Anxiety.

God is a pretty good matchmaker. Back in 2012, after Caleb and I got engaged we stumbled upon Joe & Amanda's website. We instantly clicked and they became our wedding photographers. Fast forward to 6 weeks after our wedding and they hired us as their first associate photographer team. We're so grateful for their friendship and how awesome they both are. We've learned so much from them as photographers, and friends! Today, I wanted to let Amanda take over my blog and share her heart on the topic of anxiety. I struggle with anxiety a LOT and this hits close to home for me, so I hope you'll tune in and say hi!

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Worry. 

We all do it.

We all have anxieties because we are wired this way. Anxiety is typically defined as a restlessness, an uneasiness, an “anticipation of a future threat.” It’s normative, biological and meant to be a defense mechanism to keep us safe. But sometimes  we worry excessively and things get out of hand. We have intrusive thoughts, we don’t leave our home, we avoid certain people, we resort to self-harm.

I remember the day I casually commented to my husband how every time I drive over a bridge, I think about what I would do if my car went into the water. He just stared at me. Apparently, this was not the way everyone thought. 

All this worry takes up precious space in our days and our minds. Why can’t we just trust?

Isn’t that what it boils down to? It’s an issue of trust and fear and control.

We are untrusting that things will work out. We fear a scary ending. We respond by attempting to control and manipulate and mold the outcome. Otherwise, the world falls apart, right?

When I see a patient for the first time with concerns for anxiety, I teach that a certain amount of holistic self-examination needs to take place. What might I be anxious about? Am I reflecting on a past trauma? Am I dealing with another chronic illness? Am I getting restorative sleep? What has my diet been like lately? Am I becoming too dependent on a particular substance (or behavior) to help me cope? Am I getting consistent exercise? What state are my finances in? What state are my relationships in? Could there be a medical reason for my anxiety? Am I neglecting my spirituality practices? Am I overwhelmed because of the demands on my time? What am I doing that brings me joy? Excellence in all of these areas contribute to happiness and peace.

Once this self-reflection takes place, then we can get on with tacking the healing.

So, these are my recommendations for dealing with anxiety (I use all of these myself DAILY). 

Maintain perspective. Let’s consider the true gravity of all this and put this thing into perspective. Is this really a catastrophe? What are the chances of my fear actually coming to fruition? What will the actual, true result be of the situation that I’m stressing over?

Have a plan. When I’m in a situation where the outcome is unknown, I try to envision the worst possible ending and plan my reaction. If the worst does actually happen (chances are it won’t), I’ll be ready. Having this plan in place gives me another tool in my tool-belt. Increases my confidence. Makes me a little less scared.

Pray your little butt off. Well, really this should be thing #1. But let’s be real. It isn’t, even though it should be. Philippians 4:6-7 tell is this: Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Interrupt anxiety with gratitude. This is one of my absolute favorite Truth Bombs and really a great way to re-wire your brain. Every time a “what-if” comes to your mind, replace it with a “thanks-God.”

Weed out the sources, if possible. What sparks your anxiety? That negative person on Facebook? Hide her. That doomsday co-worker of yours? Limit your conversations. Recognize your sensitivities and restrict your exposure.

See someone about it.  If you think your anxiety might need the help of a professional, consider seeing a therapist or mental health practitioner. There is no shame in this and you are in no way a failure if you have to be on medication to stabilize your anxiety. At the same time, medications are not magic pills and cannot solve all your problems. Remember, the key is holistic treatment.

I’m reminded of one of my absolute favorite worship songs called Sinking Deep by Hillsong United. Speaking as someone whose anxiety seems to be extremely rooted in fear, this is a mantra that I repeat to myself every time I feel that trickle of worry. It incorporates elements of deep breathing, mindfulness, giving over trust, giving up control, and remembering that God’s got me.

All fear removed, 

I breathe You in, 

I lean into Your love.

Oh, Your love.

DISCLAIMER: Thanks for reading the above, but whoever you are: unless you are living in my household (which I think I would have noticed), it’s very unlikely that I have any idea what sort of medical history, medication regimen, allergies, and any other health intricacies you carry. Therefore, you should NOT interpret the above as medical advice for yourself, and instead present this information to your personal clinician for consideration.

RESOURCES:

Anxious: Choosing Faith in a World of Worry by Amy Simpson

The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook By Dr. Edmund Bourne

Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God’s Voice Above all Others by Steven Furtick

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk

Truth Bombs by Danielle LaPorte

BIO:

Amanda practices at the Lindner Center of Hope in Mason and writes at AmandaPorterNP.com

Tone It Up {Week 1}

Thank goodness its Friday, even though this was only a 4 day week, it kind of seemed like a 6 day week. I'm ready for the weekend!

