Wordless Wednesday



Me, Joanie, Jen



Feeling Whole.

I always used to make excuses for why I didn't have time to exercise. "I haven't made time for (enter person's name here)," "I feel guilty leaving Lucy and Otto home alone" (seriously, Cat?), "But my favorite tv show is on...", "I better clean the bathroom, kitchen, etc." Time management has never been a strong suit of mine. Sometimes, I get so overwhelmed that I end up doing nothing. I didn't know how to prioritize. I didn't know that it was okay to choose what I'm doing because I WANT to do it. I realized something this past weekend: selfish isn't a dirty word.

Okay, in some contexts sure it is wrong to be selfish but not when it comes to my health. I have to work to live and after those 40-60 hours I have to find time to m.o.v.e. and eat right. So, I've started a new health and fitness journey. I spent the weekend putting together a binder for myself. It includes: calendars, a work out schedule, a fitness journal, a food and drink journal, a section for goals that I will set at the beginning of each week and charts to track my progress. (The binder turned out to be something other people needed to motivate themselves as well. I've made them for three other people so far!) I love to make lists and cross things off and I get so excited to write in my binder that it actually makes working out fun because I get to write it down once I've accomplished it! (Crazy, I know. But whatever it takes, right?)

My mind feels a type of clarity that it hasn't in over a year. I feel whole. It's amazing. I feel myself constantly wanting to move instead of feeling aloof and as if the couch was in-fact an appendage not a place to sit AFTER I've worked out for the day.

"The part can never be well unless the whole is well." - Plato

I know that personal wellness is just a part of my whole. There will be a lot more areas of my life to work on after this but I have to start somewhere. This is where I choose to start. And it's about freaking time!

This is my first week of goals: 1. Attend at least 2 fitness classes. (Easy! I'm going to Body Pump tonight for the third time and my first Yoga class is tomorrow. That doesn't even include the Zumba or Ultimate Fitness classes that I want to try later in the week!) 2. No sweets. 3. Loose 2 lbs.



What are your current goals? How do you motivate yourself to exercise?



I can't wait to have this kind of thunder thighs!



Body Pump

Last April I broke 3 bones, dislocated a toe, and tore my Lisfranc. All in my right foot. After two surgeries, having hardware put in and taken out of my foot, months on crutches, therapy, and almost a year walking in a boot - I'm finally free. I mean healed. Despite the already aquired arthritis and the swelling that occurs almost daily I feel good. Really good.

There isn't a day that goes by (seriously) that I don't stop to feel thankful that I'm back on my own two feet. Everytime I walk any great distance I get overwhelmed with happiness and a feeling of accomplishment. I will never ever ever take the simple act of walking for granted ever again. I'm sure of that. I've had both knee and shoulder surgeries before but they paled in comparison to what this last year has been like. When I walk down the hall way from the living room to my bedroom carrying things in my hand I smile. I used to have to pack a back pack with anything I wanted to transport and crutch my way to and from. Or I'd slide the laundry basket and hop on my left foot behind it. Everything was a chore.

There's no hiding the fact that I gained weight during this last year. (I gained A LOT of weight.) I was always sitting and I never changed my diet. I actually probably ate more. Which I realize now was emotional, stressed and depressed eating. Woof. After realizing that I was plateauing simply working out by myself and never really with other people I decided to join a gym. World Wide Fitness is just minutes from my house and I love love love it so far. I forgot how different I feel working out beside someone. It definitely pushes me! There are a multitude of classes offered and you can go to any one of them at any time for no extra fee. I tried Body Pump this morning at 5:30 and h.e.l.l.o. HARD. My sister, Jen, warned me but still agreed to go with me and man-o-man did I underestimate what she had said. I could hardly lift my arms to wash my hair in the shower when I got home! My legs are so sore that I almost had to sit on my bum and slide down the stairs to my office. Not kidding!

The crazy thing is...I can't wait to go back for more! I'm a huge fan of The Biggest Loser and especially of Jillian and Bob. I could hear Jillian in my head when I wanted to give up this morning, "If you don't puke, faint or die, keep going!" Then at the end when I didn't think I could finish the last rep of clean and presses I could hear her yelling right in my ear:

"Ow? Did you say ow? F*&% ow. I don't want to hear ow!"

So, I finished. Afterwards the lady next to me (who was lifting twice what I was) said to me, "I've seen people leave half way through their first class. Be proud of yourself for sticking it out and if you come back I swear it gets easier."

It feels good to get moving and push myself. And they aren't kidding about endorphins...I've been smiling all morning!



Wordless Wednesday

(I often times imagine Otto to sound like Joey from the show Friends. Can't you just hear him..."how you doin?")

Gleek

Okay, I know I'm a little behind the times but I just finished Season 1 of Glee. I am in love. If you haven't seen it it's sort of like a mash-up between Modern Family, Hairspray, & Mama Mia. I often times found myself both laughing and crying every episode. I was a Gleek after the first episode and can't wait to start Season 2 next week!

