I'm not M.I.A

I'm not missing... just a little busy! haha... I was doing so well with my blog and then started having some allergy/sinus problems and then took a small trip with a friend and my blog was put to the side for a bit....

First.... I'm not quite finished with Insanity. I should be almost done, but because of the aforementioned reasons, as well as some other issues (my body is still adjusting to changing my diet I guess, so I was getting some serious stomach cramps--- sorry--- might be TMI..haha....).... I am repeating the weeks that I slacked on, so I'm going to finish a few days later than scheduled. I would rather finish later than not at all :)

My little trip was with a friend that is relocating for her fiance to finish grad school. She is trying to get a job out there so we made the 8 hour drive for her to partake in a few interviews and also to line out everything for their apartment before they move in August. The 16+ hours in the car gave us lots of time to discuss and plan her Summer 2013 wedding though! You know me--- party planning is my favorite! While we were in Kansas, I tried some new things. We ate at Henry T's and also at Freddy's, and we also shopped at The World Market. All three were really neat! I didn't buy much--- just two candy bars from overseas. I could have spent some serious money in that store though! I'm looking forward to going back!

Since my last post, I've been keeping up on the running, researching more about what I am putting into my body, and continuing on with my lifestyle change. Tonight, I did something that I NEVER though I would do.... I ran FIVE straight miles...no breaks... I completed in 53:24.... Seriously?!?! I ran for almost an hour! Never in my life did I dream that I would do that! I remember fighting so hard in high school to complete just ONE measly little mile and tonight I did FIVE! I remind myself that it's not the speed that matters....it's completing it that does! No matter how slow I go, I'm lapping everyone that is sitting on their couch! 
When I finally stopped the run to complete the cool down, my legs felt just like rubber or jello, and I have some serious chafing under one arm. I iced my legs right away, and put some vaseline on the chafe. I'm going to look into some Body Glide and into getting some new sports bras and tanks.... I admit... I'm cheap and $40+ for a sports bra just seems ridiculous, but if it prevents chafing, I'll go for it!

I've looked up several mini marathons and have 3 options for the fall. I'm really hoping to be ready by Sept-Oct.

I mentioned that I'm researching more about the foods that I am putting into my body... .Have you really ever researched the ingredients in food labels or the dyes that we use here in the US??!?! I'm planning to blog about some of this... It's quite scary! I haven't gone to a complete raw food/natural diet, but I'm trying to cut out as much processed foods and JUNK as possible. Having a picky eater for a husband, and one that also LOVES fast food..... It's quite difficult to change what we are eating around here, but I'm trying. When he wants fast food, I pick a salad usually. Checking the calorie counts on fast food is quite concerning as well! I have not had McD's sandwiches since December 30, 2011. I do eat their chicken nuggets and salads with chicken, but I haven't had a burger or chicken sandwich from there since December.... I haven't had many sandwiches like that from any fast food place really.... I have a few here a there (from a local hamburger joint or from Steak N Shake...but not from other fast food places), but nothing like what I was consuming at this time last year. Working just over a hill from a McD's made that place very convenient for lunch!

OK... I'm worn out tonight and have our big Whisker's Walk with the students at school tomorrow, so I should be heading to bed! Until next time....

How Pinteresting...

Some of the first things that I started pinning were recipes. These have been around at least the 9 months+ that I've been on it, so I'm sure you've seen them too.

Biscuits in a pan with butter and brown sugar with just a bit of cinnamon... love them!

Ham and Swiss sliders... I didn't care for the mustard sauce, but Cam loved it!

Hawaiian Chicken... Chicken in the crockpot with a can of crushed pineapple and BBQ sauce... Easy and delicious!

Hot Cocoa in the crock pot... This was the thickest and grossest hot cocoa I've ever had.

Pumpkin dip made with pudding, pumpkin and cool whip. Not what I expected it to taste like. It was good though...but it makes A LOT!

Snack mix that I made for my students at Halloween. They loved it!

How Pinteresting....

At the beginning of 2011, I taught a 12 week maternity leave in a first grade classroom. Here are some things from Pinterest that I used, and that worked!

This is a poem about starting a new year. I gave each child an eraser to remind them that it's OK to make mistakes. Laffy Taffy to remind them of the laughs we would have. Smarties to remind them of how smart they are and how much they will learn. The above poem uses a pencil, but I added a 2011 penny to remind them that it was a new year with new things to learn. They also got a sticker to remind them that we needed to stick together in our class.... Each student got a little bag filled with these things and a copy of the poem.

