Haters gon' hate.

Okay - first thing first. 

I've jumped on the wagon with see Sam run and I'm here to tell you that the 30 day squat challenge sucks. 

It doesn't suck at first. That first day seems pretty easy. And so does the second day. And then you wake up on day 3 and have no clue why it hurts to walk up stairs. And then you get to day 4 and PRAISE HIM for the word "rest". Annnnd that's where I'm at right now.

But today's post isn't about the squat challenge - it's about something else. The summer. And, here comes the shocker, WHY I HATE THE SUMMER IN NC.

If you're from a humid hot place, I don't need to spell it out for you.

But if you're not, let me tell y'all this: summertime in North Carolina is MISERABLE for running, and walking, and drinking... okay I'm just being dramatic with the whole drinking thing but whatevs. 

I dropped the boyfriend off at his summer class the other day (10 AM - 12 PM) and decided to go for a little run around the campus while I waited on him. Let's just say I'm about to barf even thinking of it now. 85 degrees and as humid as a steam room filled with hot baking grease. The shade was farce and the sun was hot. I tried my best to keep my mind off of it - but it's hard to ignore the blend of sweat and last night's mascara as it slowly drips into your eyeball while you're trying to ignore the heat and listen to some Flo Rida. Yuck, yuck, yuck.

Just yesterday I tried walking the dog 5 BLOCKS to the nearest crack, uhhh, coffee shop at like 9 AM. Annnnd once we returned, she laid on the cold hardwood floor in the dining room covered in wet wash clothes and in front of a box fan for like three hours. Shit is real, y'all.

So for the next few months, I will be running, walking, and doing all other outdoor activities at the ass crack of dawn or in the evening (and let's be real - it will definitely be evening).

What else do I hate about summer?
-mosquitoes
-sand spurs
-high ass electricity bills
-sunburn
-falling asleep on the beach and getting sand in my mouth (yes, really)
-flea season (hello big white dog in my house!)
-peeling skin after the aforementioned sunburn
-frizzy hair (thanks, humidity!)
-pit stains (there - I said it)
-beach traffic
-overload of tourists

Annnnd I think that's it.

I want you to know that I realize what a bitch I sound like right now. Everyone's all counting down to summer all year and here I am Ebeneezer Scrooging it for everyone. And honestly, summer is wonderful... but it's so DAMN hot.

This reminds me of a 5K I ran last year.

It was right at the end of June on a Saturday morning around 9 am. It was called the Run for the Red and was an effort for our community to raise money for the local Red Cross. Cute, right? Except it wasn't. It was 95 degrees before the humidity was factored in and the route had literally ONE TREE for shade. All I'm saying is this: it's a good thing the Red Cross was there because I thought I was going to die. And I was having a worse time than others because of see Sam run. That's right. Not only was she sitting this race out but she decided the night before to go bar hopping and force me to drink red bull and vodka with her all night. I'm pretty sure the only thing keeping me going during that race was the motive to murder her immediately afterwards. (wait - did I just say that out loud? hehe)

And speaking of good ol' see Sam run, did y'all miss her or what on Saturday?

Uhhh she's kidding, right?

RIGHT?!?!???

See y'all tomorrow. We'll talk about compression shorts and why I love/hate them.

MIA but I can explain!

Yep, I've been MIA for a hot minute. And as much as I want to SNEAK back in and act like nothing happened - a lot has happened since my last post. Let's get right to it.

So in chronological order, this is what I've been up to.

Did this. Yep, see Sam run and I may have done a little late birthday celebration. The day started out so innocent - a little bike ride around a city park. But the innocence didn't last - and after a day of drinking copious amounts of Pinot Grigio, shopping under the influence of said Pinot, and bar hopping later with less drunk friends - our day was finished and our havoc wreaked. Who says turning 25 is old and boring?

Speaking of old and boring - HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY to see Sam run. I just saw her today and she still doesn't look a day over 22... 