 

In other news, I took a couple of days off work for "Spring Break". I didn't go anywhere...just got some things done that I've been wanting to do for awhile! It was relaxing and sooo hard to wake up early today. At least I'm going home to a clean apartment, two groomed dogs, & a nearly non-existent things-to-do list!

Happy St. Patrick's Day : )

P.S. Did you know the original color associated with St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day was blue? So if you forgot your green and you're wearing blue...you're in the clear!

Pizza and Beer

Pizza has sort of become my Friday Food. I typically go through whatever left-overs I have from the rest of the weeks meals and decide what kind of pizza to make. This week I have: 3/4ths container of roasted red pepper alfredo pasta sauce, cooked chicken breast, and tomatoes. Almost everything I need for a friend's Chicken Alfredo Pizza recipe. A quick stop at Hy-Vee on the way home for fresh mozerella and a pre-made pizza crust and I'm set!

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

(I use the original thin crust for this particular pizza.)

Step 1: Lightly coat the crust in Olive Oil and pop it in the oven at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes. (This helps for a crispier crust.)

Step 2: Cover the crust with the pasta sauce.

Step 3: Dice up the chicken and tomato and add.

Step 4: Cover in fresh mozerella.

(I've tried shredding the cheese and also just cutting into thin chunks & spreading around the pizza. It's completley up to you...I prefer the chunks because it seems more gormet :) )

Step 5: Bake for another 10-12 minutes. Let the pizza sit for 2-3 minutes before enjoying!

I love this pizza with a bottle of cold Honey Brown beer.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Throwback Thursday

This gem of a picture was snapped the day I moved out of my parents' house for the first time. I moved myself and had to make a few trips. (Luckily, I was only moving 5 blocks from home.) I've thought about this day a lot over the last year. How it felt to be on my own for the first time, out of my comfort zone & beginning a new adventure. I've had four cars since then and the prescription on those glasses has changed more times than I can count but I still see myself in that girl in the photo (albeit evolved) 

and that makes me happy.

No-Bake Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

I was waiting to post my next entry until I got a new digital camera. I wanted to be able to take pictures of each step as well as show you what the finished project looks like. I got the camera. Made a couple of recipies and actually remembered to take photos and...the camera broke. I had the thing for 1 week.

 My luck with technology is embarrasing.

Karen, a friend and roommate from college reminded me that 'embarrasing' is also a way to describe my past abilities in the kitchen. For example: in ninth grade I attempted to make Mac n' Cheese for myself for the first time. It was m.i.s.e.r.a.b.l.e. I actually MEASURED out how many cups of water to boil as if that was really necessary. Then, after straining the noodles, I proceeded to dump the milk, cheese and butter right on top. The noodles were still in the strainer, mind you. When I got to college my skills barely improved. Karen would often find me eating the dinner I had made myself...an absolutely plain chicken breast, not even seasoned with salt or pepper, and starchy white rice (that didn't include any seasoning either) as a side. She would inevitably break out into laugher. After this I stuck to frozen meals that I could just heat up. Alfredo chicken with veggies in a bag, anyone? However, she never had much room to talk with a staple menu of frozen chicken nuggets and french fries in the oven. She summed up the conversation well by reminding me we've come a long way since living together in the blue castle!

Anyways, fast forward to present day and I'm at least trying. Not everything I've tried has been perfect but I always add the recipe to my journal and scribble comments in the margins..."next time pour the sauce over at the end", "needs more cheese", "should have baked longer"...you get the idea.

The first recipe I would like to share are these tasty little stuffed cherry tomatoes. I've made them to bring as appetizers to family get-togethers, prepared them as the garnish on plates I've served at dinner parties, and helped make 100s of them for a Holiday Party I helped cater this winter. They are yumm-o!

Step 1: Rinse and slice the tops off of however many tomatoes you'd like to make. (The first time I did this I made the mistake of cutting off the flat side of the tomato. If you cut off the rounded top it's so much easier to stand them up on trays!)

Step 2: Use a measuring teaspoon to "dig out" the insides of the tomatoes. I then place them face down on a damp paper towel to drain. (I used to throw away the centers but now I save them and use them on tacos or salads later in the week.)

Step 3: Mix up the middle!

1 pkg cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 - 1/2 cup mayo (start with 1/4 and add according to your taste buds!)

1 pkg Oscar Mayer Ready to Serve Real Bacon Bits (there's also a recipe bag version but it's fattier!)

Dice up some green onion

Whip together

Step 4: Stuff those lil tomatoes plump full!

(this is a googled photo but mine look just like this!)

Depending on how many tomatoes you stuff, there will probably be some stuffing left over.

It's a great cracker spread!

Margin note: You can keep these in the fridge over night but they're definitely best the day you make them.

What's your favorite appetizer to share?