Weigh Station Ahead, Must Exit...Or Else!

OMGOODNESS. It's a blog entry! It's been over three months since my last post and for that I am SO SORRY! I've been through a lot in the last three months, I've been to about 15 new cities, met an amazing man, no longer talk to that amazing man, got to go to Michigan for a few weeks for work AND play, had fun at some events & pretty much let work take over my life oh & did I mention I gained 12 lbs! So, as best I can, I'll give you the rundown without making this too long...and here it goes.

After we left Springfield our schedule began to pick up & all of the sudden the last month has been brutal, I'm happy to work...I mean, no better job security but goodness, it has increased my stress level quite a bit, forcing little tweaks & changes to our team and routines to best accommodate the longer hours & the amount of days between our day off. So far this month I've had two days off, definitely looking forward to next week when we should have two! I can finally make a spa appointment & relax!

Okay, so I met an amazing guy on a Christian dating website. I had kind of sworn away dating sites as I really feel they just aren't for me, but recent success on this site by a friend convinced me to give it a go. So, this man is awesome, everything I'm looking for...right? Well, he lives in Phoenix, AZ...and although I travel 24/7, I unfortunately haven't made it any further West than Kansas City, MO. So, after a couple months of talking, texting & regular Skype dates we decided to meet while I was headed home to Michigan for my niece's 1st birthday party. I'll spare you all the details, but we had a fairytale weekend, one of the best I've ever had but inevitably he had to fly back to Arizona & I had to fly back to Dublin, OH, which is where our event was. After a couple weeks we both felt the tug of "long distance blues" and seeing as how we didn't have the most solid of foundations built on a virtual relationship we decided to put things on hold & will reevaluate once my tour is over & when we find out what both of our futures hold. So, that is that, I'm fully confident that if God wants us to be together, we will be together, if not...He has something better in store for the both of us! Sometimes it isn't the easiest thing to just let go & trust that God will take care of us, but it is always the best decision!

So, not only did I get to go home for a few days to see my family & some friends...but I also got to go back to Michigan AGAIN, this time for work! We had an event cancel, so we actually got to spend a couple days in Kalamazoo, doing guerrilla work & then we headed up to Traverse City for the National Cherry Festival. The festival was nice & the weather COULD NOT have been better, but a little drama & 10 days of LONG hours...we were all ready to leave Michigan & wouldn't be sad if we didn't see a cherry for a while!

Well, since we've gotten so busy I've been making every excuse in the book not to exercise, not to count my WW points & obviously not to blog! This all came to a crashing halt while in State College, PA (VERY nice area btw) when I saw the sign, "weigh station ahead". Now, obviously this sign on the highway wasn't directed at me, but when I saw it, I knew what I had to do & after eating too many rolls (with that amazing cinnamon butter) at Texas Roadhouse for dinner & treating myself to an ice cream at the infamous Berkey Creamery, I decided to face the scale & weigh in. The receptionist literally said, "it says you're up 12 pounds, could this be a mistake?" I looked at her & replied, "no, it's possible." Now, I think all the crap I ate the night before could have been part of the issue & the fact that I wore jeans when I usually wear lighter clothing...but regardless, it's a gain & I'm not okay with that. You think that would be a nice wake up call though, right? Well, goodness...it's SO difficult to get back on track once you've been off for so long & not even that...but all your resources were left at the last hotel! Haha. My goal for this month & next is to lose those pounds again and to get back under my lowest weight & with determination I know I can do it!

So, there it is...that sums up a lot of the last three months of my life. I'm sorry I've been such a blogger delinquent, I promise I won't let it happen again. It's going to be my goal to update my blog at least once a week to keep y'all informed on my ever-changing life. Plus, it feels good to be back! Hope this post finds you well, I missed ya! Until next time...MUAH!

100 Days of Running

Hello from Cleveland!

