Positive! Positive! Positive!

Do you ever have those days, weeks, or months where you feel like no matter which way you turn there is SOME sort of bad news coming your way? It could be something so little like your favorite pen ran out of ink. Or it could be something big like you didn't get the job you were really hoping and praying for. 

Well for about the last week or so, for me, that's how it's been.  NO I haven't been turned down for a job, necesarrily...but I feel like everything I plan for and everything I want to happen is just NOT happening.

About 3 weeks ago I had an AWESOME interview with a unit manager for one of the hospitals here in town and when I talked to him about a week later, he said he really wants to hire me but he won't be able to for at least a month...ok some good and some bad at the same time...I can be patient, right? Right!

Well, I filed my tax retrun on February 4th and was anticipating the deposit to be in my bank account on the 15th - that didn't happen....so when it wasnt' there on the 16th, I called the IRS and they said "yeah yeah, we have it and are processing it, if you don't get it by the 25th, call us back" so...OK I can deal with that.  I planned a super fun theme park vacation for me and Cowboy - our FIRST ever vacation together (and we've been together for almost 7 years). This said vacation was originally supposed to happen from 2/28/12-3/4/12.  Well when I checked "where's my refund" on the IRS website it said I shouldn't expect my refund until MARCH 6TH!!!! So...OK...just a minor blip in the radar, no big deal, we'll just push our vacation back a week.  It's a good thing(for the sake fo this vacation) at this time that  he's not currently working and I can make my own schedule so postponing for one week is no big deal....well tonight I found out that he has a race to go to on the 10th which falls right smack dab in the middle of our so-called vacation.  So BAM just like that - vacation plans officially squashed!

There's more to all of this "negativity" but those are the BIG main parts that have been getting me down. 

The title of this post is "Positive! Positive! Positive!" though, isn't it?  So a long lost friend from Elementary school private messaged me on Facebook tonight after I posted this  status update:
"SERIOUSLY!!!!! Can I just get ONE fricken' piece of good news PLEASE?!?!?!?! JUST ONE that's all I'm asking for!!!!!"

She said that sometimes when she's feeling the way Ive been feeling that she will either write down 5 positive things that are happening in her life, or things she is thankful for, and it helps. So that got me thinking....She's absolutely right! I want to not feel this negativity anymore! I want to not "Sweat the small stuff" so in honor of her advice here are my "5 positive things"

1. I am thankful to have a job - because so many right now don't.  So i need to quit complaining about it.
2. I am thankful for my Parents, Brothers and Chloe - with out them I don't know if I would be the person that I am today.
3. I am thankful for Cowboy. Even though he may get under my skin - I know that he loves me with all that he has, and how many people can say that about their other half?
4. I am thankful for each and every one of my friends - even the ones I only connect with on Facebook.  They are always there to lend a shoulder when I need one and to make me smile when I have a frown.
5. Last but not least...I am thankful for my four legged babies.  They love me unconditionally and bring smiles to my face on a daily basis. Especially my Duster...hes definitely a mama's boy ;)

So there you have it - My 5 positives for the day.  I think maybe I'll try this every day.  Thanks for reading my rant.  Have a great week! :)

The gym...oh the gym...

So about half way through 2011, I fell off the "get healthy" bandwagon.  At that time I was down  about 25+ pounds and feeling great. I am not sure exactly when it happened, but I think it was sometime around June or July.  Right about the same time that Nursing school was ending for me and my new "life" was just around the corner.  I got busy with school work and stressing about how I was going to pay for my licensing exam ($200 - which is ALOT to an unemployed student) and trying to keep my day to day activities in check.  I stopped working out because I always had some stupid excuse or another. Then slowly I started eating really crappy again.  On August 1st I was admitted to the hospital because I had been experiencing heart palpitations for a couple days and it was starting to get really bothersome and almost painful.  It came back that I arrhythmia of unknown origin.  So basically, I have NO idea why I have these palpitations.  Nevertheless I am on a beta blocker to help with my slightly high blood pressure and the arrhythmia's.

Ok so through all that rambling, my point is, that I have gained back ALL the weight I lost last year (plus 2 lbs) and I am not happy with myself.  Granted, I graduated nursing school, I took and passed my NCLEX, I got a job as a RN, and I quit smoking....but I'm still FAT!! I'm over it!!! I've been eating pretty healthy for the last two days and have been drinking a ton of water, which is good, but I haven't found the physical motivation to WORK OUT yet.  I think part of this is because Cowboy isn't working again and he's pretty lazy so it makes me lazy.  I know that's a stupid excuse but I would NORMALLY work out in front of the TV to my Jillian Michaels DVD, and since he's home and goes from the bed straight to the couch and parks his arse there all day...it makes it kind of hard to do what I want to do.  In my opinion walking through the neighborhood is not only boring, but, if you've seen the neighborhood I live in, it's not that safe....so that leaves me with only one other choice....get a gym membership.

So that's exactly what I did.  I joined the gym today.  Sight unseen.  It's a new gym in my neighborhood called Planet Fitness.  The monthly dues fit perfectly into my budget and there are no contracts to sign..DONE! This location won't open for a couple more weeks but I was assured I could use another location until they open.  So tomorrow, I am bound and determined to start working out again.  My goal is to be up and out of bed by 730 am (for those of you who know me..this is an awesome fete considering i LOVE to stay up late and sleep in) and to the gym by 830. I am determined to lose this weight for real this time! I'm really hoping my friend Kim gets a membership too, that way I will have a gym buddy and have someone to keep me accountable and vise versa for her!

