My pants and moving towards the BEST version of me.

Hey friends!
   It's been a busy couple of weeks in my world! My husband and I had a heart to heart about our health and goals. Since then, we've been holding each other accountable and encouraging each other to focus and follow through. I ALSO teamed up with some pretty amazing Beachbody coaches to create the best challenge group of all time.

   Seriously y'all... create your own support system because when your goals are far away, you totally need it.

   The aforementioned challenge group requires using Beachbody products; Shakeology, which I do Shaun T's Insanity Asylum because I obviously have a death wish. But that doesn't start until MONDAY. So in the interim, I've been going to Kosama classes. Kosama is a mixture of cardio and weights and it's pretty intense. Since it's been humid, the Kosama gym is SO. STINKING. HOT. I'm talkin' about chewing the air in there. Even the tops of my hands sweat. WHY?! Struggling through the workout is completely worth it, however, because I burn, on average, 700 calories. SEVEN HUNDRED CALORIES. Like I said, intense.


   When I need to force myself through a workout like this, I have tested a number of mind over matter techniques to get me through it. Visualizing myself in a bikini. Having a 6-pack. Working towards Carrie Underwood legs. I think I have to work up to thinking about all that. For now, I have to clear my head. Kind of a meditation while doing a high-intensity workout. Stop thinking about work. Stop thinking about where I want to be because then I just get discouraged that I'm not closer to that. Clear it all OUT. Focus on ME. Focus on how well I'm doing. My form, my intensity. Squatting lower. Lunging deeper. Jumper higher and faster. Lifting heavier. Not dying. All in a day's work, friends.

   So the focus is me.  My personal goals are so weird now. Sweating through my shirt is a like a badge of honor. Working harder to burn another 50 or 100 calories is like winning a race. These baby steps are going to get me to where I need to be!

  I also focus on my pants. That's right. M'pants. The following comments are not exactly the prettiest, but they are real and that's what I'm striving for. I workout in yoga pants. Always. I don't do shorts. I have about 8 pair of pants I cycle through and exactly one of them fit me perfectly. As in, I don't have to worry about them sneaking down my bottom as I move and jump and squat. They stay where they need to be. But, they are old and ripped in some places. Probably because of my Hulk-like muscles. SO I ask you, WHERE do I find pants that STAY IN PLACE? There are lots of girls in my class with shapely derrieres and they don't seem to have a wiggly pants issue. Maybe I'll just wear maternity pants backwards and call it a day. I'm not even kidding.

   Whatever. I'm there, I'm working like crazy. I have sore muscles and I'm tired at like, 8pm. I am DOING IT!!

 
  

Goals and trying to live the dream

Hi everybody! After I posted my blog last week, I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of encouragement I received through comments on the blog, on Facebook and in personal messages and texts. I can't believe it! You all are pretty incredible people and I'm so grateful that, at least in some capacity, you are part of my life.

*disclaimer* If you messaged me and I didn't get back to you, please message me again. I was buried in messages!

After last week's post, I subjected myself to all the vulnerability of criticism (there was definitely some of that), support (TONS!) and facing my own demons. I needed the cleansing effect that "putting myself out there" gave me. I needed to be held accountable and lifted up by the 545 people that read my post. During the last week, I've been in kind of a meditative trance, trying to figure out my goals and plan of attack to best accomplish tackle my goals. I have a few marvelous people rallied around me and we are DOING THIS!! If you are motivated to do the same, let me know! Here's how it's goin' down!

Goal setting is obviously important. In fact, I found a website called www.positive-changes-coach.com and on it, I found this:

Goal definition can be important to your quality of life. This fact has been proven repeatedly through sound empirical research in psychology and social science as well as business and economics. Personal goal setting is important for things like ...

• Wealth, abundance, and prosperity
• Achievement
• Wellbeing and life satisfaction
• Motivation
• Increased self-confidence
• Hope and optimism
• Greater sense of control and effectiveness

I highlighted the bullet points that pertain to my weight loss-- all but ONE! Goal setting IS happening around here, y'all because who wouldn't want to reap those benefits? I wrote down my monthly goals and I'm working toward each one currently.

So here are my monthly goals. They are pretty simple, yet specific enough that I can't really cheat. If you can't see them in the photo, they are:

1. WATER- All day, every day. I sit all day at work and sometimes, I get a little bored. Or tired. And I convince myself that I NEED caffeine. I don't drink coffee, so at 3pm, when that familiar slumps tends to hit me, I will reach for WATER instead of pop. I drink out of a regular water bottle, so I use a permanent marker to tally my daily bottles of water.
2. Exercise 6 days a week. (Yes, SIX!) This is a challenge because I love sleeping in and being lazy on weekends. It can't happen anymore!
3. Portion control -- and snack often! When I "diet" I deprive my body of food in order to feel like I'm making progress with my goal. Then when I eat, it's a feast and I totally gorge on it! It's not pretty. SO-- smaller meals and snacks to keep me feeling full should do the trick!
4. Don't eat after 9pm. - This is tough because I usually eat at 6, so at 9:30 or so, I'm hungry for a little something, which is usually something terribly unhealthy. I will chug a glass of water, eat dinner and then keep the water flowin' all evening. Also I can sleep. Sleep instead.
5. Log food into www.myfitnesspal.com - My friend Kim turned me on to this app. It's. Amazing. You can add in recipes and it factors out nutrition facts based on serving size. You can scan barcodes of things you eat and track it that way. God bless useful apps.

Additionally, I'm reading this wonderful book called, "Made to Crave- Satisfying Your Deepest Desire With God Not Food" This book is not a how-to manual or the latest, greatest dieting plan.  is a helpful companion to use alongside whatever healthy eating approach you choose — a book and Bible study to help you find the “want to” in how to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Guys, so far, this book is blowing my mind at how I'm looking at food and my relationship with it. It's an easy read and it's the perfect personal development book as I start this journey.

FINALLY, I'm going to work harder as a Beachbody coach, starting with leading a challenge group! These groups are for people that want to get serious about their health but also thrive on having a support system. Mine will be a 90 day group, beginning on May 5, with my friend Katie! We are looking for 5-10 people who are SICK of making excuses and justifying their decisions about health and fitness. Those people should be committed to being the BEST version to themselves! Seriously ya'll, if you're interested, please let me know because this group is going to fill up fast- I already have 2 challengers ready to GO! I want this group to be AWESOME and SUPER successful!

I'm excited about turning over this new leaf in my life. I have never been "fat" but I've never had to try to fit into jeans either. I'm ready to be HAPPY!

My breaking point

Hi friends,
   It's been a long time since I've blogged, but I've been pretty busy and also, pretty lazy. Let me 'splain.

