261- Old

I think I'm officially old.  I no longer care about trying to have plans for NYE.  For as long as I can remember, it was imperative that I did something SUPER fun on this night.  Of course, with all that pressure, the night never ended up being as fun as I expected it to be, and was always a let down.  


This year, I didn't even bother to try and rack my brain thinking of the ULTIMATE NYE night.  I laughed when I heard others struggling with plans, you know, cause it HAS to be epic.  I already know how the night would go.  A whole lot of build-up for nothing.  Sure there would be drinking and laughing and champagne and those party popper things.  There would be a countdown and sparkly clothes and aching feet and kisses and crappy party food.  There would also be zero taxi's, that one annoying drunk chic puking and/or crying, tons of cops out, and all that internal build up for just another night with confetti.  


Actually, as I type this, I don't even know what I'll be doing tonight.  There are 2 potential house parties to attend, but really, I think I'd be fine just staying in drinking the bottle of prosecco with the bf deluxe and watching Netflix.  See?  Old.

262- Holy Hard Workout

Each of the three main trainers at the gym take turns coming up with the workouts for a month.  Each trainer has different styles and tends to favor different things.  It keeps things interesting for sure.  Yesterday wrapped up hot cop trainer's month, and holy crap, it was a serious ass-kicker.  I should have known when I checked the website for the WOD, and it was titled "turn and cough."  


The whole month we had sort of been following a format of: sizeable warm-up, short intense WOD involving weights, and then some sort of mobility move.  I really love the short intense workouts.  Yesterday was different.  Instead of a sizeable warm-up, we headed to the back extension machines to find out two things: our max hold, and our max reps (after doing the hold).  We did this once before, and I remember not being so good at it.  I decided to really push myself and see what I could do.  I was determined not to drop off the back extension machine first.  I succeeded in that, but was second.  I held for 1:40.  The girl that lost 130 pounds in the last 2 years held for 3 minutes.  Apparently, after you lose 130 pounds, you can do anything.  My back was really feeling it, then it was time for max back extensions unbroken.  I made it to 27.  I think these were both better performances then last time we did this, but plenty of room for improvement exists.  My back was on fire.


As hot cop trainer was explaining the WOD, I began to get worried.  He started out by saying this "should" take us 22 minutes, but he's cutting us off at 25.  These types of WOD's never go good for me.  I decided to go with a light weight.  So I thought.  The workout was: 


5 Rounds - 15 Reps - Never Drop the Bar

• Upright Row
• Dead Lifts
• Bent Row
• SDLHP- single leg deadlift high pull
• Squat Thrusts
• Military Press
• Front Squats

One round is performing each of the listed items 15 times before moving onto the next, and not letting go of the bar until you are done with the whole sequence (or at all preferably).  I decided to go with a 35# bar.  The first round felt so sluggish, I looked at the clock and realized I was never going to make 22 minutes, or 25.  It was then I realized I had been using a 45# bar.  They look so damn similar!  Anyway, once I picked up the 35# things went a lot better, but I was still dripping sweat, everything from my hamstrings to my lower back was on fire, and at times I was questioning whether or not I was going to give in.  Somewhere, somehow I found a pace and just keep working.  I hit the end of my fourth round right at 22 minutes.  I made it through 3 squat thrusts by the 25 minute cut off.  I think if I hadn't done 45# my first round, I might have made it through the whole thing.  The really exciting thing?  I can do this whole workout anytime I want at my house with my new kettlebell!  Yay!  I'm not saying that I'm going to, I'm just saying I could...

263- Present to Myself

Ta-Da!  Isn't it the most gorgeous thing you've ever seen?  This is item #1 in what will hopefully one day be a fairly well rounded home gym.  I decided to start my collection with a kettlebell because this smaller-than-a-bowling-ball item packs a lot of punch for being a single item.  I know, I know, the first time I saw one, I was like, ok, so you swing it around.  Cool.  Clearly my imagination sucked. 


NOW I'm much more educated and I realize this single piece of equipment is so versatile, its nuts.  With this thing, I plan on using it for:
Kettlebell swings (American and Russian)
one-armed snatches
Goblet squats
Turkish get-ups
One armed overhead squats
Thursters
Presses
practicing my pistols
hand to hand swings
single leg dead lifts
bent over rows
weighted sit-ups
holding it during box jumps
whatever else I can think of or find on the internet for ideas...


While showing off some of my fancy kettlebell moves for the bf deluxe this morning, he looks at me and says "try not to kill any of the pets, ok?"  HAHHHAHAHAHA.  Silly bf deluxe.  

264- Two Years Later

Happy Birthday to my blog!  Today, she turns two.  I have now officially lasted longer then 90% of bloggers that start sometime around the end of the holidays/New Year.  I remember two years ago I was determined to not be so cliche as to start on January 1st, I was READY to lose weight!  I refused to be a statistic, and so starting that day, December 28, 2009 it became this.
 
Much like a real life, this blog has taken many twists and turns.  Each turn is a representation of what I know at the moment, what I have learned about my body, and how I want to proceed with that information.  Sheesh, if you had told me two years ago that I would still be here today, with stuff to say, I would have laughed in your face.  I mean, I know I talk a lot, but two years worth of me hammering out little details of my life pertaining to what I eat and how I move...how could I possibly say anything that hasn't been said before?
 
I can't, nor do I want to.  I'm happy to report the one thing about this blog that hasn't changed in the last two years: this is for me, my experiments, my beliefs, and most importantly, I don't write for any audience I may or may not have.  
 
