Before&After

Losing weight. It has been something on my mind for years. I knew I needed to lose weight. I knew I wanted to lose weight. I like working out, I adore healthy foods....so what was missing?

I'll begin this story with our move to the incredible state of Oregon. One of the many reasons we decided to move here was so my stress level could be relieved by not having to work as much. That was not doable in California, where we both were working full time and still barely able to stay afloat. We moved to Oregon at the end of July 2011, and on August 1st, I began a new commitment. This commitment was something I had tried before, numerous times: work out in order to lose weight. But the difference here is that I had time to focus on myself, on doing whatever it took to drop this ugly extra weight. Never before in my married life, or even since graduating high school 12 years ago did I remember having this much free time to myself. What a blessing. My commitment began fairly simply, in hindsight. It was to work out for 45 minutes 5 times a week. I joined a gym, and began keeping track of what I was doing each day. From there, my wonderful mother bought me 3 sessions with a personal trainer. My trainer was able to assess my goals and current body weight/shape and tailor a workout for me. During my first month at the gym, I broke out of my "shy/unsure shell" and tried a few of their group exercise classes. I am SO glad I did. Once my workout with my trainer was set and I discovered the classes I liked, I had a perfect 5 day schedule. In a typical week, it looks like this:

Monday: 45 minutes of strength training (the regime set up by my trainer, which involves toning my core and lifting weights to focus on different parts of my body). This is followed by 30 minutes on the Elliptical machine, done in 2 1/2 minute x 30 second intervals. 

Tuesday: 45 minutes of strength training. This is followed by 30 minutes on the Elliptical machine, done in 2 1/2 minute x 30 second intervals. 

Wednesday: 60 minutes of Zumba. (And may I just put in a personal plug for this incredible class...I have two of the best teachers who are passionate about what they do, play current party hits during class, and who have totally turned my inability to think dancing is fun and is something I am capable of doing around to where I look forward to shakin' it with them each week.) Here's a video of one of my instructors teaching a group of people.

Thursday: 45 minutes of strength training. 60 minutes of Pilates, which focuses on strengthening and elongating your body by using your core muscles (stomach, back, upper legs). 

 

Friday: 60 minutes of Zumba. 

By the end of November I had lost 14 pounds, which was exciting and great and felt good...but after 4 months of exercising regularly for 5 days a week when I had been doing no consistent exercise before, I was beginning to get a bit discouraged that the weight wasn't coming off fast enough. It was at this point that Brian and I decided to give the Paleo Diet a try. My dear sister Rachel had done Paleo for a time and was very successful at losing a chunk of weight (I'm SO proud of her!!). She told me over and over how easy it was to be on Paleo, how her cravings for unhealthy foods seemed to stop, and how good she felt overall. With Brian by my side, we committed to try Paleo for the month of December. Making a major dietary change during the holidays was SO good for us. Although we had a few days around Christmas where we cheated one too many times, we jumped back on the wagon quickly. There are so many good things I could say about Paleo, which I will save for another time. After 6 weeks on the diet , I had lost 10 pounds and B had lost 7. Not to mention we felt great. We have decided to continue with our new lifestyle, and although I spend hours in the kitchen cutting veggies, and am eating way more meat than I ever anticipated I would, we are so happy with the results. Here are my before and after photos. Although there is lots more work to be done, I am so proud of the results thus far.

My 2011

Let me start by saying Happy New Years to you! (Yes, you.) I joyfully rang in 2012 last night with my husband by my side, listening to two great local Portland bands, under a shower of black and silver balloons, and with a sip of champagne to toast the newness that is now here. As 2012 has been rapidly approaching (where did December go...!?) I have been feeling extremely contemplative. This year has been a biggie for me in many regards, and I struggle with how to best convey my feelings on this blog. I hesitate because I don't want to sound trite, or sound as if what I am about to write holds no meaning to me...you know, just words on a page. Rather it is the total opposite. You see, I don't write frequently on this blog because when I do write, it takes time, and it comes from the deepest place within me. How does one recap an entire year, a year which at times seemed to drag on for too long, and at other times seemed to race by without me knowing it? I will try my best to glimpse you into my 2011. So, for lack of a better way to say it, here are the things I learned this past year, lessons I hope to take with me for the rest of my life. 