   Tomorrow marks 10 months of wedded bliss. In that time, I've gained back the 15 pounds I lost pre-wedding. In true early marriage fashion, I've enjoyed making elaborate recipes for (and eating them with) my husband. We are homebodies and enjoy being at home watching movies more than we enjoy going on a run together. We enjoy sleeping in and, because of our busy schedules, our time together is spent as lazy time. I have fallen in love with my job, at which I sit for most of the day. It's the curse of the office worker. These are not excuses, but reasons for my lack of interest in accomplishing the ongoing goal of being the best version of myself. In my head, my husband thinks I'm beautiful no matter what, so what's the problem? Who do I have to impress?

Myself. I need to impress myself and the simple truth is that I haven't done that in a long time.

   I choose clothes to wear not based on their style, but based on the fact that they fit and they are appropriate for work or church. I would LIKE to be stylish, but things just aren't as cute on "big" girls than on petite ones. I used to have things about myself that I loved. My butt, for example, has always been curvy and cute. Lately, it's big and lumpy. My thighs swish together. My arms jiggle like a lunch lady's. I have a double chin. I have to tuck my tummy in to my pants when I sit down and that weird pooch that women get after having tons of kids. In the last year, I've been told I'm "thick" and asked when my husband and I are expecting. Even in the back of the exercise class (where I feel most comfortable) a woman said to me, "us big girls have to stick together." A girl can only take so much in stride.

   Let me be clear- I don't need to be a skinny rail. But I do need to have confidence. It's been a fast decline in my confidence that is proportionate to the incline in my weight. I hate being in pictures. I don't wear tank tops, shorts or swimsuits. I can fit into my husband's pants comfortably. Aside from my husband, who tells me I'm beautiful several times daily... not because I need to hear it, but because he genuinely thinks that,  I can't remember the last time I was complimented for looking nice or thin. I know that's vain, but a girl wants to be told she looks nice.

I was lamenting this particular problem to my husband. His opinion is that it really shouldn't matter what others think-- shouldn't his opinion of me be enough? Nope. Sorry. I want a stranger or someone I haven't seen in awhile to compliment me. It seems more obligatory when your own husband tells you regularly. I am fully aware of how backwards that is, but at this point that's what I'm dealing with.

   The problem is not with working out. I work out, but I'm not the most consistent person in the world. The problem is not with eating well. I drink Shakeology and juice and focus on putting vegetables in everything. The problem again is consistency. I need a network of help and support to boost me up so I CAN be consistent. If I convince myself that I can lose 30+ pounds, I can, right? Right... but I don't have the confidence to do it.

   My breaking point came on Saturday. I have a job interview for a promotion at work coming up this week. My sweet husband called me on the way home from work and suggested that we go shop for a new outfit for the interview. I was so excited to get something new, springy, and stylish! I chose some cute skirts, tops, a few dresses and trotted off to the dressing room. Everything looked terrible. I tried different sizes and styles while still trying to be feminine and professional. A lady in the dressing room, who admitted she'd taken Benadryl that afternoon, felt compelled to give me her opinion on everything I tried on. "Well, you need a jacket."  "No one wears the right undergarments to buy clothes." "It's pretty busy." "I can tell you don't love it." When she said that, I wanted to yell, "Of COURSE I don't love it, lady! I'm 30 pounds + overweight and I'm completely uncomfortable in my own skin!" Instead, I went into the dressing room and fought back tears while donning my own clothes and returning everything to their hangers. My sweet husband was waiting for me ready to see what I had chosen. I couldn't even look at him for fear of bursting into tears... I just said, "I think I want to leave." We drove home in complete silence because he didn't know what to say or do to make me feel better.

And this is the part where I get a little angry...

I had a goal of losing 20 pounds before my family vacation this summer. That's not going to happen at this point because if anything, I've gained weight. I need HELP, friends. Any by people who are real. Not people that weighed 120 pounds to begin with and "really wanted to lose 3 pounds" or "just tone up a bit." SHUT UP. I don't have time for you and I don't care about your "struggles." I realize how awful that sounds but going from a size 6 to a 4 is not overcoming an obstacle. Spare me the, "If I can do it, anyone can" nonsense because that's not true at all. Oh you lost three pounds in a week? NEAT. I gained three pounds in a weekend. TOP THAT. I look at these pictures of myself and it's not how I see myself at all. That's why I have such a hard time looking at them, going shopping, etc. I don't see myself as a "big" girl.

So this is my hope and my plan: I vow to get healthier and look better. I will need your help and I'm sure I'll have more than a few frustrated blog posts, but I plan to be more accountable and consistent. Any help is welcome as long as you aren't judgmental. I'm intolerant of it. Hopefully soon I can start seeing the beauty my husband sees. <3

reVolutions for a new lifestyle.

I've made my fair share of New Year's Resolutions. They rarely succeed because, well, I haven't fully worked on them. I get bored or lazy or distracted and give up.

** A few numbers**
Did you know 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions? Any guesses as to how many people follow through with their promises they made on December 31?

Eight percent.

But, people who make resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their goals than those that don't, That makes sense. Some people are goal-oriented and like to work towards an end result. I for one, strive to be one of those people.

For work, I am currently reading The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon. Our partners recommended that everyone in our office read it, as they'd like it to effect the culture of our company. While reading it, I began to realize it's an amazing outlook for an office, but also a pretty incredible mantra for all aspects of my life; work, Beachbody "work", my faith, family, friendships, etc. I encourage everyone to read the book and allow it to encourage them to be the best version of themselves.

That said, it seems like I don't believe in short-term resolutions, but rather lifestyle reVolutions. Positive changes to make life better, easier and more enjoyable. What a concept, right? Here's a list of 10 things I'd like to work on moving forward in 2014 as part of my personal development.

