I'm Still Here

I’ve neglected this blog way too soon after I started it. I have a terrible work life/personal life balance, and have been busy with work lately and have neglected everything else. Since last Sunday, I’ve gone on about 2 runs. The first was nothing special, just an early morning (ok, maybe not that early) attempts at getting a few miles in before work. Ran for about 30 minutes to and along the East River, so it was about 2.85 miles (10:05 pace), which wasn’t too difficult, but I was short on time to make it to work and just wanted to work up a sweat. My plan for last Saturday was to run at least 10 miles. That didn’t happen. I’m a bit disappointed in myself. I ran the Central Park Loop on a gorgeous day, but it was barely over 6 miles. (My Nike+ App has been acting wonky, so I’m not even going to bother trusting my pace). It was great and sunny, and I actually ended up taking off the tshirt I was wearing over my tank top halfway through the run. Runners were out in full force, along with the tourists, and I felt pretty good about the run, even though it wasn’t as long as I would have liked.  


Then the suffering started. My left ankle has been bothering me for a few weeks now, but on the 6 mile run it didn’t hurt too badly. But even in my most comfortable non-running shoes, when I walked up and down stairs, it just felt funny. Uncomfortable. And even though I thought I had stretched plenty before I set off on my run, I was sore all over. I did do some lunges and squats with some hand weights in the gym, and sat in the sauna for a bit. But afterwards, I was so incredibly sore. Even more sore than any of my longer runs or even my 15K. Not a good feeling. I know I’m a newbie runner, and I didn’t want to overdo it this week. Which is why I’ve been taking it easy and haven’t worked out at all since Saturday. The cooler weather didn’t help, either. I’m feeling incredibly lazy, but I’d rather be in good shape to run the half marathon on Saturday. Did some weights and walking on the treadmill on Sunday (it was also rainy and gross out) at the gym. 


 I can’t believe the Country Music Half-Marathon is this weekend!! I signed onto running this months ago, even before I ran my very first race. I am incredibly nervous as I’ve never run 13.1 miles before. I am very confident that I will finish, but I’m still scared! I registered my predicted finish time as 2:15 for the half, but I’m hoping to be under 2 hours. I know that even if I don’t achieve that goal, I’ll still be proud of myself for finishing my first half-marathon. And the fact that it’ll be in one of my favorite cities ever, and with some of my favorite people ever, makes it that much sweeter. Leaving tomorrow night for Atlanta, where my parents currently live. Then I’ll be driving to Nashville early Friday morning, pick up my friend Kate from the airport, and head to the Expo! Then we’re planning on meeting up with my old college roommate who lives in Nashville, and some other friends. I CAN’T WAIT!!!!!!! I’m screaming from the roof tops. This is a much needed break, both from the office and the city. As much as I love NYC, sometimes a girl just needs some fresh air. 


 Now if I only remember to pack everything I need…

Weekend Workout

Saturday:
Ran ~3 miles and then ~2 miles, so around 5 miles total


Sunday:
Ran 3.5 miles

So I didn't run as much as I would have liked this weekend. Going to make a strong push to wake up early this week and try to go for some morning runs. I WILL wake up early and go. No excuses.

The weather this weekend was AMAZING, like hands down gorgeous and beautiful, so I knew I wanted to take advantage of it and go running in the park. Saturday, decided to go running the Central Park Loop with my friend LV. Unfortunately, LV was a bit hung over, but was a major trooper and kept up a decent pace with me. We didn't finish the whole Loop, but it was nice to have something to chat with while running. Made the time go by a lot faster. Then we met up with some friends and attempted to play some wiffleball (ok, other people played but mine was a half assed attempt, I'm horrible at sports that require hand eye coordination). When someone suggested a run around the Reservoir, I decided that I should do it. Unfortunately I was not as fast as the two others that were running, but I tried my best and only gave up after halfway around. I'm glad I squeezed that extra 2 miles in.

Sunday was just as nice out, and I reaaaaally, reeeeally wanted to go for a longer run. But I had a bit too much prosecco the night before, and gave up after a slow 3.5 miles. Afterwards, I ended up running a bunch of errands on the UES, so I still enjoyed the sunshine. Really annoyed with myself, but my left ankle has been bothering me, so I didn't want to suffer through it and injure myself. Today I'm giving myself a day off from running (I ran 3 days in a row, Fri-Sun, which is a lot for me and I feel like my body is surprised!) but will try again tomorrow.

