Lately I:
- have officially registered for my first ever 5K! This is a Life List item, so when Nicole called and said she wanted to come to Portland to run this together, I couldn’t resist. Also, NICOLE. PORTLAND. BIG LETTER EXCITED.
- have been running A LOT. So much that I actually decided to scale back a bit to include some cross-training so as not to get injured. The basic plan now looks like this: run 3-4 days/week, yoga 2-3 days/week, and rest 1-2 days/week. Today, I did hot yoga after doing a 4.2 mile walk/run yesterday. It was an awesome idea.
- have seen a direct result of all of the running in the last month (and the continued improvement in eating habits). I’ve lost 12 pounds in the last 6 weeks, which is awesome, considering I’d gained 16 (SIXTEEN) since moving to Portland. The total weight loss goal is 26 pounds, so… I’m almost halfway there, which is kind of awesome. Most importantly, I FEEL amazing again. Energetic. Lighter. More capable. More hot. Seriously.
- have been reading Committed, Elizabeth Gilbert’s follow-up to Eat, Pray, Love (haters to the left. I fucking loved that book). The tagline to the book is “A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage,” and while I’ve never been skeptical about the idea of getting married, it’s shining some bright lights on marriage culturally and historically, and is really, really interesting. The best line so far: “Marriage has survived because it has evolved.” Amen, Liz. Amen.
- have been getting really, really excited about going home for TEN DAYS next month. I miss my family, can’t wait to see my niece again, am going to the wedding of two great friends, and have many other friends I can’t wait to catch up with. Minnesota! Minnesota! I can’t wait. Also, rumor has it that our trip is going to overlap with Kyla‘s and Nora‘s, so… fingers-crossed there’s some blogger-hugs in passing!
- am getting a little too obsessed with how I take food photos. I bought white plates because our green and yellow ones just weren’t cutting it for me. I didn’t buy a set of white plates, I bought two white plates (one small, one large) and a white bowl. I also have a step-stool I now use for standing up higher than my food and getting pseudo-aerial shots of my food. It’s fun. I feel pretty cool.
What have you been up to lately?
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Yay for your first 5K (one day I will do that….one day). Yay for Nicole visiting!! That is awesome! Exercise seems to be going well. Excited about your visit home! Yay family!
I’ve heard some mixed reviews about Committed, but I still really want to read it. I’m glad you’re liking it so far. And congrats on the weight loss and feeling healthier and more energetic; that’s awesome!
It’s fascinating. I’m only in the third section/chapter, but it’s such a new look at marriage for me. Awesome – highly recommended!
I’ve been doing a lot of running lately as well, in turn neglecting my yoga practice and boy is my body (particularly my hamstrings) mad at me! I need to focus more on a balance and maybe run only 2 days, strength train 1 and take at least 1 yoga class a week.
I’m glad to hear you are enjoying Committed. I, too, was a huge Eat, Pray, Love fan and have been wanting to read it!
Congrats on the weight loss, the 5k and yay for Nicole visiting!
1. Have been thinking about a 5K as well so good for you for getting it done lady!
2. Haters to the left is right. Also LOVED the book and LOVED Committed for the exact reason that it just provided good points for reflection and discussion. Enjoy!
3. Minnesota. Can not say enough about how much I fall back in love with this state everytime I come back. So good.
ALSO – I might be late on this but holy cute site re-design.
Aww, thank you!
I have seriously fallen off the running wagon. Shhh, don’t tell Nicole. I am a bottomless pit of excuses (long hours at work, too tired, etc.) but hearing you talk about your running makes me want to get back out there! I know I always feel really accomplished when I get out there and have a good running week (and lord knows I could spare a couple lbs!). When is this 5k??
Get out there! And the race is September 17!
Happy for you! Running is awesome.
i’ve wanted to try running, but i’m just not motivated to. maybe i just need a running partner out here. :p
Your enthusiasm for good food photos makes me happy.
Just wait til you see the photos I’ve taken from my step-stool and with my new plates.
Doni, congrats! This is inspiring. AS someone who loves food and chooses indulgence over rationality all the time
I love this.
Ironically, I think a lot of us are rethinking health. Jodi is training for a mini-triathalon and I just started working with Rally as a side client, so I’m working with a personal trainer one on one and have built a strength training/yoga workout where I’m working out 5-6 times a week. My goal is to lose about 10-15 pounds. I joke that I don’t think I ever lost my Freshman 15.
Let’s keep inspiring each other! Hehe. Congrats!!