• Turning 30, although scary as it sounded, has been a wonderful blessing. 
• No matter how much you vacuum, you will never suck up all of the Christmas Tree needles. Ever. (Isn't that telling of so many other aspects of life...)
• There are 2 types of people: those who listen to hear, and those who listen to know and understand. I am forever grateful for the latter type of person during these past 2 years, and pray I am never the former.
• Coming to Oregon has been the most healthy move possible for my husband and I at this time in our lives.
• Losing 20 pounds was easier than I thought.
• If I want to truly live, I cannot take myself so seriously.
• Zumba and line dancing have opened my life up to a whole new level of fun.
• I've got rhythm and I truly enjoy dancing.
• Watching windshield wipers clear off a rain soaked window can sometimes be very healing, as my soul has often needed the same type of fresh start that the window gets.
• Good friends are hard to come by as you get older. 
• A woman can never have enough shoes. Loafers are especially lovely. 
• No matter how bad of a job you have, no matter how nasty someone can be to work for, and no matter how poorly you are treated for 2 years, time heals all things.
• Eating a diet that is strictly lacking any dairy, peanut, soy, sugar, or starchy products is highly satisfying, and has made both hubby and I feel healthier than we've ever felt.
• I need a creative outlet in order to feel whole and complete. 
• Beards aren't as bad as I thought they were.
• I would rather be sweeping the floors and taking out the trash at my minimum-wage job (which I do multiple times on a weekly basis) than working in a high-stress environment where nothing pleases the boss.
• Kids need plenty of time and acceptance to be kids. They will never get that back. 
• Teaching is the best job I could have ever asked for, and I miss it dearly this year. 
• Giving my GPS navigation lady the name "Deb" (thanks Rachel!) has brought new life and purpose to her monotonous existance.
• Doughnut holes do not come from a machine's leftovers after stamping out glazed doughnuts....contrary to (my) popular belief.

May 2012 provide as many, if not more, of life's beautiful lessons.

See what I mean about the beards....? :o)

: : Autumn : :

This past month has brought a flurry of activity for me, hence my silence in the blog world. It all began with a quick trip to California. I whirled into the dry, busy state I once called home on a Thursday, and spun back out on Sunday morning. During those precious hours, I dined with my Pops, had dinner with a slew of great girlfriends, got to go to my home church, had the privilege of photographing one adorable cowboy, helped my mom finish packing her house, loaded a moving truck, and set off with my mom to drive to Montana. Twas a lot to pack into 2 1/2 days, but well worth it. Here are a few of my favorite pictures of sweet, 2 year old, delightful Will. 

On Sunday morning, mom and I set out for a drive we prayed would go smoothly. We had loaded a 25 foot U-Haul, and it was towing her truck on the back, all wheels off the ground. I'm not sure we anticipated how truly long it would take us to get there, only being able to drive a maximum of 60 mph. After 1,084 miles later and two 13-hour days in the truck, we arrived in amazing Montana. Gosh, how I forgot how much I love that place. Here are some pictures from our trip there.

Nevada desert


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINALLY!!

Once we arrived in Montana and began to unpack, everything truly fell into place. We stayed there 4 nights, and we were able to get my mom settled into her new home. We enjoyed dinner with long time friends, walks in the brisk morning around her new town of Livingston (population 7,380), trips out to Paradise Valley, lots of giddy laughter (from exhaustion, of course), and good sleep. 

Downtown Livingston, Montana

Paradise Valley (aptly named)

Goats-Paradise Valley, Montana

Livingston, Montana

One might think that was the end of our trip....but oh no! From Montana, my mom drove me back to Oregon....786 miles away.

Two Women

One Chevy Blazer

Countless Gas Fill-Ups

One Pack of Neccos

Traversing 4 states (Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon)

Plenty of Bathroom Breaks

Laughing Til' It Hurt

Rain, Sun, Wind

+ All In ONE Day
____________________

Priceless

in Oregon

in Oregon, people are kind.

people drive slow,

the speed limit on highways is 55 mph.

men in Oregon sport thick beards

and there is no shortage of plaid flannel shirts.

in Oregon kids play outside in the rain

in t-shirts, because it is not yet cold enough for sweaters and coats.

many in Oregon

came from California

and those who didn't drool when I say I did.

people in Oregon swear it rains too much here,

yet they all adapt so well you couldn't tell.

oregonians exercise in every way possible

no matter what the weather is like.

canoeing

biking

jogging.

there are quirky, hippie, outdoorsy, earthy people

around every corner.

i love it.

in Oregon

people keep a neutral countenance

rather than getting uptight and stressed.

the air is clean and fresh here,

even in the heat of the summer,

but even more so after a fresh rain.

vibrant green is the color of choice in Oregon

all. year. round.

bicyclists have the right of way:

and even normal seeming folks are odd

but it's home.

pretty sure I wouldn't have it

any

other

way.

