tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67717864016276614872024-02-07T03:53:14.135-08:00Vegging Out In SacTownLiving the (Northern) California dream!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-19773285854003277512013-06-25T12:20:00.000-07:002013-06-25T12:20:48.456-07:00Days at the Beach!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm using the term "beach" generously. In Northern California, it's really more accurate to call it the Coast. But beautiful, and relaxing, and centering nonetheless.</div>
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Matt and I made not one, but two beach trips in the last two weeks, and I was again reminded why the Pacific Coast is one of my most favorite places in the world, even when it's a little chilly.</div>
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Muir Beach</div>
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Bodega Head</div>
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Bodega Head</div>
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-71870973586431393052013-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:002013-06-24T14:51:14.731-07:00Reason #5 I love the farmers' market<div style="text-align: center;">
Sweet Corn and Green Bean Season</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-68581937881782145722013-06-23T12:55:00.000-07:002013-06-23T12:55:00.068-07:00The experiment is over...And Weight Watchers and I are back together.<br />
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I just couldn't make it a month without weighing myself.<br />
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So two weeks ago, I stepped back on the scale. It was up a pound. Then last week, I got on it again, it was up further.<br />
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Something was wrong.<br />
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During my scale-less experiment, I realized very quickly that it's easy to spiral out of control. Even when I'm weighing in weekly, I can say, "I can have this, I have 4 (or 5 or 3 or whatever) days to make up for it." But when it's monthly weighing, I have 2 or 3 weeks to make up for it.<br />
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So it was the same cycle I described when I decided to stop weekly weighing, but with a lot more time to gain.<br />
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I learned that changing up the schedule doesn't change up the cycle, and until I deal with the cycle, I really, really need the accountability of the scale.<br />
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So the next step is to actually do the hard work of dealing with the binge restrict cycle. I have some book recommendations, but I need to pull the trigger on ordering them. It's kind of scary.<br />
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Matt and I are going on vacation next week, so all of the self discovery is going to take a backseat to enjoying my family. Weight Watchers can provide the structure I need to keeping a 10 day vacation from getting out of hand. But when I get back, it'll be time to tackle this thing head on.Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-50449721782338474752013-05-29T19:04:00.001-07:002013-05-29T19:04:14.576-07:00It's sunny and clear and I'm loving life...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-332659233383336612013-05-26T07:56:00.000-07:002013-05-26T07:56:07.250-07:00My Break UpI'm breaking up with Weight Watchers. Or, it'd be more accurate to say we're taking a break from each other.<br />
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This time around, I've been doing Weight Watchers since August of 2010. It's by no means the first time I've done it, I've been a Weight Watchers member on and off since I was 16.<br />
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But the last 3 or so years have by far been my most successful. I've lost 50 pounds, and I haven't quit and gained it back. That's a huge accomplishment. That's because it's a great program. They have a system that works, that's livable, and they've created an online and in person support system.<br />
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Not to brag, but I feel like the pictures speak for themselves.<br />
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Summer 2010 (Pre-Weight Watchers)</div>
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Summer 2011</div>
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Summer 2012</div>
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So, there's a little bragging here, but seriously. Look at my face.</div>
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I know I've had success, and I'm really proud of it.</div>
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But at the same time, I'm really tired of caring about my weight.<br />
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I'm tired of doing everything right, eating well, working out, feeling great, then stepping on that scale to have that great feeling come crashing down.<br />
