I'm not a singer, or musically inclined at all, really. But I do love music. And no, I don't spend a ton of money buying albums to have a packed iTunes library, and I don't look down my nose at people who are a year behind in hearing the next big music act. I just love good music...the kind that makes me feel good, or rather, just makes me feel.
That being said, Kyle and I (for whatever reason) seem to watch almost every singing competition show there is. Right now, we're watching American Idol. [side note: I will never refer to American Idol as "AI". As a vet's kid, AI means Artificial Insemination...not American Idol]
Anyway, this season, there is quite an eclectic group of contestants. Some I like, some I don't. However, I was really impressed with almost everyone's performance last night. They all did a song by their personal icons. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that it was so good, because any time a person is doing "their thing" and it's what they love...they're almost always going to be good.
Here's my brief assessment of a few of the contestants:
Phillip Phillips - Of all the contestants, it would probably be his album that I would buy. Phillip has a very Dave Matthews-ish vibe about him. He does his own thing and does it well. He doesn't really fit the Idol mold, and although he's not apologetic about it, he's not disrespectful either...so I give him kudos on that. Last night, for his icon performance, he chose a Jonny Lang song. I've been a Jonny Lang fan since high school, so the fact that Phillip chose one of his songs, and performed it really well, just sold me even more.
Jessica - The girl can flat out sing. It doesn't really matter what the song is. She will have a successful career regardless of what happens on Idol if she's surrounded by the right songwriters and creative team.
Elise - She's just awesome. Last night she sang "Whole Lotta Love" and nailed it. Not much else to say
Hee Jun - Great tone, pretty voice, but he's got to find a style and confidence if he's going to be successful.
Deandre - He's got a quirky, unique voice, but I'm not sure it's relevant in today's music market.
Joshua - I'm not sure that he knows who he is yet, and I think coming across to the audience as genuine is difficult. In other words, I am fairly certain that he's gay (whether he knows it or not), and being a preacher's kid...coming out on national TV probably isn't the easiest experience. No doubt he has an amazing voice, but he's got a long way to go.
Colton - This is the guy I secretly want to win. I've always liked his voice and alt/rock style, but there was something different about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I don't do Twitter, so I was a little late to the game when I read an article about the producers telling him that he needed to be careful about how he expressed his Christian faith, because it might hurt his votes. Ah, now I get it. Last week, Ryan asked him what he was thinking about before his performance, and he said that he was just praying for God to use him. Last night he performed a song by Lifehouse that he said was his favorite worship songs.
Let me stop here and say that I am not a Christian bandwagon person. I don't just cheer for or support people just because they are Christians. Matter of fact, there are a lot of singers and groups on Christian radio stations that I just do not care for. Their message is great and their heart is in the right place...I just don't care for their music.
Anyway, what I appreciate about Colton is that he is indeed an incredible performer/musician/singer and that he expresses his faith in a subtle, genuine way. He doesn't run around with a WWJD? shirt on everywhere he goes, and doesn't have a John 3:16 tattoo on his forehead. I'm sure he says a lot of faith-based stuff on Twitter, but that's sort of "read if you want" forum...he's not shoving it down anyone's throat. He just tries to exemplify his faith through his actions, which is probably the most honest form of expression.
Okay, that's my very limited Idol review.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Houses, Moving, and the like...
Two absolutely wonderful things happened yesterday!
One, the landlord of the house we're renting told us that he accepted an offer on the house! Although they may continue to show the house until close (should the current contract fall through), the house being under contract will deter a lot of showing requests. It's one thing when it's your house that's being sold, but going out of our way to help someone else sell their house has been a pain. When Kyle's family was down, we had a showing Sunday afternoon between 1:30-3:30...so we just went for a late lunch and did a little shopping and returned around 3:35. At 4:30, a Realtor shows up to show the house. Kyle told them they couldn't see the house. It was both funny and infuriating at the same time. The other part of this that is great, is that because the house was sold as-is (nothing has to be fixed or replaced) we will get our full security deposit back!!
The second awesome thing was that the representative for our builder said that he would give us a hard close date next week, and that it is fully possible for us to be moved in by the end of April!! I'm so flippin' giddy...I can't even tell you! With the majority of our stuff still packed, moving shouldn't be a big deal either. Kyle was kind of worried about the time-frame we would have to move in, and I said "it's called throw your crap in a box and haul it eight miles".