I'm also happy to report quite possibly the largest change this blog has undergone: initially I was focused on losing a set number of pounds, thinking that would get me to looking how I "want" to look.  NOW I'm focused on building a healthy body (from the inside out) and looking good as a side effect. 
 
My methods are ridiculously simple.  I've been working on fixing (really fixing) what is broken- my insulin response and metabolic rate.  Years of being overweight, addicted to simple carbohydrates, and yo-yo dieting have wrecked havoc on my system, and I needed a re-set.  Two years of focusing on my body has got me here: 
 
Whenever possible, I eat real foods only.  Preferably, the simplest real foods I can get my hands on- meat, eggs (from my chickens), vegetables, fruit, and nuts.  I eat these things on their own or endless various combinations, using things like olive oil, spices, fresh herbs, pasture butter, and occasionally cream to further their appeal to my tastebuds.  Again, keeping it as simple as possible.
 
I workout 4-5 days a week, never doing the same thing twice.  My workouts are short (rarely over 20 minutes), intense (push myself till I think I'm going to die), and typically involve me lifting some sort of heavy weight (this includes myself at times). 
 
I try to get 9 or more hours of sleep per night, and usually succeed.
 
My goals focus around being able to do things with my body, rather then getting to a certain weight or pants size.  I'm still after that elusive pull-up, and gdmit, this WILL be the year I do one (preferably, many, in a row).     
 
So whether you've been with me for the past two years, or you just stumbled in for a quick peek, hello, and thanks.  This outlet has proven to be tremendously helpful for me.  I've found similarities with folks I've never met, received kind comments from people that stop by regularly, and I've created a two year history for myself to go back and sort through, ensuring I keep the good habits going, and the bad history from repeating itself too often. 
 

265- Poisoned

THE REALITY
My nose is stuffed up, my eyes are watering continuously.  I feel like I'm in a sort of half-reality fog.  The kind of half-reality where I can talk myself into or justify eating almost anything.  I'm not myself and I know it.  For a long time, I thought this was myself, but now I know better.  Yes friends, after over 120 days of being solid, I ate items containing sugar, flour, and items that possibly contained ingredients I cannot pronounce.  I drank a ridiculous amount of alcohol.  I am hanging onto a familiar ledge.  See, once I allow that stuff into my body, something in me changes.  Sugar is poison and it changes the way my body works and the way my brain thinks. It fools me into thinking I can handle it, and that I have everything under control, yet forces me to continue feeding sugar inside me.  If I'm not careful and catch it quick, soon I'll be eating anything and everything and gain 6-10 pounds.  
 
THE EVENT(S)
I don't know that I can point to a single event that forced me to put the brakes on and come here to let you all know that I need to start over.  Last week, I remember a homemade cookie tray in our break room that I stole a few tastes of, candies (dark chocolate), alcohol (too much!), a tiny (less then 1") slice of cake eaten while intoxicated.  Each of these events on their own could have been forgiven, but strung together in successive days?  No way.  For once, this re-set is not about the AMOUNT of the offending items consumed, but the WAY in which they were consumed.  The feverish got-to-have-it-now-can't-resist feeling, making sure no one saw, the guilt, and the subsequent fantasies/cravings about what to eat next "since I'd already blown it"- these are not healthy ways to go about eating anything.  I KNOW THIS. 
 
THE CONSEQUENCES
The return of my allergies and feeling 'not like myself' are excellent motivators to hang on, practice what I know, and pull myself up over that ledge.  I have the strength, I have the ability, and now I'm doing it.  Besides, I know what happens if I let go now- I've done that plenty of times.  I don't know what happens if I pull myself up, and that is what I really want to find out.  I know I said that if I ingested grains/sugar/whatever that my year would start over.  After making it 120+ days, I'm revisiting that.  I thought about it long and hard, and decided to kick myself back to day 100.  I'm essentially taking a Mulligan on the month of December.  Before the cocktail party, before Vegas, before Christmas.  I think this is absolutely fair, I EARNED those first 100 days.  For the ultimate reality check, I stepped on the scale to see what my effect my "bender" had.  According to the scale?  Absolutely none.  But I know better- I know that trick and I'm not falling for it.   
 
THE REFLECTIONS
I so desperately wanted to make it through a December where I abstained from cookies/desserts/candies and the like.  I just wanted to see if I could do it.  I'm not going to sit here and make myself crazy trying to pinpoint events that could have contributed to this deviant behavior, rather I'm just going to take my penalty and move on with even more conviction then before.  Let's just chalk it up to the Holidays being a tough time.  Even if I think I'm immune to the crazy and the emotions, apparently, I'm not.  I'm human.  And really, when I think about it?  120 days is a DAMN good stretch, um 1/3 of one year!  I will be over the moon excited if I can make it another 120 days, but if I don't, you'll be the first to hear about it. 
 
THE PLAN
I've got a challenge buddy lined up for January (Tammy? You still in?) and I'm taking these next few days before we begin to really jumpstart my feeling good.  Yesterday I ate no offending items.  Today is much of the same with some gym sprinkled in.  I imagine I will start to feel better later today and definitely by tomorrow.  I made my breakfast for the rest of the week with the tasty Omega-3 rich eggs from the ladies out back, I'll be lifting some heavy things at lunch time, and I will be staying far, far away from sugar and crap that makes me feel like ick. 
  