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I feel healthy. I feel better than I've ever felt. So why have I been gaining and losing the same 10 pounds since last October? That's right, I hit my lowest weight since high school last October. Then I hit a plateau. Then I gained 15 pounds over the holidays. And I still haven't lost it all or gotten back to my October weight.<br />
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It's infuriating. <br />
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And I think focusing on my weight is making it worse.<br />
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If you're familiar with Weight Watchers, you can skip this paragraph. But if you're not, here's a quick run down. Weight Watchers gives you points. Every food is a certain number of points, it's based on the fat, fiber, protein, and carbs in the food. You get a certain number of points per day. You can earn extra points by working out. And on top of all that, you get 49 points per week you can use however you want.<br />
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Sounds like a great plan, right? Well, it is. Between the weekly, daily, and activity points, I don't generally feel deprived, and deprivation is a fatal blow to any weight loss program for me. I can still drink wine and eat pizza, I just can't drink wine and eat pizza every night. And if I want more wine and pizza, I have to go for a run or a zumba class.<br />
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But here's my cycle. I've been at Weight Watchers long enough to know how my body reacts to certain things. I know that if I'm sore from a hard workout, I'll retain about 3-4 pounds of water weight. I gain weight around my period, and a salty dinner and alcohol will also cause a gain. In my head, I KNOW there are all false gains. I know that it's just water, and it'll be gone next week.<br />
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But I hate seeing a gain. So starting Monday, my entire menu and schedule will be focused on not seeing a gain on Wednesday. Even if I have Activity or Weekly Points left, I won't touch them. I'll chug water with lemon to get rid of bloat. And under no circumstances will I do activity on Tuesday that could either dehydrate me or make me sore.<br />
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On top of that, I'll start jumping on and off the scale. Last Tuesday and Wednesday, I probably weighed myself 7 or 8 times before my official weigh in. I'd weigh myself, go do something, then come back and a weigh myself again to see if anything changed.<br />
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So as you can probably imagine, I'm a bundle of nerves by the time I get to my official weigh in. And then crushed when I find out what I knew I was going to find out, that it's a gain.<br />
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How do I deal with disappointment and stress? you ask. How do you think?<br />
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And it's Wednesday, which means I have all 49 points ahead of me. So I get a dose of disappointment, and an influx of points at the same time.</div>
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By the time I get a hold of myself, it's usually half way through the weekend, and I decide the only way to make up for it is, low and behold, deprivation and ridding myself of water weight. And the cycle continues.</div>
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It's not healthy, and I know it's not healthy. Not only is it stalling my physical weight, it's taking a toll on my mental health.</div>
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So here's what I'm going to do.</div>
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I'm going to keep counting points. I know Weight Watchers works when I let it.</div>
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I'm going to stop going to meetings. I just can't have the focus be on losing weight right now, and that's a big focus of the meetings (which is understandable, considering it's in the name of the organization).</div>
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I'm going to hide my scale for a month. I decided to have my points reset on Mondays, since I don't have a meeting to go in, so my last weigh in for a month is going to be Monday morning.</div>
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So I'm just going to focus on exercise and eating, and I'm not going to worry about my weight. Because regardless of what I weigh, it's the healthy habits that are important, right?</div>
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Then I'll weigh myself in a month and see where I stand.</div>
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I sound sure of myself, but it's all just an act.</div>
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I know this is what's right for me. I'm feeling a ton of anxiety about not knowing my weight for a month. But the amount of anxiety I'm feeling right now is telling me that I'm doing the right thing by changing the focus.</div>
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<a href="http://takemetobagend.tumblr.com/post/31721753838">Via Take Me Away</a></div>