I realized last night that I will have moved four times in a little under five years, and been involved in the selling of two houses. I'll be so happy to be somewhere permanent!
Having done all of that (and having some friends going through the house-selling process) I thought I'd jot down what I learned, what I thought I did right, and the things I did wrong.
- Realtor - First things first, find the right realtor. Find someone that knows your area, and someone who does not only have listings way above what your house will list for. They're going to focus on the homes that will get them the most commission, and if yours is at the bottom of the list, it will get the least attention. Once you've found a good one, trust them. If they think you need to lower the price or change something about the house, do it. Because I couldn't be in Tulsa to handle every little situation that came up with selling our house, I relied a lot on my realtor. I asked a ton of questions and for advice, and he never steered me wrong. I know for a fact that had I not done what he told me to, we would not have sold the house in three-weeks like we did.
On that same note, if you start to feel like you're realtor isn't working for you, don't hesitate to shop around. It's too big of an undertaking and burden to have it handled improperly. By the way, my realtor in Tulsa was Frank Petrouskie. I highly recommend him!
- Landscaping/flowers - the entry to your house really does do a lot of the selling for you. If a person can imagine themselves making that walk up to the door everyday...they're 70% there. Nothing has to be elaborate, just tidy and aesthetically pleasing. You don't have to spend a lot, or any, money either. Just cleaning out the flower beds and shaping things up helps a lot. If you want to do a little planting or add some color, use yellows and oranges. It supposedly gives a happy/cheery vibe. Even just some containers of flowers by the door helps. What I did was make a game plan of the flowers I would need, and I went to the nursery and found some small yellow flowering plants that were on sale. Just enough for some color. The object is to get the buyer to think "man, if they've done this much work to the outside, they've almost surely done an awesome job of maintaining the house itself". A well maintained house equals a better investment.
A side note to this...if you have an open house, get some fresh flowers to set on the dining table or on the kitchen counter.
- Cleaning - This is basic, but make sure things like baseboards, ceiling fans, and light fixtures are dusted. It's little things like that that can make a good or bad impression.
- De-Clutter - I'm sure you know this one, but people need to see space in the living areas and bedrooms. If you've collected a ton of stuff and/or furniture. Take some of the pieces out and put them neatly in your garage or a storage facility.
- Smell - When selling our house in Tulsa, before a showing, I would spray some Mrs. Meyer's lemon cleaner on a cloth and quickly wipe down the counter tops and cabinets. The smell is a light, lemony/herb-y scent that just smells fresh and clean (so fresh and so clean, clean...sorry couldn't help it). I actually learned this from our house mom during Rush...she would use a gardenia scented oil on the lamp bulbs. It makes you have fond memories/thoughts immediately. You want your home to do the same.
- Last minute showings - This is probably my best piece of advice, especially if you have kiddos. Keep a tub or laundry basket in your car/garage/somewhere inconspicuous, so that if you have a last minute showing, you can throw all of your crap that you can't put away quickly into the basket..and then hide the basket (I just put mine in my car). If you're really desperate, and not selling your washer and dryer with the house, you can hide things in there too. Just remember to check them before turning either one on ; )
One, the landlord of the house we're renting told us that he accepted an offer on the house! Although they may continue to show the house until close (should the current contract fall through), the house being under contract will deter a lot of showing requests. It's one thing when it's your house that's being sold, but going out of our way to help someone else sell their house has been a pain. When Kyle's family was down, we had a showing Sunday afternoon between 1:30-3:30...so we just went for a late lunch and did a little shopping and returned around 3:35. At 4:30, a Realtor shows up to show the house. Kyle told them they couldn't see the house. It was both funny and infuriating at the same time. The other part of this that is great, is that because the house was sold as-is (nothing has to be fixed or replaced) we will get our full security deposit back!!
The second awesome thing was that the representative for our builder said that he would give us a hard close date next week, and that it is fully possible for us to be moved in by the end of April!! I'm so flippin' giddy...I can't even tell you! With the majority of our stuff still packed, moving shouldn't be a big deal either. Kyle was kind of worried about the time-frame we would have to move in, and I said "it's called throw your crap in a box and haul it eight miles".
