friends

I met my friend Noemi two years ago....we sat in the basement of the YMCA during a tornado storm. I knew that I wanted to be friends with her, but I wasn't sure how to approach her. Making new friends is really different when you're out of school :) But we were stuck in the basement of the Y with tornado sirens....and we were forced to talk. :)

AND. We were quick friends. We've been friends ever since. It was the perfect timing. Kenley was moving in a few months and I didn't know I needed a friend like Noemi. She talks me off of edges, reminds me of things I tell her to remind me of, she makes me laugh and she humors me. And inspires me.

I'm so thankful for al of my friends...I don't tell them often enough....maybe i'll try and focus on some of my gratitude and friendships this week.

immediate soreness

I just need to let you know...I'm already sore from today's workout. I did p90x and then ran stairs...some arm exercises...some sprints....all with some of my favorite people in the world.

And.
I am already sore. I mean, REALLY sore. I sort of want to cry a little bit. I don't know if I'm going to make it to bed tonight. I might just fall asleep at this table.

The workout was really great though. I was reminded of my high school soccer practice days...you know when your face is so sweaty and afterwards you feel your face and it's like salty and all.

You know what i'm talking about. It hurts so good.

the cheetos beside me

I just finished my breakfast/lunch (shakeology with peanut butter, a little oatmeal and almond milk)...and Kenley has some of his snacks beside me....almond joy, reese's cups and cheetos...I've eaten a few cheetos, but had to ask myself...why am I eating these?

I am an emotional eater...who eats when i'm happy, sad....and bored. I'm sitting at my computer so I can write my blogs for the week....and when I want/need to be distracted, I go to food.

But today I'm going to eat when i'm hungry and stop when i'm full.

I went to the farmer's market today with a friend/coworker Jeff...and I bought some swiss chard. YUM YUM...I hope to saute it later and top it with a nice piece of fish. I also got some butter lettuce. Nom nom nom. I loved being around the farmer's market because it is a huge collection of people who provide local, close to farm ingredients to make beautiful and whole meals. I get really giddy when I get to the farmers market because I want them all to succeed. ALL of them! Visit your local Farmers Market!

My 31 things...how am I doing?

Work up to 25 full pushups (I'm working up to it. Realized that this morning when I was doing some of the p90x pushups. OMG)

Track food daily (this is one of the hardest ones, when I'm having an off day - notice I said off, not a bad day - I don't want to track. I don't want to see the mess I've made, but because I believe in the process, I will track each day and even share it with you...gasp, gulp)

Try a new recipe weekly (I feel like i'm always making recipes up, I should maybe post them online)

Blog/tweet update daily (check)

Share my goals with friends (check)

Meditate/journal at least weekly (seriously, why haven't I done this? We have a glorious sunroom JUST for that...I will do it this week)

Take before/current/after pictures (took before, need to take current)

Get 7 hours of sleep (getting it)

Incorporate more weight-training into my schedule (getting it)

Learn one old Turbo Kick round (this is harder than I thought. I'm trying to keep a lot of rounds in my head)

Eat at home more often than out (getting there)

Walk Dolly each day (uh, need to be better)

Celebrate successes not weight based (need to do that)

Run local stairs with friends weekly (check...last week was our off week b/c of the holiday)

Increase outdoor running mileage to 5 miles / run ** I can currently comfortably run 3 miles outside, would like to just get back to running around 5 (getting there...)

Finish reading In Defense of Food and Women Food and God (see journal/meditating)

Try P90x weekly (getting there)

Call/email/text my family daily (stole that from Monica's) (fascinating, I've talked to my family a lot these weeks)

Stop hitting snooze (hopefully getting 7 hours of sleep will help, this is also stolen from Monica) (should've said stop resetting my alarm :))

Go to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays (will try to go on the Sunday one)

Stay committed to health even when on vacation/out of town (see last post)

Park 'n' walk when I go to stores (stole from Crocker, this will be hard when it's hot!) (pretty good at that)

Turn my computer/cell phone off an hour before bed (noticed that I'm doing it earlier)

Set health intentions for the summer and year (need to do)

Say when i'm full and stop eating (that's so hard!) (need to continue doing)
Don't compare myself to others, enjoy my journey for myself (catching myself)

Make weekly menu and meals on Sundays (will do on Sunday)

Finish unpacking our house (UM YEAH!!!!!!!)

Clean/garden weekly (UM YEAAAAAH!)

Encourage and read group members' blogs/tweets/updates each day (one of my favorite things)

Check in with group members to see how they are doing and to update how I'm doing (need to do more - that means you'll probably get an email from me soon :)

31 things challenge: Weekends/Vacations

Seriously, let's be honest, I love vacations. I love beaches. I love rivers. I love hotels. Get me out of my routine and I'm a new person. I'm relaxed. And then I sort of get lax on some of my health commitments. I was surprised that I was able to stick to being healthy on my vacation. I still work up early on Saturday and worked out in the hotel gym. I looked at the menus of the restaurants we were going to. We walked around STL instead of driving. We walked up stairs instead of the elevator. I enjoyed my food in good bites. I didn't track everything I ate. I tried not to feel guilty and I feel like I was able to capture part of the purpose of the challenge for me....enjoy the very moment that I am in. I listened to my body and heard it talk to me quite often.

I was in tears during some of Jill Scott's songs. I watched this woman with beautiful natural hair and some amazing curves and she was thrilled to be alive. I want to be thrilled to be alive...on the weekends and the weekdays. I need to marry the best parts of my weekends and my weekdays...relax, grace + listening to my body and watching what I eat/don't eat and figure out why.

I'm kind of funny

Things that have made me laugh recently:

Driving in STL, I see some letters on top of each other.


I read it out loud as....NOOOOO or NEW...and looked at Kenley kind of confused.

Kenley said...that's the sign for the zoo. The zoo.

Oopsies.

It's storming here in Omaha. I sent an email to the office (from their friendly neighborhood meteorologist) that reminded them to take care in the weather. I get home from the gym and running around in the rain and take a shower. All I could think about was all of the weather and natural disaster warnings that I've heard throughout my life. At one point I wanted to stop, drop and roll and then a huge clap of thunder hit and I got out. I'm pretty sure that you aren't supposed to shower when it's lightning or something.

Funny.

I fell in love....hard

I fell in love hard...with my hair. Seriously. I was nervous that I wouldn't like my hair so I did the following:
• I took the day off after my haircut. Kenley and I were leaving for a much needed vacation on Friday so I needed to take the day off anyway. I was nervous to go out in public, but I was surprised that it was okay.
• I wanted to cut my hair before seeing one of my natural hair inspirations, Jill Scott.
• Purchased some hair products before cutting my hair...I got used to how they felt. And I did a lot of prep by reading some of my favorite blogs.
• Had dreams about my haircut the night before

After I got my hair cut, I rushed home. I needed to see someone's real reaction. Kenley liked it. And I wanted to see for myself in the safety of my bathroom, I didn't just like it, I loved it.