Monday, January 30, 2012

Holy off the diet, Batman!!!

Welp, you probably guessed it from the title, but this weekend was BAD as far as health was concerned. I've been taking a break to rest my shin so that I can run and not feel like dying every day. It was going alright but this weekend, I pretty much undid all the work I had put in last week by eating like a crazy person!

It was just too easy to say okay to Mexican food, and fatty fatty goodness. While it tasted good, it was fleeting and I'm regretting not being harder on myself this morning. But, the good thing about life is that it keeps going and today is a new day. One in which I can re-commit myself to be a healthier, happier me and quit eating like the old me.

Here's to a week of healthy choices and good exercise! Hope yours is the same!

"For the first time ever, overweight people outnumber average people in America. Doesn't that make overweight the average then? Last month you were fat, now you're average - hey, let's get a pizza! "
Jay Leno

I don't want to be just AVERAGE!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Dear Caffeine,

I'm over you. I thought you were great, and we were friends for so long. We had a love hate relationship really, but in the end I think the hate won out and now, I want nothing to do with you.

You see, I think you might have been responsible for a lot of my anxiety. And I think you might have been responsible for my daily headaches. And maybe even my restless nights. If you were a lover, I would have broken up with you a long time ago. But you were more than that, you were my morning hello and my lunchtime pal. We shared so many moments together it was hard to finally decide to cut you loose. But, I have. I thought I'd be sad and want to cry all the time because I'd be tired or irritable. But it turns out, you might have been causing those things too.

Oh caffeine, if only you'd been a better friend. Shown me some real benefits to remaining friends, perhaps we could have had more. For now, I'm glad you're out of my life. I feel a million times better and my water consumption is through the roof. Thanks for the memories, but don't let the door hit ya on the way out!

Sincerely,
tiffytrox

PS for a serious article on the effects of caffeine, click here.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Runnnning Runnnnnning..

So, I'm not going to lie. I'm not a big fan of running. But in high school, I was decent at it and it kept me in pretty good shape. So, in the spirit of getting in shape and living a better life, I've been running, with the intention of running a 5k on April 15th.

Yesterday, I pushed myself harder than I have because I really need to start getting some mileage in. I was really proud of myself and felt great! However, I have this annoying pain in my shins that I can't shake! It's aggravating because today, my shins are SCREAMING at me if I step the wrong way or if they stretch too far. It's frustrating but it's also a great little reminder that I'm working towards a goal. And that is super exciting!

I was wanting to write a post about my spiritual journey these past few months, but it's not playing out the way that I had hoped. Maybe later this week!

OH! And on the caffeine front, things are going really well! I haven't had any in about 2 weeks and I'm feeling great!! (minus some allergies but I don't think you can really blame that on the lack of caffeine!)

"If you run, you are a runner. It doesn't matter how fast or how far. It doesn't matter if today is your first day or if you've been running for twenty years. There is not test to pass, no license to earn, no membership card to get. You just run."
-John Bingham

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Stair what??

Ha, that doesn't even sound like "Say what" but it's funny to me.

So in this episode of trying not to be a fat ass, we are learning to take the stairs! I know, I know,  a lot of people take the stairs all the time. And that's great. I however, do not. I like going UP in the elevator. I'll walk down the stairs all day long, but UP, not so much.

Soooo this week I've decided that I will begin taking the stairs when the opportunity presents itself. Which is mostly at work. YAY!

"A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs."
- Joan Welsh

Thursday, January 12, 2012

For some dieting crap updates..

Right, so another big change that I made this week includes giving up caffeine. Typically, I got my caffeine from a Diet. Dr.Pepper in the mornings. But this week, I opted to give it up.

I know that there's "no harm" in drinking diet sodas because they are after all, zero calories. But I just don't think that it's all that great to be consuming caffeine. I could be totally wrong, but I'm going to go without it for a while and see how I feel!

What have you guys done this year in an effort to be healthier?
  
I just love this....

It's about planting trees....

I have to brag about my good friend Janet. You see, a few years ago, I noticed a quote on her blog that said:


"The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit" by Nelson Henderson

When I first read it, I thought "Wow, that's a pretty cool quote" but as the meaning sunk in and the words really came to mean something to me, I decided that it was the approach I wanted to take in my life. I wanted to strive for a life that is selfless and one in which I give more than I take. I want to plant trees for others, regardless of what the result is for me.

But, that's not the point of this post. It's to brag about Janet, remember?

So, I'm amazed by her every day, which I think I've already told most of you, but...she posted pictures of her soon to be here baby boy's room and one of the things she made for his room is a painting that reads:
"Plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit"

She placed it in the room because she wants him to grow up with a sense of selflessness and charity and what better way than to keep such profound words in his room?

When I finally take the steps to start becoming a parent, I hope that I remain as level headed and grounded as she is and that I can keep some of the same principles in mind while preparing for my kiddo.

Here's to you Janet. You are an incredible person and I am so lucky to count you as my friend.

"The true meaning of life is to plant tress, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."
- Nelson Henderson

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Today, on the way into work, I heard the announcement that today is "Human Trafficking Awareness Day". My first thought was, "That doens't happen here.:" And then I thought about how naive that thought was. Seriously, there are so many things going on in the world that I'm almost positive it is happening here, in the United States.

The station referenced a website, Traffick911 and it confirmed that human trafficking knows no boundaries and in fact, the United States has a large market for slaves. SLAVES. in the UNITED STATES. It blows my mind.

I don't know much about human trafficking other than it happens, but I'm going to use today to learn more about it. To gain knowledge and find out ways that I can help. Because no child should have their innocence stolen. Humans are not property. And it honestly breaks my heart that in the year 2012, we are still treating them as if they are.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Okay blog...we're gonna lose some weight!

I know that I probably said this last year, or in the past few months, but I REALLY TRULY MEAN IT NOW!
I'm serious. Please take me seriously! I had this terrifying dream where I was one of those people that had to be airlifted out of their room so they could go to the doctor and it scared the bejeebus out of me. I don't want to be an airliftable only person! Plus, as we get closer to deciding we might maybe try the whole baby making thing, the last thing I want is to be the fat mom who can't chase after her kids when they kick her in the knee and run away.

So, although this should have started last week but didn't because a nasty - I hope it's the only one I get - virus literally kicked my ass into bed for 5 days, it's starting today. Today, January 9, 2012. The day I take back my body and make it healthier. I don't really care about overall pounds lost, I just want to be happy with my body and who I am. I want to feel like I look great instead of thinking "OMG! Look at you!" So, here's to you my faithful few, I'm hoping you keep me in line and help me whip into shape.

One of the things that is going to help, is agreeing to run a 5k (without stopping) with my co-worker. Neither one of us are really runners, so it's going to be a challenge for both of us. I know, you're thinking, 5k?  No prob! But for she and I it will be a nice goal to work towards. Our boss is actually running a 1/2 marathon in April, so we're going to hitch our wagons to his enthusiasm and run the 5k on the same day. So, yep, that's 90 days to get up to 3.2 miles (Or whatever it is). I think we can totally do it and I'm excited about running! YAY!

(In two weeks I'll probably curse myself for writing that, but for today, it's good for me!)

So good luck to you and whatever challenges you may take on going into this year! Here's shooting for a very happy, and very healthy 2012!

"Strive for progress, not perfection!"