Still alive!

I am the world's worst blogger these days.  Here's what's been going on:

School - got all A's for the first semester, had a couple of weeks off, and start summer classes in a week.  Taking Microbiology this summer, a five week class.  I keep reminding myself "you can do anything for five weeks" in an attempt to not completely freak out over this one.  Then in the fall I have Organic Chemistry, Human Anatomy I and their accompanying labs, and a nutrition class.  I like taking the hardest classes together, of course, that was intentional.  Ha, ha, ha.... slow clap... it was the only way I could schedule this semester.  I had no intention of tackling the two classes with the highest failure rates in my program at the same time.    Barf.  Yay for science, says the HR chick...
The other day my boyfriend said something that included the sentence, "... and this major is much more difficult than your first one" which delighted me... that he is aware of the fact that science is hard and business was memorization and common sense.  I'm not smart enough to have chemistry come as "common sense" to me.  Double barf.

Gym - I took a week off from lifting, which I try to do every 12 or so weeks, but hadn't done since Christmas.  I did, however, do cardio all week to keep myself sane.  This is my first week back and it's been awesome.  I also took that week off of pre-workouts, and have reintroduced a fat burner, so I'm full of chemically-induced happiness and energy.  I'm on the same split, which I started about 2 weeks before the rest week.  6 days of lifting, hitting glutes three times a week (two leg days, and on one of the back days), shoulders twice, back split into two days... it's a beast but I love it.  I'm even OK with the fact that I can't, uh, sit down without wincing.  My hammies and glutes hate me, but I love it.  I had been doing it straight through, but I think it's gonna start looking like 3 on, 1 off, mostly because I'm being a baby.  However, I don't like going to the gym on Sundays (or Saturdays for that matter, it's been busier and busier lately... gross) but it looks like I may have to suck it up.

Food - still the weak area, but vastly improved.  I'm slowly leaning out for summer, which is awesome, but man I love food too much!  This about sums it up:

(Although I truly detest the first quote.  Gotta throw that out there. Whoever came up with that has obviously never had peanut butter.) Same food plan, just actually sticking to it, and seeing results.  My plan is to slowly lean down through the summer, then spend the fall/winter reverse dieting back up and focusing on building MOAR MUSCLE!  GRRRR!  I've added cardio back in, which of course I hate, but I do love the results and the sense of accomplishment that comes from sticking out something you detest for an extended period of time.  When I get frustrated with my "slow" results, I have to stop, remind myself of where I came from, and what it took to get where I am now, and that I should be proud, even if I'm not where I want to be just yet.  At my worst, about 3 years ago, I weighed 92 lbs and ate around 700-800 calories a day.  I did 30+ minutes of cardio intervals every day, usually twice, and was so miserable I can't begin to describe it to you.  I thought about food every second of every day.  No fun.
I eat about 3 times that now, and can walk up stairs without wanting to die.  One day I will post comparison pictures, but right now I can't look at that version of myself without feeling like garbage.  I know I've talked about this before, but honestly, I need to remind myself.  Some days, it's tempting to say screw it, and go back to my cardio queen ways.  No dice.  No. Effing.  Dice.

Other - of course, related to gym/food.  I'm working out with my former trainer today, which I haven't done in a month or two.  Those workouts are always fun.  I'll be grateful to him forever-ever.  He knew me at my worst, never pushed the food issue (which you may or may not know will really backfire on you when you're dealing with a person that has food-problems), and nudged me in the right direction.  "Cardio AND?" was the extent of the pushing.  (I used to do some light ab work to be able to reply with something other than a blank look, my have things changed.)  #hero

Competition - still a no.  I keep getting asked if/when I'm competing and I generally just say no, stare at my feet, and brush it off.  Primarily because I don't like chatting at the gym, but also because "no, I'm in recovery from an eating disorder and it's probably not a good idea for me to get so obsessive about something" is a little too personal for gym-strangers.  (But not internet strangers, logic at its finest.)  So, still no.


The rest:

This little bit of awesome entered our lives recently.

And makes cheat meals even better.  Steak and veggies.

I love my boyfriend enough to do yard work.  If you know me, you understand the significance.  

Seriously, though, it was 11 yards of mulch, which (apparently, i had no idea) is a lot.  I did a big chunk of the loading and pushing the wheelbarrow.  Luckily this happened during my "rest" week so I was eager to do something that resembled lifting.  Good timing, sir, good timing.  

I travel light.  Also, the gallon jug on the left is amazing.  A) it benefits a great charity, B) it keeps me on track, and C) drink all the water, pee all the time!!!!  If you're interested, here's the link: JUST DRANK!  

Slow and steady wins the race.  Slow progress is still progress.  I can't wait to see what's under the blubber.

Willie is still a cathole.  

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!