Thinfluenced

Yesterday Was Brutal. Never Do This. EVER!

2013-05-23T00:00:00.001-05:00

I'm not even gonna lie...

Yesterday was straight BRUTAL.
~~As in, I'd have rather been dropped kicked. By Bruce Lee. In the throat. Twice.~~

I woke up at 4:55 am with horrible stomach cramps from HUNGER pains. (This hasn't happened since my century.) It hurt so bad that I decided to get up and go downstairs... I ate an orange, drank some coffee and a bottle of water, and then curled up on the couch- having had only 3.5 hours of far less than restful sleep. I was ~~ready to shank somebody~~ irritated and exhausted. By 9 am, I was shaking pretty bad and had a headache starting, so I had another orange, a stick of low fat mozzarella cheese, and a two bottles of water.

I thought I could shake it off, so despite feeling ~~like a bus hit me~~ absolutely terrible, I dressed and headed over to the gym for 40 minutes of ~~torture~~ strength training. Truth be told, it was one of THE HARDEST STRENGTH TRAINING CIRCUITS I have EVER done. (The kicker was the four sets (x12) of Romanian dead lifts at the end...) I dry heaved through at least half of my workout- but I got it done. And in strong fashion. When I make a plan, I stick to it- unless I'm puking, bleeding, or the building is on fire.

It doesn't pay to go to the gym and phone it in.... Right?

Those rosy red cheeks? That's makeup. And even in that picture it looks totally wrong because my skin color was SO ashy and weird. I didn't want anyone to know anything was wrong with me, so I dolled it up just enough to keep the suspicion away. It drives me totally nuts to be doted on by anybody other than my husband when I'm sick. (I do love that the folks at the gym care, but if you ask me what's wrong and something actually is, I might cry. And that's bad juju.)

The shaking pretty much stopped (I think) until I got back home. But I knew within ten minutes of walking in the door ~~that the shit was hitting the fan~~ my blood sugar was crashing again---and fast. I felt super yucky, turned even more pale, waves of nausea hit me, and the shaking started again. I immediately went to the kitchen, ate three of Cole's gummy worms and put a pinch of raw sugar under my tongue (to spike my blood sugar), and then knocked back two cups of cold paella (which is rice based), plus another bottle of water. Ten or fifteen minutes later, the shaking was settled down again and I started to feel better. Carbs. My body really needed substance. At that point I felt like I had been mowed down by an angry mob of munchkins, so I laid down on the couch and stayed there until I picked Cole up an hour later.

I have never been really scared before, but it's a helpless feeling when your body ~~is freaking the F out~~ is responding badly because you haven't taken proper care of it. Like a total dipstick, on Tuesday I barely ate anything. (Strike one.) A bowl of tomato soup, a small plain croissant, one flour tortilla, an ounce of cheddar cheese, half a tomato, and an avocado. Why? Because I worked all day and got busy. So, I came home from work, knowing I wasn't fueled properly, and then made the conscious decision to ride HARD. (Strike two.) I should have KNOWN something was wrong when I came back in last night from my ride and wasn't hungry... Usually I'm voracious after a fast trip out on the bike. (Strike three---and you're OUT, dummy!)

Anywho, it was dumb. My own fault. Someone on Twitter told me it's called "bonking." Regardless of what it's called, adding a hardcore strength workout in on top of my ride the night before- knowing my blood sugar was low- was probably brainless also. Jesus, I deserve some sort of award....

Don't do what I did today. Don't be dumb. My lesson is learned.

Ever do anything dumb in the gym? Ever fail to plan where nutrition is concerned?

Sarah

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A Hard Ride & A HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!

2013-05-22T06:49:00.003-05:00

So y'all know I'm NOT a morning person, right?

And yet, I'm writing this at 5...

In the AM!

On Wednesday....

You see...it turns out that when you ride REALLY hard the night before and don't fuel correctly after, your body turns into a vengeful hag and sets up to shank you...

In the stomach area.

Several hundred times.

At 4:55.... in the freaking morning!

When you're trying to sleep...

(I slept a grand TOTAL of 3 1/2 hours last night. I'm going to be a JOY to have around later today...)

I've never had that happen before, but holy hell, y'all! I rolled over to reposition in bed and the most painful, awful cramps started in under my ribs in my actual stomach area. I winced and then thought I might throw up, so I ran to the bathroom, while hanging onto the wall, doubled over!

Seriously. Not pretty.

(And kind of scared me a little bit!)

I was shaky and stabby. Freaking metabolism burning for hours overnight totally got me....

So! I'm up!

I downed a full 16 oz bottle of water as soon as I got downstairs, am noshing on an orange, and am working on a cup of black coffee. I've always been hypoglycemic and am usually pretty good about it. That's really the first time it ever came back to bite me like that...

Lesson learned!
More foods after hard rides! Guess my tummy wanted more than a quesadilla, half a tomato, and an avocado for dinner...

Speaking of a hard ride...

When we left last night, this was the weather.

See that number over on the right? 17 mile an hour steady winds with 32 mph gusts.

Great.

Every. Flipping. Time.

The wind never fails if I'm riding...

And the wind would become a HUGE factor...but I'll get to that in a minute.

Honestly, I was a rocket right out of the chute last night. The minute I clipped in, I knew I would be. It had been a while since I rode really hard- and my muscles were ACHING to be worked.

And did I ever give them what they wanted!

Nate and myself had a 16 mile an hour average going after the first five miles- and Nate admitted that he had a hard time catching me. (Which made me feel awesome!) I was spinning my ass off on the flats, cranking hard doubled down on the descents, and climbing hills like a champ.

Oh, that hurts? Get over it, cupcake! It's work time!

If I could hold my pace for all 13 miles, I knew I'd break my own pace record. By a LOT.

If....

And then mile 5 hit... and we turned onto County Rd E.

And met a vicious, unforgiving wind.

Head on.

By mile seven, I was so totally enraged that I was cursing out Mother Nature and gritting my teeth while I dug into the pedals and invented new cuss words to hurl out at the howling wind...

I had to FIGHT LIKE HELL every inch of the way.

To maintain a 10 mph average.

On the flats.

It. Was. Disappointing.

It was a battle for the next four miles. And I was super pissed. My average dropped into the low 13 mph range. My heart rate was maxed out- while my muscles churned and burned and I sucked wind. And then the 'poor me' mental game started.

When I finally finished the west facing leg of our ride and turned south onto McHugh four miles later, ~~I praised the baby Jesus~~ I knew exactly what I had to do:

A) Burn off the newly acquired negative energy I had just built up.

B) Adjust my attitude and perspective.

C) Ride really hard!

I jumped up on the pedals, beared down, and got to work. There was a nasty crosswind, but I rode hard- despite running into quite a bit of traffic on the way back into town. We really moved our asses, because despite riding back into the city, which usually slows us way down thanks to cars, stop signs, and pedestrians, we still nailed down a solid 14 mph average after taking a significant hit on our pace during miles 5-9.

I'll tell ya right now....

I'll take it!

After I got home and pulled myself together, I reminded myself that it's not supposed to be easy.

The post ride conversation in my head, while I sucked down my Premier Protein box on my porch and cooled down, sounded something like this:

'It's not supposed to be ideal! These are training rides, hi-zotch, so you're SUPPOSED to hurt and deal with all kinds of uncomfortableness----so that you're ready for whatever is thrown at you come race day! So that you get BETTER! Duh! So stop feeling sorry for yourself. You're strong. You're capable. You know how to ride- and well. Get to work, stop complaining, and get out of your own damned way... You rode hard. Into the wind. And it killed your pace. So what! You got it done, worked to your potential, and am now a stronger person for it! They're just numbers, after all..."

Truth is, rides like last night are exactly what I need....

Love Premier Protein! I have NO muscle soreness this morning- just hunger.

After my ride, I laid around in my bike shorts for two hours relaxing and watching the Brewers suck. I contemplated going for a run, but I knew that if I went out on really tired legs, I'd risk injury---and I can't take that chance right now.

Why, you ask?

Why am I being so careful?

Because something really cool happened!

I won an entry into the 2013 IronGirl series!

