High Five For Friday 10/18

Hello Friday!

{ONE}

I decided to take advantage of the Columbus day sales going on and did a bit of online shopping. I am usually not a big online shopper, but with J.Crew, I know my sizes in each style and who can resist 50% off everything?? My shopping cart was up to 13 items at one point, but I somehow managed to get it down to 3. Old Navy had some cute stuff for great prices as well, but I only got a few things seeing as they gave me cash back to shop later. I am a sucker for marketing ploys. 

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

{TWO}

On Tuesday I dropped by the post office and found 4 packages waiting on me! It was seriously like Christmas. Packages are always excited, but for some reason living in another country makes it 10 times as great. 

I got my Tory Burch purchase finally! Ok, it might just be a phone case and not a beautiful new pair of riding boots, but it made me pretty happy. 

I won the very first giveaway I ever entered. It was on My Sweet Savannah and it was a gift card to Olive Lane Paper and Gifts. I had been waiting for a phone case I loved to be restocked but never did so I ordered all of this fabulous stuff. I've worn the necklace two times already and love it!

My very sweet friend Sam sent me this package as a surprise. She knew I was missing fall back in the states and sent me some fall goodies as well as some cute stuff! It was such a wonderful surprise! 

{THREE}

The other day I found an awesome store right down the street. I thought it would be like a Goodwill because it is called the reuse store. The bottom floor had used furniture, home stuff, electronics, etc. It wasn't goodwill quality, though, it was almost like new. The top floor was all clothes, shoes, etc. I would compare it to a very nice, organized version of Plato's closet. They had some cute stuff, but Jake was impatient  wanted to go do other things so I didn't get to browse much. I did find a super cool retro looking Patagonia pullover, which happens to be my favorite item of clothing, for only $20. I didn't get it, though, because Jake pointed out I probably wouldn't have many opportunities to wear it over the next 3 years. 

{Four}

Yesterday's post I talked about my field trip to the Yomitan Pottery Village and the Zakimi Castle Ruins. I found a great place to put my dish I got from the pottery village and it is getting some great use.

{FIVE}

I started running again. It took putting on my UK shorts and socks to get even slightly motivated.

Running is a struggle for me. You can read about my struggle here, here, here, and here. This spring, I had started running and even finished a 5k. As always, my running started to fizzle out. This summer I discovered bikram yoga and never looked back. I hardly ran all summer. Now that I don't have a bikram studio to go to (sad face) I have been trying to get to the gym. Since I've been here I've gone to zumba once. My goal is to get into running again, but we will see how it goes. If anyone has any tips for people who hate running, feel free to share them.

Jake and I have some exciting plans for the weekend! I hope the weather is good and that everything goes as planned. 

Do you have any fun weekend plans? Did you do any Columbus day shopping? Any running tips?

update

I had a wonderful trip to Lexington this weekend. After waking up at 2 in the morning, running across the airport wheeling a suitcase, missing my flight, and staying up 26 hours straight, it was all worth it. It was a weekend filled with the 3 most important f's, friends, family, and food! I got to see people who mean a lot to me and eat at places that I have been missing while in Virginia. It was kind of weird, being a visitor to Lexington and feeling like I am living a whole new, different life in Virginia. It was nice coming back to my new "home," though. But, that meant it was time to get back on my workout grind.

Putting my fitness goal here on my blog was the best thing I could have done. Honestly, it has kept me motivated. I'm not sure if it is because I want to share my success on here so it feels more real or what, but it worked.

I am about 3 weeks into my training. Like I said, I started out at about a 37 minute 3 mile. I have been running 4 days a week, pushing myself until I can't go any more. I am making some serious progress. My 3 miles is down to, wait for it, 27 MINUTES! Yes, that is right. I have brought it down 10 minutes in 2 and a half weeks. Also, when I started I could run about 3 minutes before having to stop. I am not kidding, so don't laugh at me. I have asthma, but I decided to not use that as an excuse anymore. I can now run 20 minutes without stopping. I cannot even believe it's real. Those who know me know how big of deal this is. So I'm telling you, anyone can do it. Just go out there and start slow. Yes, there are still days I don't want to get up and go workout, but once I do, I never regret it.

I tried to do the couch to 5k, which did not work for me. I kept wanting to run longer than the suggested intervals, and once I get going, I need to keep going. So I started setting my timer for 35 minutes, walking for 5 minutes as a warm up, and then running until I couldn't run anymore(this is where the pushing yourself comes in), taking a short break, then running until I couldn't anymore, taking a short(30-1 minute) break, and so forth until I reached 3 miles. I found that I was pushing myself further and further, competing with myself to make it a few more minutes each time. I have been doing this routine 3 times a week, supplemented by stretching and a 20 minute arm, leg, or ab workout. On the 4th day I have been doing a total body workout. Here is one that I have been doing. It is a total of 10 minutes, but it is killer and you don't need any equipment. Everyone has 10 extra minutes in their day!

10 minute total body workout

I also thought I would share some motivation

Here are some tips for overall fitness for any reality tv loving, junk food eating, couch potatoes like me:

1. Set a goal for yourself not associated with what the scales says

2. Make a rough plan of what you are going to do to reach your goal

3. Share your goal with someone. Make it public or find someone to workout with.

4. Get out there! Especially on the days you really don't feel like it. Those are the days that matter the most.

5. Drink lots of water! 

6. Find healthy food you enjoy eating, so it doesn't feel like a chore.

7. Don't keep any food that will tempt you to binge eat in your house (potato chips are a killer)

Until next time,

M

Here Goes Nothing

I have never been a gym goer. I played sports all growing up, but going to the gym has never been my thing. It could be that I have asthma and so working out hasn't always been easy for me. It could be because I am usually a very busy person. It could be because every time I start, I never try long enough to make it a habit. It could be because I always had an excuse. It's too cold, the gym is far away, I would rather sleep, I can't run. It could be because I have never really had the motivation. Don't get me wrong, I do not have the perfect body. There are lots of times, like most girls, I have looked in the mirror and not been happy. But, at the same time, I have never really been unsatisfied enough to make the effort.

Until now. No, I have not gotten fat. I am actually at the lowest weight I have been in a long time. And I have been fooled. Fooled into thinking that I am healthy because what the scale tells me. I always judge my health by my weight, which I assume is common among the American population.  I did not realize that my weight is going down because I have no muscle. All of the muscle I built during sports has slowly been dripping off my body since I stopped playing volleyball. 

So it's time for a change. Yes, I work around 50 hours a week, but now that I don't have homework or many other responsibilities, I feel like I have a lot of extra time. I have no excuse not to get to the gym. So its time to get off the couch and stop watching hours of reality tv. It's time to stop sleeping 10 hours every night. It's time to stop making excuses. It's time to lace up my tennis shoes, throw on some shorts, and get it in gear. 

So here is the plan. Train for a 5K with my sister and her husband. Don't focus on losing weight, focus on overall fitness. Learn to love to run. My plan is about two weeks in as of right now. Running is slowly starting to become easier for me. I have even been looking forward to it and enjoying it. I am especially enjoying my after workout smoothies (mixed berries, spinach, banana, almond milk, protein powder. Try it, you won't be disappointed). Let's hope I can actually keep it up. 

Starting 3 mile

37 minutes (yeah, yeah, pretty pathetic)

Current 3 mile

35 minutes (down 2 minutes WOO HOO!)

Goal 3 mile 

25 minutes

Here goes nothing!

Until next time,

M