I Am Stronger!

So I realize it's been a while. And yes, I have been quite slack-tastic with my workouts during my absence of the blog. But, now that the Purr Partners 5K date has been announced I have a deadline to get my rear in gear! The date is Sunday November 5th, so I have plenty of time to get myself back together!
My plan to keep things simple is to do my couch to 5K workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and then go to Zumba classes on Thursday like normal (which I have also kind of been slacking on!!!). That still gives me three rest days, which I think is fair. Lets see if this helps me stick with it more this time!

I do have a bit of a musical inspiration for this blog. Anyone who has talked to me in the past two weeks or so is probably sick of me talking about the musical of FINDING NEVERLAND... but really the show is fabulous and gives me all the good feels! But the song right at the end of Act 1 is so amazing I feel the urge to share it!

Blessings and Later Days!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fevDew-8oSo

In the darkest place
There’s the faintest light
Gives me hope to face the hardest fight
Pain delivers me
I don't need their sympathy
‘Cause they can't take away my mind
Where I go they will never find

I've got to be stronger
Reach up higher
Must dig deeper
Find the fire
Feel enlightened
Can't be frightened anymore
I can run now so much faster
Now defeat won't be my master
For to conquer the demons
I won't have to wait any longer
I've got to be stronger

You'll see in time
You will survive
Too soon to run
Too late to hide
It's your destiny
Every pace, every stride

I am stronger
Reach up higher
Digging deeper
Found the fire
Feel enlightened
Won't be frightened anymore
I can run now so much faster
Now defeat won't be my master
I will conquer the demons
I won’t have to wait any longer
I’ve got to be stronger
I am stronger
Now I’m stronger

Weigh-In Wednesday and New Workout Sneakers!!!

I meant to post something last week after Zumba class but I got home and didn't feel well so I pretty much showered and went straight to bed. So first of all I want to show you guys a picture I took last week when I got back from class. It features my new tank top, and considering I felt terrible when I got home last week... I gotta admit... I don't look half bad in this picture! But my tank top shows a new mantra... And though she be but little, she be FIERCE!!

Pretty awesome, huh? But now, onto yesterday's weigh-in! I was dreading it. I've honestly not worked out much in the past two weeks aside from the weekly Zumba class. I really didn't anticipate any loss so I went into it ready to be disappointed. But I was actually pleasantly surprised to see 187.7 pop up on the screen. I actually turned the scale off and back on again, then tried it once more to make sure I was getting an accurate reading and the same exact thing came up. Y'all... that's the lowest number I've seen on a scale that I've been standing on in a long time. I almost cried! I'm not sure how I did it, and maybe it was a random fluke, but regardless I'm going to take it, consider it a win and just work really hard in the next two weeks to make sure that the next weigh-in is a great one as well!

I went to Zumba class again tonight and it was a lot of fun! Though I wonder when Raleigh Parks and Rec will decide to turn the air conditioner on in that facility. So freaking hot in there! But, it was a great work out! And my friend Emily came with me to class which made it even more fun! I also have some new workout sneakers finally, so I wore them to class! I need to re-string them because they were a little tight the way they were pre-strung. But they're pretty awesome and colorful, like me!

Anyway, I need to get going! I hope everyone has had a great week and I hope that everyone has a great Easter to those who celebrate it! Love everyone and be good to each other.

Blessings and Later Days!

