Maintaining my balance while the year flies by

I can't believe it's November.  I can't believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone...#craziness.  It definitely does *not* seem like just yesterday that I was running around like crazy getting through marching season, oh no, that seems like a million years ago already.  I just can't believe that this semester is almost over and that we're rapidly approaching Christmas Break!

Ahhh!!!


Where does the time go?  Does it just slip by unnoticed until one day we look up from our cell phones, computer screens, conference calls, pile of paperwork/dishes/laundry, and notice all of a sudden that it's farking NOVEMBER?!  Or does it just move by at the pace it always has and we just have to hang on for dear life because if we don't we'll get thrown off into the stratosphere then spend the next week and a half playing catch up?*laugh*

IF you know me, you know that I lead a cram-packed life, and while many people don't understand what I do, why I do it, or exactly *how* I find my balance let me assure you I do.  I find it in the simple times like this where I'm home *early* on a Wednesday and am sitting still for an hour.  That's enough time for me to re-charge my batteries then tackle the evening to-do list to keep things running smoothly.  I also find my balance in my to-do list.  Knowing me and loving me means knowing that I am very particular in how my house and in how my life are run.  I like order, cleanliness, structure, and comfort knowing that, for the most part, things are going to pan out pretty much how I need them too.  That may not be the way I *planned* it, necessarily, but it's always goes the way it needs to go.

I find my balance in that 30minute hot bath and 30minute workout in the morning before getting ready for work.  I find it in that first sip of the *sweet nectar of the gods* before getting in the tub.  I find it in successfully maneuvering through my day and realizing that *yes* I AM a teacher, I DO know what I'm doing, and I DO IT WELL.  Do I screw up?  Absolutely.  Do I second guess myself?  Heck yes!; but that's what it's all about.  

I found my balance this morning by getting out of bed at 3:45.  Buck woke me up at three to go out & go potty, then woke me up at 3:30 to go out again.  When I went back to bed, I pulled Lilly up for a good half hour of Lilly-snuggles only to have her kick, nudge & lick my chin, sigh, and grumble for me to rub her belly; so I got up.  It was glorious.  I took a 45minute hot bath, and did an hour of yoga, then got ready, packed my lunch, loaded up my car, and hit the road for work at 6:30am.  I'm pretty proud of myself.




The balance this afternoon/evening is jetting right after school to get home and spend some time with my dogs, (and my house), before Tim gets home from hunting and I make dinner.  I immediately slow my pace when I set foot on our driveway.  There's no rush, no pressure, no nothing when I finally get home.  Sure there's always the ever-present *to-do* list running through my brain but I'm able to push them aside for a bit and slow.*thetruck*.down.  I love it when I come home.  Buck &  Lilly are excited as all get out when I get to the door, and it's always #pinkheartsandbutterflies to see their goofy faces even if Buck's barking can be a bit much.  We have a huge reunion then start the routine.  Yes, even for my down-time there's a routine; especially when it comes to the dogs.  We have our "OH my goodness I'm so glad you're home!" moment, then we go get the mail where they can check out the front and side yards.  Usually another kissy-kissy moment as they move across to the side yard, and that's when their body language and barks change too "Ball!  Hey!  Ball time! Now! nownownownownownownow!! Ball.Ball.Ball.Ball!"

It's quite funny actually. *laugh*

Buck will then beat me to the door because *heaven forbid* I forget about him and playing B.A.Double L.  Upstairs to put stuff away, and most importantly change from the school clothes to something super comfortable.  Starting some chores next, usually laundry, then gathering up what I want to take outside with me, which at this point Buck is bouncing up and down literally salivating at the prospect of playing BALL and Lilly is barking her head off like a crazy person.  Outside for about 30min of play time, then I come back in so they run the yard, then I just get to SIT.  I try to sit for an hour.  To just rest.  To relax.  To do absolutely nothing but exactly what I want.  *Sigh*, it's lovely.  I'm currently 5minutes away from my hour being over and the first thing on my list is flipping the laundry and sweeping the basement floor.  After that I'll finish up the reindeer games, give a new workout tape a try, then take a hot bath and get ready for work.  The balance that I constantly am working on is the knowledge that if I don't get everything done it's OKAY because there's always tomorrow.  

Where do you find your balance?

