Waiting, waiting, waiting...

We've made it through 2 inspections on the house we are trying to buy. Well, more like 1.75. We had an issue finding the crawl space for the main part of the house, so we still have to go back and check on that. And then we have the water inspection. After those we can say that we are buying the house!

We are now just waiting for the seller to tell us where the entry point is, or he'll have to cut a new hole for us to use for the inspection. We aren't going to buy if we can't see the foundation. So hopefully he will cooperate. We just have about 2 days of waiting in between communications and it doesn't help the stress level. We're trying to stay relaxed though.

I can now say that my headaches have gone a way. We had a splurge a while back, after finishing our first Whole30, and the pizza did bad things to me. It took 5 days, but I haven't had a single one in the last few days, so I know I am getting back on track. We're being less strict with this round of our Whole30, including some of the Paleo-ified foods that they said not to do, but not much. This week doesn't include any, so that's good.

Speaking of meal plans, this week's meal plan is just a random combination of some of our favorites (and easiest to make) recipes from the four and a half weeks we did the Whole30. It's so much easier to just pick from those because I know which ones we really loved, which ones were quick to make, which ones require a lot of equipment, and which ones are more expensive. I think this week is going to be easy, which is just what we need because we got a little side-tracked last week. We're still making progress though.

I'm about ready to start packing boxes, and labeling them, and organizing them until we can move ... but since we haven't gotten through the inspections all the way yet, we're still not 100% sure that we are buying, and that would probably not be a good idea to start boxing up our things if we aren't going to be moving. It's hard to not get too excited and get started on all the plans that I've made while we've been waiting for the last two weeks. But Hubby helps to keep me grounded. We could use any extra well-wishes, good vibes, prayers, and crossed fingers if you have any to spare! : )

We have also been biking a ton, so I actually haven't done any of the Fitness Blender in the last week because we've been getting outside most of the time. We only have a couple of months left that we'll be able to do that, so we're trying to get our fill! : ) I think we could probably bike every day and not get tired of it. It's fun, it's a cheap date night, and what better way to spend quality time with your significant other than to spend 1.5 hours biking and chatting.

Hope everyone has a great week! : )

What We've Been Up To Lately...

Well, today is the last day before we start our second round of Whole30. I think it's come at a great time too because this has been an incredibly stressful week. We are in the process of negotiating for our first home, hopefully our only home ever. We're not the "starter home" type of people. One and done. That's what we want.

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We've put offers on a few other houses and they've fallen through for one reason or another. This is the first time we've gotten our pre-approval taken care of with the lender and now we're just negotiating back and forth with the seller to reach an agreement, which I'm pretty sure will happen soon. So, after that, we just have to get an inspection. As long as there isn't something horribly wrong hidden somewhere, we will most likely be buying this house. And that is scary!

It's really not as stressful as the process though. We are worried about someone jumping in and making a better offer while we're negotiating. We're worried about taking too much time and the seller decides he doesn't want to work with us. We are worried there will be something wrong with septic or another place that isn't right up front. We really have no reason to believe there is anything wrong with it, but you just never know. So there are so many different things still standing in the way and we would just love to be done... or at least moving in the right direction. Right now we're waiting on someone to call us back so we can make a decision to move to the next step. And waiting is hard.

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I think waiting to hear back on a decision like this might actually be harder than waiting to lose weight. And it's definitely 10x harder than dating or wedding planning was... and those were definitely not fun at all for me. House hunting is hard work, and it's emotionally taxing. You get your heart set on a place and then someone tells you that you can't buy it ... usually because of something out of your control, but still heartbreaking. I know there is one house out there with our name on it, just waiting. We're hoping this is it.

But just in case anyone was wondering, that's why I've been a little MIA lately. Stress levels have been through the roof! And I honestly have not felt like doing anything at all. It will be nice to get back on the Whole30 train and get my body going at optimum functioning again. I did miss my workout yesterday, but I did one today. It was #4 out of 44 on my Fitness Blender8 week challenge. So only 40 to go!! : )

I'm 1/4 done and injured!

Me and the bunny, Gus.

I have done exactly 11 of the 44 Fitness Blender 8 Week Challenge workouts, so that means that I am 1/4 of the way done! I was supposed to do two more workouts in the last two days, but somehow managed to hurt my foot, so I was taking a little break. It is feeling better today, so I think I'm going to jump back in and get started on that second quarter.

Anyone else have random injuries with no explanation? I am not the most graceful of people. In fact, my dad used to call me "Grace" because of how uncoordinated I was as a child, lol. I did notice that the heavier I became, the less graceful I became. Since I've lost a lot of weight, I am a bit more agile, but I guess everyone has their limit! : )

I am pretty sure that I hurt my foot getting the mail the other day. I picked up the mail and was

reading some of it while walking back to the bedroom. Well, we have a rabbit and he was out, so the bunny/baby gate was up. I completely forgot about it and walked right into the thing and almost somersaulted over it.

I also have to admit that I don't like shoes. I'm from the country. I never wore shoes growing up. I didn't wear them when I was inside, didn't wear them when I was playing outside, didn't have a problem walking across the stone driveway either. But, I grew up and moved away and started living in apartments in the city and I knew I couldn't go walking around the sidewalks without risking glass or whatever else people decide to toss out for Mother Nature to clean up. So I've become a bit more of a tender foot lately. But that's beside the point.

My main point is that I don't like shoes, don't like socks, don't like things on my feet. So, I tend to do some most of the workouts without shoes. That's bad, I know! I really should wear the shoes for support with the workouts that I do. And since I don't enjoy being injured or not working out, I think I might just have to start doing that.

