Weekend Review

My weekend was great! I got to see one of my favorite people this weekend…well actually 3 of my favorite people all at once which is rare! I helped host a baby shower on Saturday and I skipped lunch because I knew i would just end up snacking on foods there anyway – so I feel like I evened out there. I didn’t go overboard or anything.

I also got up and met a new bike group near my house this Saturday morning. There were only 4 of us, and we ended up biking about 18 miles. It was a cloudy morning and we were nervous about rain the whole time, but we didn’t have any troubles. I felt like I could keep up with this new group, no problem. I even made a friend during the trip who said she would like to ride sometime outside the group – so that was cool. Not that I really have any more time in my life for additional rides, but hopefully she’ll be at the next group ride and we  can chat.

We had our cheat meal on Saturday night – enjoyed some Mexican food. I ordered the smaller version of my entree and I walked away feeling full, but not stuffed. Check!

Adventure to Grocery Store

I slept in on Sunday and we made our first trip to the grocery store on our bikes. A few weeks back I found a free “pet buggy” to add on to your bike – and we thought it would be awesome to put groceries in instead. The store isn’t that far from our house, so we had a little adventure. It worked out nicely, and made us think twice about what we REALLY needed to buy since we my husband had to literally pull it home. Another plus – ice cream would be difficult to bring back since it’s pretty hot out already. A plus in the sense that I don’t have to deal with another distraction at home!

We did a bit of house cleaning and played with the pups. Spent most the rest of the afternoon working outside on our little deck garden. Our plants are growing nicely. We even had a cute little neighborhood kid stop by to sell us tomato plant root systems – so we thought, why not! So now we’re hoping to have some home grown tomatoes this season.

I tried out this new drink I found at the store. I bought it more as a joke, but it was actually pretty good.But one giant can is all you need, I promise!I won’t be drinking this on a regular basis, it was more a one time thing, or something you could bring to a party for some laughs. Plus, it has a few more calories than I prefer if I’m drinking something labeled “bud light.”

Yes, I'm for real.

 

We cooked out some food on the grill and overall, had a pretty chill weekend. I spent some time  getting my gym room all “ready” for my new workout program that I’ll start tonight after work. I have been working on pumping myself up for it all weekend. So i’m excited to start it, but nervous about the major commitment of 6 days a week.

Today starts our summer schedule group exercise schedule, so I’ll be teaching TurboKick on  Tuesdays now. So Tuesday will be my only day that i’ll HAVE to do 2 a day workouts. Hopefully I can manage!

Overall, pretty decent weekend – I keep waiting for summer to start like it’s going to be a vacation when I know in reality – that will never happen again. 🙂 But a girl can dream!

Going the extra mile…

We found a free “doggy” carrier that can be attached to a bike a few weeks ago. We had been on the hunt for something like this so we could start riding our bikes to the grocery store as it’s only a few miles away. We finally made our first “trip to the store” today with our new pink buggy. It was a little scary and we decided to do some “structural upgrading” for next time. What can you do over the weekend to go the extra mile in your workout? It doesn’t have to be a crazy work out – just turn one normal thing into something that will burn more calories!

Things Every Woman Should Have & Know by 30

So I’ve heard people talking about this topic on the radio shows I listen to in the morning (I literally switch in between 3 different shows every morning prior to arriving at work) and I never quite caught the whole segment any one place so I decided to look it up myself as the topic sounded interesting.

It’s a list from Glamour magazine printed in ’97 that became wildly popular, so they just released a book about it with essays from women. This information has been re-posted from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/24/turning-30-30-things-every-woman-should-have-and-should-know_n_1447368.html?ref=mostpopular.

*List excerpted from Glamour‘s “Thirty Things Every Woman Should Have and Should Know By The Time She’s 30.”

Read and excerpt from the book here.

Since I’ll be leaving 30 behind in just a few months, I figured it might be worthwhile to review this list and see how I’m doing. Plus, if you didn’t notice, my blog title is 30Story – so it’s kinda a good fit. My responses to each item is in green font.

30 Things Every Woman Should Have And Should Know

By 30, you should have …

1. One old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who reminds you of how far you’ve come.

I definitely have an X that reminds me how far I’ve come. I’m not sure I have anyone in my life I can imagine going back to just because i can think of all the reasons it wouldn’t work. Does it count if the man I married was someone I returned to after a brief dating stint years ago? 🙂

2. A decent piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in your family.

Yes! I have this. The hubby and I have several pieces of new furniture we’ve picked out together for our home.

