"If you don't start running by the count of three I will not be training you tomorrow!"

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.
-Winston Churchill

Kaity Training Me Day Two:

Honestly I don't think I could properly do this without Kaitlin. Sure, I can write out the schedule's, and I have, but I can't give myself the motivation she gives me. She yells at me to do it, so I do. When it hurts and I want to simply walk the rest of the way home she makes me jog more.. Sadly while I am doing better at it I am not doing as well as I would like to be... And probably a lot less than my sister would like me to be doing.

Honestly the hardest part to motivate myself with is the running, so I am so grateful to have Kaity to train me. Today when we were running up the hill (and it hurt trust me) I couldn't keep going... So she would yell at me to continue.. And I would and then I would go a bit and stop and walk and go a bit.. It is really hard to keep my body going with that.. Honest to god my body hates me.

At the time Kaity said, "If you don't start running by the count of three, today will be the last day I train you!" I felt as if something was weighing me down. It was a chore to breathe, to move my legs and arms and to try to catch up to her and my younger sister Saskia.

My legs are sore now. Doing our stretches and mild ab work out a bit later seems so much easier... it's weird.

Today makes 13 days smoke free.

--A.E.

Plans!

Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions all life is an experience.

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wanted to get another quick update in before I head off to bed.

I have to say I love watching History Chanel/ National Geographic/ Science/ General education shows while walking... It makes me feel as if I am working my mind and my body. Yesterday I ran 10k (6.2 miles), today I could only get in 5k before I decided it was too late to be on the treadmill for those still awake in the house. Tomorrow evening I will be starting Yoga at the community center, and hopefully Zumba. I will be checking out an art 'class' there as well in the morning. Monday I plan to start out Jillian Michaels 30 day shred.

Mum and I are going to get a few more things for working out... One of the things she is getting to help with her lymph fluid and back is an inversion table, which I am excited about because doing crunches on it would be awesome.

Mum is planning on visiting a nutritionist in August, and I think I will be as well.


Today marks a week of not smoking. I really want a cigarette.

I am proud of myself.

--A.E.

Quick Update

"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing. "

-Dale Carnegie

This past week has been pretty amazing, between mum and I baking Armenian recipes, to Kaity acting like a clown in our tai chi class yesterday. I am very blessed to have the support, love and laughter that my family provides me.

I don't have much time to update, I need to go and do a few things. Help my mother out, get a run in, do some yoga, and hopefully check out Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred.

As for an update, tomorrow will make a week of me not smoking, this morning I woke up feeling as if I had just smoked two packs in one sitting... Mum said it means that my lungs are healing... Honestly it just feels crappy.

Reminder to self: Art, marathon, cleaning

-A.E.

Languages are lovely.

Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be.

– Dorothy Parker

Today is my second full day without a cigarette. While I haven't gone running like I planned to, I think I have done fairly well.

Since I have started on the Zyban I have found myself doing things differently. I eat only until I am no longer hungry, but not until I feel stuffed, and sometimes I almost forget to eat. My sleeping has regulated itself, I am waking up every morning at seven and eight... And most importantly I am feeling hopeful.

While I feel as if I am leveling off emotionally I can't help but feel an over abundance of hope I have mostly spent the last week adjusting to the medicine, and cleaning. The most amazing part of this though, is the fact that I haven't smoked in the last two days. I have some cravings, but not overwhelming and not as often as I have previously had to go through.

I have decided recently that I went to learn several languages. Currently I am wanting to learn German and Mandarin, but I need to brush up on my Armenian...

It's good to keep busy.

-A.E.