{Operation Red Bikini comes to an end}

Operation Red Bikini began back in December 2012.

 I wasn't too much of a blog regular back then and only really got into it in January.

December though is when I decided enough was enough.

I took our family photographs for Christmas and really saw the weight gain in myself then.

Once I got back home from my Christmas trip, I decided enough was enough. I would start going to the gym more and I would begin eating better. I researched the internet for workouts and eating plans and that's when I came across Kassie's Southern Girl Gets Fit blog and, therefore, Operation Red Bikini.

Even though they'd already began almost a month before me, I still committed myself to joining also!

My comment with my goal was this, 

NicoleJanuary 2, 2013 at 7:09 PM

I am absolutely in! My goal is to (ultimately) lose 20lbs. I think that's pretty doable by May. Another goal for this YEAR is to run one 5k race each month. I hate running but that seems to be making me even more determined to do this.

My weight at the time was 155/156 pounds. 

I'm not sure exactly because I later found out my scale is off by 2-3 pounds.
I already had a swimsuit I wanted to look hot in but didn't start taking those photographs until February.
I also bought myself a goal outfit.

I couldn't even button the pants up and the shirt extenuates every fat roll I possible could have.
I was not a happy camper.
It was all my own fault though.
I let myself get this far.
I was going to do something about it though.

My other goal listed for O.R.B. was to run one 5k race a month for 12 months.
I actually made this goal back in December but what better way to verbalize it than to list it for this goal also?
January 19 was my first 5k race.
I was terribly slow but I did it.
I'm still doing it.
In fact, I have race #5 today.

I never thought running could make me feel the way I do.
I actually enjoy running.
I get goosebumps.
I get goosebumps when working out too.
I absolutely love it.

Here are some more progress photo's and then I'll talk about where I am today.

Feb 23, 2103

It seems as though I didn't take any progress photographs in April.

I just didn't think about it.

This one was taken in April though.

So, on to today, May 31, 2013...

Today I weigh 143 pounds.

I've lost a total of 12-13 pounds.

I, personally, do not see that as a lot of weight given the timeframe.

It's also 7-8 pounds shy of my 20lb weightloss goal.

However.

I am okay with that.

I feel so much better today than I did 6 months ago.

I have so much more energy now.

My clothes fit better now, most are too big.

I can see a difference in my body today than I did 6 months ago.

I also stopped caring about my scale weight because of those reasons listed.

Weighing myself got to be so entirely depressing.

I was doing so much hard work and barely seeing a difference in the scale.

I hated the way it made me feel even though I knew how much I worked out and ate better.

I mean, I can button my goal pants now and look good in them.

I couldn't do that 5 months ago.

December 2012 on the left.  May 2013 on the right.

Am I done?

No, I don't quite think so.

There's still some toning up I'd like to do and I'd still like to find what works best for me food-wise.

I am happy though.

{Weigh-in Wednesday}

A week after shark week ended and I feel great.

144.4lbs

I like it.

As I was getting dressed to go run, I passed my full length mirror in my sports bra and underwear and I liked what I saw.

So, I put on a pair of swimsuit bottoms and took a picture. 

What? You don't do the same?! ;)

I also ran for the first time in over a week today.

It felt great.

I gave the compression sleeves a try.

I felt very slow in them.

I'm not sure if that's because it's been more than a week since I last ran or if it was because of the sleeves.

Either way, I liked them. Other than the slow running, I felt great.

I'll continue to use them.

Yesterday, I also made a Thai Peanut Salad.

Oh. My. Word.

Amazeballs.

This salad is so good and the dressing is what makes it.

Here's the recipe for the Thai Peanut Salad.

Best. Ever.

{It's a beautiful day, Colorado}

Time to catch up! :)

I woke-up in a fantastic mood this morning.

Part of me believe's it has a lot to do with taking Unisom for the first time ever.

Because of my work schedule, my sleep pattern is always off.

I tried the Unisom last night because I go back to work tomorrow and didn't want to experiment with something like that during a work week.

I felt amazeballs when  I woke-up.

It had a little bit to do with him also.

He makes me smile.

Today marks me getting back into working out on a regular basis again.

I think only having 3 weeks in between my last two 5K races had something to do with me not working out as much these last 3 weeks.

So, since I wrote last I've gone to a Bon Jovi concert, ran the Rave Run 5k, and bought smaller jeans.

The Bon Jovi concert was really last minute.

A girl I know texted me to see if I would like to go with her since her boyfriend had to go out of town for work.

Only an idiot would say no.

Of course I said yes!

It was a lot of fun.

I definitely paid for it the next day.

I didn't get drunk, I only had 3 beers, but I got to sleep at 1am and had to be at work at 5:30am.

This past Saturday was race number 4 of my One 5K Race a Month For 12 Months goal.

Two of my co-workers, and friends, ran the race with me.

It was so insanely packed with people it was ridiculous.

There were over 7,000 people there.

My friend, Cat, and I had to walk a few times because of the conjestion.

That part was annoying.

We also had to walk across the finish line because of all the people. 