1. Read More
    I love books. I have many and I keep lusting after more. However, I have become more of a TV person than a book person. My goal is to become more well-read. Turn off the TV and and lose myself in a book. Fiction, historical, biographies, self-help... all interest me and all are currently sitting lonely on my bookshelf.
2. Stop comparing myself to others
   As a woman, I know I'm not alone in doing this. I compare myself to other women that are in better shape, more accomplished, further along in their life events (having babies, owning a home, achieving higher education, etc.) I need to stop doing that and just work on my life. My body, circumstances and goals are different than theirs and sometimes that's hard to remember!
3. Start viewing "failures" as "another road to success."
   To be honest with you all, I had quite the pity party the other night. I felt like I have failed at goals over and over again, only to feel like I'm in a rut. I'm not currently working towards anything and that leaves me without a sense of purpose. I need to turn those "failures" into stepping stones towards success.
4. Be healthy (and not worry about the number on the scale)
   Again ladies, I know I'm not alone. I have continued to gain weight pretty regularly for the last few years. I can't tell you how many pairs of jeans have bitten the dust due to my expanding waistline. However, my revolution for this is to focus on HEALTH and not weight.
5. Keep the bathroom vanity clean.
   This one is kind of silly. We have 2 bathrooms in our house, but the hubs and I share our master bathroom as our main bathroom. I do my make-up in there, have all my products, hair tools, etc. In my hurriedness in the mornings, I leave everything sitting out and it gets messy fast. I have decided I'm going to make more of an effort to live in bathroom harmony with the fella by cleaning up after myself. I started this morning and it took about 5 seconds! It will make the routine so much more enjoyable if we have a clean space!
6. Think.
   I can't take full credit for this one-- I read it in an article about things 20-somethings should do more. We are a generation that acts based on feeling and not so much on thinking about actions. Think before we speak. Act. React. Write an email or Facebook post. After reading that article I realized that I have been slowly working on this point since I met my husband. It's a sign of class and maturity that I will continue to develop.
7. If I have a problem, work on it.
   I have a tendency to get upset about something and stew on it. That's not helpful, productive or healthy. Moving forward, I plan to be more assertive about my own emotions.
8. Be organized.
   This includes my desk at work, closets at home, my car and my filing cabinet. They all need some help and I intend to give them the attention they deserve.
9. Unplug.
   I use Facebook to keep in touch with friends and family and to promote my business. It's become a necessity rather than just a fun little website. I love it, but I realize that I need to unplug from my phone, email, Facebook, Kindle, etc. etc. I need to be more present with those I'm with and save my computer time for alone time.
10. Be a better wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend.
   This is pretty self-explanatory, but I would like to build better relationships with those in my life. If I don't, who will?

I'd love to hear your goals for the new year, or your thoughts on mine. Until then, I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. <3

Fitness Memes I Refuse To Post

As a Beachbody coach, part of my job is to motivate and inspire people to be the best version of themselves. Usually, I turn to Pinterest to look for cute graphics to help illustrate my point before I post a status. Lately I've been thinking that there are some, while they have good intentions, only fuel the feelings of inadequacy among women and really make it seem like an impossible goal.

I never have, nor will I ever, post a picture of a super thin, muscular and oiled up woman with no butt and her hips sticking out. I don't do this because I look down on women that look like that or think it's an unattainable goal for myself, but because that's not the one defining image of healthy I want to project. Women have butts, thighs, hips... NATURALLY! They can still be healthy and have softness and curves.

While I try to be positive most days, today I am posting some images I hate in hopes that you will also realize that you don't HAVE to look like that to be sexy. Don't be so hard on yourself and be healthy for YOU and not for others.

#1- Fat Lasts Longer Than Flavor- This is outrageous and also a total lie. You know what I like better than working out and getting rid of my "fat?" Food. I love food. Food and I have had a 28-year relationship that I would hate to see go to waste. This meme gives the message that healthy food can't taste good. And, that you have to eat unhealthy food to find flavor. Wrong. So wrong. In fact, many times healthy, fresh food tastes WAY better than processed food.

There are countless cookbooks that focus solely on delicious AND healthy food. You only have to look as far as the internet, folks. Remember: Healthy food CAN be delicious AND you don't get the guilt afterwards that you would get after a #3 at McDonalds. Don't let crap like this image fool you. It's nonsense.

I found another picture that I would DEFINTIELY use that portrays a better message about food. It's simple and gives a great message. Yes, you HAVE to eat to live, but you don't have to live to eat.

#2- Um... ? Seriously, WHAT is this girl doing?! Yes, she has great body. Yes, it's clear she's worked hard to be that toned. But that come hither look she's got going on says, "I'm sexy." Yes, you are, TO SOME. Truth be told, her body isn't 100% realistic for most women. It CAN be, sure, but if you have tons of time and eat totally clean. That's not realistic for 90% of the women I know. They have kids that want macaroni and jobs that require them to work long hours and sit most of the time. But, women look at this and think, THAT IS SEXY. You know what I think? It's confident. And that's the sexiest thing about this picture.

Going into the new year, where the inevitable #1 resolution will be to get in better shape, I'm concerned about women setting goals for themselves to look like this girl and then get discouraged 2 weeks in because you don't yet. You CAN look like this if you put in the work, both with fitness and your diet. The better option for this one is the image below. Your only comparison should be to yourself. Imagine that.

#3 Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels. Guys, PLEASE, if you get anything out of this entry, take this (and I'm talking to myself here as well), skinny is not the magical cure that will make you happy with your body. I PROMISE you. Yeah, if I could fit into my jeans from college, I'd be happy about that. I'd be happy if, when I waved, my arms didn't jiggle like a lunch lady's. I'd be thrilled if I could wear a bathing suit confidently. BUT I also know skinny people who would be happy with those things, too.

If I lost the amount of weight that I want to lose, I would still have hips and a butt. Guaranteed, y'all. I weighed 110 pounds when I graduated from high school and I had hips and a booty. It's just how I'm built. I will never look like the girl in the picture. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's Kate Moss, a SUPERMODEL. It's giving me, as the viewer, an unrelaistic view of healthy. Here's something better: Nothing looks as good as healthy feels. Super skinny NEVER looks better than a healthy woman. Remember that. Also, Marilyn Monroe was a size 14.

 

 

 I could go on with this, but the entry could get REALLY long. Just remember when you are looking at Facebook or Pinterest or billboards or TV (images are EVERYWHERE!) that you have to put your filter on because not all memes are sending a message of health. If you're interested in getting HEALTHY and making a lifestyle change, I'd love to talk to you about some great options through Beachbody and some things that have worked for me. Be the best version of YOURSELF, not someone else. <3

Reflections upon my college town and why you can never be 22 again.

This past weekend, I made my annual trek with one of my best friends to our college town for our SIXTH Homecoming weekend since we graduated. This subject matter began as a Facebook status, but then it just got super long and that's just obnoxious on Facebook. It's why God invented blogs.

So this weekend is always a girl's weekend and we happen to run into people we know all weekend. Each year, the amount of people we know is fewer and fewer. We have a fantastic time no matter what, because the reason we go is to hang out with each other and not with other people. We met in college and began our friendship there, so it's fun for us to take a stroll down memory lane for one weekend each year.

The weekend generally shakes down like this: We both take Friday off work so we can take our time getting there to get settled, relax and maybe walk around campus. This year we got lunch at our favorite bar and took a long stroll around the prettiest campus in the world.

We plan to stay "in" on Friday night, which we totally did this year. We were staying at a bed and breakfast of sorts that we chose because it's central location in the town. You just a rent a room, so the owner had other renters. All of them were older than us. They ALL went out Friday night and we stayed in. After some wine, we decided that we were being really boring, so we went out. It was a ball, but we stayed until the bar closed.

Then we get up in the morning and go to the Homecoming parade. Due to our super convenient location, it's literally right outside our door. My friend Jess decided she neded coffee, so we walked up the parade route to check out the new Starbucks in the campus library. It was amazing, but after awhile, you tend to forget just how long the walk is! We walked A LOT this weekend. But, the weather was perfect and with a campus as gorgeous as ours, how can you not love it?

