Yesterday’s run with J-Roc was pretty good. It was fun, at least! Since he hadn’t run since that last 5k we did together either, we decided to do an easy out-and-back two miles. We got to the turnaround one mile in… and then walked back. I think we both wanted to walk at that point, and we both probably could’ve run most of that second mile, but we were enjoying our conversation, and it’s hard to talk when you’re gasping for air!

Oh, and there were no girls yelling mean things out their windows this time.

It felt good to get back out there again. So much so that I got up early and ran again today, finishing before the rain came in. I did an old – short – route I used to run frequently: 1.8 miles in 20 minutes. Slow, to be sure, but I ran nonstop, and I felt good afterwards. That’s really all that matters right now, as far as I’m concerned. I’m sure the distance and slight speed I eventually built up will return with consistent training. I’m optimistic!

Besides running, I’ve signed up for something crazy. Apparantly, my insanity knows no bounds…

I’m taking a boot camp class. I’ve prepaid for 12 hour-long classes, and the first one is tomorrow. At 5:30am.

I don’t know exactly what this class will entail, but I’ve heard some horror stories about boot camp classes and how intense they are. I’ve always secretly wanted to take one, but at this exact point in time, I don’t feel ready for it. I’m pretty sure it’s going to kick my ass.

I’ll keep you posted on the ass-kicking.

I’m halfway through Week 10 of P90X. Since it’s a 12-week program, that means I’m almost done! I haven’t been perfect, but I read somewhere that if you stick to your training program about 90% of the time, that’s pretty damn good. I’m paraphrasing, of course.

I feel like my overall fitness has improved through the program, and I can see a difference in my arms – there’s some actual definition there!

Unfortunately, I haven’t really lost much weight. Weight loss is about 80% diet and 20% exercise, so – given my eating habits of late – it’s no surprise that I haven’t seen good news on the scale.

Last weekend my parents visited, which was quite enjoyable. However, we ate out for every meal while they were here. You know how when people you are dining with are eating dessert it’s harder to refrain yourself? Yeah, I had an ice cream sundae on Saturday and cake on Sunday… after mostly unhealthy meals…

Then on Monday, my husband and I went to DC; he had a business meeting on Tuesday and I have a friend who lives nearby who I spent the day with. Of course, this friend has been perfecting her homemade cupcakes for theca last few months and I coerced her into bringing me some. I ate two. They were delicious.

Wednesday was back to normal. I went grocery shopping (for the first time in about three weeks!) so we finally had food to cook. I should really try to be better at keeping the house stocked with food; it’s much easier to rationalize eating out or ordering in when there’s not much food available to cook.

I’ve been trying to be good about my eating for the last bunch of days, but that one week was pretty detrimental: On Friday I weighed 174 – a heartbreaking increase from 171 from the week prior. Even though I worked out every day that week, my food intake was so bad that I still gained three pounds. Ridiculous.

I’m not sure why I keep doing this to myself. Two steps forward; two steps back.

Unless those three pounds weren’t legitimate and I’m magically down to 170 this week, getting down to 164 by my birthday is going to be a stretch. I’m not willing to call it yet – I still have about a month left – but it’s not going to be easy. I need to get back on my game and start trying harder.

Here goes nothing!

I’ve been asked a number of times in the last few days how things have been going with P90X… and my Third Quarter Melt Down in general. That’s a pretty good indication that I need to work on my blogging frequency. Sorry about that – I’ll try to be better!

Even though I haven’t been very good about blogging, I’m pleased to report that I’ve been sticking to the P90X program without fail. In fact, I’ve completed the first three and a half weeks without missing a single workout! Some days, it was particularly difficult to ‘push play’ as they say, but I’m committed, and I’m doing this. So there.

I’ve been feeling pretty good, too! I can tell that I’m improving, which is great. I haven’t really lost much weight – only about 3 pounds since July 1 – but I know it will come. I can feel my body getting stronger and my balance and flexibility are improving. Noticing all these differences drives me to keep going and try harder and harder so that I can continue to make these positive changes.

It feels good… It feels really good.

How about the rest of you out there? It’s been a while since you’ve committed to kicking it up a notch; have you been working on reaching your goals? If you’re not proud of what you’ve been doing over the last three weeks, recommit: You can’t go backwards, but you can start again today. Right now. Do it with me!

I use the loo a lot during the day… A lot. I think it’s mostly a mental thing due to my proximity to the bathroom. I work from home, and anytime I leave my office for anything – to get the mail, to get something to drink, to break for lunch – I have to pass by the commode. I see it, and I suddenly have to go.

At night or when I’m out, it’s not nearly an issue. In fact, I’m almost camelesque at times. But during the workday, I can go six or seven times. By the end of the day, that jumps to 8 or 10 times.

As insane as that is, it’s not the point of my story.

Since I’m in the ladies so much, and since I’ve been so busy lately – too busy to work out as much as I’d like – I figured I’d try to add a little exercise to my bathroom breaks.

For the last 4 days, following every single trip to the W.C., I’ve done 10 squats. Good squats, too – nice and low. By bedtime, that can add up to 80 or 100 squats! And it takes virtually no time out of my day.

I’m starting to feel some soreness in my quads from it, which tells me that it’s doing something! At some point, I think I’ll switch it up and do squats one day and another exercise the next, but for now, I’m sticking with squats.

Anyone else know squat?