4/13 Workout

Distance: unknown
Time: around 35 minutes of running (I forgot to turn my Nike+ on this morning)

I'm really happy that I got to squeeze in a run (albeit a short one) this morning because there was no I would have wanted to go to the gym after I got out of the office tonight. This week was extremely busy and I ended up staying a lot later than I would have liked.

The last two nights have been full of indulgences. Wednesday night I went to a "bartending class" with a vendor, which was pretty much a glorified private open bar, where a bartender stood by to help us make whatever drink we wanted. I pretty much stick to the basics when I drink, vodka sodas are my liquor drink of choice, I stick to white wine or champagne, and I like light beer. Don't like to mix in anything too crazy (except the occasional Dark and Stormy) because I get the worse hangovers ever. But I felt like making my own vodka soda was too boring, so I made some fruity concoction whose silly name I forgot, but it had Malibi, 2 different kinds of flavored vodka, and champagne (my only qualifier for a cocktail suggestion was that it have champagne in it). I regret making this beverage immensely. Woke up on Thursday with a splitting headache. It wasn't a full blown hangover, but I had a hard time shaking this headache from the sugary drinks.

Thursday night I ended up going to a restaurant called Veritas which was pretty darn amazing. They have a pretty simple menu, but I had such a hard time choosing what I wanted to eat. Ended up getting the "Ocean & Land" as an appetizer (lobster & bone marrow) which was really scrumptious, although it wasn't the best bone marrow that I've ever had. That was followed by Prosciutto Wrapped Scallops. Doesn't that just sound delicious? And then my favorite part of the meal, dessert. I ordered the Root Beer Float, which really isn't a traditional float at all, but instead had root beer sorbet, vanilla ice cream, and some interesting foam. But when you took a bite of it all together, it really felt like I was eating a root beer float with a spoon! (I need to go back to Halo Pub for the delightful root beer floats of my youth.)

But I digress. The point of outlining all of the gluttony above is to show how I was guilted into running this morning. Now I am completely aware that running is good for me, and I will never, ever regret going for a run. But why is that first step out the door so hard. I hit snooze on my initial early wake up alarm, figured I'd get some extra sleep before headed to work. But then a little tiny voice inside of me was urging to go for at least a short run. I knew it was going to be nice out, and I knew I'd regret it if I didn't make at least a small effort.

I'm really glad I went. Unfortunately I forgot to turn my Nike+ GPS on when I started out (apparently I was too intent on listening to my favorite One Direction song at the moment), which really isn't a big deal because it isn't 100% accurate any way (can't quite justify getting a Garmin until I prove that I'm going to stick to running), but I do like it because it'll tell me when I'm half way through my timed work out (which is useful during the weekdays when I need to make it to work). I hadn't been running along the East River in a very long time, preferring Central Park for my longer runs, but this morning I ran for about 35 minutes total: running from my apartment to the East River, up along the East River, back down, and headed back west home to hop in the shower and rush to work.

I tried to push myself a bit today by sprinting on the cross streets between avenues while I was headed back to my apartment. When I go running by myself, I tend to just go at a leisurely pace and don't really put an effort into speed. Not that that is my main KPI (ugh, hate when work terms crawl into my personal life), but it would be nice to beat my old times whenever I have a new race. It's very motivating, and you're challenging yourself, not really competing with anyone else.

Want to know what else made me happy this morning? I went running in shorts and a long sleeve tee!! This is amazing! I feel like I started running too late in the season last year to get some great outdoor runs in. So this year I *will* be taking advantage! I mean I love my running crops and running leggings, but sometimes you just want to run in a pair of shorts! This adorable camo pair is from lululemon (duh) and now I can finally wear them outside of the gym or my apartment. They are a bit short, but I have short legs so they're not very scandelous on me. I think it's supposed to be really nice out this weekend. My goal is to run at least 10 miles this weekend (doesn't have to be in one go).

Also just want to share...

2 weeks until Nashville!!!!

4/11 Workout

4.24 mile jog/run (41:36, 9:48/mi)

I have a confession to make. Yesterday, I had brought my gym bag with me with all intention to go to the gym after work. I ended up working late, still had enough time to go to the gym, but I skipped it to grab some wings and a beer with my friend. I was exhausted and thought the after-work workout would just burn me out some more. But I justified it to myself saying that I'd be more well rested to go running in the morning.

