Week 3, Day 1 ... well, that was fun!

I cannot believe that I am in my 3rd week.  This time is going by slowly and quickly at the same time.  Does that make sense? One girl here says that the days go by slowly and the weeks go by quickly.  It's so true.

After completing a mini triathlon for Last Chance Workout on Saturday (10 miles on spin bike, 1.2 mile run/mostly walk and 12 laps in the pool in 64.35 minutes -BOOM) - I was done. And exhausted from the week.  It's amazing how your body will push thru it and when you are done - you collapse. And I did - I napped for 90 minutes on Saturday - like dead sleep, no dreams, just passed out sleep.  I loved it and obviously needed it.   Ashlee was leaving on Sunday so we had graduation at 4:30 pm.  Yuki came up from Pasadena and after a few tears at graduation, we went out to dinner.  Sushi dinner.  That's safe, right. Of course, I was having a little anxiety of not have a glass of wine or some sake or a sapporo with dinner. Additionally there was the what the hell are we going to order for our big 6 pm dinner out on a Saturday.  We all studied the menu prior but even when we sat down, I still was so overwhelmed by the menu. If you know me, you know I love a good meal at a restaurant. (Side bar - we went to Bui Sushi in Malibu - so good - and Chad Lowe walked in - YAY - I got a celebrity sighting)

Wok grilled shishito & edamame. Can we have that? NO - it's cooked in a sh*tload of oil.  Ok, breathe - keep it together.  Think Varela, think. What can you have - you need a half plate of veggies, a 1/4 of a plate of protein and a 1/4 of a plate of carbs. Ok - thinly sliced hamachi with jalapeño & ponzu sauce, a sashimi salad with avocado & dressing on the side and a 1/2 bowl of brown rice.  Done - take the menu away before I order more.  Oh, do I want something to drink? umm, no - but can I please have water in a wine glass.  Oh, that's not weird because you haven't drank in 2 years.  Thank you for not making me uncomfortable.

Dinner was awesome and I was in great company - all we did was laugh. And that definitely took my mind off the wine.  I went to bed pretty late on Saturday, 8:30 pm.  I have earned the nickname "Grandma" because I pretty much peace out after dinner every night.  Dinner ends at 6 or 6:30 pm.  So I definitely whooped it up on Saturday night. HA!

Sunday was well...Ashlee left at 9:45 am - I teared up as did Lorena.  Lorena and I ran a bunch of errands and then had fish tacos for lunch.  I love fish tacos, I love grilled fish tacos with lots of cabbage, lime and hot sauce.  I am learning to love corn tortillas vs. flour tortillas.   Anyone know where I can get delicious grilled fish tacos in Boston? Otherwise - I am going to have to learn how to perfect them.  They are the perfect lunch or dinner.  Rest of the day, Lorena & I separated.  I think we both needed to refocus and get our head on straight before the week began again.

Which brings me to today. I woke up so excited this morning - excited that last week was over, excited that it was a new day, new week, excited that I have lost a total of 8 pounds and 1% body fat in two weeks! Let's do this.  Went to get my morning snack, got my van assignment, got in the van and then BOOM, I found out what the assessment hike for today was.  IT WAS THAT ASSHOLE IDIOT HIKE FROM LAST WEEK, NEWTON F*CKING CANYON.  I started crying - I couldn't believe I had to do this hike again. Are you kidding me? This is the hike that ruined my Wednesday last week.  I cried quietly in the van, I cried when we got out of the van, I cried when I started the hike. But then I thought - F*ck this - I am going to take my time, and if I get moved down a van because of it  - fine.  I am ok with that. I am going to conserve my energy for the hike and take my time.  Yes, the hike is still an asshole hike - but I made it further than I did last week, so that is a plus.  Hike finished, moving on.
The day could only go up from this point on and it did!! I did a pool class with Lorena at 10:15 am this morning, which ended up being a private training session with Jake in the pool and it was so good.  It helped me earn my confidence back.  He killed us in the pool.  So much so I was sweating (in a pool  - not an easy feat).  Loved it.  I got to do spin today  - killed it, core class - killed it.  But the best of the day was cardio circuit.  Basically, you do 2 minutes of cardio, then do 2 minutes of strength training and you continue that until the class is over.  Two things happened in this class: 1 - I did Jacob's ladder for 1 minute and 10 seconds. 2 - I RAN FOR 90 SECONDS AT A 5.2 ON THE TREADMILL.  That was huge, like really huge!  So even though I was teary at the beginning of the day, I mentally got myself thru it and ended up kicking a**.   Lesson learned - you control your emotions - nothing else does.  Not the environment, not the person next to you, not the hike, not the exercise, not the food. You control what you feel and how you get thru something.  Man, I wished I learned this years ago - but it is never too late to learn anything.

'Til next time,
V