running, gyms, soup and tattoos…

written by: mrs.duhamel
happy monday monday kittens!

so yeah — almost another week in between posts.
SMH — no excuse… but here i am!
TA DAH!!!

so my new frame of mind in regards to fitness and diet are going decent… it’s a process to ween myself off of two months of just not giving a fuck but i am least giving half a fuck now.

i got two runs in last week and made an effort to eat clean MOST of the time.
i also did rejoin planet fitness and will be hitting the gym TOMORROW with my girl lisa!
so i’m on the right track and feeling better about making conscious decisions to better my ALL AROUND health.
its progress and not perfection and i am happy with that.
in the words of jillian michaels, “perfect sucks — perfect is boring.”
werd jillian, WERD!

i even broke out the crockpot and made my healthy version of ZUPPA TOSCANA — my most favorite soup in the world!
i would have made a whole post about it but i have done one on this recipe before and for some reason it is lost?
next time for sure…
i followed the recipe linked above but used turkey sausage, skipped the bacon, and used half and half in lieu of whipping cream.
in a word — DELISH!!!!!
just like olive garden’s but healthier and IMHO — better!

moving on…
so i did something SUPAH cool friday night…
i got my tattoo for my disney princess half marathon!!!!

i was VERY torn about what i wanted to get… i literally tossed around a million options — but ultimately went with what i wanted initially — ariel, the little mermaid!

outline getting done…

color being added…

FINISHED! as you can see my arm is raw and swollen by my wrist… for me, a very painful spot to get tattooed — as was the shading in her tail and hair. but worth it!

I LOVE IT! of course i had to incorporate the 13.1 and i love this design that dean helped me create!

taken today — healing nicely and i just love it! my first major tattoo and it’s amazing!

MAJOR thank you to anthony c. from RED’S TATTOO and BODY PIERCING in providence, RI for the amazing job!!!!

it’s funny — a month ago yesterday i ran the half marathon… although in some ways it seems a lifetime ago.
and tomorrow i will be signing up for my next one.
i keep pushing myself to race to keep me motivated to run… and with the ten miler in a little over a month & now this next half marathon, i think i will be golden!
especially with the treadmill option at planet fitness.
i prefer to run outdoors — but running on a treadmill versus not running at all works too!
plus the treadmill option motivates me to get to planet fitness to use the weight circuit.
there is a method to my madness as you can see…

oh and i also got my official race photos in the mail this past week…

woohoo look at me!

just waiting on the frame — then i will decide which one to use — and that bad boy will be hanging in my office!

dean ordered me the frame on the sly — i think he is more proud of me running that race than i am.
if that’s even possible?

so yes — i feel like i am getting back to being in a better place.
things feel more balanced and i don’t feel so utterly frustrated all the time.
as much as i am keeping my distance from uber structured discipline… it’s nice to feel more in control of what i am doing.
its by choice and not because i feel forced.
and that feels really good!

peace, love and margaritas,
cyn
xxoo