3. Something perfect to wear if the employer or man of your dreams wants to see you in an hour.
Absolutely. I have several nice suits for the employer.  And a few great dresses for when the hubby decides he wants to whisk me away for a surprise evening (still waiting for that one to happen! In his defense, he is simply terrible at keeping secrets in order to actually surprise me).

4. A purse, a suitcase, and an umbrella you’re not ashamed to be seen carrying.

Yes, yes, and yes. But I’ll put it out there that my suitcase is hot pink and I love it.

5. A youth you’re content to move beyond.
Absolutely.

6. A past juicy enough that you’re looking forward to retelling it in your old age.
I have a few juicy things – but I didn’t live on the wild side too much in my life…but I’m okay with that because I had a blast and those stories will be fun to re-tell.

7. The realization that you are actually going to have an old age — and some money set aside to help fund it.
We have a savings account. I have a 401k and I hope that counts.

8. An email address, a voice mailbox, and a bank account — all of which nobody has access to but you.
Yes. My hubby and I have joint bank accounts but I have a separate account that is just for me (and he has one for him). It is nice so I don’t have to feel guilty when I decide I want to spend all my fun money at once on a pair of shoes. 🙂

9. A résumé that is not even the slightest bit padded.
Absolutely. Resumes are what I do for a living – so you better believe I have a good resume!

10. One friend who always makes you laugh and one who lets you cry.
I am blessed with many amazing friends that would allow me to do both all in the same session if i wanted.

11. A set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra.
I’m doing good on this one, too . I hope it counts if my husband is the one who brought the power tools into the marriage.

12. Something ridiculously expensive that you bought for yourself, just because you deserve it.
My bed frame was ridiculously expensive but I love it madly, truly and deeply.

13. The belief that you deserve it.
I believed it when I bought it, still believe it now.

14. A skin-care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing with those few other facets of life that don’t get better after 30.
Hmm, I’m not sure i have a skin-care regimen other than – try to wash my face every night if i don’t get in the shower. haha But I do have a pretty legit exercise routine that is helping me plan for those “other facets of life” after 30.

15. A solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying relationship, and all those other facets of life that do get better.
I’m good here on both accounts.
By 30, you should know …

1. How to fall in love without losing yourself.
I finally figured this one out a few years ago.

2. How you feel about having kids.
It’s funny, even 5-6 years ago I wasn’t really sure how i felt. Now I’m 100% sure that I want kids. Okay…well at least A kid. Not so positive about the plural.

3. How to quit a job, break up with a man, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship.
Yes – i have experience doing all of these things. But i still dislike all of them.

4. When to try harder and when to walk away.
I’d say I learned my lesson about 20 fold on this one in my early to mid 20’s. I’d like to say I’m much better at this now.

5. How to kiss in a way that communicates perfectly what you would and wouldn’t like to happen next.
Wouldn’t you like to know?

6. The names of the secretary of state, your great-grandmothers, and the best tailor in town.
Hmmm, I know the secretary of state, and a nick name for my great grandmother on my mom’s side. Couldn’t tell you about my dads side because we didn’t really hang out with them very much. I sort of lose on this one, I don’t get things tailored hardly ever. But if i were to get something tailored I would know where to go.

7. How to live alone, even if you don’t like to.

Yes. I got to do this for a small period of time in my life!

8. Where to go — be it your best friend’s kitchen table or a yoga mat — when your soul needs soothing.
I wear multiple hats on this one. Sometimes I like to be alone, sometimes I need one of my friends. Many times, I just want a book to lose myself in. 🙂

9. That you can’t change the length of your legs, the width of your hips, or the nature of your parents.

Unfortunately, I’m aware of this.

10. That your childhood may not have been perfect, but it’s over.
Check.

11. What you would and wouldn’t do for money or love.
I’m not sure anybody knows their real limits until they are pushed, do they?

12. That nobody gets away with smoking, drinking, doing drugs, or not flossing for very long.
Crap, I have a dentist appointment on Monday. They always lecture me about flossing. Last time, the lady told me I should floss in my car at stop lights on the way to work. I think that sounds a) gross b) crazy. Apparently, I’d rather not floss on a regular  basis. It’s so boring.

13. Who you can trust, who you can’t, and why you shouldn’t take it personally.
Yup. Learned a few times the hard way.

14. Not to apologize for something that isn’t your fault.
I still need to work on this one.

15. Why they say life begins at 30
I’m excited to say I’m beginning to believe this in a lot of ways. I think my 30’s are going to be the best decade yet.