She says it better than I can at this moment in time.  I hope this inspires me to reconnect with my mat and exercise in general.

Yoga is...by SpoiledYogi

**FOR SALE**

I'm doing a bit of de-cluttering (let's face it, I've got *way* too much stuff), and instead of donating it for the tax write-off, I am going to *try* to sell these items cause frankly, I could use some cash, let's face it, we all could.  You may contact me through this blog, FB message, or through my gmail; unruhstout@gmail.com

Hope you find something you love, and keep a look out for more sales like this in the future as I slowly, *slowly* let go of things and de-clutter my life and house.  :)

Brown leather COACH hobo with silver buckle closure on strap.  This is a smaller version.  Perfect for gal who carries just enough stuff to need a purse, wants a COACH, but doesn't want to spend a lot.  $100




  

I must admit that this is one of my absolute favorite COACH bags.  The color, the look of it and most importantly the *smell*.  It's absolutely divine! *sigh*  I'm paying this gorgeous bag forward because it is just too small for me anymore and it's just hung in my closet for about 2 or 3 years, although now my closet won't be infused with it's heavenly aroma.  $80 (it's a little careworn on the bottom)

 Ah, the "Slim Series" featuring Debbie Siebers, put out by Beachbody I *love* this company;  haven't bought anything from them since "Chalene Extreme" but they are good at what they do.  Getting you into shape.  These were the tapes I used to get into shape for my wedding.  I went from an out of shape 130/135lbs wearing a tight 9/10 to a toned and fit 120lbs wearing a loose 2/4.  It was easy, it was fun, but most of all it was effective.  I know these are VHS, but I highly recommend them if you're wanting to get into great shape, work up a sweat and not bother with the gym. :)  There is one tape missing, "Cool it Off", and I have no idea where it is.  I actually only used it once, then substituted a yoga tape in it's place. $25

 And here's my yoga library.  These are all fabulous tapes, but the truth of the matter is that I haven't used them in *years* because I have different ones, and it's high time someone else got to experience the beginning stages of yoga joy with these videos. $5 a piece

From left to right:

Yoga for Weightloss (hour), Yoga Natural Remedies (separate parts of body, i.e. back, stomach, etc), Lower Body Yoga (20min), Gentle Yoga (20min), Backcare Yoga (20min), Yoga for Athletes (90min), Yoga for Meditation (two separate mediatations), Power Yoga (20min), AM Yoga (20min), Yoga for Flexibility (hour)

 Some more workout tapes ($5 a piece VHS, $10 a piece DVD).  From left to right...

"Power Half Hour for Abs" w/Tony Horton, 20min Windsor Pilates, 50min Windsor Pilates.  "Vinyasa Flow Yoga with Sean Corne": this is a fabulous beginner dvd.  I purchased this after I had been practicing yoga for numerous years, and I learned *so* much about the alignment of my body and linking my breath with the movement; **highly recommed**.  "Balance Ball for Weightloss", "Yoga from the Heart w/Sean Corne", two Shiva Rhea yoga dvd's.  Shiva is a bit out there for my taste.  It's fun yoga, new and different (for me anyways), but just not my cup of tea.  Three "Core Fusion" Exhale Spa dvd's.  I will sell those as a set for $20.  One is full body, one is lower body, one is upper body.

I hope you find something here you can't live without! ;)  Contact me if you're interested in anything.

I did it! It worked! It's true!! But boy is it a b!tch to do. "Abs are made by what you put in your mouth"

It's everyone's ultimate dream...a "flat stomach", a "six pack", "washboard abs", a "defined mid-section", a strong back, the essential core.  If you're health conscious and an avid exerciser like me then you know that no matter how many crunches you do, the key to that defined mid-section is by what you put in your mouth *and* how intense your cardio is.  You *HAVE* to sweat with the intention in mind to melt that fat off and you *MUST* be mindful of the food you put into your body in order to keep that layer of mid-section flub at bay.

