All & Nothing

No Poo

2012-02-13T19:08:00.001-07:00

One of my 101 goals is, "#85 Try going 'no-poo' with my skin and hair care." Some of you might be wondering what that even means. I mentioned something on my facebook and a friend commented, "Is the goal not to poo...cause that doesn't seem right." And no, it actually has nothing to do with my bowels or the toilet. Basically it means to switch to using products on your face and hair that don't contain any "cruddy" ingredients. Yes, just like how what we put into our bodies needs to be good for us, so does what we put on our bodies. Think about it, your skin is the bodies biggest organ, you don't want to be putting yucky stuff on there that could then make its way into your body!

Check out this great list/blog about the yucky stuff you want to avoid over at Cave Girl Eats. She covers it pretty well, be sure to check it out. She also links to some of her blog posts about various ways to go no-poo, from hair to deodorant. I highly suggest reading those, too. That is where I've gained quite a bit of my information.

Another great resource with tons of recipes for homemade beauty and home products is Wellness Mama. That is where I've found quite a few of the "recipes" that I plan on using during this transition. I know that there are companies out there producing "organic" skin and hair care products, and those probably work just fine. However, my transition from commercial skin/hair care products to "no poo" isn't just about quality products, but it's also about simplifying. I want to do/use less on my hair/skin, and I want to spend less on both as well. So I've decided not to spend the big money on premade products and instead go with the simplest and/or homemade option instead. Making my own will enable me to know exactly what is in them, just like cooking things from scratch at home allows me control over what goes into my mouth.

So, as I venture into this very unknown, I will be sharing my adventures, failures and hopefully, successes with you! I finally finished gathering all my ingredients today (I don't have all in hand as I had to order some online) so I was excited to try my first recipe, "Sugar Scrub". Why that one? Well, I had all the ingredients and I didn't have any body scrub left in the house. My plan is to gradually switch over to no-poo products as I use up the remainder of the commercial items I still have. Yes, I know it's probably better if I throw that stuff away and start from scratch, but I can't fathom the wasted money and I don't want my hair or skin to go into shock. It's also less stressful for me to do it gradually.

So, sugar scrub. I gathered the ingredients:

Sugar (I used sugar in the raw), olive oil and some lemongrass essential oil.

I mixed it and found it rather oily. So I rechecked the recipe online and realized it was suppose to be 2 parts sugar to 1 part oil, instead of one to one. So, I added another cup or so of sugar to get it looking more like the scrub on Wellness Mama. I tried some on my hands they felt oh so soft afterwards, I can hardly wait to try it in the shower! :)

Some of the other hair, skin and household products I'm looking to replace are: cleanser, eye-makeup remover, moisturizer, shampoo/conditioner, hairspray, lotion, shave cream, deodorant, laundry detergent, all purpose cleaner, and stain treat/oxiclean. I'm so excited, I can't wait to share with it all with you!

So, have you gone "no poo" with your skin or hair care? What's your go to natural product for skin/hair care?

Twenty-One Days of Yum

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know that it only takes twenty-one days for most folks to see some of the benefits of a paleo way of eating? That's only 3 weeks! An aspect of my new favorite health tool is a program called, "21 Jump Start". It's basically strict paleo for 21 days as a way to reset your system. It's a no brainer because there is even a menu for all 3 meals each day for 21 days with links to all the recipes available for free on EverydayPaleo.com. And then of course, there's the forum to keep track of your food intake and have some accountability with other folks who are also doing the 21 jump start.

I decided that after Christmas and all that holiday eating (even if it was mostly paleo, there were still far too many treats for me that month) I needed a jump start, so I started a 21 day challenge on January 2nd. I made it about 12 days before I caved and had some popcorn w/ the family on movie night. So, in an attempt to actually go 21 days with 100% clean eating, I started another 21 day challenge. I finished it this past Friday night, two days short of 21 days and once again derailed by popcorn. (I'm beginning to think I may have a problem!). Despite the fact that I didn't quite get 21 days in either time, I am feeling so much better with my diet being cleaned up as much as it is. It's amazing what a little tweaking will do! So, I'll probably start another 21 day challenge ~~today~~ tomorrow and see if I can actually make it 21 days this time. (But if you think about it, that will be 3x21 days=60ish days of clean eating with one or two not-so-clean eating intermixed, that's pretty good!)

But, just so you know, I haven't felt deprived at all during those 21 days. Yes, I caved to popcorn but I blame it on hormones. Seriously, though, I wasn't hungry or counting any kind calories or serving size during this time. I was just focused on eating good clean food and lifting heavy stuff. I can't say I've lost any weight cuz I don't weigh myself anymore, but I feel great and that's what matters right now.

So, here's some of the yummy food I've eaten over the past 21ish days...

Fajita Bowls. Fajita fixin's in a bowl over lettuce. Add some avocado and salsa and yum!

Frittata with mushrooms, bacon and some guacamole on the side.

PW's "Marlboro Man Sandwich" meat and onions, sans bread. Some carrots and celery.

Paleo tacos w/ purple cabbage slaw

Coffee w/ heavy cream, a chicken apple sausage, fried eggs and 1/2 grapefruit

Chicken chili soup

Southwestern Chorizo Burgers with Jicama Home Fries from the Well Fed cookbook.

Stir fried veggies and Ham and Egg cups from Paleo Comfort Foods.

1RM

2012-02-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

This past week was the time in my heavy lift rotation where I was able to work towards my 1RM, otherwise known as "one rep maximum". Basically that means you keep adding weight and trying to complete one rep of that particular exercise until you can't complete one rep. I've been working towards this "opportunity" since the beginning of January. I've been eager to try these workouts to see what I am capable of doing, and it's been rather exciting to see!

After my first 1RM day.

So, wanna see my 1RM's? Okay, if you insist.

Shoulder Press (done w/ dumbbells): 35 lbs (in each hand)

Squat (goblet): 65 lbs

Bench Press: 90 lbs

Deadlift: 125 lbs.

I must say, both the bench press and dead lift surprised me, in a good way. I am thrilled with my beginning numbers and can't wait to see how I can improve upon these in the next month!!