For the last 3 months, I've had my alarm set at 5:45 am. For the last 3 months, I've turned that one off and gone back to sleep. Today was the first time that I've made it to a morning workout in a very long time. I heard the early alarm, and just made myself get out of bed. If I'm conscious enough to check my Facebook news feed when i wake up, I can definitely change into running clothes and haul my butt outside.

My plan was to run the Central Park Loop, which is just over 6 miles, but I hadn't really run outside in the past 2 weeks except for my 15K and 10K, so I decided to just take it easy this morning. I ran from my apartment to the park, along the Loop for a while, and ran around the Reservoir. I used to LOVE running around the Reservoir, but it gets very crowded on the weekends with walking tourists, so I've been sticking to the Loop for the last few months for my Park runs. Early in the morning, it was a lot better and had mostly runners.

I could have pushed myself to run faster, but my left ankle has been bothering me a bit so I didn't want to hurt myself. The time above also incorporates me pausing along the Reservoir to snap some photos, and stop to get some water at the fountain. Even though it was kind of a half-assed attempt at running this morning, I'm really glad that I forced myself to get out of bed and squeeze this workout in. I made it to work earlier to work than normal (I got home after the run before the time I usually wake up to get ready for work!) which was awesome. Now that it's warmer, and it gets lighter out early (impossible for me to run in the dark during winter mornings), I have no excuse to not go for these lovely morning runs.

Lululemon Reviews

Like I've mentioned in my very first post, Lululemon is a strong motivator in my attempt to get into running. I never really invested in work out wear because I hated working out so much, and didn't think that it would make a difference. Today, it's a completely different story. I will admit that I am a full blown lulu addict. I love the way the clothes fit, and they make me feel so much better about myself because I know that I look cute when I'm working out. They have definitely upped my confidence level. Also, after spending all that money on work out wear, I feel like I HAVE to make it to the gym so that I get my money's worth.

Above is an outfit that is similar to the one that I wore while running my very first race in Brooklyn. I'm wearing a Define Jacket in Heathered Paris Pink, Scoop Neck Tank in Paris Pink, and Run: Inspire II Crops in Wee are from Space/Indigo. The Define Jacket is great because it has pockets that you can tuck your iPod in, and it keeps me warm on cooler days while not getting too hot. I like the Scoop Neck tank because I don't have to wear a bra with it (I don't need much support) but the higher neckline can get a bit bothersome. Not sure if I'll buy any in the future, but I do love it in the bright pink color.

Scoop Neck Tank and Run Inspire II Crops

The Run Inspire crops are probably my favorite item from lululemon to work out in. They are great for both the gym and running outside. I don't get too overheated in them, even while running on the treadmill indoors. They have pockets to stash my ID, gym card, and keys, which is really key to me running outside without having to carry anything around. I own a few pairs in solid black, but this pair of indigo stripes are fun! I think they look pretty good with my vibrant work out tops. Lululemon always comes out with some great color combinations for these that always tempt me, but I definitely have enough.

This look is definitely over the top girly, with the bright pink. But this bright color made me really easy for my sister to spot me while she was waiting at the finish line!

Scotland Run 10K

The Scotland Run 10K was on Saturday and it went great! It was such a gorgeous morning out, I was almost able to ignore that I was up so early over the weekend. The race course was simply around the Central Park Loop, which I am pretty familiar with it. It did go in the opposite way that I normally run the Loop, and you can definitely feel the hills a bit stronger that way.

There were a LOT of racers in this race, apparently over 11,000. It was definitely very crowded when I started out, and it didn't really let up that much during the whole race. I started off a bit slow, trying to avoid running into anyone, and I definitely got into a good groove around my third mile. It was so nice out, I really enjoyed the entire 6.2 miles.

I ended up finishing with a time of 54:00, at a pace of 8:43/mile. The goal that I had set for myself was to have at least a 9:00/mile pace. I was hoping to do just a bit better, since I know that I've run it faster during my practice runs, but overall I was pleased with the result. I have three weeks left to train, and I'm aiming to finish the half marathon in under 2 hours. Wish me luck!

I wore a lululemon long sleeve Swiftly tee layered under a college t-shirt with my lululemon Run: Chase Me Crops. These crops are my new favorite! I usually stick to solid black bottoms, but these are super comfortable and fit great. 