So, as summer approaches, I'm like any girl...I think about shorts, tank tops, swimsuits, etc. All that is great...warmer weather, sunshine & tans, but it also means more visible skin! Last year at this time I was training for a half marathon & sprint triathlon and I've never been in better shape! (My photo is after I finished my triathlon in August 2010 with my reward: Oberon mini keg!) This year I'm traveling the U.S. with a fairly unpredictable schedule, changing climates & uncertainty of a gym in the area. Thankfully, most hotels at least have at least a treadmill in their "gym" and my team also signed up for an LA Fitness membership & have full access to their gym when we're in an area where they have one.

However, as you can imagine it is pretty easy to get side tracked, to lose focus when your life is so sporadic. Eating is a huge struggle for a couple reasons, location, limited use of the car, agreeing with two other co-workers, etc. But, I'm done making excuses...I want to reach my goals & I'm going to do what it takes to get there! So I've created this challenge to myself...and I'm determined to stick to it!! So, here is the deal:

My goal is to do 100 days of running in a row. Here are my rules...

1. Minimum distance is .5 miles
2. If I miss a day, my count starts back at one
3. The allowance for a missed day are

• Drive day of up to 10 hours
• Work day of up to 10 hours
• Injury

I made this goal up two days ago...and already missed running yesterday, so I'm starting over again today & I did run! Tomorrow is a long work day, so I'm off the hook...unless I feel like it when I get back to the hotel. If I don't mess up, this goal will bring me to mid-July & will hopefully kickstart a weight loss spree! Lately I've been hovering around the same weight, still my lowest ever...but I need to break out of this funk. I know if I count my Points+ and exercise, I can make it happen. I'm hoping that even though my life is a giant road trip right now, I can still find a race or two to do this year! Our next event is actually the Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago & although I wish I could run it, I'm happy to be working it & cheering on my good friend Shelly!!! I'm keeping my eyes out for a race that fits my schedule!

Speaking of Weight Watchers...I went to a meeting today for the first time in a MONTH!! I actually only had a small gain which I was thankful for, but the leader of the meeting was hilarious! It was my first meeting with a male leader & although I didn't know his story, I could tell by other comments & his dedication to the program he had a success story! One woman had a 1.6 lb loss & a total of 248 lbs loss & another member made his 100 lb milestone at the meeting! Even though I don't know these people, their stories are extremely inspirational!! Also, the meeting coincidentally was based around the Walk It 5K Challenge...and the final quote of the meeting really spoke to me in my new goal. It was a quote by Jim Rohn, "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." So, I hope I've encouraged y'all to make a goal of your own & set rules that get you motivated to form a habit that keeps you going! Until next time...MUAH! <3

Can't Get No...Satisfaction...

Hello again from Indianapolis! Last week was the Women's Big Ten Basketball Tournament...and sadly I have to report that Ohio State were the champions (I'm not discounting their hard work & skills, being from Michigan I'm NOT an Ohio State fan...understandable, right?). Next up is the Men's Big Ten Basketball Tournament this week, Thursday - Sunday...should be a bit more exciting, sadly...women's sports don't attract as many fans as men's.

Monday I was blessed with a visit from my parents!! I was so happy to see them, even though it's only been about three months since our last visit. We watched a couple movies together, shared a couple meals, had a few drinks & this morning went to breakfast before they had to go home. I was so happy to see them, yet so sad to see them leave...so was I satisfied with their visit or depressed because they left? As humans, adults, Americans...are we ever satisfied? It's a thought that has been brought to my attention after listening to a sermon from Mars Hill Church on Pastor Mark's sermon series on the book of Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, where he talks about Solomon & his attempt to find pleasure in all the gifts given to him by God & he was never satisfied.

I've thought at times I would be satisfied once I graduated college, once I found a great job that allowed me to use my skills and do what I've always wanted to do, once I found the perfect man for me & got married, had kids, owned our own home, etc. Or maybe I'll be satisfied when I lose 20 lbs...or better yet, when I get to my ultimate goal weight. As I've been through my weight loss journey, I've achieved so much...more than I ever intended, but after each achievement, it leaves me wanting more. I lost 40 lbs, but I still have more to go to get to my "goal"...but once I hit my goal, will I be satisfied? I have a great job that I love...but I can't help but think about the next steps, where will this job lead me?

