Must be the moon...

That is causing me and everyone else to act crazy :) Anyway, it is a good day for me. The sky has cleared up, and even though that means it is hotter outside, it isn't too bad. Next week is supposed to be a cooler, so I'm really looking forward to that.

Last night I was having a bit of a boohoo evening where I felt so old and boring, and was just not happy with myself. So I was hugging Aaron in bed, and he was like, "You are so silly. You are 26! I have never met a sillier 26 year old thinking their old."

He was right, that was silly and stupid! Haha, but I think I will always have those moments. Funny how sometimes you have to choose to think young. I think one reason I was feeling that way is it is getting close to my birthday. 2 months away from today actually.

The last two years I have literally had a breakdown on my birthday. This year is going to be different! I am going to celebrate me! :D I'm thinking a dinner at the Melting Pot (a fondue restaurant) or a romantic picnic with a cheesecake covered in fruit for desert. I actually like the picnic idea best. I'll have to tell Aaron!

This has been a good and accomplished year. I mean, I did my first 5K, my first 10K, did the MS150, and my first Triathlon! That is pretty awesome. And I'm going to celebrate next year which will be even MORE awesome! What is on the agenda for next year you may ask? Well I know for sure I'm going to do the following:

Do the MS150 Again

Do an Olympic Distance Triathlon

Run/Walk a 1/2 Marathon

Do the Warrior Dash

There are other things I want to do and learn, but these are the top 4 things I am definitely going to do in my 27th year of life :)

So tonight is a full moon. I've already called Aaron and arranged a romantic date. I'm thinking dinner on the beach. Thanks for reading, have a good night!

Hello, My Name is Olivia

So, after much careful thought I have decided to revamp. Not just my blog, but my life. There is some social pressure that makes me feel like it is wrong to revamp, to admit mistake, to simply change my mind...but I'm going to ignore it, because it is stupid.

It is okay to change my mind, it is okay to take a new direction, it is okay to make mistakes, it is okay to restart even if it is for the 3rd, 4th...100th time. The first thing a help desk tells you to do when you have a problem is, "Did you restart?"

So, I'd like to introduce myself. In no particular order, here's a list of things about me, past/present/future. They are me.

I am Olivia Alexander
I am assertive
I am not on a diet
I am healthy
I am beautiful
I am athletic
I am neat
I am creative
I am talented
I am agnostic
I do not believe in the typical structure of family/society
I don't do something unless I enjoy it
I admit when I'm wrong but I don't dwell on it
I am a cyclist
I love dogs
I am a runner
I am a swimmer
I like kayaking
I have a boyfriend
I like healthy food
I do not drink soda
I eat organic
I read a book a week
I listen to a wide variety of music
I drive with the windows down when possible
I don't like to have a lot of friends
I don't like to be overly social
I don't like to have too many commitments
I don't like to stay in one place for too long
I like being outside
I like camping
I am a great singer
I love dogs
I love money
I love adventure
I don't let fear run my life
I am a good employee
I am not a flake
I am a conservative and support limited government
I like to drive our mustang
I am sexy
I am confident
I am so much more than I can list out.
I am changing.

And the main point of this entry...

I have a blog
It isn't about being fat
It isn't about weight loss
It is about me!
Who I AM.

Olivia, Warrior Princess!(Insert crazy Zena Warrior Princess yells/sound effects)

Gym Boss

So, I got my new toy yesterday, and I really like it. It is called the Gym Boss, and basically it is an interval timer. And of course I had to get it in bright pink :) Last night I used it, and had a great workout. The first workout I had in a long time. What I did was a brisk 5 minute walk; then I alternated 90 seconds of walking and 60 seconds of jogging/running. I did that 10 times. Then I walked for another 25 minutes. So I had a good 55 minute workout! I can't tell you how accomplished I feel after it. And it wasn't too painful and the interval timer just beeped whenever I was supposed to start running, so there was no worrying as to whether I had walked or ran the correct amount of time. I could just go. Tonight I plan on using it for my bike trying something called pyramids (1 min push, 1 min ease, 2 min push, 2 min ease, 3 min push, 3 min ease).

I am so happy I actually did the exercise I had committed to yesterday and I didn't eat horribly. I know today is going to be even better.

Thanks for reading!

Starting the day right and new commitments...

Well, I started to write a post yesterday, but needless to say it was just a huge pity party post. In summary, yesterday was bad. Everything seemed to go wrong that could go wrong. But, that is life sometimes. And I'm glad to say that today has started off on a much more positive note.

First of all, I woke up this morning at 4:15 and went to the grocery store (was too tired last night). I packed my husband and I both a super healthy lunch. Mine is pretty big since I won't get home until after 9:00 p.m. tonight, I included breakfast, lunch, and dinner in my bag. The menu for today is:

Breakfast
Cheerios w/Granola Clusters
Trix Yogurt (the only kind my hubby will eat)

Lunch
Sandwich
Pretzels
Jello

Snack
Fruit
Low Sodium V8

Dinner
Turkey Pepperoni
Cheddar Cheese
Triscets

I will admit that I finished off the box of pop tarts that were in my cupboard. So, after that and all that is in my lunch box I'll be hitting approximately 1600 calories for the day.