And I am choosing to use it in the IronGirl Wisconsin- Pleasant Prairie in August!

I am OFFICIALLY in training for my very first triathlon!

It's a sprint distance including a 1/2 mi swim, 12 mile bike, and a 3.1 mile ride---and I am freaking PUMPED!

Iron Girl races are pretty special, because 80% of the athletes at them are NEW to the sport! So, there's no pressure for the "newbie!" The majority of the girls around you are going through it for the first time also. Plus, you're surrounded by all women athletes who get it and have trained just like you have and dealt with the same challenges. I love that!

What's cool about this WHOLE THING though... without trying to sound snarky, I promise... is that I knew I won....

Let me explain!

See, I had a dream a few weeks ago that I'd win a race entry into an upcoming triathlon... I had been himming and hawing about my next fitness move for a few months now, and I started to feel like I was going to actually pull the next trigger...

So, when this giveaway came up, I entered my name in...

And I don't know... I just knew! I could feel it! This was it! My dream- play by play!

And so, when they didn't announce the winner right away, I got all kinds of antsy.

Was I wrong? Was it very funny on me and I'm a total nutball and had no real shot?

Nope! She just hadn't had a chance to announce the winner.

I won! I freaking won!

And so here we are! And HERE WE GO!

It's just crazy... This whole thing is CRAZY! And AWESOME! From depressed cancer momma at 340 lbs struggling to climb a set of stairs and using all of her energy to keep her child alive 13 months ago...to 100 mile century finisher last fall.... to Iron Girl triathlete?!

Holy crap on a cracker, y'all!

I'm all sorts of weird mixed emotion tears writing this, but it's like my wildest dreams are coming true...and life finally feels good again! And you have NO idea how long I've waited for that. Five years fighting for the air in my kiddo's lungs. Just begging God to spare his life and to take the cancer away. Living in a hospital. Eating every emotion I ever felt. Five years of worry, anxiety, and sadness really started to feel like my new normal... I didn't know if I'd ever dig out. I had totally, completely forgotten about me and spent every moment of my day and ounce of my energy focusing entirely on my Cole and pulling him through. Truth is, I would have given my life for him in a second a thousand times over. (And you'd have done the same thing!)

But now....I finally feel like God has allowed us to get to a place where the pain is starting to pass. Cole is healing. He's smiling more often than not. He's happy, stronger every day, and planning his future. The three of us are all finding our places in the world. And actually LIVING again. Living! And it feels GREAT!

The truth is...

The past is over and the future is right this second!
And I am worth it, damn it! I KNOW what I'm capable of, what's important, and who I am!
It's been worth the fight and the hurt and the struggle, because I'm focused, positive, and un-freaking-stoppable on the other side of these last few years! With my kiddo as my inspiration and my husband as my partner, there are no limits...
To life. To love. To potential.

And this life....This crazy, wonderful, beautiful life feels SO GOOD right now!

One more time, in a very different way, I'm about to find out what I'm made of...

And bring it on...

Because, for the very first time, I'm fearless.

Sarah

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Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen Giveaway Winner!

2013-05-21T23:42:00.000-05:00

Thank you to Goddess Garden for allowing me to do this giveaway! There were nearly 300 entries...and the winner of the natural sunscreen is...

Congratulations Christy! Please email me and let me know your shipping details and whether you'd like the adult, child, or baby formula!

If you didn't win, don't despair! Stop back here at Thinfluenced, because a new giveaway starts TOMORROW! And its for a whole BOX of goodies! You are going to want IN!

Sarah

Follow Thinfluenced on the book of Faces!

An Easy Meal To End All Mouth Watering Meals!

2013-05-21T13:00:00.000-05:00

So, if you're like me, you never know what to make for dinner until the last freaking minute.

Every. Single. Day.

It's fine.

I don't know why I don't plan these things out better, but unless I'm using a crock pot, I just don't plan my meals ahead of time. I make things up on the fly. And because I can cook, usually it works out just fine.

(Thank the baby Jesus for the hotel chefs at the Radisson I used to work for and also for my grandma Delores' influence on my childhood! I can cook really well BECAUSE of them!)

Anywho....

My non planning (and a well stocked fridge) worked out REALLY well last night!

I was craving pasta, which we don't eat every often, but I wanted to make my own sauce/ragout.

And what I made was STELLAR!

It was fresh, hearty, and had some attitude!

Here's what you'll need:

3 gloves of garlic, cleaned and diced

1 red pepper, pitted and cut into thin slices

1 normal sized zucchini, cut into thin slices

1 c portabella mushrooms, cut into thin slices

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. red wine

1/2 of a fresh lemon, squeezed

1 can butter beans, drained and rinsed

1 box whole wheat penne pasta

extra virgin olive oil

salt

pepper

1/2 tsp (or one small fresh chopped bunch) oregano

1/2 tsp (or one small fresh chopped bunch) parsley

First, get your penne pasta going in a separate pot according to directions. Boil, strain, and set aside.

Next, drizzle some extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan and get it medium hot.

Toss in your butter beans.(You should hear the pan sizzle at least a little.)

Add some salt and pepper and saute them for two minutes on each side. They should just start to get browned on the very edges when they're done.

(Don't stir them too much or they'll get mushy!)

Pull them out and reserve in a bowl on the side.

In the same pan after you pull the beans out, drizzle a little more evoo and then toss in your zucchini, portabellas, peppers, and garlic. Salt and pepper those, plus add the oregano and parsley.

Cook that down on medium high heat about 8-10 minutes until the veggies start to lose their crunch.

Next, gently pour in your red wine, tomatoes, and lemon juice and stir.

Cook ten minutes longer until 3/4 of the liquid has been cooked off.

(Don't let too much juice cook off though, because the butter beans will soak some of it up!)

Once the liquid is cooked off, add your butter beans to the pan and stir together just to heat through. Shut the heat off.

Ta-da!

Serve your vegetable ragout over your whole wheat penne pasta!

(I added fresh grated sheep's milk cheese and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to mine and it was FAB!)

Can we agree that that looks incredible?

Things I love:

Your slightly browned butter beans give the dish an interesting texture & add protein in place of meat.

The wine and lemon juice give it acidity, which helps against the otherwise bland pasta.

Plus, all of the fresh ingredients speak directly to my heart...

There is NOTHING like a meal fresh from the garden!

Clearly, it was well liked!
It was the first thing Cole ate all day (as he was sick) and he had TWO helpings!

Clean plates are ALWAYS the best compliment!

Do you enjoy pasta? Have any great Italian recipes to share? Are you a planner or a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants chef?

You have a few hours left to enter my giveaway!

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Sarah

Manic Monday: Defined!

2013-05-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

Before I start, I just want you to know that while Thinfluenced may keep things lighthearted most of the time, there are situations that are serious and times we are so overcome with raw emotion that we need to share it... That said, that we are praying for Oklahoma and her people today, tomorrow, and in the days and weeks ahead... The devastation and agony is unimaginable. We send our deepest love and support... Please join me in finding a moment of silence for Oklahoma today and also in asking God for his grace and comfort. Thank you.

***************************************

So it was freaking hot yesterday---like the 'devil be sweatin' kind of hot! For May in Wisconsin at least. 81 degrees and disgustingly muggy.
Which is just, you know, grand...
Because fat girls love the heat...

And for the record, I flat out REFUSE to turn the central air on before Memorial Day.
Not happening.
I'm cheap. Label me.
And, by the way, did you know that it was freezing here a few weeks ago?
And yesterday I got myself a sun burn... Crazy...

Anyway, because I'm a tough bizotch who doesn't like to make excuses, I pulled up my big girl shorts and took myself out in the yard to cut the lawn late afternoon.
Because it needed to be done.
And ain't nobody volunteering for that job!
The lawn was LONG, y'all! Like... I could hide beer kegs in it!
Not good!
But Old Herb, he made quick work of it...

Puppys came out with me and were totally happy to ~~be in my way~~ help.
My Cole, who spent all day sick, brought me out a glass of water because he felt bad for me.
I appreciated it. Very much.
I was SO HOT!
Gross...

Hey! Hubby! I have an idea!
Can we just invest in goats?
They're cute and they'll chase the juvenile delinquents that cut across our lawn!
I like the idea, personally...
(Stampeding security goats. Haha! Picture it...)