I corralled a few friends to help go through this 6 week fitness challenge (through Tone It Up) with me so its been fun to check in with them everyday (I'm looking at you, Becky!)!! This week's workouts had me just as sore as I was after my first half marathon, which I was NOT expecting! Not that I'm a big "runner" anymore, but that's all my muscles were really used to. I hadn't done workouts like this that were so targeted to specific areas (other than lifting), so it felt good to be trying something new.

The workouts have been so different day to day, which is definitely keeping me on my toes. Some days it's all about toning the abs, or the legs, or a rough 45 minutes of cardio. I think my favorite part though, has been tackling the different 5 moves each day! Sure, I'm exhausted and as sore as ever, but I know if I skip a day or put it off, I'll fall off track! So it feels really great to follow through on it all week!

In the past, the hard part has not been working out, but in eating clean. I can workout like crazy but then ruin it with a donut the next morning, so this New Year was really exciting as a clean slate, to do better! I know I mentioned earlier in the week, but Caleb and I have been cooking together more, and it's been so fun. Even when its something as simple as tacos, being in the kitchen together has been awesome. Here's what we had for dinner this week:

Sunday: taco salad

Monday: garlic herb chicken breast w/ asparagus

Tuesday: quinoa w/ chicken & kale
Wednesday: teriyaki shrimp w/ brown rice & fresh green beans

Thursday: lemon pepper salmon w/ asparagus & brown rice

Friday: TBD! Probably something involving shrimp because apparently we're on a shrimp kick ;)

Caleb and I both have small goals we're trying to hit, so we don't get overwhelmed with the big picture, and once we do, we'll finally have ourselves a little cheat night (which is Texas Roadhouse because duh gift cards and hellooo loaded sweet potato)!

I have to say I've slept like a rock most nights this week, I have more energy, and best of all? I haven't had a headache all week. I normally get them regularly, but cutting out a lot of the caffeine/sugar has helped, I think!

I hope you have a fun weekend planned! Enjoy, friends! :)

Friday {feeling good}!!

I'm so thankful it's Friday! Not particularly for any reason other than everyone is SO friendly in the office on Friday's. We have to work a wedding tomorrow, so its really like my Thursday, but regardless. Friday's always bring a certain happiness to the world so I'll embrace it!

This week I started trying to treat myself better than I have been. I've been so negligent. Eating whatever I want, whenever I craved it, staying up too late, exercising halfheartedly and just feeling kinda down. So I decided to change it. When we first got married, we kept up with our healthier lifestyle so well so we decided to get back to that!

I started Insanity on Monday, and my goal for Caleb and I this week was to pack our lunches together every night. I'm happy to say we did this! We also didn't spend a dime this week!

Some of my lunches in the below pictures wasn't all of it... this was more of a lunch/snack combo - not pictured are protein shakes, tuna, and almonds - yumm!

I also bought this tracking notebook earlier in the year called "Fit Happens", and I really love how it breaks down your days. It makes you list 3 things you're grateful for, what inspired you that day, what your eating was like, your mood, and energy levels - there is also an entire page for notes (where I write my specific exercises/numbers down) and a fun little tip/quote on each page. It's really holding me accountable. It's crazy because you can find it here on Amazon for $34 (what the what?!!?) but I got it regularly priced at Target for approx $8.

original image from here

Monday's Insanity prompt for Day 1 was the "Fit Test". This is something you're supposed to do every 2 weeks to track your progress and I'm really excited to see where I am by then!

Something seems different this time. I am ready to be better to myself. Of course, life is all about balance...and you know I love me some donuts...but I'm excited that I've started making better choices the majority of the time!

In other news, is it Sunday yet?!?! I'm ready to watch my Bengals to beat up on our biggest rivals - the Steelers!! Have a fun weekend, everybody!

Third Half Marathon - in the books!

Well, I can now officially say I've run THREE half marathons! Yesterday was the annual Flying Pig Half Marathon here in Cincy and this was our 3rd time completing it together. Caleb has actually run it 4 times, he's a beast!

The morning of, we picked up my brother in law, Jared, and headed downtown. The weather report leading up to the big day was kind of scary and unpredictable. They kept saying to expect thunderstorms/lightning/rain all day. I'm so thankful to say it ended up being absolutely perfect. The sky was overcast all morning, so it wasn't too hot, and it stopped raining just in time for the race. It honestly couldn't have been better!

