Health & Wellness Update

So, I haven't totally fallen off the Weight Watcher's bandwagon, but I am barely hanging on. I wasn't getting anything out of my meetings - I was easily the youngest person there by at least 10 years - and the leader spent more time filling us in on her life than going over tips and tricks, which was frustrating. 

I didn't see the value in spending the $50 a month for meetings I dreaded going to, so I scaled back and do it online only now. I had a 20% off coupon for Bed, Bath, and Beyond and invested in the Weight Watchers scale, and track online and weigh myself at home. Less accountability, but I'm honestly getting more help and information from the website than I was from the meetings.

My weight loss has stalled, but I have been running consistently for the last four weeks now, so I know that a lot of that is my fat turning back into muscle. And, I've been less disciplined with cheating on the road, which isn't helping.

I had two friends complete the Disney Princess Half Marathon a few weeks ago, and they inspired me to train for a half marathon as well! There aren't any around here that I could actually compete in when I'd finish the training program, which scared me at first since I usually need some sort of motivation. But honestly, I've finally gotten to the place where running is a release for me, a chance to clear my mind, and I've been sticking with it even without a race to look forward to. (And it helps me to justify that stress eating just a little bit...)

I'm going hot yoga on Saturday with CJ and cannot wait! It's been a long time and I can't wait to sweat sweat sweat! What are your favorite ways to cross train? Or any good stretching resources? 

Have a great Thursday!

Chicken Chili!

My roommate introduced this great recipe to us and it's quickly becoming a Court Street favorite!

Chicken Chili
4 chicken breasts
1 packet taco seasoning (we haven't advanced to making our own yet...)
1 can of corn
1 can of kidney beans
1 jar of salsa
1 can of black beans

Add all ingredients to a crock pot and let cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Shred the chicken and add shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips and enjoy! It should make 8 servings.
WW+ points: 5

Here is our finished result! (We use a crock pot liner - clean up is non-existent!)

It is filling - thanks to those beans! - and delicious. We plan to use our leftovers tomorrow night, using the chicken to fill crescent rolls and baking. 

It's perfect for a chilly night! 

My Weekend!

First of all, I was able to lose 2.2 pounds this week - I was a happy, happy girl at weigh in yesterday morning! I was disappointed that I had zero time to work out last week, so knowing my change in portion sizes paid off was a nice affirmation.

This week was tough at work, and a co-worker treated me to an "I Value You" latte Friday morning. I will miss my office so much when we move to Tennessee!

I left after weigh in for Richmond, where I tried on and ordered my bridesmaids dress for a friend's wedding this summer - I'm so excited for my bridesmaids to get to town next month so we can pick out mine!

I met up with my cousin and Aunt, and we went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory. The one in Richmond is the closest to me, and it's my favorite guilty pleasure place.

We all ordered different cheesecakes so we could try each others. I ordered the Lemon Raspberry (I love anything lemon), my cousin got the Chocolate Raspberry, and my aunt got the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. We saved them for that night though :)

Then we did a little shopping, and I bought table runners for the wedding!

We found them at Hobby Lobby. They are pre-treated to resist stains, and I was worried they would feel cheap, but the fabric feels great - it has almost a canvas-y texture. They are rectangle, 60x104 in. and we'll cut them into thirds lengthwise. So, each table cloth will give me three 20x104 in. runners. (Approximately.) They were part of Hobby Lobby's spring time inventory, so they were 30% off, making them $24.50 apiece. So, I got my table runners for approximately $8.17 each! I am beyond thrilled! I haven't settled on a specific table-scape yet for centerpieces and what not, but I can just imagine these with some milk glass vases and jars with hydrangeas sticking out -- only 194 days until the wedding!

Finally, because the cable is out out here in the boonies, we played board games all night. We picked up some Crispin in the way home, ate our cheesecake, and enjoyed each others company :)

Don't forget, I'd love for you to follow me in Instagram -- my username is cgump. I also made a Vine account this weekend, although I haven't quite produced a video yet. My username there is ceg10, I believe :)

Sunny Saturday

Weighed in this morning for the first time since before Disney and I gained again.

I'm a little bummed because I've been eating well - very careful with meal planning - and have been working out when I can (which is hard with my schedule...) So this week, I'm going to be super careful about what I'm eating - tracking everything! - and I need to find a way to decrease my stress.

This morning for breakfast, I whipped up some sausage balls, and with Weight Watchers Cream Cheese, they're only 2 points each! I cleaned up the kitchen some, knocked out a load of laundry, and am waiting to head to a friend's for the Duke game this afternoon. Here's to hoping for a better week!

At least Logan is back from the field - with a cold and feet covered in blisters - but talking to him always calms me down.

Hope everyone enjoys their weekend!

TGIF!

Well, everyone, I am off to Florida today to help coach the swim team's training trip. Sunshine, warm weather, and Walt Disney World are ALL on the schedule and I couldn't be more excited. I'll do my best to post while I'm away, but no promises.

I weighed in this morning for the first time since before my birthday - whoops. I'm only up 1 pound, which I fully expected. The holidays were r-o-u-g-h, and although I made it to the gym 4 times this week, I did a good amount of weight lifting, so I'm sure it's my body converting fat to muscle, which always makes me feel like I gained even though I'm toning up.

I am an OCD packer, and write down everything as I pack, this time putting post-its on my wall. It helped me visualize what was already in the suitcase, and I felt so much better and efficient moving along. I packed many essentials including:

My Clairisonic! I got one for Christmas and am ob-sessed. I use it twice a day and my skin is softer, my pores look smaller, and I have fewer blackheads on my chin and nose. It's well worth the money!

