Exercise, dieting, and cooking.

Yesterday evening I went running with Ross at his School's campus. They have a walking path/paved track that runs around a large section of his campus. They have a little pond/lake and it's right by the football field and track(for the actual track team).

Let's just say, I realized last night how out of shape I am. Being a petite, smaller than the average American may give the false impression that I am "in shape"but let me just tell you, it means nothing of the sort. Quite honestly, I ran around the path once, and I felt like I was dying! ha. A bit dramatic, I know. But I have been having sinus issues for weeks, and apparently when you run, all your drainage can make it a bit hard to breathe correctly (in through your nose out through your mouth). So I was running and breathing in through my mouth and out through my mouth. My nose was stuffed, my body was tight, and it was VERY hard to not ask Ross to let me walk. But I kept going until we came back to where we started. I said "How can anyone like running?" "This is miserable!". Ross, being the patient man that he is (who happens to love running, and wishes I loved it too) looked at me and said "You're just out of shape. You have to run more and you will get better, and like it more."

I let him finish his run, and I took pictures for my assignment in my photography class I am taking this quarter. I have to photograph the alphabet. Basically I have to use natural light and find things outside that make a letter of the alphabet somehow, and take well focused and exposed photos. It's harder than you think. What makes the letter Q? How about R? Nothing can be "put together" either. It all has to be natural.

After I noticed my protruding belly (and no I am NOT preggers) I decided something has to be done. I may hate running (though earlier today I promised Ross I would try again) I do want to start eating healthier and working out more. I have been tearing out recipes from health magazines. It's much cheaper than buying a bunch of cookbooks (and more green) but I also ordered a Vegan and Vegetarian cookbook for the busy College student on a budget! It will be perfect for Ross and I. I am not saying I am forcing him into being a Vegan or Vegetarian. I am simply trying things out for myself, and maybe he will like some of the recipes along the way. I promised him I would still cook him meals with meat, but I might make myself something different. This is just an experiment. Sometimes I can eat meat. As a matter of fact I was craving corn dogs this week for some odd reason, but for the most part I just don't like the texture of meat. The way you can chew a piece of steak forever and it never seems to go away. I even can't stand the smell of meat sometimes. Ross cooked a piece of bologna today, and it smelled awful!

I decided to bake some cheesy biscuits, and pour Clam Chowder soup on it. It was the recipe on the can of soup. I burnt the edges of the biscuits a bit in the oven, but besides that it was alright. I want to start learning how to cook more. Ross does a lot of the cooking, and I think a woman should know how to cook. My dad always did most of the cooking when I was little, and he still cooks a lot today, but my Mom cooks a lot more now too. (They are separated, but still.)

This weekend I plan on purchasing a scale, to keep track of my weight. I did buy some Reebok easy tone shoes and I love them and wear them around everywhere. I do want to buy some Tonalin from the Vitamin Shoppe. It is supposed to be jitter free, but help you burn fat. It's so much more than dieting. If you want to look good and feel good, you have to live a healthy life style.

YOU HAVE TO EXERCISE. YOU HAVE TO EAT HEALTHY!

Nothing annoys me more than a person who wines about being fat, and can't stand their physical problems and health problems, but does nothing about it! Don't wine if you are just going to sit on the couch and stuff your mouth with potato chips! Get up and get moving! Subscribe to a health/fitness magazine. It will motivate you! It motivates me every time I read them, and it makes me want to work out and eat right. Ross and I are cleaning out our cupboards, and every future grocery trip will be more strict than we have ever tried before. More fruits and vegetables than ever.

To live a life lifestyle now we...

-Only buy cans with sodium free, fat free or reduced fat & sodium on the labels.
-Try to avoid packaged foods as much as possible! They contain more preservatives that are bad for you!
-Try to pick out more organic or all natural groceries.
-I drink more water. (Crystal light Pure is my favorite additive to make water more tasty)
-We make dinners from health magazine recipes.
-We drink Skim milk
-Everything we can get that says "Light" on it we do! (Such as yogurt or salad dressing)
-We getter butter than has Omega 3's in it, or spray butter. (Carrie underwood uses spray butter, I read about it in one of my health mags)

-In our small town we walk places as much as possible.
-I plan on buying a bike after my birthday, and Ross will be getting one soon too!
-I work out. Mostly pilates, Yoga, and kickboxing.

I plan to...
-Work out more! One day on, one day off.
-Possibly purchase some new training shoes because the ones I have now are old, and are not comfortable to wear during Cardio.
-Buy more organic foods (I have been reading about it, and organic really IS better for you!)
-Give up junk food...completely!
-Drink more water.
-Subscribe to some more healthy living mags! (I love them!)
-Follow more blogs of other healthy living people!

You don't have to wait until New Years to change your lifestyle. Start living healthier today!

xoxo