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<a href="http://initforfitness.tumblr.com/post/22999784947/eat-well-work-out-smile-more">Via In It For Fitness</a></div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-77858465679359911312013-05-15T18:45:00.000-07:002013-05-15T18:45:01.091-07:00Evening PlansNormally I'd do my list of inspirational quotes, cuz it's Wednesday and all.<br />
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But it's been a lonnnnggggg day and my brain is full.<br />
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So I'm not doing anything that involves thinking.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNKQ0hqhPeYEDmWRR_GvPK0uOw_qWtiMBbmybcCVWOb2pxbAwrspCrkXhkNE8JfAnx8yJBh5pNiXSd76THFZ_dEQ2NwSw3Yh1XBmlr_8jZ49enV_nQdinN7jM5EZ9Y2AWUzbGSAAW-NM/s1600/2013-05-15+18.39.38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBNKQ0hqhPeYEDmWRR_GvPK0uOw_qWtiMBbmybcCVWOb2pxbAwrspCrkXhkNE8JfAnx8yJBh5pNiXSd76THFZ_dEQ2NwSw3Yh1XBmlr_8jZ49enV_nQdinN7jM5EZ9Y2AWUzbGSAAW-NM/s320/2013-05-15+18.39.38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-76946959854636795552013-05-14T10:49:00.000-07:002013-05-14T12:24:05.289-07:00The Doors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://articles.creativeallies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/the-doors-logo-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://articles.creativeallies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/the-doors-logo-300x225.jpg" /></a></div>
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One of the things we realized when we bought this house is that the doors had to go.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n5Wv-L0t0MLBe2xqg1knYQDK7T5-CAePST42MgDHGDFhzbNSN1bSqQHcBacW63fuoD4P6J25xT3QtYt1gQ3i2gol0BKnah1cYQXbL9pBF2uUP4pYHQlX93PEHLMHqMxZE8zMlOM6v6g/s1600/P4250075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8n5Wv-L0t0MLBe2xqg1knYQDK7T5-CAePST42MgDHGDFhzbNSN1bSqQHcBacW63fuoD4P6J25xT3QtYt1gQ3i2gol0BKnah1cYQXbL9pBF2uUP4pYHQlX93PEHLMHqMxZE8zMlOM6v6g/s320/P4250075.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwzDxwjnsNGUMx-Xxy9WD7QdG1uZBnRiQ8PiH-PdfQzcfnA6gGYWih3SMxQnZrCVcWHspAYZjDAuiHrz_xosvsmUGyCNkA5Dygp0Kqrcod2Uz4H8NB7LGBuJSFm0FgSZPiMmzlzUvGnw/s1600/P4250079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGwzDxwjnsNGUMx-Xxy9WD7QdG1uZBnRiQ8PiH-PdfQzcfnA6gGYWih3SMxQnZrCVcWHspAYZjDAuiHrz_xosvsmUGyCNkA5Dygp0Kqrcod2Uz4H8NB7LGBuJSFm0FgSZPiMmzlzUvGnw/s320/P4250079.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Step one</div>
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Spend a lot of time on the internet trying to figure out what the hell we're doing</div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/3r5Y2WZIM_0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/3r5Y2WZIM_0&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/3r5Y2WZIM_0&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Step two</div>
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Realize we're in over our heads and call my dad for help</div>
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Step three</div>
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Wait for my dad to get to town</div>
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Step four</div>
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Matt and my dad go to Home Depot and buy lots of tools</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhOTsBT5iDh9aM39egWSWVAEmTC54VK4h3NXgxjrTLiwHT-3BLX-k-gNIrG4YBN0Z-Ui5l97NxZhrSY2rbgQ-cSxbDDyFNU1YL7rm-1tTl7wd9b7qxb9v7IthuWoYkIlVom1vaxyPoLA/s1600/P4250073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhOTsBT5iDh9aM39egWSWVAEmTC54VK4h3NXgxjrTLiwHT-3BLX-k-gNIrG4YBN0Z-Ui5l97NxZhrSY2rbgQ-cSxbDDyFNU1YL7rm-1tTl7wd9b7qxb9v7IthuWoYkIlVom1vaxyPoLA/s320/P4250073.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Step five </div>
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Tear all the trim and doors off the wall</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrz_RlYvECOrbrJoihk42w0t66s8ZeFIJFsKfncF0_lba543fReo-tcKUjkNlnyz3QBMA2M0VwAMNfFDDlZ1hqvw6sqQrqNK2FZ2COdtyjqOWOqBsXNBjYB_3Ef3-W9F2lqVaaUJE77QI/s1600/P4260082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrz_RlYvECOrbrJoihk42w0t66s8ZeFIJFsKfncF0_lba543fReo-tcKUjkNlnyz3QBMA2M0VwAMNfFDDlZ1hqvw6sqQrqNK2FZ2COdtyjqOWOqBsXNBjYB_3Ef3-W9F2lqVaaUJE77QI/s320/P4260082.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRh9gmqfyJD_D4KJ99kyKzb7UXrAfzR8dQsoHqLJGXGM6d4bSVvNqz8J5yYO4AB7TUrq5c6Edwtycdb-t9h3bJMq5lHW29boCOcBu2xbD7YXF22FWc2LUO0qZ_JNAJVbGkW1AfUOyMgWk/s1600/IMG_2543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRh9gmqfyJD_D4KJ99kyKzb7UXrAfzR8dQsoHqLJGXGM6d4bSVvNqz8J5yYO4AB7TUrq5c6Edwtycdb-t9h3bJMq5lHW29boCOcBu2xbD7YXF22FWc2LUO0qZ_JNAJVbGkW1AfUOyMgWk/s320/IMG_2543.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jZ_xBF7VlHOqEwvaNnvof7gW3V2m8_6YUWiI_yh35sxHcrEVeCkUj-eog9yt8F2A-FdbHuFnRtgImHTXJt53zTQIW0LVYvncqwBsH5hzO9xHtUkAZUnrGQQcgs_yq5EFtJSSTPdRJz4/s1600/IMG_2544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2jZ_xBF7VlHOqEwvaNnvof7gW3V2m8_6YUWiI_yh35sxHcrEVeCkUj-eog9yt8F2A-FdbHuFnRtgImHTXJt53zTQIW0LVYvncqwBsH5hzO9xHtUkAZUnrGQQcgs_yq5EFtJSSTPdRJz4/s320/IMG_2544.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Step six</div>
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Buy doors. </div>
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Step seven</div>
