Sweating My Thorns Off!!

That's right!  I'll be sweating my thorns off this Saturday in my very first official virtual race.  What is a virtual race?  Well, remember when I ran a 5K the morning of Relay and had this beautiful pic taken? 

Don't you just LOVE the purple crown!!??  I do!!  I mean seriously...when do you have the opportunity to wear something like this in public??  I couldn't attend my running club's Birthday 5K so I did it on my own at the same time, but 30 miles away.

So now this is an official virtual race.  Everyone is running on their own in their little corner of the world.  There will be people from across the globe running on the same day just to celebrate being healthy and the ability to run.  Pretty cool.  Plus, there are some seriously great prizes.  A fellow blogger, "The Boring Runner" is in hosting it.

Check it out and you can join me (virtually) ;)

Weigh in...post vacation

Everytime I go on vacation I come back with a few souveniers...not all by choice.  Unfortunately, a few of them are extra pounds.  I'm pretty positive that I'm not alone in this plight, however.  You go on vacation, a little dessert there, a bacon cheeseburger here, a couple extra sugary beverages and BAM!  You have yourself 5lbs of extra you coming back home.  Well, I planned out 10/11 meals and was pretty active.  However, I still splurged with an extra chicken sausage, pizza and a giant ice cream cone.  Plus I didn't run.  So I wasn't sure what the scale or the measuring tape would say today.  But I have been tracking all of my food and exercise every day.  Our Marathon Weight Loss weigh in day is Monday so I had no access to a scale last week while on vacation and then waited for the official weigh in day.  Here we go.

Wake up, use the bathroom (sorry TMI) deep breath, exhale, step on and wait....


Blink....


Blink...


Blink...


YES!!!!


Down 2.6


All of the planning was worth it!!!  I'm so excited!!  My hard work is paying off.  Definitely encouraging. 

That brings my total weight loss to exactly 28 pounds since January and 36 pounds since after breaking my foot.  I tend to get discouraged when I lose 0.2 pounds or gain back what I lost the previous week, but all of those little set backs and small losses add up over time.  Over 30 weeks I have lost 28 pounds so that averages out to a little less than a pound a week.  Woot!

ICE CREAM!

I decided weeks before we left for vacation that I would attempt to eat ice cream at the Dells.  Well, we went to "The Fudgery" and I figured, if I'm going to try it I might as well go big or go home.   

Just picture it...a giant, crispy, golden brown waffle cone with one scoop of Moosetracks (peanut butter cups, fudge, goodness, etc.) settling into the bottom of the cone.  Heaping over the top edge was sweet caramel ice cream loveliness.  Oh baby.  The girl serving up the ice cream could feel my excitement.  She said, "Oh I know...I get really excited about ice cream too!"  She had no idea.  Seven months is a LONG time to abstain from ice cream.  I savored it.  I loved it.  It was THE BEST ice cream cone I have ever had.  Totally worth the seven month wait.  What a treat! 

After it had been devoured, the waiting game began.  Would I get a migraine?  How long would it take to come on?  Would it be worse than normal?  Well, the next day brought with it a migraine starting on the way home.  I really would like to think it was not because of the sugar, but because of the sleepless nights of vacation.  Our cabin was not air conditioned and my body is a total wuss when it comes to heat and not sleeping.  So the migraine could be attributed to lack of sleep or the sugar. 

Well I was determined to find out. Yesterday we went over to visit my mom and she had Toffee Ice Cream bars so I decided to give it a shot because I've been sleeping like a baby ever since I got home.  Guess what??  No migraine!!!  One more crossed off the 30 before 30 list!  Woot woot!!! 

Now I don't want to get crazy here.  My goal is to reserve sweets for when I REALLY want them. 

I don't want to become additcted to sugar like I did before and I still want to be sugar/sweetener/preservative free in my meals because let's face it, it's good for my body.  But what a relief that I can have a sweet treat from time to time and not worry about a migraine.  It could be that if I ate sugar like I used to, then it could trigger a migraine.  Minimal amounts once or twice a month could be the ticket!! I've found it's all about moderation.  Eat well 90% of the time and "indulge" the other 10%. 

Life lessons...I know there are many many more to come :)

Prayer Journal

So lately, I've been feeling a bit of a disconnect in my spiritual life.  I just don't feel as close to God has I have in the past.  I realize that as a Christian, our walk with God waxes and wanes, but I don't have to be okay with it.  My daily devotion and prayer time with Tom has been such a great thing for our relationship with one another and with God.  I love our church and Sunday School class.  I even find myself looking forward to serving in Kindergarten.  Something still feels missing.  