Sarah's Key

2012-02-06T13:41:00.002-07:00

Now, I'm not typically one to "jump on the bandwagon" so to speak when it comes to books and "what's hot". It took me a long time to even want to read some of the more popular series like Harry Potter and Twilight. So, I'd seen this novel in various places but didn't know what it was about and didn't have any desire to read it really. You know how sometimes books just jump out at you? Well, this one hadn't done that to me. The only reason I read it really was because my Mom read it on a vacation recently and gave me her copy to read. Knowing that she'd finished it in one day of airplane travel did make me think it would be a pretty good read.

So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to read it. "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana De Rosnay is one of those books that stays with you even after you have turned the last page. It is beautifully written and touches on some of the most haunting of life's dilemmas. Julia is an American journalist writing a story about the roundup of Jewish families in France during the summer of 1942. Sarah is a ten-year-old girl taken with her parents during the roundup. Julia uncovers a devastating link between her family and Sarah's which pushes her to deal with difficulties in her own life.

I've always found the stories about what happened in Europe during Hilter's reign both fascinating and frightening. And although the characters in this novel are fictional, the roundup of Jewish families in Paris in 1942 truly happened, which makes the novel that much more impressive. I think it's important to remember things like the Vel' d'Hiv roundup so that we can not repeat the gross mistakes of our past.

This novel isn't lighthearted and fun, but it is eye-opening and insightful and definitely well worth reading.

Where's the Beef?

2012-02-03T14:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently, it's all in my freezer.

Made the hourish drive this morning to pick up our half-cow at the butcher shop. Last year we got 1/4 of a cow, twice separated by about 5-6 months. So this year when our rancher called to see if we'd be ordering any, we got 1/2 a cow. I didn't think about how much meat that actually was until fairly recently.

This is a sideways picture of our freezer before the beef. We had maybe 5# of beef leftover from our other cow order and a little pork, otherwise I've been purposely cooking all the meat up to make room for our half-cow.

The drive up to the Flathead Valley was great. Sun shining, roads clear and great company. (My fellow at-home mom K accompanied me). I wish I would've brought my camera, because there is one sight that was totally picture worthy. We're driving north and are cresting the hill right after Ravalli, right before St. Ignatius, and as we get to the top, the Mission Mountains are directly in front of us, perfectly white with snow and glowing from the sunshine. Words do not do it justice, it was so beautiful. If you've ever seen the Mission's you know what I mean. If you've never seen them, then I'm sorry. You're missing out.

I picked up the meat, 5 boxes of it. 4 large and one smaller. I could fit them all in my trunk, so I was hopeful they'd fit in my freezer. Drove them home and started the process of unpacking the boxes into the freezer.

I quickly realized I needed to ditch the plastic organizer thingies. I needed all that space for meat. I thought to myself, "How does one even organize over 400# of beef anyways?"

You don't. You just jam it all into the freezer any old way and hope for the best. As it turns out, my ground beef is mostly on top, so guess we'll be eating that for a while.

Here's the finished freezer. Filled to the absolute top w/ meat.
Oh wait, I have a freezer in the house, too, attached to the frig...

Had to kick the nuts out of the bottom and fill that with ground beef too. And some on that 2nd to bottom shelf. And that third from bottom shelf has our "old" beef and a ham hock.

So, folks, there you have it. Half a cow is a lot of meat. But hey, at least I know "what's for dinner"!!

Schema

2012-02-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

I've been spending a lot of time down at the girls' school lately. Suddenly it seems like there is a ton of opportunity to volunteer down there, and I'm loving it. Yesterday I went in to help the 2nd graders in Kera's class with a special project. I ended up spending most of the afternoon there and I actually enjoyed it. I don't really enjoy sitting in little kid chairs for that long, but I am a bit taller than most of them. And tomorrow I'm scheduled to go in to Lindsay's class in the morning for book club and then will stay after to help her teacher with a few things. I've told the girls' teachers from the beginning of the year that I have time during the day to help out and I'm grateful that they have actually called me on it. Volunteering in the school is one of the most enjoyable parts of my "job". I love being around my girls in their "territory" and getting to know the other kids and teachers a little bit.

I've done a wide variety of things while volunteering in the school, but I can honestly say I've never been given homework until this year. And I'm not talking about cutting out a special project supplies kind of homework. I'm talking about reading and doing an assignment. Like, actual homework! Let me explain. I volunteered to help out with "Book Club" in Lindsay's 4th grade class, and it's really cool! Basically, the class is divided into five groups and each group is led by an adult (four parents and the teacher). Each group is reading a different book(s) with the same main idea.

This book club the main subject is prejudice. Our book is "Steal Away to Freedom" by Jennifer Armstrong. It's a challenging book for the kids just because it switches between "present time" and "past/remembering" and some of the vocabulary is old fashioned and/or regional dialect. I'm enjoying the story quite a bit.

We split up the book into 5 sections and each time we meet as a group, we talk about the section we just read and share our "assignment." With each section of the book the kids (and group leader) get a different assignment. The assignments mainly assist in discussing the book, they are: discussion director (asks questions to encourage discussion and deeper thinking), summarizer (summarizes that section), word wizard (looks for important/special words) , connector (writes about schema for that section), illustrator (draws a picture of significance from that section), and highlighter (picks a couple passages to read a loud to group that are interesting, etc).

I think one of my favorite parts of being involved in this book club is that it's forced me to take time to read aloud with Lindsay. She's in my group and the first week she had a really hard time getting into the book, so I started to read some of it aloud to her. Now we make it a bit of a habit to read the section together, taking turns reading chapters aloud. She's such a good reader that I haven't actually read aloud to her for a long time and it's really nice to cuddle up with her on the couch/bed and read aloud for an hour. Then we talk a little about our job for that week and what we think we'll do for it.

So basically I'll have to do each job once, as will the kids. I think its a great way to explore the book and get the kids to do more than just talk about "what happened." Most of the assignments seemed pretty self-explanatory to me, though not necessarily easy. Most recently I got the job of "Connector", otherwise known as "schema". I like this definition of schema:

an underlying organizational pattern or structure;conceptual framework: A schema provides the basis by which someone relates to the events he or she experiences.

My "job description" was like this: Your job is to write about the schema you have for the story (the connections you make). It can be text-to-self, text-to-text (book or movie) or text-to-world. Be sure to tell which kinds of connections you made. Include what happened in the book and how that relates to your connection. Try to make at least 2 connections.