Post Workout Snacks

After an intense workout or run, it's important to replenish your body with fluids and nutrients. Here are some good snacks to grab within the first 30 minutes of a good workout.



• Bread, a bagel, or an English muffin with cheese or peanut butter

• Dried fruit and nuts

• Cottage cheese with fruit

• Fruit juice with cheese

• Yogurt with fruit

• Veggie omelet with toast or roll

• Chocolate milk

• Cereal with milk

• Eggs and toast

• Turkey, ham, chicken, or roast beef sandwich

• Vegetable stir-fry with chicken, shrimp, edamame or tofu

• Crackers with low fat cheese

• Rice or popcorn cakes with nut butter

• Smoothie (with milk, yogurt, or added protein powder)

• A protein or energy bar

• A protein or energy shake

• Pancakes and eggs

• Any regular meal that contains lean protein, starch, and vegetables

Source



I usually grab a 1/2 peanut butter sandwich and a glass of chocolate milk. What's your post workout snack?

When the dog bites...when the bee stings...

Here are some of my favorite things that I cannot live without...



Salon Grafix Shaping Hair Spray
This is from Wal-Mart and I think it's $4-5 (fits into a part-time teacher, full-time wife budget!)
I've been an Aqua Net girl for years, but used a few sprays of this at mom's house and it was added to my shopping list that day! This spray helps my bangs stay in place and helps hold flyaways back, but still allows movement.
Love it! Smells amazing!!!!




Remember I said that I try not to wash my hair every day?
This is a product (again, from Wal-Mart for $4-5) that helps me go longer without washing....
Don't judge me--- my goal used to be 3 days between washes.....before Insanity.  (I said don't JUDGE! Quit thinking about how gross you think that is! haha) Once my hair is straightened the styled, it looks better as time goes on.... I hate washing it every day.





I have looked all over for shorts that I like running in. I wasn't having any luck. Shorts that are long and baggy are so uncomfortable for me... ones that are tight ride up my large thighs.... one that have build in briefs do not even interest me... I don't like ones with big seems between the legs..... So after trying on probably 20 pair of shorts in the past 2 weeks, I found these... Swimsuit cover-up shorts from TARGET! (Don't you just love that store!) They were about $15 and come in 4 colors. I got this color (totally 80s, right?) and black. I wore them on my run Saturday and really liked them. They are short enough to still give my legs some sun, but not so short that the people in town will see more than they paid for. I really like them!!!

  


Fuel Belt Speed Runner's Waistpack
This was a gift from my sister and I love it. It holds my keys, phone, chapstick, some money and some tissues. It fits snuggly on my back (That's where I prefer it..some prefer it in the front??) and doesn't bounce around when I run.
Love, Love, Love!

OP Racerback Tanks from Walmart
These are $4 a piece in the store and come in a variety of color and pattern. (I only wear the solid color.) I was running in the Mossimo long and lean tanks from Target until I realized that the tank top had normal straps in the back, so I was getting 4 horrible tan lines across my back. These tanks aren't as soft, but they don't give me any problems. I really like that the racerback lines up perfectly with my sports bra. No extra lines.

 

How Pinteresting...

I've been on Pinterest for about 8 months I think... It was a true addiction at first, but it's passing... I remember when my brother told me it was something that I needed to join, I didn't take him seriously...... when he finally convinced me, I was on it for hours at a time! It was better then, before everyone knew my secret, and before it got so messy and full of junk....

Anyway, I have 2400 pins (+ 300 likes that I did before I really understood what I was doing!) I was recently on someone's blog that was doing the "Oh, How Pinteresting Wednesday" and I thought I would join!

Today will be an "Awwww" day!

I see some of these phrases decorating my home in the near future!

How about you? What have you found Pinteresting lately?

Skinny? No.. Healthy... Staying Positive

If you've been following my Insanity challenge, you may have read that I'm not taking any measurements... I may regret it later, but right now... I'm happy with my choice.

I didn't start this challenge to lose weight. (I'm a decent weight for my height and body build.) I started it to get healthy and to change my lifestyle. Instead of joining a fad diet and making drastic changes overnight, pushing myself for X amount of days and then giving up, only to gain back everything that I had lost..... I'm making changes.