I also did this. I know what you're thinking - what's a wild possum doing in a vet's office? Well that, ladies and gentlemen, is not a wild possum. It's my peculiar cat Phoebe. And for the record, the vet is super expensive. Clean my cats teeth for $200?! She licks her own genitals - I think the teeth clean is too little too late, but thanks anyways.

Then I did this - my home away from home... AN AIRPLANE. I got sent back to Oklahoma City for another two weeks of work - this has almost everything to do with my absence on the blog. Let me expound:

14 days of 12 hour shifts spent staring at a computer. I felt like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. I mean I was DONE. And even if I did somehow get motivated to write a HLM post, the company I work for is BIG BROTHER like crazy with their IT programs and there was NO WAYYY I was logging into blogspot on their internet. 

 The good thing about working in the office - I got to dress pretty! What I do in my career is not relevant to this blog therefore I need not talk about it. But what I can say is this: I do NOT get to wear pretty office clothes often. So I went a little crazy - note the shoe collection I brought with me above.

I could really get used to wearing cute outfits on a daily basis...

I also did this - drank shit tons of water. Was it good? Nah, just OK... hehe.

Oh and oh yeah - I forgot to mention that the day before I left OKC, I was around 5 to 10 miles from the Moore, OK tornado? Yes. It was so scary, ya'll. One minute the skies are blue and the birds are chirping and the next minute the sky is black and covered with hail, wind, and rain, and the tornado sirens are going off outside of my door. 

But my eyes were glued to the local news streaming from my phone the entire time and by the grace of God, we were missed. 

It is always hard to watch the aftermath of natural disasters on the news no matter where they've occurred. But there is nothing more sobering than seeing emergency personnel dig for people in piles of rubble on a national news station and realizing that that could have been you. My heart was broken leaving OK the next day and it still is. It's just amazing how devastating those storms can be with only a 45 minute warning.

One of my best friends and her husband just moved to OKC from Washington state and they are just as clueless about tornadoes as me. So I couldn't leave town without giving them a parting/house warming present: I got them tornado helmets.

Is this a silly gift? Yes. Is it a joke? Hell no. If something ever hits their house or office, I want to make sure their brains are covered. This is shit no one thinks about until your in the middle of tornado alley during peak season.

The day that I left OKC, I flew to Charlotte, NC and continued onto the mountains  where I met my parents and sister and did some pretty serious wedding planning. 

My favorite part of the week - she said YES to the dress, ya'll! But not before trying on one and a half billion dresses beforehand. She's got such a cute figure so it was hard to not love them all. For the record, this isn't HER dress but here's a little taste of my afternoon shopping... so dramatic! But doesn't she kind of look like the trophy from the Oscars?

And after a refreshing week in the mountains catching up with the kinfolk, I headed back to the shore to hang out with the boyfriend, my friends, and of course my dog. We have been a little obsessed over our backyard and back porch lately... Here's some of our work.

And since I got to Wilmington I have:

• Attended a lovely bridal shower for a friend
• Acquired the most AWKWARD sunburn ever
• Given my dog a bath, twice (white dogs are the WORST!)
• Ordered the Justin Timberlake album on vinyl
• Eaten delicious Thai food
• Gone running, of course

And right now, I'm sitting on my back deck finishing this post and waiting on see Sam run to get here and drink delicious sangria. BOOM. It's good to be back.

see Sam run Saturdays on Sunday: 30 Day Squat Challenge

Oops! It's not Saturday, but you guys don't mind, right?

This post will be just like me, short and sweet. I challenge YOU, readers, to this epic squat battle:

That's right, day 30 ends with 250!! You can do it! I jumped in on day 2 today. Let's go!

 Squats are a girls best friend!

-see Sam run

see Sam run Saturdays: "Post 29" and Control

Happy birthday to me!! Well, yesterday anyway...

Yesterday was my "post 29" birthday. Healthylittleme coined the term because I get nauseous at the very sound of that "T" word!

