Turning Over a New Leaf...? Maybe.

Happy HUMP day! I am here for a brief while, and then I am off to the gym. I find that I have phases where I work out a lot in the gym, and then other times work out a lot outside. Hey, it works for me so why not. Not sure what the workout will be today, but most likely some running on the treadmill (egh, I know, I know...it's just too damn hot out and I don't feel like pushing 50+ pound stroller either). I'm thinking, since I missed track last night, that I will do a track workout that is TBD. Regardless, I will get in some speedwork, which is always wonderful. Then I'll probably hit some weights, because I've forgotten how much I looooove them. And thennnn I will head out to the pool with the child so he can get some splashing in. Sounds like a rather enjoyable Wednesday evening to me, no?

~~~~~~

The beginnings of my stuffed portabellas

Ooookay. So speaking of turning over leaves, I have been tuning into my diet lately, weeding out bad food, and figuring out what I can literally "stomach" and what I cannot. I've been dabbling in the raw food diet because it not only intrigues me, but I think there's a lot of credibility to the whole idea. I have been definitely eating a lot less red meat, and I feel like it has totally helped my insides settle down. I stick to chicken and fish now, and those in lower amounts as well. According to Dr. Oz (why do I LOVE his show so much?!), only a quarter of your plate should consist of protein, and that is not at every meal. Half of your plate should be fruits/veggies, one quarter protein, and the remaining quarter should be nuts and herbs and whole grains. They actually put a whole bunch of food on a plate to show you what you should be eating, and it looks pretty damn good. Why would people eat anything BUT that?! Also, I have been looking into cancer-fighting foods. If it's possible to actually prevent cancer through the food we eat, it's insane to think that people haven't tackled this before. Apparently, women who eat broccoli or leafy greens twice a week have a 72% less chance of getting breast cancer. Sounds goood, right? It's a fact that Americans are at fault for much of their own sicknesses, obesity, and even cancer. How have we gotten to this - I thought we were a pretty smart nation (HA - that's a subject for another day...) Buying the right foods and thoroughly preparing them for our benefit is the only way to control our health, however, much of society has forgotten that we ARE what we EAT. I'd rather not be a meatball sub...ew.

Do you guys take the time and energy to buy and prepare healthful food? To me, it's FUN to cook and then enjoy it all! Yummmmooooo. What do you make that is exceptionally good and healthy?

~~~~~~~

Happiness Journal

Today I am going to read my book and not feel like I should be doing something else.
Today I am going to have a glass of red wine with dinner!
Today I am going to the gym and LOVING it.

My Own Happiness Project

Hello all!

So, on a quest to create more happiness in my life, I am going to start keeping a "happines journal" that I will add to the end of each of my posts. No longer will I let the people around me bring me down, no longer will I dwell on every little thing in life!

So, it's onward - with a few things each day that I will do to make myself a happy. Just a few small goals to accomplish. Because really...it's the little things in life that we need to revel in.

~~~

Yesterday I ran 3 miles on the 'mill (because it is way too freaking hot here in NM), lifted some weights which felt GREAT, and then took the kiddo swimming. He looooves the water, and splashed around like a maniac, getting me, my sunglasses, and every one in a 3 foot radius soaked. But it was great and I am so happy that he doesn't mind getting dunked. He'll be a super swimmer!

I need new shoes. That's right, I have NOT bought any new running shoes, and it has become a problem. I feel bad forking over the money, but this is one of those things I just need to pony up for, isn't it? Yep. No more excuses. I'd rather not land in a dr's offive due to excruciating knee pain when I knew that I could have prevented it. I'm smarter than this!!!

I want to run another 1/2 marathon, so I think I will sign up for the Chips 'n Salsa 1/2 in September. I would like to better my time of 1:56 in March...the race in which people ran off course, we ran through mud, and got super backed-up which I SWEAR hurt my time!

Okay time to enjoy this nap time, although he will probably wake up soon...

~~~~~~~~

Happiness Journal:

Today I will:

take my son for a walk down by the river
hit up the library to check out a book to learn Swedish!

Do you sometimes fall off the bandwagon of life? I think we all do at times.

I find that I continually fall off the bandwagon. Maybe it's not visible to any one else, but it's glaringly obvious to me. I'm not talking about just the "workout-wagon" either. I'm talking about the life-wagon...in my case, this means: eating right, taking care of my body, making sure the rest of my family is fed well, keeping the house in some sort of order, working hard at anything I do (job, yard work, housework, whatever it is that is important...) maintaining normal adult responsibilities...(i.e. NOT buying a latte that costs 4 bucks and instead putting that money toward our vaca-fund). Sometimes I really have it all together. I feel like I'm doing a great job of getting it all done, but then for some reason I just fall off the wagon. Sometimes it lasts a day, sometimes it lasts a week. Most people on the outside probably don't see it, but I feel it. For example, not wanting to do the laundry. Any of it. Because it is just soooo annoying and I could totally just put it off. Or, it's way too much work to create a delicious dinner of healthy food so why not pull out the cheese and crackers instead? I DO always keep on working out, even if the workout is purely junk...but at least I get it done. But lately, I've been off kilter. Being tired doesn't help because I become cranky and angry at the drop of a pin. :::sigh:::

Any one else feel this way sometimes? It's a constant battle that I believe most people fight, and I have been working on ways to come to terms with, well, my life. Because, HELLO, I have a great life and so does every one else I know! Life has these detours that are actually quite short in the grand scheme of things. Like these child-rearing years. I find myself griping and moaning and groaning about gaining weight, losing weight, wanting to compete, wanting to run fast(er), wanting to lose 5lbs...blah blah you know how it is. In reality, what does it actually MATTER? No one else really gives a damn. And the question we should all ask ourselves during times like these is: "Will all of this really matter in 5 years?" If not, we should get over it and enjoy the moment.

So, today, I have five little things to think about when we think we just can't do it anymore. Some if these ideas come from the book God Never Blinks, by Regina Brett. Now, it is not a religious type book, and I am not what you would call a church-goer...but they are good tips that agnostics and spiritual people alike can relate to.

1 - Life is bumpy (ferociously turbulent, actually) so have fun bouncing along. Bounce off those bumps and enjoy them because, as all things do, they will flatten out eventually.

2 - Stop saving things for a "special occasion". Today is special enough. So drink the expensive wine, wear the nice lingerie, and burn the pricey candles.

3 - Don't compare your insides to every one else's outsides. You have no clue what their journey has been like, and don't think their life is better than yours. The world needs you to be you.

4 - If you are having a doom and gloom day, still get up, get dressed and show up for life. Make no major decisions about career, relationships etc. because you are probably just having an awful day. To which we are entitled, but try not to get stuck in the mud.

5 - Your children (if you have any) only get one childhood so make it memorable. Now is not the time to be selfish. Put the t.v. remote down and go play outside with them.

I plan on reading that book by Regina Brett and jotting her "lessons" down on paper to keep in a spot I can go to when I'm having a rough time. Because honestly, how tough is it really? Sometimes a few words on a notebook page staring back at you is all you need to brighten your day.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm trying to ease my knee pain, or not make it any worse I guess, so today I was on the eliptical for 45 minutes and got some good lifting in for my legs and back. No abs today...don't want to do too many of those. I'm sticking to pilates 3-4 days/week. Below are some pics from during our walk this afternoon (just me and Loges).