As I was praying about it, God revealed a total "duh" moment.  As I began looking back on my life, I started to see that the times I felt closest to God throughout my life were the times when I was writing in a prayer journal consistantly.  Of course!  It makes complete sense because it's one thing for me to go to church, read the Bible and serve in ministry, but that can only take me so far.  I crave that one on one personal connection with my Heavenly Father and my favorite way to get that is to write out my prayers.  When I journal, it's very personal...more like a conversation or a letter rather than a list of prayer requests.  God has used my prayer journals in the past in so many ways...to help me get my priorities straight, to reveal how He is working in my life, to increase my awareness of just how incredibly blessed I am and countless other ways I'm probably not even aware of. 

So the other day Tom and I went to KMart and I picked out a nice leather journal.  And of course it is pink ;) Today is Day 1 and I can't wait to start!  I'm making a commitment to write in it at some point every day until it is full.  I love looking back on my entries and seeing how far I've come and the best part is feeling my anxieties wash away with the knowledge that God's got my back and He loves me so much that He even listens to this girl's prayers.  It's amazing to me just how many people there are in the world and how involved God is in the fabric of each of their lives whether they are aware of it or not.  This has been especially apparent to me watching all of the countries walking in the opening ceremony of the Olympics.  Our God is an awesome God isn't He? 

My question for you...Have you ever journaled?  If so, what was your purpose in doing so?  Did it have a positive impact on your life?

Ding, ding! Dinner's ready!! Spicy Chicken Tortillas...

I've been in a permanent Mexican mood lately and this is one of my favorites.  It's such versatile dish.  It can be a dinner, an appetizer, or a dip. 

Tonight, Tom wanted his as a dinner and I cut mine up like an appetizer.  So easy! 

**By the way, this recipe makes a LOT so feel free to cut it in half or even thirds!

Appetizer version with a few blue corn chips, a kiwi spinach salad with a cup of milk.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Roll-Ups (serves 8-10)
Adapted from Sing For Your Supper

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can Ro-tel diced tomatoes, drained
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
8-10 large flour tortillas

Cut up the chicken breasts into small pieces.  Add to skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with garlic salt, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.  Cook on med-high heat until cooked through.  Once the chicken is cooked, cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, drained tomatoes, cheese, and minced garlic. Mix together until well-incorporated. Add cooled chicken and stir together.

To make into a dinner:

Fill tortilla with mixture and roll up like a taco.  Top with lettuce and tomato.  Ta da!

For a dip:

Scoop into a pretty bowl, refridgerate and side with chips.  Easy peasy!

To make into an appetizer:

Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly in the center of each. Spread into a thin layer leaving the edges clean. Roll each tortilla tightly. Do not fold in the ends like you would with a burrito but leave them free. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1" thick slices and transfer to a serving platter. (The end pieces will likely unroll a little so just eat the extras). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.  This has been a huge hit at parties!

Can't say I never won anything...

That's right!  I recieved a blogger award!

I was awarded The Liebster Award from my fellow blogger Mary over at

 http://walks-in-the-woods.blogspot.com/

I'm so excited!!  It's a great way to share some things about yourself and learn from others in your blogging community!

So what is the Liebster Award:

The Liebster award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome.

Rules for receiving this award:

1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

2. Then answer the questions the tagger sent for them, plus create 11 questions for the people they've tagged to answer.

3. Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

4. Notify the people you have tagged.

5. No tag backs.

Here are 11 little things to share with you about my life...

1. The best thing that's ever happened to me is marrying my husband.

2. The scariest thing I've ever done is finding out my mom was diagnosed with cancer.

3. The greatest news I've ever recieved is that my mom's cancer is gone.

4. The proudest thing I've ever done is being hired as a teacher.

5. I love driving my car.

6. I hate flying in airplanes.

7. I used to play the organ.

8. I am an only child.

9. My favorite color is purple.

10. I really want to take karate lessons.

11. The best decision I've ever made is to follow Jesus.

Here are the 11 questions Mary asked me along with my answers...

1. What inspired your blog name? I want to spice things up in the kitchen, in my art, in my teaching, and in my life so my blog is all about spicing things up and getting the most out of life.

2. What do you like most about blogging?  I love to write and journal.  It's a great way to sort out my emotions, document my life and be a part of a wonderful community of people.

3. What was your dream job when you were a child?  To be a teacher.  I made it!

4. Where is the furthest place you've ever traveled?  I did a J-term in London junior year of college :)

5. What is the strangest or most exotic food you've ever tried?  And did you like it?  Frog legs would probably be the most exotic and I love them!