It bothers me that I can no longer say I'm in my twenties. This particular birthday makes me feel like I haven't accomplished as much as I'd hoped to by now. I don't have a house of my own, or a career, I haven't finished my Master's degree, I'm STILL a poor college student...

This got me thinking about what I HAVE accomplished thus far (way to be positive, right?) I am in graduate school, I have run races, and even a 10k, I bought the car I always wanted, I have two wonderful rescue dogs, I have the love of one of the most genuine men on the planet, I've lived on my own for 11 years now, I have authored books, I have been on NPR, and I have some of the best friends anyone could ever ask for. And now, lets add to it that I am getting in the best shape of my life. Not for anyone else, but for ME.

My pity party is over about no longer being in my twenties. You may return to your regularly scheduled programming.

That being said, this past week has been insane for so many reasons and my diet and exercise routine kind of, sort of fell off the face of the earth. But this is a new week and it's time to get on it! It's time to step it up! It's time to regain control.

I don't know about you, readers, but a big part of my weight struggles and relationship with food comes from feeling out of control. There are so many aspects of life that we are not in control of and I, personally, dealt with that by seeking comfort. Had a bad day at work? Hello cheeseburger and fries! Get a bad grade on an exam? Come to momma, ice cream! I feel like this is probably the case with a lot of people. We turn to comfort food to make us feel better. And it's not only food, it's other things like curling up on the couch and watching reruns of Friends despite the fact that you own every season on DVD and should probably be working on your thesis. No? That just me? My point is we often turn to familiar things of comfort to deal with the aspects of our lives we can't control, and that usually turns into a life of pork rinds and an ass that fits perfectly in the couch. We all need those comfort days, but sometimes they turn into comfort months. You know what's even better than mac-n-cheese and a Lost marathon? Having a fitness level you can be proud of. Having the confidence to wear those shorts you've been eying. Setting a goal and smashing it!

It took me THIRTY (I said it and I just threw up in my mouth a little) years to realize that the one thing you can control is YOUR choices. They may not always be perfect, but they are YOURS. You control you. You will fall, but it's your choice whether you pick yourself up or stay down. What's your choice?

Happy Saturday!

-see Sam run

It's my birthday and I'll post if I want to!

Okay so I know today is Saturday and this blog belongs to see Sam run... 

But it's my birthday and I'll post if I want to!

This morning at 7:44 AM (yes I know it right to the minute), I, Healthy Little Me, jumped into my 25th year of life. And to be honest, I don't feel any different than I did yesterday.

Except for the fact that I was inundated by birthday love today via texts, phone calls, and Facebook posts. And man, that felt great!

I am actually working out in the middle of nowhere today on my birthday so it's been kind of difficult to even acknowledge the fact that today is remotely special.

But it is.

In 25 years, I've done some cool shit. And this year is going to be even cooler.

Eventually, birthdays stop being exciting and start reminding you how old you are.

But old age doesn't mean you have to be less-awesome. It's quite the opposite.

This year I am going to run a half-marathon. No more I might or I want to. That's it. I'm committing to it and I'm DOING it.

I'm also going to continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating foods that nourish my body and staying away (95% of the time) from junk that does nothing good for me.

I'm going to stay as active as possible.

I'm going to work on myself in order to make me a better friend, relative, co-worker, and human being.

Thanks for reading along! This blog is still new to me (established December 2012) and I'm really enjoying the chance to reach out to others who are also aspiring to be awesome people and getting feedback from all of you.

Happy Saturday ya'll! 

see Sam run Saturdays: Back at the Gym

First things first....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEALTHYLITTLEME!

So last week we left off with the completion of my (and HealthyLittleMe's) very first 10k race. And the following Sunday there was to be a 5k race. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to run in that race [Enter Pouty Face Here]. Stupid leg! My hip flexor has been sore/tired/give-out for a few weeks and I continued to run on it anyway. I wasn't going to NOT run the 10k and so after that race was over, my leg said:

"Hey dummy, no more running for you until I heal!"