Veggie Lovin'

I often get stuck in a rut in the kitchen, making the same rotation of things over and over again until I never want to eat them again. Why? Out of comfort and the desire to perfect, I'm sure. I am a veggie freak, and as with the other foods I prepare, I often make the same veggies the same way over and over again. The following recipe is me trying to get out of the veggie rut, and trying to replace something I adore (mashed potatoes) with a healthier version. Try it, you'll like it (especially if you like cauliflower). And if you have a favorite veggie recipe, please share!

: : Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes : :

1 large head of cauliflower, washed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/8 cup of milk
1/8 cup of Half and Half (or Heavy Whipping Cream)
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
a dash of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Steam cauliflower until soft

          Add all ingredients to food           

  processor or blender

Blend until desired consistency is reached

: Sight, Sound, Taste, Touch, Smell :

 Senses truly play into who I am on a day-to-day basis. I am realizing more and more how sensual of a person I am in the sense that my five senses (mainly sight and sound) dictate what I will feel, think, and how I will act on a given day. This morning I woke up to experience a silent house, a foggy scene outside my window, a cat on my lap, a warm cup of coffee, and my Bible. The gray, dark, chilly weather dictated the CD I chose to put on: David Gray's White Ladder. This album has been in a box, moving from house to house for quite a few years. I am so thankful to have found it again. It is definitely a subdued, quiet, thoughtful album...but for today's weather, it fit perfectly into my ears.

As I sat and enjoyed the scene unfolding in front of me this morning, I again realized how much music plays into the very core of who I am. If ever there is a day where I feel down or incomplete, it is usually because I have yet to listen to music. There are certain albums that will always go down as all time favorites. Counting Crows August and Everything After, Zac Brown's The Foundation, and David Gray's White Ladder are a few of my forever favorites. I often get so caught up in the newest music and easily forget about the old, faithful friends of years ago.

Today, I am thankful for all 5 senses, and for the ability to enjoy life through them. Here's to re-living life with the old faithful friends.

9:10pm

Last night at around 9:10pm, I know because I had just looked at the clock, our doorbell rang. Now, considering we are new to this state, and that we really know no one, my heart started beating. At the time of the ring, Brian and I were sitting in bed vacillating between Dancing with the Stars and Sing Off. Brian got up, answered the door, and I stayed put. He was there for about 2 minutes before returning to our room. True to form, B would not have said anything about the interaction at the door, had he not been prompted. Even with prompting, I had to pull information out of him.

"It was the police," he said calmly. "They were looking for some guy, I told them he wasn't here."

My heart rate started to rise as I began thinking about things like "maybe we didn't move to a safe neighborhood" and "did the person who lived here before us leave a criminal record?" I prodded my hubby with more questions.

"So, what else did the cops say? Was it our town police, or the state police?" I asked, trying not to show worry.

"Oh, well they showed me a picture of who they were looking for," B responded, while staying focused on the TV.

"A picture??! What did he look like??" (My worry is really growing now, thinking if maybe I had a chance to see the picture, maybe I could have ID'd the person.)

"Well, it was a man and he was hard to see clearly. He had a bandana covering his face up to his nose, and he was wearing dark glasses. The cops asked if I had seen him, and when I said no, they said they must have the wrong address."

 (This is what I pictured)

What ensued next was minutes of gut laughter from both Brian and I as we realized how stupid his interaction with the police had been. Showing a man's picture with most of his face covered up, then implying this person had lived here caused my husband and I to start laughing like we haven't done in a long time. We began creating scenarios to go along with the stupidity of the cops' request, and both of us were dying in giddy laughter. 

Once the shenanigans stopped, I asked if the cops were being serious or if it was a joke. Brian calmly said, "I was just kidding. He was a short man with dark skin and dark eyes. I told them I hadn't seen him."

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I love this man, and I love that he can still utterly, totally, and completely, have me fooled.