Lindsay was sort of teasing me about having one of the "hard" jobs, and I can see that it might be difficult for the kids just because it forces you to actually think about what you're reading. Honestly, I didn't think it would be difficult because I did a lot of that type of thinking/relating to books in college (being an English major and all). But then I remembered, I'd be sharing this with 4th graders, so any examples need to be relate-able to them. Suddenly it didn't seem so easy. I had all these ideas and then figured they weren't really fourth-grade appropriate. So I had to dig a bit. I did manage to come up with a couple...

1. Susannah smells hay and oats on her tour of the barn with Byron and it reminds her so much of home, she almost cries. There is a smell, most often in hospitals or veterinary offices, that brings up a memory of when my childhood dog got hit by a car and we had to take him to the vet. (text-to-self)

2. Neither Susannah or Bethlehem felt free, even though Susannah was legally free. in "The Help", the two main characters share a similar feeling of being trapped by skin color but also because they are women, although they are both legally free. (text-to-text).

I hope that the kids can relate to those ones, especially since they get to grade me! After each person shares their "job" the others can give input on whether they think that person did a good job or not. A little intimidating knowing a bunch of 9 and 10 year olds are "grading" me! :)

In all, I'm really enjoying this book club and getting more involved in Lindsay's class. I figure she'll soon enough be an age where the last place she'll want me is in her class/school, so I'm gonna milk it for as long as I can!

Do you volunteer in your kids' school? What's your favorite task?

Eleven Randoms

2012-01-31T11:52:00.003-07:00

Here are the rules:
1. Post these rules
2. You must post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions set for you in their post
4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
5. Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
6. You are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

Just so you know, I'm not tagging anyone and I wasn't tagged, just saw it in a blog I follow. So, if you wanna do this for something fun and different go right ahead! I just ask that you tell me so I can read your answers! :)

Randoms:

1. Although I really don't like sports, I am actually quite competitive when it comes to things like board games, etc.

2. I do not remember anything that has to do with numbers very well. Words, yes, numbers not so much.

3. Sometimes I wish I would've paid better attention in school to things like science and social studies. It didn't interest me then, but now I wouldn't mind knowing that stuff.

4. I can watch and read all the CSI/coroner type shows and books, but I cannot stomach any kind of blood or injuries in real life.

5. I think I might have fallen out of love with scrapbooking. It's just not very fun to me anymore, feels more like work.

6. I love cats, but because of allergies in my family I will never own one again and I'm okay with that. It's a lot less housework.

7. For a while I wanted a third kid, but I'm good now. Two is perfect and I don't really want to re-live the baby years.

8. I like to be comfortable, the first thing I do when I know I'm home for the night and it'll be just us family is either put on my sweats or my pj's.

9. I love to sing along with the music, even if I sound horrible and can't carry a tune.

10. I love giraffes. It all stems from a book I got as a kid that was personalized for me. In it I met a friendly giraffe named Ardnek.

11. I brush my teeth usually at least 3x a day. In the morning, and at night but then also before I leave the house to go anywhere. I'm paranoid about having stinky breath.

Questions to answer:
1. Would you rather run in rain or heavy winds?
Well, seeing as I don't run anymore, I'd say neither. But before, when I did run, I'd much rather it be rain.
2. Coffee or tea?
Coffee, all the way!
3. Are you obsessed with Lululemon too even though they are overpriced?
Honestly, I don't think I've ever checked out their stuff. I'm more of a Title Nine/Athletica type.
4. Ever been outside the US?
Yes. Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean
5. What is your dream location?
To live? I'm living it with the exception of being out of town w/ some land and a mini-farm.
6. Favorite song right now?
"God Gave Me You"
7. One thing you hate about running?
Definitely the fact that long-term it's bad, bad, bad news.8. Favorite book of all time?
All time? Yikes. I'd have to say "Shadow of the Wind" or "Thirteenth Tale"
9. Can you swim or are you a doggie paddler like me?
I definitely doggie paddle more than actually swim.
10. Do you burn candles with wicks or prefer the wickless ones like Scentsy?
I have both, depends on what I feel like doing at the time.
11. Favorite candy?
Honestly, I love Snickers, but it's a very rare treat considering all the garbage in them!

Questions for YOU!
1. What is your favorite cut of meat?
2. Do you crave salty snacks or sweet ones?
3. Least favorite household chore?
4. Weirdest habit?
5. If you're a gal, do you shave your legs in the winter, or just let 'em be?
6. Any class in school you wish you would've done better/tried harder in?
7. Are you a fainter when it comes to seeing blood/injury?
8. Movie you've watched the most times?
9. What are your top three most visited websites?
10. Did you ever have a snail-mail pen pal?
11. Scariest thing you've ever done?

A Biblical Perspective on Health

2012-01-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

There is a ton of science to back up why eating a paleo diet is better than the "standard American diet" (SAD), but I've heard (and thought) the following,

"If bread is so bad for us than why is it in the bible? or more specifically, Why is it eaten all over in the bible and why is Jesus referred to as the "bread of life"?

Well, to be honest, it has stumped me for awhile. I have read some great posts around the blogosphere about meshing ones spiritual beliefs a paleo health perspective, which have helped me kind of reframe my thoughts a little:

http://paleospirit.com/paleo-nutrition/what-is-the-paleo-diet/
and
http://wellnessmama.com/2359/does-the-bible-say-we-should-eat-grains/

I was encouraged to read other spiritual perspectives on this issue and hear those wonderful ladies' ideas. But, like anything one believes in, I wanted to have my own convictions about why I eat this way. So, I started doing my own reading and searching for answers. One of them I've recently shared with you via the review on "Wheat Belly" a couple days ago. Basically, the bread that Jesus talks about, the bread that was served with the fishes to the 5,000, the bread broken in the upper room, is completely different from the bread we have on the grocery store shelves. Modern day wheat is so far genetically from the wheat grown in biblical times. Then of course there's the processing of the wheat that has been refined and then all the other additives in our "bread" that make it so different. And then there's all the other "grain products" that are so super processed that have taken the place of bread nowadays.

So, my first point is, if our bread was Jesus's bread, and eaten in the same frequency as Jesus' bread, with a diet that was also otherwise identical to Jesus' diet, we could eat it and be fine.

And there is scripture to support this idea, as well. 1 Corinthians 10:23 says,
"I have the right to do anything," you say, but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything," but not everything is constructive.