I realized last night that I will have moved four times in a little under five years, and been involved in the selling of two houses. I'll be so happy to be somewhere permanent!
Having done all of that (and having some friends going through the house-selling process) I thought I'd jot down what I learned, what I thought I did right, and the things I did wrong.
- Realtor - First things first, find the right realtor. Find someone that knows your area, and someone who does not only have listings way above what your house will list for. They're going to focus on the homes that will get them the most commission, and if yours is at the bottom of the list, it will get the least attention. Once you've found a good one, trust them. If they think you need to lower the price or change something about the house, do it. Because I couldn't be in Tulsa to handle every little situation that came up with selling our house, I relied a lot on my realtor. I asked a ton of questions and for advice, and he never steered me wrong. I know for a fact that had I not done what he told me to, we would not have sold the house in three-weeks like we did.
On that same note, if you start to feel like you're realtor isn't working for you, don't hesitate to shop around. It's too big of an undertaking and burden to have it handled improperly. By the way, my realtor in Tulsa was Frank Petrouskie. I highly recommend him!
- Landscaping/flowers - the entry to your house really does do a lot of the selling for you. If a person can imagine themselves making that walk up to the door everyday...they're 70% there. Nothing has to be elaborate, just tidy and aesthetically pleasing. You don't have to spend a lot, or any, money either. Just cleaning out the flower beds and shaping things up helps a lot. If you want to do a little planting or add some color, use yellows and oranges. It supposedly gives a happy/cheery vibe. Even just some containers of flowers by the door helps. What I did was make a game plan of the flowers I would need, and I went to the nursery and found some small yellow flowering plants that were on sale. Just enough for some color. The object is to get the buyer to think "man, if they've done this much work to the outside, they've almost surely done an awesome job of maintaining the house itself". A well maintained house equals a better investment.
A side note to this...if you have an open house, get some fresh flowers to set on the dining table or on the kitchen counter.
- Cleaning - This is basic, but make sure things like baseboards, ceiling fans, and light fixtures are dusted. It's little things like that that can make a good or bad impression.
- De-Clutter - I'm sure you know this one, but people need to see space in the living areas and bedrooms. If you've collected a ton of stuff and/or furniture. Take some of the pieces out and put them neatly in your garage or a storage facility.
- Smell - When selling our house in Tulsa, before a showing, I would spray some Mrs. Meyer's lemon cleaner on a cloth and quickly wipe down the counter tops and cabinets. The smell is a light, lemony/herb-y scent that just smells fresh and clean (so fresh and so clean, clean...sorry couldn't help it). I actually learned this from our house mom during Rush...she would use a gardenia scented oil on the lamp bulbs. It makes you have fond memories/thoughts immediately. You want your home to do the same.
- Last minute showings - This is probably my best piece of advice, especially if you have kiddos. Keep a tub or laundry basket in your car/garage/somewhere inconspicuous, so that if you have a last minute showing, you can throw all of your crap that you can't put away quickly into the basket..and then hide the basket (I just put mine in my car). If you're really desperate, and not selling your washer and dryer with the house, you can hide things in there too. Just remember to check them before turning either one on ; )
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday Morning Motivation...
"Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of richest people in America. If I'm not on there, I go to work." - Robert Orben
Friday, March 23, 2012
(Not) Sticking to the Plan
When I started blogging, my intention was to have some sort of pattern or plan. Something that people who read it could come to expect. You know, recipes on Monday, pictures on Wednesday, funny stories on Friday...that sort of thing. What I have come to learn, however, is that much like my life, not a whole lot can be planned. There are a few structured things here and there, but for the most part, I have to be open to things as they come. But now that I think about it, reflecting my/our life as it happens is more what this blog is about than any plan...so, I suppose my miscellaneous posts don't come as that much of a surprise.
So, here we go.
Do you get excited about food? I do, and I'm really excited for dinner tonight. We're going to eat dinner at Ruth's Chris to celebrate the birthday of one of Kyle's family friends. Yummy steak, that's all that needs to be said. Everything else there is great too...but man the steaks are awesome! The first time I ate at a Ruth's Chris was after my brother's college graduation in North Carolina. I had never eaten so much in my life...seriously, I felt like if I opened my mouth too wide and leaned over a little, that I would throw up. But even the uncomfortable fullness was glorious.
