Foyer is 630 feet long. This is large enough for the Washington Monument to fit, with 75 feet to spare. There are three main theaters, the Concert Hall, the Opera House, and Eisenhower Theater (which is where I saw the play - it is about the size of the Keith Albee in Huntington, WV). All together, these theaters can house about 5,863 people. But that's not all! There are several other spaces: The Family Theater, the Terrace Theater, the Theater Lab, the Millineum Stage (where they do lots of free or low cost performances), and the KC Jazz Club. Anyway, the have lots of stuff going on. And it's very pretty and has excellent views of the surrounding landscape.

Flowers in a GURGLE Pot.

Today was homework day. In fact, I'm going to go finish my homework as soon as I post this. I'd like to share the flowers I got, a pretty necklace the Husband got me and our Savory Sunday. Onward!

So pretty!

My Flowers!

Haha, the Husband picked these out for me while were doing the weekly grocery shopping. We both have class on Monday nights and don't get home until late so I'm glad for the substitute. And they're very nice!

Three!

The Husband also gave me a necklace that I have not-so-secretly been coveting. I'm in love with it already. And him, I guess. (Oh haha, I am only kidding.)

It has designs on it that I am entranced with! Oh, I just realized, more flowers! WIN!







And now, on to our Savory Sunday! This is more of the Husband's savory. Still from Cooking Light, however.
Cashew Chicken Salad Sandwiches from Cooking Light - Everyday Favorites pg. 288
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/3 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted cashews
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
2 whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring until well blended. Add chicken, cletery, cashews, and green onions, stir well. Serve on buns.
Calories: 353
The Husband's Nom Rating: 3
Lindsey's Nom Rating: 2 1/2

He likes it much more than I do. This was bound to happen eventually. DIVORCE. (Oh, haha, I am kidding again.)

I have been enjoying this song while I worked on this, so I will share with you! It's from Glee and good ole Paul McCartney. Fits in from my theme from Friday.

Rock out kids!

Flower in my hair and chocolate milk. I am pleased.

A Dark Comedy

I went to see a play today at the Kennedy Center! This one: The Cripple of Inishmann.  It was the first time I've been. I don't feel much like typing up anything right now, but I'll post some pictures and write about tomorrow.

The man himself.

The tickets, they are blurry.

That's Georgetown over there. You can see the university all the way over on the left.

Back of the Kennedy Center.

Arlington and the bridge from DC.

I have no idea what this is.

Another strange sculpture.

The Kennedy Center!

All We Need is Love

I just finished my workout and I'm sitting here listening to my favorite Japanese boy band and pondering the meaning of life. Oh that's a lie, I figured that crap out years ago. I'm really pondering my luck at the lack of pink fluffy things I've run across as we approach the ever-contentious Valentine's day. It must be because I have not set foot in a Wal-Mart since I left West Virginia last time. The only other option is that DC is the least lovable city in the world and everyone hates everyone else. This would not surprise me over much.

Because the Husband is not one to like silly things piling up all over the place, I got him an edible Valentine treat today. I can't do it on Monday because of class, and I imagine they'll be sold out, even though everyone hates the holiday.

Heart Shaped Donuts!

I do agree that corporate America has made the holiday into a big mess, but it's this way with many holidays. I'm also aware that origins of Valentine's day center around legends of someone named Valentine getting his head chopped off, but so far Wikipedia is not giving me the story I remember.

Either which way, I realize that Valentine's day is big day of bitter reminders for some or a big kissy face for others. I put forth that we take back the day. Valentine's Day has come to be a day for love, right? Then let's show the world some love. Smile at a stranger. Give a flower to someone who doesn't expect it. Text your friends a message of how you appreciate their friendship. Call your mother. Hell, love Mother Nature and pick up some trash. This is not just a day for couples, and it's certainly not a day for us to wallow in self pity. Everybody somewhere has someone they love, be it your cat or your best friend in Seattle. Love is everywhere, we've just forgotten how to see it.