It's hard, no doubt about it.  Exercising every day for at least 30min and eating "clean" 24 hours a day sucks.  It's definitely better when you have a friend to sweat through the torture with you *Thanks Bonnie!* but only YOU can control what YOU eat.  I strive to maintain as clean a diet as is possible for me, but what can I say? #ILikeToEat  I love everything that is good for you of course, but I also *lurve* that which is bad.  The fried, sugared, carb-ridden delicacies that leave you in such a sugar coma, gut-bomb state that you can't hardly move for 3 days; oh yes I love those too.  I don't eat it near as often as I used to which is a good thing, but it still creeps its way into my pantry and calls to me at all hours of the day.  Sometimes I can resist, had an apple and slice of cheese for a snack yesterday, other times I cannot *cough* ate a whole sleeve of cookies last night *cough*.

My point for this rambling is two fold.  1) I want people, women specifically and *young* girls even MORE specifically to know that you *can* have what you want with a little discipline and a whole lot of sweat (and the payoff is DEFINITELY worth it) and 2) many of my friends wonder what is is that I "do" to stay in shape, so here it is in print form.
 
Let me start by saying that "Skinny B!tches have body image issues too" and if you have any gag reflex going right now because I, a "Skinny B!tch" is discussing my mid-section, health, exercise, and diet then #PLEASESTOPREADING.  I am wanting to help whoever out there I possibly can, as well as my girlfriends who have inquired, be the best they possibly can be and *feel* the best they possibly can feel by divulging my own issues as well as my solutions.

Are you still reading?  Good.

It is possible to actually whittle your waist down to that coveted "flat stomach".  With a little willpower around the kitchen and the help of Jillian Michaels' "6week 6pack" I went from my standard, TOTALLY NORMAL little stomach pooch to the smallest waist and flattest stomach I've *ever* had.  Even when I was working out 2 hours a day, six days a week getting in shape for the wedding I never had a stomach this flat.  SO here's something for you to see.  I've never done this before and might not ever do it again, but here is a before and after shot of my midsection.  This is after about a month of working out daily (mostly 30min a day with Jillian during the week and an hour a day with Bob on the weekends), doing the 6wk6pk DVD every other day, drinking lots of water, and being very conscious of what I put in my mouth.  

 

 Quite a difference isn't it?  I couldn't believe it myself.  I'm sure you're wondering if my midsection *still* looks like that (the after picture was last Friday morning)...sadly it does not.  I gave into some indulgences when I got home from MMEA and my body readily rebounded to it's normal state, BUT THAT'S OKAY because I *know* I can get back there #IF I want to, and #WHEN I want too.  I'm already on my way back because I don't stay one way for long.  I'm constantly evolving in my relationship with food and exercise.  It's definitely a "love-hate" relationship and thankfully we're in the "love" stage right now.  That always makes it easier. 


There's the big exercise "secret".  Commit to YOURSELF.  Not some idea, not some "man I *wish* I could look like that" notion that you have stuck in your head; commit to yourself.  If you do that then it becomes much more the act of making yourself healthy rather than thin and by doing so, you'll love yourself that much more whatever state you are in because you will be the healthiest version of you there is.  *THAT* my friends is the goal. 

So, the next question many people have asked me is "What exactly does your daily food intake entail?"  Quite frankly it's not very exciting and usually revolves around the same controlled foods.  I'm a creature of habit and if I cycle through the regular recipes and allow myself treats in moderation I'm pretty happy.  Here's what I eat *daily*:

Breakfast (NEVER skip breakfast.  Your body needs this fuel after fasting all night long)

During the school week I drink a protein shake comprised of whey protein powder (Jillian Michaels), a packet of Carnation Instant Breakfast, 2 servings of Almond Milk (more calcium and less fat than cow's milk and no growth hormones), then a good sized splash of whatever "Naked" juice I have on hand.  Currently the "Berry Veggie" flavor.  I drink this in my car on the way to work and take all my vitamins at the same time.   

Here's the list of vitamins...I warn you it's long.


Vitamins (taken with breakfast)
Vitamin E, D, and C (E & D are two that women are severly lacking and that could be a contributor in cancer)

Calcium  (also lacking in women.  This is a MUST!)

Biotin 

Co-Q10 

Garlic 

Gingko Biloba 

Multi-Vitamin for Women 

Acidophilis 

Lutein
B-12


I *used* to take Borage Oil (a mix of 3 Omega Oils) but was told that *could* have been a contributor to cancer, so I took it out hence the Co-Q10 instead.  Use your own judgement here.

