Monday Musings

Well Christmas is over…whew. I had a fantastic Christmas at my parents house in Reno. My brother was able to come home ( I haven’t seen him in 18 months) and it was a great time. Last year he was in Iraq. He is in the Marine Corps, he is currently in a program called MECEP (or some other crazy acronym that the armed forces use) I don’t know what it stands for, but basically he was enlisted for four years, he is still enlisted, but now his “Military Occupation Skill” is “student” and he is going to school at the University of South Carolina to finish his degree and then he will be commissioned as an officer. Right….the point of my post wasn’t my brother. Anyway…it was a great week…here are some highlights of Christmas Day..

I am crying in this picture. My parents printed and framed a copy of the blessing my dad used in his toast at our wedding, along with one of our wedding pictures..aww...
Here is my brother holding up the gift we got him, a solid steel name plate...

Our Christmas table...it was just the five of us this year...nice and quiet and sooo. much. food.

At each place setting we had this little "christmas crackers" they each had little toys and paper crowns in them. My dad wore his all through dinner and through the dish washing extravaganza afterwards....silly dad!

I could not get Scott to take a serious picture with me. He made us pose for this one.....

What a dork!

Anyway, it was a great relaxing trip. As for as being "healthy" I didn't get it ANY workouts (the snow sort of prevented the walks I was going to take, at least that is what I am going to tell myself) but I don't feel like I overindulged in food. Yes I was stuffed by the end of Christmas dinner, but thankfully, my parents don't keep alot of Christmas treats in the house and I didn't spend four days snacking on junk, as i would have in the past.

Today I am back to the grind at work (even though I get off early on Wednesday, we are closed on Thursday and am taking vacay again on Friday) so it's a mini grind? But..I'm comitted to getting down to the employee workout room for good sweatbreaks all three days! Got to start the new year off right!

Biggest Loser

ok, first how hot are Bob and Jillian...seriously.

Did anyone else catch last night’s finale? I was so happy that Michelle won! She looked so gorgeous and fit. I love that she didn’t look scary skinny.
So, I have a love hate love affair with the Biggest Loser. And it is all about me and my perception of my own body and abilities and health.
My love-hate-love affair goes a little something like this with each season.
Beginning of the season. Love the show. Love seeing all the new contestants, and learning their stories, and thinking about how much better off I am then they are. Feel a little twinge of annoyance when most of the women weigh less than I do, and have unhealthier lifestyles (According to the editing), but mostly love. Oh, and think about how I would kick everyone’s ass at the first workout.
Middle of the season. Hate contestants that are exhibiting signs of “gameplay.” Get over it a little bit when I realize they are probably just hungry (just kidding, mostly). Hate the fact that now even the women who weighed more than I did at the start of the show now weigh less. Think about how I probably should be trying to lose weight.
End of the season: Love that there only a few people left and I can start rooting for a favorite. Love the makeover show. Love the finale and how great everyone looks, and LOVE IT WHEN A WOMAN WINS!

So…that is kind of how it goes. I recognize that the Biggest Loser is not real life, and that of course these people are successfully losing weight because all they do all day long is focus on that goal. They suspend their reality to lose what, I personally consider, an unhealthily large amount of weight in a short time. But I can’t help but think, what about me. What if I did that show…would I walk out in the finale looking amazing and wearing a dress that is smoking hot and 8 sizes smaller than I wore before? Last night my husband I watched the end of the finale together and we talked about some goals for getting healthy and yes, losing weight.

I kind of want to send in an audition tape.
I think it would go like this: Hi my name is Allison and I eat 5-7 servings of fruits and veggies a day. I don’t eat fast food or drink soda. I do eat dessert but in moderation. I know how many calories are in beer, donuts and pizza. I walk my dog 1.5 miles everyday and workout on my lunch break 3-4 times a week. I’ve conquered my food demons and personal demons that led to an eating disorder. I still weigh 240 pounds. I bet you I can’t weigh 150.

Do you think Jillian would take that bet? I feel like it might appeal to her competitive side.

I can picture it now….Cut to Biggest loser campus, first last chance work out—
Me: crying in pain
Jillian: you still want to make bets? Do you? Unless you quit right now, you will weigh 150. Do you want to be quit? Do you want to be a quitter. Only losers quit.

Ok…so maybe I won’t send in that tape.

hello long forgotten love

I am eating a larabar right now. Key Lime Pie Flavor.

I had forgotten how much I love these. How seriously amazing they are. I haven't had one in a few months...but man oh man...love love love. I used to blog about them alot, I even was named Fan of the Day once.

Now if I could just find the peanutbutter cookie flavor and the coconut pie flavor. :(

Cold As Cereal?

For about a year I ate oatmeal for breakfast. Everyday. Hot outside/ cold outside didn’t matter. I was mostly eating at work, as I was working out before work at the gym. Oatmeal is pretty much the easiest thing ever to make at work.
But….and don’t hate me. It gets old. Now, if you are at home and you have wonderful variety at your fingertips, oatmeal can be a truly beautiful thing. So, now that I am eating at home everyday, and I can eat oatmeal with lots of loveley add-ins….I don’t want to.

I know, I know. I probably have it once a week. Sometimes a big bowl of warm carby goodness is just too much for my stomach. So…I’ve been “trying” out other breakfasts. (they are mostly variations on what my oatmeal was anyway: carb, fruit and nuts or nut butter).Anyway, my absolute favorite breakfast this summer was Kashi Go Lean Crunch (Honey Almonds and Flax) with a sliced banana and 3 or 4 walnut halves on top. With milk
I had pretty much given up on cereal as a viable option when I started eating healthy and paying attention to my nutrition. I just didn’t think that I could find one with enough protein/fiber that would keep my full long enough. Wrong. This breakfast keeps me full as long as, if not longer sometimes than oatmeal. And it’s so good.

Do you like my bowl?

It is my favorite bowl to eat cereal or oatmeal out of. About a year and a half ago my husband and I had a date night at one of those ‘Paint your own Pottery” studios. We got to go in and pick out a piece for ourselves, and then the other person painted it. I chose this cereal bowl. Neither of us are artists, so these are really the type of bowls that you love for what they represent. You can see this side says I heart you, if you follow the bowl around it says “ you are my sunshine” using the same “ u” and a picture of the sun to represent sunshine. :)

:)

8 days a week.....

Here is me and my honey....

we are playing hooky (how do you spell that?) from work today to get stuff done around the house and to spend time together.

Also, by hooky I mean that we asked for the time off and are using up vacation days. Work Ethic!

I think I'm going to try a new recipe tonight, and if I was smart enough to bring my camera cord home, hopefully I'll have it up tonight!