245- Eventually I'll Get There

This year I was very conflicted about making my usual cookie offering and shipping it to the East Coast relatives.  I had all these wild ideas about making those mason jars of gluten free cookie mixes with instructions, or honey caramels, or homemade Larabars wrapped up in wax paper like little candies.  I no longer keep flour, sugar, brown sugar, or any of the other standard baking items on hand.  It took me quite awhile to rid my cabinets of it, and just when it was all gone, I had to go out and restock because I simply didn't have the time or energy to do something new.  


I had to go with what I know.  For 30 or so years, I know Christmas baking.  Gingerbread, fudge, macaroons, shortbread, sugar cookies, and the like.  Its important to have as many different textures and flavors as possible, you know, for variety.  


Eventually I want to get to a place where I don't cave in to what I know.  I want to make better treats, and feel good giving them out.  I don't care if anyone eats them or not, I will feel better knowing that I didn't contribute to someone's holiday weight gain.  

246- Feeling Strong

Today's workout felt like childs play.  I felt solid through the whole thing.  It wasn't so much a cardio intense workout, or a strength killer, but technical, and I rocked it.  All aspects of it.

We started out by warming up with Turkish Get-ups.  A highly technical move that requires using lots of stabilizing muscles, and focus.  They aren't hard because there is no way to do these with more weight then you can handle.  Last week we did these and I was using a 10# medicine ball because everything was so shaky.  Today, I was using a 25# kettlebell no problem.  It was like night and day from last week.

Next, we did our timed WOD- 6 rounds of: 6 one arm/one leg Romainian deadlifts (on each side)- again, not a hard move, but very technical balancing on one leg, bending while pushing your non-standing leg out, picking up the kettlebell, and returning to standing all on ONE leg.  I felt these in every muscle of my core, back, and glutes.  The farther you can kick up your non-standing leg, the better (harder) and as the workout progressed, I focused on pushing that leg higher and higher.  I lost my balance a few times, but really made sure I was keeping perfect form.  6 toes to bar- remember waaaaaay back when this was a move that I wanted to be able to master, and I could barely get my feet 2 inches off the floor?  Well, I can now do toes to bar.  I did all 36 of them for this workout, and they were all legitimate.  6 praying mantis- this is a mobility move, and is similar to a superman, but you start with your hands behind your back (like handcuffs) and while your chest and quads are off the ground (on your stomach) you move your hands to in front of you, touch them, and move them back before relaxing.  I finished 2nd out of the group of 8.  All 3 girls finished 1, 2, 3, so I'm thinking the technical stuff must've been easier for the ladies.  The whole thing  (six rounds of 6 of each movement) took me 12:10.  Perfect.

When we were done with the WOD, we did a max plank hold for time (on elbows).  The last time I did this, I think I lasted 1:40 or so, I really wanted to make it to 2 minutes.  I held for 2:10.  It was pretty much effortless except for the last 10 seconds.  Awesome.  Like I said, feeling strong! 

251-247- Vegas and Stuff

Monday, December 19, 2011- Day 247

Baking extravaganza for the relatives back east.  No time to post anything.  I promise a post soon regarding how I feel about baking foods laden with white flour and sugar.  Prior to Paleo, this was an inexpensive way to gift things to people, but now since I don't keep any of the major baking ingredients in my home, I had to go out and buy it all.  And there is no way all of it is getting used up.  Annoying.

Sunday, December 18, 2011- Day 246

Back from Vegas. Tired, dehydrated, smell like casino, 'nuff said.  Oh, and not that it matters, but we had a scale in our bathroom at the hotel room, and I decided to weigh myself every morning.  I don't have a scale at home, and use my Wii to occasionally check in.  I mentioned the other day I hit a new low weight.  I decided to step on the scale Friday morning in Vegas to see what the foreign scale said, because have you ever owned an asshole scale at home that flat out LIED to you?  I used to have one that was 20 pounds off.  And not in the good way.  I went to the Dr's office one year and couldn't believe they recorded my weight as 20 pounds higher then what I thought I weighed!  The scale in our hotel room read the exact same number as the Wii.  I weighed myself on Saturday morning and I was down 0.5 pounds.  I weighed myself Sunday morning after super salty dinner and 2 glasses wine.  I was back up to Friday mornings weight.  I find it remarkable that I can travel to a place like Las Vegas, eat absolutely no foods that I prepared myself (salty, unknown ingredients), drink alcohol, and NOT GAIN A SINGLE POUND.  That is what regulating your insulin does.  I'm pretty sure two years ago, I would have come back 5 pounds heavier (but according to my scale, only 15 pounds heavier, asshole scale).  Like I said, it doesn't matter, but very interesting nonetheless.

Saturday, December 17, 2011- Day 245

Happy Birthday to my sister!  She is the reason for this trip, and today we celebrated her birth with a fancy dinner at Bouchon.

Dinner was interesting.  Our server was weird, bf deluxes food sucked, my meal was basically a salt lick, and it felt like they were rushing us out of there.  The wine however, was superb (a birthday girl pick)!  My mom started down the Paleo line of questioning, and luckily I had my Paleo/Primal brother in law there to back me up.  I don't understand what her deal is.  Well, I do and I don't.  I think because I haven't lost like 1,000 pounds overnight, she thinks this is some sort of "phase" of mine.  I don't think she believes that I have any sort of wheat/gluten intolerance, even though I've told her 1,000,000 times that my allergies disappeared.  In fact, I don't think she ever believed I had allergies when I did have them, despite my constant sneezing.  I think she has much mis-information engrained in her head, and is too old/stubborn to try and think of things in a new way.  She thinks eating fat is bad.  She thinks she can "work off" a meal.  She thinks that losing weight is the end all-be-all of fitness/eating right.  (She asked me if I am planning on losing more weight).  Like that matters. 