Here's my Atreyu with the wind in his hair...err, fur....

Don't tell the other two, but Trey is my favorite.

He is affectionate, loves to run, and is VERY protective. Adore that dog!

That lil' she-beast in the red collar?

Our Roxey- and the reason we'll never own female dogs again.

Haha! Just kidding! (Kinda.)

That guy? Our Jaxsin. He's so sweet soaking up the sunshine and literally smelling the flowers!

Jax was sitting next to our lilac bush and watching me.

He loves to sniff the good smelling stuffs in our yard.

Dandelions.

Tulips.

Fresh poops.

If he is outside long enough in the spring, he goes and lays in the daffodil beds.

Such a silly boy!

But I don't blame him, because the lilacs are blooming and smell FANTASTIC!

This is Herb.

The bad ass lawn mower I mentioned above.

He gets the job done. Every time!

(That's what SHE said! Muahahaha!)

After the heat of the day died down, I put on my running shoes and decided to take a walk.

It was a good breather and cleared the cobwebs from my brain.

To make a very long story short, yesterday ROYALLY SUCKED.

My attitude was garbage- despite my best attempts at getting it back on track.

I felt:

-unappreciated (thanks to some things I won't mention here),

-anxious (over Cole's throat & nose bleed situation), and

-guilty (because of the food situation the day before) all at the same time.

I had little sleep and no coffee and it showed.

I warned everyone to steer clear of me and went about my day, but it was just....bad.

But! The good news is, I'm much better now!

Smiling, bouncing around like a nut job, and making plans for the rest of the week!

How was your Monday? Did it totally suck or did you salvage it?

Oh! And by the way!

I made an AMAZING dinner last night despite it being hot!

It looked like this!

Pop by later & I'll have the recipe posted!

You're going to want to make this!

TRUST ME!

Sarah

My giveaway ends tonight!

Easy entries, so hurry and get your name in!

Good luck!

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The Ms. Unhappy Pants Post!

2013-05-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

It ain't always pretty folks.... But I NEVER pretended like it was easy or that I wasn't human...

This is not the 'happy, yippy, skippy, I love you and you love me and everything is roses and dandelions' post. Instead, this is the 'I'm going to shank a mother heifering Care Bear in it's pathetic, defenseless face!' post.

Or maybe I'll drop kick a Tele Tubby... That sounds fun also.

Anywho...

Yesterday I put in a 4.5 mile brisk walk. Half of it was in the morning and the other half was in the very late evening. (Late! Because I was getting my freaking workout in- hell or high water!) And by the way, it was CRAZY humid here yesterday and again today! 78 degrees. Air was thick and nasty. So that means you were sweaty within the first twenty feet of whatever you were doing... Awesome. NO EXCUSES!

But it wasn't the weather or the workout that bugged me. It was what happened BETWEEN those two walks that has my panties all twisted and my attitude in the toilet...

There is a reason that I do the shopping in my home. It's so I know EXACTLY what's coming into this house. I can control portions and calories and quality. There's a reason that I do the cooking. And that I measure everything out. And that I know the exact ingredients in every dish. I can tell you, start to finish, EVERYTHING that's in our fridge, freezer, and pantry. And I like it that way.

That said, I spent a lot of time in the company of other people this weekend. But even more than that, I spent a lot of time in the company of food... For hours and hours.

Here is what I know for sure:

I CAN'T BE TRUSTED AROUND FOOD!

I cannot be trusted to sit around lots of different food for long periods of time! Delicious food! Full of calories and carbs and sugar and salt! I can't! Because at first I just taste... but then it's all so damned good! And so it becomes a race to see if I can try a little of absolutely everything. On a buffet FULL of different dishes. And NO- I don't WANT another piece of cake. And NO- I don't WANT a soda! And NO- I don't WANT a third burger for the day! But it becomes very hard to keep saying no when you're sitting there, literally for eight hours at a crack, staring at your favorite things, while your will power drains and everyone else enjoys themselves. VERY difficult.

500.

The number of calories I was OVER yesterday. 2,000 calories in---when it should have been 1,500. *sigh* (And no, I don't eat my workout calories anymore, so I do NOT get to count those! It's not okay, so don't try and ration with me.)

Jesus Christ.

Last night I was so pissed at myself. Pissed that I sat around for eight hours not moving. Pissed that I ate a bunch of stuff I didn't need. Pissed that I still didn't feel good about myself, despite putting in a good workout yesterday. Pissed that I clearly have a food addiction problem and that the only place I can't control myself is when I'm with loved ones. Do you know that I work in a coffeehouse? Which has a restaurant? I prepare food EVERY day and have ZERO interest in stuffing my face with stuff I don't need! I do marketing at food shows for work and have NO problem with any of it. I can walk table to table, have a little taste, and be totally fine with a sampling. Calm, cool, and collected. Plus, I cook & bake at my house on a regular basis and can limit myself to one helping. Always. No issues.

WHY?! Why then do I have a problem when I'm with loved ones, specifically---- family?!?!
I don't understand it and hate that I can't control it.

Work hard all week long. Ruin a big portion of it in ONE DAY eating extra calories that my body doesn't even need.

I'm struggling mentally today. And I'll snap out of it. Hopefully soon. Just mad at me, I guess.

Does this ever happen to you? Are there situations in your life that trigger bad habits? Ever want to shank a Care Bear?

Sarah

(P.S. Cole has had a sore throat for five days now and was up at 3 am last night with a nose bleed. He's asleep and home from school now. We're very nervous and worried. Please say a prayer for our cancer survivor kiddo. Thank you so much!)

Have you entered my giveaway yet!? Not much time left!

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Saturday Stand Up: Fitness Style!

2013-05-18T13:45:00.001-05:00

You know I luuuuuurve to laugh! These are the best fitness funnies I've found this week. Enjoy!

Sarah
P.S. Have more funnies? Post them to my Thinfluenced FB page!

I'm awake ... I think...

2013-05-17T09:14:00.001-05:00

Its pouring rain in Wisconsin this morning.

Its cold.

Its dreary.

(And for the record, Mother Nature is a temper mental whorebag, shank you very much!)

So, I'm up. Out of bed. Dressed. And breathing.

Somehow I'm even dressed. My socks don't match and I think I only have mascara on one eye. Its fine.

Did I mention I have a migraine starting?

Its glorious.

If my coffee looks funny this morning, that's because its imported. From a wine bottle. And that frothy stuff on top is crema from the espresso. Or vicodin.

Don't judge me. It's Friday.

Sarah

P.S.

Hey! Did you register for my giveaway yet?! If you want the most awesome bottle of organic sunscreen EVER, you better! Or else I will laugh and offer to serve you with mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving when you burn like a turkey this summer... Truth! Gobble, gobble!

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A Day In My Backyard & A Goddess Garden Natural Sunscreen Giveaway!

2013-05-16T20:00:00.002-05:00

Obviously you've heard the story about my now MISSING wooden privacy fence. (If not, you can check it out HERE.) Husband decided that the backyard fence hadn't been cared for properly over the years and was coming apart, literally, at the seams- so he ripped it out. Without asking. Shank him very much... Anywho! Just behind that fence is an additional chain link fence that separates our back yard from a HUGE 40 acre park. We are keeping the chain link, because A)It belongs to the city and not us. B)It's bad enough creepers can see IN my backyard, but I sure do not want them walking through it too. And being that we live on a corner, it would totally happen. The first day. Multiple times.

Over the years, vines have grown very thick between the wood and chain link fence. The buds on the vines have just started, so in no time it will be completely covered in a thick green blanket. Which would, in theory, be nice since our backyard is now open, right? BUT! Because of the thick foliage, every single year bees build hives in those same vines, which renders our entire backyard uninhabitable. They get thick as thieves. And angry. And they're generally not nice to have around... And neither am I . After I've been chased while cutting lawn. *sigh*

So, I fixed them! I went to work in my backyard while husband was gone to work recently. You can't tell, but these vines were woven in TIGHT to the fence. It took a whole lot of ripping, pulling, and sheering on both sides to cut it all free.

This is our fence before..