I, for one, am tired of the cliche of the couple who are disgustingly in love and the cliche of the bitter single friend. This is just another day like any other, my friends, we just have to look at more red and pink. (It assaults the senses, I know.) But spread your love. I love you. Your day is going to be awesome. Somewhere, someone is thinking of you and that's love.

P.S. - I love Gaga's new song, Born this Way. I refuse to hear bad things against it. Don't talk to me.

Coffee and Chicken

I just ignored a call from Tominda so I could write this post; when she sees this she's going to kill me. (Tom, I'm calling right back, I had to do this real quick.)

The choclatella...hidden in a cup.

So, the high point of my day today was escaping the office (which was super boring quiet) and braving the freezing streets of DC with JR to get a bit of coffee/hot chocolate to wake ourselves up. Her office was rather boring quiet today as well. We walked down P Street, one of my favorite places to find things to eat, and went to the crepes place I mentioned before. Remember, I was afraid it had been caught in a fire? Just the upstairs, apparently, as Crepes a Go Go was in business today. JR, being the badass that she is, got a real  coffee thing; I got what is called a Choclatella. It is a hot chocolate mixed with nutella, giving it a delicious hazel nut flavor with the goodness of chocolate. 

J*Rock, with her real coffee. Not for wimps.

JR has been doing cool traveling work things, so today was the first time I had seen her in a while. It's a shame we spent most of the time going, "Oh, geez, it's cold!" The wind, combined with the low temperatures, was pretty horrible when it hit the face. Luckily, the drinks were warm. This is different for me, as I usually crave cold things (for eating and drinking) in the winter and vice versa. I'm a strange one.

The finished product!

I cooked tonight as well! Another Cooking Light recipe, surprise! I post of this now because I've never done a recipe where you stuff meat. (That's what she said.) This one was a chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese, green onions, and bacon. It was pretty good! I do love cheese like no one's business so I was particularly gung-ho for this recipe.






The recipe!
Bacon and Goat Cheese Chicken *From Cooking Light Magazine, Jan/Feb 2011 pg.138* 
4 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons sliced green onions
3 oz. goat cheese
1 bacon strip, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

I do not have a skillet, so I used this dutch oven.

1. Preheat over to 350. Combine sliced green onions, goat cheese, and bacon.
2. Cut a 1-inch wide slit into the thick end of the chicken and carefully cut down to the center of chicken to form a pocket. Divide cheese mixture evenly among pockets.
3. Secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add canola oil. Add chicken to pan; saute 4 minutes. Turn over. bake at 350 for 12 minutes; let stand 5 minutes.

Calories: 283
NOM Rating: 4 out of 5 noms!

Cook, my pretties, cook!

The finished product!

I Have Not Forgotten

Because it's 11 and that means I should really be getting to bed, I'll just post pictures from the last two days and be on my way.

MONDAY!

Work Friend Josh

 I went to this place called Mai Thai with WFJ, and we had the Pad Thai. With chicken. It was super good. I may have horked it down. That is a technical term, hork.

Strange floating roses at Mai Thai.

TUESDAY!

Tuesday was a pretty crap day. Nothing seemed to flow well, brother issues surfaced, class that night was a pain in the entire body. However, I did take a picture of my current organization project, which is a cork board that I hang my necklaces and dangly earrings from. Be impressed with my ingenuity. I command it.













TODAY!
There is nothing particularly interesting that happened today besides the fact that it was better than yesterday and I had homemade tacos for dinner.

OM NOM.

Also had a good chat with my mom and I made her laugh so hard she choked on her own spit. That's always extremely gratifying for me, as I like to make her laugh. It's also nice that I'm not the one doing the choking, as that happens quite a bit as well. Must be genetic.

Cheers ducks, the week is winding down. I'll have a super awesome photo tomorrow, I hope. <3