Acclimating

Well, I'm finally getting used to being by myself. I have so much time to be lazy and the apartment stays clean! This week I've taken running back up since I've almost exhausted my bank account from last week's shopping frenzy. I hadn't weighed in on Wii Fit for a couple of months and it turns out that I lost 4.6lbs and am back down to 99lbs! Woo Hoo! I've met my goal and now I just have to stay here. I've started to do some light weight lifting again (5lbs) so I'm thinking that I'll start gaining some muscle weight soon, which is fine as long as my fat percentage stays down. I've already noticed a significant difference in my legs from hauling up the hills in Troy and sprinting in 100 meter increments on the track. It's great. My work out only takes about 45 minutes and the best part is that it's free! No gym membership for me!

I've never been a runner because my lungs always feel like they're going to implode, but I dislike biking so much that I'd rather run than bike. Biking is a great form of exercise, but I just can't handle it. It's getting too hot in the house to do those exercise videos so outdoors it is. When I get home I might pull them back out since we have air conditioning. I think what has also helped my get my weight under control is my inability and lack of interest in cooking for one. I don't get nearly as much pleasure out of cooking just for me. Sometimes I cook or bake just to bring something into the office. (I don't want to lose everything I've learned.) So now I've been eating a salad without dressing as a starter for dinner and then moving on to whatever I have in the fridge a little while later. Surprisingly lettuce, a whole tomato, and olives fill me up! As long as I have tomatoes and olives I can eat my salad sans dressing. I've even started putting fresh basil from my garden into the salad too, which gives it a little kick. I think this has helped me cut down on my heavy portions of food. If I wait about half an hour after I eat the salad, I don't eat as much for dinner. I guess eating slowly really does work, but man, it takes forever. Every once in a while I'll snack late in the evening, but I try not to. The other night I had black licorice, but I try to stick to carrots and milk. It is much easier to eat lighter during the summer as well. It's getting pretty hot and sticky out here so salads are the only thing that I really want. I'm excited to go home since I'll actually have someone to cook for. I'll just need to keep off those pounds! I've been working my rump off (in more ways than one). My mom likes to buy those big sticks of salami from Costco. They're so fatty and delicious that I can't help myself when I'm home. I think I'll be needing to get myself some new running shoes if I want to keep the weight down. Hah!

Last night I got some boxes from Neil and started packing away my books. I only emptied about 1/3rd of my bookshelf, but it made me really sad. Even with all of the complaining I did about living in Troy, I guess I have a little bit of attachment to it. It was the same with Riverside, but I complained far less about the desert than the blizzards. So my plan of action is to pack a couple of things every night so that it isn't so hard to do when I do move. Plus, by then I'll probably be desensitized to packing and moving. I'm definitely not looking forward to the drive back. Does anyone want to come out here and go on a cross country road trip? I'll be driving one car and my dad will be in the other. We'd love the company!