6. What is your favourite film?  Oh this is tough.  It's a toss up between My Fair Lady, Christmas Vacation and Bridget Jones' Diary.

7. Who is your favourite TV show character?  Lenard from The Big Bang Theory

8. Do you have a crazy, far-fetched ambition and what is it? To be an author.

9. If your friends could describe you with one word, what would it be? Nice.

10. If money were no object, where would you live and why? I would live right where I am now because money does not buy happiness and this is where my family and friends are.

11. What is your favourite book of all time?  Gone with the Wind

And now my questions to all my lucky recipients:

1. Who has been an inspiration in your life?
2. What is a dream of yours that you've been holding back from achieving?
3. What is your best attribute?
4. What is your favorite memory from childhood?
5. If you could rewind your life, what is one thing you would do differently?
6. What was your proudest moment?
7. What is your favorite quote?
8. How did your life turn out differently than you expected?
9. What is the quirkiest thing you do?
10. What is your richest blessing?
11. What do you hope to accomplish with your blog?

Now I get to pass on the award :) 

So here are my lucky recipients...you have all inspired me in one way or another.  Thank you.

Step by step, bit by bit

Running? Really, what was I thinking?

Eat Teach Blog

Virginia Cooks!

Square Zero

A Mother's Journey...

Hello Fitness...We Meet Again...

Sexy Mother Runner

Mommy Meltdown

Will Move for Cake

Just Between You and Me

Exercise on vacation...yeah. about that...

I've heard all about how much exercise people are getting while on vacation...runners throwing on their sneakers and watching the sunrise as they run around campgrounds...bikes being strapped to SUVs and lots of hotel gyms being sweated in.  I decided I could do that on our vacation too, so with a couple of exercise capris, sneakers, my inhaler and some good intentions, I was ready.  A perfect campground for running, plenty of gorgeous shady trees and the quiet beauty of nature. 

However, shopping, boat tours, swimming, mini golf, ski shows, campfires, riding "Ducks" and hay rack rides trumped formal exercise. 

At first, I was disappointed in myself, but then I started adding up all of the activity we did over the three days of our stay.  There is absolutely no reason to be disappointed! 

We had an amazing trip, all but one of our meals were planned out and nutritious, and we were active almost the entire time.  I'm so glad I didn't stress myself out to try to squeeze in "formal exercise".  I didn't need it and I didn't need the stress.  We lived it up and loved our trip with lots of fun, lots of activity, and lots of memories made. 

Lesson learned...relax without stress, enjoy your trip and make the best choices you can. 

I'm glad I did :)

Healthy eats on vacation...my "how to"

Tom and I just got back from vacationing at Wisconsin Dells.  We've been doing really well with eating right and making good choices so I didn't want that to stop just because we were going away from home.  I did end up eating some goodies and I'll tell you about that in my next post.  But this is all about my meal planning.  We stayed in a cabin with a fridge, fire pit and a microwave.  We brought a toaster with us. So I planned out all of our meals except for one dinner, which we decided would be a nice dining out experience :)

Here's my valient attempt at a stress-free healthy eating vacation...it worked too, because we only ate out once and it was planned!  Go us!! :)  Here's how we did it...

Step #1: Plan out breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and dinners (remember drinks too!)

Step #2: Be choosey on what, when and where you want to eat out.  Make sure it is something you will enjoy, you don't get often, keep it special so you won't feel like you are being deprived of eating out on vacation.

Step #3: Avoid typical camping food like premade salads (pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw, etc.) They are full of mayo and won't fill you up.  Plan for lots of fresh fruits, veggies, hummus, string cheese and whole wheat crackers instead...think picnic at a rest stop instead of McDonald's drive-thru.

Step #3: Write down every single necessary food item to make those meals (don't forget condiments!)

Step #4: Write down every appliance, dish and utensil needed to make (and serve) the meals.

Step #5: Write down everything you will need to clean up or wrap up leftover food (think foil, cling wrap, zippy bags, paper towels, clorox wipes, etc.)

Step #6: Make a grocery list of everything you don't already have on hand.  Go shopping!

Step #7: Prepackage, prewash and precook anything you can.

Step #8: Pack wisely.  Utilize all those reusable grocery bags you get for free.  Put all snacks in one bag.  Put all appliances in another.  Pack all paper goods together, etc.  Take a small cooler for picnics or for day trips (to waterparks, theme parks, etc.) Pack a big rolling cooler with ice for all of your refridgerated or frozen items. 