Here goes!! I will check back in with you all next Monday when I do my weekly weigh in :) WOO HOO For weight loss!!! :)

Weight loss Journey..Take 2 :/

Wow...it's amazing how FAST you gain weight and how SLOW you lose it.  I wish it was the other way around.  Last January I set some goals to meet by my 30th birthday and I met all of them....except the weight one.  Lets see...I graduated Nursing school....I passed the NCLEX (the board exam)...I am now a working RN WOO HOO!!! I also quit smoking.  I hit 365 days on 1-1-12.  I lost somewhere between 25 and 30 pounds between January and May of 2011...but as of today...thats all back :( SO it's time I get back on it and lose ALL THE WEIGHT once and for all!! So here's to 2012 and getting fit and healthy!!

Today I weighed in at 229.5.  My first goal is 10 lbs. Here we go!

Starting over...

Somehow I've fallen off the diet/exercise wagon.  I haven't gained any weight back, which is good, but I also haven't lost any more.  I am only about 3-4 lbs away from being in the 100's again.  It shouldn't be that hard if I just stick to my regimen.  Summer is only a few weeks away, and I am no where near bathing suit ready yet.

I've been on a diet/exercise hiatus for about a month o_O that is not good! I weighed in yesterday at 204.4.  I still need to lose 39.4 lbs to get to my goal weight.  That shouldn't be that hard to do, if I just stick to eating right and exercising regularly. 

On another note, I am only a little more than 2 months away from being done with Nursing School.  This has been a very long, bumpy road, but I can FINALLY see the light at the end of the tunnel!!! August 13th and 14th is my graduation  weekend...i can't wait for that!!

Spring is in the air...

Wow! I can't believe it's been over a month since I last blogged.  It's been pretty busy, in the life of Tricia.  Where do I start?  Well I'll start with where I left off.  Last time I blogged, I was getting ready to go to Girls Weekend.  That was a fun weekend :) I might have indulged a little more than planned, and I gained about 3 lbs.  Whoever said calories and fat grams don't count on Vacation, LIED!! :) But I didn't let it get me down.  I came back, finished out my 2nd to last Semester and had a nice relaxing week long break.

On March 28th my friend Courey and I started Boot Camp Las Vegas.  It's been tough, and I've thought about quitting more than once but I only have one more week to go and then I can stop getting up at 345 am! (I have had a one week hiatus from BCLV because I had some stupid stomach flu).  In addition to going to Boot Camp, I joined up at a local weight watchers.  I'm hoping that the new program will boost my weight loss a little more.  I am currently at 204.4 lbs which means I have lost a total of 22.2 lbs since January :) WOO HOO I finally made it over that 20 lbs mark! If I keep it up I should have NO problem getting to my goal by my 30th birthday (which by the way, is in 30 weeks...but who's counting right? LOL)

Two weeks ago, I started my 6th and FINAL semester of Nursing School.  I am so excited! I only have 14 more weeks to go before I can go out in the real world and HOPEFULLY find a job.  Today, I had the privilege of helping out at the Spring 2011 pinning ceremony and it was awesome.  I found a new sense of motivation to finish!

Last time I blogged, I had just finished my first 5K and was stoked about my time.  Well a week from today, I will do my 2nd 5K and I am very excited for it.  I am hoping to get done in less time than the first one.  I'll be doing this one alone, so it will be more of a personal accomplishment for me.  I'm a little nervous about going alone, but I think it will be good for me.  I just need to get some good music and get into a groove.  I still can't run far distances, but I am positive, I could run further than I did at my first 5K.

I also want to make note, that it has been 4 and a half months since I have smoked a cigarette.  The cravings are getting less and less as the days go on.  It has DEFINITELY helped when trying to work out...I know that if I still smoked, that I wouldn't have as much stamina as I do.  Thanks to everyone who has been encouraging and inspiring to me :) Much love to all!!

I DID IT!!!

I finished my first 5K!! AND....I finished in under an hour! :) I am so stoked! My official time was 51:34.  I wasn't out there to race, but now that I have started and finished my first 5K I can't wait to sign up for more!! My uncle and I did the race together and it was a lot of fun!  Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day :)

I also had my weekly weigh in today, and the numbers looked GREAT!! I came in officially at 4.2 lbs lost for the week, which brings me officially to a total of 19lbs lost :) I am SO stoked!!!!  I wanted to be able to say I've lost 20 lbs by this coming Friday, and it looks like i'll be able to do that.  YAY!!

The end of my semester is creeping.  This week I have two finals and an exam, then I am going to the river for girls weekend....and NEXT friday the 25th I have my last Final.  Then...i'll officially be a SENIOR!!! WOOT WOOOT!!!! Four more months to graduation and I CAN NOT wait!!!

Headed back down

Well, today is Monday and that means my weekly weigh in.  This morning I was down 1lb.  It wasn't a great loss, but it was MUCH better than last's weeks slight gain.  I am officially down 14.8lbs since January 3rd when I started this journey.  I have made a small, short term goal.  I want to be down 20 lbs total by March 18th.  So I only have 5.2lbs to go, to get there. I'm going to the river for girls weekend that weekend and I would REALLY like to be able to say "I've lost 20 lbs so far." SO here goes for a busy 2 weeks :)

I didn't get any REAL exercise today, but I cleaned my house from top to bottom and worked up a great sweat doing it, so I consider that my work out for the day.  Tomorrow I'm gonna go running.  There's only 5 more days 'till my first 5K, I can't wait!!

I hope everyone has a great week :)