Week in Review (Feb 18 - Feb 24)

Tuesday - Before work, I tried another video - Leg Slimming Pilates, Butt and Thigh. After work another 1.5 in the basement inferno and more videos - 5 minute inner thighs, body yoga infused stretching and upper body workout.
Wednesday - I was pretty motivated after doing my "hill workout" the other day. I did a mile at incline and wanted to die. The second mile, I walked. Then I headed over to BodyPump. Good class.

Thursday - Another new video before work - bodyweight cardio calorie buster - this is one that I would probably do again. After work I managed to crank out 6+ miles of blah on the treadmill, followed by some quick yoga/stretching.

Friday - One mile in the basement inferno before work. IMMEDIATELY after work, I picked up A and we worked one of her last cookie booths. Two hours at night in the cold is NOT fun. I am glad this is the end of cookie season!
Saturday - 8 miles on the treadmill at the gym, watching Team USA get massacred in the bronze medal hockey game.

After lunch, we spent the day with Jessa and took the kids to Boondocks. A was psyched to get to play laser tag for the first time.

Sunday - While A was working HER last booth with my mom, I braved the 25ish degree weather for a quick 4ish mile run on Clear Creek trail. My first outdoor run in ages, and while it was cold, it was really fast (for me). I enjoyed this!

Most of the afternoon was spent catching up on Teen Mom and Sister Wives (hangs head in shame/embarrassment). After dinner I knocked out another new arm video - upper back, arms, chest (tabata upper body). This was a pretty simplistic video with a decent amount of reps. I would probably do this one again.
Monday - I'd thought about doing something in the morning, but I stayed in bed instead. After work, another 6ish  miles on the treadmill. This was day 108 of the streak. I think I have to set an end date, so I think, maybe, day 120 is the end? I fear if I don't stop soon, I may never end this insanity.

Weekly Miles Run - 27.95 (23.8 treadmill, 4.15 outside)
Weekly Cross Training - 1 mile walk
Minutes of Strength Training - 176

Weekly Gain - 0.8 pounds

I was pretty hungry all week. Not entirely sure why. I had my usual balance of healthy and treats:

The cooking experience has been eye opening... A bunch of new recipes. First, A and I made vegetable soup (literally, a CAULDRON of soup) - it was delicious, but too spicy for A. Almost a week later and I still have about two servings left. I also baked a spaghetti squash for the first time! Elizabeth sent me a bunch of recipes and A was most excited about "Taco Soup," - which was delicious. I also made stew for the first time! I liked it a lot better than the pot roast I made.

I also enlisted the help of L in making... S'mores bark. This was a lot easier than I imagined (but fairly expensive). It took only about 10 minutes of prep time and then an hour in the freezer. DELICIOUS, but probably a fairly large reason why I had yet another gain on the scale this week, lol.

So... what I've learned about cooking... I went for a long time with fairly minimal cheese/dairy intake. While it is delicious, it is fairly high in calories/fat, and I like TONS of it on my food. So, obviously, what I have noticed is that a lot of my recipes require... CUPS OF CHEESE. No bueno, apparently, for my waistline!

• Ever notice how everyone is on a diet (even if they don't really call it a diet) after the New Year?
• I don't want or need to go on a diet, but I do want to have a diet that is a bit... cleaner. I am hungry all the time, and I don't want to waste my calories.
• I don't want to give up dessert, or cheese, but I clearly need to moderate a bit better.

Soooo.... I am going for a #NotEatAllTheThings, round 2. What does this mean??

• Did you know that I literally am a bottomless pit? Just ask Heather. I can eat for days and days and days....
• I have very little concept of serving size, therefore, even if I am eating "healthy," most of the time I am overeating.

What I plan on doing:

1. Cut out cheese based meals (enchiladas, mac & cheese, etc.) to one day a week. I won't give up cheese, but as I said, I eat way too much of it in one sitting.
2. Um, probably not make bark again. That was clearly not a brilliant idea.
3. Won't give up donuts either, but I should probably cut back to just one a week.
4. I am NOT a fan of measuring food, but I am really going to try to watch my portion sizes.
5. I have been doing a great job of eating fresh since I discovered Sprouts, so I will continue with  my fresh veggies and fruits.
6. I had been eating sandwiches at work for lunch for the last month or so in an effort to save money. I have a freezer full of frozen meals I'll eat over the next month instead (after I finish the sandwich materials I have left over). The thing with frozen meals, is that while they probably aren't the healthiest in the world, everything is portioned FOR ME. Plus, I have a surplus. And then, maybe, I'll just start to do the "leftover" thing, with a salad? Dunno.

Everything Else

• Speaking of Elizabeth, can I just say that she is the sweetest. She sent me a Valentine's Day card, complete with a cute hair tie (that I have not tried yet). Really made my day when it came in the mail!

• NOTHING else. 
• All joking aside... I'm just NOT happy with my life right now. Sure, A is great. Sure, things are finally going a bit better financially. But I am just not HAPPY with just "getting through" every day. We only have so many days on this earth and it sucks that at work all I can do is countdown to when I get to leave, and after work, just waiting until I can go to bed... There has to be more to life than this, I just don't know what it is or how to get there. The last year has been a fog of depression and "what's the meaning of life" musings. I don't know how, but I have to get out of this funk. I've already wasted a year being upset and I don't want it to continue.