I'm tired of explaining the way I choose to eat and exercise to people that will never accept it and only want to stir the pot.  I'm tired of being looked at like a fanatic when I answer their loaded questions, and all I am is constantly in disbelief of how great I feel ALL THE TIME.  I know I'm still new at this, so it hasn't become "just who I am" yet.  But, I assure you, it will.

Friday, December 16, 2011- 244

Our hotel:

Christmas card outtakes at the Bellagio Conservatory.

Thursday December 15, 2011- 245

VEGAS! 

252- Vegas!

Tomorrow I'm off to Vegas.  I've got a lot of things swimming through my head that will hopefully turn themselves into thoughtful posts some day soon.  As for right now, I need to try on outfits, pack, and go to bed early since I'm headed into work super early because I'm leaving at 1pm.  For Las Vegas, in case you forgot.  


In the mean time, take a moment to read something that changed my life, and get this, it was originally published in 2002.  2002!!!!!!  Where would I be today if I saw this in 2002?  I can't even keep my sanity and ponder that thought.


http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/07/magazine/what-if-it-s-all-been-a-big-fat-lie.html?pagewanted=all

253- Worth Watching

254- Short and Sweet

My workout today was 4 minutes.  Three minutes and fifty-six seconds to be exact.  Don't let that fool you though, it was a complete ass kicker.  Especially since the warm-up we did could have been considered a workout on its own.  After doing a variation of a barbell complex (65#) for a warm-up, we jumped into 4 rounds of: 4 barbell burpees, 4 squat jumps, and 4 head on wall fly's (an active rest mobility move).  The barbell burpees meant performing a burpee on a barbell, then standing up with the bar, cleaning it, and then pressing it overhead.  Squat jumps were just what they sound like- squat, and then jump up.  I got that familiar stomach turning over feeling as I pushed myself to do the workout as fast as possible.  


I'm slowly becoming a huge fan of the short workout.  Gone are the days of hours and hours of cardio, and worrying that I'm not burning enough calories in my workout to make up for what I was eating.  1) You cannot out exercise a bad diet, and 2) intensity is paramount over workout length.


Further reading on this subject by someone who has already said it, and says it better then me:
http://primitivestimulus.com/2011/09/intensity/

http://everydaypaleo.com/2011/09/02/friends-dont-let-friends-do-cardio/

255- Party Re-Cap

My dad used to have a saying about hosting events (well, actually he used it to describe just about everything, but whatever): "Whole lot of work for too little pleasure."  Luckily, I don't share his sentiments on social events.  I like them, so they are usually worth the time I put into them.  I also reach a point where I know I've done all I can do before the event and cut any losses so I'm actually able to enjoy myself.  There is no point killing myself trying to make everything perfect and then being too exhausted to enjoy the fun part, the party.


I spent Friday evening baking desserts so we'd have nice assortment.  The smells were amazing, and it really took all I had to not eat a fresh peanut butter cookie from the oven, and take a few licks of brownie batter.  But I stayed strong.  I woke up early on Saturday to run errands and begin preparing all the other eats.  The bf deluxe handled his assignments in less then an hour, and headed off to work.  I was left with cleaning, cooking, and setting everything up.  Not to mention getting myself ready and 1,000 other little things that came up in between (cleaning the stovetop? really?).  I kept thinking I was doing ok on time, but before I knew it, it was 5pm, I hadn't eaten a thing since 8am, I was still in my sweats, I hadn't done any house cleaning, and food was still being prepared.  


Somehow, after a flurry of panic mode, I got it together and at least had my dress on when guests started arriving (but not my shoes!).  Everyone was very complimentary of the spread, and I was free to begin enjoying myself.  I consumed many drinks, but was able to stick to the meat/cheese/veggie/corn chip options.  I made sure everyone knew I didn't want any leftovers hanging around, especially any desserts.


The night progressed in typical party fashion, there were drinking games, athletic competitions (wall sit among others), white elephant gift exchange, and general sillyness.  It was a good time.  Just like I hoped, all the food disappeared, and the remaining few goodies that were left the bf deluxe took to work.  


I woke up very early this morning thanks to the cat turning on the alarm clock radio, and had a pretty good headache.  I spent a few minutes cleaning up, chugged some water, and before I knew it I was feeling ok.  Looking back over the evening, its pretty easy to see how consuming too much alcohol is not a good thing for me and my eating goals.  It would have been very easy for me to talk myself into some desserts.  Hangover days are notorious days for me to give myself a green light to eat whatever is easy and tasty.  Today I'm using the hangover day as a day of repair, and making sure my choices are top notch so I can heal.  I'm beginning to see now why I challenged myself to one year.  Old habits die hard and the more distance I can put between myself and those old ways, the better.  

256- Quick Update

I'm in party preparation madness, but I just wanted to drop in and say I weighed myself this am and I have hit a new low!  I'm seeing numbers on the scale I haven't seen for over 5 years.  

257- Week 1 Update

Week 1 of the December challenge is done!  Last week was a crazy one for me, in fact this month is going to be nuts, so I'm just trying to stick to my routine on as many days as that is possible.  I only made it to the gym one day last week, and did "home" workouts 2 other days.  This week I'm really going to focus on being the best I can with Paleo eating and lifting heavy things, because next week I'm off to Vegas, however we are having a cocktail party here tomorrow night, so that will be interesting.