Yes, in theory God created all our food because he enabled us to come up with it all. But if we follow that theory there are many things that are not good for us that he created as well, like illegal drugs or some plants that are deadly if eaten. So just because I can eat something doesn't mean I should.

Well, I don't know about you, but this body is the only one I'm gonna get, so I want to take care of it as best I can. A little bit further in Corinthians it says:
"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." (1 Cor 10:31). I'm choosing to eat what I believe is the healthiest for me because I want to do it for the "glory of God". It's not going to glorify God very much if I just eat whatever junk comes my way.

Oh, and another thing about this body, I think it is very easy for us to be critical of ourselves, especially when we are striving to get healthier, fitter, stronger, etc. I know that in the past I've looked at parts of my body and been discouraged that they aren't skinny/firm/smooth enough. I've lamented my big bones and my plethora of body hair. I've wished for a less round face and a more defined waist. Honestly, some of my strongest motivation for losing weight in the past has been seeing myself in a less than flattering photograph. And all that garbage has to stop.

Check this out, in Psalm 139:13-14 it says:

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

So, basically, God made me exactly the way I am, on purpose. God, the creator of the universe who thought up gravity and seasons and the water cycle, he also made me. And all his 'works are wonderful'. So that means, I am wonderful just the way I am. Frizzy hair, big bones, hairy arms and all. Who am I to criticize God's creation? I have no place to do that. All I can do is do my best to take care of myself! And I do that by eating and cooking for my family whole, real, inflammatory-free foods (which basically is paleo/primal) and being active.

Bumping it Up

2012-01-27T16:54:00.000-07:00

I worked out today, and although I thought it would kill me, it seems I am still alive.

I had some one-on-one time with the floor afterwards, but I made it through the whole shebang.

My heavy lift today was squat. Since I don't have the correct squat rack for back squats, I do goblet squats instead. Last time I did them, I got in 3 sets of 5 at 40#.

So, I started with that, which looks like this:

I pick up that puppy, hold it with both hands close to my body like a goblet, and squat. To put that into perspective, Kera weighs about 40#.

So, after warming up with a smaller dumbbell, I used the 40.

Three reps=cake (Paleo cake of course) so I did what any self-respecting heavy-lifting gal would do, and I bumped it up.

How about 45#??

Which looks like that.

So, could I do the three reps with that much weight?

You betcha. It wasn't quite cake, but it was awesome.

After that I did burpees til I screamed and fell on the floor for a while. Even after a post-workout snack I was exhausted and feeling like I should take a nap--the workout exhausted me that much, but now that I've eaten an additional four slices of bacon (while prepping it for a salad) I feel like a new woman!

I seriously cannot wait til my one rep max workouts, they are coming up soon!

Wheat Belly

2012-01-25T01:30:00.000-07:00

I finally finished "Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight and Find Your Path Back to Health" by William Davis and I cannot wait to tell you what I learned from it. It really was an interesting and enlightening read. I love the perspective Davis has on health as a cardiologist--this stuff is based on scientific proof and real world examples.

In this book, Davis basically details why and how one should eliminate wheat from their diets. (In this case, diet is the general food one eats and not a weight loss tool). He talks about all the negative results from eating wheat and how the grain itself has changed. He also shares the positive outcomes of cutting out wheat, including weight loss. Here are some of the passages that stuck out most to me,

"You will see that what we are eating, cleverly disguised as a bran muffin or onion ciabatta, is not really wheat at all but the transformed product of genetic research conducted during the latter half of the twentieth century. Modern wheat is no more real wheat than a chimpanzee is an approximation of a human."

"I believe that the increased consumption...of this genetically altered thing called modern wheat--explains the contrast between slender, sedentary people of the fifties and overweight twenty-first-century people, triathletes included."

This is the part that intrigued me most--the fact that the bread you can buy at the store today, or even more basic than that, the "wheat flour" you can buy at the store, is not made of the same wheat as our ancestors.

"Wheat strains have been hybridized, crossbred, and introgressed to make the wheat plant resistant to environmental conditions, such as drought, or pathogens, such as fungi. But most of all, genetic changes have been induced to increase yield per acre....Such fundamental genetic changes, as you will see, have come at a price."

"From the original strains of wild grass harvested by early humans, wheat has exploded to more than 25,000 varieties, virtually all of them result of human intervention."

"Modern wheat, despite all the genetic alterations to modify hundred, if not thousands, of its genetically determined characteristics, made its way to the worldwide human food supply with nary a question surrounding its suitability for human consumption."

Another thing I'd sort of heard before, but bears repeating:

"People are usually shocked when I tell them that whole wheat bread increases blood sugar to a higher level than sucrose. Aside from some extra fiber, eating two slices of whole wheat bread is really little different, and often worse, than drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda or eating a sugary candy bar."

"Which means that wheat products elevate blood sugar levels more than virtually any other carbohydrate, from beans to candy bars."

"The higher the blood glucose after consumption of food, the greater the insulin level, the more fat is deposited."

But we knew that, remember we talked about it after I read Gary Taubes, "Why We Get Fat?" Davis goes into more ways wheat affects us besides weight gain, including mental healthy, sleep, bone health, skin issues and hormone balance to name a few. In conclusion, this book is excellently written and really sheds some light on great reasons why we should all cut out wheat, that is of course, unless you can grow it, process and eat it like the folks in the Bible did. The truth remains, today's wheat is not their wheat and we are paying the price with our health.

Shaky Legs

2012-01-24T01:30:00.000-07:00

The more I do these EPLifeFit workouts, the more I realize how truly out of shape I was/am before! I wouldn't say I'm "in shape" now, but I'm trying, so each day I'm further from where I was. Anyways, today's workout was the first one I've done in about 5 days that didn't include shoveling any snow. I missed throwing around the weights and was excited to get back to it today, and I never thought I'd say that about lifting weights!

I realize I've blogged about running a lot, but not about my actual current workouts, so I thought I'd share them with you--maybe not every time, but some. It's so different from what I've ever done, I'm sure it is different for lots of you too, it might help to "see" what it looks like. Not that I'm taking pictures of myself while I do it, I'm not. But I could, if you really want to see me in my sweaty, huffing and puffing glory.

Anyways, today's workout rolled out like this:

Warm up: A combination of high knees, butt kickers, toe touches, ice skaters and some plyo movements and stretches. It took me about 5 minutes.

