You Are What You Eat.

My mom always told me, "You are what you eat."  I have learned more and more what she was talking about as I have matured over the years.  I feel like I have fully grasped that concept.  (Thank you Mom for always planting those seeds.)

Just for you who love to make, and eat, Paula Deen's recipes (yes, my cookies originated from a Paula Deen recipe)... well she has type 2 diabetes. Now I am not trying to hate on Paula, she is lovely, and her food is good, but does this not say anything about the food she is representing?  Just think about this as you sink your teeth into that fatty, high calorie bite that probably contains more calories in it than what you are supposed to have in a day.

If you are complaining of feeling sluggish, go over what you have had to eat today.  Was it fresh fruit, granola or yogurt? (I recommend organic yogurt if you are eating yogurt.  Doesnt have that artificial stuff in it!) Or was it mcdonalds' dollar menu?  I have met only a select few people who can eat McDonalds and feel "normal" and look like they are healthy.  But if you pay attention to how you feel afterwards, you will see how differently you feel.  Fill yourself with fresh foods, whole foods and vitamins.  Stay away from those comfort foods!  If you want to find comfort, get some sleep and rest!  Hey, now, I am not saying I am not going to enjoy me some Fro Yo next week on my week off from boot camp, but I am only going to have a scoop with some granola in it.  Oh, and I am going to still fit in some cardio.  ONE HOUR OUT OF MY WHOLE DAY! 

Don't wait until you have something wrong with you to change your eating habits or your lifestyle.  Start NOW and enjoy your life!  Don't think that you can't enjoy your life if you cut out McDonalds.  Just treat yourself to some substitute goody and get over it.  Youll feel like a winner.  You'll never regret a good workout, or a good food choice.  You'll only regret what you don't do.  And remember, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!!

As David would say, "GET SOME!!"

Senses.

Have you ever just put all things from your mind and focused on using your senses?  Using your senses to notice the things around you? 

Hearing.

Put all other noises out and hear what nature gives to you.  

Sight.

Sometimes it is not the scenery that you take in, but the moments that are right in front of you that you take notice of.

Touch.

It wasn't the warmth of my bed that I felt here.

Smell.

Something that can be a little more controlled, but appreciated each time you take notice.

Taste.

REALLY taste the sweet things in life.  Don't take for granted ONE bite!

Take a minute when you're feeling frustrated or tired, and use your senses.  It helps relax you and helps you forget what stress automatically makes your body do.  Take control of the senses you have.  There is peace in using your senses!

Inspiration behind this post?

We live in Hawaii, and everyday I drive off Ford Island and dont take in what I see, feel and smell on my way out.  Yesterday, I stopped my mind for a minute and realized what is right in front of me every single day, going unnoticed due to everyday mental stresses that keep me from using my senses.  There are mountains surrounding us on all sides.  The sun is always shining.  The air is cool.  The water around Ford Island is all shades of blue with crisp white waves breaking all over.  I DRIVE next to the Arizona memorial every single day.  A place that I used to only thought existed in history books.  I rolled down my window, stuck my arm out and felt the warmth of the sun, the air of the wind, the smell of fresh cut grass and I took in the sight of palm trees lined up in front of a background of blue waters and mountains in the distance.  

No, not every place is like this.  But have you overlooked the beauty that is around you?  There is beauty in everything.  You just have to take notice.  

Healthy Lifestyle.

April 2011

Weight: 180

April 2011, Ford Island Bridge Run, 10k

I remember it like it was yesterday.  Previous to the run, I could run up to 2 miles. But a 10k?  Was I ready for that?  6 miles.  That was over my head.

But, I finished it.  I ran about 80% of it, roughly.  I remember looking at the big timer at the end.. 1:25:08.  Wow, that was a long time!  But I did it, with the help of David's coaching and support.  I just remember wondering why I wasn't sweating anymore.  I felt like I had salt coming from my pores!

And then...

Then came another challenge.  I attended a personal growth retreat which challenged you to face obstacles.  Heights?  NO WAY.  But I attempted it and only made it halfway.  I didn't feel like my muscles could handle much more.  Sure, I was proud, but I was also disappointed because I wanted to say I made it to the top!

A few months later.....

Here I was again.... staring up at this beast...

Annnd... I MADE IT!  I thought climbing it was hard.... letting go to let someone dangle me down from a rope was pretty frightening.

Months went on, and I continued to exercise, enough.  But then David brought up a new challenge.  Train to run a half marathon.  HA!  That was my exact response.

After many, many weeks of training, it came to the day I attempted my 13 mile run.  Just me, my music and a pedestrian trail through Pearl City.  It was a long, scary, and challenging 2.5 hours.  On the last mile, something hit me.  Yep, I had an asthma attack, which might have been partially mental.  After collapsing into David's truck, a good cry and a big glass of chocolate milk... I realized I had accomplished more than I ever thought I could.   I have ran differently, in a positive way, ever since.

Another challenge??  Yep.  I laughed inside each time I ran past "boot camp" that went on down the road from my house.  I knew I would never even consider it.  I mean what was I missing out on?  I ran up to 6 miles almost everyday each week!  SIKE!  My friend inspired me to try it out.  Challenge accepted!