Inspiration Needed

It's Wednesday, and I'm a bit disappointed in myself. I was pretty tired after my 15K on Sunday, and I haven't worked out since. I lugged my gym bag with me to work on both Monday and Tuesday, but because I had to work late both nights, I was too drained to go to the gym. Also, I have a hard time falling asleep early enough when I work out late at night. I let Monday and Tuesday slide because I was still a bit sore from my long run. Today was a long day at work (another 12 hour work day), but instead of going to the gym, I grabbed a drink at a work event, and ate some bar food. I didn't overindulge, but I should have taken the little bit of time I had to go to the gym or go for a run outside.

If I don't make enough of an effort, I know that running will fade into one of those flash hobbies of mine - I give it a bit of a try but don't care enough to pursue or follow through with my goals. I am not planning on letting that happen to working out. That is part of the reason I started this little blog, I want to keep a record and be held accountable. Thanks to Pinterest, I've found a bunch of inspirational fitness pictures that I sometimes make myself look at it motivate myself. Sometimes my will power just isn't strong enough. I'll be sharing some of my favorites on here (you can also check out my 'fitspiration' Pinterest board), they may be cheesy but I see nothing wrong with some inspiration.

So what am I going to do about this? I know that I need to really make an effort to go for runs or work out in the morning before I go to work. After work, I'm usually so drained that I can barely walk to the subway, then walk all the way to my apartment. Every evening, I have an inner fight with the lazy person inside of me who just wants to take a cab home. But cabs aren't cheap, and I like to remind myself that just a few unnecessary cab rides can equal a cute lulu top! So it looks like mornings are my only option, I better embrace the sunrise! At least in the spring and summer, it's not pitch black when I wake up. During the winter it was near impossible for me to get out of bed. I'm aiming to fit in at least 1 workout before my 10K on Saturday. I know that I can finish the 10K no problem, but I will be in much better shape if I get a run in before then.

Colon Cancer Challenge 15K

I knew that if I wanted to have a chance of completing the Country Music Half-Marathon at the end of April, I would need to get some experience running longer distances. After several months of attempting to learn how to run, I got pretty comfortable running the Central Park Loop, which is around 6 miles. The park had always been intimidating to me, and I've always gotten lost somehow, but once K showed me the ropes, I love running there now. I'm pretty happy with the fact that I can even run 6 miles, it's such a drastic upgrade from where I was last summer. I would sometimes even run 7 miles (run to the park, run the Loops, run back to my apartment) but that was always stretching it.

15K seemed like a daunting distance to me when I signed up for it. 9.3 miles is a long distance to be running, but I knew I had to conquer it if I wanted to run 13.1. I had a hard time forcing myself to go on longer runs, I just get really bored after an hour, even with music. Exactly 1 week before the race, I made myself go on a 10 mile run in the park. It was painful, drizzly out, and I was miserable by the time I was done. I definitely struggled a lot on this run, but I made myself keep running, even if I slowed down terribly at some points. I did feel a bit reassured after this run, because I knew that I could finish the 15K. At this point in my running, I don't really care how fast I go. I'm just excited to finish the race!

So this past Sunday, April 1st, I ran my first 15K. Luckily it was a great day for running, cool but not too cold, bright but not too sunny. I knew I had to pace myself if I wanted to run the entire thing, so I tried not to overextend myself too early. One of my favorite moments was seeing my friend K along with another friend around the 5 mile mark, and they were cheering for me! I was so encouraged by this and definitely picked up my pace. After 7 miles I decided to try the PowerBar gel-thingie that I bought in case I was running low on energy, even though I had only 2 miles left, since I'm not used to running over 6 miles and I hadn't eaten that much that morning out of nervousness. Of course I am clumsy and spill half of it all over myself, making a sticky mess. I just dumped a bunch of water on myself and sucked it up for the next few miles. But I really do think the energy gel did work, because I felt less worn down and definitely perked up a bit. Next time I'll just be more careful.

As soon as I could see the finish line, I could feel the adrenaline pick up in my system. I was almost done! I'd be out of my misery! I could pee as soon as I cross the finish line! I pretty much gave it all I had for the last half mile or so, which is definitely not something I do when just running on my own. And the best surprise? Seeing my closest girlfriends cheering for me moments before I finished. I was really touched that they came out to see me run! I didn't realize how awesome it is to have someone cheering for you. Now I know next time any of my friends are racing, I will make a huge effort to be there to support them, whether it be a 10k or a marathon.