Not too bad, and definitely better than the 2500ish calories I've been having daily. I have decided to create a reward for myself if I stick to eating within a healthy calorie range for the next week, I will be ordering myself a bento box. This one to be exact:


I am really excited. Just one week and I can get this super cool lunch box! :) It is kind of neat to be excited about a reward that is obtainable and a reward that isn't eating. I almost ordered it yesterday but decided it would be more fun to see if I could push myself for a week.

I have decided to commit to 3 things within the next couple of months.

1. A 6:30 a.m. Health Related Fitness class that meets at my work gym every Monday and Wednesday beginning on 9/20/2010. The Health Related Fitness (HRF) Program’s method is to connect the brain with the muscle by combining an education component with prescribed exercise. The Basic Course for beginners runs for12 weeks. Each class meeting includes a 15-20-minute lecture on such topics as training principles, caloric expenditure, weight management, environmental effects, and the role of exercise in various chronic diseases. At each meeting students follow individualized exercise prescriptions, which are based on assessments of aerobic power, body fatness, muscle strength, muscleendurance, and flexibility. The exercise prescriptions are in two parts, aerobic training and muscle fitness. These plans provide specific workouts on the aerobic and resistance equipment available in the work gym. The staff is comprised of exercise physiologists with advanced degrees and certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine. So yeh, I have my fitness evaluation next week. I'm pretty excited to have the accountability of this program, and to network/meet other people with the same problems/goals as myself.

2. Wellness Walks on Tuesdays & Thursdays at 11:00 a.m. The walks take place around my work place and officially begin on September 21st. Again, I'm excited to meet people around my work place with the same goals as mine. Not to mention with the wellness walks, plus the HRF class I will be getting in 4 days of working out at least a week.

3. Bike around the Bay. Now this is the one I was really reluctant to commit to, because I haven't been riding a lot. Bike Around the Bay is a fully supported two-day, 150-mile bicycle ride around Galveston Bay. The ride starts in Anahuac, Texas, and continues along a scenic route that includes many fascinating sights and highlights. I will be going over two HUGE bridges on this ride, but at least the rest of it is flat. I'm also hoping for cooler weather. This means I must start training. So, I have to start training. I plan to read up and refresh myself on bike training today, so I'll be posting up more plans for training. For more info on Bike Around the Bay go to http://www.bikearoundthebay.org/

Thanks for reading! I'm so glad to be blogging again thanks to my best bud Candy!

Move more + Eat Less = Weight Loss

The Equation:

Move more + Eat Less = Weight Loss

That's it. It is that simple. But I stray so easily from it. I know it is what I need to get back to. I know this blog helped me do that, so I'm back. :) Can't say I will never stray again, but I'm ready to try again.

My goals? Simple, just like the equation.

For the next two-ish weeks I will:

1. Eat 1400 Calories or Less per day, and make those calories healthy if possible.
2. Exercise 30 Minutes per day.
3. Fast twice a week.

That's it. Starting on 9/20 I will probably try to increase the workout time.

I want to lose weight. I want to be skinny. But losing 20 pounds and gaining 25 pounds isn't going to do that. Losing 1 pound a week, and it never coming back is better. I know it is. I know that eating the right way makes me feel better, healthier, and alive.

I know I need to do this.
I know I can do this.
I know I will do this...

...but that last one is kind of a leap of faith.

Slight Derailment, but Back on Track...Full Steam Ahead

Thanks for putting up with me being so irritable yesterday. I guess we just all have our days. I have self analyzed, and I think I know why. It was a delayed reaction from some drama on Friday. I managed to kind of hold it together over the weekend, but when I got back to work on Monday there just weren't enough distractions, and I started thinking too much.

But now I'm back on track. It comes down to the fact that sometimes, you just have to be selfish. Doesn't matter what your religious or moral background are, this is your life, and you better live it! So, I'm over the stupidity of others. I'm not going to let them throw me off the track anymore. They might as well be pennies on the rail because I'll just squash them if they get in my way! Okay, enough with the train references. :D

Today I have been happily sticking to my diet...the menu is as follows:

Breakfast:, Banana, Apple, Carrots (Raw)
Lunch: Peas & Carrots (Cooked), Tuna, Weight Loss Shake
Dinner: Sandwich, Chips

Might sneak in a snack somewhere in there if I need one. Also, woke up this morning and did 43 minutes on the elliptical. Will also be doing two 20 minute wellness walks at work today. So yeh, great day so far :) I've got rehearsal tonight! Weee! I love being in this musical.

I hope everyone else in the bloggosphere is having a great day. Thanks for reading!

RRRrrrrrRRrrrrrrrrrrRr

That's right. I am so IRRITABLE today. I hate being in this stupid office, I want to be outside where I can feel the sun, I want to eat a lot of GARBAGE, but I don't want to be fat, and I want to go home and sleep, and I would if I hadn't commuted with my husband so I have to wait till he gets off to go home, and I didn't wake up early enough to work out this morning, and RRRRRRrrrrrrRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRRrrr.

So yeh, not the best of days. I can't wait to get off of work and take a nap...maybe that will help.