I saw a headline today that Whitney Houston showed signs of chronic cocaine use. Wow, I wonder where they came up with that one! {seriously need a sarcasm font} Yes, I am sorry that such a talented woman is no longer with us, but her talent doesn't trump the fact that she wasted and abused her God given talent for other highs. Her last album she put out wasn't that great because her voice had been ruined by all of her drug and alcohol use. I think we like to remember her in Body Guard and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" days...but that was a long time ago.
How do you handle stress? I have learned that I don't see stress approaching...I figure it out when I'm smack dab in the middle of it! Not a good thing. Yesterday was one of those days for me. I woke up worrying about something in the house we're building (I couldn't remember if one of the counter-tops was set correctly and it would be a major pain to get fixed if it wasn't). There are some things with work that aren't necessarily bad in nature, but change in general (good or bad) can make anyone a bit anxious. And then just throw on some general life stressors, and it makes for a pretty anxiety-filled day.
After work, we went by the house, and my fears were not only relieved, but the counter-top was installed in a better fashion than I had imagined. Also, we realized that they are a lot further along than we had assumed...hopefully moving up our closing date!! Afterwards, I went to work out. I knew, in part, that I needed a physical release...so I took it out on an elliptical machine and some free weights. I'll take a bench and some free weights or kettlebells over machines any day of the week.
Today feels like a brand new day. There's a hymn from Lamentations 3..."The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are NEW EVERY MORNING. Great is Thy faithfulness". That's the song that popped in my head today. Thank God for new days!!
I totally forgot to tell you about last weekend! Kyle's parents, brother and sister-in-law and niece all came down for a visit. We didn't get to go see as much stuff as we wanted to, but we had a great time none the less. Funny enough...it all revolved around food. It's crawfish season here, so we bought a bunch and did a big crawfish boil. It was rather fantastic if I do say so myself. It's so much fun watching our nieces grow and learn. During their visit, Landry developed another name for Gus...Gussy. I guess "gus" is a relatively easy word for tots to say, so she felt pretty comfortable doing a little ad-libbing. The only bad thing about her and Gus's relationship, is that when she puts her footie pajamas on, her whole lower half suddenly becomes a giant, moving stuffed toy. We quickly put an end to that. Otherwise, he's been really great with kids, which we're so thankful for!
We went to Kyle's new customer's restaurant to celebrate Landry's birthday, as we're not going to be able to go up for her party. Kyle mentioned to the chef earlier in the week that we were coming and it was for his niece's birthday...the chef had his sous chef make this awesome chocolate tres leches cake! This picture doesn't really do it justice. It was beautiful and super tasty too.
Gus vs. the Crawfish
Well, it's a beautiful day today, and looks to be an awesome weekend. Hopefully we can get outside and enjoy it a little.
Hope you all have a great weekend as well!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Down The Street
So, do you remember this Soviet/Belarusian gymnast from when we were kiddos...watching her compete at the Olympics?
Small world...she and her husband (I'm assuming) have a pizza place down the street from us called Mazzeis Pizza. It's pretty darn good, too! If you're in the Katy area, you should check it out.
House update
I haven't posted any pics in a while because the last few evenings we have gone by...it was light enough for us to see, but too dark to get descent pictures. We went by on Saturday to see that a great deal had been done!
They've finished all of the tile work, and are finishing out the electrical, plumbing, and fixtures; and they've started grading the lot. I assume they're waiting until towards the end to lay the wood floor and carpet so as to not damage it or get it dirty.
They've finished all of the tile work, and are finishing out the electrical, plumbing, and fixtures; and they've started grading the lot. I assume they're waiting until towards the end to lay the wood floor and carpet so as to not damage it or get it dirty.
The shutters and garage door need to be painted, and the wooden columns need to be stained.
Master Bathroom... That's my sink and vanity on the right.
French doors to the office...
Looking up at second floor from living room...
My favorite room! See the tiled back splash above where the stove top will go? I didn't notice the pattern until I looked at this picture, and it's kind of bothering me. I'll have to look at it again in person to tell if it's worth asking to be changed or not.
