We are what we repeatedly do.

Last night I had popcorn after work...

Today - 

Breakfast: Yogurt

Lunch: Chicken salad with artichokes, cherry tomatoes, some onions, feta, oil and vinegar. Carrots with cream cheese

Let’s start this week out right! 

Monday - 

Did my Jillian Michael’s Level 2 of the 30 day challenge (I like the work out but don’t necessarily do the “30 day challenge” just use it as a workout for home vs. going to the gym. However, last week I did it 5 days in a row...). 

Breakfast: Yogurt

Snack: Mixed Nuts

Lunch: Chicken salad with artichoke, capers, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese. I always just use oil and vinegar for dressing with a little black pepper.Carrots and Cucumber with cream cheese. Another

Snack: Yogurt 

Dinner: I made Italian dressing marinated chicken breast with grilled veggies (bell peppers, mushroom and onion, oil and seasoning). 

Dessert: Cool whip with drizzled honey

*I either have bad allergies that have crept up on me this week or I’m actually getting sick but yesterday was hard for me - everything I ate made my stomach hurt really bad...

Tuesday - 

^That being said, I slept in (which isn’t even sleeping in) this morning instead of my usual work out - first time in weeks that I’ve done that! But I’m trying to make my body feel better since this work week is ridiculously busy (working 2 12 hour days! yuck!). I may or may not workout when I get home tonight. Probably not though. But tomorrow I’m 100% going to. 

Breakfast: Yogurt

*No snack

Lunch: Spinach salad with feta and cherry tomatoes, a little bit of leftover chicken and veggies

Snack: Carrots and cucumber (by themselves) and I caved and bought a little bag of goldfish. Don’t worry I haven’t eaten them all and don’t plan to today. 

Dinner: Since we’re working overtime today they are providing us dinner (since we’re salaried and they don’t pay us overtime UGH), but we ordered from Bubu which is a Denver fast food-ish restaurant. They are pretty healthy though so that’s good. I ordered a salad with avocado, bell peppers, carrots, green beans, almonds, dried apricots and a carrot mustard dressing with Raw Tuna. I’m not so sure about the dried apricots because they sound really fattening to me so I might pick them out...unless it’s too good with them! hehe. 

I’ll probably be set for the rest of the night after my work dinner but if I end up having a snack I’ll update!  

Saturday - Chorizo scramble (with potatoes...)

Sausage links with a little bit of mac and cheese, squash

Sunday - leftover Chorizo scramble (with potatoes...)

Sushi! so much sushi!

Chinese food. I suck! haha

Today! 

Yogurt

I have a salad for lunch with carrots and cucumber w/cream cheese for snacks and another yogurt (working late)

I have chicken that I plan on grilling when I get home with bell peppers and onions for dinner

*So even though I haven’t been eating nearly as well as I used to be (ok I do pretty good during the weeks but pretty much blow off the weekends...) I have been working out a LOT. Last week I worked out all 5 days, skipped Saturday but then yesterday I went on a RUN. A RUN! I hate running but I did it! I’m so proud of me. And then I did pilates right after. Then rode my bike to the store. I’ve been killing it. Worked out this morning too. I have yet to notice any big differences or developments in my body but the workouts are getting a little easier so it’s got to be doing something. And it makes me feel good so if it’s not doing anything physical (unlikely) it’s at least doing that. Now if only I could be more strict in my diet. It’s really only the weekends that get me! And ice cream....because it’s ice cream season. But I buy cool whip to curb that during the week. 

I’m going to be a little relaxed on the weekends, I’ve decided. I’d like to lose about 10 lbs but I’m still comfortable with where I am especially since I work out like crazy now. *yes this is a disclaimer! haha

Saturday (Day 6): 

Brunch at Sassafras - Roast Beef Po boy - I only ate half of it, no sides

Snacks - chips (bad!)

Dinner - grilled hamburgers with sauteed onions and mushrooms, pickle, a couple pieces of potato salad, lettuce and avocado and bacon - No bun! 

Sunday (Day 7) NOT a good day for me....:

Breakfast - Santiago’s burrito (bad!)

Lunch - 2 pieces of pizza (bad!)

Dinner - 1 more piece of pizza :/ yikers I’m gross

Monday (Day 8) A new start!:

Breakfast - yogurt

Snack - nuts

Lunch - Salad with capers, turkey, tomatoes, goat cheese, and oil and vinegar, a hard-boiled egg, stringed cheese

Snack - light white popcorn

Dinner - Grilled pork chop with grilled bell peppers and onion along with sauteed golden beets with a little honey and balsamic

Tuesday (Day 9): Keep it up!:

Breakfast - Yogurt

Lunch - Leftover pork chop and veggies, carrots, stringed cheese, and light white popcorn

I’m going to re-continue to log my eating habits again in order to keep track and keep myself accountable for my diet.

I have scratched all the inner corners of my brain to try and remember what I ate for lunch on Monday and I just can’t. I have no idea why this part of my life has been entirely blacked out of my memory but I assume I ate well since I was deliberately trying to. For dinner that night I made Taco Salad with ground turkey, guacamole, onions, sour cream, cheese, lettuce, and salsa.

I had some cool whip for dessert. 