Heavy Lift: In my rotation, today was deadlift at 70% of 1RM for 3 sets of 5 reps.
I warmed up with 4 reps at 55# and then 4 more reps at 60#.
Because I don't have a technical 1RM (one rep maximum) yet, I'm guesstimating with how much I need to be 70%. So what I do is start w/ a weight, in this case I started with 60# and did my 5 reps, but it still didn't feel challenging, so after my rest I added more weight until it feels challenging.
My 3 sets of 5 reps ended up being 60#, 65# and then 70#.

When I first started doing Deadlift, I was concerned that my form was off and that I'd hurt my back. The beauty of EPLifeFit is that I could have Kera film me doing a couple reps and then upload it to the forum where Jason/Sarah/John review it for proper form and give me pointers on what to change. I did that and now I can do the exercise with full confidence that I'm doing it correctly and won't hurt myself. That's really important to me.

The heavy lift portion isn't rushed, I take a decent rest between sets and of course mess w/ weights to get the right amount.

After the heavy lift is the "metabolic conditioning" aka metcon portion, which is done quickly w/ good form. The movements vary, but today it was:

8 weighted stepups/leg--I did these with 15# weights in each hand
15 jumping squats
done as 4 supersets w/ 2 min rest between sets.

This is where my legs felt like jello. I thought I had strong legs from all that running, but nuhuh, no way. I fell into a crumpled heap on the floor after this part, and that says something for a workout that took literally only 12 minutes, half of which I was resting.

After I lay on the floor for a few and drank some water, I did my stretching and mobility work. I love the mobility, it uses a foam roller or lacrosse ball to really work the areas of tenderness/soreness. I could almost spend all day rolling around on that foam roller--it's pretty stinkin' close to getting a massage!

I love my workouts, they are fun and challenging and empowering all at the same time. I look forward to seeing what my 1RMs are (I'll get to that part of the rotation in a couple weeks) and to (hopefully soon) being able to do that pull-up I've go my eye on! :)

More Snow?!

2012-01-23T11:31:00.002-07:00

Yes, because we kept getting snowflake after snowflake, I decided it is only fair if I deluge you with picture after picture of said snowfall.

Enjoy!

The second full snow day the girls spent almost entirely outside.

Because we live on a cul de sac, all the snow gets plowed up into a big pile in front of our house.

It makes a great kid mountain, and later snow fort complete with tunnel.

It was not too cold and super snowy--perfect for playing outside.

Not so great for sledding--the snow was too deep.

The front of our house complete with snow piles.

Winter wonderland, huh?

The "marshmallow" on the back deck.

Five Question Friday

2012-01-20T08:27:00.000-07:00

Remember, I get this from here. Go, check it out, have fun. After I answer these it's back out to the driveway for yet, more shoveling. Yay.

1. Where do you hide the reeeally good snacks?

I have a few places, like the tall cupboard above the sink or in with the canned goods, but it doesn't matter where I hide it. If I've bought a special treat, Erik will come home that day and it's like he's got built in 'goodie' radar and he'll go right to wherever it's hidden.

2. Do u keep your vehicle clean or am I the only one who has things falling out of their van?

Nah. With two ~~monsters~~ girls sitting in the backseat, my car is far from clean. The front isn't too bad, though.

3. Have you ever been to Vegas?

Yes, more times than I can even remember. My sister lived there for a while, so we visited her. We aren't big into nightlife or gambling, so it doesn't have a whole lot of pull for us anymore.

4. Warm room light blankets or cold room warm snuggly blanket?

Cold room, warm snuggly blanket is definitely better for sleeping. We keep our thermostat low, like 66, and even if it gets upped to 67 we can feel it and don't sleep as good.

5. What is the worst airplane/flying experience you've ever had?

I was preggers with Lindsay, not too far along, but past the morning sickness, so maybe 5 months? I ate something in the airport that didn't agree with me and ended up feeling really sick in the middle of the flight, you know the feeling--you suddenly get hot and your stomach twists. I barely made it to the airplane potty before it let loose, and I'm not talking about vomit. I was pretty miserable the rest of the flight.

Snow.

2012-01-19T17:01:00.001-07:00

It snowed all day yesterday. I shoveled like three different times. In the morning I shoveled near 4inches, then several hours later I shoveled another 4 inches. A couple hours after that I shoveled again and it was maybe 2 inches. I didn't shovel again that night, but we watched as the snow didn't let up and wondered if school would be cancelled today.

Woke up to a message that school would be delayed by 2 hours. So, I fed us and geared up to shovel.

The back deck today. Remember the picture I posted yesterday? There's a ton more snow now.

Erik comes home from going out early to plow out the store and he tells us about how folks were getting stuck driving around on the main roads still and there's no way my car is leaving the garage today. To shovel the snow in the driveway and street seems like an enourmous task.

The kids' play fort.

Thankfully, as I'm shoveling and haven't gotten very far, my neighbor lets me know that school has now been cancelled. It's a snow day, hooray!

The sidewalk I had to shovel. The snow was too deep to push, I had to actually lift shovels full of snow up and out.

The sidewalk right off the front porch. After I shoveled it was surrounded by snow walls.

Erik said the snowmobiling would be epic today. He was driving his snowmobile around on the street before his buddy came to pick him up. Anyone familiar with sleds will know that there has to be a bit of snow to be able to ride.

He was loving it.

The neighborhood behind us. Snow, snow, everywhere snow.

Shoveling the back deck.

Walking the girls home from a friends' house, we passed this fire hydrant. That's a lot of snow on top of it. Perspective, Lindsay is 4'5" tall.

I'm tired of shoveling. I'm ready for spring.

Beef Jerky and A Goal Completed!

2012-01-19T14:01:00.001-07:00

Beef Jerky. It's like the ideal snack. It's protein. It's portable. It's stable. And, of course, it's tasty!

As you can imagine, we go through quite a bit of jerky in this house. The girls pack it for lunches some days and then the rest of the time it's one of our go-to snacks. The thing with jerky is that you have to be careful about what type you purchase. Most of the store bought stuff has soy (ew) or sugar (blah) or other additives in it. I had found an organic brand at Rosauers that was passable, and an even better one online from Steve's Original. Unfortunately, we eat enough jerky that cost was becoming a factor. I knew there were homemade recipes out there, but I don't have a dehydrator and I tried one with not much success, so I was not very optimistic about making my own jerky.