That's my Jaxsin looking for a spot to hide his toy!

And this is our fence after...

I deserve an award for SURE!

Not only did I accomplish my goal of cleaning up the brambley bush, but I burned some calories AND tried out a new organic sunscreen too.
(More on that in a minute!)

If you're wondering why I left some brush on the far right side towards the garage, it's because a family of robins has built a nest there. Four tiny blue eggs are still in it; can't wait to go see them in a few days when they hatch. You're welcome, Mama Robin. Your babies are safe and still have a home. Because I care. ~~And it's illegal in Wisconsin to mess with you.~~

So I mentioned that I got to try out a brand new organic sunscreen today!

Goddess Gardens was kind enough to send me their all natural sunscreen recently and asked me to try it out. I was more than happy to!

"Goddess Garden All Natural Sunscreen with organic ingredients is sheer, non-greasy and easy to apply so you can use it everyday. It protects and nourishes your skin without any harsh chemicals and is packed with the purest non-toxic certified organic ingredients, vitamins and antioxidants. Currently, our all natural sunscreen has the highest organic ingredient content available on the market!"

Before I went out to work in my yard today, I used the Goddess Gardens Continuous Spray SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen to protect my skin from the warm morning sun. I was born a redhead, so I burn like it's nobody's business, folks! If I'm outside, I have sunscreen on!

What I really like about Goddess Garden is that it smells good, isn't greasy (which is important to me since I'm a texture person), doesn't make you turn pasty white, and doesn't leave a film or foam. I put it on my hands, arms, and legs. I was out in the yard about an hour and a half and have no sign of a sun tan anywhere as we speak. Granted, that amount of time is not all that long, but normally my skin would, at the very least, be reddened. That said, I'm not necessarily inclined to say 'Oh, this works great!' quite yet. However, I will say that both times I've gone out with it on, there's been no sign of any sun trouble- and that's something I can feel good about!

What I especially love about Goddess Garden is that it's chemical free. You know that my husband & myself own a little chemical-free olive oil based handmade soap company, but what you probably don't know is that everything we use on our hair, face, and body is all chemical, paraben, and phthalate free as well! (And if it's not totally chemical free, it's close!) Being that my mom and my son have both battled cancer twice, it is vitally important to me that our house gets as close to the Earth as possible- and Goddess Garden has made that easier for me! Their sunscreen is biodegradable, reef safe, gluten free, cruelty free, vegan, paraben, phthalate, and GMO free! Plus, it's made in the USA! Win, win, and win!

Want more information?

Check out Goddess Gardens on Facebook HERE and on Twitter HERE!

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Sarah

I Jumped On Bloglovin' Today And Found This....

2013-05-16T14:36:00.003-05:00

I jumped on Bloglovin' today (as I'm perched in my recliner not feeling well) and found a couple of things that really, really touched my heart...

First, I read this on my blog friend Chubby McGee's page:

"If you're looking for a motivational/inspirational blogger who is trying to get healthy, while being one of the greatest moms to one of the greatest kids (who is also a 2X cancer survivor), please go over to Thinfluenced. Sarah's blog is great and filled with stuff that makes me get up and get moving each day. She'll also make you more aware that you have tons of blessings in your life simply because you have the ability to live a normal life free of hospital visits, chemo treatments, and the fear of losing your child. The woman still got up each day, took care of her ailing son, trained HARD for a bikeathon and did it all with a smile and a light heart. She's probably one of the strongest weight loss bloggers out there and she reminds me just how important it is to get healthy because I'm lucky to be able to get healthy. Not sure why she didn't make the list...then again...it just proves that there are some serious inaccuracies to it. "

You can read the rest of her blog here: http://chubzilla.blogspot.com/2013/05/no-no-no-no-no.html

Then, I popped over to my real life friend & neighbor Ashley's blog. (If you remember, I rode with her, Nathan, and Nicole last night. I've known her for about a year or so now & am very lucky to!) Well, she made me cry. Big old crocodile tears. Here is a small snippet of what she wrote:

"I haven't known Sarah for a long time. We connected shortly before I moved back to our home town and I couldn't have been more excited to find someone so close who was also so much into fitness as I was. We instantly bonded over that and haven't turned back yet!

Sarah's drive for just about everything in life amazes me! Her son, Cole, has battled cancer twice in his short life (and from Sarah's constant updates, he seems to be getting a little better each and every day), and I can't even begin to imagine what those years were like for Cole and his family. As a mother myself, I know the unconditional love that you have for your child and then to see them suffer with cancer... TWICE! And yet, somehow, someway, as a family, they pulled through it together and keep moving FORWARD day after day! Even just seeing that for the last year amazes me!"

You have to read the rest to fully understand what it meant to me. You can find it here: http://journalattemptonemillion.blogspot.com/2013/05/you-talkin-about-me.html?spref=fb

I don't even KNOW what to say----except thank you. To all of you. And especially Chubs & Ashley! (That little Interweb hug felt SO good!) You all constantly humble me. I'm reminded to keep my head up, keep my energy focused, and to keep sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly- because people do "get it." And they do, legitimately, care!

That said, I love you guys. I really, really do! It ain't easy, but this is my life. And I'm going to freaking LIVE IT! I think it's AWESOME that you CHOOSE to be a part of it!

Sarah
Follow Thinfluenced on the book of faces!

My First, Last, & Official Word on 'The List'

2013-05-16T00:54:00.001-05:00

I was asked tonight what I thought of 'The List.' If you haven't heard about it, a list of the '100 Most Inspirational Weight Loss & Fitness Bloggers' came out this week by some writer I've never heard of before. I did see the list. I certainly HEARD about the list. And I have plenty to say on the subject, but I will leave you with what matters...

Here's my official response:

Motivation. Its something I take great pride in. Not only do I have the ability to motivate myself for the first time in my adult life, but by some God given grace, I have been able to motivate others the last 13 months also. I do that the best way I know how: Hard work. Planning. Sweat. Resolve. Accountability. Honesty. Positivity. And, probably most importantly, laughter. I try to prove that it CAN be done- even in the darkest of circumstances- despite where you start, where you're headed, or what you're dealing with along the way...

Our 13 year old son Cole had cancer. Twice. Our Cole nearly died. More than a few times. He has been scarred- both literally and physically-for life, has depended on machines to keep him alive, has been poisoned again and again by chemos, lived in ICU units, held down screaming for deep muscle injections, been pierced with thousands of needles, and been bolted to radiation tables more times than I care to remember... These days, just six months post treatment, our Cole is still fighting to regain his strength, health, and figure out who he is post leukemia. You can't imagine the torture that that poor child has been through... You have no idea what it is to BEG to give your life in trade for your sons, nor the agony that families like ours deal with every single day just to be able to function... But do you know what's REALLY special? We do. And do you know what's even more special than that? Despite Cole's disease-regardless of the most terrifying circumstances and the grim prognosis surrounding his diagnosis & relapse- Cole looked fear straight in the face and SHOWED US what HOPE and STRENGTH and INSPIRATION were... Every day he told us there was something more on the other side... Every day he smiled, laughed, and fought his cancer in the body of a child- but with the heart of a lion! And now, this blog, our lives, they're just a continuation of HIS story- of living by HIS principles.

My seventy pound weight loss. My finished century. The hundreds of hours worth of sweat equity, commitment, and dedication I have in. The long road to achieve all of it- during five of the deepest, darkest, blackest, most pivotal, lonely, and truly awful years of all of our lives... Well, if that's not inspirational, nothing is... My story, all of this, is a direct result of my amazing son Cole's life, a tribute to his long lasting legacy, and an ode to HIS inspiration and example on the world around him.

Truth is, I don't need some stupid list to qualify that...

Sarah
Follow Thinfluenced on Facebook!

Over The River And Up The Hills!

2013-05-15T20:45:00.001-05:00

First, we shove our faces full of bananas to hopefully curb the cramping in our legs...

Then, we pack up all of our junk, air up our tires, start Strava, and get ready to roll...

Next, we plan our route, check the wind, and saddle up with the coolest people we know! (Yes. Nicole and Ashley, that means you!)

And then we hit the road! The windy, wonderful, wide open road!