 

So i guess I’m off to a good start. Maybe just a few things that i should work on apparently. But 30 has been pretty awesome so far, I’m assuming 31 is only going to get better. I’m ready.

 

Planting the seeds for change

Recently, my husband and I decided we’d get serious about growing some herbs and veggies in our yard. We tried a few years ago and weren’t really successful. Most likely because we forgot to water them and you know – plants and herbs need water to live. 🙂 We just weren’t fully committed to the idea.

This time – our herbs are flourishing for the most part.

Grow, basil, grow!

Actually, I should have taken a picture of our cilantro this morning because it is growing crazy-like (yes, that’s a word in my dictionary). I’m so excited for it to be ready for us to eat! It’s amazing what a difference it makes when you take a little time to do some research, buy the right materials and allow yourself some time to nurture the plants.

I’m guessing that a few years ago, we weren’t really ready for a garden. Even just the few items we’re trying to grow now is a bit of effort. Bringing them in at night when it’s too cold, making sure they have enough water and sunlight. Researching to see when it’s time to move them to their own bigger space – it’s a lot to consider.

But for whatever reason – it’s different this time. I actually care about the plants succeeding. I find myself stepping outside onto our deck where our plant boxes are hanging to check on all the plants almost every morning and evening. If I didn’t know myself, I would think that I actually sort of enjoy this venture into mini gardening. But seeing the work pay off and watching the plants grow is the ultimate success. I’ve actually never eaten a plant or vegetable that I (as in MY hands) helped grow. Weird, huh?

So…right. This blog is not about gardening. And well, this post isn’t actually about the wonders of gardening either. This blog and this post are actually about making a change in your life. It’s eerily similar to gardening as I’ve described here.

When you want something to HAPPEN in your life – making that decision is just the first part. But there is much more to actually bringing to life that decision – you have to do your research, you might have to spend some time and money to get the resources and materials you need to be successful. And you certainly have to believe that your investment of time and energy is worth the end result.

Furthermore, you have to be willing to admit that despite all the time and energy you put into bringing your decision to life – it may take longer than you expected to see growth or change. You might even run into some duds along the way. Seeds don’t always bear fruit, right? (more gardening metaphors to come – get excited)

Earlier this week, I challenged you to push yourself out of your comfort zone – pick something more intense to commit to  for the summer months and GO! So this is how you get there. If you made that decision – this post is about the process of making your goal a reality.

Now is time to start the real work. If you’ve selected something that you want to challenge yourself with – do your research. What’s it going to take? Do you need new shoes? Do you need to get some weights for your house? Do you need to join the gym or buy a video online?

Figure it out and then do it.

Next: this is also the time to start blocking off time for YOU to work on your challenge. You need TIME to do the hands on work that your challenge will require. Look at your schedule – figure out when you are going to fit this new thing into your life.

Don’t just get excited about it and then do nothing with the momentum. Schedule it into your real life. Right now. Do it. (I’ll wait.)

I’ve already scheduled the next four weeks of my daily workouts on my calendar. Will I make every single one of them happen exactly as I’ve scheduled? Probably not 100% – but will it be easier to say no to doing something else that conflicts with my work out schedule because it’s ALREADY there? Of course. I would literally have to delete my workout from my calendar to put something else there instead. That helps me think twice about planning other things in my life. My workouts are on the calendar…so it’s almost like I come first. Wow.

Life has a way of giving you obstacles no matter how motivated you are in the beginning. Expect the bumps, expect other people to not get you or why you want to do it. Expect there to be more tempting offers along the way of ways you can use your time. All of these things will happen.

But if you can put the time into growing this decision into a real life action – nothing can get in the way of you seeing results in your own life. That’s a promise.

I’m just as guilty as the next person of getting amped up and then losing my steam. That’s why I’m trying to do the hard work right now – mentally, so i can be in a good head place next week when the physical challenge starts.

This is your journey, this is your life. It’s your body, your mind, your soul. What are you doing to help it grow into something you are proud of? Believe it – you are worth the time, effort and expense.

And…last gardening metaphor of the day, I promise:  “You reap what you sow.”

 

 

Tuesday AIRobics: check!

Finding the Fire

Love this.

What makes you push yourself harder than you ever thought you could?

You know – those times in life where your whole body is just like “why are we doing this?” and you continue to give it all you’ve got. Then when you finish – you realize that you are SO much stronger than you thought you were. I’ve been preparing myself over the last month or so for a big self PUSH with my workouts. I was just waiting for classes to be over to get started with my new plan – I’m starting TURBOfire on Monday (this links to my beachbody page where you can check out details about turbofire if you want).

