Sweets & Sushi

For me one of the first steps to being healthy was realizing it had to be a lifestyle change, not just a diet until my clothes fit and then go back to my old ways and slack off until I'm popping buttons off and have to start some crazy diet plan again.  Now it is part of who I am.  Don't get me wrong, I mess up, I make mistakes, I eat raw cookie dough, sh*t happens.  However, that is the exception, not the rule and I get myself back on track.

During this crazy health adventure I have come to realize that being healthy is not just food and exercise, it is so much more.  It's eating right, exercising/being active, resting and getting enough sleep at night, but it is also about your overall happiness.  For me my happiness factor comes not only from what I do, but also who I surround myself with.  Crossing that finish line is amazing, but it's so much sweeter if you know there are people who care about you and support you in your goals.  I am beyond blessed in that I have many fabulous people in my life, who may not want to run 26.2 miles with me or who may think turkey burgers are "un-American", but who support my decisions nonetheless. 

I believe it is very important to try to do things for all these fabulous people so they know how appreciated they are; I mean really I would be a hot mess without so many wonderful, supportive people in my life.  Since I am on a teacher budget I can't buy them the amazing vacations and ridiculous diamonds they probably deserve.  However, hopefully these sweets and modified/stolen Pinterest ideas helped to get my point across. 

Hello sweet tooth.  Of course, I bought candy as a gift.

Mounds, Nuts (Chocolate Covered Almonds), Reeses Pieces, and M&Ms
I made 3 of these and all the notes were very different, but the treats were the same.

Then it was time for dinner with one of my awesome friends/supporters, C.  She heard about a place called O-Ku that does half price sushi on Friday from 5-7.  Sushi?  Cheap?  Sign us up!  It was in downtown Charleston, but in an area where parking isn't too bad (which is good because I'm 30 and have yet to master parallel parking) , and the atmosphere was great.  Everything sounded amazing, we couldn't decide what to get, too much amazingness for my brain to process.  So we just got lots and split it all because we wanted needed to taste everything.  It was super yummy and we got everything for right under $30 after the half price discount.  I would definitely return, on a half price night, let's be real I'm working on a teacher salary here. 

Our Fabulous Sushi - C& I split 5 rolls

This was next to C's side of the plate.
Mine was perfectly neat, not because I'm cleaner, but because food does not miss my mouth.  

Then C and I went home and did a nice little 6 mile walk.  We were too full to run.  I am sure that sushi would not have looked as pretty coming back up.  However, we both still wanted to get some type of exercise in.  See supportive friend = happiness!  We did 4.5 miles on our own and then went back to rescue her puppy.  Side note I am aware he is a full grown dog.  I refer to all dogs no matter size, shape, age, or breed as puppies and I LOVE them all.  (I don't have a big enough place and am not home enough for a dog of my own so I latch onto all my friend dogs.  Hello crazy.)  Then we walked the last 1.5 miles with the pup to make it a nice even 6 and burn off some of those delicious sushi calories. 

C's baby Leroy is an adorable SPCA rescue

P.S.- Then we watched The Vow and I cried for like a hour straight, could not stop, no idea why.  Dear heavens.  Ridiculous!  I looked like I'd been beaten, it was rough.  However, Channing Tatum still looked good so it was a victory;)