The girls rode on a cross breed and mountain bike, respectively. But that means they worked twice as hard as Nathan and myself did. Very proud of them and of our ride today in the breeze and sunshine! Had a blast! Ten miles of smiles. And singing. Mostly ~~completely~~ by me.

I have to tell you the funniest thing that happened tonight. Because I'm a big jerk who has learned that hills build character, I had just made the girls climb a big one. After we were to the top, I said "Sorry girls! I'm keeping a safe distance so you cant shank me." Ashley yells up to me, quick as a whip, "Well, then you better keep pedaling!" I nearly died laughing- and pedaled away as quick as I could!

It. Was. Hysterical!

After all that, I came home and downed my newest obsession: Toaster waffles and peanut butter. ~~Yes. I am a four year old inside.~~ I CRAVE it after rides! You'd swear to Christ I was pregnant... which I am most definitely NOT, I assure you! But, I've eaten this three times in three days. And when I'm crabby, it's the only thing in the world I want. (But that does NOT mean you don't have to buy me flowers also, husband! I likes flowers!) I'm a total weirdo ~~all the time~~ sometimes...

Fabulous night! And now its time for Sequence and trash talk with the kiddo.

OH! And by the way, we walked and ran late last night. It was GREAT- except when the husband, who thinks he's real funny, thought he would freaking POWER WALK....while I ran! At my apparent snails pace.....

Some days I want to list him on Craigslist, folks! But APPARENTLY they have a new rule about selling actual people. Stupid. Plus, then I'd probably have to spend my own money buying him back. Because, let's face it, this lawn ain't cuttin' itself! (Did I mention that I did that also yesterday? Tis' true. Slave labor. I should get a medal.)

Nicole, me, and Ashley

(Click on Ashley's name to go follow her blog! She is a rock star of epic proportions! Did I mention she's actual Dr. Ashley now? It's freaking true! The woman is a POWERHOUSE....)

What did you do today? Tell me, tell me, tell me!

Sarah

Do you follow me on the book of faces!? Go to--- www.facebook.com/thinfluenced

THREE!?!?! ....A Special WTF Wednesday!

2013-05-15T08:02:00.000-05:00

I logged onto the good ol' Interwebz last night....

Why?

Because I had nothing freaking better to do, of course.... and I may or may not have been avoiding doing the ~~everything~~ dishes.

So, what's a bored blogger girl to do when she's killing time? Log into her analytics and see what search terms people are using to find her blog here at Thinfluenced this week, of course! (Which begs the question of why they don't just type Thinfluenced.com....but whatever. I digress...)

It's usually solid entertainment! And today didn't disappoint!
(I ever tell you about the time people found me using "Ryan Reynolds sex toy?" It's true. I am. You caught me.)

THREE.

Do you know what three represents?

Not the number of creepers looking into my backyard this morning thanks to my now non existent fence...

Not the number of spam emails I've responded to letting them know that I don't, in fact, have erectile dysfunction after all. Because...you know.... I don't have a penis.

Not the number of dumps my big black dog has taken. This morning. On my sidewalk. While looking at me. ~~Bastard.~~

Not the number of coffees I've had already, rolls of toilet paper left before someone is screaming "What am I going to wipe with!?" from my bathroom, or the number of Chobani cups I've successfully shoved into my hungry face hole in the last half hour...

Three is the number of glue sniffing, butt scratching, lead paint eating lunatics who have searched for, and found me, here at Thinfluenced using the term "redneck farmer."

I can't make this shit up.

Apparently there are cows in my closets and this ain't organic creamer in my coffee...

('splains the smell in here too!)

Now, to be fair, if one were to be searching "redneck farmer", I'm sure there's a perfectly normal explanation....

Or I'm full of shit... because there's probably not!

Why? Just...WHY the hell would you search for that?

Is there a shortage of corn and camo? Did somebody's farm truck break down and they need some work done on the fly? (I know a guy.) Does Bessy Lou just need some good ol' fashioned farm lovin'? ~~Farm boys do it best, y'all!~~

(By the way, if so, she can use farmersonly.com!

It's a freaking FARM dating site!

I shit you not!

I looked it up, Bessy!

You're welcome!)

I'm perplexed.

If you're looking me up using "redneck farmer"....'splain yourself!

I wanna laugh at you!

Oh! And also! Based on that little search box, apparently I also like to combine things ~~like beer, wine, and Nyquil,~~ am marketing empty chip bags ~~which explains the crumbs in my bra~~, and am especially funny on Mondays. ~~Man, are they missin' out on Wednesdays!~~

*sigh*

What in the F is wrong with you people!?

~~Besides the fact that you follow me.~~

Y'all are TOTALLY nuts!

Farmer in the dell... Farmer in the dell... Roll your weed and Google me... Farmer in the dell!

Sarah
Follow my craziness on Facebook & Twat-ter too!

VSP: Eye Got You Covered!

2013-05-14T19:35:00.000-05:00

***********************

It's no secret that the last five plus years of our life have been tough. As in, super tough! As Cole battled his way through cancer, twice, both myself and my husband Nathan battled also. I let myself "go" in so many ways that I can't even fathom it looking back now, but the unsung hero in our lives in definitely my husband Nathan... He not only took care of Cole all these years, but he took care of me too. And our family. And our home. And our finances. He's a one man powerhouse!

That said, there were things that Nathan let go also along the way, and he fully admits it. The most important is probably getting himself to his doctors regularly- mostly the eye doctor. You see, Nate's been having issues with his sight the last year or so. He's at that age, you know... Things are starting to get a little "fuzzy" around the outsides, and being that he's already color blind, he doesn't need to deal with that too!

But, as you know, eye exams, glasses, contacts, and bifocals are EXPENSIVE. While we have a little (10%) coverage through our health insurance for our eyes, you know as well as I do that the rest would come right out of our pocket. A pocket that's been absolutely PILLAGED by oncology bills.

(It would make you CRY! No joke.)

So! When I had an opportunity to give the gift of vision to somebody, it was a total no brainer. I chose my Nathan. Because he deserves somebody to take care of HIM sometimes!

I was very lucky to be put in touch with the VSP "Eye Got You Coveraged" plan for vision insurance! For next to nothing, you can literally give the gift of vision! VSP's customer satisfaction rate has been OVER 95% satisfaction for a number of years, they're linked to 28,000 eye doctors so there's always somebody to go to nearby, they offer discounted frames for as little as $25, and it's available for as little as 41 CENTS per day! I say win, win, win, and win!

So....how do you go about giving this little gift?
Or rather, how did I do it?

Well, Nathan LOVES frisbee golf. Like... LOVES! He goes every single day and sometimes twice on Sundays! (Given his vision issues recently, it makes me especially sad to know he's having a tough time seeing the baskets during something he cares about so much...)
So, why not incorporate his favorite activity when I tell him, right?

So, I ~~stole~~ borrowed his two favorite discs! I wrote up a little surprise note and drew a pair of glasses below it. Then I sandwiched and taped it between the two frisbees!

Naturally, he noticed right away that his discs were missing off of his truck seat when he went to leave. He was outside and got sorts of huffy. So, I clapped my little hands together, smiled super big, and said 'Stay right here! I have a present for you!'

For the record, he THOUGHT I had bought him an expensive new disc.... Nice try, dude.

I handed him my little nugget of love....

And in typical Nathan fashion when Sarah has the camera out, he decided this was big fun. You eat discs, right? (Nathan LOVES surprises, for the record!)

At first I think he thought we were having a baby. Umm... Whoopsies!

Haha!

NO!

But it's still an awesome present, I promise!

So, I let him know that the jig was up. I told him how I knew he was having trouble with his vision and that I had been lucky enough to gift this to somebody and chose him. He was full of gratitude! (I figured he would be.)

This is why I'm the best wife EVER, right?!

~~Don't you forget it when you buy my birthday present, love...~~

Naturally, because I care so much and take life so seriously, I teased him about having to finally have "four eyes"- which is something he calls me pretty often. He modeled his best interpretation of what he'll look like...

Such a goof ball!

And then I got LOTS of love. Nathan's paperwork for his VSP card is on the way to our house, he will soon see an eye doctor and have glasses, and he will be one more step closer to being back on track himself- post Cole's cancer! And that's a very good thing!