Starbucks was amazing.

Saturday of course brings the football game and other shenanigans. We had another girl friend join us on Saturday and she wanted to see the changes in the Union again, so we took yet another tour. That night, we went to "our" bar again. We tried to sit and talk to catch up on each other's lives, until it got too loud. Then we were on the dance floor the rest of the night, both dancing and trying to dodge the flailing arms of the drunken coeds around us.

Sunday, we got up and came home, happily exhausted, but so ready to get back to the real world.

It is now Monday afternoon. I have been dealing with a sore throat and hoarse voice all day so I'm constantly remined of the weekend.

I learned a few things:

1. I am no longer 21. I require a ton of sleep and I. AM. EXHAUSTED. Last night, I actually dreamt that I was sleeping. I'm either the most boring person in the world or I'm utterly pooped.

2. I can no longer eat like a college kid. Grease is not my friend. Of course going to a place with so many memories, you have to hit up your old favorite restuarants. One was the bar we loved that has amazing cheeseburgers and cheeseballs. Saturday night, we HAD to go to our favorite Mexican place. I'm pretty sure there was a layer of grease under the lettuce on my taco salad.  I woke up one morning craving my Shakeology shake and to go on a run.

3. I am no longer relevant. I am not exaggerating when I say that every girl we saw was wearing black leggings with boots. They varied of course because college kids want to SEEM original while fitting into the fine social infrastructure that is a college town. Some leggings were ripped, some were floral or patterned. Some boots were UGG boots, some were combat, yes, COMBAT, boots. I look older just because I wear a full oufit. Someone in the line for the bathroom looked at me and said, "you must be an alumna." Nope kid, I just missed the memo. But then again, they don't know what memos are either. *sigh*

4. As sad as this is to announce, I have outgrown that town. You're probably thinking, DUH... you've been out of college longer than you were in. I know. but let me 'splain. In that town, I learned a LOT about myself. A lot that helped to form who I am today, 6 years later. I had my first apartment there so it was literally MY FIRST HOME. Not with my parents or with family. It was ALL MINE. That town has always held a special place in my heart largely because of that.

5. Finally and most importantly, I missed my husband. Yes, yes, I know there's a certain gag factor with that statement. But he's considerate and kind which are two charateristics that college guys, both in 2013 and when I was there, are definitely lacking. The boys we bumped into were strangers, but they were rude, crass and inappropriate. I have grown up and my home is now with my husband. I was anxious to get back to what is now my home.

I love my college, the town and my experience there. More so, I love that I made lasting friendships with 2 of the girls I got to see this weekend. I hope that we always schedule time together each year to hang out, reconnect and reminisce. I will never pass that up. All my life!

Consistency is key. Too bad I always lose my keys.

It's been awhile since I posted a blog... there's been a lot going on and yet, not a lot of it has been blog-worthy!

First, Randy and I are settling into life as Mr. and Mrs... it's been fun and I love being married to him! Every day is different and new and fun....ahhh the life of a newlywed! I've mentioned before that my husband is an enormous support to me. He encourages me to keep going, strive toward my goal and is genuinely happy for me when I get just one step closer.

Meanwhile, he loses a few pounds and I am sulky and jealous. I'm working on that... we ARE a team after all-- his successes are mine, right?

We laid in bed one night and had a very serious conversation about what motivates us-- I'd been struggling with motivation at the time. We had just talked about how to serve Christ in the best way in church and one example was to treat your body as a temple and that message really hit home with us. We commited to that as being our motivation. As Christians, glorifying God with our bodies is part of the deal and so far, it's working! I re-think what I eat, how I work out... it's slowly changing my life.

What I still need to work on is consistency. Anyone with a little common sense knows that consistency is the KEY to seeing results. DUH: You do it everyday, you're going to get really good at it. The thing is, I don't feel like doing something every day. Some days, (it's rainy and finally a little cold) I'd rather put on my husband's sweat pants and heat up a cup of soup. That's right, I have chronic laziness and it's a beast to cure.

This is me.

Luckily, I'm working on it. I'm doing Focus T-25, a Beachbody workout that only takes 25 minutes PER DAY! Just 25 minutes. I shoot to do it right after work so then it's done, I can still have time to cook dinner and have my evening to myself. You guys, this is a great program... if you are interested in learning more about it, PLEASE let me know! www.beachbodycoach.com/Lacina13 I'd love to talk with you.

When I lived in Kansas City right after college, I took yoga classes with friends from work. I really enjoyed it then. My gym here has begun offering it twice a week, so to supplement my T-25, I have started yoga twice a week. Last night was my first night back. I'm sore today, but I slept LIKE A BABY last night, woke up sore, but with a ton of energy and and so excited to go back! It's so phenomenal for stretching.

So friends, I guess my point is, you have to find what motivates you and then work on that consistency. That's where I'm at right now and it's so much easier said than done.. kind of like keeping track of my own car keys :)

Honesty with a serious face. -_-

Hey you guys, Happy Monday! This weekend has been a rough one for me, for a few reasons.

1. My spare room is a source of stress and contention. It's currently our "catch-all" room. It's got the makings of a wonderful bedroom, but it's also got two bicycles in it. The end goal is that it be a mult-purpose room for us... guest bedroom, office, study, storage, and craft room. I can TOTALLY make this happen-- I just need like, a whole day (or two) to get things organized in there. I have a plan that I plan to execute by the end of this week...get ready for a rockin' spare room, friends.

2. This is how I've felt all weekend:

Not even kidding y'all, my goal is to be as comfortable as possible when I'm at home. This means: No bra and my husband's sweat pants and old shirts. It's how I roll.

 

This weekend, I just realized how sick of looking at myself I actually am. I take a long time to get ready to go anywhere because I feel like it takes me a long time to look presentable and mostly, to find clothes that fit me.... it's difficult because for the past year, I've teetered back and forth between the same 10 pounds. I'm on the higher end of that again and it's not ideal. I'm just sort of over being chubby, friends.

When I pictured my life as a married woman, I pictured farmer's market dates and bicycle rides (so many of you liked this picture, I'll repost it just for you). I pictured being healthy and active and cute. Instead, my husband is active and works out and I err on the side of lazy.

BUT NO MORE! I have a goal... 10 pounds before Christmas. That is totally doable and I'm determined. I woke up this morning and ran for 20 minutes. It was only 20 minutes, but I'm not a runner. I don't agree with running, but running agrees with me... my skin looks better, it injects a ton of energy in me for the day.. it's just good. Plus, I don't want to squander the few weeks of great weather we have in Iowa. Seriously, it ain't much and I will do nothing but complain about snow when it happens, so I may as well embrace this nice weather.

