(I used the Rhonna Designs app on my iPhone to make this pic. I used this picture I took from my recent visit to Santa Cruz Boardwalk).
1. This is my last Friday of summer vacation. 😦 This time next Friday I’ll be at a “Welcome Back” meeting for the start of the new school year for our first teacher workday. My plan for the day is to spend it the way I’ve spent the entire summer – a combo of fitness and fun. Fitness: a session on my home elliptical, walking the dogs with my dad, and swimming some laps. Fun: a bit of shopping (just took advantage of Victoria Secret’s most recent email offer), reading poolside, and a possible date later tonight.
2. This week has been a very social one, getting together with lots of friends that I’ve known since high school, which I’ve loved. That’s one of the huge distinctions between my life now and my life before I lost all the weight. I was always a social, extroverted person, but I often felt a bit depressed about the way I looked. Not to mention the clothing issue – I always tried to look my best, but nothing ever fit the way it should’ve. I can’t count the number of times I turned down an invitation or made some excuse just so that I wouldn’t have to deal with all of that. Now, I have tons of clothes in the closet that look great and make me feel fantastic. Now, I am happy and excited when someone suggests going out. I’m actually getting teary-eyed thinking about what a huge switch this is. Just one more thing to be so grateful for about this new life.
3. I’ve been getting into Instagram a lot this summer, as you can tell by my feed on the right. I post daily check-ins for my workouts and lots of pics of other things that just strike my fancy. While I’ve been off, it’s been easy and really fun. This month I’m participating in three different photo-a-day contests, and I’m hoping I can keep up with them once school starts. If you haven’t joined a photo-a-day contest, I righly recommend them…maybe not just three in one month. Still, the contests are a great way for me to stay focused on fitness, get motivated, and inspire myself and others with all the photos.
One is for the TIU community,
one is hosted by @MoxieFitchick,
and the third is the Active Living Challenge with Fit Approach and Lorna Jane Active.
4. In anticipation of the school year starting in about a week, I spent a good portion of the day yesterday mapping out my school year workout plans in my iCal. Since I have a morning prep period on my B days (which means I can get to school a bit later than normal) I’m going to fit in early morning fitness classes at the gym several times a week. The live Insanity class that I tried a few weeks ago is now offered Tuesday mornings at 5:45am, and I’ll be there whenever Tuesday is a B day. I’m also going to spinning at least once a week at 5:45am. I’m still undecided about what I’ll do on my A days, when I need to leave my house by 7am. Towards the end of last year I was waking up at 4:30am to do a morning workout, but that is just SO early. Although it’s not ideal, I think I may go back to afternoon workouts on A days, because I really did enjoy them and they’re a great way to relieve the stress of the day.
5. 
Kandis, one of the TIUgirls, mentioned a week or two ago that she had started reading Gabrielle Bernstein’s May Cause Miracles. Who doesn’t want “subtle shifts for radical change and unlimited happiness” right? The reviews and general internet buzz about the book was so positive that I thought I’d give it a try. Have you read it? What are your thoughts? What book are you reading right now? Let me know in the comments.
That’s my Friday Five – I’m off to enjoy some pool time.
Happy Friday! I hope you have a wonderful weekend, full of fun and exciting adventures.
Bella on the Beach 