My plan for the cocktail party is to have foods made that are acceptable eats.  I'm going to roast off a big pork shoulder for people to make sliders, make some cole slaw, and just have mine sans bun.  No beer will be consumed (gluten) only red wine and hard alcohol with juice or sparkling water.  There will be a lot of treats there, made by me, but lately I've been able to be around sweets and not have any desire to eat them, so I think I'll be ok.


Destiny hasn't provided me with her weekly update yet- she goes by her own schedule.  I know she has been hitting the gym hard, so hopefully she'll share her food log with me and goal update soon so I can share with y'all.  

258- This is New...

Today was another long day on the road for work.  I got to sleep in till 6:30a, and then we covered probably 400 miles driving to various sites checking things out.  It was a gorgeous day, but still, sitting in a car all day really zaps the energy.  I think yesterday caught up with me.  Despite all the driving I got home earlier then I expected I would, and decided to return the dress I ordered online from Macy's back at the store, and shop for a new one, exhausted as I was.


I enlisted the bf deluxe to help.  I knew it was not going to be a fun time for him, and hoped I could find something at Macy's because I didn't want to spend Friday night after work shopping around.  It went against my better judgement to shop so tired, and I still have other things to do to get ready for the party, I have party food to make!  So, we get to Macy's, and I start grabbing dresses of various sizes off the racks.  I start trying things on, and all the smaller size dresses fit!  I was in shock.  There was nothing terrible about the experience at all.  I brought 4 dresses into the room, every single one fit, and then I picked the one I liked the best.  It is how shopping should be always.


Except, it was a totally new thing for me to be able to essentially pick anything off the rack and have it fit, and then like it.  The whole time from entering the store to returning the online dress to getting my new dress took 20 minutes?  Bf deluxe was super surprised and never had any chance to do any bored wandering around the store.  Being smaller has so many more benefits.  

259- Looooong Day

Woke up at 3:30am so I could board a train at 5am headed from Vancouver, WA, to Bend OR.  My co-worker and I got to the yard at 4:45, and quickly learned we were no longer headed to Bend.  Our new destination was Pasco, WA.  Ick.  I was disappointed, but these are things I have no control over.  


Long story short, we decided not to go all the way to Pasco, but instead get off at Maryhill (stop close to the winery/museum) and head back to Vancouver, WA in the crew van.  We were supposed to arrive at Maryhill at 10:30am.  We arrived at 6pm.  Vancouver was a 2.5 hour drive.  The only thing I ate from 3:30am till 9:30pm was an apple and some almond butter, a chunk of cheese, a few natural pepperoni slices, and 3 pieces dark chocolate.  I drank plenty of water, and honestly, it was fine.  I didn't want to kill anyone or chew my arm off.  YAY PALEO FOR KEEPING MY BLOOD SUGAR EVEN!  


We then proceeded to the closest restaurant (happened to be a German spot) and ate like predators.  Ha!  We checked into our hotel in at 11:30pm.  A 20 hour day.  I've never slept so good. 


Here are some pics from my day (in reverse order)- as you can see, the views were well worth all the time delays.  I love my job.

260- Dedication

I'm traveling for work, and thought I'd have time to go to my normal gym class today, but we left earlier then expected, and shortly after, I found myself alone in a hotel room for 3 hours to pass until dinner. I decided to look on my favorite Internet workout site, BodyRock Tv, and see what sort of torture they had in store for the day. I love this site because it's free, everything you need you most likely have lying around, and just look at Zuzana, I mean, how could you NOT want to workout after seeing her?

Today's workout was a challenge, sumo squat step ups or some such. I watched the video demonstration, and then looking around my hotel room realized I had nothing to step up on. I went into the bathroom and noticed the tub was about perfect step up height. The bathroom was pretty narrow, and I had to watch my head on the shower curtain rod every time I stepped up, but I did it. I let the Snoop Dogg pandora station fill the room, and I performed 100 sumo squat step ups on each side as fast as I could, stopping on briefly when it was time to switch legs.

I hope my ass looks like hers tomorrow.

See the BodyRock workout I did HERE

261- Boo

Dress is a no-go.  Guess I'll be shopping on Friday night (the day before the party) after all.


Boo.  

262- Closet Full of Clothes

With the party coming up next Saturday, and then a trip to Vegas shortly after, I began to panic about outfits.  I used both events as an excuse to justify buying a dress online on Cyber Monday.  According to UPS tracking, the dress shows up tomorrow.  I'm leaving on a trip for work Tuesday right after work, and won't return until late Thursday night.  That means, if the dress doesn't work out, I only have Friday afternoon to shop for one.  Finding an outfit to wear the day before an event has never been successful for me. 

 

I needed a back-up plan in case the dress coming in the mail doesn't fit/look right/sucks (I love plans!).  I went to my closet and began pulling out things that would be suitable for a formal cocktail party and a fancy dinner in Vegas.  I tried pairing shits with skirts in combinations I hadn't tried before.  I tried on clothes that haven't fit me in years.  In the WAY back of my closet I found my prom dress from junior year in HIGH SCHOOL!  Guess what?  Everything fit including my prom dress from high school (I was not my thinnest ever in high school, but smaller then I am now).  Some things were too big and I missed my window to wear them because they were previously too small, and now they hang off me.  I found a suitable back-up for the party, but not for fancy dinner in Vegas.  I found a few items to wear during the other nights in Vegas, some new things to add into the work week rotation, and I found a whole bunch of clothes that are going to Goodwill.  I have time to shop still for something to wear to dinner in Vegas, but still, it would just be easier on everyone if that dress coming tomorrow works out! 