Step #9: Fill up milk jugs with water ahead of time and put them in the freezer.  Then pack the cooler with them so you don't need as much ice and then you have drinking water at the end of the trip and you won't have to resort to that gas station soda!

Step #10: Enjoy, have fun and eat great food without guilt!

Here's a few photos of my food prep...

My shopping trip for some of our snacks and sides for the week.

We got a good deal on a meat bundle at HyVee...pork chops, brats (for Tom), chicken sausage (for me), chicken breast (I cut it up and precooked it).

I divided up the Pirate's Booty into individual servings.  Otherwise, I would eat half the bag in one sitting.  I also did this with my oatmeal so I wouldn't have to bring the huge container of oats or a measuring cup.

Prewashed cherries, blueberries, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery.

I used naan for my lunch sandwiches.  Naan, chicken, spinach, tomato and cheese...mmm.

The directions say they need to be warmed in an oven, but I just stick the pieces in a toaster :)

There it is folks...it does take time to plan, shop and pack, but it was totally worth it! 

I'll weigh myself in the morning and let you know my progress!

30 before 30

I was inspired by a fellow blogger, Hannah over at http://willmoveforcake.blogspot.com/ to compile a list of 30 things I want to accomplish or do by the time I'm 30.  I've got 8 months before I turn 30. 

Here's my list...

1) Get pregnant.
2) Eat ice cream without getting a migraine.
3) Sell 3 of my paintings.
4) Learn how to french braid my bangs.
5) Sign up for a mission trip.
6) Start a journal.
7) Read through the entire Bible again.
8) Volunteer somewhere outside my comfort zone.
9) Make my own bread from scratch.
10) Run/walk a 10K.
11) Read Gone With the Wind again.
12) Write a poetry book.
13) Make my own laundry detergent.
14) Make my own hummus.
15) Run 5 miles straight.
16) Go horse back riding and be comfortable with the horse trotting and galloping.
17) Go to a local winery.
18) Be a mentor.
19) Make a snowman with Tom.
20) Drive my SUV out of state.
21) Go kayaking.
22) Watch a sunrise with Tom.
23) Watch a sunset with Tom.
24) Learn to sew.
25) Start a Bible Study for college students.
26) Write a thank you letter to my 1st grade teacher.
27) Go to a fancy dinner and eat out of the bread basket without getting a migraine.
28) Bake a turkey all by myself.
29) Make my own Christmas cards.
30) Be thankful that I get to turn 30.

Teacher Guilt

So I want to know if I am the only one who experiences what I like to call, "teacher guilt".  Let me explain...first of all, I work my tail off from August through May.  Second of all, at some point over the summer, I am usually participating in some sort of professional development.  This year I co-facilitated our district's Comprehensive Literacy Model conference for grades 2/3, which included months of planning during our lunch breaks, a week of planning when school go out, and a week of faciliation at the actual conference. 

Then I'm planning to go supply shopping (Our school buys ALL of the school supplies the children will need for the year.  Parents give a donation and students just bring gym shoes and a backpack.)  I do kind of love going school supply shopping except when I get the stink eye at Wally World for lugging two huge carts busting at the seams with folders, notebooks, glue, pencils, crayons, markers, erasers, pencil boxes, etc. I see it as a challenge to get as much stuff as I can for the $200 limit.  Yeah, $200 for all the supplies needed for 30 kids (we have a lot of move ins/move outs).  But if you are smart with your limit, and the supplies you are purchasing it's doable.  Anyway, supply shopping starts August 1 for me.  Then after that I spend most of August setting up my room, organizing, lesson planning, copying, making templates, putting together binders, folders, labeling EVERYTHING, etc. 

So.  Here's my issue.  I get about 6 weeks off this summer and I feel SO guilty when I'm not working on school stuff.  For one thing, I want to get better at my craft of teaching so I have motivation to research and read prof. dev. books, but I know the school year is always so stressful and anxiety filled that I need to use this time to relax.  I put in a lot of time during the school year, and even in June with conferences, am on my 3rd professional development text and am in the first day of August, but I am having trouble giving myself permission to have a "lazy day" where I just lay on the couch and read and watch movies all day.  Maybe I have difficulty with this because for instance, today Tom's working all day from 6:00am-5:30pm and I feel guilty about that.  I know I shouldn't but I do.  He doesn't give me a hard time and he even encourages me to just relax because he knows how stressed out I get during the school year. 

How can I relax without the guilt??  Fellow teachers how do you do it?? Or should I feel guilty and be working on school stuff all summer??  HELP!