I'm not getting caught up in numbers... Insanity is not a weight loss workout. It's a high-intensity cardio workout that is body changing. It builds muscle and tones what is there. I'm not interested in how many pounds I lose or pant sizes that I go down. I'm interested in gaining muscle, toning trouble zones, feeling confident and living a healthy life.

I got on my Wii Fit last week and it actually told me that I haven't lost any weight in the past 5 weeks...... I first thought, "What! This is crazy! I should have lost SOMETHING!"    I quickly changed my thought. It's not about what I'm LOSING during this challenge. It's about what I'm GAINING.  Weight is just number...

Being healthy is so much more important.

It does feel a little discouraging now... but I think I'll feel fully satisfied in 27 days.... (27 days?!?! WOW!!) 

The weekend was a little discouraging for me, to be completely honest. I found out Friday evening that two possible job openings we had assumed would be opening up in my corporation were just that--- assumed. As of now, there won't be any new hires. (THAT crushed me!) That night, I went to the recital for the dance studio that I used to dance in. I cry every time that I see dancing (recitals, movies, half-time shows...ANYTHING!)  because it reminds me how much I miss that feeling of being in that spotlight....my heart racing in my chest...proudly showing what I've worked so hard on.... so, you can probably guess that I sat during the recital with tears in my eyes several times... Then Saturday, I went shopping for some new workout clothes. I was washing the same workout clothes over..and over..and over again. It was time to add to the collection. As I stood in the dressing room, the image in the mirror still wasn't what I want to see. I saw some improvement, but those Target mirrors made me feel bigger than I'm felt in a several weeks (Aren't dressing rooms supposed to make you look skinny!?!?!?!) I started to let that feeling overwhelm me but tried to quickly get out of that rut and remind myself of the changes I'm making and the future before me. I'm not wanting to be a stick with no meat on my body, weak as can be.... I want to be proud of a healthy and strong body.  I'm getting there. It's not going to happen overnight by doing it the RIGHT way.... It's not a fad diet.. I'm not starving my body of nutrients that it needs...It's a lifestyle change.

I will admit that I didn't make the best food choices this weekend either and slacked off on the workout for two days... (And boy could I tell it on Monday!)  I feel awful about doing it and about letting my emotions get the best of me... But we all need a cheat day (or two) here and there, right?  I'm back into it and trying to stay on the right track again.... Being a girl, with emotions, can be tough sometimes....

OMG...Month 2 Day 1

OMG is exactly how I would discribe the Max Interval Circuit in Month 2...(haha...the slang kids use these days cracks me up!) I don't mean to discourage anyone from trying Insanity....but today was the closest I've come to crying...giving up...throwing in the towel....and saying it's just too hard......

The Max Interval Circuit is almost an hour long.... yes, an HOUR! I saw that 59:00+ come up on the clock and wanted to turn it off right away.... I'll be honest with ya... it sucks! No more sugar coating it... It sucks! It flat out sucks! : )   I took numerous breaks... had more sweat than I knew what to do with....aching muscles (arms and butt were on FIRE!)...you name it, it hurt... (and I'm suffering from sore shins from my new running schedule... as well as a sore ankle from a bad step I took on Thursday)

But... I completed Max Interval Circuit!  

Insanity is starting to kick my boo-tay!  But I cannot be a failure.. I've been so public with this challenge and made a promise to myself that I would complete it... I cannot give up NOW! I only have 27 days left!  I'm staying determined and dedicated to this challenge... Today was hard, but I cannot fail.....I would fail just because I gave up! It's not going to happen! 

This same workout is done 5 more times, and it's the longest of any in month 2. The others range from 55 minutes down to 33 minutes. If I survived an hour today, I can survive the rest of month 2...

Wish me luck!


***Edited to add: I woke up the morning after Day 1- Month 2 with a whole new level of soreness. The Taebo-like punches that are added into the Max Interval Circuit have my back really sore....but sore is good. It means that I worked something!

Perfect life?

I was recently visiting with an old high school friend whom I hadn't seen in 5 years. We had only a few minutes to visit and tried to fill each other in quickly on changes and updates. He mentioned that he had seen that we had bought a house and then said, "I'm sure your life is perfect like normal." I laughed out loud and said, "Perfect?!?! I don't have a job!" We chatted a bit more and when he walked away, my mind went spinning in a million different directions....


Perfect? Perfect?!?!  Perfect?!?!!??!?!  Do people really think that I live a perfect life?

