First Post!

Hello! I'm A, a good friend of S, and only recently discovered this blog. I practically begged her to let me join as a co-author, because I have had a secret fitness blog (that I have never written in) for over three years now. Like most, I've struggled with getting fit and staying fit for a long time. S has been a great motivator for me! We often text one another how we are doing with going to the gym or eating right, and what better way than to expand that to this forum?!

Unlike E and S, I'm not on WW (though I did try for a little bit last year..). My good friend K has lost a ton of weight using WW (and kept it off!). She is such an inspiration; maybe I'll talk about her more later. My diet principles are these:

- Lotsa veggies
- Even more fruit
- Limit breads
- Moderation!

Ideally, and if I had the will power, I would cut dairy from my diet almost entirely, but cheese is almost an addiction. Okay, not that far, but I would say at least one, if not two, meals of my day include some form of cheese. (Today? breakfast, lunch AND dinner had cheese - yikes!) I used to be a vegetarian for several years, but currently I am a meat eater. We don't cook it in the house a ton, and when we do, it's usually chicken or fish.

I find myself getting off and on the fitness band wagon more regularly than my menstrual cycle. I'll be realllllly good for a little bit and then have some sort of slip up that sets me on a downward spiral. Like S, I was recently on a vacation and that was the beginning of a terrible end. I think I gained 4lbs that trip? Yikes.

Welp, I'm back on the wagon, and I'm hoping this blog (and my dear friend S) will help me be more accountable! I'd like to share my short term and long term goals and then post as frequently as I can about how I'm doing.

A's Short Term Health Goals:
- Stop drinking soda. Just. Stop.
- No fried food for 30 days (starting tomorrow, 7/18!) (it's harder than ever to do in the south)
- No candy bars for 30 days (starting tomorrow, 7/18!) (even more difficult when I'm at work)
- Drink more water. As always.
- Exercise regularly (5x/week)
- Become a morning-gym kinda gal (working on it...)

A's Long Term Health Goals:
- Run first 5k. (Signed up for it tonight with S and our husbands! 10/5!)
- Decrease SBP and DBP by 10 points
- Feel more in control of dietary decisions
- Exercise regularly (5x/week)
- Increase HDL, Decrease LDL, Decrease Triglycerides
- Decrease upper arm circumference

I probably have a thousand more goals than those listed, but that's a good place to start.

As I told S, tonight wasn't my best gym night. Intended on going to the gym before work, but my alarm possibly didn't go off? Hard to believe but my husband didn't hear it either... SO I went tonight after dinner (cheeseburger, grilled asparagus, whole fruit smoothie) and found myself alone in the cardio cinema room. (Cardio Cinema Room = My Hideout) Titanic was playing and it was at the very touching moment that old granny Kate Winslet throws the blue heart back into the ocean. Cue Celine Dion, and I'm on the elliptical doing intervals and breathlessly belting out 'My Heart Will Go On' while also thinking it might stop at the highest interval. Did about 15 minutes of that rapid cardio, then headed to the private women's workout with plans to work on legs and abs. (New schedule this week Days 1/3/5 = couch to 5k, arms, abs; Days 2/4 = cardio, legs, abs) The leg machines are pretty terrible but my thighs were sore afterward so that says something. I did some ab stuff but then kinda felt my smoothie working it's way back up my throat, and after a total of 40 minutes at the gym, I decided to call it quits.

Plan for tomorrow: go in morning.

Go in morning.

Go. In. Morning.

I'll let you know what happens.

-A