Weekend Update for April 26, 2015: Readathon, Working Out, and School.

So, I participated in the readathon yesterday and while I didn't read as much as I intended, I still had a great time. I spent a lot of time cheering on blogs and on Instagram as an unofficial cheerleader, which was really fun and yes, time consuming. I've never signed up to be an official cheerleader, but for October, I certainly will. I had a blast. It was a great way to reconnect with the community!

I did read two full books-Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton and Anya's Ghostby Vera Brosgol. I also read 100+ pages in Mistborn and listened to 2 hours of Amy Poehler's Yes Please while I cleaned and did other things around the apartment (I have about an hour and a half left, so hopefully I finish it at the gym this afternoon). I'm really happy with what I accomplished yesterday, and while I feel guilty I didn't get a ton of grading done (actually...none), I have today to catch up. I needed the reading time!

And since I just mentioned the gym...

Matt and I are entering the third week of our "lifestyle change." Both of us are turning 30 this year (me in July, him in November), and we both need to make adjustments to how we eat, work out, etc. We made a game plan over Spring Break to join a gym, eat out less, and make smarter choices. For him, that mainly includes eating better. Matt isn't overweight, but he is diabetic and should be smarter about what he eats. His goals are just to eat better and gain some muscle. Oh, and to support me. :)

For me, I think I'm finally at the point where I want and need and understand the importance of shedding extra weight. I was also starting to reach a scary point on the scale. Coupled with a very "get it together" talk from my doctor, I'm finally emotionally and physically ready to make those changes. So, I finally set up my fitbit that I got as a present a couple of years ago, gave up diet pop and caffeine cold turkey, started making better choices about what I eat and when, and have been going to the gym a minimum of 3x a week. I already feel better about myself.

Giving up the pop has been difficult. I mean...I would stop on my way to work EVERY morning to get a large diet coke from McDonald's. And I would also drink pop all afternoon and evening. It was awful. But I was scared to stop drinking it because of the headaches, etc. Now, it hasn't been as bad as I thought, but I definitely have had some withdrawal symptoms. My headaches haven't been awful, but I did have quite a few the first week. I think that I will eventually pull caffeinated tea back into my diet, but for now, I'm still staying away. It's been about 2 weeks. Best decision I've ever made.

Coupled with giving up pop, I started drinking a mess of water. And now that I'm drinking what I SHOULD be drinking, I'm noticing some huge differences. First, my skin looks and feels much better. I still have dry skin, but it's much better than it used to be. Second, my lips are not as chapped. I think I'm finally giving my body the proper hydration. I've also noticed that while I don't have caffeine coursing through my body, water does enough to perk me up in the morning. I'll take it.

Going to the gym has also been great. I haven't tried to push myself too hard to start, but there have been a few times I have pushed a muscle group and felt sore after (my non-existent abs still hurt from Friday). I forgot how much I like going to the gym. It very much gives me "Me" time to relax and go over things I need to do. I also use the time to listen to audiobooks, which is another way to cram in some reading. And I find that all of the things I learned when I worked with a trainer have come right back to me (I worked with a trainer leading up to my wedding. That's the last time I lost a significant amount of weight).

I also have a few current students who work out at the same gym and we run into each other often. I love that they are supportive and have asked questions about what I'm doing. To be honest, the first time I saw them I was self-conscious, but I quickly got over it. I'm okay with them seeing their overweight teacher making better decisions. One of them will often walk by me on the treadmill or elliptical and give me a good high five when he comes in. I'll take it.

Since making all of these changes about 3 weeks ago, I've lost 12 pounds. I know a lot of that was just water weight and the chugging of copious amounts of water, but it's a great start.

I know this is going to be a very long journey as I have to lose 100 pounds to get into the "healthy" range for my age and height. But I'm okay with that. I doubt I'll talk about it often, but might update from time to time. Because here's the thing...for so long I have let my weight dictate who I am and what I do. I don't want to be bound to that anymore. So I'm working towards making that change permanent. And just being a healthier version of who I already am.

Switching gears, school is about to wind up for some crazy. While I have no intentions of stepping back from blogging or taking a break, I know it's going to get crazy once May gets here-that's when our seniors have all their events, plus my National Board Portfolio is due (and I still have a lot to do). I'm going to do my best to get as much done during the week as I can so I have time to read on weekends, and I'm going to try and get some posts prescheduled, but if there is radio silence for a bit, know I'll be back hard core starting near the end of May. I'm not working this summer either, so I have a lot of reading plans in store.

Speaking of those plans...a couple years ago I hosted a long Victorian Event in the summer. Would there be any interest in that again?

Have a happy reading week!