We got to the race just as it was beginning, so instead of getting to our designated corral, we sneaked through a side railing and jumped in an earlier one. Big mistake, these people were SPRINTING and we felt like we had to keep up since we jumped in. So the entire first mile we ran way too fast, which made us exhausted by mile 2-3. Luckily, Caleb is a good pace setter and insisted we slow down so we wouldn't die!

By about mile 4, I needed a quick break, which worked out perfectly because Caleb wanted to get rid of his jacket. It seems that every year I'm so surprised by the amount of hills in this half, even though I've done it twice before! Some of the hills are small, but most of them are huge. The views at the top are always worth it though...even when my calves are screaming.

Caleb and I both ran on and off the rest of the race, but we promised we'd stick together through it. His legs were cramping, and I had some annoying hip pain, but we encouraged each other and couldn't help but smile at all the amazing spectators the entire time. Seriously, I've never seen so many clever signs!!

One of my favorite parts of the course is passing a retirement home and seeing all these elderly men and women cheering us on - some of them had the best signs! It really makes you thankful to be able to get outside and enjoy a nice run. I was also encouraged by the multiple runners who carried heavy American flags - it made me pretty emotional!

After the most vicious hill of my life (my fitbit said I climbed almost "90 flights of stairs"), there was the sweetest group of Veterans singing in a choir. I mean!! How sweet?!?

link

We were SO close. We spotted the mile 11 banner and ran the next mile or so without stopping. Once we got to mile 12, though, we felt like we needed a break to walk. At this point, we were just SO exhausted and so ready to see that "finish swine"!!

When we rounded the corner, we knew it was a straight shot to the finish line so we booked it until the end. I always get so emotional when I cross that finish line! Seeing everyone cheering, finally making it. Just gives me such a sense of accomplishment!! We definitely took a little longer to finish than last year, but we didn't really mind. I wasn't trying to PR in this race, I just wanted to cross another half off my list and enjoy it alongside my man! That medal is always worth it!

Once we got home we relaxed for just a couple hours, made sure to stretch out our muscles so they didn't tighten up too much, then headed out for a carb filled post-race meal! 

I'm not sure which half I'll run next, or if I'll run another one at all. I do like this distance, but I may want to switch it up. I haven't decided yet. Like I said last week, I'd really like to work on speed - and getting quick for 5K's, so we'll see!

It was so much fun crossing that finish line with Caleb, though. Accomplishing things in life together is one of my favorite things. It was fun to be each others constant source of encouragement throughout the race. I love that man! Hope everyone had a fun weekend!

5 on Friday || Our Week

March Madness is officially upon us and up until I woke up this morning I had a perfect bracket - which is hilarious as I know NOTHING about college basketball. I'm definitely a sports gal, but college ball has never been my forte. I love when unexpected teams win, and I found myself screaming at the TV for Little Rock to win (yeah, I was home alone). Something about a little bracket competition, okay competition in general, makes me a little crazy.

This was a great week indeed, though. Not my normal, busy, rushed feeling at all. I made sure to actually get out and enjoy my lunch breaks (instead of editing photos) and that consisted of long walks at the park (bonus points for amazing weather) and making my planner beautiful again!

We're trying really hard to get with it in the health/exercise department like we used to, and making it a true lifestyle change, Allowing myself to have a clear schedule everyday after work this week (which was intentional) really helped make that start possible for us! My own personal goal this week was to get over 10K steps everyday and I can happily say I crushed that goal! One day I was over 17K! #proud

The one thing that really hit me this week was news that my sweet Nora was back in the hospital. If you remember back in January she was in the hospital with a lot of breathing complications. Well, it happened again. Poor girl was on oxygen for days, but of course, that strong little gal got better and was able to go home only a few days after. Look at that adorable smile! The world can be a scary place, with a lot of unknowns, but there are so many good things to stay focused on!

Linking up with Liz today!

I hope everyone had some highlights this week to celebrate! Wedding season is nearly in full swing (starting in April for us) but we happen to have a wedding to shoot tomorrow. I'm excited to shoot again, its been a while! Hoping the weather will get its act together and cooperate for a couple hours for photos!

 I also hope you have some fun plans for the weekend! Anything exciting on the agenda? Have fun!!

Half Marathon, here I come {progress report}!