My goal was to finish under a 9:00/mile pace, and I did! I finished the 15K in 1:22:16, which is an 8:52/mile pace. I'm very proud of this, and am now motivated to train harder for my upcoming half marathon.

How awesome is this photo that my friend L snapped on her iphone?

I was so excited to see my friends but was so exhausted I could barely speak.

K & I match in pink!

Now I'm feeling pretty good about my 10K on Saturday. I'm going to attempt to make it to the gym/park at least twice this week. I'm still a bit sore from Sunday but I know I need to get at least one good run in. I'm going to try to have this blog also be a sort of fitness journal for me as well, so I can keep track and hold myself accountable.

I'm a Newbie

I didn't start running to run races. I started running because I was sick of looking and feeling unhealthy, and I thought running would be the easiest way to ease into fitness. I'm not very fast, and I never really ran longer distances until very recently, so I didn't see a point to running in any races. 

Until November 6, 2011. That was the day of the ING New York City Marathon, probably the most famous marathon in the country. Even though I had been living in New York for 2 years, I had never actually seen any parts of the marathon. But last year, I knew someone who was running in it, and several friends were going to watch, so I figured I'd tag along. Cheering on the runners that ran by was an amazing experience. Seeing blind runners with their guides brought tears to my eyes, and seeing people who were the same age as my grandparents run the marathon was awe inspiring. There was nothing quite like seeing thousands of people all suffering through the same thing with the same goal in mind. That was when I decided that I really wanted to try a race. Unfortunately I decided this right when the racing season was dying down, but I decided that it was a great opportunity to train during the winter. As much as I hate, hate, hate the treadmill, I forced myself to stay on it as long as I could. 

And on February 25th, 2012, I ran my very first race ever! It was the Al Gordon Classic 4M in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. I somehow lost my bib somewhere between my apartment and the subway, but it ended up not being a big deal thankfully. I was so nervous, it was a bit chilly, but I was excited at the same time. Also, my little sister and her fiance were awesome enough to come all the way to Brooklyn from the UWS to cheer me on. I saw them within the first 1/2 mile, shouting my name and cheering for me, and that definitely helped me get going. The race was only 4 miles, and I finished in 33:06, which was 8:17/mile. I was blown away, I was hoping to just finish under 9:30/mile. 

My awesome sister braved the brisk morning cold to watch me race! I'm wearing lululemon of course - Heathered Paris Pink Define Jacket, black Run Inspire Crops, with a Joe Fresh grey running tank layered underneath. My sister told me that the hot pink jacket and yellow hat were an easy way to spot me in the crowd!

This positive first race experience encouraged me to finally commit to running the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville at the end of April. I'm nervous because I have never run 13.1 miles before, and it does seem a bit daunting, but I have a few friends who will be running it so I am very excited! I also love Nashville since I went to school there, and I haven't been back in a few years. 

My long term, aspirational goal would be to one day run the NYC Marathon. That's why I'm going for the NYRR Run 9, Give 1 process to qualify for the 2013 marathon next November. I'm hoping that if I sucessfully run 9 races and qualify, I will have enough time to work my way up to the full 26.2. 

The "Before"

Running is relatively new to my life. I had never been excited about exercise, and luckily got through the first 16 or so years of my life getting by on having a fast metabolism and being thin without trying. My first generation Korean parents could not have cared less about athletics, and I was always more drawn to books than to sports. I started gaining weight my senior year in high school (when I had a car and went to as many fast food drive thrus as I wanted) and definitely achieved the Freshmen 15. I knew that I was gaining weight, and used different extreme dieting methods to balance out my excessive eating and drinking. Exercise was never considered as a means to maintaining a healthy weight. After graduating from college, it was way too easy for me to gain weight - an office job kept me sedentary (at least in college I had to walk around campus), delicious food was easily available everywhere (one of the perks/downfalls to working in Georgetown), and I joined the gym only to do some half-assed workouts once a week or so (I barely broke a sweat on the elliptical).

Now I'm going to be perfectly honest on this blog, there will be no bullshitting. I can admit that I have never really been obese, luckily for me I have a relatively small frame, and even when I gained weight, most of my clothes still fit (just not well, there was lots of muffin top hidden by drapey tunics). But in early 2011 I reached the heaviest weight I had ever been. I had just gotten out of a relationship, and this was a relationship that contributed to the weight gain. Dating a chef sounds fun and dandy, until you realize that you're eating extremely heavy foods and drinking yummy calorie laden cocktails late at night (when they get off of work) and late nights will never make you want to go to the gym. During this time I wasted a valuable opportunity that my parents were kind enough to offer - membership at a fabulous gym and several sessions with a personal trainer. Now if I could only tell the Rosa from back then that she should have taken advantage of that instead of going to her personal training sessions hung over, I would. 