Eating my exercise

As a three times Weight Watchers veteran, I was ALWAYS told at meetings to eat my exercise points.  So now that I've been adding up my food and exercise on http://www.loseit.com/ I have been eating my exercise calories for the mostly every day.  However, I've only gone over my daily calorie limit twice since I've started counting calories and really haven't been losing weight.  I've gone up and down and am down 0.8 from the start a month ago, which I realize is better than gaining, but it's not what I was expecting.  I put in my weight, height, age, etc. and entered in that my goal loss each week is 1.5 lbs.  So according to loseit, my daily calorie input is around 1,500 cals.  On average, I burn between 300-500 calories in exercise daily.  I've been reading a lot of blogs, discussion boards and I've noticed that many people are only eating 1,200 cals/day.  Plus exercising on top of that and not "eating their exercise".  That just doesn't add up to me.  So let's say you do a 400 cal. workout and eat 1,200 cals.  So your body is only working with 800 cals. for the rest of the day?  It just doesn't seem like enough and that your body would rebel.  Can someone explain this to me?  Is my 1,500 cals. too much?  Maybe these people are just MUCH smaller and shorter than me.  I'm 5' 8" and 183.8 lbs.  (Yes, I did just share my height and weight...yeah I didn't intend to do that til I reached my goal weight, but I think this info is important in figuring out calorie intake) Maybe I just need to stop eating my exercise calories?  We had a Sole Sister conversation about this a few weeks ago.  Most people say not to eat the calories unless you save them for a special treat or big dinner out.  That's what I'm trying this week.  However, today I ended up eating half of my exercise calories because I ate three servings of Snackimals.  But half is better than eating ALL of them I suppose.  I also realize it's not all about the number of calories, but what kind of nutrients are in those calories.  I feel like I'm doing pretty well with eating a good balance of protein, veggies, fruits, dairy and grains.  I could definitely do less cheese and grains, but I feel good about what I'm eating for the most part.  I'm going to try not eating my exercise calories and see how that goes and then possibly adjust.  Help me out here if you think I'm onto something or if I'm completely off track.  Thanks.

Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Steamed Tomatoes

Cheese you say??  Oh you've got me hooked.  

There's pasta too??  Oh yeah. 

Fresh garden grown tomatoes??

Basil AND garlic too?

Too good to be true!

This was dinner tonight, paired with a spinach and kiwi salad and it was a meal.  Woot woot! 

Bonus: Husband approved :)

Here's the recipe so you can try it at home...

Basil Spaghetti with Cheesy Steamed Tomatoes

Serves 6-7 Approx. 250 cals/serving

1 box (13.75 oz.) spaghetti noodles

3 large tomatoes (cut into thick slices)

1/4 c. parmesan

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese

2 garlic cloves (minced)

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp basil

salt and pepper to taste

Boil spaghetti according to box directions.  As spaghetti is boiling, coat a large skillet with 1 tbsp olive oil.  Lay tomato slices in skillet, sprinkle salt and pepper, parmesan cheese and mozzarella over tomato slices.  Cover and simmer on medium/low heat.  Once spaghetti is cooked, drain and toss noodles with remainder of olive oil, red pepper flakes, minced garlic cloves, and basil.  Serve cheesy tomatoes on top of seasoned spaghetti.

Oh and guess what?? 

I hate to speak too soon, but I just had to share my migraine count for the month of July to date:

 3!!!! 

Praise God! 

I know the month isn't over, but thus far, it's so much better than the last two months!

Jan. 4

Feb. 4

Mar. 12

Apr. 5

May 12

Jun. 11

Jul. 3 (to date)

Looks like the hormone therapy is working!!!  YES!!!!!!!

We'll see how the last half of the month goes.  Don't worry...I'll keep you updated. :)

On losing a marathon...

As most of you know, my friends and fellow Sole Sisters, Jess and Heather have come up with a challenge...to lose a marathon.  That's 26.2 pounds for those of you who were wondering.  That's a lot of pounds!  Well, this is week 5/13 of the challenge and I've lost 0.8 pounds.  I lost 0.2, then lost 1.8, then gained 1.8, then lost 0.6.  At least I'm going in the right direction, collectively. 

However, needless to say, I've got a LONG way to go.  So I was getting a little down on myself because there's no way I will be losing a marathon with only 8 more weeks to go.  But then I started thinking...wait.  I have already lost a marathon since January!!!!  I have lost almost EXACTLY a marathon of pounds since the beginning of the year.  And...a total of 34 pounds since I broke my foot three years ago at my all time highest weight.  Now that is an accomplishment :) 

So here's my big realization.  It's taken me 28 weeks to lose a marathon in 2012.  Not 13 weeks (the length of this challenge).  So why do I think I would lose the same amount in less than half the time?  Plus, it gets harder (for me at least) to lose the smaller I get.  What an "aha!" moment for me. 