Sunday afternoon I ran. I FINALLY ran. It's been a LONG time, and now I remember how much I like to run, and why I like it so much (you know, when my legs don't feel like they are going to fall off). While my feet pace along the sidewalk, I don't think about the troubles of my day or the worries I have about the future. I feel optimistic about the stressful days we may have ahead, and that makes me want to run even more.

Caleb is the one who convinced me to get out there Sunday afternoon, and he went with me. I'm surprised he even convinced me, I just ate a big lunch and dropped Becky off at the airport, so I kind of just wanted to flop on the couch. BUT! We both knew we had to start training. Oh thats right, we've officially decided to run the Flying Pig Half Marathon again!! 

We're planning to run tonight after work, which will mark 4 days in a row now! I haven't felt this great in a long time. When I went to the Doctors last week, and saw the scale, it wasn't a great feeling. Trust me, I don't define myself by the number I see on that scale, but it was quite the wake up call that I cannot continue being lazy. Seriously, the only things that fit comfortably anymore are my socks.

Something about running just makes me feel more productive. When I try to be better in one aspect of my life, the rest just kind of flows more naturally. Just like when I read my Bible in the mornings. When I spend time with The Lord first thing, I just have a better perspective on the rest of my day. I'm happier, more optimistic and want to take better care of myself.

Last night, we spent our evening rushing around from running outside, to a church meeting, then to  go grocery shopping. We didn't make it home until nearly 9, but having good food that'll keep us on track throughout the week has become a priority to us.

We now have a little under 10 weeks until our half marathon, so I've got a long way to go! BUT! I'm dedicated to really training this time. I think it'll be great motivation for me and be something fun for Caleb and I to do together again.

How's your week going?

A little wish!

This is sweet Nora. She turns FIVE today. I can't believe it! Nora has been part of our life since she was only a couple of months old. Caleb and I have been so blessed by this little gal. We've been lucky to be around for her first few crawls, first steps, when she began speaking, etc.! She's such a little ray of sunshine to us and so many friends!

I'm so thankful for her presence in our life. I'm also thankful she's able to enjoy her birthday at home! Sweet little Nora has been in the ICU at Children's Hospital all week after a possible seizure she had last week. She ended up getting pneumonia and was put on oxygen for days. Her lungs were filled with gunk, and she had a pretty rough time.  Josh and Marie kept us posted all week with various pictures/smiles from the hospital bed all week long...and somehow, this little girl kept her awesome, peppy spirit and made all the employees smile, too! I'm happy to report she's all better!

Today I'm simply thankful for good health, amazing hospitals, and this sweet little girl. Happy Thursday, friends!

Friday means...

Friday means...CELEBRATE! We made it.

1. Sweet, sweet Friday. I'm a happy girl today. As you can see in that first photo, Caleb and I are (diehard) Bengals fans and proud of it. Win or lose, the Bengals are our team, but they are making it REALLY fun this season. A few of these games haven't been pretty, but no matter what, we've pulled through with another win! Last night was no exception - we were pumped!!!

2. We also got back into running this week. I had a few sessions/photography obligations, so Caleb would run with his brother when I wasn't around, but it feels great to hit the pavement again and I'm getting excited about putting my health first!

3. Speaking of health! That salad - it was amazing. Usually when I pack my lunch, its just enough to hold me over, but not without having a snack around 3:00 at my desk. This thing left me full all the way until dinner time - AND look how colorful! #bonuspoints

4. That last photo just makes me smile - are Allison and Austin not the happiest people you've ever seen?! These two seriously giggled the way through their entire wedding day. I edited my fingers off every other commercial break and made a huge dent in their photos, and this one stuck out to me, so I thought I'd share!

I know it wasn't a huge post, but its all my brain could muster today. Thanks for all of you who come back to this little blog. I so enjoy doing it, even when it makes no sense ;) I've seen a few new faces, so maybe its time for another 'about me' post soon?

I hope everyone has a fun weekend ahead. We only have 3 weddings left for the year and tomorrow's is going to be AH-MAZING! I just know it. Happy Friday, friends!!!

Finding my groove again.

Somewhere between our move, the psycho months of Sep/Oct and many 12 hour work days, I lost my self control, and found about 9 pounds.

Yeah. I'm not very comfortable in these work pants today, but its my own fault. Slowly, but surely, I've eaten out way too much, over-indulged in the office treats, and loaded up on the sugary drinks. Oh, and did I mention I've only made time for about TWO workouts the past two months? It's pathetic, really. I know, I know, 'life happens, Kayla', but I've pretty much exhausted that excuse. It's time to get back into shape. I miss waking up before the sun to get my cardio in, and I miss how accomplished I felt after a great run. I forget what it feels like for my pants to actually button without a struggle, and I'm sick of feeling tired/groggy all the time. Not to mention, my face has been breaking out like crazy. I've got to make some changes!

