Been missing blogging...

D and I are now working out together. It's really nice. We walk the dogs early in the AM - slower b/c mine is a little older - but about a mile. He has a REALLY hilly neighborhood. Then, we do our walk - about 2.3 miles or so. BRUTAL hills on this walk and we do a 15 min pace. His legs are longer - so sometimes I have a hard time keeping up! I wear my heart rate monitor and I've been watching it - some of the hills it has gone down significantly! I figure when each hill is at 80% or under, I'm ready to start running!
We are also going to the gym 3x per week in the afternoons to weight train. Even tho he hasn't really had to spot me, I will go knowing that he is there in case I need it :) My clothes are a little looser - so this is working :) The other days I go to my gym (he hasn't joined mine yet - I joined his for $9 a month!) and do RPM.
We are getting back into a routine now that I am back from CR. This week was hard as I hadn't been sleeping well, and the heat during the day is KILLING him when he gets in at night. So, this morning was the first one where we did everything back on pace like usual - felt ssssssssssoooooooo good!
I like that he wants to walk/workout with me :) MUCH more encouraging for me. My short-term goal - lose the 20 pounds I put on during grad school to get back into my good work clothes by the beginning of August. We've also been watching our meals - so I think as long as I keep that up, I'll be good on my goal :)

Still at Plateau - BUT new motivation

Still plateauing - ugh - BUT I have a couple new motivators. First, I may have a gym partner soon :) D likes RPM and wants to join my gym - yea! Second, B in CA has been running and is also thinking about a sprint-tri. I figure if he can do it, so can I! I'm just not a runner/jogger. So, going to try the "couch to 5K" running program. 3 days on the treadmill per week. The plan now is: Tuesday, Friday and Sunday for the runs. I still want to do RPM on M/W/R/Sat. I figure on Fridays and Sundays (and maybe another day after RPM depending on D's schedule and if he can help me) I can weight-train. I may have to skip one day a week on cardio and just weight train to recover a bit.
So - this week I will begin :)

Good news on the F front!

The condo is being SOLD! SSSSOOO happy! Won't make much money on it, BUT it's enough to pay off two cards. Also, my raise *should* be coming through at the end of this month. If I've calculated correctly including taxes out, I should be pulling in $1000 more each month above what I was previously (before furloughs). That will SIGNIFICANTLY help in getting the rest of my bills paid off. I want to have at least one other card done by August if possible. I'm still waiting for this d*** lawsuit to shake out. As soon as that does, that might actually give me breathing room and a cushion. Will not even begin to count on that until it happens, but my attorney is in negotiations right now, so I'm hoping to have a resolution within the next couple of months if at all possible.
Now on the P side - D and I have worked out once together - RPM at the gym. SSSSSSOOOOO excited that he likes working out :) He's also going to help me with the strength training :) He wants to mix up his cardio - so RPM 3 days a week for him would be good, and I need to mix up my cardio, so he's going to help me with that. We may also need to discuss cooking "healthier" meals - but d*** he is a phenomenal cook! We may have to do more grilling so it's lower fat now that the weather is getting nicer :)
The goals this week are:
Break through my plateau - I want to break my 210/209 weight that I have been stagnating at for the last few weeks. I HAVE gone back on the pill, so that actually should help as I think I have more issues off of it than on - partially b/c I've been on them for so long, I think my body has finally adapted.
WATER!!!! I've got to get off the caffeine (limit to one glass of tea in the AM) and get back to my water regimen. D is SO good about that - and I KNOW I flush more out and do better when I drink it!
Gym consistency this week - plus I need to find out about putting D on my membership - or find out how much per month it would be if I cannot add him right now. I'm just excited that we can go together!!!!

I'm joining Jen - the Prior Fat Goal on her goals for 3 months. I DO need to find a reward - but I'm sure D and I can think of something! My MAIN reward will be to be able to wear my clothes - my really pretty FUN clothes - when we go out :) We are looking at doing the Jazz Journeys at the aquarium, the Martinis & IMAX at Fernbank, and maybe the cocktails in the gardens. Regardless, I need to be looking a little nicer and I WANT to dress up for him :) First time that's ever happened! So - gym tomorrow - WATCH OUT!

Maintaining

Okay - could be worse - I could be gaining! But, this week was a challenge. My routine of getting to the gym - broken this week :( I also broke down and had soda at school. I need to get used to NOT doing that in the morning at school - getting up earlier has been harder. I know I do it all the time, but still.
So, this week - back on track. Gym workouts - M/W/R/S for spin. I'm going to get in there on T to run on the treadmill. If I really am going to attempt a sprint-tri at some point, I'm going to have to start running.
My goal - if I can lose 20 pounds, then I would like to get a fitness GPS so I can start training outside when the weather clears/gets warmer. I figure that would be around the end of February, so that's a good goal to have.
Next - I've GOT to make some calls this week and get my finances straightened out - especially my attorney. It's getting critical.