My Rainbows! I had a pair that lasted me from 2004 until 2008, then I bought a new pair (the old ones had a hole in the heel) and wore them until I lost them in 2011 :( I've been Rainbow-less until Logan bought me a pair for Christmas. I can't wait to break them in in Florida!

My Lilly bathing suit. I bought mine last year, but it's the same cut as the one above. It's comfortable and I can't wait to bust it out after 4 months in my dresser!

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend - hopefully I'll be in touch soon!

XX - C 

Boring Tuesday!

Nothing big to report on today!

My workout went well yesterday - but I didn't do as much cardio as I hoped. I just haven't shaken this cold yet and my whole chest and throat were burning... but the weight circuit kicked my butt.

I came home, grocery shopped with Bonnie, and made this yummy Weight Watchers recipe for dinner. The chicken was delish - moist, lemony, and we used dried herbs and they were still devine. We heated up some canned green beans on the stove (I drain the liquid from the can first) and added a splash of EVOO and Garlic Salt and all were happy!

I then enjoyed some red wine and popcorn while we watched Biggest Loser!

Lucky me, the Army let my fiance leave way early yesterday, so we were able to Skype last night as well. I'm enjoying the time he's not in the field very much!

Today was a busy day. No organized moving every hour, but I was up and down a bunch for other stuff, so I still feel accomplished. I have some big projects ahead of me, but I'm excited to tackle them once and for all.

Here is what I wore today:

Boots from J Crew ($199-$318 online... I got mine at the Clearance Store in Lynchburg for $60!), Dress from Gap, Cardigan from Eddie Bauer, Scarf from Target, Cheetah belt from New York and Co,  Earrings from Kate Spade, and bracelets from Premier Jewelry. 

Gym plan for tonight: 30 minutes of cardio and this upper body workout from Women's Health Magazine:

Have a good night!

Working Out

So, I have re-enrolled at Weight Watchers to help me lose weight for my wedding. I joined in May 2011 and lost 30 pounds before plateauing and essentially giving up. I thought I had learned the majority of the eating right information and would just self-monitor. Well, I did put about 15 pounds back on and have decided to re-enroll.

My family has a history of diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. Since so many of these things are related, eating right and staying active can help me keep them all in check. However, I was beyond frustrated when I met with the doctor and learned of my inevitable risk of both diabetes and high cholesterol despite being a college athlete for four years (in swimming none-the-less! That sport is no joke!) and being a vegetarian for five years.

However, being on the road and traveling can make it very hard to eat right - and those hospitality tables at college fairs can be so tempting! Not to mention the Starbucks addiction that happens about 2 weeks in because I'm so tired.

I was bound and determined to lose a little weight before buying my dress, which I was able to do, but want to get down to the weight my doctor has recommended to me before my dress comes in mid-March.

When I rejoined W.W., I was at 150. I've lost about 3 pounds in two weeks, and my doctor has recommended I get to 130 to stay healthy and minimize my health risks. I've been doing a good job this week with eating - I'm very proud of myself. Bonnie and I buy oodles of fruits and vegetables anyways and with W.W. they are zero points! I've even gotten to the gym twice this week - just doing 30 minutes on the treadmill and a little ab work - but I'm moving around!

I'll keep you posted on my progress and any tips I have, but I do have to recommend W.W.! Their new program, 360, is all about establishing routines - drinking water consistently, eating a fruit or vegetable with every meal or snack, getting up and moving around a couple times a day.

How do you like to stay fit?

Weekend Recap & Outfit of the Day!

This weekend was pretty packed - but very fun!

Friday night, Bonnie and I ran some errands and finally saw "Pitch Perfect." So funny if you haven't seen it yet.

Saturday, I went to Weight Watchers and weighed in (gotta get wedding dress ready!) and ran over to the storage unit to get Christmas decorations! I was able to get back to the apartment early enough that we even got the tree up and decorated that morning. Then it was off to the swim meet for the competition against Hollins. (Sweet Briar won, of course!) Cutting it close, Bonnie, Emily, Dad and I hit the road for Charlottesville for the UVA/Green Bay basketball game.

Although we're Duke fans, seeing basketball live is always a good time. We got home mid-evening and were pooped - so we relaxed and eventually went to bed. 

Sunday was cleaning day! We decided when we moved that we'd clean once a week to keep things spic-and-span. Of course, I'm pretty OCD, so I straighten and wipe down daily, but this is helping tremendously with cutting down on clutter. We gave everything a good scrub and Bonnie and I went grocery shopping. (Before hand, we sat down as roommates and managed schedules, planned meals, and made a shopping list. We never shop without a list - it's too dangerous for our wallets!) The Menu looks like this:

• Monday - We're all one our own - I have a study group and Emily has class
• Tuesday - Dinner at 7:30 when Emily gets home - Chicken Tenders and green beans 
• Wednesday - Bonnie and Emily will have dinner at 7:30 - Brown Sugar and Garlic Chicken and broccoli 
• Thursday - On our own - Bonnie has a Chi Omega alumnae event, and Emily and I have class
• Friday - Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter

Then we were able to catch the local Christmas Parade :)

Roommate picture before hand - sipping hot chocolate and waiting patiently!

My high school's band - I marched as color guard in this parade three times in high school! :)

Although I'm 100% in the Christmas spirit, temperatures in the high 60s are making it hard to get in the spirit. However, it also makes me feel a little better about wearing Lilly to work in December:

Today, I'm wearing black flats from Payless, an a-line skirt from New York & Company, and a Lilly Pulitzer top. I'm also wearing my favorite double string of pearls.

Happy Monday, everyone!

XX - C