Fume Watches

Thanks to an excellent Groupon the other day, I got my hands on two Fume watches (see below). The whole jist of these watches, according to their website, is as follows:

<"What are the health benefits? FUME Watches are not only a fun way to tell time - they also carry astounding health benefits! Every FUME Watch is infused with Negative Ion Technology. Negative ION Technology is becoming more and more popular with athletes, and also is getting a great amount of attention with health professional. Negative Ions help with with strength, balance, flexibility, circulation, and much more! For a full list of features, please click here. Furthermore, FUME Watches are increasingly popular with athletes (in fact, you've probably seen a few of your favorite professional athletes wearing Negative ION watches!). Full List of Health Benefits using Negative ION Technology: Increased metabolism/fat loss Strengthening of immune system Better balance and flexibility Balance of autonomic nervous system Increase flow of oxygen to brain Strengthening bones Increased Blood circulation & purification Faster recovery from physical exhaustion or fatigue Stabilizing brain function Improvement of Arthritis & sleep disorders Improved mental focus and sexual health Muscle repair Reduced depression"

I've started wearing one of the watches today, so I'll report back my findings. Most of those items I won't be able to verify, but we'll see nonetheless!

And now

I feel less flexible than I was. I also think I pulled something in my back while stretching. How's that for irony. No worries, I am sure it'll go away soon.

Day 2

of my new stretching routine complete. I am sick of being super non-flexible. It gets in the way more than you'd think! Right now I can reach to about 2 inches from my toes.

This year

I will actually work out. I am keeping track on my calendar to guilt myself into it until I start to enjoy it.

Dear body,

I think you got it wrong. Yesterday wasn't opposite day!! When I said I wanted this neck pain to go away I definitely DID NOT mean I wanted it to get worse.

For that, I am taking you to a doctor. Yes, a doctor. Cry all you want, you did this to yourself.

Yours truly,
Melissa

Dear body,

This is not how I wanted to start this year. Serious neck pain is unacceptable. Please make it go away so I can resume my exercise regimen.

Please and thank you.

Yours truly,
Melissa

Happy New Year everyone!

In 2010 I:
-Applied for more jobs than I ever imagined I would
-Fell down an entire flight of stairs...TWICE.
-Watched a lot of the AFI top 100 movies
-Performed in the Vagina Monologues
-Interned with the Heart of Illinois United Way
-Published the 2010 edition of Broadside as Editor-in-Chief
-Graduated from college
-Celebrated the finale of Lost
-Saw one of my best friends get married
-Spent the summer working at Target
-Was offered and accepted a job with Wiley-Blackwell
-Moved to Ames, IA
-Started living completely on my own for the first time

I don't normally make new years resolutions, but I do like to think about things to make a general game plan, so here's what I came up with:

-Eat healthier
-Exercise more and shoot for 3+ times a week, but don't beat myself up if I don't (which shouldn't be too hard considering I barely exercised after I graduated from High School)
-Read some excellent books
-Keep in touch with friends

Otherwise, I am just going to keep on keeping on. It's time for bed. I am feeling so grateful for my family and friends. I am thankful for what the past year has brought me and am really looking forward to what the year will bring me.

It's been a

bed by 9:30 kind of week. Finishing the week out strong!!

...I just want to feel better.

It feels like

I have a billion cotton balls jammed up in my sinuses. That and a small child is sitting on my chest (thanks congestion).

In other news, I went to the dentist today and somehow I magically have two cavities. Maybe my old dentist was just a moron and didn't see them before, so somehow my teeth have gotten attacked in the last 6 months. Blurg. I hate hate HATE dental work (ESPECIALLY Novocaine) so this should be super fun. Something to look forward to next week...

Sick and miserable.

For dinner tomorrow:

Steak. I marinaded the steak and it's sitting in the fridge as we speak, taking the marinade in (I hope). I also hope it's delicious and not horrible (obviously).

It's never much fun to ruin a steak.

In other non-food related items: I went for a 4 mile walk today (and on Sunday)! I love walking so I think this is going to be my new mode of exercise for the time being. Maybe I'll get back into running once it gets nicer out.

Oh, also: WHAT?!

Related (but I can't tell which is worse): DOUBLE WHAT?!

Oh the internet. You harbor so many treasures.

And finally (!!!) I really hope my migraine is completely gone by tomorrow. Two days is quite enough thank you.

Note to self:

Never use Crest Whitestrips again. They hurt your teeth. Ouch!

My friend Hallie

is a wonderful photographer (I mentioned her a loooong time ago) and she took a whole bunch of portraits of me. :)

If you'd like to see, visit here. If you can't see them because it's locked, I'm sorry.

In other news, another successful free pie day (thanks to Baker's Square!) has ended with me, Ruthie and Nathan chowing down on some delicious pie and enjoying some nice conversation. I made the mistake of teaming mine with diet coke so I have a feeling I will be up for awhile. Nathan got two cups of coffee with his, so I have a feeling it'll be much worse for him. Oops!

I guess I will do a bit of writing or reading or both. I've currently worked five days in a row and might not be off again until next Friday unless someone takes my shift on Monday (fingers crossed someone will!). If not, I will work...16 days since June 29th with only one day off. Eesh.

Other than the pie I think I've been eating better and snacking less when I am bored, which is a good start. My exercise regimen is off because of my awkward work schedule, but tomorrow it's supposed to pour rain so maybe I will work out inside?

The A/C

is broken. :( Trying to think cool thoughts.

I am still really sleepy. Maybe I will sleep it off?

Now the question is...do I try to get in a little exercise in while in my really hot room and then take a cold shower before attempting bed, ooooor just go to bed?

I am thinking the former just because of what I posted yesterday.

Unrelated--I are a seriously delicious key lime mini cupcake at work today. Seriously, if you can get your mitts on one of these babies, do it. It was delicious.

Okay, if I am going to exercise, I better do it now before it's too late.

So far today:

I had one serving of dry Rice Chex (100 calories)
Ran/Walked for 30 minutes (-231 calories)
Ate a salad for lunch with carrots and ranch dressing.

:) Good start.

So, I'm trying to be healthier

...and not just for Anne's wedding, though that is another incentive.

So according to this BMI calculator on webMD, I am 23.5% body fat, which is within the healthy range. However, the healthy range is from 18.5 to 24.9, and I'd rather be toward the lower end than the higher end, or somewhere in the middle. In general, I don't want to be skinny (read: ) but I'd just rather eat healthier, exercise more than I do (i.e. almost never), and sleep more regularly.

And what better time than now? Sure, I work at Target around 30 hours a week, but I don't have classes to go to, or clubs to participate in, or even meetings to attend, so I should be filling my time with something worthwhile.

I am also looking into volunteer opportunities as well. But that's beside the point.

Ahem.

So I guess from time to time I will update you with my progress (though "you" is really vague, since I am fairly sure NO ONE reads this. Which is okay.)

So as of today, July 1st, I weigh 150 pounds. Let the games begin.