Monday, October 24, 2011

DIY Body Makeover (aka Lifestyle Changes)

A long time ago, in high school and even all the way throughout college I weighed, well, not very much. I was a size 2, and I wasn't even trying (yes, I was that girl). In college I didn't have a lot of money for food. Oh, I got enough to eat, but I weighed my options carefully at the grocery store (imagine a girl standing in the produce department trying to decide if she should have potatoes or carrots this week...you get it). I was also pretty active in college. I hated team sports, but I loved walking, hiking, and biking.

Now, four years out of college, this is me...about 25 pounds heavier. The truth is, I'm still not huge, just at the very upper end of my healthy weight limit. But I don't like being there.
When I started gaining weight, I commented to someone that maybe I should lose some. The reply was "Losing weight is too hard, just buy new clothes." I believed that person...losing weight did feel too hard. I gained more weight. Finally, at the beginning of the summer I started exercising; I lost a little, but wasn't willing to change my eating habits. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I decided that if I was going to lose weight, I had to make some (gasp!) lifestyle changes. Truthfully it is hard. Really hard. Changing my eating has been way harder than adding exercise. It helps that Maggie has to go for walks every. single. day or she'll go nuts, and in turn drive husband and I nuts. She's my faithful little exercise buddy; we walk and jog for anywhere from a half an hour to an hour per day. It's good for both of us!
Although I've changed my eating habits (fewer simple carbs, less refined sugar, no eating after 8:00pm, better portion moderation), I'm not counting calories. I refuse. It's just too much brain damage for a lifestyle change. Sometimes I look to see how many calories something has in order to decide whether or not it's worth putting in my mouth. But I don't intend to count calories for the rest of my life. So this might be the slow way of doing things, but it's the right way for me...I think.

Some (most?) days I'm still surprised when my pants don't fit quite like I'd like them too. I have to remind myself that I'm not trying to be a size 2 again. I'm trying to lose about 10 more pounds (I've already lost 4 in about 9 weeks). So, I'm going to start sharing some of my weight loss/ lifestyle changes here. Hope you don't mind.

I've started setting goals for each week. Last week they were "Don't eat after 8pm," and "walk at least 4 1/2hrs." I didn't quite do the first (I did do 5 out of 7 nights, though), but I did walk about 5 1/2 hours.

This weeks goals are, "Play chase in the yard with the dog for at least 10 minutes a day (in addition to walking/jogging)," and jog for good portions of three of this week's exercise sessions.

Oh, I'm also only weighing myself once a week. I'm so much less stressed about my weight if I only see the numbers on the scale once a week, just enough to know how I've progressed.

What about you? Any weight loss, lifestyle change tips for me?

Friday, October 7, 2011

Addressing Our Address

As you can see from previous pictures, our house needs help. A lot of help. More help than we can give it, especially since we're renting. Our landlord has given as much help as he's going to (at least for now...I may demand a replacement sink for the one that makes a high-pitched banshee scream every time it runs). So it's up to us to make small, cost-effective changes to improve the place. Our front porch is in pretty bad shape, but we've already given it a little help.

A few plants,the door decor...but do you see the address sign?
You could barely read it 'cause the wood and numbers
had faded to about the same color...see?
So I went out bought wooden numbers,
while Husband scrounged up some spray paint.
After our team effort, the sign came out like this...

Much better, I think.
And you can much more easily see it from the street.We're trying to improve.
Meanwhile I try to ignore the hideous color of the trim,
that awful pipe between the windows,
the enormous slant of the porch,
and all the general weirdness of the place...
because we live in a house,
in a beautiful neighborhood,
with our dog (who loves her backyard),
and Husband and I can both walk to work.

Monday, October 3, 2011

I Heart Fall

I know decoupaging pumpkins is nothing new this fall season... but I had to try it for myself. It was a lot of fun to make,
and I love the way it turned out.
Husband and I carved our first pumpkins
of the season this weekend.
He did the owl, and I did the bird.
I can't wait to carve more!
And now I have a confession that isn't popular,
I hate halloween.
I don't like the idea of glorifying death, decay, and ugliness.
And most of all, I feel strongly against glorifying fear.

But while I don't like halloween,
I do heart fall!
Husband, Maggie, and I hiked in the mountains this weekend.
The Aspens were lovely.It was this "little" one's first foray into the forest, and she loved it!
We rested on a high rock outcrop, where this picture was taken.
Who can resist a face like that?