Keeping It In Check On The Road

Gary & I leave for our road trip this Saturday!  While I want to enjoy myself tremendously {especially when it comes to food - Oregon has soooo many cheese shops & wineries} I do NOT want to undo all the hard work I've put toward my health the past 7 weeks!

To accomplish this, I've come up with some guidelines for me to follow while on vacation.

• Stay active.  Sightseeing can burn lots of calories when you are doing a majority of it on foot!  On the days we will be doing more driving than exploring I will either hit up the hotel gym or do some cardio in our hotel room {I am bringing my workout clothes and some easy workout equipment}.  Even 20-30 minutes is better than nothing!
• Eat a hearty breakfast.  Personally, I do better throughout the day once I've eaten a good breakfast.  All the hotels we're staying at offer a free breakfast, hopefully offering more than just waffles & pastries.  Which leads to.....
• Bring our own food. All our hotels offer mini fridges & microwaves, so we are loading up a cooler full of healthy snacks to bring with us.  If all else fails and the breakfast sucks, we can enjoy a waffle with our own boiled eggs and kale chips.
• Limit Indulgences.  Yes, I want to try VooDoo Doughnut.  But I don't need to load the cooler full of them, so I can enjoy one for breakfast, lunch AND dinner!
• At times, just IGNORE my guidelines. I think this is the one I will struggle with the most because I tend to have a "do or die" attitude.  I need to remember that we are on vacation for 2 weeks.  I don't need to have a salad or a side of steamed broccoli for every meal {even though these are 2 things I truly love}.  I can stick to my food rules 100% of the time when I get back from vacation.  

***How do you handle eating when on vacation?  Do you stick to normal eating or have the belief "I'm on vacation; I deserve to eat what I want?"***

2012 Goals {Check in #3}

WAAAAY back in January, I set 4 goals for the year.

For the third time this year, I am checking in to evaluate how I have done.

1. Take more time for me.  This month I learned that taking a jog around the neighborhood or lifting weights at the gym NEEDS to count as me time.  I love getting lost in my thoughts as I spend time working on my health.

2. Get back on track health wise - eating.  Ouch.  I need to be honest...I have indulged in too much junk food this month.  I don't know what is wrong with me...as I eat {or drink, because you KNOW Sbux has been involved} what I "shouldn't be" I feel guilty.  I have a million excuses I could spout off, but that is all they are....excuses.  I need to up my game in April.

3. Get back on track health wise - exercise. As bad as I have been with eating, I've kicked ass on this goal.  A few weeks ago, I created a training schedule for my 5k and have followed it about 90% of the time.  But I am making sure to get my workouts in!

4. GO ON VACATION!!  We are still on track for this goal.  I have a million travel guides and magazines on our living room table to help me plan!


My grade this month - B-.  I know that what I put in my body is even more important than exercising, so I MUST figure out what is going on in my head and work towards my goals.  I have some more thoughts on the food thing and will share them with you later this month.

2012 Goals {Check In #2}

Happy Leap Day! 


Since I will be at a conference for my school today through Saturday {yay!}, I thought I would check in a few days early!


In case you have not read about my 2012 goals, here is the link.


Here's how I feel I did for the 29 days in February:

1. Take more time for me.  I'm doing a lot better with this one.  Mostly because I have had a whole week off of work, which gave me plenty of time to do most of the things I wanted to do.

2. Get back on track health wise - eating.  MUCH better this month.  I did a 2 week detox, which I feel helped reset my body. Since then I have been good about 80% of the time.  My goal is to eat well 90% of the time, giving me a little bit of room to splurge!

3. Get back on track health wise - exercise.  Last month I said I was making better decisions, but would not be running a marathon anytime soon.  TRUE, but I DID sign up for my first 5k a last week!!  This has really helped keep me on track with working out daily.  I even made it to the gym for the first time in MONTHS this past weekend!  I will be working on a training schedule next week, which will help me out even more.

4. GO ON VACATION!!  Our goal to go on a vacation this summer is looking positive!  We're putting money aside each month, so as long as no major issues come up {knock on wood} we will be going SOMEWHERE in a few months!

My grade for February: A++!!  I have not been this proud of myself in a long time...I feel like 2012 is really the year I am going to get back to the Mo I used to be {just older & wiser}.