But that doesn't mean I am stopping or giving up just because I've lost a marathon. 
I am not done yet.  There's still 25.4 pounds to go to reach my goal weight. 

So every week Jess sets a challenge for us.  This week: Photo Journal EVERYTHING you eat. 

Whoa.  I like that idea. Take a picture of every teeny tiny bite or sip before you eat or drink it.  That's going to keep me accountable.  I know this because whenever I take a picture of one of my dinners to post on here I'm sure to make it look colorful, full of veggies, and a balance of carbs/proteins.  I might just think twice before diving into some "Pirate's Booty" snacks.  If I were to eat some "Pirate's Booty" goodness, I could just take a picture of the packaging, but I'm going to step it up and take a picture of my SERVING.  I think that will keep me even more accountable to you.  Now I don't have a smartphone so it's going to be a little bit harder, but I can go "old school" just like I have been doing and use my awesome pink Sony Cybershot.

I'm planning to make a Facebook photo album of everything I eat for the next 7 days.  I think this is going to be really good for me and I'm excited.  You don't have to make yours public if you want to join in the challenge, but I encourage you to at least take a step back and assess your food and drinks and really look at it. 

Ask yourself some important questions...Is this going to be good fuel for my body?  Is this going to make me feel gross after I eat it?  Does this help me reach towards my goals?  What is the purpose of eating this?  Will this taste good or am I just wanting to eat it because it's there?

So much of health and weight loss is food.  You can exercise like it's your job, but if your food isn't nutricious, filling, and tasty, you won't see or reap the full benefits of your hard work.  And face it, if you are going to go to all the trouble of walking, running, biking, Zumba, yoga, pilates, weight lifting, swimming, tennis, etc, then make sure it counts!  Don't spoil your efforts by eating all those calories you just burned and don't spoil it by eating a bag of cheetos after you've done a few miles on the treadmill because you "earned it".  Don't you think you "earned a healthy life" and not some food that's going to cancel out everything you've done??  It just doesn't make sense.  You are not a dog, so don't reward yourself with food.  Reward yourself with the self confidence, self assurance, and pride that you earned this healthy body of yours...even if it doesn't "look" healthier you know that if you made healthier choices your body most certainly is too. 

I think it's all about knowing why you are eating.  If you want a sweet treat or a second helping of dinner and you are okay with the calorie/fat content and will balance it out with the rest of your meals then go for it.  If you are eating it because you feel you deserve it or you feel "naughty" and just want to break your own rules then that's an entirely different issue.  Food is not supposed to be used in that way.

I too need to listen to my own rants.  I am pretty good at not seeing food as a reward for being "good".  I really dislike when people say they were "good" or "bad".  It's not all "bad" if you had a couple scoops of ice cream.  It's not all "good" to eat all veggies and fruits with no fats at all.  Our bodies need fats like those found in salmon or olive oil or even nuts.  Plus, you are not going to gain 5 pounds if you eat a candy bar.  You will not ruin your entire day or weight loss journey if you eat a candy bar.  If you eat a candy bar every day, the weight probably won't come off as quickly, but if that's what is going to keep you sane and on your plan for the rest of your meals and snacks, then do what you need to do. 

Something I really need to work on is not eating my exercise calories.  That's most likely why the weight isn't coming off quickly.  I do get really hungry when I'm working on consistantly and I tell myself that it's okay to eat an extra helping or have a "before bed" snack because my stomach is truly growling. Yes, it is okay for me to eat something extra, but not a half a bag of tortila chips or 2 EXTRA slices of Tom's homemade pizza.  I need to make better choices when I'm hungry, which all goes back to my photo journaling goal.  I hope and believe this is going to help me a lot.  This turned into a really lengthy post!  Congrats for staying with me til the end!

It's time to keep on keepin' on.  Won't lose hope...just pounds.

The "Bump"

No silly...I'm not talking a baby bump!  I'm talking about a hair bump without having to use any sort of contraption.

Men, this is where you are allowed to stop reading, "x" out and go back to reading something of interest to you...unless you have little girls or exhausted wives who just have no more energy to "do their hair".  If that's you, then I invite you to continue reading :)

So anyway, lately I've had numerous people ask me how I get my hair to do this bump thing.

I wonder why no one ever asked me how I did my bangs in 4th grade...??