The thing is, I'm lazy. I'm working on the routine motivation to reach a good place but I do love my couch, sweatpants and food. I realize just saying that how pathetic that sounds, but I can't help it. I love all the laziness, but I aspire to be active. I'm working on it. It's a daily, sometimes hourly, struggle and that's ok. Getting to a good place isn't going to happen in a week because getting to where I am now took years.

It's August and I'm giving myself 4 months to make some headway. Cheers to the second part of 2013!

The madness of life

A lot has been going on since I last posted a blog entry. These events have made me re-evaluate my plans.

Two weekends ago was my high school reunion -- 10 years (kind of gives away the "twentysomething" illusion if you can do that math, right?) I planned the entire thing... it was just a bar night Friday night and then a family picnic on Saturday. Nothing fancy, but it does include getting some logistics and 200+ people together.

The day of the reunion, I felt that anxiety that most people do before seeing people that haven't seen you in a decade. I wanted to impress, of course, and I wanted people this I looked GOOD. So I went on a hunt for a new dress. I found the dress at Kohl's in the junior section. I was feeling pretty good about myself. I went home and spent the afternoon getting ready for the night. Yes, it was a bit of overkill, but I didn't want to feel rushed.


A pic I sent my sister to make sure I looked OK.

I get to the reunion and people slowly trickle in. It was so much fun to see all these people! A guy that I was always friendly with (we always had to sit next to each other since our last names were close in the alphabet) came up to me and started in on the typical "what have you been up to?" questions. Then, he innocently dropped the ball.

"I see you have a little baby bump! When are you due?"

My heart dropped but I played it off as best I could. Shortly after I excused myself and went to the bathroom and cried a little bit. You guys, it was horrible. After all the progress I have made, it's not good enough. People still think I look pregnant. It's discouraging and not at all good for my self-esteem.

After some pity-party crying to my husband and some self-reflection, I realized I can work harder and be better. There's no excuse for not being healthy. For the unhealthy lifestyle most Americans have access to (fast food on every corner, reasons to sit on the couch, etc) there are just as many resources for one that wants to be healthy. You just have to look for them.

The following week, I made a pretty big commitment to be healthier. I have realized I need help with motivation and accountability. My sister has been talking to me for a few months about becoming a Beachbody Coach. Of course, I was skeptical because I noramlly hate when people hit me up for their "small businesses"...I find it to be intrusive most of the time. BUT- this isn't a good... it's a service that promotes being healthy for SO many reasons. If you've got any questions about shakeology or and of the Beachbody workout systems, PLEASE let me know! We can grow in our healthiness together.

Then this Monday, I woke up at 6am and Randy and I went on a run/walk. It wasn't super sweaty, but I'd say we went about 2 miles. Next time I run/walk, I'll do more running than walking. This morning I woke up early and stretched for 40 minutes. It was well needed and everyone should do it all the time. Stretching is amazing. I'm getting back in to an active lifestyle and I love it.

Now, the other part of being healthy is eating. That's a daily battle, you guys, DAILY. Because, I love food and eating. My first step towards a better goal is MORE WATER... I had 6 bottles at work yesterday and I only drink water at home. It helps keep me full.

I would also like to promote a website I found called SuperCook. You guys, I am forever missing just one or two ingredients from a recipe so I have to run to the store to get it and it's more money spent, etc. On this website, you can select items that you already have in your kitchen and it finds recipes for you! We have this basil and parmesan stuffed lemon chicken last night... carb free and mostly sodium free! Randy raved about it all night, which really is such a compliment. (It's the little things, I guess!) Try the website... it's SUCH a time saver!

Inspiration

It freaks me out to see muppets' feet. I mean, it is just weird.

Hey friends! Today, I would like to talk a bit about inspiration. (Doesn't this seem like a segment on Sesame Street? Teaching children what inspiration means and using the word in various scenarios as examples? In fact, just pretend I am Grover for this whole entry. He is my favorite, mostly because he never uses contractions when speaking.)

ANYWAY- I fancy myself to be a creative person and have generally associated inspiration with creative projects. A little bit of inspiration can go a long way when we are talking about projects around the house, etc.

A simple Google search gave me the actual definition of inspiration:

Noun The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative: "flashes of inspiration". The quality of having been so stimulated, esp. when evident in something: "a moment of inspiration in an otherwise dull display".

Synonyms afflatus - inhalation

Ohhh-- see that? "Esp. to do something creative." Just call me Noah Webster, folks. Look at the first part of the definition though: The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something. Mental stimulation is HARD, y'all. I struggle with getting out of bed to work out early... I actually DON'T get out of bed every day because I love sleep SO much. But I want to be a morning workout person! I also struggle to workout everyday after work. Really, I want to go home, watch House Hunters and eat chips while wearing something with a durable elastic waistband. I have to force myself to change out of work clothes into yoga pants and a sports bra and work out. By the time I get into the workout, I feel awesome, but getting started is the worst. Woody Allen said, "Eighty percent of success is showing up." So true, Woody. So true.

You may be thinking, "Grover, what you need is motivation! Not inspiration!" Motivation is a little different; here's the definition of motivation.

Motivation:

Noun The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.

Synonyms motive - incentive - stimulus - impulse Having motivation to work out is one thing and people DO need it, but I think a person with my specific brand of laziness need that extra push of INSPIRATION. Once inspired, I am motivated to not only work out, but prepare a healthy dinner and clean my house a little. I go to bed feeling accomplished with a well-deserved sleepiness. But what inspires me?! Let me tell you, I can find more inspirational memes online faster than you can say Pinterest search. Yes. I would like thighs that do not touch and a stomach so flat that one could eat a 3 course meal off of it. But, many of the photos in the memes are so far away from where I am now that it is almost discouraging to look at. The message is always good, but the visual ruins it for me. So, I focus on tangible things that I have witnessed to inspire me!  First, my husband. You guys, this man loves me so much that he believes I can do anything! He not only encourages me but gently forces me too (see aforementioned laziness).  He urges me to be the best I can be. For me. Not because he wants me to look a certain way or because a friend is thinner than me and I compare myself, but because I want to. It's not worth doing if it's for another person, right? The man makes me a healthy protein-packed breakfast nearly every day and makes sure we have healthy snacks in the house. I am blessed to have him in my life.   My sister, Meghan, is a military wife, which means that she does a lot of the day-to-day duties of having a family on her own, since her husband is in schools or trainings, etc. She also has two gorgeous kiddos, and is a wonderful mother. She makes time nearly every day to work out AND has time to plan meals and be healthy. In comparison, I have zero children and the only things I have to keep alive are five plants on my porch (which is a challenge most days), so Meghan's level of commitment is inspirational to me. Plus she is my sister so, ya know, she rocks. Christina- Christina is a former co-worker and has ALWAYS been one of the most positive and upbeat people I have ever encountered. I'm not even exagerrating... she goes into schools for work and the girls say, "ROCK ON SISTA!!!" which is her amazing catchphrase. She brings such happiness to those around her wherever she goes. This is an inspiration in itself, but you guys, she started a whole new lifestyle change in February and with a change in eating and regular exercise has lost 104 pounds. She also LOVES working out... this woman is just wonderful. So, I urge you to find what motivates you. If it is a size nothing girl in a meme online, I am not judging because you have to find what works for you. For me, it's my family and friends that have done wonderful things. This has been brought to you by the letter L and the number 8 and Viewers Like You.

