Look out Dallas...

Well as it would be I'm back to weighing in on Wednesdays now! That's only because I worked Monday evening and stayed late Tuesday morning to orient with the charge nurse and so I knew my weigh-in wouldn't be very accurate. So this morning the scale said: 254.8!!!! Down 4.2 pounds this week! I'm honestly shocked to have another four pound week because while I still made time for my workouts they weren't nearly as intense as my last couple weeks. Plus whenever I work really close work schedules everything feels like utter chaos; so I'm very proud of myself for keeping it together and having a good weigh-in! It was my goal to get to 250 for Dallas, but I am very happy with the number on the scale...and I hope to get home at or below 250! I'm really excited for 250 because I decided when I began this journey that a reward for myself as a way of keeping me going would be to purchase a Garmin GPS watch! I have diligently been setting aside money for the big purchase and am more than ready and excited to hit my goal. The reason it's a reward is because technically I don't need it. I have my phone where I use my cardio-trainer app which calculates my average pace throughout my workout, my calories expended, and I use a separate heart rate monitor to keep an eye on my HR (if I had a bluetooth HR I could hook that up with the cardio-trainer app too to get more accurate count on the calories I burned)! But having everything in one watch would be amazing!

Alright, so I have to share a funny story! I've never really thought of myself as a klutz but the more I am on my feet the more I realize I am less than graceful! At work I was walking back to the unit after going to get a sandwich for dinner and literally out of nowhere (nothing in my way, nothing that could've possibly tripped me or made me stumble)...I nearly face plant in the adult intensive care unit! I let out a shriek...throw my arms out, over and then above my head (faithful never to let go of my sandwich), and I hear my colleagues behind me letting out an, "oh shit"...my legs wanting to give out underneath me yet I was much too proud to lose all control...I am grateful to say I didn't go all the way down!!! You know, all I can do is laugh at how funny it must be to the individuals witnessing my tumbles (or in the case a near  biff)!! You'd think running would make me a little better on my feet...that has not been the case. However, I have certainly given people a funny story to tell and quite the image to recall whenever they are in need of a good laugh! 

So I am beyond excited for Dallas. I love races: the excitement, the adrenaline that you feel not only pulsing through your own blood but somehow smell it in those standing around you (or that could just be body odor...hmmm), the cheering, all of it is such an amazing experience! I can't wait for this run! It's going to be great! I sent this picture of me to my brother and sister-in-law this morning in pure joy for this trip:

Yes, mornings look great on me!!

So my challenge for the week? Eat with moderation in mind! I'm not going to limit myself to what I can and cannot eat...this is a lifestyle not a "diet" (Yuck...hate that word)! I can eat whatever I want...I just can't eat as much of whatever I want...and if I do I sure as heck better be ready to run more than a half marathon relay!! Hehe! Oh! Before I run oft I had several people ask me what cookie butter is!!! Well you may be sorry you asked because the deliciousness of it is simply mouth watering...I will write the description that is given on the jar, "a deliciously unusual spread reminiscent of gingerbread and made with crushed biscuits...spread on pancakes or waffles, peanut butter and cookie butter sandwiches, serve on ice cream, dip pretzels or celery, what don't you do with something this delicious?" I took a picture of my breakfast this morning (two poached eggs and an apple cut in half, one half with a TBSP almond butter in it and the other half with a TBSP of the cocoa/cookie butter swirl). I love cookie butter on apples and bananas...It has become my way of getting something sweet to satisfy my sweet tooth without whipping out a tub of ice cream. 

Left apple has almond butter, right apple has the cocoa/cookie butter spread...and two poached eggs with pepper...my staple breakfast!!!

So that's all for now...I will try to keep you all updated on my Dallas trip...there will be lots of pictures to come!! But for now I must run, go make some New Mexican purchases (e.g. green chile, golden pride tortillas, tamales etc) for my dear siblings (aren't I such a sweet sister?!) and then I must finish packing and then I'm gonna "R-U-N-N-O-F-T"