Wondering what VSP can do for you? “Eye” got you covered. VSP Direct costs as low as 41 cents a day and is a great way for individuals and families to have vision insurance, even if it's not provided through work. Learn more about VSP here.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Sarah

Beauty is pain...

2013-05-14T14:54:00.001-05:00

Beauty is pain... It is also Reynolds wrapping your head and looking like you're applying for the NASA space program. In public. Its fine. I can get Uranus from here now. Also, the space station is out of potato chips and porn. Could be corn. I'm not sure.

Sarah

P.S. Ladies! If you have long hair, layers, and piecy highlights like me, your base hair color is close to your natural color, AND you're on a budget, you don't NEED to always re-dye AND highlight your tresses every six to eight weeks! You can get away with pulling just foiled highlights throughout the top at the end of your two months to get you another four weeks and save you some cash! Thrifty tip! You're welcome!

MY FREAKING FENCE!

2013-05-13T19:53:00.000-05:00

I used to live in a beautiful rental condo.

In a nice neighborhood.

Across the street from a park that Mary Poppins would have wet dreams over.

With random kidlets and police patrols constantly around.

(And they weren't searching for anybody at the time!)

Safe.

But I had no fence in my backyard....

Therefore, I had a shit ton of anxiety...

LOTS of anxiety!

Freak out EVERY DAY level anxiety!

Shank your neighbor with a stake made of your dead cat anxiety!

(Rest in peace, Muffy.)

It was bad.... Bad, bad, bad....

I'm itchy just thinking about it.

Then I bought a house.

And it had a fence!

And my anxiety went away.

Magical.

And I was happy! Happy, happy, happy!

Because I was safe. And creepers couldn't see in. And my kiddo & dogs could play to their heart's content. And nobody was in my business. Or watching my family. Or me.

It was a miracle.

And I stopped freaking out.

I was all smiles and Skittles and rainbows and hugs to everyone all the time kind of happy.

My house! Fence forever! Yay!

But.....

Today I have a house.

But I no mother heifering fence!

Well, I kind of have a fence...if you count the see through, creeper peeking, felon climbing, ghetto dividing kind of fence...

(Read: Chain link.)

Basically, I have no f*ng fence!

And, I have LOTS of ANXIETY!

We no longer have curtains-because I may or may not have climbed them all already!

Like a cracked out Cat Woman!

I no longer have skin on my arms, am eating Goldfish by the BOX, and have suddenly decided to go naked to work.

I'm coloring on my arms, jumping up and down on my sofa, drinking water from the fish tank, and considering a new tattoo.

On my face.

I'm scaling the walls and basically freaking the F out in a Crazy Town panic kind of way!

I have NO FENCE!

But it's fine. Fine to rip my beloved fence out. My pillar of protection. My privacy. My seclusion and barrier from the rest of the world. Rip that RIGHT DOWN.

I'll be just fine...

I can see a stranger's freaking CAR!

In the parking lot!

Pointed at my HOUSE!

Behind where my fence USED to be!

Christ Jesus... Somebody save me!

SO ITCHY!!!!

Sarah

My Weekend In Photos!

2013-05-12T22:49:00.001-05:00

A super goofy puppy. A wicked cold Friday night run (when I didn't want to!) A Saturday spent with my mom- and later enjoyed in new earrings and a clingy tank top I thought I could never wear. Flowers for myself, just because. A Mothers Day gift to grace my front door. And snuggling. Lots of lots of time together & snuggling with that kiddo of mine!

(Friday)

(Saturday)

(Sunday)

Loving life, folks...

Have a great Monday!

How was YOUR weekend? Get anything for Mothers Day? Did you take time off of training to enjoy it?

Sarah

By the way, did you SEE WHAT HAPPENED!?!?!?! I am still walking on sunshine!!!!

Happy Mothers Day!

2013-05-12T09:54:00.001-05:00

Mother's Day is probably my favorite day of the year... Love my Colton to pieces!

Here's to all of our moms- and to YOU if you're one! Have a great Mothers Day!

Sarah

HOLY COW! I've been FEATURED!!!!!

2013-05-10T18:42:00.001-05:00

Oh my gosh!

I am kind of FREAKING out a little!

The Fitness Rebellion, which is a part of the Anytime Fitness brand, FEATURED ME on their website and Facebook today!!!

Holy cow!

I don't even know what to say.... OVER THE MOON honored! I've said how much I luuuuuuurve being a member of Anytime Fitness before, but this is .....just... wow!

Awesome!

To read the story:

www.fitnessrebellion.com.

You can also check it out on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/thefitnessrebellion

This is WAY cool. I'm so tickled!

Sarah

Into The Great Blue Yonder....

2013-05-08T23:39:00.001-05:00

How do you know you've had a great workout? You sleep like a bat. Totally normal.

So, I didn't swim this morning... Why? Because my everything hurt! My knees were super sore and my thighs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds (thanks to lots of squats & lunges last night at the gym during strength training.) I just hurt. A nonrestful nights sleep added to the strain- and this goose was totally cooked. (And smoking up the kitchen!) Lucky for me, I'm getting slightly smarter and I know better than to push too hard when something is sore now.... (Insert stupidity comments regarding my torn meniscus and training through it to ride my century last fall here.) So, I got up at 530am, but didn't swim. And that's okay.

Anywho...

I met my favorite girls for breakfast this morning and then worked around my house the rest of the day today. (I had the day off.) Generally, I took it easy. But, by four o'clock I was totally restless and feeling slightly better. I knew I needed to shake the cobwebs out of my legs a little... The more I sit still when I hurt, the tighter my muscles feel. Dislike.

So! We saddled up! Nathan and I rocked out a 15 mile bike ride in just a little over an hour. Goofy me planned the ride and we rode WITH the wind on the way out and AGAINST the wind on the way in. Greaaaaat. (Not great.) I suffered on the way back going uphill and into the wind- and enjoyed every damn minute of it! It actually was a GORGEOUS night for a ride... Peaceful. Eighty degrees. Sky as blue as I've ever seen it.

I really worked hard on cadence today- and I'm very proud of that! That means I lessened the tension from the pedal (gears) against my legs and chose to spin as quickly and evenly as was comfortable. For the record, I'm a GRINDER. Spinning on a road bike drives me totally nuts... But I know if I'm going to get better, faster, and last longer on the bike, I have to do it. Spinning reduces strain on your muscles and allows you a longer, smoother, less strenuous ride. It also makes muscle recovery faster...

All in all, it was a great night! Wednesday workout DONE!

Monday: 5 mile walk. (DONE)

Tuesday: 20 minute low rep, high weight strength training (DONE)

Wednesday: 15 mile bike ride (DONE)

Thursday plan: Swim and/or 2 mi run

Friday plan: OFF

Saturday plan: 35 mile bike ride

Sunday plan: OFF

What are you up to this week? Do you like to bike? Ever trained for a triathlon?

Sarah

Parenting The Healthy, Fit Child: What I Want To Know!

2013-05-08T12:18:00.000-05:00

I don't know how many of y'all are moms, but I am! I think it's the only thing I'm really good at, quite frankly. My Cole means the entire world to me. As you know, he is 13 and has battled cancer, leukemia, not once, but TWICE during the course of the last five years. To say he's amazing would be the understatement of the century...

As he's gotten older and completed his cancer treatment, I've really focused on healing his body to the best of my ability via exercise, healthy diet, and organic supplements. It's all I can do, you know? (You tend to feel very helpless as a cancer mom.) For instance, the junk food is gone from our house. Like: Totally gone. There are lots of studies that suggest cancers thrive in a sugar laden biological environment. Well, I was all over quelling that issue! Now, I'm not going to say we never buy a bag of Cheetos or a cookie at Subway, because that's a lie, but it's very far and few between these days. All of that garbage has been replaced with lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Instead of hot pockets or pop tarts, I buy Cole's favorite (albeit more expensive) fresh bread and low sodium sliced turkey. He also loves cottage cheese, yogurt, and beef jerky, so we try to keep that stocked too. As far as his food options go, really he chooses whatever he wants from the farmer's market or produce case (within reason price wise) and we happily load him up. He's thirteen, so he has a good sense now of what he likes and what makes him happy. He never feels deprived. He never feels like he needs the processed crap to be satisfied. He has tons of options. And he is feeding his body for LIFE and giving himself the best chance possible for recovery and also for a long, healthy existence...