--CarryV

The world we live in as a fat-phobic society

So tonight I was all excited to go back to Zumba class. I'd been looking forward to it since last week. The class is so much more fun than doing the dvds at home! But tonight I was particularly excited because I had some new workout clothes to wear and I was super happy about it! I had some nice capri workout pants with little rainbow stripes on one pant leg and a new tank top with little panda faces on it. SUPER CUTE! And for those who know me, you probably know that the only socks I pretty much own are white tube socks because for whatever reason they're the only socks that my shoes won't eat when I walk or exercise. So I rolled them down a bit so I didn't look silly with capris and white socks up to my knees. Sort of makes wearing capris sort of silly.
I gathered my things and was JUST about to walk out the door and I heard people walking around outside going up or down the stairs near my apartment like they were either leaving or going to their apartment. I stopped at my door and waited until I didn't hear anyone before I left my apartment because I was scared for people to see me in a tank top and my rolled down white socks and capri pants. I got in my car and thought... why did I just do that? Why do I care what strangers think about what I'm wearing?? And the whole thing got me to thinking about when I was younger and I would literally roast myself in the summer because I didn't want to show skin in public because of my weight. I remember my mom constantly trying to get me to wear shorts or something. Anything that wouldn't cause me to be uncomfortable in the North Carolina summer heat. But to me, being uncomfortable in the heat was better than being uncomfortable because of people judging me for what I was wearing at my weight. We hear stories all the time about people being fat shamed, especially at gyms. I've never understood why people think it's fun or cool to tear people down who are legit trying to better their health. What's the point and why should anyone else care? Focus on your own life and workout. I know when I used to go to Planet Fitness, I sort of just put mental blinders on and focused on what I was doing and that was it.

Anyway. I know it all seems silly, but I feel like we do still live in a fat-phobic world. There have been great strides to make it better, but honestly it's still not where it needs to be. When I got out of my car to go into Zumba class... which is in a small shopping center so there were people out and about... I just held my head up and walked right on in ready to work and have fun doing it! When I left, I felt great after my workout and didn't really care.

Now, onto the actual workout! Class was so much fun! Now that I'm getting the routines down a bit and am not completely new to it, I was able to get into it a bit more. Some of the routines were new from last week but some of them were the same so I was able to recall them and polish them up a bit. But I had a lot of fun and the hour just flew right by and before I knew it, it was over! Sometimes I still got my left and right mixed up, but the cool thing about Zumba is that sometimes you don't need to get it right. Its just about being active and keeping yourself going and moving! Easy as that!

Anyway, I need to get going and get ready for work early in the morning. I hope that everyone has had a great week and have great weekend plans ahead of them!

Blessings and Later Days!

--CarryV

Weigh-In Wednesday and Foot Issues

So today was weigh-in Wednesday and while I was a smidge disappointed about the results, at least I didn't really gain anything from the last official weigh-in. I came in at 191 even. Last time I was 193-something, so at least I lost about two pounds in the last two weeks. ... Trying to stay positive. Also I recently had to buy a new pair of work pants (and to be honest I ended up buying two pair). One of them was the same brand and size as my old pair, I just did the petite ones instead of the average because I'm so short. Today I realized that they felt a little loose, which was nice!

Anyway. So recently I've come across this foot issue. It actually started about a month or two ago but it's been just coming and going randomly. Recently I got so frustrated from it that I finally went to a doctor to find out what was going on. Turns out, my right foot has a nice little case of athletes foot. Fun, right??? It's been off and on super duper itchy and irritated for a while. So they've given me the tools to get it better and under control, so hopefully things will come together for it and get it feeling better. Honestly, I know it's been hindering my activity level this week because my foot just doesn't feel good and thus I don't feel like being active with it. I just wanna slather it in Lamisil cream and rest it. But I'm still trying to be as active as I can. I still plan to go to Zumba class tomorrow, and I'm super looking forward to it! I just got some new workout leggings and a new tank top that I'm dying to premier! But I'm also ready to get in there and get to work!
Though last night I did the Sculpt and Tone dvd and it was all I could do to get through about 20 minutes of it before exhaustion set in. But I'm sure I'll be able to beast through the hour long class. The class is different from doing the dvds at home. The time seems to fly by faster! Super ready!!!

Anyway. I guess I need to get going. I hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Blessings and Later Days!