Don't ask me what's going in that massive space above the fireplace...because I have no idea! (No, a mirror won't work...it would just reflect a blank wall.)
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Smelling Your Way Through Life
If the only sense of the five you had were smell...how would you fair in life?
I'm pretty sure I would be pretty battered and bruised, if not dead. I've always had a fairly heightened sense of smell, to the point I can only make a lap around Bath & Body Works before I have to exit. I hold my breath if I need to purchase something. I will purposely go out of my way to avoid the section of the mall that Abercrombie & Fitch is in. I get a headache just thinking about it.
That being said, I love how smells are so intricately tied to memories. For me, there's no other sense, even sight, that can cause me to recall every feeling, thought, and image of a given moment.
There's a perfume I asked my mother to quit wearing because she wore it to the funeral of one of my high school classmates our senior year. I suppose I cried on her shoulder and inhaled quite a dose of the perfume. So, every time I smell it, I remember a funeral that never should have taken place.
The mix of horse sweat and leather. This one probably sounds odd to most, but for me, it reminds me of summers spent riding for both pleasure and for competition. When I finished riding, a saddle blanket soaked in sweat meant that I had spent a lot of time doing something I enjoyed, and my horse got a good workout.
The smell I encountered this morning is what inspired this post. I have no clue where the scent actually came from, but memories of my internship at a children's hospital, and the kids I worked with, came rushing back. It's the smell when I would first walk in in the mornings...part breakfast still lingering after trays had been taken down the hall, part rubbing alcohol, part plastic and rubber from the latex gloves and various syringes, tubes, etc... It makes me wonder how those kids are doing, and if some of them are even still with us (I worked with several kids/adolescents with cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, kidney failure, and anorexia). Although I didn't care for my internship too much, I enjoyed my time with the patients and their families, and I hope they felt the same.
On a lighter note, I feel that there needs to be a section in all Freshman orientation classes about air freshener in the workplace. There is a precise ratio of air freshener to foul odor that should be achieved without going over. If the ratio becomes too great in favor of the air freshener...it might have been best not to use it at all. Don't get me wrong...I don't care for foul bathroom odors any more than the next person...I just don't get the feeling that inhaling them will increase my chances of getting lung cancer three fold as I do with air freshener. {stepping off of soapbox}
I'm pretty sure I would be pretty battered and bruised, if not dead. I've always had a fairly heightened sense of smell, to the point I can only make a lap around Bath & Body Works before I have to exit. I hold my breath if I need to purchase something. I will purposely go out of my way to avoid the section of the mall that Abercrombie & Fitch is in. I get a headache just thinking about it.
That being said, I love how smells are so intricately tied to memories. For me, there's no other sense, even sight, that can cause me to recall every feeling, thought, and image of a given moment.
There's a perfume I asked my mother to quit wearing because she wore it to the funeral of one of my high school classmates our senior year. I suppose I cried on her shoulder and inhaled quite a dose of the perfume. So, every time I smell it, I remember a funeral that never should have taken place.
The mix of horse sweat and leather. This one probably sounds odd to most, but for me, it reminds me of summers spent riding for both pleasure and for competition. When I finished riding, a saddle blanket soaked in sweat meant that I had spent a lot of time doing something I enjoyed, and my horse got a good workout.
The smell I encountered this morning is what inspired this post. I have no clue where the scent actually came from, but memories of my internship at a children's hospital, and the kids I worked with, came rushing back. It's the smell when I would first walk in in the mornings...part breakfast still lingering after trays had been taken down the hall, part rubbing alcohol, part plastic and rubber from the latex gloves and various syringes, tubes, etc... It makes me wonder how those kids are doing, and if some of them are even still with us (I worked with several kids/adolescents with cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, kidney failure, and anorexia). Although I didn't care for my internship too much, I enjoyed my time with the patients and their families, and I hope they felt the same.
On a lighter note, I feel that there needs to be a section in all Freshman orientation classes about air freshener in the workplace. There is a precise ratio of air freshener to foul odor that should be achieved without going over. If the ratio becomes too great in favor of the air freshener...it might have been best not to use it at all. Don't get me wrong...I don't care for foul bathroom odors any more than the next person...I just don't get the feeling that inhaling them will increase my chances of getting lung cancer three fold as I do with air freshener. {stepping off of soapbox}
Friday, March 9, 2012
What the Frac?