As far as exercise goes, we never, ever mention Cole's weight. Ever. It never comes up in conversation unless he makes a comment about it---and we're quick to squash whatever he's worrying about. Why? Because I was RIDICULED for being fat growing up- and it ruined me. Probably for life. My value, somehow, became based around that number on the scale. Every day, as an adult, I have to work at getting over that... Cole is very short (a full foot different against his classmates) for his age, because the cancer treatment stunted him, so he's already self conscious about that. Why add to his stress? Why put stress there in the first place? And he's not even overweight! He's at the 50th percentile for his height. But it's still there... He worries about it. Because he says other kids his age talk about their weights all the time. That shocked me...

Why? Why are they talking about it at thirteen?

All this said, I've really been thinking a lot about this issue lately...

Here is what I know: When I was unhealthy, my husband and son were also unhealthy. We all happily sat on the couch together and ate pizza and Doritos many nights, you know? When I kicked my ass in gear last year as the matriarch of our small family, I noticed that the boy's habits changed too. All the sudden, they're eating salads for dinner with me. They're asking to go for walks. They want to do all sorts of crazy things on the weekend instead of sitting on the sofa. And Cole tried out every vegetable and fruit known to man just to see if he liked it. And I didn't have to say a word. I led by example and their habits changed. It took a little initiative and a few new good habits... I realize that not all overweight kids come from overweight parents, but statistics show that a majority do.

"One in THREE kids and teens in America are overweight or obese."

"Kids who are overweight or obese are more prone to type 2 diabetes, elevated blood cholesterol levels, low self esteem, and depression."

Obese kids have an 80% chance of staying obese for life.

(All info according to Heart.org.)

So, everything considered, there are some things I really want to know and want you to weigh in on (no pun intended...)

First:

As a parent, is it right to ever tell your child that they don't fit into a weight mold? Is it okay to talk about weight at a very young age so long as you don't label your child fat?

Second:

Do you think it's up to parents to lead by example where weight and health is concerned?

Third:

Is it right to ever address "weight" as the issue? Should it be centered around health instead? Is there a more gentle way to lead our youth without using the "W" word and pre-programming them for body conscience issues for life?

Fourth:

Do you think parents should be held responsible for their child's obesity? Are extreme cases of obesity in children abuse? (Don't hate me for asking the question! This headline is in the NEWS today! And I'm not talking a little bit of an overweight kiddo here... I'm talking moms who feed their babies Mountain Dew in their bottles, give them fried chicken for every meal, and speak out in support of it because they don't want to "deprive"them.)

Fifth:

As part of being a parent, is it our responsibility to educate ourselves about health & wellness on our child's behalf? Should classes be provided for parents on a county/state level?

Tell me what you think, because there's so much out there to be considered where this is concerned... I think an environment full of informed individuals is a healthy one, and I'd really like to hear your input! What do you think?

Sarah

Twenty.

2013-05-07T20:08:00.000-05:00

The sun was in my eyes. Unfortunately I only like to THINK I control everything.

TWENTY.

The number of minutes it took me to get in a full body, high weight, low rep workout in tonight start to finish. Legs, arms, core.... I hit them all. IN TWENTY MINUTES. And I sweat like crazy doing it.

Can you tell it drives me nuts when people tell me they don't have time to work out?

It's pet peeve numero uno fo' sho'!

My knee is still sore after last night's five mile walk, today's work shift (since I stand and walk all day), and tonight's gym workout. I might run yet tonight- depending on whether the soreness eases a little by nine o'clock when the sun is down. Like I said: Maybe. I might just go to bed and get a good rest in, because I've committed myself to a very early morning swim tomorrow with my best friend- who happens to be a swim coach! (Plus her sister is an Olympic level swimmer. She's A-MAZ-ING! They both are!)

Am I actually triathlon training? Holy shit... This is starting to get real now. Scary! Way scarier than completing my century ride last year... (By the way, have I mentioned I'm also eyeing a half marathon in the fall? I've officially lost my marbles, kids... Lost. My. Marbles. The triathlon that I'd really like to compete in is the IronGirl in Pleasant Prairie, WI in August. We'll see how this knee holds up as I put on more and more mileage! Fingers crossed!)

Have you ever completed a triathlon? Have any training advice for a half marathon? Have any lofty goals you'd like to hit?

****EDITED: I did not swim this morning. My swim partner got sick last night, so she wasn't joining me regardless. But, I woke up at 5 am and knew when I rolled over that it wasn't happening. My body was way too sore. (A smart friend reminded me that overtraining will get me injured. I'm stubborn, but experienced athletes are WORTH listening to!) So,I'm resting this morning and heading back out tonight to train! :)

Sarah

A Five Mile Walk Full Of Ridiculousness & Do Not Pet The Donkeys!

2013-05-07T01:28:00.001-05:00

So the three of us have this totally crazy, delicious, healthy dinner last night, right? And life is good. We are talking and acting silly and discussing politics or Batman or something. ~~Then I put on my Cat Woman suit and ran screeching through the living room.~~ Soon after, Cole decided he's sick of us, because we are loud and 'laughy', and he needs a break from our ridiculousness. So he all but kicks us out of the house...

Fine. Teenagers. Geesh. You make a little joke about Beaver or Beiber or whoever in your Catwoman mask and suddenly you get kicked the hell out of Dodge.

'Well....now what do we do, honey?"

Nate: "Hey, we're in time out! Sweet. Lets go for a walk!'

Not any walk. Not an ordinary walk. A five mile walk up the steepest hills in our little town. Great. This will be fun. Super. I can hardly contain my excitement. Maybe you can punch me in the face first and then tell me I'm adopted and we can knock this sucker right out of the park with awesomeness....

And it was. It was big fun. Like when you're drunk and falling down and you reach for your friends hand and she loses her balance too and you both fall in horse shit... That kinda fun....

You see, when we walk, we have a tendency to talk about really stupid things like trolls and one winged killdeer. Also, clowns, sweat stains, rabid skunks, and why in the hell would you jack your 500 dollar truck up with a thousand dollar lift kit? Dumb. All sorts of interesting stuff comes up. (I may never sleep again. I f-ing hate clowns! Especially ones with the shoes and the red hair- and Jesus Christ, its no wonder I hate McDonalds! Mmm, nuggets made out of fake chickens....)

I digress....

Its intriguing.... The conversation is stellar and clearly so intelligent during our walks that it should be studied. By Nasa. Or astronauts. Or...wait, isn't that kinda the same thing? Oh, whatever! You get what I'm saying. The point is we are awesome and should be studied for science.

Anywhoozle....

In the first mile, these comments happened:

Nathan: 'I mean, the dude ran 12 miles per hour for twenty minutes! That's crazy!"

Me: "With that kind of stamina, I bet he's really good in bed.You think?"

Holy shiznit, Sarah. Really!? Why don't you just ask for the divorce papers and a pen!? Luckily, my husband already knows what a dumb broad I am sometimes and how much crazy, goofy, nonsensical (Its a word!) crap comes out of my mouth on a regular basis. He laughed and said 'Probably!' (But for the record, the answer to my question is most definitely NOT probably- but yes instead!)

A little while later, this happened:

Me: "I blew a shoe! My puffer is off center!"

Because clearly 'puffer' is code for insole. And I'm developing a new language now... Just over a mile in and the insole in my left shoe is sliding around. Awesome. And these are zero drops. So if I take it out, that's going to suck. And so why don't we just cut my leg off here and call it good? No? Crap. Oh, and we are in front of a bar. Great. (If I were a weaker person I'd have said 'Screw it!' and gone in for a Heineken.) BUT, because I'm a tough nugget, I just whipped my shoe off and removed the insole right there on the sidewalk in front of a bar- for God and everyone in there to see. 'Shoe issues happen, yo. And you'd know that if you ever walked anywhere other than to the pub urinal.' (Why do they put painted flies in them anyway!?) 'Stop staring at my sadly sober ample ass, mmmkay bar peoples? Nothing to see here! Eat your pickled egg and look away.'