I began to analyze my life and how people have treated me. Things started to make sense. From the outside, my life could be seen as "perfect."  In high school, I was thin, on the dance team, intelligent, top 10 of my class, etc etc etc...  I graduated college with nearly a 4.0 in less than 4 years, got married and bought a cute little house.... I've talked to people that I graduated with since we've been adults and have actually been told that I'm really nice.... they always thought I was snotty or stuck up. Those comments blew me away. I talked to everyone in high school and did my best to get to know people, not judge them.

Here's the truth of my life: I lost many of my friends in/after high school for stupid things that came between our group. I was often made fun for different things: not drinking, staying a virgin until my wedding, not partying, my crooked teeth, the guys that I dated, and so on. After getting married, Cam and I lived in a tiny apartment with a roommate for nearly a year before getting lucky and finding this house. We basically lived in one room and fought constantly because of it. We spent so much on a down payment (drained our savings) that we cannot afford to finish the inside like we want and buy some real furniture. All of our living room furniture has been given to us. (Luckily, Cam's parents had purchased a bedroom and dining room set for us before we got married.) Because of Cam's heart condition, we constantly have bills coming in. He catches every bug that I bring home from school and he has some other health issues. My car was given to me by my parents when they upgraded (very grateful!). The hood has lost about 1/4 of it's paint. It has died many times while I'm driving. It occassionally won't start for 'no reason at all' and it has a squeak in the back. I'm afraid to have many of these problems checked out because the estimates will probably make me cry. Last, but certainly not least, we are not able to start trying for a family until I get a teaching job... The thing that I want most in this life is to feel what it is like to be pregnant and be a mommy. We've already waited two years and will continue to wait until I get a career. I've been out of school 2 1/2 years and have been busting my butt, paying on school loans with what little income I have, and just waiting..... waiting...waiting...waiting...

As Cam and I talked about that comment later that evening, he added that to outsiders, it looks as though he can support us and I don't have to work! Ha! I laugh... There are times that I cringe as I write out bills. Just because a school doesn't call me to sub that day doesn't mean that I don't have to work. It means that we make sacrifices to try and keep my foot in the door to hopefully get a job soon...

This is really what people call a 'perfect' life?!?! Really? Don't get me wrong--- I've been spared a lot of heartache in my life and have had a great 24 years... but I would say that it's far from perfect!

I believe this is a lesson on "don't judge a book by its cover."

20 minutes a day

I'll be honest and say that I was one of   'those'  people that used to say that I didn't have time to workout... What a crock! 1440 minutes in a day and I 'didn't have time'...

I'll admit that it's sometimes difficult to schedule a workout, but it IS possible. I've said before that Insanity creates a pool of sweat and it's not something that I want to do before work (I'm a shower at night kind of gal) so it can be difficult to squeeze it in around work, cooking/dinner, family, errands, etc.... but it can be done! I'm making it a priority and making it work. You can do the same! If you are a calendar/planner type of person, write it IN... make a time for it and don't stray away from the schedule. You are important and need to make exercising a priority for you. Don't be afraid to ask family/friends for help if you have little ones. You may need a driver for them to get to practice or your husband may have to start dinner.

Since I've started walking and running as well, fitting everything is can be a challenge, but sometimes I just have to give up a few things to make it work, even if that means a favorite show on TV, or getting all dolled up for a night out. Last night, my family planned to go bowling. (Forgot my camera! I'll have to get some from my mom and my sister.) I got home from running errands and had about 45 minutes before we had to leave for the bowling alley. I know a 2 mile run takes me about 20 minutes (I may not be fast, but I'm lapping everyone sitting on the couch! haha), so that would leave me 25 to shower and get ready. Sounded like a challenge, and I was up for it. Much to my surprise...I fit it in! Didn't get my hair fixed like I normally would have or my make-up perfect, but I fit it all in! I used 20 minutes to get in a workout!

Make time for you! Yesterday, you said you'd start tomorrow. Get started!

My Reasons to Workout

If you're on Pinterest, you may have seen these posters floating around. I had pinned a few here and there, but hadn't gone through the entire collection until Sunday. (Yes, there's a lot!) The posters range in reasons from not getting taken down by asthma, to beating the boys, to having confidence... There really is a reason for everyone. I pinned about 60-70 of them, but found these three that were the most meaningful.

I'm only 24. There's no reason to be as weak as I was. If I let it go,

what would I have been like in my 30s, 40s, 50s!?!?

Hiding behind sweatshirts, baggy pants and 'mom-jeans' is over!