I won't be posting anything else this week...as I mentioned above, I will be at a conference for school employees who are directly involved with school leadership.  Don't feel bad for me - it's in Reno and there's lots of dancing & booze.  But we will also get a lot of ideas and feel overwhelmed trying to fit them into everything else we already do.

I will be on Twitter when I can {follow me}!

Suck My Detox

After stuffing my face indulging a bit too much during the holidays, I knew the scale was not going to be my BFF the first time I stepped on in 2012.  I also knew what I had to do in order to drop those pounds and a few more of their posse.

So I stopped eating lots of crap, upped my activity level and started feeling better about myself.  The only problem was that I still felt, for lack of a better term, icky inside.  Even though I have never been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I know my body thrives when I stay away from gluten.  From July to November I ate a roughly 85% gluten free diet and felt great!  After Turkey Day, all bets were off.

Why didn't someone remind me that the reason for the season is NOT baked goods??

Here are some of the side effects I experienced after going back to gluten:
-Lack of energy
-Acid Reflux {I had to sleep with my wedge pillow waaaaay too much}
-Upset stomach
-Migraines

So last week I decided to try something a little different...I am doing a detox on my body.  I need to lose weight, but more importantly, fix my innards <---Could that sound any more gross??

Since Monday, my diet has consisted of greens & lean protein.  I am kicking out carbs and sugar for 4 weeks!  I do still have my daily cup of coffee with stevia, mostly to protect my coworkers from the crazy biatch I can be without caffeine in my system.  As of today I have been doing a stellar job...my only non-stellar moment was a seriously tiny piece of TJ's dark chocolate bar - I had a 2 day headache from detoxing and, unknown at the time, a visit from Aunt Flo.  I made that piece last through 3 bites and savored each one.  My headache was gone within 2 hours....chocolate is magical!

Now, I have planned cheat meals into my 4 week detox.  This Saturday, for instance, Gary & I are going to dinner and a hockey game with 2 friends we haven't seen in way too long.  This will be a night full of shenanigans, so I am totally okay with having 2 3 more drinks than I really should.

The sad part of the detox to me is that I won't have many great recipes to share.  My meals are what the general public may call "boring."  Of course I spice them up as much as I can, but I will not be serving them to Oprah next time she stops by for dinner.  I DO have a dessert recipe in the works for a special holiday coming up that rhymes with Malentine's Ray...bet you can't wait to be surprised!  :)

On a lighter note, it was Homecoming week at my school.  Here are 2 of my favorite dress up days so far:

Mismatch Day

Era Day - I chose the 80's

PINK PINK & more PINK

 So, in rad 80's style: Have a totally tubular Friday, dudes & dudettes!!

2012 Goals {Check In #1}

On January 1st I set my goals for 2012.  Since I really want to stick to them, I thought it would help for me to revisit them at the end of each month and share my progress.

In case you need a reminder of my goals, here they are.

And here's how I feel I am doing:

1. Take more time for me.  Honestly, this is the one I struggle with the most.  But I have been able to finish 2 books I started after Christmas, so this shows me I am taking a bit more time for myself than last year.


2. Get back on track health wise - eating.  Easier than I thought it would be...at times.  When I am good, I am GOOD.  When I am bad, I am BAD!  But I am making much better choices overall.

3. Get back on track health wise - exercise. I am killing it on this one!!  Gary & I are taking Sasha for walks at least 4 times a week and trying to go for a LONG walk {just the two of us} once a week.  Will I be running a marathon anytime soon?  No, but I am making better decisions.  Instead of driving to the Redbox that is a little less than a mile from us, we walk to get and drop off movies.  In the past that would have never happened.  I am also working with my resistance bands and doing other toning exercises at least twice a week.  GO MO!!

4. GO ON VACATION!!  My goal is for us to take a vacation this summer, and we are saving money to do this.  It has been tough and money is tight, but I truly believe that it is important to travel and get out of your regular routine a few days a year.  Our vacation may not be luxurious, but it WILL happen!

Overall, I give myself an A- for this month.  I really need to work on the relaxing and being more selfish with my time.  I can honestly say that this is the 1st year I have stuck with my goals, and I know it's because I am blogging about my life.  Blogging has been my biggest motivator to keep up with my goals and keep myself accountable.  So thank you all for reading about my crazy, mostly boring, life!