Then, one day on the EPLifeFit forum, there was talk of homemade beef jerky and a couple recipes were shared that used the lowest oven temp of 170 instead of a dehydrator and so I decided to try again.

First, I decided to re-try the recipe I tried at first. It's from the Food Lover's Primal Palate. Back when I tried it at first, I didn't have coconut aminos or tamari, so I tried it with the dried herbs/seasoning. I also didn't cut the meat thin enough and so what I ended up with no one in the house would eat but me. This time I had both coconut aminos and tamari on hand, which I ended up using 1/2 cup of both because that's all I had left of each! Then, I wisely got out our electric knife that is usually used on the turkey and sliced the roast way thinner than last time.

The result was perfect! I had a few slices that were a bit thick, but the rest are super tasty and the perfect size. The whole family eats them gladly. :) Success! I was stoked.

But I wasn't done yet! I decided I'd try another recipe that had been posted using ground beef instead of steak. It's suppose to be easier for kiddos to eat and I thought it might be easier and/or cheaper to use the ground beef.

It was indeed pretty easy to make, and the result pretty tasty. I think it's my favorite of the two, but the rest of the family likes the flavor of the steak jerky better. Either way, I think I have two keeper recipe for homemade beef jerky! Yay! My pocketbook will be happy.

Oh yeah, and guess what? It's one of my 101 Goals! Yippee!

#62 - Perfect my homemade jerky -- COMPLETE

How about you? Do you like jerky? Have you ever made it yourself?

Excuse my absence...

2012-01-18T16:33:00.003-07:00

Dear Blog Reader,

Please excuse my absence today from writing anything new. I've spent all my free time outside shoveling our driveway and sidewalk numerous times. It seems that Old Man Winter has decided to give us the snow we've been thus far missing this winter, all in one day.

Oh, look, it's time to shovel again.

Sincerely,

Jack Jones and Pirate Curse

2012-01-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

The following is a book review done by my 9 year old, Lindsay. I asked her if she'd ever like to do a book review blog entry. She said yes and decided to start with this book. I'm not going to edit it in any way, so what follows is her own thoughts and typing, pecked out using her pointer fingers. :)

THIS IS A GOOD BOOK. I suggest this book to read. It is exiting, captivating, breathtaking, and just a really good book. My favorite part is when Jack, the boy that has the curse, gets magically transported to a desert island. The reason he has the curse is, a LONG time ago, like, a thousand years ago, jack's great-great-many-times-great-grandfather and 3 other pirates and a crew steal treasure and split it with the crew. The first pirate was, Hellfire drake,Tortuga Anna, and Captain Kelso. The crew buried their fair share of the treasure. Surprisingly, a raid of american soldiers attack the pirates.It took a ton of soldiers to capture the three pirates.while they were fighting, jack's grandfather dug up the treasures, stole them and rowed away in a rowboat. Now, there's angry dead pirates chasing him for the rest of his days. but, there is a secret to it all. can jack stop the curse? this book is 166 pages. if you read this book i hope you like it.

Looks can be deceiving

2012-01-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

So, remember the other day when I mentioned the missing teacher over in Sidney, MT? Well, it doesn't have a happy ending. :( It's been announced that she's dead. Although I didn't know her, my heart breaks for her friends and loved ones, it sounds as if she was an exceptional lady. There hasn't been a lot of details released, so we aren't sure what exactly happened to her, although there are two suspects being questioned, so it sounds as if there was foul play involved. It's troubling to think that something as horrible as this could happen in a small town like Sidney. It might be just me, but I tend to think small town=safety, but that's not exactly the case. It doesn't matter what size a town is, there is no guarantee that evil things won't happen. People are people no matter where they live, and let's be honest, people are capable of evil. We live in the world, and according to the bible, in 1 John 5:19:

"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."

That's why bad things happen, because we are currently living in Satan's domain. This is his turf and he's in control down here. The sad truth is there is no guarantee for anyone that bad things won't happen to them or the ones they love. It's just the sad truth.

But there is an uplifting truth, too, and that is this world is not all there is. Satan might be in charge down here, for now, but that is not the end of the story. Psalm 108:13 says:

"With God we will gain the victory,

and he will trample down our enemies."

With God, there is victory because we know how the story ends, just like any book, just flip to the end of the Bible. In Revelation 19:20 it tells us,

"But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur."

I don't know about you, but its really nice to know that the good guys ultimately win in the end. It really helps get through the days when it seems like that is not the case. And another thing that helps me, is to remember that I can't see the big picture of life, I have no idea what the grand scheme of things is--all I can see is what is directly in front of me. But God knows, he can see the whole big thing, and even though I may not know why something happens, whether it be something good or something bad, I have faith that there is a greater purpose at work.

Romans 8:28

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

The Giver

2012-01-12T11:47:00.002-07:00

I have a love hate relationship with stories that don't have the "traditional happy ending". The literary part of my mind/heart loves a good twist or cliffhanger because they have the ability to make the piece that much more memorable/strong. But there is a part of me (maybe it's the mom/wife part) that will finish a book and go "Huh?" when it doesn't go the way I thought it would or doesn't completely resolve things in the end.

I recently picked up a classic at the library, "The Giver" by Lois Lowry, based solely on the fact that a friend said it was good. It's another children's book, but I didn't remember reading it as a kid, so I figured I'd read it. You know by now that I really enjoy a good kids/young adult book once in a while. It was short, I read it in a few hours over a period of two days. And I'll agree, it was a well written book. I immediately liked the characters and was drawn into the story. But, as I read and got closer and closer to the end, I started to wonder how it would resolve. It seemed like the main "stuff" was happening awfully closer to the last pages of the book. I read hungrily because I wanted to see what happened to the main character, (and because it was near time to fix dinner.)

And then I ran out of pages.

"Huh?" I probably said and looked to see if there was some missing or if there was mention of a sequel.

Nope. It was just over.

"Huh?" I tossed the book to the table and got up to make dinner, completely and utterly disappointed and unfulfilled.

I felt like the ending just left everything hanging--I got no resolve from it. Yes, the story is great and even the ideas and concerns that it brings up, but that's really all it did for me. I'm not sure if I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to read it, or if I should've taken more time to read the ending, but it just didn't do anything for me.