I'm not saying it's a bad thing to have goals, I think goals are important! But sometimes, maybe we should sit back & appreciate what we've done so far, fully look at what we've accomplished and be happy and thankful that we've had the strength, knowledge and understanding to overcome what we have...and to thank the people that have helped us along the way!

Today as I indulged in a Starbuck's Java Chip Frappuccino with whipped cream I smiled for a couple different reasons. One, for the person that lead me to these delicious treats & the fun times we shared, two, for the fact that I probably did some serious damage to my Points+ account for today and three because I may have lost 40 lbs, finished multiple 5K races, a sprint triathlon and a half marathon in the last couple years...but I'm still able to enjoy certain things along my journey to reach my goals! It also made me think about how I need to reflect more often on the planned and unplanned stops along the way of my "life road" and although they might seem like setbacks or road blocks, they're often blessings in disguise that allow me to appreciate where I've been and not focus so much on the next step to satisfaction.

Until next time, blessings to you all...muah!

Perks of a Nomadic Lifestyle

Hello from Poughkeepsie, NY!

Well, I had a day off so I thought I would post another update...LUCK YOU! :)

Michelle, Kevin & I made a 2 hour drive to Washington, DC on our last day off & had a great day! The weather was a serious gift from God, sunny and mid-upper 50's! We were able to visit most of the "touristy" sites like; Washington Monument, White House, National Museum of Natural History, National Air & Space Museum, war memorials, Lincoln Memorial, National Mall...etc. We were really only there for 3.5 hrs or so, but we walked fast, took quick photos & moved onto the next site! Michelle & Kevin had both been before, so I (again) was the one wanting to see all the sites! After our quick day of sight-seeing, I left Kevin & Michelle to have dinner in DC while I went out to Arlington, VA to have dinner with Beebs & Adie (and Mr. Bebe) at Pie-Tanza (www.pie-tanza.com) which had INCREDIBLE food! Adie was working, so Beebs, Jason & I had dinner while she stopped by the table as often as she could to chat with us! It was SO FUN! It was like catching up with old friends! I feel bad though, I was so excited I don't even know if Beebs, Jason or Adie ever got a word in! Haha! I'm so glad I got a chance to meet up with all of them though, it was SO fun & I can't wait for the day when we can actually spend some time together!

The next day was a drive day for us & my team is so supportive of my love for baseball we detoured a little to go see the Washington Nationals Park!! That's five parks in like three weeks, ahh, makes me so happy! Speaking of baseball...pitchers & catchers have reported to Lakeland & Spring Training is RIGHT around the corner!! I need to figure out how to subscribe to mlbtv or something so I can be sure to catch ALL of the Tigers games possible while on the road! I hope I'm able to visit a couple cities & see some baseball games while I'm traveling instead of JUST visiting the stadiums. :)

So, I had my first weigh in since my initial one...and I gained, BUT I was kind of expecting it because I had also worked out the day before for the first time in a while...and we did a ton of walking in DC...and I may or may not have eaten a whole (fairly small & thin) pizza at dinner with Beebs & Adie! ...and then had an icecream sandwhich! OOPS! Oh well, I stayed within my Points Plus!! And speaking of WW, I've been really trying to adjust to this nomadic lifestyle of mine by making time to visit the hotel gym whenever possible. Most gyms have at least a room with an eliptical or treadmill in them, so I do what I can when I can & my goal is to work out three times a week, but some weeks I physically can't do it & other weeks I'm sure I'll be able to do more! Also, since I know some places we visit are KNOWN for their food I've been making a point to eat a light breakfast, which mostly consists of a yogurt or oatmeal & a piece or two of fruit! Unless we go somewhere special for lunch, I've been sticking to Subway or using my eTools to find healthy options at other places we go. I'm determined to make this work...so, it's gonna work! Haha.

