The Healthy Journey

I was looking at my Timehop app today and realized today was the day that I asked someone if I could borrow the life changing work out that is P90X. My life has changed a lot since I decided to be healthier, so I decided to tell my... followers... the so many of you... about my weight loss journey.

Before we begin I'm not where I would like to be, but everyday is an improvement. 

The weight gain started to happen around sophomore year of high school. I had started a job at The Lion House Pantry and was allowed to eat pretty much whatever I wanted to there. Breaded chicken, pies, cookies, buttery potatoes and dressing loaded salads were in my reach and I took advantage of it. I was used to eating a lot because I played competitive soccer and needed the energy, but as soon as I quit, my health conscience mind turned off. 

I played some basketball in high school, but it was embarrassing putting on the uniform that was tight on me, not to mention the low self esteem grew from not being asked to dances, being bullied by kids that people thought were angels and having friends that weren't into the health scene. As much as I acted like I was happy with life in high school, I honestly thought I was a mcfatty, and I really hated not feeling I could wear cute clothes or make my hair cute like the other girls. I have a wide round face, so finding any hair style was odd, plus I didn't feel like make up could fix anything.  

I continued to work at the Lion House and well decided one day I would just start running. I knew I could, I had the energy to do it. Heck I ran so much playing soccer. I couldn't even run a mile! I was out of breath by the time I reached the top of the street. But everyday I did this short run around my neighborhood. Eventually I was able to fun over three miles and I felt good about myself. I wasn't paying attention to the scale, so I'm not sure how much weight I was loosing, but it made me feel good. My food choices were the same though. I could definitely go on a hike and eat a whole pizza when I was done. 

Well one day at school, my friend that I worked with at the Lion House asked if I wanted to run a half marathon. What the crap?! A HALF MARATHON?! THAT'S 13 MILES! By this time I was in college and had the time to train, but I'm a competitive person so I agreed. I was running up to 10 miles a day, but that's when my friend blew out her knee, so now I was just running for the heck of it. 

In preparation I stopped drinking soda and eating out a lot. And to this day when I eat out, it's a salad, and I rarely have soda. I went through a Mt. Dew phase but that's over. But then....

Another friend of mine heard the news and asked if her and I could do the Salt Lake Half Marathon together. Finally back on track to racing. 

Now I know for sure at my biggest I was 185 pounds, this was my junior year of high school. When I ran the half marathon I went down to 165. I loved this! I wasn't in a size 14 anymore I was in a size 10. I was on a high I needed more. That's when we come back to asking someone if they had the P90X work out. I heard it was tough, and that's what I was looking for. 

So Tony Horton and I found each other, well I found him. The work outs were tough, I wasn't used to weights. I'd still run at least 3 miles a day with the work outs, unless it was plyometrics but i was losing weight again. So I believe that was 165-160. I gained muscle and ran another marathon. I shed 20 minutes off my last time. HURRAY! 

I stuck with P90X for 2 years, doing the lean routine and the classic routine. I loved it, and I loved it so much my family got tired if me talking about it. I did that for a while getting down to 155. 

Got married, but I never wanted to become one of those fat wives after you get married. So I bought P90X3 since at this time I had a full time job and school and had little time to work out. P90X3 honestly didn't do much for me, but again wasn't dieting like I should. 

                                                       I can do a sloppy version of that. ^^

Then came Insanity! Glorious Shaun T! I borrowed the DVD's from a friend and started my Insanity journey. That was one tough cookie. So much cardio. But I could see results and my husband could too. That work out brought me down to 150 where I'm currently sitting. There are days where the scale says 145 or 152, but I'm around that range. I followed up that work out with Insanity Asylum and a hybrid of Insanity Asylum and P90X. 

So to present day. I'm in a size six, I run everyday 3-5 miles, and I'm back to P90X, but with some Insanity involved. I'm really trying hard to change how I eat. I have a serious addiction to chocolate, my craving always comes around 7:30 PM, not sure why. 

I'm not a strict eater, but I'll always choose the healthiest option. I allow myself to have a treat every day, but not a huge one, just something like a little dark chocolate Dove piece. I eat either a veggie egg white omelette for breakfast or corn flakes with a banana (depending on the work out I did), I eat every three hours and the only compromise I have is a cheat meal I have on Saturdays, plus I get a shake or an ice cream cone. 

I struggle don't get me wrong. It's still a journey, and it's one that will lead me to my ultimate goal. We'll see how I look after InsanityX (that's what i call it). I can see results already so cross your fingers.  

Big Kid Job

Around the last week of December I applied for a job and low and behold got a phone call the next day to come in for an interview. The interview was on New Years Day and just that morning my grandpa had passed. I was emotionally drained during the interview and tired, but it went well somehow.