That's me on the left..."ARE YOUR BANGS REALLY PERMED?" you ask.  Why yes, yes they were.  "ARE YOU BOTH REALLY WEARING TURTLENECKS?" Yes again.  They were stylish and warm.  The best of both worlds in 1992.  I remember being very envious of my best friend Erica's bangs.  As you can clearly see from the picture, they were indeed far superior to mine.

It's not too difficult to do this, so here's my tutorial on how to make a bump with your bangs. 

(It doesn't really matter how long your bangs are with this style. Just make sure they can touch your nose when you pull them down.)

Here's to many happy hair days!

**afternoon painting delights**

All summer I have been wanting to sit down and paint so today I decided to do just that. 

I love the feeling that comes over me when my brush touches the canvas.  Peaceful and relaxing.

No plans for these canvases yet, so if you are interested in any of them please email me at spicycurrie83@gmail.com

Here's what I created today...

"Easy Breezy"

This is a dandelion similar to my previous painting, however, this dandelion is accented with translucent buttons.

$22

"Provision"

This is my first scripture painting. 

Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not of more value than they?" 

This is such a comfort for me because this verse reminds me that God is my ultimate provision.

$18

"Tree Vibrance"

This is my most colorful piece yet.  It's more abstract than what I usually make, but I kinda like that about it.  It's funky.

$16



**Enjoy and I'd love to hear your feedback.**

I ate a rice krispie treat...

It's true. 

I have decided to tell you about it through a new way of blogging, commonly refered to as "vlogging" (video/blogging).  This is my very first shot at shooting a video.  Hopefully my ramblings make some sort of sense to you.

I hope you enjoyed by very first "vlog".  I really thought I would feel something huge when I finally ate something sugary.  I thought maybe I would feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders or maybe I would feel intense guilt or disappointment in myself.  Maybe I would feel a rush of happiness or satisfaction...but no.  I felt none of those things.  I just felt like me.  There were no real big emotions for me.  I just decided that it didn't taste the way I thought it would (oh and I got lots of compliments on my rice krispie treats so it's not that they were bad or anything...hehe) and I'm glad I ate it now because I don't feel like I HAVE to eat sweets and I don't feel like I'm depriving myself either.  I don't know when I will eat something sugary again, but I don't think it will be very often just because I want to take care of my body and give it the fuel it needs while enjoying what I eat at the same time.

Somebody's Got a Case of the Mondays...

So it's Monday so that means it's "Lose a Marathon Weigh In Day".  Well, I was not looking forward to it because yesterday was a rough day.  In a nutshell, I have a rough relationship with my dad (non-existant).  Then my grandma decided to try to make me feel guilty for it at our family reunion yesterday.  Well, I got pretty emotional after that and I am an emotional eater so I ended up eating an entire box of macaroni and cheese....gross.  I felt disgusting and was so mad at myself.  I ended up gaining the pound and a half that I lost last week.  So I am the same as I was 2 weeks ago.  Which should be fine, but I look back on all the calorie counting, running, exercise, self-discipline and I want to scream.  It's just one of those things though that I have to plow through.  I know I'm not technically fatherless, but my father doesn't speak or me or want anything to do with my life so I feel that I am.  This verse keeps popping into my head..."God is a father to the fatherless."  Oh what a comfort.  I am so thankful that I have my Father in Heaven who is constantly watching out for me, holding me, protecting me, and loving me with a deeper love than I can ever imagine possible.  My Father in Heaven is unfailing and ever present in times of trouble and for that I will continue to praise him and will not be broken hearted.  I will press on and be thankful for all of the MANY MANY blessings He has given me in my life.  Tom, my mom, my family, friends, co-workers, a job, cozy house, reliable car to drive, the peace I feel when I give my life to Him and many more.  It's going to be a good day because God made it :)

Oh and go check out my guest blog over at http://www.eatteachblog.com/ today!  It's a good one, I promise!! :)

Tips from a yo-yo dieter

When I talk to people about weight loss, they ALWAYS say, "Ohhhhh!  Have you tried Weight Watchers?"  I respond, "Well, yeah I've actually lost 40lbs 3 times with Weight Watchers." They usually give me a confused look at this point so I go on to explain that it was the same 40 pounds that I kept losing over and over because I gained it all back EVERY single time.  No offense to WW, I think WW is an intelligent, doable program that has helped so many people.  The program works.  It wasn't the program.  It was me.  I couldn't handle the maintenance.  So to date, I've lost 120 pounds with WW, 15 pounds with wedding/masters stress, and 27 pounds with eating no sugar/no preservatives.  Hmmm...let's just add that up.  Grand total: 162 pounds lost.  Well isn't that interesting?  That's a whole person!!  Good grief!   