This may seem silly to anybody else, but I've always seen girls jogging with such confidence in just shorts and a sports bra. Nothing jiggles, nothing is spilling over the top of anything... perfectly fit and proud of it. I've always wanted to do that!

What are your reasons for working out???

Check out the "Reasons to be Fit" page and see what you can find for yourself!

Realistic Goals

For me, one important thing when exercising and eating right is to set realistic goals. I know that I will never have the body I had at 18. I may be able to slim down, tighten and tone, but my hips have spread a little since high school. My husband says they are making room for babies! haha  I have saddlebags on my outer thighs that I am working on, but my hips are still wider.

My main goal in all of this is to feel confident in the clothes I'm wearing. Before I started in April, I was so embarrassed of what I had let my body become that I was wearing sweatpants and high-waisted jeans to cover up my love handles and muffin top. My thighs had me so embarrassed that the thought of wearing shorts disgusted me! My goal is to get back the confidence I once had to wear the trendy clothes and not feel like I have to cover up what's trying to hang out! I have a few pair of shorts and pants that I want to fit back into for the summer.

If you're trying to make your fitness goals, here the guidelines to making S.M.A.R.T goals:

S - Specific:


•You must state your goal as specifically as possible.
•Try to put as much decision work into your goal now.
•Set the goal “lose 20 pounds” instead of “lose weight”.
•But you can do even better. Try “Lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and reducing sugar and portion size”.
•Have your goal be like an instruction telling you what to do.

M - Measurable:

•You need to have a way to measure progress.
•Progress will feel good and measuring will keep you from cheating. The goal “lose 20 pounds” can be measured by a scale.
•Produce evidence for your progress. If your goal is to “reduce stress” create a stress measure for yourself like the number of times you get upset everyday.
•Keep a log and record each stressful reaction.

A - Attainable:

•Your goal should be meaningful to you. It should be set by you, not someone else.
•The goal should be inspiring enough that it motivates you to success. If you are not determined to meet your goal, obstacles will be very difficult to overcome.
•If your doctor says, “lose weight” and your wife says, “lose weight” but you are not inspired by this, find another goal that also improves your health while you try to find a way to become inspired about weight loss.

R - Realistic:

•Goals should be ambitious, but not impossible.
•Do not set yourself up for failure.
•Choose a goal that you are confident you can reach, but that will stretch yourself also.
•Break large goals into smaller goals.
•Create a plan to do all the steps you need.

T – Time Based :

•When will you finish your goal?
•You need to choose a time, the sooner the better.
•Saying “I will lose 20 pounds in 3 months” is good, but saying “I will lose an average of 2 pounds every week for 10 weeks” is better.

Write your goal:

Now really think about your goal. Finish the following sentence, write it down and put it somewhere you can see it.

I will [your goal here] by [how you will do the goal]. I will know I am making progress because [how you will measure the goal] [time goes here].

For example: I will lose 20 pounds by increasing my exercise to 4 times a week and cutting back on sugar and portion size. I will know I am making progress because I will lose 2 pounds a week for ten weeks.

Source



See a goal. Write it down. Make yourself accountable!

Bloggin'

Wow. I cannot believe how easy it is to keep a blog more up-to-date when I have something interesting to write about! haha   I've started blogging several entries at a time and scheduling them to post on a certain day. It's so helpful! I never imagined my personal blog would include so much about fitness and health.... Lifestyle change!



Today is day 32 of Insanity.... Did YOU do that math? I did! I'm more than 1/2 way done! WHOOOO! I cannot believe how much my body is changing! I'm watching (and feeling) my waistline shrink... seeing my clothes fitting better... gaining more stamina in activities... It really is awesome! I cannot wait to see what Month 2 has in store, but I'm quite scared at the same time. I did a sneak peek at a couple of the videos.... Bad mistake! I'm nervous!! It looks much tougher!    But I am DETERMINED to complete it!

This week I am in the "Recovery Week." This is supposed to be a week to let my muscles relax, but instead I'm hitting it hard in the walking/running category. (Counterproductive? Maybe??) Sunday, I jogged the furthest I've ever done in my life--- 2 full miles without a single break! Monday, I jogged another 2 miles, but then walked 9 miles....... NINE MILES! I couldn't believe it. I'm using the "MapMyRun" app on the iPod. It's so neat!! It shows speed, distance, route, etc.   

I'm learning that the feeling after a good walk/jog/workout is almost an addiciton. I now know what people were talking about it. It's such a good feeling and I never want it to end!