Oh well, onto the next book. I've got a nonfiction in the works, then a book I'm reading with a small group in Lindsay's 4th grade class for their book clubs (that will be fun! i read the book and do the assignment w/ the kiddos and go in once a week for 6 weeks.) and then a classic that I need to reread before the movie version of it hits the big screens. Hopefully I'll enjoy these ones more!

Have you read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry? Do you have any guesses as to the classic I'm re-reading? Do you read kids books more/less/same as adult books?

tap, tap Is this thing on?

2012-01-11T10:08:00.001-07:00

Okay, so as I sat here wondering what I should be posting today, I had a thought. (Yeah, imagine that, a though!) And actually I've seen this in a blog that I follow, so I'm sort of stealing her idea, but not really because it's been on my mind for a while.

I know why I blog. Mainly I blog for me. Whether anyone else reads it or not, I blog because I've got something on my mind or my heart that needs to be put to paper. Sometimes its my feelings, sometimes its a random observation or even a book review. But then again, if you've been reading this blog for any stretch of time, you know all that.

And I know you're reading. I can look up my stats on Blogger and see how many times a post or page has been viewed, even if you're not commenting. And I've done a survey to see what kind of thing you want me to post about, and I got some votes, so I know what at least 8 of you would like to see.

But what about the rest of you, or better question, are there any others out there? I guess what I'm trying to say is I'd love some interaction. I'm just as guilty as the next person of reading all the blogs I follow through GoogleReader and hardly ever commenting on them. But I'm trying to be better about commenting, maybe not everyday on every post, but at least on the ones that I enjoy or have questions about or just simply enjoy. And, I'd love for you to do the same.

So, with this post, I'm just asking you to comment. You could ask me a question or give me a tip. You could tell me I'm wrong about something or even just say hi. Let me know if you've gotten any good book suggestions from me or tried any recipes I've linked to. Or maybe you would love for me to blog about pets, snow or dirty kitchens more. Whatever it is, leave a comment. All I really want is for you to say something. Just this once, and then I'll go back to blogging just for me and you can go back to quietly reading me through your reader or your email.

Wolves Among Us

2012-01-10T09:39:00.003-07:00

One of my dear friends gave me this book for my birthday way back in October. I didn't actually get around to reading it until this past month. I had a pretty big pile of library books that I was trying to get through first, so this one waited. But when I finally got around to picking it up, I had a hard time putting it down. Ginger Garrett is a wonderful author. I love how she takes historical events and makes them personal and real by creating characters that the reader latches onto.

This one, "Wolves Among Us", is set in the 1500's in Germany. In the wake of a double murder in the village of Dinfoil, a witch-hunting Inquisitor arrives to cleanse the town. Neighbors turn against neighbors and husbands against wives. The reader follows several characters: a doubting priest, an unloved wife (who also happens to have known William Tyndale), a secretive sheriff, and of course, the charismatic Inquisitor.

I love how this book speaks to spiritual truths without being "religiousy" and how it sheds some light (at least for me) onto how it could've been to have lived back in the sixteenth century. Let me say I am super grateful to live in the here and now! Anyways, I highly suggest this book, it was a great read!

Have you read this book? What did you think?

One of those days

2012-01-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

We woke up this morning to fog. The kind that hangs thickly in the sky, coating the sidewalks and roads to make them icy. It's almost noon and I've yet to see the sun or the mountains that surround our town. I can't even see some of the houses below us on the hill. Looking out my window and not really being able to see is disconcerting.

The weather seems to match my mood pretty well today, however. I am troubled. I am saddened and I admit I am a bit weepy. I had a dream last night that basically boiled down to Kera being stolen from me in the church bathroom. I realized too late that she'd been taken and ran, screaming down the hall to catch "That lady who stole my kid". But no one was in time. Out we ran to a driveway that was set up like a winding, pretzeling race track to try to run to catch up to the car. I was crying and screaming and clenching my hands into fists in my dream. I woke up and my hands were asleep, as if I'd been clenching them in real life as well.

As a mom, that was definitely a nightmare. And yet, there is a family right now living in the sleepy little town that I once called home that is actually living that nightmare. A high school teacher went out for a job Saturday morning and no one has seen her since. Hundreds of folks in the town are searching for her and all that's been found is her shoe. I don't know her because we moved away before I hit high school, I could've had her husband as an English teacher in middle school. But it's still troubling. Sidney is a small town and a majority of my extended family lives there. It's scary to think something like this could happen there. I keep praying that she'll be found and be okay, but part of me doubts that there will be a happy ending to this.

So there's that. Then I also have a dear friend who is struggling with some major health stuff. Stuff that is keeping her from her job, from church, from the things in life she enjoys. She's been hanging in there, though, and has a bit more to hang in before she can see some experts who will hopefully have some answers for her. I have hope and faith that God will heal her, but I realized yesterday how much I miss seeing her and our deep talks about life. So, she's weighing rather heavily on my heart right now.

And then, last but not least, is a conversation that I need to have with another friend. I've put it off for awhile because I just didn't want to do it. I think maybe I hoped the issue would just fade into life and I could move on. But, it hasn't and because I have a conviction about this and because I love her enough to talk to her about it, I'm going to do it. It won't be easy for me and I'm hopeful that she'll take it well, but there's no way to know.

My heart is heavy with all this today, just like the sky is heavy with fog. It's kind of like God is telling me that he knows exactly how I feel, and that in fact, he feels that way too.

So, let's talk about weight loss and goals...

2012-01-07T11:08:00.002-07:00

Weight loss and goals. Two things that generally go together, especially this time of year, right? Well for the first time in a very long time, that is not the case for me! You can be sure I have goals--You know me well enough by now to know that! I'm the goal queen, I mean, c'mon I have a list of 101 goals! So yeah, I have goals for this year, but for the first time, they are different. Instead on fixating on how I can change how I look, I'm looking at all the other aspects of how I can improve.

Obviously I don't care how I look, I'm posting a post-workout picture in all my sweaty and messy hair glory! Oh but check out the shirt--I love it!

But in all seriousness, I do have some goals this year.

1. First of all, I'd like to work on knocking off a few more of my 101 goals, although I'm not sure which ones yet.

2. I want to strive to be more productive during the day with my writing and cleaning/house chores.

3. I want to improve my sleep--possibly purchase black out curtains, cover the alarm clock and hit the hay before 10pm ideally.