I was scrolling through my (Motivation) Pinterest board yesterday and saw this and something really just clicked.

A huge thing for me is learning proper portion control. I suppose I KNOW what a "healthy portion" of something would be, but I tend to want to eat a lot of something when I like it, and then hate myself for it. So silly! I'm ready though. I'm ready to treat my body the way it truly deserves. Knowing that treats are okay, in moderation, and that exercise isn't a punishment, but a blessing. Something else Caleb and I have vowed to get better with - meal planning. I've asked you all for tips before so I'm revisiting those and we're going to come up with an action plan this weekend on lists/shopping dates. We can't wait!

So here are a few fitness related goals for what I'm calling "NO EXCUSE NOVEMBER":

1. Run 12 times. No mileage/etc. I'm easing back into this and don't want to get too crazy. I've already run twice, so we'll see what I can do!

2. Try Insanity again. Caleb bought it a few years ago and we did it together all the time during our engagement. I'm hoping for those days its too cold to run outside, I can pop that in the DVD player and knock it out!

3. Stop eating past 8pm. I think this is a huge part of my bad scheduling habits. Some nights, like last night, I don't get home until well after 7, which means I'm hungry pretty late. I keep eating after dinner, mindlessly, while I edit. It's awful! Time to change that habit!

4. The Squat Challenge. I'm starting today so I'm going to see how well I can do!!

5. Try a few new recipes for HEALTHY dinners. Now that life is slowing down (thank goodness, I need it!!!) I'm excited to become a little more handy in the kitchen department ;)

What are your November goals?! Looking forward to what this month has to offer!
In other news - WHO DEY!!!! Can't wait to watch those Bengals hit the field again tonight! 

4 weeks fit challenge {my results!}

Here we are, finally! Linking up with Erin and Kristin today! 4 weeks after some of us set some goals -- its a time that's either really crummy to look back on because we didn't keep up with our goals, or really exciting cause we rocked the house on ALL of them! I'm here to tell you I'm a little bit in between, and you know what? I'm good with that.

I began the month insanely motivated, then a few things happened that slowed me down, but as of March 22nd, I've really kicked it into over drive. Something just "clicked" in me and I've worked really, really hard! I've run every day since, and for the most part, have eaten really clean! It feels amazing. So, lets go over my goals one by one.

Run 16 times

TOTAL WIN! I ran 16 times exactly. Some of those were as little as 2 miles, some were up to 7 miles... but I freaking did EVERY ONE OF THEM and it feels so good. You guys, I even woke up before work 4 days in the last week. Who am I turning into!? I'm pretty proud of myself. Sure, there were days I wanted to give up...but I pushed on. I finally started seeing some results this week, and that has me even MORE motivated than ever.

Lift weights

FAIL. Ha - yeah. We won't go into that one. I used to do this a lot but this month Caleb and I focused on running outside a lot with the new weather and it was awesome. So I'll be sure to focus more on that in April. I really want to be toned, and I truly think lifting helps my endurance during my long runs...so lets hope in April I can make a dent in this!

Run 3 miles in 30 minutes
HALF WIN! I ALMOST did this, by about a minute. So, I'm kinda giving it to myself - also because I ran 2 miles in 20 minutes a few times!

Stretch more
WIN! Woohoo! This was huge for me. I took a while after (and sometimes even before) each run to stretch my legs and calves, especially. My worst spots are always my shins, and the QL area above my rump... ha! Hey, we're being honest here. But this stretching has helped so much, I haven't had any pain. I'm praying for an injury free journey to my next half!

Some other exciting moments....
-Finding my nice Adidas dri-fit hoodie before an outdoor run
-Accomplishing the 7 miles straight was definitely my biggest milestone.
-Getting some adorable running pants for my half. I think that's going to be my thing - buying myself a crazy pair of running pants for every half or big race I run! It's true - you burn more calories in cute gear ;) sneak peek up above.
-Finally believing in myself. Knowing that I CAN do difficult things. My head gives up before my legs, so I've learned to push through.
-Finally learning how to properly use my watch and actually use it! Pumps me up!
-Finding more good music for my playlist.

I'm really not sure if I'm meant for distance running, I really would like to work on getting faster in shorter distances, but we'll see how I feel after this next half!  Sure, there were days I felt like doing NOTHING...and some days, I did just that. But the feeling I have after accomplishing a hard run, or even an easy one, just can't be beat. I finally feel like I've "found my groove" and hope that this link up has encouraged you guys like its encouraged me!!