That part was more than annoying!

Overall, it was a lot of fun!

Afterwards, we went to get burgers at this restaurant that yelled at me for drinking alcohol without having my I.D. card. Shame on me. If I were younger than 21, I'd feel bad. As it was, I finished my drink anyway.

I know, I'm such a rebel! ;)

After that, my friends dropped me back off at my car and I met the other runner friend of ours at a bar.

That was pretty fun as well.

The next day, I had dinner with my friends and previous co-workers.

It's always such a fun time getting together with them.

So, and finally, some of the delicious dishes I've made...

Baked Egg in an Avocado

Avocado Chicken Salad

Chocolate Banana Blueberry Muffins
The recipe calls to grill them but I do not own a grill so I baked them.

Photo Credit
Thai Turkey Meatballs

{Life Lately}

This past week has been full of emotional ups and downs. WTF.

I know why and all is good, it's just not stuff I want to throw out there for the entire world to read.

That kind of stuff goes into the physical, I have to write it all down, type of journal. :)

On to the good stuff!

I've slacked some on working out this week. 

Really, I've had more rest days than I normally would (like every other day) but I am still working out.

Yesterday's run.
Left is Runtastic. Right is Map My Run

My next race is the Rave Run on Saturday night!

This will be race #4 of 12.

I have been lazy with eating right.

Well, I'm still eating healthy'ish, but on my off days from work I'm back to hardly eating anything at all.

It's most definitely not on purpose.

I simply forget and then bam! I'm starving.

Like yesterday, I'm pretty sure I ate 1 solid meal.

The day before?

Two solid meals.

Not eating is just as bad as eating too much crap.

I still feel great though.

Yesterday, I had a great day.

Really, it was a "I must stay busy. I must stay busy. I must stay busy." type of day.

I went to my favorite coffee shop for coffee *duh* and to read.

This was the coffee shop my ex-boyfriend introduced me to and we went there All. The. Time.

It made me slightly nostalgic but not depressed haha, so that's good.

I'd say it's my #1 favorite place to be.

By myself now anyway. I'm not sure I could take someone else to this sacred place. :)

My second favorite place to be is the Denver Botanic Gardens.

I went there yesterday after coffee time and just walked around taking photographs.

I got some pretty good ones, I think.

Here are a few....

Beautiful, right?

One last thing...

I've made my own photo for my running goal.

You know, the Run One 5k Race A Month for 12 Months goal.

Tada...

I'm pretty happy with it. :)

{Clean Eating & Bunny Bolt 5k}

Yesterday, I was very productive and made 2 meals ahead for this week (and possibly the rest of my life).
Seriously, for only feeding one person, this stuff will last me forever.

I made a healthy version of Fettuccine Alfredo and a mis-mash spaghetti squash meal.

The spaghetti squash alfredo is delicious!

I've made homemade Alfredo before and there's only one recipe I really cared for, but this one is easily beating the other in yummy goodness.  Creamy, garlic-y, amazing. The spaghetti squash worked really well with it also.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken & sun-dried tomatoes was absolutely probably one of the best meals I've ever made. I can even say I liked it better than the Alfredo dish above.

I've never eaten a dish with sun-dried tomatoes in it (at least, I don't think so anyway) and they really enhanced this dish.  I thought it would be bland and boring. It was anything but.

Try it. I dare you. 

haha

So, all this food prep gives me lots of food. Like 10 days worth of food.

It's insane and awesome.

Later today, I'm also going to make a quick avocado chicken salad.

You know, just to have something to mix it up a little bit.

So, today is the 3rd race to my goal of One 5k Race A Month for 12 Months goal.

It's the Bunny Bolt.

Today was a fantastic run! 

Well, other than the fact that I got there 10 minutes late.

Yeah...

I don't even know what happened. 

I looked at the clock and it said 9:24. 

I should have left then but I did not.

The next time I looked at the clock it was 9:35 and I said oh shit and ran to my car.

The race began at 10 and was 35 minutes away.

So, I get there and park and, by the time I begin running, the race had been going on for 10 minutes.

I kind of knew where the start line was from running my first race here, so I just started there.

I probably was the last runner for the 5k.

My official time for the race is 45:06.

I ran the "Map My Run" app while I ran to see what my time would be according to it since I knew it was going to be off from the official time.

I also was just shy of 3.1 miles.

I'll let the picture speak for itself...

Say What?! Right at 3 miles in, we'll just say 35 minutes!

And a pace of 12:01?!

Talk about extremely happy.

That's a PR for the win.

It probably was because I had to pee so badly.

I did stop at mile 1.7.

At a porta potty.

Gross.

Yes, that definitely happened.

So, what's a girl who just ran a 5k do?

You go to the gym and do the lower body workout you missed yesterday.

 And really, I didn't miss my workout yesterday.
I went there.
I got on the elliptical for my 10 minute warm-up.
I finished the warm-up.
I left the gym

I absolutely did not feel like being there.
I wasn't feeling well or like myself at all.

So, I came home and then made those two meals listed above.
Good deal.