Keeping Man's Best Friend Healthy During Winter

I love my dog Sasha more than anything, so making sure she stays healthy is one of my top priorities.

Living in California means we do not have to deal with snow, but the temperature can dip pretty low and we sometimes deal with a lot of ice in the Central Valley.

I'm Sasha...Thank you for reading Mom's blog!

Here are some tips from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  on how to keep your pup {and felines, if you are a cat lover} healthy & safe until Spring:

1. Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife. 
2. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape. 
3. Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm, dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags. 
4. Thoroughly wipe off your dog's legs and stomach when he comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. He can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking his paws, and his paw pads may also bleed from snow or encrusted ice. 
5. Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear. 
6. Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death. 
7. Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself. 
8. Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him, and his fur, in tip-top shape. 
9. Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information. 
10. Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.

Another thing Gary & I have to do is make sure Sasha is getting enough activity during these months.  She is an inside dog while we are at work, so she's not able to run off extra energy during the day.  We try to make up for this by taking her for regular walks to a local park where she can run around and by dropping her off at Doggy Day Care {aka my parents} to run around their huge yard at least once a week.

I'm such a lucky dog!

***Please note, I am NOT a dog expert, I just happen to have one of the sweetest, most loving dogs ever living with me, so I do my best to be a good dog mommy!  Ask your vet for REAL advice!!***

****Any other suggestions as to keeping your animal healthy & safe this winter?

Back To Normal

So it ends...I have enjoyed 3 weeks off of work, which has given me plenty of time to clean house, catch up with family & friends and relax as much as possible!

I have spent the first part of today running to the store to pick up some last minute grocery items, doing laundry {does it ever end?} and prepping all my veggies for the week.  I have found that the easiest way to stick to my meal plan is to chop up all my vegetables on Sunday.  It makes it really hard to come home after a stressful day at work and not make my planned meal when half the work is already done.

I also tried a new breakfast recipe from a new Paleo cookbook I bought last week and will share that with you later this week.

Hope your weekend is great!  We are off for a walk to the park with Sasha.

Hello 2012!

How did I spend NYE?  At home, in my pajamas, with Gary & Sasha, watching movies.  I got my midnight smooch near the end of The Princess Bride {"as you wish"} and shortly after the movie, we went to bed.  That's what I call living it up!

Of course the new year means it's time for people to look over their lives with a fine-tooth comb and figure out how they can be a better them.

This year, I am keeping it simple.

My goals for 2012 are easy:

1. Take more time for me.  Whether it be a hot bath, or reading an extra chapter or 2 in my current novel, I need to make more time for the things that comfort my soul.  Yes, this may mean my house is a little more cluttered than normal, but that's okay {sometimes...I still have to battle my Type A- personality on this}.

2. Get back on track health wise - eating.  In 2011, I lost a much needed 30 pounds, only to gain about 7 of them back between October 31 and December 31.  I know what I need to do to lose those 7 pounds PLUS more.  My plan is to get back on my diet of high quality proteins and produce, cutting out most empty carbs {a girl needs a salted caramel mocha from Sbux once in awhile}.

3. Get back on track health wise - exercise. Gary & I have both committed to being better dog parents to Sasha by making sure she gets a good walk in every day and we've been doing this since a few days before Christmas.  I also found some good interval style exercises that I can do at home or at the park while we are walking Sasha.  This is a goal I will need to reevaluate as the months go by, making it more challenging.

4. GO ON VACATION!!  The last vacation Gary and I took {more than an overnight stay somewhere} was in July 2008.  Sadly, money has been too tight the past few years to go anywhere.  This year {knock on wood} things are a little different and we are already saving money toward a trip.  Where are we going to go?  We have a few ideas, but will know more once Spring rolls around.

So there you have it...my 2012 goals {I despise the word "resolution"}.

**What are YOUR goals for 2012?**

Hello Blogesphere!!

Hello and welcome to my 1st blog post. How exciting!

I have wanted to start a blog for quite awhile, but for some reason have been too nervous to do so.  Well, not anymore.  I have spent the past year researching and learning about all aspects of health and nutrition.  In the process I have lost 30 pounds and am hoping to lose about 30-40 more.

While I do not want to stereotype this blog into one topic, I will probably focus on health 90% of the time.  The other 10%, you ask?  Well, a girl's got to have fun and splurge sometimes!

Thanks for reading my 1st (hopefully of many) post!  :)