Kale experiment and Adele

Happy Thursday, everyone! I don't know about you, but Thursday tends to be my busiest day at work. People at work lazily bumble through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then Thursday arrives and all of a sudden they realize the week is almost over. Let's face it, no one stays in my office for a full day on Fridays, so really, they get one solid day of work done per week. For this reason, I believe 3 day weekends and 4 day weeks are totally worth it, but I digress. It's a topic for another day.

Anyway, I mentioned yesterday that I was going to experiment with kale for the first time last night. Randy was at work so it was a solo project, which is kind of good so I could test it out before I made him try it.

I started off with some flatbread. The recipe called for dough, but I prefer flatbread or wraps because it gives you the illusion of lots of carbs without making you feel like crap after.


Kale Flatbreads
2-4 servings
Toss thinly sliced stemmed kale leaves with
olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stretch 1 purchased pizza dough (about one 9" round) into a thin crust and brush with olive oil; sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Scatter kale over, followed by a layer of crumbled feta and shredded mozzarella; bake in a 400° oven until crust is golden, about 10 minutes.

I  made a side of steamed zucchini. Not only is this a delicious meatless meal, it's also super filling and really yummy. <<< Obviously I'm using my best adjectives today.

Randy was getting off work at 11pm so I preheated the oven for him and assembled his pizza before I went to bed. Randy is not a veggie lover, although he will eat them. Instead of a side of zucchini, I made peas for him. He made his pizza and loved it! I'm so excited we are venturing into healthy meals together... we are both kind of surprised about how much we like.

I found tons of kale recipes on pinterest, so pretty much anything you are craving can be found there and can be made with kale. Pizza? Salad? Chips? Smoothie? Bacon and Eggs? Done and done. Kale kind of rocks.

In other news, I believe that MSN is out to get me. Yesterday, one of their feature stories was "guess these gams..." Guess which bird-like legs belong to which celebrity. Gorgeous, toned, tanned legs... ridiculous. Today, a feature story was "How much do these stars weigh?" Hesitantly and mostly because I'm pretty bored at work in the morning, I clicked on it. Singer Adele was the first celebrity. I love her. I think she's outrageously talented and stunningly beautiful. But, I have always thought of her as curvy and overweight.

She weighs 166 pounds. Let's discuss this. I weigh 170 pounds and I'm 5'6". She's 5'9" so there goes the "she's probably really short" argument. This girl has to pick it up in the gym because while I love Adele, I know my Happiest will not be found at her size.

So, while I broke my rule of comparison, I DID find my motivation for today!  

Fruits of the Spirit

In Galatians chapter 5, the Bible discusses the Fruits of the Spirit. They are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. I do pretty well with most of them, but I struggle with two of them in particular...especially when it comes to dieting and exercise.

Patience: Y'all, this is difficult. You see so many "quick fixes" to weight loss; miracle pills, slim down smoothies, etc. It's hard when you are trying to lose weight the right way to be patient. Results will come if you keep on keepin' on. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

Self-control: This one is the worst. I have a wicked sweet tooth and carb craving. To combat this, we don't keep pop in the house or a lot of sweets. We have one pint of ice cream in our freezer (Ben and Jerry's Americone Dream is seriously the best ice cream I have ever eaten) and it's not even open! It's been there two weeks.

Work is a different story. I have candy all around me and pop at my disposal any time I want it. It's a challenge every day to keep on the straight and narrow.

Any motivation is helpful, readers!

Confessions of my biggest problems: Motivation and Consistency

Confession: I haven't really, consistently worked out since the wedding. By that, I mean I've worked out maybe 10 times TOTAL.

Last night, as we often do, the hubs and I sat on our deck enjoying the (hot) gorgeous night, the view of a cornfield, and of the neighbor's big screen tv (we live in an apartment) indulging in a glass of our favorite adult beverage. I chose white wine... cold and delicious.

Yeah... this is us. :)

Randy and I both want and need to lose weight, live a healthy lifestyle and be one of "those" active couples. You know what I'm talking about... the kind that ride bikes (see photo) and go on runs together. Since we've been married, we've been on one run together, and it was great-- but consistency isn't our strong suit.

On the deck, we were talking about healthy recipes, ways we can be more active and where we can find motivation. Randy posed the question, "why does everything have to be about how our bodies look?" I have to admit, he has a point... we tend to be a little obsessive about it.

The thing is, I don't want to constantly think about it. I don't want to mentally count calories every time I eat or drink something. I want to be healthy and gorgeous effortlessly, is that too much to ask?

Conversely though, to get to a happy place, I NEED to think about it constantly until I get to a place where I don't absolutely hate my body. I never used to have to think about it-- I have always been thin. In the past few years though, I've pack on the pounds and people no longer compliment my slim figure. Unfortunately, I have a desire to look the way that society deems sexy. Yep. I said it. I want to be stunningly hot. I want to wear a swimsuit (even just a one piece) without being self conscious. I want to wear a sleeveless shirt. A dress above my knees. Somehow, in the last few years, I've become a master at covering myself.

Is it right for a 27 year old to be so effected my what the world tells us is attractive? No. But it doesn't change the fact that it does, at least for me. Mostly, I want to safeguard myself as much as possible for any and all medical issues that are obesity related-- diabetes, heart conditions, poor joint function....I want to be healthy.

SO. What are my major obstacles getting there? Motivation and Consistency. I don't have them and I want them. So many memes on facebook or pinterest get me a punch of motivation, but only for a moment. It's also in the middle of the day when I'm at work and not able to go out and go for a 5 mile run or whatever.

Consistency is key to any good routine. With the wedding done and my scheduled pretty much set, I have no excuse for myself. But, I can always justify pretty much anything else over working out.

So, here is what I pledge to do for the next week:
Motivation:
   - Look at Pinterest, etc. for motivation just before I leave for work and head to the gym.
   - Talk to Randy, my sister and others for encouragement.
   - Don't compare myself to others.

Consistency:
   - Start my new Beachbody routine this week, T25. It's only 25 minutes long, so I need to commit to waking up at 6 am to make this happen.
   - Make time for breakfast.
   - Plan ahead and go to the gym right after work. I will not go home because I will just want to eat carbs and lay down. Ha.

Keep me accountable folks, because I'm struggling here. Help a sister out!