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Realize that we can't buy interior double doors at Lowe's or Home Depot, and we should have gotten the doors <i>before</i> we tore the other ones off the wall. We're going to have to live with a hole in the wall for the next 3 weeks.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4EO1yD_7fg77-pVC0bv-0fIbBr_eu9vpsOWmzO7L_VnShzPJyObMZi9Jx3epjuTBBzS250wDcq5w3oyP8kbU0PYN0jaMsCOmuh8fBwyGlZGRkg-boLgOuwiq_2v0FEjrYX9K4Ygdc0Y/s1600/P4260081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4EO1yD_7fg77-pVC0bv-0fIbBr_eu9vpsOWmzO7L_VnShzPJyObMZi9Jx3epjuTBBzS250wDcq5w3oyP8kbU0PYN0jaMsCOmuh8fBwyGlZGRkg-boLgOuwiq_2v0FEjrYX9K4Ygdc0Y/s320/P4260081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Step eight</div>
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Realize that doors won't fit in our car (which shouldn't be a surprise if you drive a Saturn Ion) and rent a van from Uhaul.</div>
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Step nine</div>
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Put up the rest of the doors</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzW20qV0gmWoua-xPfB8eFo9HFjTlLqIDzgocpu3m_Nj4Z1cFIcgGDqLb8_dWbJ-ZDVt0BS_RDQCQnnvNjF_yd4dl6yV_wsENAU0wAu-bY3zQorCFPhwBDqXQ-qL4gZhlJ-bK8OpE3MLM/s1600/P4270085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzW20qV0gmWoua-xPfB8eFo9HFjTlLqIDzgocpu3m_Nj4Z1cFIcgGDqLb8_dWbJ-ZDVt0BS_RDQCQnnvNjF_yd4dl6yV_wsENAU0wAu-bY3zQorCFPhwBDqXQ-qL4gZhlJ-bK8OpE3MLM/s320/P4270085.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF80Hho_2cQm5FMzbpAq3uQhRdmS_AlB-yMUFKuL05PzEOsdPbNUtu_CYWp_cMrgBt3La5R6WOCIVZBMH90hyphenhyphenbCB9noqiyb4wlv4R6kuIqmwfnPTs_vXw0lRe09-wLxal-6ZDSX4CVlv8/s1600/P4270088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF80Hho_2cQm5FMzbpAq3uQhRdmS_AlB-yMUFKuL05PzEOsdPbNUtu_CYWp_cMrgBt3La5R6WOCIVZBMH90hyphenhyphenbCB9noqiyb4wlv4R6kuIqmwfnPTs_vXw0lRe09-wLxal-6ZDSX4CVlv8/s320/P4270088.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dwWeuzRN0iszRBThXgo1l8GqWD1U8D__uc8ziuNOgp_PTKrOLP_Fhz6zc-R-NFDCpRgQmupSJtfSUsZqGDIL-jqGjzu-2fg7Rq6PAwNPz2SMsnN_LQ_0FfMgB1lBsp5MnvN9zrVpD9Y/s1600/IMG_2581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dwWeuzRN0iszRBThXgo1l8GqWD1U8D__uc8ziuNOgp_PTKrOLP_Fhz6zc-R-NFDCpRgQmupSJtfSUsZqGDIL-jqGjzu-2fg7Rq6PAwNPz2SMsnN_LQ_0FfMgB1lBsp5MnvN9zrVpD9Y/s320/IMG_2581.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Step ten</div>
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Drink beer and eat pizza</div>
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Step eleven</div>
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Realize that in the next few weekends, we have a wedding and Mothers' Day, and painting the doors and installing trim is going to have to wait. Promise blog readers that they'll get pictures later. </div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-28177491479356373782013-05-13T08:30:00.000-07:002013-05-13T08:30:03.475-07:00PaintI feel like I've been promising painting pictures for a while.<br />
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As a reminder, there are a few "befores" mixed in there too.<br />
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Please excuse the mess, but I wanted you to see the paint. And if you know me well, you know this mess isn't going anywhere anytime soon.<br />
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<b>Family Room</b></div>
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Before</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtr6R5z3joRR1bG2gmuZf_Rqv0I6hZNTE62qkfAFpjOogm_ZEY8S8UYPTnQYxr0VsEobOsheU_b336t6y3jPFbrC27XdQ2L2okLEWLR3Sx3z4phHHK9ld0pGRBwbkNsJPm1sj9WpucSjo/s320/IMG_2242.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtr6R5z3joRR1bG2gmuZf_Rqv0I6hZNTE62qkfAFpjOogm_ZEY8S8UYPTnQYxr0VsEobOsheU_b336t6y3jPFbrC27XdQ2L2okLEWLR3Sx3z4phHHK9ld0pGRBwbkNsJPm1sj9WpucSjo/s320/IMG_2242.JPG" /></a></div>
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<b>Kitchen</b></div>
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<b>Living Room</b></div>
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<b>Dining Room</b></div>
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After (turns out, I don't really have a good before)</div>
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It's still a work in progress. Next steps include new flooring, curtains, trim, and getting enough furniture to give our guests somewhere to sit when they come over. But it actually feels like my house now, which is a really, really good feeling.</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-43073198897783017292013-05-12T18:37:00.001-07:002013-05-12T18:37:20.464-07:00Random Things Making Me Happy1. Mothers' Day weekend in Santa Rosa - good food and better company with my in laws.<br />
