::Insert "Rocky" Theme Music Here::

Via my Instagram
@Sweet_Lil_Raz

Who doesn't love a give-away? Let me just say, if it's free, I'm all about it. If it's free workout gear that I usually couldn't afford, and if I could I would just end up spending the money on candy something else? Yea. I'm all over it. Which is why I put in all four entries to win a $250 gift card to Glyder Apparel. There's only like... 5,000 entries so far.... So my chances of winning are pretty craptastic solid. Why, then, would I share this give-away information with all of you? Because, my friends, there's only about 3 people reading this blog. So what's 12 more entries?

^That's a button. Go on. Push it. 

So go on, head on over to Mama Laughlin's blog (only my favorite blogger ever), and enter to win some neato swag from Glyder! I love the Lotus tanks and the ninja crop leggings.... SO CUTE!
 
And now on to what I've been doing over the past week... And lemme tell ya, it's pretty exciting. Like.. balloon animals, and bouncy houses exciting.

Who pressed the "Publish" button a little prematurely? This girl. So if you read the top section and then nothing followed? Yea, that's my bad. I got a little ahead of myself when trying to save what I had so far. ANYWHO...

That. Is. Amazing.
Check out her workout routine Here

My new year's resolutions know no bounds, folks. First I thought, "I'll run. I'll train for a 5k. That'll shed the weight I want to lose. I'll be nearly to where I would love to be by Christmas." Well, I hadn't read anything from MamaL in a while, and decided to catch up on what she had been doing fitness-wise. Dude. The lady is getting ripped! By lifting weights! What?? I always thought weight lifting was for...well... guys... and manly women in fitness competitions. But I was apparently wrong. I know, I know. Shocking. Now, I don't necessarily want to meet the goals she has set for herself (which are pretty freakin awesome, and I just know she can achieve them), but I would love to be lean and toned. And lifting accomplishes that.

So I tell my Stud that I'd like to start lifting. "Like... lifting lifting? With a bar? And weights? Are you sure?" Am I sure? No YES! So he gave me the run down of how I should start out (small and few reps/sets) Of course I bucked and tried grabbing a 20lb weight. HA! I couldn't even lift it one-handed over my head. TWENTY POUNDS. Don't I carry grocery bags heavier than that? (Cut to me making it a point to carry in a 100lbs of groceries in one trip.) So then I settled on some 7.5 lb weights that came in a box set with a complimentary workout guide. I call them my Dummies... because it makes them sounds small and girly and inconsequential. I also purchased some lifting gloves, cause, ya know, I'm hardcore.

Photo Cred: Here

Along with lifting, I was determined to (hate myself a little more) complete this squat challenge I found on Pinterest. I know it's a little hard to see, but that first day? You do 50 squats. 50. As in less than 51 and more than 0. Fifty. The amount of times I said, "Screw it. I'll have a floppy ass." But then, all of a sudden, I was done. So I rested a day. Then the next day (second day of squats) I did 55, and it wasn't as hard, even though there were five more. Yesterday was the third lift/squats day. Sixty. Sixty squats. Each day I do any squats or lifting, it gets a little easier. Studly tells me I need to switch everything up and shock my muscles. So I'm going to incorporate more leg exercises and more arm, back and shoulder exercises and break each of them up into different days (I know all of you gym rats must think I'm just adorable for tripping my way through this... shut. up.) I want to eventually get a couple different-weighted kettlebells and see what the hype is over those, and then also graduate to using a bar (the lifting kind. Not the 'Cheers' kind) Lots of plans and goals, all while working, trying to keep the house clean (Pah! That's hilarious), and trying not to to catch this flu virus that's apparently ripping through Middle Tennessee. Joy.

That's Juno's nose art down towards
the bottom of the mirror... Precious.

So here's where I'm starting out at. I've done all my measurements as well, and will post them at some point (read: never ever ever ever). So I'm not exactly lacking in the glutes. I just need to pick them up off the backs of my thighs. And, ya know... Shrink my thighs.... and hips... and gut.... and waist... and love handles... (Must. Resist. SelfBashing.) I'm anxious to see how toned I can get my arms, shoulders and back as well. That would be neato. Will be... Will. Gotta think positive.

In other news, I'm still drinking a metric ass ton of water. Even with the recommended 8 glasses a day, I'm still finding myself craving more and more. I even get cotton-mouth, at work especially. One of the therapists, Mandy (Hey girl, hey!), informed me that when it's cold, our bodies use a lot more h2o to keep us warm and to attempt to fight off infection. That's why it's so easy to get sick in the winter, because your reserves are going toward keeping you warm and snuggly, and there's not as much to go towards keeping your immunities up. So, here I am, drinking a million glasses of water a day, because I refuse to get sick if I can help it. Or get cold. I hate being cold.

That's an attractive couple right there... 

Then there's running. Oh, how you gave me so much trouble last year, shins. Jonothan and I started a 5k trainer through RunKeeper yesterday. I actually went for a solo walk/run last week and it... well... sucked. I went 2 miles with my dogs, and my legs were killing me. Again. I literally only ran maybe 30 seconds the entire time. Cut to us yesterday, after lifting and doing squats (for only 3 days!). I. Felt. Incredible. My legs didn't burn AT ALL. And we went for a total of about 3.45 miles. We mostly walked, but we did have a few run intervals for no more than about 100 feet each time. On the way back to the house, I raced to the door. Not out of "Oh my God. Get me inside and feed me a cheeseburger." I did it because I could. After going for over 3 miles, I could still jump and run and not feel like amputating my own legs. All from building up my leg strength before getting out again. Today, they're a little sore from more lifting, but other than that I feel great.

I started this worrying I wouldn't be able to run without buying more shoes. Or dropping a ton on more insoles. Or being able to do it at all. Now, I feel as if I can do anything. With proper training and techniques, I can get to where I want to be. I just have to take it slow, and build up the right way. Look out, 2014. I'm out to getcha.