3 Jan 2014

Fit and Healthy 2014 Goals

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5k with sarah

I think this might be the number 1 resolution of most of the world.  Somehow, in someway – choose to do something that impacts your health.  Where most of the world fails is in determination and accountability and in attainability.

Going on a reality show and working out 9 hours a day for 3 months is not reality.  Starving yourself is not reality.  Giving up a certain product for the rest of your life (for most people, not those with health reasons) is not reality.  So how will you choose to better your physical health this year?

Here are my goals for 2014:

1.  By 2015: I want to be 40 lbs lighter.  That is a number agreed upon by my husband and me – and no one else.  He is the one I want to please with how I look, so that is why I wanted his feedback.  He is also a great accountability partner and likes to walk and eat healthy too!  Thanks Love.

2.  Now to break that down into attainable goals.  The first one: lose 17 lbs by the first weekend in April which is my first 10k race in a few years!  I’m very excited.  That is a little over a pound a week which is SO doable and set at a great pace!  That will also get me back to pre-pregnancy weight!!!!!

3.  I want do to more 30 day challenges.  Right now, I’m doing the LBD challenge with some friends on FB.  It is fun and challenging and quick and changes up my routine from what I always do!

4.  I am about to sign up for my first 10k in April and then have plans and hopes to do one in October – a half!  I love half marathons.  A challenge and not too much (like a marathon).

5.  I want to hike Pinnacle Mountain here in Little Rock to get me ready to do Blood Mountain at Vogel in September.  Mister will be glad to do both with me.

6.  Mister and I have talked and made plans.  We plan to walk during his lunch break with the boys 2 days a week, walk or be active on Fri and Sat which are his days off, and then allow me to go early on 2 days a week to run or be active by myself!  He is so my biggest fan!

Love accountability and determination!  And my smaller sized jeans and tops and dresses!  What motivation!

What are your challenges this year?

(The above picture was taken at the Anthem 5k in Louisville in 2010 – 4 years ago.  My friend Sarah was a huge help in my running beginnings.  It was cold but we finished and finished well.)

1 Nov 2013

Fashionably Fit Fridays

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hey folks.

It’s Friday again!  I hope y’all have had a great week – living healthy!

Here are some aspects of my week:

1.  I love my new shampoo!  It is great and makes my hair look shiny and strong.  It is cheap for a big bottle and the best shampoo for my normal long hair!

2.  I haven’t gone on a walk all week.  We’ve had company, my baby has been fussy, I’ve been tired. Need to get better at not making excuses.  And I’ll be ready to exercise in other ways in about 3 weeks when I get clearance from the doctor.  How fun.  I especially can’t wait to get some Yoga Downloads in and some kettlebell workouts for weight training and in December starting Jillian’s 30 Day Shred again!

3. I’ve gotten a bit of my appetite back and have enjoyed cooking again, though I am so thankful for people bringing us food since Baby Bach was born.  This week we received a roasted chicken.  My favorite roasted chicken recipe is from Sara Foster.  You can do so many healthy meals with a simple roasted chicken recipe.  Definitely should be on your weekly menu!

4.  Some folks ask about my favorite fashion or style websites.  One of my new fave sites is by Molly Buckley – a new mom herself.  I love her attitude toward clothes and fashion and also how she makes outfits her own.

Me and the mister

5.  Since I’ve not exercised as much this week and my appetite has come back somewhat, my weight loss was a little less this week: about 2lbs.  Which is what it should be – that is a healthy weight loss.  And it is right on track with my goal for my 37th birthday!

6.  The above photo – I love scarves!  My husband picked this one out for last year’s Christmas cantata at our church.  Glad I get more than one wear out of it!