Now – there are no more excuses and I’ll be starting my Summer PUSH Series next week.

So, I was thinking – who else wants to be in on this with me? You don’t have to do the same program (although you can if you want – just ask me for details), you just have to come up with something that PUSHES you beyond your normal routine and out of your comfort zone. For some of you who are already working out – this may mean starting a more intense workout routine. For some who don’t really work out, this may mean incorporating 3-5 days of working out this summer.

Other Ideas:
Not a runner? Being the Couch to 5k program and sign up for a 5k in August so you can train with a goal.
Have access to a pool? Challenge yourself to swim several times a week. Work up to 45 minutes of swimming non stop. This is harder than it sounds!
Interested in cycling? Join a local bike group to work on your endurance – almost every city has bike rides at a variety of levels!
Already a member of a gym? Add strength training to your cardio workouts.
Can’t afford a gym? Create circuits at your house and in your neighborhood with just a few types of equipment (set of dumbbells (7-10 lbs & a resistance band/tube would be a good place to start). You can utilize stairs, chairs, benches, hilly streets, you name it to get a great work out in. If you need some help putting an idea together – let me know.
Want to work out at home? I have tons of programs to recommend. Ask me for a personalized recommendation – happy to help!

So wherever you are – what can you do to PUSH yourself past your normal limits this summer?

I am not expecting this PUSH Series to be easy – I’m going to need some major accountability from my readers, my real-life work out buddies, my husband, my friends, from strangers. 🙂 It’s going to be tough committing to SIX days a week of working out. Yeesh. And that’s just for this new program I’m doing. But I also have to allow for some of my regularly scheduled workouts to happen – you know, like that weekly class I teach 🙂 And I’d also like to be biking some this summer. So this is definitely going to PUSH me in ways I haven’t been pushed in awhile.

For me, the warmer weather and the slow down in pace at work is always the best time for me to kick into high gear. I find I’m most successful at losing weight in the summer months. So this it is – next week, it’s on.

What will you do to PUSH yourself? Share your plan with me and we can help keep each other accountable. My goal is to complete this 12 week program – and then get up the next day and do it all over again.

Monday workout: check

Weekend Review & Refocusing

 

I had a fun weekend. So i guess it is obvious that I didn’t stay totally on track with my eating and exercise. I am excited for the weekends when I say – I had a fun weekend AND I worked out and ate on track. I feel like I have those maybe once a month. We had a friend birthday dinner on Friday which I did okay and only ordered one  drink. Of course we had a few drinks later that night at their house – but I felt like I wasn’t going crazy or anything. Dog training first thing on Saturday (we practiced the art of having my dogs not charge the door when visitors come – that was fun) and then I had a senior brunch to celebrate my lovely Phi Mu gals who are graduating this May at my alma mater. I serve in an advisor role for my chapter – and it was nice to see them and hear about their exciting plans for after graduation. BUT – it was like an alien person took over my body. Not only did I indulge in mimosas but I also had a cinnamon roll that some evil person (I won’t mention names) had unwrapped and put BACON inside of it. And yes, it was strangely delicious. Somehow my plate also ended up with bacon on it. Because you know – bacon IN the cinnamon roll wasn’t enough. Then God must have sent someone down to deliver some mac-n-cheese because it was the best I’ve ever had. Oh, and there was a breakfast casserole, too.

*sigh*

I was so sick afterwards. And rightfully so – when in the WORLD do i eat things like that? You are right, my friends. Next to never. I didn’t think I was going to make it home after that grease fest. Yes, it tasted so good going down – but afterward was not so fun. I felt sort of sickly for the rest of the afternoon. I had a salad for dinner – so at least I wrapped up the day on an up note. It rained for almost all freaking day on Sunday – so we weren’t able to go to the Bark in the Ballpark event with the dogs. Our good friends who just had a baby a few months ago called us up and asked us to lunch. We hadn’t planned on eating out on Sunday – but it had been so long since we’d seen them, it was an obvious yes. I skipped breakfast and had a crab cake sandwich and fries for lunch. With mimosas. They were $3 and I’m such a sucker for a deal on mimosas.

I was so tired after we came back to the house. I didn’t feel like doing anything. Was it the rain? Was it the pound of lard i ate the day before? I don’t know. But I was not very productive the rest of the day. We did cook at home for dinner – the hubby made this AMAZING steak thing on the grill. He took a few pictures – so I’ll try to post the recipe/instructions so you can share in the deliciousness (and it wasn’t super unhealthy, either!)