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2. Even though I was out of town, I made time for my run this morning, 5 miles around Spring Lake - great run and a nice change of scenery.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjz24J7x-_3IasjiXoHgvCzI8ypEt0B6Sj9VIdVYFOEKuR5oEOJYFDRvRc4e-L-3ASOE-15BE3zE2YGhKFPfOLh8NnbOjMiKm9vbSY1JhQRJL9vRvw_J3-GIZeqB0Te5o6fm2UmC0S-Q/s1600/2013-05-12+11.02.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnjz24J7x-_3IasjiXoHgvCzI8ypEt0B6Sj9VIdVYFOEKuR5oEOJYFDRvRc4e-L-3ASOE-15BE3zE2YGhKFPfOLh8NnbOjMiKm9vbSY1JhQRJL9vRvw_J3-GIZeqB0Te5o6fm2UmC0S-Q/s320/2013-05-12+11.02.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That's it. It's a short list this weekend, but I'm feeling really good, so that feels like enough.Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-21001659652205076482013-05-11T08:01:00.000-07:002013-05-11T08:01:38.130-07:00Shameless BraggingLook who's collar bone decided to make an appearance...<br />
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You kind of have to squint, but I promise its there.</div>
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Matt and I got all fancified for a wedding on a cruise around the San Francisco Bay, and this was the result.</div>
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-78682046852955860432013-05-10T06:42:00.000-07:002013-05-10T06:42:50.170-07:00April Showers Bring May Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Remember <a href="http://veggingoutinsac.blogspot.com/2013/03/homeownership-update.html">when I got nervous about pruning my trees and roses a few weeks ago</a>? And my garden looked like this?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPLnBaHFwtOjzWBDLCoQkc_H_r3xtesezjMcv6AZ-K-Say7OSEiep4gVX2uRVAnG1mj3gEdiV-67A9NljVrG0PXldZEZybVCS5RLxU9xyFO8Xm7eyfGp9NDyaEAxciXXBqrVvQDkqCDk/s320/IMG_2474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlPLnBaHFwtOjzWBDLCoQkc_H_r3xtesezjMcv6AZ-K-Say7OSEiep4gVX2uRVAnG1mj3gEdiV-67A9NljVrG0PXldZEZybVCS5RLxU9xyFO8Xm7eyfGp9NDyaEAxciXXBqrVvQDkqCDk/s320/IMG_2474.JPG" /></a></div>
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Well, that was then.</div>
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And this is now.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiigPLjfA2qTR2-nzDYRaKXcEL_PTibO_4aOFdxAjcTQh-ilUia26jliqqdLoDMgHXOHHbr-QMeH3S2l8PedcaBmtknRmqt7epSi-cDqk8RFF4S43Yff3df6N5ZU1mMqXvVbFrlkJi344/s1600/IMG_2559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiigPLjfA2qTR2-nzDYRaKXcEL_PTibO_4aOFdxAjcTQh-ilUia26jliqqdLoDMgHXOHHbr-QMeH3S2l8PedcaBmtknRmqt7epSi-cDqk8RFF4S43Yff3df6N5ZU1mMqXvVbFrlkJi344/s320/IMG_2559.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13px;">Even most of my transplanted roses have leaves, even if they're not blooming yet.</span></div>
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I think I've finally accepted that I probably won't get a vegetable garden in this year, so the fact my flower garden is coming along is making me feel pretty domestic.</div>
Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-2523451991255103002013-05-09T06:12:00.000-07:002013-05-09T06:12:27.811-07:00Thursday Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A day late for my weigh in, but useful nonetheless.</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-85779240346336783512013-05-08T19:22:00.002-07:002013-05-08T19:22:27.710-07:00May Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I know it's not May Day. I know it's May 8, and I'm a week late with my monthly recap.</div>
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In my defense, I've been on a wild swing between this...</div>
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and this...</div>
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But y'all don't want to hear about work. And even if you did, I'm not about to talk about it here. You want to see funny pictures (check) and read about my weight loss, house, and life (read on).<br />
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New Years Resolutions<br />
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1. End the year lighter than I started it. Check. I lost 2.4 pounds last month. Which may not seem like a lot, but it's moving in the right direction again - I lost weight all but one week in April.<br />
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2. Run a 10k. Again, check. I did my first 5 mile run in April, which is the longest I've ever run, ever? At least, the longest I've run in a while. I'm also registered for a 5k in June, and I've mapped out the other races I want to do this summer.<br />
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April Goals<br />
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1. Stay on my 1/2 marathon training program. More or less. I mean, I didn't do every.single.workout. But whatever, this is a lifestyle not a diet, right? I can't always workout 6 times a week, and I'm not going to make myself feel guilty about that. I'm getting stronger and faster, and that's what counts.<br />
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2. Read at least 1 book. Nope. Still plowing my way through <a href="http://veggingoutinsac.blogspot.com/2013_03_01_archive.html">Gilead</a>.<br />
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3. Go for at least one hike. Yes, I'm going to count the team building we did at work, because it was trail maintenance Clearing rocks off of a hiking trail counts as a hike since I had to walk the whole trail to do it.<br />