Livestrong, one of my favorite resources, says, "Whether your workout involves running, walking, sports or gym equipment, a decent sport shoe is a must. Injury caused by inappropriate shoes can needlessly derail your fitness or weight loss attempt. Investing in a quality shoe can help you to prevent foot and ankle damage, and make your workout a more pleasant and comfortable experience."

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There are so many different types of shoes to choose from to make sure you get the best fit for you and your lifestyle.

Running : inbuilt shock absorbers, good traction
Walking: lightweight
Aerobic : lightweight and shock absorbing
Tennis : flexible soles to protect your feet from the quick side-to-side movements of tennis
High-top basketball: extra protection against ankle and foot injuries caused by jumping
Cross-training : suitable for doing a wide range of activity

Wearing the proper shoes will help keep you from getting injured. Injuries can include ankle strains, fractures, bunions, and corns among many other less heard about injuries which can keep you from workout out, running, losing weight until the injury heals.

How Do You Choose The Proper Shoes?

According to The McKinley Health Center, you should:

• Try on shoes in the afternoon or evening, or after your workout (feet are largest at these times)
• Try the shoes on with sports socks to ensure a good fit
• Stand up when trying the shoes to make sure they fit
• Leave a half inch between your big toe and the tip of the shoe
• Make sure you can easily wiggle your toes
• Bend the shoe to make sure it is not overly flexible (can indicate a lack of support)

Michigan State University's Olin Health Center recommends replacing running shoes after every 350 to 500 miles, which would be every 20 to 25 weeks if you run 20 miles/week.

Netwellness recommends checking out the wear of your shoes from the mid-sole of the shoe, which shoes damage sooner than the treads.

Health.howstuffworks.com advises buying new athletic shoes every four to six months if you exercise regularly. Click the link to read more on choosing the proper walking shoe.

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So don't wait for injury, get out there and pick up some shoes. The part that I like best about the shoes nowadays is that there are a ton of colors and styles to choose from. Some websites even let you design your own shoes. I also would highly recommend going and getting fitted for shoes too. There are a bunch of athletic shoe stores that will fit them for you and some even evaluate your walking/running style to choose the proper shoe for you, for free! So take them up on that because it doesn't get much better than that!

Memorial Day workout!

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Happy Memorial Day! Most people have the day off, but I signed up to work, so I am sticking to my normal routine: working and working out.

Today's workout was #9 out of 44 workouts in the Fitness Blender 8-week challenge. It was short, but definitely packed a punch. This workout was one of the HIIT workouts, so short, sweet, and intense beyond belief. It left me laying in a pool of sweat, trying to figure out how to work my legs again, lol.

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I did one of their warm ups before the workout and think I have found 2 new favorites. I love anything that I can do on my lunch break, so this was a perfect combination and still left time for me to get in a cool down afterwards.

I am still going strong with the workouts. I sometimes have to convince myself to do them, but I am sticking to it. I haven't missed a day yet! And the best part is my husband told me that he is starting to see a difference in my body since I've been working out regularly again! I think I was smiling for about two days after he told me that, lol. I'm easy to please, I guess. But it's the little things in life that you have to appreciate anyway.

Speaking of appreciating, my hubby and I took some time this weekend to appreciate each other and our relationship as we passed our 3 year mark. Three years dating, 7 months of marriage. That means that I have 5 months left until we take 1 year anniversary photos... which means that I need to stick to the plan so I can reach my goal weight/fitness level by October and look good for the photos! I think I can do it! I'm feeling strong! Wish me luck! : )

And let's also take some time to appreciate the veterans, those still with us and those not, for all their sacrifices.

Day 2 of the 8 Week Challenge

I finished up Day 2 of the 8 Week Fitness Blender Challenge (Round 3) yesterday. I guess you could say it was the first day of following a real workout, since the first day was the fit test.

The whole workout lasted about an hour and I was feeling pretty good, but also whipped by the end. I had to modify a few of the exercises. I've noticed that typically I fall somewhere around the bottom of the range of calories burned by the end of the workout, but this time I was somewhere in the middle so I felt like I got a good effort in and managed to burn almost 500 calories! I am feeling it today too. It hurts so good! : )

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It's been a long time since I have woken up sore, in a good way. I fell off my bike and was sore for a few days, but that's a bit different! ; )

I am really looking forward to today's workout. I can't do it until after I get off work, but I will be pumped and ready. I'm working on getting a balanced breakfast and lunch so I will have enough energy and fuel to give it all I've got!

I started the program on a Wednesday, so technically I still have 2 more days before they give a rest/optional cardio day, but I am always so busy on the weekends that I am just going to take the rest days tomorrow and Sunday and jump back in with the next one on the list.

I will say that I am a bit anal/OCD and created my own calendar to follow. The instructions that you get when you pay for the program come in a long packet/PDF. I didn't want to have to open it and then scroll down to find the right day and try to remember which one it was (I have a bad memory)... so I created an Excel worksheet calendar with the links to the workouts, added comments to show how long each one was and what equipment was needed, and even included the full comments from the packet for each day too on other tab. It's pretty cool, nice and neat, and definitely my style! I would share it, but .... that wouldn't be fair to Fitness Blender, since it's a product that they sell and they really appreciate the donations for those products. Plus, it's probably illegal, lol. But it's only 6.99$, so if you're up for the challenge, hop on over to FitnessBlender.com and get your own copy and get into it with me! Or just go and check out their new website!

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This weekend is going to be super busy! I signed up for some overtime at work, have to help teach the children's ministry at church this week, and I am helping to throw a birthday party/anniversary party for a couple of friends and my parents. They've been married 29 years now! Congrats, mom and dad! But ... this means there is going to be a lot of not so great food around. I have to be strong. I can get on track with exercise, but it's not going to get me anywhere if I don't keep up on the diet end too! I plan to do well this weekend and be able to report back a success. Hold me to it! And have a great weekend!