After a few years in the oil and gas industry, I finally got a chance to do something I've wanted to from the beginning...go out to the field. We have an area in Texas that we're really active in right now, so I was able to see a lot in one trip...except the one major procedure I went to see, but I'll talk about that more later.
These next two photos are of a couple of the drilling rigs. To get a better understanding of the whole process of drilling and completing a horizontal well...check out this link.
It's difficult to conceive just how large drilling rigs are until you get up close and personal.
This one not only has stairs, but an elevator as well. See the yellow cage at the bottom?
What I really went to see yesterday, was a frac job. Fracking, simply put, is the process in which the formation containing hydrocarbons (oil and gas) is fractured, allowing the product to flow up the well and be dispersed for sale. I realize that there is a lot of controversy regarding this procedure, but that's not what this post is about.
This link is probably the best animated explanation I've found.
Below, you can see the trucks lined up like in the video. It takes the horse power of all of these pumps to push the fracking fluid down the hole and force open the rock. Everything is controlled by computer in a nearby trailer so it can be easily monitored.
Unfortunately, when we arrived on location, this is what we saw. This is a coiled tubing unit, and when you see one of these it typically means there was a problem and the hole needs to be cleaned out. See the three guys in the very middle of the picture? Makes you feel kind of small, huh? They were just finishing up about the time we needed to leave. Bummer.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Getting Strong
As I mentioned in my last post...I have to get back in the gym. I was doing so awesome before we moved. I was going 4-5 times a week and working with a personal trainer once a week. I loved having a personal trainer because for one, I was never an athlete...I didn't really know how to workout other than the fitness magazines that I read, but exercising is not a "one size fits all" kind of thing. So she showed me how to do the appropriate exercises for my body. Secondly, she showed me how to exercise CORRECTLY. I say that because I have bad knees and I needed to figure out how to strengthen my legs without damaging my joints any further...and she did. Before we moved, I was doing one-legged lunges with weights and I actually had less knee pain. Third, she pushed me further than I thought I could go! My trainer had recently received her certification in CrossFit, so I got to be a guinea pig. I loved coming home and telling Kyle what kind of crazy thing I was able to make my body do. Lastly...accountability. I only worked with her once a week, so every Monday I was asked what I did during the rest of the week..and she better like my answer!
More than anything, I just FELT good!!
During that time period, I think the thing I learned the most is that there's not a quick fix and you can't just change one thing about your lifestyle if you want to change your body...you have to change almost everything. It's cardio, strength training, diet, sleep, stress management, etc...it all has an impact.
When I first started, I thought because I was working out now, I could still eat what I was eating and see results...WRONG! I'm not saying I went crazy and eliminated every refined carb and never put sugar to my lips, but I did make myself aware of what I was eating and what impact it had on my body. Basically, if it didn't have some kind of benefit or nutritional value, I didn't eat it. Why waste calories on something that's not doing me any good?
That being said, I also learned that I have to have something sweet everyday. I don't mean a pint of ice cream, I'm talking about a couple of Hershey Kisses. I tried to eat totally "clean" one week, and on day three I totally binged. I felt gross, but man it tasted good. I just realized that I can't completely deprive myself or I'll go nuts.
One of the best tools I found regarding diet was My Fitness Pal. It's both a website and an app, and it helps you track what you're eating, as well as log exercise. It really showed me what I was putting in my body and helped me make better choices. There are a lot of things that I didn't realize were high in calories, but were. It's very easy to sabotage your efforts if you're misinformed. Also, you can connect with other members, so if you and a few of your friends join...you can hold one another accountable and encourage each other as you all work towards your personal goals.
Also, you can run 15 miles and do two spin classes a week, and yes, you'll probably lose weight, but cardio alone will not shape your body. Strength training is vital to really toning your body overall. Plus, women need to be life-long strength trainers as it's imperative to the bone and joint health that women are notorious for having issues with.
Speaking of being a woman, my OBGYN told me that women who exercise regularly are much more likely to carry their baby to term, as well has have an easier time with delivery. Obviously, that's not a guarantee for either one...but it's sure as heck a good reason to try!