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4. Get an estimate on flooring and figure out a plan for flooring + new doors. Not exactly, but I'm still considering this a success. We went and talked to the flooring guy and got samples. Next step is to get someone to come to our house and measure. But that whole process got overtaken by the doors. My dad came down for a weekend to do the doors. So we created a plan, and did part of it, even if it's not exactly what I planned at the beginning of the month.<br />
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May Goals<br />
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1. Stay on my 1/2 marathon training program.<br />
2. Keep this losing streak going, and end May lighter than I started it.<br />
3. Finish Gilead. I will not be defeated by a 180 page book.<br />
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No house goals this month. We've plowed our way mostly through our house budget, so we need to regroup and save some money. We may get the doors completely done, but May is a crazy month between weddings, parties, and Mothers' Day, so I'm not going to feel bad if it doesn't get done.<br />
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-81553093618578811232013-05-01T20:19:00.002-07:002013-05-01T22:46:59.008-07:00Deprivation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt and I enjoying dinner out</td></tr>
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I've mentioned before that I love food. I love the taste, the experience, and the ritual. Matt, my dad, and I went out to dinner a few days ago, and I mentioned that sitting on a shaded patio enjoying some sangria may be close to my definition of perfection.<br />
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I know in my head that I shouldn't equate food with happiness, but it's a great experience, and I don't want to give it up.<br />
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So any diet that requires me to give it up is destined to fail.<br />
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It's a cycle I've been through a lot.<br />
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I find a new "miracle diet". It's easy. All I have to do is eat lettuce and grapefruit for 3 meals a day and avoid being in the same room as carbs, and I'll be a super skinny model. I can do this.<br />
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And I do do it, for a couple days.<br />
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But then someone brings cupcakes to work.<br />
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And my resolve cracks a little. But whatever, I can do this. It's just one cupcake. <br />
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And it all goes well for another few days. But then I get hungry, and when I get hungry, I get HANGRY. And I lose most, if not all of my self control.<br />
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I end up eating everything in sight, and then all of the sudden, I'm back where I started.<br />
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So this is a really long way of saying that deprivation diets don't work for me. Any long term weight success is going to be something that lets me treat myself.<br />
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This really came home to me last week. I ate a lot. I had beer and wine and pizza and burritos and dessert and generally had a great week. I had a lot of fun. </div>
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In the past, if I was "cheating" on my diet-of-the-month, I would have just pretended this didn't happen. Then I would have been embarrassed to face the scale, and it would have spiraled into 20 pounds before I got back on track.</div>
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But not this time. This time, I watched my portion sizes, I tracked it all, and I worked my butt off in the gym. If I knew we were going out to dinner, I had a reasonable lunch, and I didn't have chips before dinner AND dessert - I made a choice. And at the end of the week, I still had some activity points left over - I had burned more calories than I consumed. Still, I was pretty nervous. Because while I had tracked and worked out, I still felt like I was eating a ton.</div>
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When I stepped on the scale this morning.</div>
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*Drumroll please...*</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">- 3 pounds!!!</span></div>
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I know I can't eat like this every week. That's not sustainable either. But it makes me happy that I can have weeks like this and continue my progress. This is working. I'm so much happier than I would be if I was only eating grapefruits.</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-68951505375437939632013-05-01T07:20:00.001-07:002013-05-01T07:20:10.003-07:00April Foodie PenPal RevealWell, this is embarassing.<br />
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I'm a day late with my foodie penpal reveal. I totally meant to do this last night, but alas, I was, um, distracted, shall we say, by a migraine.<br />
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But after 11 hours of sleep, I'm back to normal, so let's do this.