 

Under these circumstances, I'm pretty happy that I held onto a lot of clothes over the years that didn't fit.  However, I'm going to try and stop owning a closet 1/2 full of clothes that don't fit (either way, too big or too small).  It is way easier for me to get rid of the things that are too big, so I've slowly started donating those.  I'm on the verge of donating my largest jeans, but in the back of my head I keep thinking I should hang onto them "just in case."  I haven't worn them in well over a month, but still its so hard as someone who has had a history of weight gains and losses to change old habits!  Perhaps getting rid of all my large clothes would fall under the category of "doing something I have never done before" in order to "get something I have never had before."  I don't know.  Its just that yesterday I noticed there are so many things in my closet that fit, yet I continue to wear the same clothes over and over.  Perhaps shrinking my closet will force me to choose the neglected items? 

263- Holiday Explosion

I spent the day getting the house ready for next Saturday's holiday party.  We are hosting the party this year, and I'm so excited.  I love decorating and sparkly stuff.  I turned on the Pandora Christmas station and went to town. 

 

We got our tree a few days ago, so that's all set up and ready to go:

 

This year, rather then spend a morning driving out to the forest to cut a tree down ourselves (a tree permit is only $10!) we decided to save our time, money, gas, and sanity and go to Home Depot.  We found this perfect frasier fir for $30!  Of course, our stand wasn't big enough, so after some Goodwill hunting (ha!) we found one for $5!  Tip: after buying a tree stand at Goodwill for $5 do a quick test and fill it with water BEFORE setting up your tree.  It may have a crack in it that needs to be epoxyed.  Just sayin.'  Also, another tip: test lights by plugging the strands in before putting on tree.  Again, just sayin'

 

I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I decided to gift wrap the outsides of all our interior doors:

 

 

The stockings are hung:

 

 

I knitted these a few years back.  Probably one of the best things I ever did. 

 

 

Next up, I'm using some of the trimmings from the bottom of our tree to hang around this opening to the family room.  I still need to find some mistletoe somewhere, and then I think we'll be set!

 

I had way too much fun doing this.  The bf deluxe came home and was like, "holy crap, Christmas just threw up in here."  HAHAHHAHAHA.  Now I just hope we can be careful enough with the doors so they last without tears until the party! 

 

264- Eat Like a Predator

I stumbled upon a great new Paleo/Primal blog the other day- THIS was the first post I read, and after that I was hooked.  I began reading other posts, and soon after added this page to my feed reader. 

 

A couple of days ago, I got the first new post since adding it to my reader, and wow, it was one that made me simueltaneously re-evaluate my current eating habits and wonder why I hadn't thought of this before.  The concept is so simple, I've literally been beating my forehead with the palm of my hand since reading this one tag line: "Eat like a predator, not like prey."

 

Right?  One of the major things I noticed my first go-round at Paleo and the few subsequent hard-core attempts after (including my current stretch) is that once my body adjusts to not getting its energy from carbohydrates (sugar) I can go for long periods of time without eating.  A sentiment that was echoed by this blogger (and so many other Paleo/Primal folks).  More so on weekends then during weekedays, I will forget to eat lunch.  It'll be around 4 or 5 pm, and I'll think, wait a minute, I haven't eaten since breakfast...and I'm not chewing on my arm, on the verge of tears, or so incredibly angry.  In fact, I can take food or leave it.  I usually choose take, because, hey, somethings are just programmed into DNA, you know?

 

I know there is this huge dichotomy with "going Paleo" and living in the modern world.  I mean, how far do you take the whole lifestyle?  To some people, everything is black and white.  When I explain that I'm attempting to replicate a diet of our pre-agriculture ancestors, these folks for will say for example, "ok, so you are going to cook all your meals over a fire pit and wear wooly mammoth skins?"  Where as others simply see it as a fad diet with nothing but restrictions and say things like "oh, so this is like Atkins.  You can eat all the sugar free jello and diet coke you want."  Um, no, and NO. 

 

For myself, without really realizing it, I slowly began taking on more and more "Paleo" traits, and continue to move farther away from modern situations.  Perhaps that is why, at this point in time, the thought of eating like a predator and not like prey resonnates so deep with me.  First off, I don't want to be prey.  Ever.  Never have, never will.  I knew there was a reason why I never trusted vegetarians!  Second, I don't necessarily want to be a predator, but if I have my choice of the two, I'd rather be eating then eaten.  Lastly, this way of eating sort of just happened on its own, and I haven't thought of a way to describe it until now.  Shortly after adapting a diet of meat, fat, vegetables, some fruit and nuts, the WAY that I ate changed as well.  I was not eating 3-5 small meals a day (grazing like an antelope or rabbit), instead, I find myself eating one small meal in the morning, and then one large meal later in the day (shark).  Substitute me standing at a desk for 8 hours as "the hunt" and you have me, a modern cavewoman.  Complete with an iPhone 4Gs and GAP jeans. 

 

I just find it incredibly interesting how things change- how resilient the body is when I stopped ingesting crap and started eating real food.  Its like I hit the "reboot" button on my body, and the cobwebs are clearing out.  My stomach lining and immune systems are repairing themselves from years of damage by gluten and lectins and as a result my allergies have disappeared, I have yet to get a cold.  I eat less frequently.  My body is shedding its inflammatory layers after years of damage by extra sugar, and broken insulin response.  My skin is clear and I rarely need moisturizer.  My elbows are never rough, I don't use chapstick. I'm getting stronger by lifting heavy things overhead, sprinting, jumping, pushing myself off the ground, and lots of walking.  I got rid of my chair at work and stand.  Whenever the sun is out (pretty rare here in the NW) I try to get outside to soak some up for 15 minutes or more.  During these shorter winter days, I've been getting 9-10 hours of sleep a night.  Some of these things are deliberate, others just happened because I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.     