There were a couple of key moments when I realized that I had to turn my lifestyle around. The first was a friend's wedding in March 2011. I was in a rush while I was doing some last minute packing, and just threw one of my favorite Nanette Lepore dresses into my suitcase. I didn't realize until right before I was changing for the ceremony that the dress fit horribly. A dress that had fit me perfectly a year ago was bulging in all of the wrong places. When I saw the photos from the wedding, I cringed and felt truly awful about the way I looked. I felt like I looked greasy, shiny, flabby, and all around ick, which is what I felt like on the inside from all the crap I've been eating. I can't believe I am posting a photo of this on the internet for all to see. 

Another turning point was a trip to Lululemon. It sounds completely ridiculous, but it's true. I had been to the store before, but scoffed at the ridiculously overpriced work out wear. I had a few wrap jackets from there, but they were cozy and comfy and not for working out. But one day I went to a work sponsored shopping event there and was given a $100 gift card to spend. After chipping in about $40 extra bucks, I went home with a pair of Run Inspire crops and a Cool Racer Back tank. And I LOVED them. So much that I looked forward to going to the gym and looking cute in my work out wear. At this point I had joined the gym (one not as nice as the one I had previously been a member of) with my corporate discount, but only made half-assed efforts to really work up a sweat. But I would look forward to wearing my new lulu items to work out in, and I even did laundry more often so I could wear them more than once a week. Then I slowly ventured back into the store (with my own CC), and my addiction started. Oh, it started slow, a CRB here, a pair of marked down crops here. I have a lululemon store on my way home from the subway, which is terribly dangerous. Now I may have an obscene obsession with work out clothes, but I try to justify my purchases by saying that buying new work out clothes is cheaper than hiring a trainer (it really is). 

The weather also got nicer out, and I decided that running was going to be my thing. I have no idea what came over me, I had always been an elliptical kind of girl (the kind that reads magazines or watches TV shows while slowly moving her legs back and forth unenthusiastically). But I have a close girlfriend of mine, K, who is a runner and I've always admired her for it (she's run a couple of marathons!). I decided that since I started to buy running clothes, I had to start running. No idea where that strange and twisted logic came from. 

I had no idea how to run. I just started running at night after work, along main streets with street lamps (I still avoid Central Park after dark). At first I could barely run a few blocks without having to walk for a few. I looked forward to the lights changing to red so I could take a few moments to catch my breath. I started off by setting time goals for myself - I would run in one direction for 15 minutes, and then turn around and run back for 15 minutes. I was so darn excited when I could finally run for 15 minutes straight at a time! When I started running, I saw weight loss results pretty quickly, which is a great motivator to keep it up. To be honest, I still ate a ton of crap and drank a lot of beer, but I think that going from absolutely zero exercise to some moderate exercise made a huge difference. 

Getting positive feedback from my family, friends, and co-workers really encouraged me to stay committed to running, even if I was terrible at it. Some days I would wake up later than planned, but go for a quick 25 minute run, because I know that's better than just not going for one at all. 

In the past 12 months, I've lost a total of 25 pounds. Currently I'm at my "happy weight", which is one that I feel confident in, but I'm not going crazy overboard with working out or dieting. I've lost some pounds and gained them back, but I'm okay with it. I only weigh myself about once a week, just to make sure that I never go back to my "unhappy weight". I should probably eat healthier (I love wings too much), but I have been making an effort to eat normal (not ginormous) portions and stop eating just because I'm bored. It's also slowly becoming easier for me to resist the free cupcakes and snacks that come into work. I mean, I'll definitely check out what's available, but I won't eat every single treat I can, like I used to before. I'm still not in love with working out, but I know it's the only thing that lets me eat what I love and still be happy with my appearance, so I'm making an effort to keep it up. 

Follow me on my fitness journey, which will be chronicled on "Rosa Runs". Not sure really what the point of this is, except maybe to act as an exercise journal, lululemon outfit logger =), or just a way for me to stay accountable to myself.

I'm proud to post the photo to the right, which was taken November 2011 at another college girlfriend's wedding. I felt so much more confident and happy with myself this time around.