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<a href="http://www.theleangreenbean.com/foodie-penpals/" target="_blank" title="The Lean Green Bean"><img alt="The Lean Green Bean" src="http://www.theleangreenbean.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/FPP-post.jpg" style="border: none;" /></a><br />
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This is my third month doing the pen pals, and every month brings a food I'd have never thought to try.</div>
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This month did not disappoint. My pen pal was Stephanie at <a href="http://munchimunch.blogspot.com/">Munch I Munch</a>, and she sent:<br />
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Thai Coconut Curry Popcorn</div>
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Effie's Homemade Pecan Nutcakes</div>
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Whole Wheat Sesame Crackers</div>
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Fig Cake with Almonds</div>
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I've lucked out with foodie penpals, because they keep sending me new ways of eating popcorn. In February, <a href="http://veggingoutinsac.blogspot.com/2013/02/food-pen-pal.html">I got popcorn with lemonpepper</a>. And then this month, it was popcorn popped in coconut oil with curry powder. It was delicious, and curry powder has now been added to the rotation of popcorn toppers.<br />
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The nutcakes were gone in about a day, I think that's pretty telling about how they tasted.<br />
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I'm saving the crackers for a dinner party later this month, I think they'll be great with a cheese platter, and the fig cake is sitting in my fridge, waiting, for what? A special occasion It seems too fancy to just eat, but it looks so good I would be surprised if it lasts through the weekend.</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-66098800975694164712013-04-29T08:14:00.000-07:002013-04-29T08:14:28.211-07:00Random HappinessA few random things making me happy...<br />
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1. I'm strong enough to run 5 miles with my dad.<br />
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2. There are buds on my roses, they should bloom in a week or so.<br />
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3. My dad and Matt and providing me with all new doors (post and photos to follow once they're done).<br />
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4. I found a box of Thin Mints in my freezer that I had forgotten about.<br />
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5. Even though it's been hot as heck during the day (hitting mid-90s) that sweet <a href="https://sacwiki.org/Delta_Breeze">Delta Breeze</a> is making evenings on the patio downright enjoyable.<br />
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6. In trying to find an explanation of the Delta Breeze, I discovered that <a href="https://sacwiki.org/">Sacramento has its own wiki</a>.<br />
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7. This series of dogs shaking water off of themselves exists.<br />
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-37431060319185605682013-04-28T15:51:00.002-07:002013-04-28T15:51:18.275-07:00Happy BabyI learned a new yoga pose yesterday.<br />
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<a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2497">Happy Baby</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.yogajournal.com/media/originals/YIN_213_AnandaBalasana_248.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.yogajournal.com/media/originals/YIN_213_AnandaBalasana_248.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i>Image from Yoga Journal, follow the link above for the instructions.</i></div>
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Not only does it feel great, but how can you not be happy when you're doing that pose?</div>
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Or, if you need actual instructions</div>
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<a href="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.40860.1361573196!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/bear-yoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.40860.1361573196!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/gallery_635/bear-yoga.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-67774073957535426902013-04-27T16:14:00.000-07:002013-04-27T16:17:51.163-07:00A SurpriseSomething strange happened on Wednesday.<br />
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I lost 1.6 pounds at my weigh in. That's not the strange part, I kicked butt at Weight Watchers this week. The strange part was that it wasn't the most exciting thing that happened to me that day. And I'm only writing about it now.<br />
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Normally a loss like that (which got rid of my gain last week) would put me over the moon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE63yAuZ_DRdAgk0n2roipclINhxzy_DtcRsRbf2qjjQPeFy4vuVs7S52vu6Ec6D_XsUBxestk84je6avyBw0HtF6fG-kuzsbDWPmrIaaPtjZkC7eT_dH5ujV04SkB3a1kNOd-Y80fihg/s1600/annie-jeff-evil.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE63yAuZ_DRdAgk0n2roipclINhxzy_DtcRsRbf2qjjQPeFy4vuVs7S52vu6Ec6D_XsUBxestk84je6avyBw0HtF6fG-kuzsbDWPmrIaaPtjZkC7eT_dH5ujV04SkB3a1kNOd-Y80fihg/s320/annie-jeff-evil.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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And I was happy, I really was. But I had a bunch of other stuff to do. And after my first cup of coffee, I'd moved onto some work stuff, and I totally forgot about the loss.</div>
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I'm not really sure how I feel about that. I think good, because it means that I am actually taking my own advice to heart, and not basing my self worth on the number on the scale. It's not that I'm not happy about losing, because trust me, I am, but it's one part of my life, not my whole life right now. And that feels like a good place to be.</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-21914795952915997272013-04-25T07:11:00.002-07:002013-04-25T07:11:40.938-07:00Happy Earth Day!I feel like a pretty bad natural resources planner for missing Earth Day. I mean, <i>natural resources</i> and <i>planner</i> are in my job title. Anyone that knows me should find it hilarious that I ended up with a label like <i>planner</i>.<br />
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In my defense, I missed Earth Day because I was busy in meetings talking about how to protect the earth. I guess every day is Earth Day in my little world?<br />
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So as an apology, have a cupcake, courtesy of <a href="http://birdonacake.blogspot.com/2012/04/earth-day-cupcakes.html">Bird on a Cake</a>.<br />
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(recipe on her blog at the link)</div>
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Or I could take credit for being too early. Matt and I made our way to the Sacramento Earth Day Celebration on Sunday, like the good Californians we are, stopping in after our weekly visit to the farmers' market. We're now inspired to really pursue a low-water front yard. Not only is it a wise ecological choice, we're learning that grass really is a pain, and kind of boring for the amount of work that goes into keeping it looking nice.</div>