Remember...

How was your month??

#progress

This weekend was full of so many amazing things, but one thing stood out to me the most. Yesterday, my training plan told me I had to run 5 miles. If i'm being honest, that was about the LAST thing I wanted to do, but Caleb pretty much made me get up and go to the gym with him.

I'm SO glad I did because I freaking RAN those 5 miles, like nobody's business. Sure, it was tough...but I was in my own world with my new running playlist and I kept telling myself there is NO reason I couldn't run one more mile. I got a good laugh thinking of a pin I saw a few days prior...

My goal is usually to run 10 minute miles, and while I know its not the fastest ever, its also not the slowest. I constantly have to remind myself that its not a competition with anyone. There is no sense in getting caught up in that silly she can run faster AND farther than me mentality. Cause you know what? I finished, & that is what matters.

I now have 8 full weeks until my half, and while I'm still pretty nervous...I'm crazy excited. If I could push myself to run 5 miles (which, before yesterday, I hadn't done since last May), I know I can hit more milestones as these weeks pass by. Kinda figured one week in would be a good chance to take a look at how I'm doing on my goals;

Run 16 times -- so far, I've run 4 times since the 1st of March, so I'd say I'm on track!

Run 3 miles in 30 minutes -- Not yet, but getting CLOSE!

Lift more weights -- haven't touched them this week. Good reminder to get back on it.

Stretch a lot -- I've spent at least 15 minutes after each run, and its helping a TON!

In addition to those goals, I've made sure to drink a TON of water each day. I've found that I drink a lot more when I have a straw. How is everyone else doing on their March goals (fitness or non-fitness related)??!

4 weeks fit challenge {my goals!}

My heart is quite happy today. Erin & Kristin have returned with their second annual link up called #4weeksfit and it really couldn't have come at a better time. The past two weeks weren't very easy, and totally screwed with my training plan. I've got just about 9 weeks left until my second half marathon and I need to kick some serious butt to prepare!! What's funny is when this linkup went live for the first time last year, I was only a week or two away from my first half marathon. We were so excited!!

Caleb and I // Erin and I

Okay where was I? Oh yeah, I've been super lazy. I'm just going to be 100% transparent here, cause its my blog, and I do what I want! ;) Since the holidays, I have gained 13 pounds. THIRTEEN!!!!! Can we talk about how sad that is? I've completely let the random free donuts in the office break room rule my life, and also neglected my duties at the gym most days.  While I know that I'm not "overweight", by any means... I'm highly uncomfortable in my own skin. I've never truly experienced what its like to hardly fit into the same work pants I've worn for nearly 3 years...until recently, and let me tell ya, its not pretty.

So, I'm here to declare my fitness- related goals for the month of March!

Run 16 times
This would average out to about 4x/week. I'm going to give myself bonus points if I can swing waking up before work to get my runs in...but I'm not going to count on it, cause most days? I love my sleep a little too much. Regardless, 16 miles is compatible with my training, so I think its a good number to stick with.

To run 3 miles under 30 minutes
I haven't done this in a very long time, and I know it would just make me THRILLED! I want to train my body that it CAN do whatever I push it to do. So, I'm hoping one day soon that I can hop on that treadmill (unless Spring decides to show up early and I can hit the real pavement!?) and knock out 3 miles in under 30 minutes! I think I'm getting there because yesterday I did 2.8 miles in 28 minutes! I seem to be on track.

Lift more weights
I haven't been in the weight section of the gym in a while. I miss it so much. I always felt like lifting helped my runs, as I was building lots of extra muscle. I can't wait to get back at it! Especially with my stud of a personal trainer (aka...my husband)

Stretch, a LOT
Last year I got a lot of pain in my "QL" area... (above the rump). It wasn't fun, and I honestly think its because I didn't properly stretch/ice my body throughout my training. I've been doing some intense yoga sessions via youtube here and there and have been loving them. In a love/hate type way!

Are you linking up? I can't wait to read everyone's challenges!!!!

& productive, it was!

Friday was one of those nights where once I was home from work, I FLOPPED. Did nothing! It was amazing. Saturday we woke up, and decided to workout at our gym. It was the first time I was back in the weight section of the gym, in QUITE sometime (we're talking like a couple months). It seems that since early summer I've had a hard time getting back into the swing of things, and finally, I spent a good hour with Caleb on Saturday working on my shoulders/arms. To say I can hardly lift my arms today is an understatement. I'm hurting! But I kind of love it.