So here's the top ten of what I have FINALLY concluded after almost 10 years of trying to lose weight. 

1) Maintaining is WAY harder than losing. 

2) Just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you are mentally and emotionally ready to lose weight.

3) I can't imagine writing down everything I eat for the rest of my life, but I might just need to.

4) If I say I'm going to exercise it happens maybe 50% of the time, if I tell someone I'm going to exercise it happens maybe 75% of the time.  But if I enter it into loseit.com and see how many more calories I could eat in a day, then I exercise 99% of the time.

5) What works for all of your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers may not and probably won't work for you.

6) Weighing myself everyday gives me anxiety and depression.  Once a week is healthy for me.

7) "Motivation pictures" of skinny people do not work for me.  They make me want to go eat everything in my cupboard and then drive really fast to Dairy Queen. 

8) "Motivation pictures" of me being skinny do not work for me.  They make me remember that I wasn't any happier being skinny than what I am now.  Being skinny doesn't make your life roses.  I was just healthier (maybe...actually I think my body is healthier now than it was 25 pounds lighter, even with this extra fat)

9) Don't call it a diet.  Whatever you do, don't say the "D" word.  It will sabotoge you.  A diet in our culture means you go on it and off of it.  Hence the term "yo yo dieter".  Don't do it.  It's a lifestyle change, but only if you make it one. 

10) Start an exercise program that is realistic.  Sure you can do a month long program of intense ab work, and get incredible muscles for a few weeks, but when you stop, get tired or just don't have the time do your muscles really stay strong and lean?  Possibly, but probably not.

I'm not a doctor.  I'm not a nutritionist.  You need to find out what works for you.  Think about what makes you eat.  Think about why you don't exercise.  Get past the excuses of being tired or busy and really think about the reasons why.  We all know how to lose weight and how to eat healthy.  But what's really stopping us?  Why do we allow it to?  I don't know all the answers to these questions yet, but every day I'm getting closer.  It's not just to "look good" but I'm doing this to be healthy and not end up having to give myself shots because I'm diabetic, etc.  I'd love to hear what works for you and what your journey has taught you.  Email me anytime at spicycurrie83@gmail.com.

Guest poster!

Good morning!!  This is my first post of July and I had intended to go out and run this morning before it got to hot, but well those comfy sheets and soft pillows got me and that didn't happen.  So....it's off to the elliptical for me.  I finally figured out how to amp up the incline so I will be a sweaty, calorite burning, fat shrinking woman when I finish but it's going to be great.  I love the elliptical.  It's one of those exercise machines you either LOVE or HATE with a passion. 

Does it feel like Tuesday to anyone else??  Since Tom was off work on Wednesday, yesterday felt like Monday and now it still feels weird and I'm all off, but it's all good because I had a GREAT 4th!

On the 4th of July, I celebrated by running my very first race!  The Firecracker5000 5K!!!  Woot woot!  I finished in 3.1 miles in 41 minutes and I was NOT last...in fact, 90 people finished behind me.  :)   I cooked up a new recipe this week and my teaching brain is starting to fire back up after having a month of rest.  But you will have to wait to hear all about it because I'm going to be featured as a guest poster for Divya at http://www.eatteachblog.com/ and will be sharing all about my race, my new recipe and some teaching tips there on MONDAY!  So exciting!  Divya writes a great blog for you whether you love to eat, love to run, love to teach or just love the ups and downs of life.  Definitely check her out.  She made these AMAZING banana bread pancakes that look incredible.  The recipe is on her blog.  So be sure to check out http://www.eatteachblog.com/ on Monday and you can read more about my race experience and get a new recipe!

In the meantime, I'll update you on my progress.

The Great Migraine Battle Continues...

Jan. 4

Feb. 4

Mar. 12

Apr. 5

May 11

June 10

July 1 (to date)

I really don't know what to make of all the migraines in May and June, but hopefully my hormone therapy will start to kick in and if it's what the doctor's hypothesize, the migraines will diminish!  I can only hope!

As for the "Lose a Marathon Challenge", I have lost 1.8 pounds since June 25, when the challenge started.  So I have 24.4 more miles (pounds) to go!  The next weigh-in is Monday so we will see how far I've come then!  I've still been logging all of my food and exercise on http://www.loseit.com/.  It's really helping me to better understand portions and keeping me accountable of everything I am putting in my mouth.