Today has been a low-key, relaxing day off...mostly because there isn't much to do in Poughkeepsie & Boston (the only city we thought we might want to go to around here) is four hours away. So, we turned it into a "pamper" day! I took a long, hot shower & am about to do my nails & Michelle got her hair done...and then in an hour or so we're all going to the salon/spa to get pedis, massages, hair, etc done, I can't wait!

Hope all is well with all my readers, if there is anything you're curious about in my life right now or just want to ask me questions, feel free to email me at any time (collinsm227@gmail.com) or comment on a post! I miss all of my friends & family! Love you all!! Muah!

Varoom-Varoom

Hello from Richmond, VA!

I last posted the first night we were in Baltimore...and let me tell you, ever since arriving in Baltimore it's been work - NON STOP! Just to give you an idea, I worked over 50 hrs in four days...wowzas! We worked the Motor Trend International Auto Show, but upstairs in the Shiftr Automotive & Lifestyle Event (aka...where all the "tricked out" cars were). The auto show was very long hours, BUT...a bit of my Michigander-ness sense of pride comes out when awesome American, Detroit made cars are being displayed! Especially with all the hype around Chrysler's Super Bowl commercial with Eminem, filmed in the Motor City...my pride cup was overflowing! We even started every day at the auto show with "Lose Yourself" by Eminem! lol.

Anyway, the COOLEST part of the auto show in my opinion, was all of the awesome Camaros! I somehow have switched from being a Mustang girl to a Camaro girl! I've always loved Mustangs...and still do, but this new Camaro is HOT! And the convertible...I have no words. It is absolutely gorgeous! When I went down to see it for the first time my heart rate went through the roof! It was like going on a first date! Hahaha...how sad is that!? But seriously...such a gorgeous car AND the convertible was in my fav car color...midnight blue! I also got a chance to test drive the Camaro - I was on cloud nine! It drove so smoothly & the pick up was dreamy...if I was able, I would purchase that car right now.

The rest of the car show was pretty cool, many beautiful cars, lots of strange creepers in Baltimore though. Some guy asked if he could book a flight to come see me back in Michigan...and was dead serious. Michelle, Kevin & I all had our fair share of creeper-moments there, so bazaar. On a good notes though, I did get an amazing jumbo lump crab cake at a small bistro in downtown Baltimore, so yum!

As mentioned before, I'm now in Richmond, VA! We worked the VCU vs. George Mason college basketball game tonight! I didn't realize it was such a large event, but the venue was PACKED. George Mason came out ahead...but I have to give it to the VCU fans, they were so into the game...such a supportive crowd!

Tomorrow we have our first day off in over three weeks and I'm SO excited! We are heading to Washington D.C.!! It'll be my first time visiting there & I get to meet up with two of my favorite LTE'ers, Beebs & Adie! I seriously CANNOT wait! <3 Well, I better get to bed...I plan on earning some AP's tomorrow before we head to D.C.!

OH WAIT! I can't remember if I mentioned this in the last post, but I re-joined Weight Watchers officially last week while in Baltimore! Oddly enough I had lost weight since leaving North Carolina dispite all my indulgences in NYC! So far so food this week...I plan to weigh in on Thursday so I can't treat myself too well in D.C. :)

Until next time...MUAH!

Woah. Dream Big.

Well hello from Wisconsin! I think it's so funny that we passed a "Cheese Castle" on our way in & not only is that funny in itself, but it immediately made me ask the question, "I wonder how many times Marisa has been here?" (Marisa is one of my best friends...and the biggest GB Pack fan I know) She has officially confirmed she HAS been there...more than once! :) Speaking of the Packers, I bought a "2010 NFC Champions" shirt today to wear when we stay overnight in Pittsburgh on our way to our launch event! Not that I'm a huge Pack fan or anything, but I'm NOT a Steelers fan...and I think I'm allowed to be a casual fan since I'm a supporter of any WMU alumni, aka Greg Jennings.

So, did you catch the hint on my last post of where the launch event will be?? Well, if you didn't, it has pretty much been confirmed that I will be heading to NEW YORK CITY! WOAH, right? I've never been to the "Big Apple" and my first thought was, I HAVE TO SEE YANKEE STADIUM! Too bad it's not baseball season, however I'm still excited to see it! I'm also VERY excited to try & meet up with my Weight Watchers friends while in town!