Tuesday (2): 

Breakfast - Yogurt

Snack - Mixed nuts

Lunch - Taco salad fixin’s from the night prior and a stringed cheese with a few carrots

Dinner - Just snacked on carrots and popcorn...no real dinner :/

Wednesday (3): 

Breakfast - Yogurt

Snack - Mixed nuts

Lunch - Salad with deli turkey, cherry tomatoes, capers, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette with olive oil and pepper. Stringed cheese and some carrots with plain hummus

Snack - Half a cupcake that a coworker made

Dinner - Leftover taco salad fixin’s 

Thursday (4): 

Breakfast - 2 eggs scrambled with cheddar cheese and hot sauce

Lunch - Salad with deli turkey, cherry tomatoes, capers, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette with olive oil and pepper. Stringed cheese and some carrots with plain hummus

Dinner - Brussel sprouts with a little bacon

Friday (5):

Breakfast - half a bagel with cream cheese

Snack - stringed cheese

Lunch - Small Caesar salad with kielbasa and pickles

Things have actually been really great with JPhipps. I've stopped worrying about this relationship because things have gotten easier and lovelier. 

Last weekend I was in Mexico - a long weekend Fri-Mon, and ever since I got back this week he's been so fucking sweet. Before I got back to Denver he texted me asking if he could take me to dinner, he's made a significant effort to come to my house instead of me going to his - and even spent the night over a week night! (he works super duper early so it's not ideal), and he's just been really cute every time I see him. A lot more emotionally affectionate - as well as still physically affectionate. 

Things are just going really well and I'm excited about it and feeling better about it. 

What is strange though is that I still don't really know any of his friends outside of our mutual friends. That makes me nervous lol And I don't know much about his past - relationships and whatnot. Which obviously I don't need to know everything but I feel like eventually that's something we'd outline, right? He doesn't know about my past relationship with Graham or anyone else either... but there's a small update :)

I'm not sure how much I like you anymore. I think things have just turned out in my life where I no longer need the distraction and solace of tumblr to make me feel better and more connected or something. 

In life news, because I feel like I need to update myself on myself (because who really even looks at my blog anymore?), let's lay it all out:

JPhipps and I are now in a relationship. I'm not sure of the last update I gave on him on tumblr, but things have certainly turned around. What started as super casual and hooking up, developed into this. He asked me to be his girlfriend on Halloween and it was really cute. I'm nervous because I haven't been in a relationship in over 2 years and I haven't been in a REAL relationship (like, not long -distance) in like, 6 years or something. AND we're both very different from each other. We all know that I'm very into astrology and our signs aren't necessarily compatible, however, he is a mutable sign and sort of on the scorpio cusp (who I am compatible with) so I'm think that's what's working so far. He's super analytical and straightforward whereas I'm intuitive and emotional. Plus there are a few things we disagree upon, as far as ideologies go. But those things also keep things interesting. I'm excited to see how it goes but again, really nervous. So far things are good. But also, so far our relationship is really physical and not quite as much emotional. I think that part will take time - more for him than me. He hasn't been in a relationship in like 7 years - of any kind. I'm sure he'll need to learn how to be a boyfriend. I'm okay with that for now though. As much as I know it'll take time for us to fully connect emotionally, I'm completely, entirely enjoying our physical connection. We have really good sex, to be honest. He just needs to come over to my house more often. I can't afford to keep driving across town to his place! 

At work, I finally got a raise - a really good one - and I still feel broke as shit. I'm hoping this month is the last month I'm truly straining and by December things will be ok (except then I'll have to buy Xmas presents that will probably set me back again!). It's a little bit tricky for me because JPhipps makes a ton of money - he's an engineer - and loves to eat out and do things but I can't afford it. He offers to pay but I don't expect him to so I end up charging it and then kicking myself by the end of the month for it. I'm excited to get a new car though! I just really really need it asap. After I have a car payment, I'll really be strained for moolah. But at least a new car is worth it. Eating out every night isn't. 

My diet is still on, but I no longer consider it a diet. I mostly just eat this way now. I don't like breads and major carbs - they make me feel nasty. But I splurge here and there. For instance, last night I had a piece of deep dish pizza and this morning a bagel. But that will be it for the week. Otherwise all I really eat is yogurt, salad, and soups. My stomach actually really hurts from the bagel this morning :( But overall, I feel great and I think I look great. I'm a lot more confident - which makes my sex life better too. 

However, our company is sending us to Mexico next weekend for our annual company party ("Kickoff" is what they call it). I'm not at all excited to be in a bathing suit with my coworkers, no matter how much weight I've lost. Not. Into. It. But I am really excited to be in Mexico, itself. I've never been! And it's an all-inclusive resort so I plan to be hammered the whole time. 

Also, I've been talking to my ex, Graham, the last couple days which is super ironic because I'm JUST now dating JPhipps. It is nice to talk to him and I think it's easy right now because I am dating someone else. It's just makes it easier to talk to him for whatever reason. It's nice to catch up about things. 

Let's see, what else? 

- still haven't found a good way to balance work/social life with my poor dog. However, I have a parking pass for downtown now so I think I'm going to start going home on my lunch hour to let Rex out because I have HAD IT with him shitting in my house every other day. 

-still haven't talked to my older brother since we had a falling out over the summer. But he just bought a house in Wisconsin which is pretty neat. Good for him. 

-I'm really excited to go home for Christmas. I just wish my friends could come with this time for some reason. I just really want them to know where I'm from. And it would be so much fun!! 

-That being said, JPhipps really wants to take an Amtrak somewhere. So we've decided it'd be fun to go to Chicago with a few friends but that probably won't be until like May or something when the weather is nice enough to utilize the lake! That's too far from now though :( 

Hmmm. I think that's about it for right now. At least that's all I can think to write about.