By the way, have you ever seen a short girl walk in shoes- one with an insole and one without? Looks like a drunken oompa loompa. You're welcome for the imagery.

Somewhere in mile two, this happened...

Me: "Is that a dog or a donkey? Cuz donkeys freak me the hell out!"

We were in the middle of town. With traffic. And people. And street signs. And houses. And there was clearly NOT a donkey within any considerable distance. But I was freaking out just in case! I blame the Amish. I see one episode of Amish Mafia where a donkey bites a guy in the berries- and now I'm convinced they munch on your souls, and also your balls, if you get too close! Wear a cup to the farm, gentlemen! Otherwise: Poof! There goes your sex life. And God knows there's nothing to do except paint with watercolors and practice witchcraft after THAT disappears. On a separate note, I'm thinking about becoming Wiccan....Anyways.... Donkeys....*shiver*

In mile three, this happened:

Nate: "Is that somebody's underwear? It is! And there's shit in them!"

Clearly that comment needs explanation. So let me break it down for you: There were tighty whities right there on the side of the road. With poopy in them. Clearly people from the bars DO walk sometimes! And they do it naked after shitting themselves and dropping their drawers on the side of the road in Gravesville.

After that, mile four went down like so:

Nathan: "We are about to walk through the ghetto at night. And it smells like dead fish down here."

Sarah: "Im a little scared. Not of the smell. Of the hobbits."

This started a perplexing conversation about trolls under the bridge and one winged killdeer. I can't share most of it because its classified. Our next walk may or may not include pitchforks, dynamite, and night vision goggles.

After mile four, I started to have a total anxiety attack, because my knee- the one missing the insole- felt like Lindsey Lohan was setting her newly lit bong on it. Red hot pain and I may have cried and begged Gandhi to save me while singing Purple Rain and dancing one legged to Thriller. Its fine.

Once we got home and I pulled my whiny ass together, I celebrated the fact that I had just taken my longest official walk ever and now I could log a thousand calorie deficit for the day- and then immediately eat a big ass bowl of ice cream right after! Except we are out of ice cream. And I'm lactose intolerant. And you really shouldn't be that gullible because I'm likely to tell you I have three nipples and that we should run off and join the circus. Except its probably just going to be you. And your meth. People dont have three nipples. What's wrong with you!?

Once I was home and hydrated and acting like a normal crazy person, I said something else super smart:

"This BioFreeze rocks! Its like there's a witchdoctor in my pants!"

I rubbed it on my legs. And I don't think before I speak. Clearly. Also, never rub this shit on your legs. Freshly shaven. Ever. Seriously, somebody should have just shanked me! The good news is that once the burning stopped and Nate doused me with baking soda and had me stop, drop, and roll, the stuff worked pretty nifty! I couldnt feel my anything. Wonder if it will work on my head?

5 miles. Boom. Done!

Sarah

A Weekend On The Street via the Healthy Living Event In Oshkosh

2013-05-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

So on Saturday, I had a fabulous day attending the Healthy Living Expo for Natural Products & Organic Food in Oshkosh at the Sunny View Expo Center with my son Cole and one of my oldest friends, Carrie! I had only heard about this event a few days ago, and I was glad I could pull strings and make it work to be able to go. It was totally worth it!

Here's a little mini video of the day-shot by Carrie!

(Shout out to the Kangaroostaurant at the 50 second mark!)

It's amazing when you enter this venue, because literally every inch of floor space is covered with vendors, stages, people, and lots of great information. Plus, they also had a large tent full of vendors, a band, and food trucks! It turns out, they had nearly 5,000 people come through the doors, so clearly I wasn't the only one excited about the fact that something like this was taking place in our area.

My Cole was very excited for the expo!

How many thirteen years old do you know that truly love unique foods?

Mine does! (And he's great in the kitchen cooking too.)

Getting a little pre-expo snuggle in with my ridiculously fast growing teenager!

I can't resist a photo with this girl!

I was almost taken aback, because everything you could possibly imagine was at the expo, including local produce gardens, grass fed animal farms, organic face and body product vendors, organic and whole food bakeries, local organic and farm to table shops, a Taste of Home cooking school, talented speakers, and companies of every kind selling all sorts of product meant to enrich your life in a healthier way. It was just insane, and also awesome, to see so much unique and local product in one place!

This was one of the coolest things I have EVER seen!

It's called a Tower Garden--and honestly, I'd love nothing more than to try one!

You plant your herbs and such in it. It was wild!

(You can check them out on their website: www.towergarden.com.)

Aquaponic gardens, anyone?

Nelson & Pade were set up with theirs!

This was crazy cool!

In my opinion, this was a great expo! It was well organized, attended, and everyone was very outgoing and excited to share their products. As I'm involved in this community being a chemical free soap maker, I especially enjoyed it! (Plus, all of the free information and samples help too, right? Of course they do!) I appreciate that events like this make you look at your food and health in a little bit different way... The biggest thing I took away though, was being able to identify the "whose who" of the healthy living landscape in our area. I found shops I had never heard of, met their owners and staff, and learned about what they offered in a non-pressured setting. It was fantastic! If you ever get the chance to go to one of these events, please, please go! You would be amazed...

This was the most amazing hummus... The spinach and feta was to die for!

(You better believe that we stopped at the Green Tomato in Appleton on the way home to buy some! By the way, their grand opening is May 18th! I'm going! Are you?)

Look at that bread display....

Swear to the baby Jesus I should have been French or Italian...

Love breads!

This vendor was one of the NICEST people I've met in a long time!

Mary from Natural Healthy Concepts in Appleton was super informative, kind, and accommodating.

I plan to stop at her shop for supplements SOON!

(I'm excited to try the BioFreeze she gave to me to try on my knee!)

Happy Bellies Bakery in Appleton.

They don't even need introduction.

Cole had a scone that pretty much changed his life...

I love sheep's milk cheese! We took this one home with us.

So this area I live in isn't cool like lots of other more metro areas, meaning we only have ONE food truck. It's a travesty. I know. Since I live in a suburb of Appleton named Podunk now (harty-har-har), I had never been to the Kangaroostaurant truck before. But we changed that on Saturday! Cole was PUMPED! (He's addicted to the great food truck race on FOOD Network, so this was too cool for him!)

My sandwich of choice from the Roo?

The white bean burger with herbed mayo and greens!

Oh my gosh, y'all!
GO! FIND THE TRUCK!

An accidental photo post-food truck eats!

For the record: The mayo got on my fingers and I nearly bit them off... It was THAT good!

Because I eat the cheese with the plastic still on too. Makes total sense, silly!

What's an expo without a little bit of swag and some parting purchases, yes? Fresh baked ciabatta, gorgonzola butter, sheep's milk cheese, and handmade roasted red pepper pasta all came home with us.

And the finish out the day, a moment with my sweets was captured...

I adore this kid.

Really Special Vendors:

She. Hair Boutique-Appleton

Natural Healthy Concepts-Appleton

Green Tomato-Appleton

Renard's Bakery-Princeton

Happy Bellies Bakery-Appleton

Community Coffee-Stevens Point

Kangaroostaurant-Kaukauna

Nelson And Pade Aquaponics-Montello

Saxon Homestead Creamery-Cleveland

And my event wrap up video!

Do you love expos? Would you be interested in an event like this? Do you get really excited to see so many locally run companies come together?

Sarah
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P.S.

APPARENTLY I'm doing it wrong, because this is how you park at large expos with thousands of people now... These cars were next to us. The black car on the right was parked all crazy and the car in orange decided to park up AGAINST him to fit into the stall... Really?

You're at a healthy living expo. Walk a little farther, right?! Crazy!

Thinfluence Sunday!

2013-05-05T18:29:00.001-05:00

It's Sunday... which means that tomorrow starts a brand new week!

A big old reset button, folks!

Yay for fresh starts every Monday!

Here are the things that are motivating me for the days ahead!

What's inspiring YOU right now?

Have a great week! Go get 'em, tiger!

Sarah