And, although all the traveling is awesome I still have a job to do! And today we got the first experience of the new set up! It is AWESOME! I probably had the most successful & exhausting day all in one today where I learned how to back up our vehicle to a trailer, hitch & unhitch the trailer! Then after lunch we spent the next four hours setting up and tearing down our event site twice! It's a sweet 10 x 20 tent with five different display stations, etc. Then we have an amazing 15-foot trailer & get to drive a 2011 Toyota 4-Runner! And while I'm kind of "against" foreign cars, we are really lucky to have such a cool bunch of things to work with...and if I were allowed to post pics I SO would. When I get a chance I'll try to "modify" some photos & post them so you can see just how cool all this is!

Although today was tough, I feel good about everything! I'm really excited about my crew, the set up, the products, the travel & everything else! I'm a little sad that I'm bonding with some of the other group members though & after this weekend we'll all go our separate ways! The more I hang out with these people, the more I get to know them & love them all! <3 I do have to say, after a good meal at the local Applebees & a hot shower, I feel like a new person! I am still exhausted though & plan to pass out as soon as I post this!

Tomorrow is our driving day...I hear it's pretty intense! I'll be learning how to drive our vehicle with our 15-foot trailer...in Wisconsin & the snow! We are heading to NYC though which I hear just got dumped on, so it'll be good practice! ::yawn:: Alright, it's time for bed! Hopefully I can update one more day before we hit the road...SEE YA LATER!

Progress Report!

Oi from Chicago! Sorry I haven't been able to update...and probably kept so many of you in suspense these past few days! (Haha) I've been incredibly busy with all my training, meeting my crew members & making friends with the whole group of trainees. There are twelve of us total, 4 groups of 3...all about to head out on an adventure of a lifetime! :)

Everyone is great so far, I especially love my two travel partners! After spilling my life story to Michelle when I first arrived from the airport, we quickly bonded over being Christians & praying on the plane for a Christian travel partner! Thank the Lord, prayers answered for both of us! She's originally from Brazil & will be teaching me Portuguese along the way (hint hint - Oi (said "oye") means hello! She is a very cool, very sweet girl & I'm excited to learn more about her & travel the U.S. with her!! My other travel partner is Kevin, he is great! He's done a tour before & is going to be an awesome resource on the products & event sites, I can't wait to learn from him!

Since I've been here it's pretty much been team building & learning A LOT of new information!! However, I couldn't be more happy so far. The company is amazing & I'd love to eventually come back & work in the office once I'm done with this (and possibly another tour depending on HOW much I love this!) I really enjoy Chicago too, it's such a fun city...so much to see, so much to do. When we arrive the Bears were losing to the Packers (which we got updates throughout our flight from Atlanta to Chicago which was cool)...but it was still a fun atmosphere! (And if you didn't catch it from before, I was happy with the Bears losing!) :)

I've eaten a lot of "Chicago" traditions...and I now feel like a cow! I did get a response from Weight Watchers though & I will be able to visit almost any location for a meeting each week, no matter where I sign up as long as I have the monthly pass! I'm really excited...hoping to sign up officially in my next city! Which brings me to my itinerary for the next couple months! But, guess what...I'm going to keep it a secret for now, since nothing is really finalized. Let's just say my first destination will hopefully keep me healthy..."an APPLE a day keeps the doctor away" after all! That's all I'm saying, but from what I've heard, I won't be in the midwest very much in the beginning of the tour, I'll be all over, but I don't know many of the details & NOTHING is set in stone, so I'm going to just go day by day.

Tomorrow we leave for Wisconsin where we'll be doing our "on the job" type training. We'll be outside for part of it & it's going to be COLD! Some of the people in training are from California, New Orleans, Florida, Georgia, etc...they're all freezing! Haha. Well, until later...tchau! (Which is "good-bye" in Portuguese, pronounced like chow). Muah!