Lastly, if you're not getting enough sleep, or allowing long-term stress in your life...your body will never change. The body has the ability to go into "survival mode". If it's not getting the calories or rest it needs, or is being attacked by environmental factors (stress), it will hang on to what it has for dear life for fear of wasting away.
I say all of that to say, I'm by no means perfect in the health arena...the above is just what I learned. Granted, I knew a lot of it before I started my program, but until I experienced it for myself, I didn't believe it...much less practice it. I'm stubborn like that.
More than anything, I just FELT good!!
During that time period, I think the thing I learned the most is that there's not a quick fix and you can't just change one thing about your lifestyle if you want to change your body...you have to change almost everything. It's cardio, strength training, diet, sleep, stress management, etc...it all has an impact.
When I first started, I thought because I was working out now, I could still eat what I was eating and see results...WRONG! I'm not saying I went crazy and eliminated every refined carb and never put sugar to my lips, but I did make myself aware of what I was eating and what impact it had on my body. Basically, if it didn't have some kind of benefit or nutritional value, I didn't eat it. Why waste calories on something that's not doing me any good?
That being said, I also learned that I have to have something sweet everyday. I don't mean a pint of ice cream, I'm talking about a couple of Hershey Kisses. I tried to eat totally "clean" one week, and on day three I totally binged. I felt gross, but man it tasted good. I just realized that I can't completely deprive myself or I'll go nuts.
One of the best tools I found regarding diet was My Fitness Pal. It's both a website and an app, and it helps you track what you're eating, as well as log exercise. It really showed me what I was putting in my body and helped me make better choices. There are a lot of things that I didn't realize were high in calories, but were. It's very easy to sabotage your efforts if you're misinformed. Also, you can connect with other members, so if you and a few of your friends join...you can hold one another accountable and encourage each other as you all work towards your personal goals.
Also, you can run 15 miles and do two spin classes a week, and yes, you'll probably lose weight, but cardio alone will not shape your body. Strength training is vital to really toning your body overall. Plus, women need to be life-long strength trainers as it's imperative to the bone and joint health that women are notorious for having issues with.
Speaking of being a woman, my OBGYN told me that women who exercise regularly are much more likely to carry their baby to term, as well has have an easier time with delivery. Obviously, that's not a guarantee for either one...but it's sure as heck a good reason to try!
Lastly, if you're not getting enough sleep, or allowing long-term stress in your life...your body will never change. The body has the ability to go into "survival mode". If it's not getting the calories or rest it needs, or is being attacked by environmental factors (stress), it will hang on to what it has for dear life for fear of wasting away.
I say all of that to say, I'm by no means perfect in the health arena...the above is just what I learned. Granted, I knew a lot of it before I started my program, but until I experienced it for myself, I didn't believe it...much less practice it. I'm stubborn like that.
Here's to getting strong (again).
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Mid-week Randoms
Random things that have learned, thought, or experienced in the last week...
Taxes. Ugh. Luckily, we were referred to a really good CPA to do our taxes this year. We weren't about to tackle taxes in two different states, selling a home, itemized expenses, etc...on our own. Unfortunately, we may be facing the Alternative Minimum Tax. It's a complicated tax law, look it up if you need a sleep inducing tool. Just know that we might have a grudge against the IRS for quite a while should we happen to fall under it.
I feel like Chandler Bing from Friends. When people ask me what I do, I can't give them a very clear-cut answer. My title doesn't even really reflect what I do. Honestly, the majority of my job right now is looking into things that are important, but have fallen through the cracks, or cross-department issues that need attention but haven't been addressed due to lack of time, personnel, and/or knowledge. I'm sure the lack of structure would drive most people crazy, but I actually prefer it.
I'm ready for our house to be finished! I know I've said that before, but I mean it even more so now. The owner of the house we are renting is putting the house up for sale, in hopes to sell it around the time we will be moving out. The problem is, they are showing the house while we are in it. I completely understand the need to do so, but it's just an added burden for us. It wouldn't be too big of an issue except for Gus. I feel bad because if they are coming to show the house during the day when we aren't there...we have to crate him for the day, when we normally just shut him off in an area where he has a little room. Not to mention the fact that we have to lock up anything valuable. Oh well, we have a place to live, and I should be thankful for that.