265- December 1st Update

DAY 100!!!  BOO-YAH.  Like I mentioned a few days ago, I got a new phone and accidentally wiped all my recent phone photos from my old phone before I could transfer them to new phone.  So, you'll just have to see me once again in the same outfit.  Next month will be a new outfit, promise.  


Some of you may have noticed I skipped over day 264, that's because I'm waiting for some info from Destiny (December challenge buddy) before I write a post introducing her and our challenge plans.  


November 1 pics:

December 1 pics:

 

Its hard to tell, but the shirt is now hanging off me, and almost makes me look bigger.  I can now wear it out in public.

Progress Report:

Recent lifts/workout feats that come to mind-

New push press PR- 115#

Back squat 3 rep max- 165# (not a PR, but good post ankle nonetheless)

Ran 3 miles 

Sleep- getting plenty and still waking up before my alarm most days

Standing all day at work

Water consumption- good

Supplements- really focused on fish oil and vitamin D this month.  I did well, and hope to continue taking both daily.

Goals for December:
Continue eating a paleo diet
Continue to work on kipping swings at gym/increasing my dead hang hold time
Take fish oil and vitamin D daily 
More vegetables 
Formulate a good plan for all occasions coming up this month- Christmas party, Las Vegas, etc.


In addition to taking a picture of myself today in a new outfit, I also performed as many push-ups as I could in a row (on my toes).  I'll do the same again on January 1st, and see if there is any difference.  

266- Introducing Destiny*

Destiny is my December challenge buddy.  Destiny is no stranger to the Paleo diet, and is a member of a crossfit gym.  I met her a few months ago at my gym, she was just starting out and she reminded me a lot of myself.  We bonded over things like our hatred of pull-ups and burpees- the things that are very difficult when you have a little too much of yourself to move around.  


We attend separate gyms now, but thorough normal Facebook stalking, I read she was engaging in a 60 day Paleo challenge with her gym from November 1 to January 1 - to stay focused during the holidays.  I knew she would be perfect to join me in December.  


Destiny and I shared some ideas before beginning, and we agreed on a day each week to share our weekly food logs, set small goals to work on, and decided to do a "benchmark" workout at the beginning of the month and then again at the end of the month to see if there are any changes.  Our plan looks something like this:
1) Take a photo in an outfit that is just a little too snug 
2) Eat a paleo diet
3) Log food each day
4) Set 2-3 mini goals to work on this month
5) Perform as many push-ups as possible on Dec 1, again on Jan 1


I'll be back in a week for the first update!

267- Bitter No More

Wow.  I feel great.  I can't attribute my feeling to any one particular event, so maybe this is just my new normal?  I feel like I'm on a constant endorphin high.  I know I've written about this before, and I bet its even obnoxiously annoying for some people to read (people that are unhappy with their current situation).  I know there was a time when I would be annoyed by someone always writing about how great they feel.  I mean, COME ON, who feels like that?  I would have thought.  But really, that bitterness was just me being unhappy with my own situation.  Not to mention this 365 days is an experiment on myself, so I feel its very important to give detailed accounts of my mood, physical abilities, changes observed, etc., etc.

Everything is much better on this side of things.  I'm not always looking to tear others down.  I'm not wishing people to fail.  I'm not concerned with anyone else at all really.  All I want to do is get through each day doing what I have found is right for me.  I don't wish people do what I do, or follow what I believe, I just wish that anyone that is unhappy right now starts taking the steps they need to figure out what is right for them.  When you find it, you'll know, and if you stick to it, you'll feel great ALL THE TIME.

I put on a pair of pants this morning that I got a little over a month ago, and they fit perfectly.  They were cut slim, so when I first tried them on a few weeks ago, they were like a second skin.  Today?  They fit how they are supposed to fit.  They buttoned with ease, no parts of me were spilling over, and instead of my body pushing on the fabric, the fabric was pushing on my body.  Still a little self conscious, I asked the bf deluxe if they looked like sausage pants.  "Your sausage days are over.  The only thing that is there is a big ole hard butt."  Satisfied with that answer, I wore them to work, and rocked them.  I absolutely love that all the clothes in my closet I can just grab and put on and feel comfortable.   

268- Say Grace

Perhaps in honor of Thanksgiving time, new gym decided to put up "Grace" as the workout of the day.  Grace is 30 clean and jerks for time- but these weren't Crossfit clean and jerks, these were Olympic clean and jerks- the kind where you do a full squat.  I've never been lucky enough to partake in Grace, but I love oly lifts, so I was pretty excited about this workout.  All I have to do is move weight from the ground to overhead 30 times?  No running?  No pull-ups?  No burpees?  Awesome!

Ok, well, whoever says that "lifting weights is not cardio" is full of crap.  When I thought that or even said that out loud as recently as 2 years ago while doing bicep curls and quarter squats, I had no idea what I was talking about.  That is also when I thought cardio was necessary for fat loss, and didn't wreck havoc on your body.  HA!  Little did I know.  After performing 10 full squat clean and jerks as fast as I could muster, I thought I was going to die.  Sweat was pouring off my brow, and my oxygen?  Where had it gone?  I still had 20 more of these beastly moves to do, and the clock was ticking fast.  My stomach was turning, so I tried to settle into a rhythm of just getting them over with.  I might as well have been doing 100 burpees, cause I felt the same. 