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I know it's really easy to get discouraged when you start paying attention to environmental issues. This isn't a political blog, but it's an issue that's near and dear to my heart. And every day, I feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle to convince people that this is really important. So it's nice to have a day when we all take a deep breath, and celebrate the earth. </div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-72350860668174289372013-04-24T20:11:00.001-07:002013-04-24T20:11:04.348-07:00Reason #4 I love the farmers' market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Strawberry season is here!</div>
<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-87262743351794273482013-04-22T16:10:00.001-07:002013-04-22T16:10:18.832-07:00EpiphanyI've been taking a lot of classes at the gym. I like classes, they make me feel social and they let me be more creative than if I was just plowing ahead on my own on the elliptical.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I still love the solitude of running, but I feel like I've struck a balance.<br />
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One of the things that kept me out of classes for a long time was how self conscious I am. <i>What if I do it wrong? What if I can't get the steps right? What if I'm the fattest one in the class?</i><br />
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But I'm trying to teach that voice to SHUT UP.</div>
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I did my first zumba class a couple weeks ago, and stayed for my first hour-long yoga class two Saturdays ago. I didn't get all the moves right, but I still managed to burn A TON of calories, pump my system full of endorphins and feel all around fan-freaking-tastic.</div>
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And I had an epiphany. I was so wrapped up in myself, I wasn't really paying attention to the other people in the class. And I realized they were so wrapped up in themselves, they weren't really paying attention to me. We were all there for the same reason - because Zumba is fun! Yoga is relaxing! TRX training is hard! I'm not there there to judge other people, why do I assume they're there to judge me? </div>
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So what if I'm the biggest person in the class, or the clumsiest? So what if I have to modify 50% of the yoga poses? NO ONE ELSE CARES! (Unless I trip over them, then they care. But I don't trip over other people, usually just over one of me two left feet). And the only way I'm going to get smaller, or more graceful, or more flexible, or stronger, is to keep trying. To not be intimidated. Because at this point, the only person I have to be afraid of is myself, and I can just tell myself to shut up and listen to the music.</div>
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Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-63510131981013056842013-04-21T22:33:00.001-07:002013-04-21T22:33:31.135-07:00Gone QuietNot a lot going on in my life right now, it's been pretty quiet.<br />
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The house is looking good, but is kind of in a holding pattern while we plan some stuff out and gather materials.<br />
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I'm keeping on keeping on in Weight Watchers. I saw a small gain last week, but I want to blame it on water weight - I tried to go for a run in 80 degree weather the night before my weigh in. In my book, that's a recipe for at least a slight dehydration, which makes my body hold onto water like nothing . We'll see if it was a real gain or not Wednesday morning. But I feel good about my week so far.<br />
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I'm still going to the gym.<br />
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I have some ideas for posts over the next couple days, just wanted y'all to know, I haven't totally forgotten about this blog. Just nothing really to talk about.<br />
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And now back to whatever you were doing before. May your day be half as good as this guy's:<br />
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<br />Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-60248829423262673502013-04-13T11:55:00.001-07:002013-04-13T11:55:16.673-07:00Body Image Talk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I stumbled across this video on Facebook a few weeks ago. It really stuck with me.<br />
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While discussing it with some Weight Watchers buddies, I had two thoughts:<br />
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<i>I wish I could have the confidence and self image this girl has</i><br />
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<i>I don't get internet haters. I don't understand the energy it takes to tear someone down.</i><br />
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Another person pointed out the irony in those two statements. I don't understand taking the energy to hate someone else, but I find the energy to hate myself?<br />
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It's just such a waste, I need to stop. I would never put up with someone else calling me fat or telling me I'm a failure because I had a bad week on the scale. My body can do pretty incredible things.<br />
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One of the first sermons I heard preached at my church was about love. The short version of the message was: <i>Love is seeing things as they are, accepting them, and loving them anyway. It doesn't mean that you don't want to change the situation, but you do see its reality and still feel love and compassion.</i><br />
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I have to learn to apply that to my own body. I have to see my body as overweight, and love it anyway. No more <i>ifs</i>. <br />
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<i>If I lose 50 pounds, I'll love my body. If my underarm stops jiggling, I'll love my body. If my thighs didn't rub together when I ran, I'll love my body. If I can run a marathon, I'll love my body.</i><br />
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But that's not how it works. That self loathing is just sucking up the energy I could be spending living my life. I don't have to wait until I'm perfect, because let's be honest, I'm never going to be perfect. I'm doing this because I love myself, not because I hate myself.<br />
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Wow, that feels good to write.Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-11559110815090882232013-04-12T09:50:00.001-07:002013-04-12T09:50:04.106-07:00Random Things That Make Me Happy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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1. Really good lattes made by a barista that knows what she's doing.<br />
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2. Sun is shining, and my roses and trees are covered in leaves. So clearly my pruning didn't kill them, blooms are sure to follow soon.<br />
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3. I get off early today, so I'm going for a bike ride.<br />
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4. My house is finally put together enough for friends to see it, and we saw some of them last week, and will see another one this weekend.<br />
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5. Said friends brought their adorable baby, and baby laughs may be the best sound ever.<br />
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All in all, it's been a good week!Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239061952501994645noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6771786401627661487.post-46944855051822930352013-04-11T19:00:00.001-07:002013-04-11T19:00:35.640-07:00And I'm Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I had my weigh in yesterday.</div>
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I'm down a pound! Turns out, if you follow Weight Watchers, it works!
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