4. Complete at least 21 days of strict paleo eating. (I'm currently on Day 6)

Today's breakfast-Baked Eggs.

5. Call the women in my small group more than text them

6. Be more frugal.

7. Really work on learning my bible--memorizing verses and where to look for stuff.

So those are the main goals I came up with for the year in general. I like to look at my whole being, not just health. But what about my title about weight loss and goals? Oh yeah, I've got those too, but because my whole view on health and fitness has completely changed from where I use to stand, my goals are different, too.

I've ditched the scale, so I don't have any number of pounds I'd like to lose. In fact, when folks ask in regards to my lifestyle, "Have you lost any weight?" My answer is "I don't know, but I feel great!". Why do we ask that question, seriously? My view of you isn't going to change based on what the scale says, I won't love you more or less either way. So, no numbers in mind, what about clothes? Do I have a goal for them to fit better, to get into a smaller size?

No. I don't. To be honest, I'd love that, but it's not something I'm focusing on, in fact I've got absolutely ZERO goals based on how I look. That's not why I'm striving to live a healthy lifestyle. My ultimate goal is to be healthy, to be strong, to be fit. To be able to keep up with my kids and do it for a long time. To have a great quality of life.

So what kind of goals can you have besides the scale and clothes? Well, these are the goals I have for myself that I posted over at the forum at EPLifeFit:

1. Advance past the Beginner Modules
2. Be able to do a real pull up
3. Push-ups not on my knees
4. Complete at least 30 days perfect paleo eating
5. Cook the beef tongue (and possibly heart) that's in my freezer
6. Floss everyday (I know it doesn't really fit in here, but I really need to do this!)

My new pumped up kicks.

I made these goals about two weeks ago and I've already made progress. I've progressed past the Beginner Modules and am doing the heavy lift rotation and workouts. I'm also on day 6 of perfect paleo eating and have flossed almost everyday since then. At the rate I'm going, I'm sure I'll blaze past these goals in no time. And then I'll give myself new goals, how much I'd like to lift on the benchpress, deadlift, squat or shoulder press. Or maybe to be able to do double-unders. Or maybe to be able to do a handstand. Whatever the goals are that I strive for next, they won't be about how I look. I'm done with that.

Why, you ask? Well, it's not that I don't care, because I do. Oh boy do I. I've always been one of those worried about what others think or how I'm being perceived. It's made me shy, self-conscious and anxious. And none of those are good things and I'm tired of being those things. Worrying about that stuff probably doesn't help me reach my goals. Check out this article for some of what my rational is based on. I'll wait for you to read it, go ahead. It's important.

*drinking my coffee while I wait*

Okay, you're back? Did you read it? Good. I'll go on. For me it's more than that though, it's also about how God views me. This verse particularly hits home:

"Psalm 139 verses 13-14:

For you created my inmost being

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Your works are wonderful,

I know that full well."

So, here's the kicker: God made me exactly the way he wanted me to be and that is exactly how I am. Me: with my frizzy hair, no waist and big bones. The way I am is the way he "knit me together". And when I complain about how I'm made, I'm criticizing him. How prideful is that? He's the one who created the whole wide world, set up photosynthesis, the water cycle and every other amazing way that this world/earth lives! Like that verse says, his "works are wonderful" and I was "fearfully and wonderfully made". So, God made me and his works are wonderful, which means I am wonderful. I don't know about you, but knowing that kind of makes me think twice about complaining about any of my physical "flaws".

So, if God made me and I'm wonderful, should I even care about eating right or working out? Most definitely. Here's another verse:

I Corinthians 10:23

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive."

and then 1 Corinthians 10:31

"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

God gave me this body and I'm going to treat it with the respect that it deserves. I'm not going to take it for granted by eating crud and being lazy. I'm going to do my best to treat it "constructively" and live it "for the glory of God." And personally, I think it would encourage God to see me taking good care of what he's given. And so, that's why I'm making different goals this year.

Do you have any goals this year? Are they different than last year or are you stuck in the same ol' rut?

My New Fitness Program

2012-01-04T01:30:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you know how a few posts back I was talking about how I use to run but now I do yoga? Yeah, well I'm gonna tweak that a bit again. I'm not running anymore. And I'm only doing yoga occasionally. So, what am I doing? Well, I'm lifting heavy weights, doing some conditioning, stretching and mobility and hiking/walking. That's it.

I've been transitioning to working out this way for a while, but was stuck in between doing body weight exercises as suggested in the Primal Blueprint (things like push-ups, squats, plank, etc) and actually lifting weights. I felt so unsure about how to go about it and even what I should be doing. I've posted here about ditching the scale and then more recently about yoga and so you'll know I've been reading Sarah Fragoso's blog, EverydayPaleo. Well, some of the articles I link to in those posts were actually written by Jason Seib, who was contributing to her blog. I follow both Sarah and Jason on Facebook and not too long ago one or both of them said that they were working on something very cool to be released in November. They hinted that it would be something that would help with weight lifting. I thought maybe it would be a workout video. I had no idea what it would really end up being.

Well, what it ended up being is Everday Paleo Lifestyle and Fitness. And what it is, is exactly what I needed and was looking for. I absolutely love it.

So what is it, practically speaking? It's a workout program starting at the beginning and progressing at my own speed. It's a place where I can upload my moves and have either Jason or Sarah critique them to make sure my form is spot on. It's a forum where other paleo eaters are trying to do exactly what I am--get healthy and strong. It's a wealth of information in the forms of both writing and videos. It's simply awesome.

And so, I'm working on lifting heavy weights. I'm walking. I'm doing "metcons". I'm stretching and will be doing mobility work (as soon as the postman delivers my foam roller and lacrosse ball.) And it's not easy. I am so not strong in so many areas and so the workouts are a challenge, but you know what, I'm loving every minute of it.

If you're looking for something else or new as far as working out goes, or if you want support on your paleo journey, I highly recommend checking it out.

The Help

2012-01-03T16:42:00.001-07:00

I finished reading this book right before Christmas in anticipation of my book club's meeting to watch the film adaption on DVD. I had heard from lots of people that this was a great book and I wasn't disappointed. This was a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was eye-opening and even downright troubling at times, but that didn't detract from how well written it was. I got to the end and was disappointed--I wanted the story to go on so I could find out what happened to the characters.

I'm ready for the movie now! Have you read "The Help"? If so, what did you think?