After the gym, we went home, cleaned up, and finally cleaned out our second bedroom. We threw away two or three boxes, gave Goodwill FIVE, and relabeled all the stuff we kept, and we have so much room in our spare closet now! Makes me a happy gal. Is it bad that the majority of our boxes are 'keepsakes' from our relationship, and Christmas decor? #sorrynotsorry

We can finally (almost) have someone sleep over in our guest bedroom now! It's clean!! After all of that, we got ready for a gorgeous Indian wedding reception that we were lucky enough to shoot! It was really neat, and I'll probably be sharing some images from it later this week.

Once we were home, we watched Psych reruns and ate free Chickfila (yay coupons)! Sunday was just as productive, with church, grocery shopping, and another long, AWESOME workout! These weekends with little to no plans will be far and few between this Fall, so I'm definitely taking advantage of them while I can.

Hope you guys had a great weekend! Do anything fun?

We're turning a new leaf!

Today, I'm really excited.

Last night, Caleb and I made the decision to fully commit ourselves to a better lifestyle overall, in every aspect. It was just a productive evening, and finally an evening at home just to ourselves (almost never happens with our crazy schedules!). We cleaned the whole apartment, did a TON of groceries for an insanely low price, and even made our new budget.

Obligatory photo for blog post ;)

Caleb and I have taken Dave Ramsey's financial peace course 3 times.... THREE TIMES! You'd think it would be drilled in our head by now. However, our whole first year (and 2 months) of our marriage we weren't really living by the principals we knew we should be. We paid the minimum on our debt, or maybe a few bucks over, but not trying hard to get rid of it. We used the cash (envelope) system on and off again, and just were so-so with our savings. Since starting our new budget last night, Caleb and I are back to using cash, hanging up our debit cards on the fridge so we aren't tempted and paying off our nasty debt as fast as possible!! More on that to come.

Exercise...ohhhh exercise. We've been slacking like crazy at the gym (especially me). Correction, to slack at the gym, one must actually BE at the gym...and I hadn't been in weeks. After getting over 8 hours of sleep last night (which never happens), I woke up at 5:45 this morning, and got in 2.5 quick miles. It felt amazing, and I wondered why it took me so long to get back?! We're excited to do something active almost every day. Even if its just a walk after dinner together, its something!

We also agreed we need to eat better. After spoiling our tummy's on vacation with yummy crab legs, lasagna, fruit loops and ice cream bars, we decided it's time to home cook more often. We're committed to doing the best we can to make home cooked meals in our own house. Obviously there will be the occasional treat and pizza night in, cause you need those to stay sane, in my opinion ;)

This is definitely the start of a "new us". After we finished our budget, we even high fived afterward! ;) I can't tell you guys how excited I am. Sure, we'd been doing all of these things before...but I don't think being just alright in these things is okay for us, I want to thrive. We want to thrive! I'm so excited to see where this all takes us. Stay tuned!

#4weeksfit results.

Happpyy Friday! So at the beginning of May, a ton of us vowed to try a "4 weeks fit" challenge. We made goals, knew we needed to work hard, and (hopefully!) tried our best to make them happen. I'm here to report that unfortunately no, not EVERY goal of mine was accomplished, but with my busy schedule, I sure did try. Lets go ahead and get the "bad news" over with first; what exactly didn't I accomplish?

Run 50 miles this month.

Sadly, this didn't happen. No excuses, I just didn't make the proper time for this like I should've. BUT, you know what I did do? Ran around 35... which is still a huge accomplishment in my book, so no...I don't count this goal as a failure.

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BUT, what DID I accomplish!?

Finish a half marathon.

Heck yes I did!! I traveled all 13.1 miles by foot. No, I didn't run the whole thing, and I sure as heck wasn't fast...but I finished, and that was my only goal for that race. My best friends and I finished HAND IN HAND, how many people can say that?! I'm so blessed to have that vivid, amazing, emotional memory.

Wake up before work 2x/week to exercise.

YES! I am happy to say I accomplished this. Although one or two times it wasn't a SUPER SWEATY workout, it was yoga or deep stretching! But OUCH, that stuff is not easy. I'm excited about getting back into the groove of waking up before the sun to get my day started off right. I have way more energy when I make time for it.

I've not done my absolute best this month...but I sure as heck tried. Here's to improvement, progress, and learning to love my flaws anyway. Bring it on, June (aka busiest month of my life...but no excuses!). How was your month!?

