A little baby

My Estimated Date of Delivery is November 11, 2013

Completed my first Great Aloha Run

I'm so proud of myself for doing the Great Aloha Run (GAR). It was always a dream of mines to do this, but I never came around to sign up. I thought I would never be able to run it, but I did. I'm so happy I pushed myself to do this!!! It was great exercise and it supports charity. I decided to do this for my cancer patients and my cousin Lisa so I wore my F��ck Cancer shirt proudly.

I pick up running since July, but actively trained for the GAR in January. I use to hate running, but it helped jump start my weight loss. I was 169 lbs during the holidays and I was able to lose the holiday weight. I am now 162 lbs.

This run was 8 miles. At first I can run about 4 miles pretty good, but more than 5 I seem to lose power and energy and just walk. I had to go longer distances for the run so In the last 2 weeks before the run I tried to pick up my distance. I feel very. accomplish that I was able to at least walk run 8 miles in 2 hours 30 minutes. I figure if I did the GAR in 2 hours 30 minutes I would be happy.

During the run I pushed myself and was able to jog up to 6 miles. I slowed down to tie my shoe laces. I slow jog and speed walk up to 7 miles mark and jogged in till the finish. I felt like I had to pee so I held back on drinking water. I was shock when my official race score said I completed the run in 2 hours 9 minutes. I wondered if I did not stop and just jogged would I be faster?

My 14 mile hike I did in July was definitely inspiring and pushed me to do this race, train for it and finish it. Come on if i hiked over the Koolau I can do anything ;). I'm definitely happy I did this and look forward to do more races and the GAR again!!!

I'm sexy and I know it

Starting operation sexy with my sister and friend Cherish.

$100 in the pot.

Winner will get the pot if they lose 5% or more of their weight and measurements and maintain it into the holidays.

Monthly checkin on the 1st.

Challenge ends on 01/01/2014

Starting stats:
Weight is 166 lb
Arms 13in
Chest 37in
Waist 33in
Hips 37in
Leg 21in

Goals:
Lose 5% or more weight loss
8.3 lbs so 157.7 or more
Fit into size 9 or less
Tone arms

Great Aloha Run

So last year I started to pick up running. I used RunKeeper app on my iPhone to log some of my walks, runs, hikes. I was running and doing the Julian Micheal's workout pretty consistently until I moved into my townhouse. The running and working out pretty much stop.

I spent most of my days fixing up my house. I also went back to school for my master which took up a lot of my time. I thought I was going to do bad, but I did good. I got an A for my first class. School and work took a lot out of me. I dropped my hours at work finally. My boss finally allowed it thanks to my coworkers all dropping and we were able to get my other coworker a permanent job. Anyways for myself it's different not to have the extra $800 but it teaches me to save money and be more resourceful. With school, even though I did good, I decided to take a break. The timing of school was not right especially since I have a mortgage to take care of.

So with life happening exercise became not a priority. For the past 4 months of living in my townhouse adjusting to my new life it was a challenge. I have been trying to cook, eat healthy and just maintain a household on my own. My boyfriend lives with me and helps me out, but I can't always depend on him because of his job situation...

Couple weeks ago I decided to get back into running again. Running help jumps start my weight loss better than me going to the gym. To keep me motivated I signed up for a charity run called Great Aloha Run. I always wanted to do it but never had a chance to do it. Trust me I was nervous to sign up and thought of backing out of it because it is a 8 miles run from Aloha Tower to Aloha Stadium. I suck it up and signed up and started running again. I'm happy I signed up.

I have 4 more weeks till my run. I know I can do it. Before I stopped running I was able to run 4 miles but it was more of a walk jog and run for a short time. Just the past 2 week I have been able to jog straight 1-3 miles without stopping. The last 2 runs I was able to run for 5 miles . I am really proud of myself. I know it 4 weeks I will be able to run 8 miles!!!

2012 goodbye, hello 2013

So much has happen in 2012. The biggest highlights:

1. Paid off a lot of my credit card debt and loans
2. Bought my first home
3. Witness the birth of my niece
4. Started Grad school
5. Went part time at work

The last couple months was have been hectic learning to be a more independent woman, living away from my parents and trying to live a more healthy life. I am still adjusting to the changes. I am happy to be a homeowner with my own space and things to call my own!!! I am happy and satisfied that I have come this far and accomplish so much!!! 2011 was my recovery year and I feel like 2012 was definitely a better year for me.

My goals/resolution for 2013:

1. Pay off more credit card debt
2. Save more money
3. Travel Texas
4. Meet my cousins children in Vegas
5. Keep running and eating healthy

Last Day

Yesterday was my last day working full time night shift. As of next week I will be a part time night shift nurse. I will be able to bid for extra shifts easily if I want so I will not be stepping down due to recent budget, layoffs or lawsuits. I have step down by choice for my sanity and to regain my life back. It has been a great opportunity but definitely hard work being a full time nurse. Working as an oncology nurse is even more of a challenge as it can be incredibly stressful and working at a hospital can be just as stressful as we having many responsibilities to meet. I know I am not perfect. Nurses are humans yet we have so much expectations. I do appreciate my life with all the different nursing and medical experiences and situations I am face with. Cancer is definitely an eye opener. Working with patients with other medical issues also paints a picture of how complicated life could be if you chose an unhealthy path. Yet stress can make a person to be ugly and I think I can honestly say with buying a house, working full time, and going back to school I have finally break and my mental health is at stake. Stress has made me mean :( Dropping my hours has come at a perfect timing. I was able to drop my hours along with 2 other coworkers to accommodate for a new position for one of my cool new nurses. I am worried about my job as a whole since in light of all the other employment/layoff issues at my work I only hope that low seniority nurses will not be affected or we lose the hospital as a whole. I have 3 years of experience so I hope if they let anyone go it will be the guys who were recently hired. I have been looking for another job. But the thing is I don't want to work 2 jobs. I think one is enough and ultimately in the end I am sure I can make it work with one job as long as I maintain a good budget and control expenses and spending. I don't wanna work myself into a hole with 2 jobs and burn out like this again. I seriously rather enjoy my life and of course keep staying healthy!!!

