It's August Somehow

Since it's the beginning of August, I figure I owe you guys a check-in.  Last Friday July 27th until the 30th we were in the Denver area.  Friday we spent in Rocky Mountain National Park, and holy cow did that 12,000 feet get to me!  It was exhausting just walking up a hill for a few minutes.  Saturday, while my husband played in an ultimate frisbee tourney in Boulder, my Aunt and cousin and I spent the day in Black Hawk gambling on penny slots.  We got back in time to watch my husband finish his last game before it started raining (it's monsoon season there, so it rained every afternoon and kept the temperatures down in the seventies!), and then we went for dinner in the mountains overlooking the city.  On Sunday, us girls went shopping at the mall, while the husband played more ultimate.  We dropped my cousin off at the airport, and we ate pizza for dinner and watched some movies to end the night.  Monday, we went to the downtown Denver aquarium, which was really amazing, and afterward chatted until it was time for us to leave for the airport.  So, it was an awesome weekend filled with awesome people.  But also filled with lots and lots of a little too awesome food.

When we got back, I was scared to weigh myself.  But, I bit the bullet and had only gained about a pound since my last weigh-in before we left.  And since I've been home, I've been easing back into my diet, but I wasn't good about exercising.  However, this morning I was graced with some good news.  Here are my numbers:

Weight: 172.1
Waist: 34.5"
Hips: 45.5"
Body Fat %: 35.1%

So, I'm a little disconcerted about the body fat % number.  I expected more of a decrease, but I don't know how reliable my scale really is with regard to measuring body fat.  We will see how it trends over the next few weeks.  But I'm happy with the other numbers.

This upcoming Monday, I'm picking back up with my couch-to-5k program.  I had to slack off due to shin splints.  Now, I have new shoes (my old ones were more than 2 years old and I had trained for a half-marathon and ran said half-marathon while it rained the entire time).  My new shoes are the same model as my last two pairs, just updated for this year.  I love my Asics Gel Kayanos.  I will forever and always buy them as my running shoe.  I have never found a shoe that is more comfortable, stable, and has the right flexibility and support for me.  I LOVE them, and they are totally worth the money.  Especially if you're a heel striker like I tend to be.

From Left to right: Asics Gel Kayano 18, 16, 15

I'm doing great.  I'm getting back into exercising, and I'm feeling motivated and more like I want to do more things.  It's wonderful, and something I haven't felt for much too long: since I got out of the hospital in January, pretty much.  So, mentally, I'm FINALLY strong and healthy.  I'm even looking into applying for receptionist positions so I can make a little more money for personal expenses as well as household expenses.  It's something I feel emotionally ready for.  Managing other people's problems is something I feel I can handle.  Doing research is much, much more stressful than the average non-scientist could ever understand.  All the unknowns in the research itself, the unpredictability, the unreliability, the endless repeats, the stress of a grant looming over your head... it was too much for me, and I will likely never work in research again.  Teaching college was something else: the responsibility of other people's education was pretty stressful, and I hated grading papers!  So, I think a receptionist-type job will be a step down, and in a different direction, and at least something I don't feel I'll be locked in to long-term.  

That's about it for now.  I'll keep you all updated on the job hunt, if there is anything to update on.  In the meantime, I wish you all a happy and healthy month!