I am going to start my workout regimen, again, next week. I was doing so good in Tulsa before we moved. I was going 4-5 times a week and working with a personal trainer one of those days. I haven't done much since we moved...partly because it took a while to get adjusted to the new lifestyle, and partly because I'm just lazy. However, I am starting to feel like poo, and I know that I will need the strength and stamina for the move in a couple of months...not to mention swimsuit season. I know for a fact that the only reason I survived packing up, cleaning for showings, and moving out of our house in Tulsa was because of the condition my body was in. For those of you who are mentally saying "but you're thin, you don't need to workout"...thin/skinny does NOT equal healthy or fit. I'm not saying I want to be on a Crossfit commercial or anything, I just want to feel strong and healthy again.
I now know why women from Texas are known for their Aqua-Net shellacked hair...Houston humidity. Kyle asked me the other day why I don't wear my hair curly anymore. My answer...because it lasts for about an hour.
Gasoline does not ignite...gasoline vapors do! I didn't know that until yesterday. This furthers my lack of understanding of how the guy at the oil change place in Ada always had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, yet never blew the place up.
The picture on the front of the Katy magazine this month was of Lyle Lovett and his horse, Smart and Shiney. It made me really miss riding and showing. I kind of just want to go knock on his door and see if he'd let me ride it. However, there was also a picture of his fiancee...who is about my age (I thought it was his daughter before I read the caption). Not sure if that would go over well.
Taxes. Ugh. Luckily, we were referred to a really good CPA to do our taxes this year. We weren't about to tackle taxes in two different states, selling a home, itemized expenses, etc...on our own. Unfortunately, we may be facing the Alternative Minimum Tax. It's a complicated tax law, look it up if you need a sleep inducing tool. Just know that we might have a grudge against the IRS for quite a while should we happen to fall under it.
I feel like Chandler Bing from Friends. When people ask me what I do, I can't give them a very clear-cut answer. My title doesn't even really reflect what I do. Honestly, the majority of my job right now is looking into things that are important, but have fallen through the cracks, or cross-department issues that need attention but haven't been addressed due to lack of time, personnel, and/or knowledge. I'm sure the lack of structure would drive most people crazy, but I actually prefer it.
I'm ready for our house to be finished! I know I've said that before, but I mean it even more so now. The owner of the house we are renting is putting the house up for sale, in hopes to sell it around the time we will be moving out. The problem is, they are showing the house while we are in it. I completely understand the need to do so, but it's just an added burden for us. It wouldn't be too big of an issue except for Gus. I feel bad because if they are coming to show the house during the day when we aren't there...we have to crate him for the day, when we normally just shut him off in an area where he has a little room. Not to mention the fact that we have to lock up anything valuable. Oh well, we have a place to live, and I should be thankful for that.
I am going to start my workout regimen, again, next week. I was doing so good in Tulsa before we moved. I was going 4-5 times a week and working with a personal trainer one of those days. I haven't done much since we moved...partly because it took a while to get adjusted to the new lifestyle, and partly because I'm just lazy. However, I am starting to feel like poo, and I know that I will need the strength and stamina for the move in a couple of months...not to mention swimsuit season. I know for a fact that the only reason I survived packing up, cleaning for showings, and moving out of our house in Tulsa was because of the condition my body was in. For those of you who are mentally saying "but you're thin, you don't need to workout"...thin/skinny does NOT equal healthy or fit. I'm not saying I want to be on a Crossfit commercial or anything, I just want to feel strong and healthy again.
I now know why women from Texas are known for their Aqua-Net shellacked hair...Houston humidity. Kyle asked me the other day why I don't wear my hair curly anymore. My answer...because it lasts for about an hour.
Gasoline does not ignite...gasoline vapors do! I didn't know that until yesterday. This furthers my lack of understanding of how the guy at the oil change place in Ada always had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, yet never blew the place up.
The picture on the front of the Katy magazine this month was of Lyle Lovett and his horse, Smart and Shiney. It made me really miss riding and showing. I kind of just want to go knock on his door and see if he'd let me ride it. However, there was also a picture of his fiancee...who is about my age (I thought it was his daughter before I read the caption). Not sure if that would go over well.
Isn't he pretty?! The horse...not Lyle Lovett.
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