Featuring MOSI

Alex making a funny face before we see IMAX Sharks at MOSI theater.

It's time to fess up, I'm not fooling anyone-- I haven't been doing a good job at keeping up with my daily blog posts. This is the last time I'll talk about it, I just wanted to let it go. It's good that so much is going on I can't keep up-- it's a blessing to be busy and have places to go out to (and the time and money to do the activities). Tomorrow after the Zoo I want to go to Joann to use some of the coupons I got in the mail to get some fabric and start working on some small projects. Next week is the perfect time to use for sewing because Alex's little brother Austin will be back home and the gym won't have group workout classes (i'm on my own until the 25th). So I'll need to be working on my fitness at-home stuff and be working on my crafting.

So as I've said, I've been pretty busy. This week we bougth the Tampa City Pass which includes MOSI (plus an IMAX movie, and a planetarium show that day), two local aquariums, Busch Gardens, and Lowry Park Zoo.
On Monday, Alex and I took Austin to MOSI. It's the local museum and while many of the exhibits are really geared towards younger kids, we had a decent time. Alex and I had thought there were more exhibits in MOSI and perhaps that's because it seems like there should be so much more for family not just the kids. The 3D Printing visiting exhibit was nice yet small-- and you really can't expect too much from the 3D Printing because it's still a new technology. There was an anatomical heart that was printed, though, and it was awesome. Austin had not yet seen what the inside of a heart looks like.
Afterwards we went to another one that was informative but just... too much and not enough of the right stuff. It was about the human life and our growth and decay, pretty much. A bit too heavy at the end for me-- I go to the museum for fun and to learn stuff not to brood over negative thoughts.
There was a cool magnet section though and it was awesome. It was called Magnet Circus and you can guess the cute theme. Then there was Disaster City which simulates natural disasters and allows you to play around with toy structures and stuff to prepare for disasters. Pretty cool, actually. So if you're my age and you're planning on going to MOSI, you could probably just head to the Disaster City and the Magnet Circus and be content. You absolutely do not need the whole day for this venue-- you could get through all of it in a couple hours.
On Tuesday, we FINALLY made it to Busch Gardens. Post on this will be coming soon, we're heading to the zoo today and I need to get Alex up and make some sandwiches.

Le gasp! Undies!

So, if you recall, there was a complete scandal the last time I posted a picture of myself in underwear but life is just too short to always wear clothes in the privacy of your own apartment (or at least everyone has a laundry day). So, BEHOLD! My underwear! And my abs in progress. The changes are not too visibly obvious but I'm feeling stronger and more full of energy (before 8 PM). My gym routine is going well though my idea of getting a gym buddy hasn't quite worked out how I would've liked but I guess it's normal for strangers to have difficulties making commitments. I carry on.

This week's numbers are:

39.50" shoulders

34" chest

29.5" underbust (I took these measurements in the morning so I don't have any food in my belly or much water weight).

9.15" biceps

26" waist

31" belly button

36.25" hips

37.25" butt

21.5" thighs

13.75" calves

I promised you guys a post with the recipe to my awesome vegan chili and I will indeed get to it. My goal is to have it up tomorrow night and I'll be sure to share it on FB the moment I complete it. I promise it'll be worth the wait for the recipe as well as the time for it to finish cooking in your own kitchen.

What do you guys think about me doing more posts on food and cooking? I have done a food blog in the past but it was mostly reviewing food at restaurants. Maybe this time I'll go for some cooking videos. That's asking a lot of myself considering I still have trouble getting my weekly post up on the same night every week. At least I post often; I'm pretty happy I've been able to kick my butt into writing and keeping record every week.

The abs deadline is still 4-5 months away (June. Alex and I didn't say exactly when in June) but I feel the urge to really step it up. If I could I would do more but work, school assignments, and preferring mornings really makes it a task. Eventually I'll get this all together into a nice system. I'm still working on that goal's list ya know. I think it would help if I printed it out and taped it on my vanity mirror. That way I remember the ones that are most important to me each day.

Well I have to get back to my studies. Assignment due tonight then work in the morning.
I hope your weekend is looking up. Stay warm and dry.
Namaste.

Habits Lead to Fitness

Don't forget to floss and rinse!

So I have a lot of good habits going on this month (aside from re-discovering my interest in cutesy-amazing-story videogames), not limited to eating more kale, eating less sweets (still a habit in progress),and getting my butt to the gym. Now it's time to start pulling in bigger guns like making cardio sessions lean more toward fat-burning, high-intensity, lifting weights more than twice a week, and making leaner meal choices. The ladder is a bit difficult on the weekends because I don't have a lot of time to cook for my work meals so I'll just need to be sure to make enough leftovers  on Thursday night-- not an  easy feat with a night class but I'm sure I can make it happen.

The numbers for this week are:

39.75" shoulders

34" chest

30.5" underbust

9.25" biceps

25.75" waist (the change from earlier this week is probably due to being a girl, bloating is mandatory).

31.75" belly button

36.75" hips

37.25" butt

22" thighs

14" calves

I think my biggest concerns for winning this race to abs are my weakness for sweets and the fact that my main fat store is my lower abdomen... and that I hate crunches. (Seriously, what does the world have against complete sit-ups?!). I'm also worried about school and keeping up with everything I need to do to build up my experience for future job prospects; I really want to be in the best shape I can be but I can't sacrifice my grades... it's very tempting to just switch over to fitness but I have no science background so I'd need to start all over. So. I'm sticking with Library Science since I'm almost done anyway and I'm going to make sure school is at the very top of my list. Gosh, lists...

Don't worry I won't share another list with you. Unless you'd like to see my average grocery list? That would be an interesting one to share because diet is more than half the 'battle'. I know some people love/hate that statistic but it's true. If you eat nothing but meat, starch, and processed foods, you're going to feel and look crappy. If you eat clean veggies, fruits, complex carbs/starchs, portioned lean proteins and/or meats, you're going to feel better. Yes that slice of decadent chocolate fudge cake will be amazing on your fork and goo-ing between your teeth but that signal that the food is sending to your brain is just that-- a signal. It is instant pleasure rather than lasting enjoyment. The goal should be for lasting enjoyment, a.k.a. food that transfers into long-term energy for your body.

I'm still not sure how to get myself through 3pm without feeling like sleep is the only thing in the world I want. Solution: siesta. Not gonna happen.

I'll continue to do my best at keeping up with the weekly posts. Hope you're all taking January by storm. 

Namaste.

Cardio/Warm Up

I absolutely cannot skip my warm up with cardio. Today I just stretched and went to the weights because I was cut short for time. It was leg day. I was ready to run.
Never again. No longer will I think it's even feasible to skip out on my cardio warm up. While I was lifting I felt so antsy and the antsy-ness is still with me right now.
We live such sedentary lives that, once you really get going for a while every day, you gotta keep going or the flow is messed up. Tomorrow I plan on a date with a Tredmill followed by arms.
I wish I could sit still. I'll correct the issue tomorrow after school.

I forgot to do the online sign up for Spinning class with one of my sisters. Boo.
Today included some downs... the hate in Boston... but the world keeps spinning. We should do what we can to help, then look to positive things to "Keep Calm and Carry On,"-- have a cup of tea. Toast to Mondays that are not quite Mondays.
Look to the future with hope.

I hope. I do.