I'm totally "that girl" right now

I just want to take a moment and gush about how wonderful my husband is. I know. It's annoying and I hate girls that do this all the time because really... it's just irritating. Gush to each other about each other... sheesh.

But, I'm swooning over him on a blog that I share with the world because:
a. it has to do with working out and my long-term goal of fitness and health.
b. because of budget cuts, our Town Crier has been fired, so this is my version of shouting it from the rooftops.
c. to emphasize that every girl needs an Encourager and Motivator in their lives.

Let me begin by saying I have fallen off the wagon. Not in the I'll-be-the-girl-in-the-back-corner-of-the-bar-alcolohism kind of way, but in the foodie way. I love food and so does America on the 4th of July. I didn't do too badly, but ever since the wedding, I've been like a fish out of water... out of Shakeology shakes and grabbing at straws to stay healthy.... it's difficult.

On top of that, I've been trying to get our apartment organized and feeling like a home. I'm the type of person that needs to have order. I am happiest when my personal bubble is tidy and neat...it seems to lower stress. You can imagine my unrest when I can't find anything in my house because it's in a box, or still at my Mom's or whatever.

I will also be the first to admit that I'm not easy to live with (my sister, brother and mother and probably some former post-college roommates can attest to this). I'm the most emotional person I know and also a little paranoid. I also think I have the latest virus or whatever is going around. SARS wasn't bad, but the Swine Flu, Bird Flu, etc... mess. I can't read anything about cancer. I'm that girl. I maintain that that is exactly why I'm not in the medical field. I can't handle it.

Anyway.. I'm emotional and paranoid and mad because I'm back to chubby and my poor husband is still adjusting to life with a wife. He wants to hang out and watch movies and cook dinner together, etc. I want to do those things too, but if I can't function with a mess, it ain't happenin'. Saturday night, after a day of organizing and still feeling like nothing is in it's place, I had a breakdown. My husband was at a loss.

The next day, he mentioned he's going on a run later in the day. I told him I'd go with him. The man is in the military and can run pretty darn fast. In my best shape I'm not a fast runner. I reminded him of this as we began. He assured me it was fine.

After about 3/4 mile in the humid July afternoon, Randy acted like he could comfortably run faster, so I told him, breathlessly, to run ahead if he wanted to. He said, "I will when I run alone... we're a team and we are doing this together." And then he fist-bumped me. The man stuck with me through the whole thing... including a few times when I had to walk (it was about 2 miles total). I'm pretty sure he could have walked faster than we were running, but he didn't mock me by doing so. Afterwards, he told me he was proud of me.

I guess the point of this entry is to tell you all that you NEED to have someone that's 100% on your team and that wants you to succeed for YOU and not for them or anything else. In my case, my team captain is my husband, but for you it could be a friend or neighbor or whomever. It's not about looking a certain way or comparing yourself to someone else. It's about being the best you can be!

sidenote: I have a lot of people on my team, so I don't want to offend any of you out there that are stewing right now. Randy is the one that lives with me, sees me at my worst and most vulnerable and encourages me and believes in me anyway. He's wonderful!

Housewifery at its best.

Hello friends!
   It's been a fairly successful week of getting settled into the new life as a wife and living with my husband. It's going to be a fun ride, folks.

  But I'm not so naive to think that it will always be sunshine and rainbows. Virtually every married person I know has told us as such and I've witnessed it first hand...marriage is just ongoing work. BUT.. I'm enjoying the playing house part of it for now.

So, in my last entry, I expressed a desire to get organized...it WILL happen and my little apartment home will be cozy, efficient and homey. For the wedding we got mostly items for our kitchen. We're appreciative, but now the trick is putting it all somewhere. We are blessed with a large pantry space (honestly, that's what sold me on the apartment!) but with that much space, I don't want things to get lost. I was to be able to see everything!

I've been trolling Pinterest for ideas on organization tips... I'm open to any ideas. These are the tactics I utilized so far:

1. Use baskets/tubs for smaller things. We don't keep a lot of junk food in the house, so we have a little tub for all of that so it's all in one central location. Jello/pudding is all in one. You get the idea.

2. Stair-step shelving for canned items. This allows us to see what's in there.

3. Healthier items at eye-level. -- because we're trying to be awesome. The same tactic was used in the refrigerator, so you are more inclined to grab fresh fruit than something unhealthy.

Here's (one side of) the pantry thus far:

Also, I'm making progress on the meal planning part of my goal. Months ago, my sister told me about www.emeals.com. On that website, you can choose your family size and the diet you'd like to follow (meal planning AND healthy eating in one blow? Yes, please!) The meal plans include, Paleo, vegetarian, classic, low carb, etc. I opted for Clean Eating. Then you download a week's worth of dinners and/or lunches. Main dishes, side dishes AND a grocery list, friends. This does cost to do this, but not that much! Plus my sister sent me a groupon! Woop! http://www.groupon.com/deals/e-meals-1-raleigh-durham

My first adventure with this plan was Mustard-Glazed Salmon with tomato-watermelon salad. It was SO great, and we had most of the ingredients already in our house. The glaze was a little much for me... I would have probably only put on half of what I did on my piece of salmon, but it was delicious. Even Randy complimented it several times, so you know it's good!

Last night was Randy's first night back at work. I went to mom's to get some stuff to take back to the apartment, ate dinner there and then got back to the apartment about 8:30.

From there, magic happened. My friend Amanda told me that Thursdays are her cleaning night. I think this is brilliant. That way, everything is clean and done and you can enjoy the weekend rather than spending 2 days getting things done around the house. I was inspired.

So, when I got home, I unpacked all the things I brough from my mom's house... clothes, toiletry items... nothing crazy. I plan to enlist the help of my nephews to help when they visit this weekend. Then, I put in a load of laundry and folded the pile of Chinese laundry-style laundry (see previous post). This included sheets and I think I have strangely mastered the art of folding a fitted sheet. I kinda rock at it.

Then I put on my heels and apron Randy's gym shorts and a t-shirt and mopped the kitchen floor. Vacuumed. Put away laundry. Made the spare bedroom bed.

Peach Cobbler. Bam.

Then I remembered Randy suggested we make spaghetti so he can eat on it this weekend during his weird work hours. So, I got busy browning the turkey. I felt like it would be easy since we had a jar of sauce in the pantry. Wrong. We had tomato soup and tomato paste. So, with those things, I created a sauce, which was amazing. I kept snitching it.

I was on a roll, and in our refrigerator we had some farmer's market peaches that were a few days from being gross, so I made a peach cobbler. That turned out pretty well also! I put a little oatmeal in it, just to try that, and it was great, but just a BIT dry... so I'll need more milk or water next time.

By the time Randy got home, I felt so accomplished. I was just laying around watching Friends like I had been lazy all night. While Randy watched Sports Center and ate spaghetti to detox from his "day" at work, I fell asleep.

