Hello fellow bloggers/readers! 

I apologize for the minimal updates lately - things haven't been great and it's been tough getting things back on track! Without trying to vent too much, here is a quick update on things I've been trying to sort out. 

1. Money/Work 

Work has been kind of slow lately, so income is evidently lower. This makes it harder for me when I have to think about where to go for the cheaper but still good quality groceries, utility bills, and what now. Good thing is, my mom doesn't really put a lot of pressure on me when it comes to paying the bills. 

2. Diet 

I'd say overall, my diet has been fairly poor lately. With so many days spent working, I barely had any time to do meal prep. And when I was able to find time to cook, I would only have the chance to cook for that day's lunch/ dinner and that was it. This resulted in a lot of my fruits, salads, and yogurt going bad. I've got a few more days off this week, so I'm going to try to get my meal planning back on track. I've also put up two sheets for my "meal planning" on the fridge as well. It shows what portion sizes of which food group I should have at each meal. I play around with the numbers a bit to ensure I get everything I need. 

3. Fitness level/goals 

I've been coming up with more excuses than reasons to go to the gym. That is just very unfortunate. I have yet to find that key thing that keeps me motivated consistently. What I mean by that is, when I hit a slump for not going to the gym a few days, if I don't go back asap, I find it hard to find this motivation to go back. 

I went back today to do legs day, and it feels good to be back there :) I would like to use this entry to remind myself of a few things: 

• I have come really far from the girl I was 3 months ago in terms of my fitness level
• Incorporate generous amounts of intense cardio activity to help me shed the last few pounds to my goal 
• The number on the scale is not the biggest issue - people don't see the number, only you do. People see how you look. As long as you feel good and look good, you will be happy. 
• Remember when I found it hard to lift 5lb dumbbells, and look at me now. Using 7.5, 10, and even 12.5 lb dumbbells during my workouts. 
• SLOW PROGRESS IS STILL PROGRESS - you've come too far to give up now :) 

So I did end up buying the Polar FT4 watch, and at first I was a little disappointed that I HAVE to wear the heart monitor band in order for it to work, but that's no one's fault but mine for not doing all the research before buying it. Regardless, it still works like a charm! The band doesn't seem to show much when I hide it just underneath the strap of by sports bra :)