Half of those nine miles was with my friend, Amber. We were walking around a local park and got caught in a down pour when we were about 1.5 miles from our cars. We found shelter under a big tree and waited it out.... we were still quite wet, though!

The other half was with my cousin, Megan. I was in town eating dinner with a friend (and her girls) when I got a text from her asking if I wanted to walk. I couldn't turn down exercise with someone. That's the key for me! We walked more around town and got in some good conversation, like normal! : ) It felt so good to see 11 miles completed in one day! My body was sore the next day, but that just means that I worked hard! (I did take Tuesday and Wednesday off from walking/running.)


What I am finding to be most helpful is having accountability partners. Not only do I have a calendar helping me to stay on track with Insanity (and a husband that is so proud of me for every day that I complete), but I also have 3 women that I walk with and 1 that I jog with. It helps me stay motivated and interested (I HATE walking by myself)....and it's a great social time. It's like free therapy sometimes!

If you're having a hard time staying engaged in a workout, ask a friend to join you! Push each other!

Reading labels

Reading food labels can make a difference while grocery shopping. If you've been following my lifestyle change, you know that one of my biggest struggles is chocolate milk (or any sweet snack) before bed. I've been trying to wean myself off of the late night snack, and making some adjustments along the way. One of the biggest things that I did to help was change the chocolate I was using. I had previously been buying the original chocolate syrup.... 100 calories per serving. That doesn't sound too bad, until you compare it to the sugar free!  

Hershey's Chocolate Syrup: 100 calories in 2 Tbsp.
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Lite: 45 calroies in 2 Tbsp
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup Sugar Free: 15 calories in 2 Tbsp.

85 calories each night    x   5 nights a week (average)    x   4 weeks a month   =  1700 calories I'm saving a month by changing the chocolate syrup that I use. This put things in more of a perspective:

What to know about reading labels:

Always check the serving size first. You may be surprised at how big or small it is. Sometimes the calorie content sounds great until you realize how few chips/cookies/slices/etc you get.

You want low fats, cholesterol and sodium, but high fiber and vitamins.

Check this out from the American Heart Association. It breaks down all of the "labels" that foods can put on their foods make you purchase it. Sugar Free doesn't mean it doesn't contain sugar... It means that each serving has less than .5 grams of sugar. It explains fat, cholesterol, fiber, and sodium. It's worth reading.

Here are some guidelines that they provide:

•“Free” means a food has the least possible amount of the specified nutrient.
•“Very Low” and “Low” means the food has a little more than foods labeled “Free.”
•“Reduced” or “Less” mean the food has 25 percent less of a specific nutrient than the regular version of the food.

Reading labels makes shopping trips last longer,

but it is worth it! Read the labels a few times and then you will know what you want/need from then on. Happy reading!

Motivation

On Pinterest, I saw an idea a while back for putting $1 in a jar for each workout that you complete.... This is working so well for me!  I keep the jar right next to where I workout and I even keep a few dollars next to it. (When I break a bigger bill, I stock up on the ones so that I don't have to drop in an IOU.) I look forward to completing my workout and dropping my dollar into the jar. I know roughly how much is in there, but not exactly.

I add $1 for each workout I do, not for each day that I do it. If I fit two into one day (a run and Insanity), I pay myself $2. I hope to buy myself some new workout clothes with the money when it gets to about $100. Now that I'm active, I know what kind of gear I want, but just need the money to get it.

Maybe this is an idea for an incentive that will work for you! It sure works for me. I've never enjoyed putting money in a jar so much before! 

If you're looking for motivation, rewarding yourself with fatty or sugary foods after a good workout is not a good choice.

I've had to fight this same thing with my husband. He craves Blizzards from DQ and is always wanting to go get one. He often says, "You worked hard today. You deserve a Blizzard."

I really have to fight the urge to agree!

What's your motivation? What's your reward?

Grandpa....

"A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart."

 

Today would be my grandpa's 90th birthday if he was still with us....He's been gone almost 11 years, but I think of him every day and miss him like crazy.

In the past two years or so, I've noticed that I'm getting a cluster of silver hair at the edge of the left side of my head, right where my hair parts. I can't help but think of my grandpa when one of those silver hairs catches the light as I'm getting ready in the morning. He had the most beautiful silvery white hair and was complimented on it often.

I miss him every day and wish Cameron could have met him. I cannot wait to have a son one day and name him after one of the best men that I've ever known.