13 Dec 2010

Much and Link Love (December 13 edition)

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1. Craziness. Always good to start out a post like this.
2. By Wednesday night, I’ll have attended 6 Christmas concerts, cantatas, worship services, whatever you want to call them. Be on the look out for a synopsis of all of them when finished.
3. My eyes are tired. That tells me something. Just don’t know quite how to remedy it right now.
4. Much baking this week: cranberry bliss bars, toffee sugar cookies, red pepper hummus, toffee dip, pork tenderloins, mac and cheese, gingerbread chai bars, roasted green beans. Think that may be it.
5. Every day, every bite struggle. Thnk on the gospel, not on this body.
6. First day of Gold’s Gym tomorrow.
7. Its cold. Yes, I’m just stating a fact, not necessarily complaining.
8. Thankful for men in my life who set a high bar. I’m graced with their presence, encouraged by them, and wait patiently for God.
9. I must write children’s curriculum because I have an empty gatorade bottle sitting on my desk, filled with rice and small plastic objects. Thankful for object lessons.
10. This week: a party, NCIS with room, mani/pedi, concert, lunch with a friend, dinner for friends, Narnia movie night, brunch with a friend, 2 more lunchs with friends, trip to the museum for my room’s bday, and church. Sounds like a full week!

1. Aslan or Jesus?
2. Side note: Voyage of the Dawn Treader – GREAT!
3. Think I will make these Christmas morning! With some real maple syrup!
4. Love Linus!
5. Great to keep in mind as you head out to all those parties – or as you stand over your sink.
6. This is my favorite children’s Bible and a timely video on Christmas.
7. Have red lentils: may make this soup.
8. Some of the reasons on this list is why I stopped watching the Biggest Loser.
9. If you haven’t already seen this by Driscoll, you will want to read!

16 Nov 2010

Do Hard Things

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This post actually has nothing to do with the Harris brothers’ book by the same title. But, as I was thinking of titles for this blog, that is what came to mind. Others that came to mind: Things I Learned from Randy Stinson, Spiritual Laziness, What I Don’t Like To Do, but Need To. The Do Hard Things stuck and is shorter.
So…what am I talking about? One of the best part of my jobs while administrative assistant in Louisville was transcribing my boss’ talks or sermons. Sometimes I get to hear them live, but other talks I basically memorized because of the time I had to rewind, and rewind again to get the talks just right. It was a period of growth and memorization for me.
Mostly he spoke to men, but I learned a lot. He would tell the men that a lot of the younger generation is lazy. Not because they don’t like to do things, or they just sit around (which some of them do), but more than that he was talking about men who don’t do hard things. They may be really busy, but they don’t like doing things that are hard for them. They would rather live passively with their wives than bring up the issue that both of them know they need to deal with. They would rather let the slacker keep going at work than to confront him and call him on his laziness. They would rather play video games all day than prep for that test or sermon, or fix the toilet that is leaking in the guest bathroom. Do hard things. The boss would always say, do them first: write that note, send that email, fix that toilet, study for that test, ask that girl out, apply for that new position. Whatever is most hard for you to do – do it first, get it off the to-do this first and then you’ll have plenty of time to do the not so hard things.

So, I was thinking about this all day and really the past couple of days. There are two things in my life right now that are harder than the rest: and I haven’t done them because they wouldn’t be easy. I guess I should say I haven’t done either of them with sincere regularity, and my whole life reflects it.

Exercise/Healthy Eating. It is much easier to not exercise, to sleep in when the alarm goes off because it is cold outside, or to not run that extra 2 miles when you’ve already run 3. It is easier to eat brownies and roasted chicken than it is to eat carrots and roasted beets.

Personal Quiet Time. I spend all day writing curriculum, in books, digging into Scripture for my job. I love it. But, what I’ve not done with regularity is sit down in the morning – pre-work – and dig into the Scriptures for myself, for my soul, for my walk with the Lord.
I need to set my alarm, get out of bed, put my feet on the floor (and not hop back in bed) and do the hard things.
What are your hard things?
Is it cleaning the house?
Is it carrying on a conversation with your husband or wife?
Is it asking for accountablity?
Is it reading the Bible?
Is it exercising?
Is it cooking healthy meals for your family?
Is it asking that girl out?
Is it losing weight?
Is it serving in your local church?
Is it giving some of your income away to missions or service projects?
Is it opening your home to strangers or friends?
Is it practicing the spiritual discipline of prayer, worship, giving, evangelism?
Is it not buying any more “toys” because you already have too many?

Whatever your “hard thing” is – DO IT.
1 Timothy 4:8 “Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.