Yes, absolutely! I’ve joked in the past that I didn’t gain my freshman 15 until I graduated from college and got behind a desk for the first time, ha. I was too broke in college to eat too much and we walked EVERYWHERE around a huge campus, so I got plenty of exercise in. It was when I started working full-time that that all went out the door. Now, years later, I’d like to reclaim it with a new idea about what fitness and health means. Amazing how different our bodies are in our late 20′s than at college graduation, ha. I embrace the changes, but it certainly means a reevaluation of how we treat ourselves!
It’s funny – the idea of any kind of triathlon seems so crazy and foreign to me, but as I train for this 5k, I can already feel myself thinking and planning for the next race…
Yes! Inspire we will
xo
I really enjoyed Eat Pray Love too – I think the only reason ppl hated on it is bc they were jealous that she took a chance and did something most of us are too chicken-shit to do. I really enjoyed Committed as well! I thought she presented some really interesting facts and points about the institution, whether you agree with them or not it certainly gets you thinking. I wouldn’t say it made me more or less motivated to get married (I have always been a cynic about marriage and not sure it’s for me, and still not sure) but it just made me think and that’s always a good thing!
If you’re open to it, I’d love to pick your brain a little more on your thoughts on marriage. I’ve never been skeptical – as in, I’ve always just known I wanted to and assumed I would. I’d love to hear from the “other side” if you’d be interested in sharing sometime
Ha, haters to the left. I’m still working my way through that book one-or-two-chapters-before-sleeping at a time. It got a little slow-moving through India (as Kate warned me it would) but it’s picking up again and I’ll probably want to read the next one. But it might wait until fall or winter, because summer is more about brain candy reading for me…
Also, I giggled a little at the idea of needing a step-stool to take “above” photos of your yummy creations. Short people problems… (love you!)
You should definitely read this second one and then we should talk about it. I’ll pass it your way when I’m done (unless Kate needs it back for whatever reason). This also sort of reinforces the idea that we need a book club of sorts, and I’m totally happy with summer reading being brain candy picks.
Also, I’m 5’4″. What of it, Legs?
I’ve been meaning to read Eat, Pray, Love for approximately the last million years. I kind of really liked the movie.
Then, naturally, I believe you’d love the book. In my opinion, it’s waaaay better (because you get all the juicy details that are just assumed in the movie). I felt much the same way about the first Harry Potter movie I saw.
yay 5ks and food photos and visits home and just a whole lot of YAY!
also. i need to jump on this running train, i’d love to knock off a few pounds, haha.
also. HI.
HI!
I, too, LOVED Eat, Pray, Love. I only read it last month, which I almost didn’t do because I’d heard so many not-so-great reviews. I’ve added Committed to my list of books to check out next.
It’s awesome that you’re running so much! I really need to bring running back into my life. I’ve totally slacked off after a major vacation and then new job, and now I work on my feet, so it’s hard to convince myself that I want to go be on my feet EVEN MORE.
You’ve inspired me.
I loved Eat, Pray, Love, too and I don’t really care what anyone else says about it. It changed my life (and inspired my blog name!). Committed was really good as well- she is a really entertaining writer.
Anyway, I liked your guest post over at Pretty Sandy Feet. It’s what brought me here!
I had no idea that Elizabeth Gilbert came out with a follow up book. I NEED TO READ THAT. Because, hello? I totally loved Eat, Pray, Love.
I loved Eat, Pray, Love too and really need to get around to reading Committed. Marriage as an institution has always fascinated me and I’d love to hear more about her perspectives.
Also – congrats on the weight loss & the feeling good – that’s awesome!
EFF YEAH 5K!
I recently ran a 5K for the first time (well, one where I signed up) and it was quite awful because I had been nursing my bum knee for a month.
My knee is still kind of hurting and I haven’t ran since the 5K (4th of July). This post is exactly what I needed to read to get motivated again!
Way to go on the running and newer, fresher and healthier outlook on yourself due to it! I can SO relate…only with a much higher and heftier number to lose, wishing it was only 26lbs! Instead I was looking at about 60lbs Feb 1st, why Febuary? Well, I like to be a little different
However, since then I started by just walking, going for a run would have killed me I’m certain, but since then I am down 42lbs and feeling much as you are, happy, healther, 100% lighter and SOOO much sexier! Though I don’t do yoga…something I’ve considered and played with off and on for a bit. Maybe I need to find a studio in the CG/Woodbury area? For now I run 6 days/mornings a week 4 miles and do Zumba 2 nights a week…its a great routine!
Keep the great work up!