I am now on my last week (week 4) of my first boot camp session.  Each class is very challenging and very different from any of the previous classes.  The instructor, Christina, is amazing at what she does.  I am not going to lie, she is very intimidating.  But I need someone to tell me I CAN AND WILL do it!  Christina certainly pushes you to do that and MORE. One of my favorite quotes of many from her is, "If you think you cant, you cant.  If you think you can, you can."  I think I can.  And I think I will continue.

April 2012

Weight: 150

I still run 6 miles (1 hour), up to twice a week.  I am more motivated to want to try more and continue doing more.  No, I don't always want to.  I eat smart and I hydrate everyday.  I bought my first pair of size 6 jeans this year and I still eat my occasional pieces of candy, and chocolate.  I look back on the last year and a half and try to remember why I started all this.  I didn't do it because I thought I needed to lose weight (but boy did I).  I did it simply to feel my heart pump again.  I did it to feel like i was doing something with my time and my health.  I did it to relieve stress.  The little weight I have lost (mostly inches) and the strength that I have come to realize I needed has all been a bonus to what it is all really about.  A Healthy Lifestyle.  I want something I can stick to, something I believe in.  I believe in being healthy AND happy.  Trust me, you can be both.  My point to all this?  Never quit challenging yourself.  

This is only the beginning to my story.  I would love to one day instruct a class of my own, but the thought terrifies me.  Maybe one day I can blog about that.  Until then, I will continue to face new challenges, even if it does terrify me.  That is where I find my greatest strengths.

I hope this can be an inspiration to you.  These are just a few of the challenges I have faced this year physically.  These events were the most challenging.  Just remember, if I can do something like this, you can too.  If you think you cant, then you cant.  But I know you can, so you can.  <3

You.

Maybe this is a little more for myself, but I want to discuss being yourself.  Not being lazy, mean, rude, boastful, or amazing at everything.  Im talking about who you are as a person and what you stand for.  Not for what you want people to think you stand for, but who you really are.  Raw.  You.

I often get very lost in movies and shows, and the characters that are in them.  I sometimes daydream that I am somehow in the show/movie with them.  Don't we all put ourselves in the story somehow?  But have you ever went further and got to know (well according to google) who those people are in real life?  Well if you want to continue to daydream, don't do it.  THEY ARE NOT THE CHARACTER IN REAL LIFE!  They are people, like you and me.  They get up, eat breakfast, hopefully brush their teeth, snuggle with their dogs and have road rage, (some maybe in their lemos).  But ultimately they are who they are in real life.  Unfortunately, some like to drown out what they may be dealing with inside themselves with drugs.  But that is a whole different topic.  Sometimes it is just hard to face it, people are not the characters they portray in movies, but sometimes it is good to face reality and see that we as people are all just PEOPLE!  Unique in every way.

My point I am getting at is are you playing a character from a movie in your life?  Or are you yourself?  Raw and simple.  Cut to the chase, dont beat around the bush.  Dont lie, be honest and dont try too hard.  Its exhausting.  If we all were just real and not playing a character, we could all save each other time and really get to know each other.  I am not saying tell every secret you have up front.  Just be you, dont sweat trying to portray something "better".  There is nothing better than you.

One tip of advice:  If something is bothering you, and your not good at verbally fixing things, find therapy through art or exercise.  DONT GO SHOPPING AND BUY THE LATEST FAD.  Next week when YOURSELF comes back, you wont like the neon yellow shirt.

Be raw.  Be yourself.

Post a self-portrait of yourself in the comments that represents "you".  ;)

PILOT.

Post navigati

I have too much going on in my head.  There are ideas, conversation-starters, frustrations, misunderstandings and funny details going on and I don’t know what to do with them all.  This is where the blog came to mind.  

To start off my blog, I will introduce myself more, for those who don’t know me as well.  I am a military wife who is still figuring out her place in life.  Im pretty content with keeping our home clean, being sure my lovely husband is fed and being a go-to person that has no set schedule.  We are currently in Hawaii and the next few years could turn out to be many different things for us.  This is one thing I am not going to worry about.  I love being around real people and talking about everything.  I love movies with a passion.  I listen to all kinds of music, according to my mood.  I do have a very spoiled dog named Remington.  I am a freelance photographer trying to find a way out of the same-ole portrait photographer category whose work can be done by anyone with a point and shoot camera.  It is a tough career to continue, especially when you also need an income of some kind and everyone thinks you are over-priced. But I love people, and I love to take photos and always have.  My passion is to satisfy people with photos I take for them.  I LOVE my family, my husbands family and the people we are so close to that I consider our family.  I believe and love God and his mercy.  I love to dance.  I love to work out and run, or should I say I love the after feeling.  I am a bit of a health nut with occasional sweet fix.  My ultimate favorite thing to do is laugh. I love reading a good book.  I keep myself busy at all times.  If I am not busy, I am not in the mood to think at all.  I think this about sums up who I am in a nutshell.

On to bigger and more interesting things.  Enjoy.