About a week later I emailed them thanking them for the interview and inquiring as to who they had chosen or if they had chosen anyone. I got a reply back saying they had narrowed it down to five candidates and I was one of them and they would decide the next day.

The next day came... I waited... and waited.... no email or phone call. So I just assumed maybe I didn't get the job and well being a waitress isn't all bad and working for KSL is fun!

The next day I got an email... "Natalie, thank you for taking the time to apply at the Journals. As you know we had a large number of writers that applied with us, and we were pleasantly surprised as to how qualified the writers were." Well reading the first sentence my first thought was, "it's the rejection email." I told Andrew I didn't get it but figured I'd keep reading because it was long.



"I believe that you would be a great addition to our team. I think your passion and interest for local news speaks bounds for you."



I immediately had to call Andrew back and tell him that I actually got it! I further read on in the email and because My City Journal is collaborating with other TV news stations I would have to quit KSL out of a conflict of interest. Yes I did cry. Then the reality of having to leave all my buddies at the OG also got to me. So many mixed emotions of excitement and sadness.

So now I am a full fledged journalist. WOW. All that training at school has led me to this.

So here's to the last three days at the Olive Garden and a kiss to KSL. Life is becoming more real.

2016 Review

Honestly I'm actually amazed this blog is still functioning since I haven't written on it for like a year.

I'm not sure what to write. But it's been a good year... well some of it.

I had an awesome internship with KSL and got a job out of it! I love working there (when i'm there) and it has helped me know what I REALLY want to do as a career. (my picture was on my last day)

I completed P90X3, I didn't lose a lot of weight, but I suck at dieting. Sorry Tony.

However getting the new job also helped me lose my job at Standard Plumbing. My boss was kind enough to leave me a voice mail telling me that they couldn't work with the on-call schedule and had to let me go... after 5 years. Don't ever let go of an employee over a voicemail, especially if they've worked their school schedule around yours AND offered to quit so that they didn't have to take more time off.

But after losing that job I got a job as a waiter at Olive Garden. A part of me has always wanted to try being a waiter and since I've been one, it's really one of the hardest things I've done. I have made such fun friends all of them totally different. We may have different opinions on things and live different lives, but we all get along because we all share in the feeling of being poor. Also I learned the importance of tipping.

I graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelors degree in Communications with a track in journalism. I have way too much freedom now. unless I'm working of course.

I also completed the Insanity workout. Two months of CRAZY cardio with my man Saun T. He's become one of my favorite trainers. Tony Horton still has my pledge though.

Also can we just plug in that I met Chris Evans....oh and James and Oliver Phelps. Sweet lads.

Andrew surprised me with a trip to Disneyland! Oh my goodness can we just take in how much fun that was? We have two things we want to do before we have kids, one is going to Disneyland (this is more my thing) and the other is a trip to Europe - and lets hope we have the money.... stupid tuition.

After that I ran my third half marathon only having six weeks to train for it. WOW. Andrew says I cant run anymore of those because my body hates me after, but now I must run at least two more halfs and one full.

For my birthday we got Kylo. He is a handful sometimes, but it really is a warm up to having kids. He has peed on the floor a couple times (not sure what he was protesting) but he'll follow you around the house just to see what you're doing. In the middle of the night he'll walk up to your face and start licking. However he will follow up with a cuddle and massive purring. My parents even look forward to seeing him. He is such a cutie.

We ended the year though with the sad passing of my opa. Such a wonderful man in every way. He loved everyone and if he did have something negative to say (which was rare) he'd at least say it in a kind way. He loved the gospel, he loved his family, he loved his work and he loved his wife dearly.

Well this was my year in...1..2...3....4....8 paragraphs.

Since I have more time on my hands I'll probably post more often. I have a journal and well that's where I put my feelings.

Upsides and downsides

It's Monday! ... yay? The only good thing about today is that i got all my homework (except one paper but it's almost done) so i don't have to worry about much of anything, homework wise. I have 2 hours to go grocery shopping, and work out, then i'll have to take my paper to my parents house and finish it. This is the downside of Andrew working till 9, well there really isn't any upsides.

My boss had an interview today, and she has one tomorrow. Can i tell you how excited i am? But there is also a downside to this, if she leaves... i'm basically in charge. I don't think i could be able to handle this, but i like being in charge, but I'll probably be leaving after this semester anyway. 

 

 

 

Andrew and i made banana bread this weekend, it's super good, hard not to pick at it. The downside to this is, it's going to my thighs, and after being married it's that much more of a struggle exercising in the mornings. Good thing i have Monday's and Fridays where i can sleep in :) but Tuesdays through Thursdays, oy vey. 