So now that i’ve reviewed and admitted all my terrible secrets to you….it’s time to get refocused for this week.

Goals:

• Drink at least 3 nalgene’s of water per day(this sounds better than how many ounces that really is)
• Work out every work day this week and one time over the weekend (this may require some lunch time work outs to manage this)
• Start prepping to start TurboFIRE next week!!! *make sure I’ve laid out the schedule, have the work out room ready at home*
• Skip out on any work goodies offered this week so I can be on track to lose weight this week – BMOS (bring my own snacks!)

 

In case you follow me at 30Story, please check out my food blog, too. Here’s today’s recipe!

I’m a huge fan of pork tenderloin. It’s a lean meat  but has tons of flavor. Since the past few weekends have been nice, we’ve been on a “grilling” rampage so a pork tenderloin seemed like a good choice. Instead of just having a meat and potato kind of meal – we wanted to integrate some more vegetables. We belong to a fruits/veggie co-op so we had some fresh spinach to use this week. I’ll share a few pictures here and some general guidelines for putting this together. It was SUPER delicious, and reheated nicely for a bring to lunch meal. We picked two sides – mash potatoes and brussels sprouts – but you could easily trade out for 2 of your favorite sides!

What you need:
Fresh spinach (or thawed/drained frozen would work, too)
Garlic (to taste)
Feta (8oz package – look for the reduced fat kind!)
Seasonings: Salt…

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A Team Effort

As much as I would like to think my efforts to lose weight and get fit are completely hinged on my amazing independence, will power, self control and sheer determination – I’d be out of line to not acknowledge that being a healthier version of me has been a team effort in a lot of ways.

It’s easy to find people to help you demolish a dessert, or to go out and drink with all the time. It’s easy to find people to go out to eat with on the weekends, or to get together for a glass of wine and conversation. I’d say it’s much harder to find people who will help you make better decisions when you eat out, or to promote healthier choices like inviting you over for dinner versus meeting out for a meal. It’s harder to find people in your life who are interested in meeting up for a bike ride, a walk or run, or to hit the gym instead of just hanging out.

I am blessed to have some really amazing influences in my life who help me be a better version of myself.  When I think I can’t do it on my own, they support me and remind me that I’m not in this alone. While I may be the one making the final decision on what to order, what work out to do (or not do) – they are still there for me, cheering me on.

Girls Team Spirit!

One of my best friends here in town is someone who has been through the same ups and downs as I have with trying to live a healthier life style. We went to college together, we gained weight together, lost weight together, found it again, etc. But it’s amazing to have someone who I can say – “can we meet for a walk instead of wine?” And know that the reply is going to be “absolutely -what a great idea!” I’ve found several people over the last four years who I know I can rely on to check out a new workout class with me or support me when I pass on a dinner invite. Not everyone in my life has to fulfill this role – but it’s really been an amazing help to have supportive people in my life who are either maintaining a healthy lifestyle or working toward one like me.

I have to say that my #1 supporter is my husband. We started this journey to being healthier people basically since we started dating, and so it’s a constant part of our relationship – trying to find ways to be more active, choose healthier meals, etc. I know a lot of people who don’t have this sort of support at home – and I can only imagine that trying to make better decisions is twice as hard for them. I struggle daily even WITH this type of support.

I think the biggest struggle right now is that my husband is in a good place – as per typical, he lost weight pretty fast and has kept it off through exercise and keeping his diet mostly in check. I’d say that we eat the same things 98% of the time – yet, he’s kept the weight off and I’ve put (some of)it back on. It’s enormously frustrating to me and while I’m not frustrated at him – I’m just frustrated in general that the same decisions means such different things for 2 people.

I guess I was feeling pretty open this weekend, and I admitted I felt like it was impossible to do well on the weekend because there was just too much temptation. When he suggests we go for ice cream, I find it impossible to say no. After all, he’s in a place where he can enjoy the ice cream and not feel guilty about it – why should I hold him back from that? We had a follow up conversation where he felt the need to apologize to me, for making it more difficult for me to make the right decisions. I didn’t think he needed to apologize, I felt like I was the one who was placing blame on him when it’s my own responsibility to make good decisions.

Either way – this conversation just illuminated the importance of having support at home, at work and in your friendships. It is almost impossible to do this on your own, even if you are literally the only one who can make the right decision for yourself – it’s just a tiny bit easier when you have people to help you out along the way.