It's official I am a homeowner

08/14/2012 - My HOT date, the home orientation tour aka final walk through before closing

Closed escrow, mortgage loan signed, money funded.

08/16/2012 - It's official I am a homeowner

Treadmill vs Running Outdoors

Here is my fitness observations that I have notice since I started to take up running and more hiking.  I made a fitness goal on May 28 to be able to run for 30 minutes non-stop by my 27th Birthday, July 17.  As of today I can honestly say I havent met this goal quite so.  I can walk/jog/run for approximately 45 minutes for about approximately 2 miles.  I am able to figure this out thanks to my Run Keeper app =)  I wish I downloaded this app before...

anyways when I went back to the gym, it has not been the same.  I cant lift weights like before.  I wanted to lose weight fast so I thought running might help.  I tried to do running on the treadmill.  It was hard for me at first.  I am not a runner.  But slowly I was getting use it.  I started to change the incline and the speed as I got more comfortable with it.  I liked it, strange enough to say.

After my stalker experience.  I decided to try working out at home.  So since late June, started to do the Jillian Micheal's 30 day shred.  I guess this was my sister's video.  She has never done it.  I figure lets just try.  I also started to get into the hiking more as a way to get my BF exercising.  I usually do easy hikes like 3-4 miles.  But then I did a 14 mile hike that lasted 12 hours.  This hike inspired me so much.  It taught me that my body is capable to handle exercise!!!  My body is able to go for longs periods of time, long lengths of time, able to go uphill, handle the cold, wind, mud and survive!!!  This hike taught me that my body can handle anything, as long as my mind is able to handle ;)  I can do anything!!!

After this hike, I wanted to hike more and run outdoors when I can't hike.  I wanted to estimate the miles I run/walk and time so I started to use the Run Keeper app.  I can honestly say I love it so far.  I dont know if the calorie counter works, but as long as I have an idea of the distance and time I have done I am fine.  I have come to enjoy being outdoors and prefer running/hiking as my primary mode of excercise.  One thing I dont like is the SUN!!!  I am getting dark =( 

I am going to continue to my fitness goal to try to run for 30 minutes straight non-stop.  It does take time,  So hopefully by December 1 I am able to accomplish this goal.

Judd Trail and Jack Ass Ginger

Old Pali Road and Likelike Falls

Pali Lookout is a classic tourist spot on a cliff on the Koolau Mountain Range overlooked Kaneohe Bay, Chinaman's Hat, and Hawaii Pacific's Windward Campus.  This cliff has a gruesome and scary superstitious history.  The story is in 1795 Hawaiian King Kamehameha and his warriors defeated the O'ahu armies by sending them over these steep, forested cliffs and claiming his victory and uniting the Hawaiian Islands.  They say the area especially along Old Pali Road is haunted by taunting ghosts and Hawaiian Gods.  With the beautiful views, windy, and scary history we decided to hike the near by Old Pali Road and find the Likelike Falls.

I have done this hike before with a friend/date but we got lost.  I started at the top of the lookout and reached the bottom of the highway, went under the highway overpass and then down to an access road off the Kooalau Golf Course. At that time I honestly did not know where I was going.  Just knew most hikes on Oahu connect to each other, but how and where?  When we felt like we were finally defeated, we went back to the lookout.

So we tried again with my BF, Laura, Aaron and Erica.  They have never done the hike before so I thought it would be fun.  Hopefully we can find Likelike Falls and go to a birthday dinner afterwards.  This is considered an easy trail about 2 miles long.  We started at the lookout.  It follows along Old Pali Road so most of the hike is pave however the road has been take over by wild plants, trees.  When we reach the Pali Highway overpass, we had to crawl underneath to get to the rest of the trail.  By the time we pass the overpass, we were pretty much following the access road.  We met up with random hikers who were also heading to Likelike Falls.  So we decided to hike close to them.  We ran into some Hawaii Electric guys at the bottom of the paved road.  The guy told us the trail head was to the left of the road.  It looked like the trail was going to be uphill and mostly dirt now.  Yay for markers.  We caught up with the guys again.  He told us that he did the trail 11x and got lost trying to find Likelike Falls.  Now he knows how to get there.  Ok hopefully we don't get lost.  We get to the top of the hill with not much effort until I felt like we were lost again.  The guy said to the left and right is the ridge trail which is really hard.  He said if you go down then your heading to the Likelike Falls.  So down we went, trusting a guy we dont know just for the sake of adventure and hopefully finding Likelike Falls.  Maybe in about 30-45 minutes we reached the falls.  It is really small but pretty to see.  We decided to turn back since we had to get going for dinner.  As we return to Pali Lookout we ran into the Hawaii Electric guys taking off with their helicopter.  It was like a show watching guys dangle to fix power lines.  Then we got close to the lookout and we could finally see the small Pali falls along the side of the Old Pali Road.  In total this hike was 3 hours long.  Total possible calories burn: 1600.

Aaron and everyone else with the winds

Hello Old Pali Road

Not bad its paved

Pali Highway

Pali Lookout

Crawling under the highway

Hawaii Electric at work.  Likelike Falls trailhead to the left

Likelike Falls

Pali Falls