 

 

 

I'm hungry. 

Social Suicide

Don't get me wrong i love being married. Being married is the only thing that gets me through the day. Well i should say knowing that i get to go home and see Andrew makes going to school worth it and wanting to leave my job. I need a degree!!! 

My days consist of 5-9 or 5-6, i bet you can guess which days i enjoy more. But as soon as dinner is cooked and over my nose is in the books, thanks to this overrated class called BIOL 1210. Now this is a level one class, biology basics. Why am I studying 12 hours a week? I have a 5000 level class that only takes up about 5 hours of my off time. It's pathetic. I'm sorry you live in a trailer and have no kids, don't make us come down to your level where biology is your life. (sorry not sorry professor)

Sheesh. Well i have a quiz tomorrow in this class. Someone throw me a bone, make dinner, pay for a lunch or write a paper for me. lol Good thing my husband is a chemistry genius, and smart with basically any subject.

I'm Engaged!

Wow, yesterday was so great! I don't even know where to begin!

Well i did get up and do some yoga and looked at wedding reception places which I think I found the one! Heritage Gardens is so pretty! Just 11 more weeks and I'll be there with Andrew!

Anyway earlier this week Andrew had asked if i wanted to go hike Lake Blanch since in the past he has never been able to get to the top because he hikes with people who are lame and burn out before the top. So i agreed! I did have an inclination that maybe he would propose, but it's not sentimental to us and he told me he hadn't gotten the ring and judging by his work schedule he really didn't have time to get it.

So right after work for him we drove up there and started hiking up. Now just to let you know it was super muddy but not hard to hike, until you got to the snow. It got so deep that there was a point that my leg went through and my leg went all the way in. LOL needless to say it was a little treacherous. But we did make a chicken friend.

Andrew had beat me to the top and I was still trucking behind panting and trying not to slip to my death.

Well i got to the lake and it was frozen but still gorgeous with all the snow there. He was standing up on top of the wall and I just walked over and sat down on it. I was beat.

He asked me to stand up on the wall with him. I thought maybe he just wanted me to enjoy the view too because he makes me do silly things like this a lot. So we just stood there for a bit then i saw out of the corner of my eye that he had knelt down. For a second i thought he was just joking because he said he would a few times. So i looked down at him but then he pulled out a box. I was shocked!

"Natalie. Will you marry me?" he asked.

"Yes, yes, yes! Of course YES!" I squealed. He just knelt there with the box and smiled.

"This is yours now," Andrew said. He took out the ring and proceeded to put it on my right hand.

"What're you doing?" I asked.

"Putting the ring on your hand."

"Haha this isn't my left hand sweetie."

"Oh well it's my left." He laughed.

Oh it was wonderful took some pictures and hiked back down. It was snowing while we were walking down, but not the annoying kind, just the kind that is pretty and doesn't stick to the ground. We were both so happy and giddy! We celebrated with Training Table and some Mystery Science Theater 3000, and we were so tuckered out we both fell asleep within minutes.

Anyway it was an awesome day! This was definitely blog worthy! The only downside to the day was i left my digital camera at the top! I was so excited that i left it on the wall and now it's snowing like crazy up there! I put up a notice at the trail head so hopefully someone might see it, but i think i might get fined if i keep it up there so... later today i'm going back to get it.

Good Stuff so far.

I mean life is going well, and of course I'm terrified that something bad is going to happen. I am just the most optimistic person ever. Maybe it's because i actually have finals this year. SHIZ!!

Comicon is this weekend and i'm reporting on it. I'm actually very nervous, it's something new and if i do a great job could really get my news and reporting out there, and if it sucks well it paints a bad picture for me. 

ADD moment: this rain is amazing. So is Mad Men season 6 so far... 

But i'm super excited to be at Comicon this weekend. Maybe i could actually make a name or myself and be famous? At least geeky Utah famous, and i can do what i love :) 

I'm also looking for a new car, there's a Hyundai Accent i looked at today and i LOVED IT! The only flaw is that it's a manual. I learned how to drive a stick and it didn't go bad but my parents think that i'm going to die by rolling backwards into something or die when it snows. But other than that i love the car. My heart is torn. Andrew says i should just buy it since it's my money and my car. 

Well it's 1:17 and i still want to finish this episode of Mad Men. I love this show. It's so great. And with this rain and lightening i am loving being alone in my room with the lights off and this computer is ruining it! Well actually i have to upload this video to YouTube so Comicon can upload it to their Facebook page. 

Is this semester over yet?!