Yes. It said that.

It's been one week since I've ran, and I never thought in a  million years that I'd utter these words, but, 
I MISS RUNNING!

 I straight up miss it. I see people out running and I am jealous. My leg still hurts when I walk, but it is feeling less tight, so a few more days and I should be good to go. I think.

Anyway, in leiu of this leg drama I decided that just because I'm out of the running game for a minute, doesn't mean I can or should slack all together. So I got myself to the gym.

I haven't been to the gym in a few months because I've been running so much and doing Insanity occasionally. It felt good to return! I started out with 20 minutes of rowing (I love rowing, have we talked about this?) worked up a good sweat and then hit the free weights. I did three sets of an arm workout HealthyLittleMe introduced me to, which essentially includes: overhead presses, standing rows, bicep curls, lateral raises, and tricep work. I used both 8 and 10lb weights and did some extra tricep, bicep, and shoulder work. After my arms felt nice and jello-like I jumped on the stationary bike (the reclined variety) and cranked out 10 hard minutes. I followed that up with some squats (not weighted) 60 deep reps and 20 pulses. I feel every bit of it today. Feels like... VICTORY!

I also indulged in some cupcake and cookie action at work, but I don't want to talk about that. Let's pretend it never happened. Ok? Ok.

Happy Saturday! Make the most of it!

-see Sam run

Tuesday, 24, Ohio, and other shit I want to blab about.

This is officially my last week of being 24 years old. And I think it sucks. I'm not really dreading 25 as much as I thought I was going to but I am going to miss 24. It was a great year for me. 

I started my first big girl job.

I bought my first legit car.

I traveled. A lot.

I went to Devil's Tower, swam in the hot springs in Thermopolis, went skiing for the first time. 

I celebrated four years with my love, ran a 10k, lost almost 20 pounds.

I got stuck on a snowy mountain and lived to tell about it.

I finally developed the nerve to wear colored skinny jeans.

Yep, 24 was good to me.

But as of this Saturday, 24 will be a distant memory. I'll move on to 25. A QUARTER OF A CENTURY, people. But don't you worry - I have plans.

I'm going to keep running. 

I'm going to run a half marathon (although the thought still makes me nauseous as I sit here typing this). 

I'm going to watch my sister becomes someone's wife.

I'm going to keep moving onward and upward in my career.

I'm going to laugh a lot. Mostly at myself

I'm going to eat well.

I'm going to bring back the expression YOLO because, well, I don't think it got enough attention.

I'm going to make sarcastic comments a lot (see YOLO comment above).

I'm going to make sure that 25 is as much of a BLAST as 24 was.

But now, my 24 year old self is sitting at an airport waiting to board a plane to Ohio. **Disclaimer: if you or someone you know lives in Ohio and/or you love the state of Ohio - don't take this personally. You actually might want to skip this part, it may piss you off.

I HATE the state of Ohio. I've worked out here several times and every time I get sent, my skin kind of crawls. Please know that my impressions of Ohio are limited. I have been to Canton/Akron and the Amish country to the east. Maybe if I were to visit some cooler areas of the state, I would change my mind. (I'm open to suggestions, ya'll!)

What's wrong with Ohio?
It's gray.
It's usually rainy and therefore muddy.
The gym sucks in the small town I work in.
The people are just... not my type.

I guess that's really it. Maybe I'm being overdramatic here but I'm bummed that I had to leave my boyfriend and sleeping dog and perfect weekend full of running to hop over to that dreary place and crank out a week of work. 

Did I mention I'm going to spend my 25th birthday in Ohio, too? Oh yes. It's almost poetic in that sense. At least I know that from this day forward, the only way I can go for the rest of the year is UP.

And now for a random thought: you know those moving sidewalk things at the airport? Have you ever jumped on one only to figure out halfway through that it's broken and not moving but you've already committed? Yeah, that JUST happened to me.

Happy Tuesday, ya'll. I've got to get back to people watching at the airport.