Runners Tell All: Race picture!

Today's runners tell all link up was to share a race photo. When I read that about two months ago I laughed because I'd had like ONE race photo from my 5K a few years back (and up until then it was the only race I'd ever run), and lets be honest, it wasn't pretty. As I can't justify the nearly $30 price tag for race photos, I screen shot a few.... whoops!

This was a really good spot in the race for all of us, in the midst of running over 6 miles straight, we spotted a camera man! Woohoo! Still having a lot of fun at this point.

Then we hit a wall...a very hard, hilly, wall. I'd rather not show you the pathetic pictures of me holding my butt, hips, and knees. They were so achy!

But the finish line was finally near. I will forever curse the marathon photographers for cutting my adorable husband out of this shot...but still, its awesome. Pure joy!

I cannot explain how happy I was! I FINISHED!

But can I be honest? I have never been more proud of myself than I was in that moment. I freaking traveled 13.1 miles ON FOOT. That blows my MIND to think about!!!

I felt so many emotions and so felt so many things during that race.
Motivation...
Exhaustion...
Fear...
Excitement...
Disappointment...
Hope...
Pain...
but more than anything, happiness. I was happy. I did it. Something I had wanted to accomplish for years...and I made it happen, all by my bad self! ;)

Hopefully next time I do a race photo-post, it'll be a little more flattering, but still...I'm proud!
I love running!

My first half marathon!!

You guys...I can officially cross "run a half marathon" off the 'ole bucket list. Well, technically I didn't run the whole thing, but I sure as heck completed it.

We woke up around 4:30AM to eat breakfast and Jared & Erin picked us up around 5. At 6:30AM sharp, the half officially had begun though...we were all so jittery and excited to get to the starting point and we just took off! I'm so proud to say that the four of us ran the first 6 miles pretty much non stop -- that alone was the furthest distance I've ever run (yeah, training didn't exactly go as planned, whoops)...so we were feeling great!! We crossed a giant bridge and the view was just incredible. That alone was some amazing motivation, seeing the sun rise over the river with my best friends!

Love my city!!!

Erin and I both decided it was time to walk...my right hip was hurting pretty bad, and I needed a break. Luckily, the 4 of us agreed to stay together no matter what...so even if one of us needed to walk, we'd all walk...but let me tell you, we all pushed each other like crazy.

A little bit later, we started to get pretty tired...and I hear all of them yelling like crazy while I'm off to the side getting water -- my in laws surprised us and cheered us on the sidelines!! They made a sign with all of our pictures! It literally brought me to tears that they did that for us. It was so thoughtful!

Cincinnati proved to have a HARD course. People from every state around the world were there, and even different countries. So many people say that this is a really hard course compared to others around the world, and boy, I'd have to agree. The hills were OUTRAGEOUS. Around mile 8 (I think -- things are a little fuzzy!) is where things kind of went down hill...we got really tired, and we all kinda just felt like laying down on the sticky ground rather than jog another step. We rounded near mile 9 and someone on the street was blasting "LET IT GO" from Frozen, and in unison, without even knowing the other was going to do it -- Erin and I belt it straight up musical style and just had a hilarious moment, along with a random burst of energy. That was the last energetic part of the half that we had, ha!

Somehow, we pulled through those last few miles on and off walking/jogging. It was a miracle. I honestly don't know if I would've made it through without the encouraging volunteers and random people encouraging me. At one point, I was kind of running alone a few feet ahead, but really struggling...and a total stranger came up to me, patted me on the back, and she told me she KNEW I could do this (I'm like tearing up even thinking about it) and that gave me the strength to keep going.

I cannot tell you how happy we all were to see the "Finish Swine" at the end. Erin and I started to tear up...I couldn't even help it. So many cheering people, so many emotions... suddenly, the four of us were side by side, holding hands, giving it all we had, and it just felt amazing. We pushed each other in those last few moments to just NOT STOP RUNNING and to finish it!! Erin and I were in tears, and it was a great feeling. Yeah, we struggled, and yeah we didn't train hard enough (at ALL), but you know what? We did it...and we did it together!

I can't say enough about the half though. The course was awesome, and I got to experience parts of my city I didn't even know existed. To think I traveled 13.1 miles ON FOOT completely blows my mind. My feet hurt, my knees are swollen, my right hip feels horrible, and my legs are so tight I can hardly walk... but I finished it. I am so proud of myself, and of my best friends!

People have already asked me if I plan to do another one...ask me in a few weeks once my body has returned back to normal ;)