Again, realize it won't always be like this, but it will be fun for awhile!

Getting organized to be organized plus one big character flaw

There are a few characteristics about me that you should all be aware of, moving forward. The first is that I love to be organized. But, in recent months and with my living situation, I have been doing a LAZY, terrible job of doing that. Now that I have my own home, it's time to get my life together and be organized and neat.

One of my biggest loves is making lists. I. love. lists. I feel like it was a habit of highly effective people listed in the book of the same name that was popular in the 90s. What most people don't realize is that while making lists is great, you actually have to follow through with completing things on the list. That's the fun of it, right? Crossing things off the list?

<confession: I've actually added things to my list after I've completed them just so I can cross them off. It's a problem.>>

So at this point, I guess you could call me a list hoarder. There are lists everywhere for everything and I'm overwhelmed with post-its. I would like to streamline these lists so I'm not buried in lists. My attempts at efficiency are mediocre at best. I feel like I should get one central list and work from there. So, here we go..

Goals for organization in my life:

- Go through mail. I hate mail and I usually just let it pile up. Then it becomes a cancer on my desk or in purses or whatever... it's too much. I need to get rid of what I don't want or need and file the rest.
- Purge. Get rid of things I do not need or want. This includes:
   - Closets: Clothes that don't fit or that I no longer want. Get rid of them by selling or donating them.
   - Email inbox: Seriously, with all the online groups, passwords, websites I belong to, etc. etc. It's junks up my email inbox faster than you can imagine. I am planning to unsubscribe for many email lists and focus on actually emailing people I know.
   - My car: It's cluttered and dysfunctional.
   - Text Messages: That inbox is super full. It also needs to be tidied up.
- Organize. I would like to have each nook and cranny of my home to be the picture of efficiency and organization. We also need to have a use for everything we own. If we don't, we'll grow out of out apartment pretty quickly. Obviously, I'd like my closet and pantry to look like this:



 

 

 

It's a work in progress. I want everything to make sense and be easy to see and find. Otherwise we'll be a mess. Other organization goals include:

 

- Under the kitchen and bathroom sinks

- Craft Supplies

- Winter/Summer Clothes

- Laundry Room

 

As a result of these things, I would like to have a garage sale in September. So, I have the summer to get my life together and be organized. Can we do this?! YES WE CAN!!

 



Post wedding and getting into a routine

The last month of my life has been an exercise in patience and coping with disorganization. Most days, I think I've lost my mind. Most of my stuff is still at my mother's home, while I am now living with a BOY, working on the name change process and still amazed that the whole wedding even happened. I am not myself. From what I understand from my dear friend Amanda, this is totally normal.

June 15, I married my best friend, partner in crime and the peanut butter to my jelly. It was a fantastic day that I wish I could re-live (well, most of it anyway!) I wouldn't trade my wedding day for the world... it was perfect.

We got married outside and it has been raining here literally every day for 3 weeks. My wedding day was no different; it rained in the morning. But, the rain held out for the ceremony and although sticky humidity set in, we had a gorgeous wedding.

From June 16 to June 19, we hung out with my family for a smaller version of our annual family vacation. We spent the 20-23 in Kansas City on what we've affectionately named "the mini moon." We had an absolute ball...If you'd like to plan a trip soon, go to a large city near you. It's pretty inexpensive and there's always a lot of fun exploring to do!

<<disclaimer>> I plan to discuss other topics besides my weight loss in this blog, but not really today. Bear with me.

So, referring back to my blogs pre-wedding, I didn't get to my goal of losing 25 pounds before the Big Day. But, I lost 15 pounds and I'm proud of that. I worked hard for it and I am healthier than I was last year, so I can't complain. But, I still have a long way to go!

In my wedding and post-wedding time, I ate like complate crap... anything I wanted and how much I wanted. I was gluttonous. So it came as no surprise that I gained a few pounds. My workout with the trainer yesterday (my first in two weeks!) was difficult and it was like I was starting off at the beginning again. I was back on track with eating and drinking water and it felt great.

Now, for the last few months, Randy and I have been putting a lot off saying that it will be done "after the wedding." Things like seeing a particular movie or planning a weekend with friends... it just could not be squeezed in. So, the time has come, (the walrus said) to do some of those things we said we'd do.

One of them is meal planning and being healthy together. Randy works a non-traditional schedule so planning will behoove us and I will get to be a healthy cook. I'm excited for that. Does anyone have any great methods or tools they use for meal planning? I'm open to suggestions!!

Fighting temptations

Happy Friday, friends. I don't know about you but between allergies and the incessant sneezing that accompanies them, lack of sleep and workouts, I am ready for this week to be over. It has seriously kicked my booty.

Yesterday, I went to bed pretty darn proud of myself. There are lots of reasons why, so here's a little shake down of  my afternoon:

 

About 2:30, 3pm I hit a wall. It was a gorgeous day yesterday so many people in my office cut out early to golf or get some yard work done while we have a reprieve from the rain. I. was. zonked. I couldn't keep my eyes open! I thought, "you know what I need? Caffeine. Just a little to get me through the rest of my day." So I went to the kitchen in my office and grabbed a Pepsi. I set the Pepsi on my desk next to my shake container and my bottle of water while I had an inner battle with myself. We then proceeded to have a stare down.

For anyone that has tried to lose weight, you know this struggle. You want what is in front of you even though you know you shouldn't. Eventually you give in and then doesn't taste as good as you remember it. The flavor is more like disappointment. Then you regret doing it, yada, yada, yada.

I weighed my options and then I put the Pepsi back in the refrigerator, y'all! Instead, I refilled my water bottle and walked around my office a few times. The main hallway goes in a circle around the office, so I did a couple laps and I felt better.

THEN, I had an alumni event after work. This was at a sports bar <one that is famous for pizza and has plenty of fried options>. I knew my sister was making a healthy meal at home (again! how lucky am I!?) but I was hungry. I bypassed all the fried stuff and ordered a water and a side of cottage cheese. I totally rocked that event.

When I went home, Meg had made shredded taco chicken, so I ate a chicken taco and it was amazingggg. Perfectly filling!

But, I had hit a wall again. Meg convinced me to do Hip Hop Abs with her for 25 minutes.

A word about Meghan: She's my younger sister, a wife and a mommy of a 2 year old and a 7 month old. Yesterday, I was exhausted when I got home but somehow she was bubbling over with energy. I don't know how she does it. Anyway, she was super pumped last night to do something. I could have gone straight to bed, but I didn't! Any you know what? Afterwards, I got a third wind and felt better. Hip Hop Abs is kind of a corny workout, so we laughed through the whole thing while getting a workout. It was a blast.

So, I overcame pop, fried food and sleep and had a successful day. Happy Friday, y'all!

My sister, Meghan.