Fitness (& freezing) Friday!

Oh, hello 6+ inches of snow.  This weather just keeps getting more insane in Texas! My office was open today, so I attempted to drive into work (about 15 miles away), but couldn't even get out of my apartment parking lot.  My tires just kept spinning and I was stuck.  To give you an idea of the snow here, here is my apartment pool this morning around 8 a.m.:

 

Even though it is a freezing Friday, this post is all about Fitness Friday, so I'll get to it: 

I started off this week by working out with a girlfriend at a nearby park.  We ran hills, did lunges up hill (omg), walked at least a mile and ran suicides across a football field (who did we think we were?).

Then the "Texas blizzard of 2011" hit us, so Tuesday I did nothing but stay indoors under warm blankets. Fail. Wednesday I bundled up and walked to my apartment gym and got a good session of cardio and weights in.  Last night I was going to do the same, but on my walk to pay my rent, I slipped and fell pretty bad on solid ice.  No gym after that, I was pouting and was sore from the fall.  Fail X 2.  This afternoon I'm going to my apartment gym to do cardio and weights again so that I will at least meet my goal of 3 days in one week.

As far as my diet goes I've done good this week watching calories.  I haven't been drinking as much water as I should or taking my multi-vitamin every day, but hey ... one step at a time.  The scale has dropped a few pounds so far, so something is working.

I've been using random travel carry-ons for my gym bag, but I decided if I'm going to get serious about getting fit, I need a serious gym bag that is both functional and somewhat stylish.

I started my gym bag research the old fashion way: by Googling "cheap gym bag for women", and one of the results was from Overstock.com.  I picked out a couple that I liked around a $30 price point, but eventually decided on one with my Alma mater's logo embroidered on it.  A few clicks later, my new gym bag was ordered.  Here is what it looks like (They have 25 schools to choose from all priced differently.  Click here to see if they have your school):


Texas Tech gym bag. Price: $31.99

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 Here are a few other bags that almost made the cut.  Which one is your favorite or none at all?


I liked this one for it's yoga or shoe holder on the side.  Price: $26.98  

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I thought this one might be too small, but I love the polka dots.  Price: $23.99

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Puma girl's duffel bag with adjustable strap. Price: $24.99

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I never thought I'd say this ...

... but after 2 days of being iced/snowed-in at my apartment, I was actually looking forward to going back to work today. Even if I had to dress like an Eskimo:

I know I look creepy, but this is literally how I had to drive to work today in order not to freeze. As I type this post, it is 22 degrees in Dallas, but it "feels like 12" thanks to the wind chill. Not. Normal. 

Last night one of our local news stations showed footage of a girl literally ice skating down her neighborhood street. My apartment parking lot is covered in solid ice too. Here's a picture I took on my phone yesterday from my balcony: 



The bottom line is we're just not equipped to handle this weather in Texas. Yesterday we started experiencing "rolling blackouts" statewide in order to conserve power to generate enough electricity. Lucky for us, this meant sporadically your electricity would go out in 10 to 45 minute increments. Awesome.

I know I shouldn't complain because I saw how bad Chicago got it, but it would be the same way if you were a New Yorker and started getting over 100 degree weather. At least I hope so anyway. Are we big babies or do you feel my pain?

P.S. Even with this crazy weather, I haven't forgotten tomorrow is my first installment of "Fitness Friday". I'll share with you my progress as I work to become "fit and fab" as well as where I got a steal on a brand new gym bag. Stay tuned and stay warm!

Dallas sees snow!

While I was at lunch yesterday, snow flurries started fluttering down from the sky. Unless you are from the South, you have no idea how exciting snow is for us. I'm not saying I would love it if I had to shovel it off my car every day or had to slosh around in it all winter, but a few inches one of two days out of the year is just perfect.

A pic I snapped with my phone outside my office building this morning:
And in more exciting and important news, on Saturday one of my besties, Courtney, got engaged. I'll have to do a post with pictures from the celebration and her ring. So happy for her!