--CarryV

Weekend Activity

This weekend I tried to be active but still sort of take it easy. Saturday we woke up early and drove to the mountains for a day trip. We caught a late breakfast once we arrived to Boone, then walked around campus, went to the outlet mall and walked around, then we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway for a while before stopping at one of my favorite hiking spots. We got to Beacon Heights and hiked up the mountain for about 10 minutes until we reached the big cliff at the end. We sat out there for a while, then found another section of the cliff that I didn't even know about. Then we left and went to a nearby park to walk around a bit more before returning to town for dinner at my favorite place ever, Macados!! We had a great day in my favorite place in the world, Boone. I miss living there so much! Its such a great place with so many places for outside activities!

Today I went for an afternoon walk around the lake by my apartment. I didn't do Couch to 5K. I just walked around and honestly I played Pokemon Go as I was walking around, but something is better than nothing, right? At least I've tried to remain active this weekend. Weigh-In Wednesday is coming up this week afterall!

Anyway. I am exhausted after a day of cleaning this apartment so I'm going to relax with my furbabies and watch The Walking Dead before I go to sleep. I hope everyone has a great week coming up!

Blessings and Later Days!

--CarryV

Zumba Class REALNESS!!! And Monthly Measurements!!!

Good Thursday evening to you all! I guess first things first, lets get Monthly Measurements out of the way. As per usual I'm giving the disclaimer that I'm not the best at taking my own measurements so they may or may not be very accurate, but hopefully it gives me a ballpark idea at where I'm at and how I'm doing.

So my waist came in at 39.5" which is only about a half an inch loss from last month but I'll still take it! And my hips came in at 45". Both of these measurements may seem like they're still high... and they are don't get me wrong.... but they're important. Because in both areas I have lost about two inches each since I started this whole thing. How awesome is that???? And I have to say, I was bad and popped on the scale this morning to see how I was doing on that front even though its not an official weigh in day, but I was pleasantly surprised that I saw 188.8 on the scale. That's the lowest number I think I've see on there in a long time, so needless to say that put me in a good mood too!

Now onto the bulk of today's post. Today I did something I've been wanting to start for a while, and that is go to an actual Zumba class. The closest thing to a class I have ever done was a 2 hours Zumba-thon we did in college as a fundraiser for Relay for Life. Otherwise, any Zumba I have ever done has been in my living room with DVDs. I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Would it be a large class or very small? Would the moves be more complex than I could handle? Would I be the only new person? Would I like the teacher?
Let me answer all of those questions with one statement. I plan to go back next week! The class was small, including me and the instructor there were four other people, so it made for an easy going atmosphere for my first time there. I had some technical issues figuring out my left from my right some times but I feel like for the most part I got things pretty quickly. I went through an entire bottle of water, which when I do it at home I usually only go through maybe half. When I left I was a sweaty mess, but I felt good all at the same time! The class was definitely worth my $5 and all the other $5 I'll spend on it in the weeks to come! If anyone else in the Raleigh area is ever interested in going, let me know! It definitely has the CarryV seal of approval!

Anyway, I'm going to relax for a bit and get some things done here at the end of the night. I hope everyone has great weekend plans ahead! Be good to each other, always!

Blessings and Later Days...

--CarryV

Probably will be hurting tomorrow!

Today I used a Zumba dvd I haven't done in a very long time. It was my older Sculpt and Tone dvd. 40 minutes (plus a 5 minute cool down at the end) of toning awesomeness! However I feel completely wiped out. Well maybe not completely. But I'm super sweaty and just know I'm going to be feeling it in the morning! I just felt like a change, but I forgot how intense that dvd is! But I was proud of myself in that I did the entire dvd and didn't skip any sections. Below is the screenshot of how my google fit app thinks I did. As I've said before, I'm not sure how accurate their calorie counter is, but I mean... if it is pretty accurate, I'll definitely take it!

Monthly Measurements is on Thursday so stay tuned!

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Blessings and Later Days!

--CarryV