Eight minutes to do 30 squat cleans at 75#?  I never would have predicted that- I would have thought 5 minutes, maybe.  I'm so glad I didn't go with the recommended weight of 95#, while I'm sure I could do it, I would have been there all night!  

Example of a squat clean and jerk:

269- History Has Been Made

In less than five days, I'll be 100 days into my one year challenge.  100 days!  I stepped on the scale out of habit to see how much "damage" was done over Thanksgiving, and I weighed less than I did before Thanksgiving.  I'm pretty sure that has never happened in the history of me!  When I think about it, I shouldn't be surprised, because like I mentioned before, it was just another day, but when everyone around me is talking about their excesses and getting back on track on Monday, etc., its hard not to get caught up in that and assume I went crazy too. 

 

But I didn't.  I'm focused.  I've got a few more days with Jordan, and then I jump right into my next 30 day challenge with Destiny.*  The 30 days between December 1st and December 31st are going to be probably the most challenging of the year.  December 10= holiday cocktail party at my house.  December 15-18= Las Vegas for my sister's birthday.  December 24-25= Christmas.  December 31= New Years Eve.  That's a lot of events involving alcohol and tempting foods.  Well, I should clarify that foods aren't really tempting anymore, but with inhibitions lowered from alcohol, I may make poor choices.  Alcohol in excess of a 2-3 glasses also makes me retain water.  I have some thinking to do on how I want to handle those events.  I'm going to take it one at a time, starting with the holiday cocktail party.  Depending on how well my plan goes, that will determine my plan for Las Vegas, and so on and so forth.  It really is about finding balance, and not just allowing myself to use any excuse to go nuts, but at the same time, enjoying life. 

 

*Not her real name, but she does kinda have a stripper name, so I gave her a new stripper name.  Ha!

270- The Annual Football Game

A couple of years ago, a group of my friends started an annual football game Thanksgiving weekend.  Many out of towners are in town, so its a great chance to see everyone, get together and socialize after.  Five years ago, when we played for the first time, I remember being panicked.  I didn't have any nice workout clothes that I would allow anyone to see me in, especially this competitive group of fit friends.  I tried on everything reasonable in my closet before settling on something.  I went for a short run prior to the game, as some last-ditch effort to get myself in shape for what was to come?  


I was also panicked because this is the exact type of event I want to participate in, and be ok at, yet I was horribly out of shape and heavy.  This was clearly one of those moments where I was conscious of where I was, and how far from where I wanted to be I was. I went out and played on the cold muddy field, I gave it my all, but I might as well have been invisible.  The couples only threw to each other, my bf was working, I was slow, yet in my head I thought I was moving at mach speed.  The days after rank in my top 5 of the most sore I've ever been.  I was sore in places I didn't know I had, and places that I never thought would get used "playing" football.  I heard later that everyone else was pretty sore as well.  That made me feel a little better.


This year was different.  There was no panic about what to wear.  There was no panic about my stamina or ability to keep up.  I ran around and didn't feel like I was going to die.  I was not ignored as much, and actually got the ball thrown to me a few times.  Best of all, I know I'm not going to be sore tomorrow.  Except for my left middle finger, which I managed to bruise the crap out of catching a ball the wrong way when tossing the football back and forth AFTER we were all done playing.  I seriously hope this injury streak I seem to be on this year ends soon.  Typing with two fingers taped together is annoying.   

271- Post Thanksgiving Thoughts

This Thanksgiving was an experiment for me.  I did not use the holiday as an excuse to let loose and eat anything and everything I wanted.  Working with the bf deluxe, we carefully planned a meal.  The meal was real foods- grilled turkey, lots of vegetables, and a pumpkin pie made with a gluten free crust and a filling with no refined sugar, only a little grade B maple syrup.  


This year, Thanksgiving was just another meal.  I ate one plate.  I didn't have seconds of anything. I was satisfied, not overly stuffed.  In all honesty, there was a twinge of missing out.  I wondered if I'm ever going to be able to eat a homemade roll again, or some of my mom's stuffing, or a piece of apple pie.  I know right now, this year, having any of those items is not possible.  I would not trade the way I feel, the current ability to look at any of the aforementioned items and BE ABLE to refuse them, or my shrinking body for any food of the past.


Today, the day after Thanksgiving, with hardly any leftovers in the fridge, my life as far as eating and thoughts about food remained how they have been for the past 3 months- food is not ruling me.  I did not wake up and jump out of bed excited to eat leftovers (yes, there was a time in my life when food would get me out of bed).  Thanksgiving was just another day.  The things that made it different from any other day were the break from work, and family/friends joining us for dinner.  The food was secondary.  That's how holidays should be.  

272- Paleo Thanksgiving in Pictures

First Paleo Thanksgiving= success!  Rather then try and explain, I'll just show you how it went down:

Brunch cured meat/cheese/olive tray

Pine cone turkey decoration made by my mom, to replicate one I made for her 25 years ago.

Thanksgiving table cloth.

Pedro in his Thanksgiving outfit.

The table set with the china- isn't it kinda messed up how we have to wash the dishes before dinner, AND after?!

All the goods are on the table.

Up close of the spinach salad with eggs from the ladies- look at those yellow centers!

I forgot to take a picture of my dinner plate, but realized that before dessert, so I managed to snap this shot before devouring the paleo friendly pumpkin pie with whipped cream.