We Kin Get Thin!

My niners, as requested by Chai "The fat Killer"

9 Things you are proud of achieving.
9 Things you plan on achieving in the future.
9 Things you are grateful for.

Here's mine :
Things I'm proud of achieving
1.) The amount of knowledge I've acquired about exercises and foods. (still have a TON to learn though)
2.) being able to jog on the treadmill at 5.5-6mph for miles at a time without dieing.
3.) managing a few pullups
4.) needing a belt for my pants
5.) Many of the fitness goals I'd set for myself.
6.) a renewed vigor every time I let myself fall off the wagon, instead of just letting it get even farther away.
7.) Being able to actually see some form of muscle definition
8.) knowing that I can do stuff when I try, and I can push through "the wall" and keep going.
9.) a constant presence on this here blog. I may not always have much to say and post, but I'm always here and reading. :)

Things I plan on achieving in the future.
1.) becoming a push up master! My chest is so weak it's embarrassing.
2.) Getting into the Muay Thai gym and sticking with it!
3.) Getting back under 200 pounds, and get some strength back.
4.) Catching up to Chai with squats and showing her I can do it too!
5.) finding a balance between dieting hardcore, 100% and obsessing over it, and not dieting at all, so I can maintain a happy medium and keep the weight off once I get back down.
6.) build up my home gym collection and continue to use it.
7.) getting a good sense of portions, and eating only the proper amount. Especially when eating out.
8.) add back some muscle mass, so I can show you all which way it is to the beach.
9.) rule the world!!!!! Or at least learn to accept a compliment/good job from people without automatically assuming they're just trying to be polite. also, try not to yell at people when they say I'm skinny(even though I'm not).

Things I'm grateful for
1.) CHAI! if it wasn't for her, I'd probably be up to 300+lbs again.
2.) my health, I may be out of shape, but I still have all my limbs, and they all work.
3.) microwaves, which makes making meals so much easier.
4.) Beef. for tasting so good and not being as bad for me as pizza.
5.) pre-packaged meals. ie. slim fast, power bars, etc)
6.) self control when people are watching(and better than it ever was when they're not)
7.) support from complete strangers/bloggers, who have similar goals.
8.) for having friends and family who are on diets too. It makes it so much easier to do stuff when you're not the only one.
9.) my laziness, to some extent. I could have a box of cake mix in my house(and I do) but I'm way too lazy to make it. So the box just sits there. Instead, I'll grab something pre-made or I jsut won't eat. Usually I'm not even hungry when I'm looking around for food anyway.

Man, that literally took me almost ALL day to come up with. I'm also thankful for caffeine, otherwise I'd never be awake long enough to exercise. lol even though it's not the best thing to have before you work out... :) As usual, thanks for reading, and definitely let us know what your 9-9-9 are:)

In honor of this day, which means absolutely nothing...
Lets do a 9-9-9. I'll do it, and you gotta do it too. Either in your own blog, or here in the comments...

9 Things you are proud of achieving.
9 Things you plan on achieving in the future.
9 Things you are grateful for.

Here's mine :

Things I am proud of achieving
1. I have jogged a mile non-stop.
2. I have faltered, but I have never given up.
3. I joined the personal training gym, despite my anxiety towards it.
4. I have graduated from girly-pushups to *real* pushups.
5. I have maintained this blog and made new friends through it.
6. I have motivated, helped, and inspired my own brother!
7. I have nearly stopped assuming "I can't", and now, I just TRY.
8. I have overcome my fear of talking about my weight, and admitting my problems.
9. I have made, and MET several fitness goals. With SO many more to come!

Things I plan on achieving in the future
1. I will get to a healthy weight/muscle mass.
2. I will RUN a 5k, just to say I did :-)
3. I will continue to share my healthy recipes and lifestyle with others.
4. I will learn to do a cartwheel!
5. I will beat the snot out of Fatty if he gets fat.
6. I will improve my self confidence.
7. I will do 30 pushups in a row.
8. I will be able to do pull ups, without assistance!
9. I will allow myself to be PROUD of myself.

Things I am grateful for
1. I am able to afford the training, and foods I need to succeed.
2. I have an amazing, incredible, super helpful, super awesome trainer. (Thanks Bob!)
3. I have supportive, empathetic friends who help me every step of the way.
4. Fatty.
5. My mom, who inspires and motivates me!
6. My blog followers, who comment, and keep me accountable and present!
7. My health and body. Defective as it is... it WORKS.
8. My tastebuds, who I thank for enjoying all kinds of healthy foods.
9. The internet. For being a bountiful resource for information, support, and connections.

Ok. So I know that technically an "athlete" means that you specifically train and participate in a competitive sport. But to me, athlete means that you are an active person. You push your physical self to improvement and strive for strength and health.

I have always fought being called an athlete. To me, I am just another fat girl trying to lose weight. But people lately have labeled me an athlete, because I am always working out. I thought I'd come up with a Foxworthy-style list of things that apply to me that might possibly make me an athlete :-)

YOU MIGHT BE AN ATHLETE IF . . .

. . . 1/2 of your underwear drawer is sports bras.
. . . you've got lifting gloves in your purse.
. . . you're no longer grossed out by your own sweating.
. . . your response to any invitation is - I gotta check my work-out schedule.
. . . boys ask you to open stuck jar lids, and carry heavy boxes.
. . . you feel your own muscles when no one is looking!
. . . you look at other athletes with inspiration, rather than jealousy.
. . . you have more than one pair of athletic sneakers, and they are both busted up!
. . . "careful, that box is heavy" sounds more like a challenge, than a warning.

You might be an athlete if . . . you're willing to do the work, and open to receiving the rewards.

I forgot to share something amazing with you!

Last night at training, I was on the treadmill and my heart rate got up to 184. I got off the treadmill, wiped my forehead, took a sip of water, and walked about 20 steps across the gym. By then, my heart rate was back down to 114.

That, is incredible recovery time... especially for me!! When I first did the elliptical thingy at training, My heart rate got up to 187, and I had to sit down for almost 5 minutes to get my heart rate back down.

It is unbelievable how the body adapts. Crazy, I say! But truly awesome :-)

I know it will sound pathetic to most of you, but I did something tonight that I have never, ever done, in my entire lifetime.
I ran a quarter of a mile straight without slowing or stopping.

The first time I ever "jogged" in my adult life, I could only jog for SIX seconds before having to stop.

6 seconds.


Tonight, I did 4 minutes straight and I couldn't be more proud!

In other news... Fatty hid my scale!

Apparently, I don't get it back until at least Tuesday!

I sure want to impress it when it comes back to me! :-)