I also have my beloved coffee and creamer in the mornings.  *NEVER* miss that. :)

Lunch (I make this my largest meal by far of the day)

Lunch is either left overs from dinner before, or a turkey or chicken breast sandwich.  Regardless I always make sure to include a veggie of some kind, currently in LOVE with cut up bell peppers, baby carrots, or sugar snap peas (all just raw, thrown in a baggie and eaten with no dip).  I also make sure to include a fruit, right now we have honeycrip apples (the extra $$ per pound is so worth it), pears, grapefruit, grapes, and one lone banana left.  Something "bad" is thrown in; i.e. couple of cookies, a lunch sized bag of chips (preferably baked but sometimes not), wheat thins, whatever I feel like.  I also throw extra food in because I *have* to have a snack around 930/10am, then again around 3pm.  

Snacks (I eat something about every 3 hours so I don't just blow through the pantry and grab whatever I can when I get home)

Almonds

Hummus with wheat thins or veggies

Apple with a scoop of organic peanut butter

Applesauce

Cottage Cheese

String cheese

Cheezits (LOVE CHEEZITS! #CanIGetALifetimeSupply)

 I also have a drawer in my filing cabinet at school that has an area dedicated to food.  I keep granola bars, fruit roll ups, oatmeal bars, dried fruit, almonds, cheezits, etc, etc, in there for whenever I get hit with the #HungryStick  and for those times when my students haven't been supplied with enough food for the day and are literally starving #YesItHappens.

Drinks

Water needs to become your new best friend.  Please invest in a reusable bottle that has a carbon filter built into it or a Brita pitcher that you can keep in your fridge and refill your reusable bottle with.  Put an end to disposable plastic bottles to help the planet.  I also enjoy soda water.  It's not everyone's taste, I acknowledge that, but sometimes I need something bubbly and POP is a bad bad BAD choice.  Don't drink your calories.  The only other liquid I'll drink throughout the day is tea.  Preferably Green Tea (love Arizona's tall cans of it) but I'll take a glass of plain ol' iced tea over a pop any day.  NOT SWEET TEA PEOPLE, un-sweet with lemon.

Dinner (I make this the smallest meal of my day and try to not eat anything past 7pm)

I rotate through the same standard recipes for the most part.  Spaghetti, Chinese Chicken, Stir Fry's of varying sorts, Spicy dumpling soup, Killer chicken noodle soup, Chicken with veggies and baked potato, Chili, Tacos, Sloppy Joes & Mac'nCheese (this is a husband dinner), Black Beans and rice with veggies, Beef noodle soup, Turkey Sage Meatloaf, Gluten free Lasagna with some experimenting along the way as well as some evenings where "We're having cereal" or "Breakfast for dinner".  

The main points I can stress on dinner are this.  

1) (Second smallest portion) LEAN PROTEIN.  Ground turkey, ground chicken, ground LEAN beef, lean cuts of beef, FISH (love salmon and tilapia), bison/buffalo (found it at Target and it's very tasty), lean pork.  We also eat a lot of venison which is naturally lean and good for you but unless your hubby is a hunter like mine, you might be out of luck there.   

 2) (Smallest portion) WHOLE GRAINS.  When I make spaghetti I use whole grain OR gluten free spaghetti.  I don't notice a difference and neither does Tim.  It's better for you and in the long run doesn't turn to black "tar" in your stomach.  I heard that's what enriched white products does and whether it's true or not it's an image that has stuck with me.

3) (Largest portion) VEGGIES VEGGIES VEGGIES.  Dark, leafy, and green are your best bet but if all you can handle is an iceberg salad with carrots and red cabbage that's better than nothing just make sure you don't coat it in dressing.  DIP into your dressing.  You'll use a LOT less and it's friendlier to your waist line.  Truth be told olive oil and vinegar is the best but if you insist on using a creamy dressing *please* put it on the side and just dip the ends of a forkful into the dressing.  You'll thank yourself later.  

4) INDULGE in something you love.  Whether it's sweet or salty or a combo of the two, go ahead and have what you want but try this trick.  Let's say it's chocolate cookie dough ice cream you're after.  Scoop yourself that bowl of ice cream like normal, then take HALF of what you scooped out and put it back IN the carton.  You'll find that what you wind up is more than satisfying and you'll feel less guilt later.  

Here's another trick I use for indulgences.  I *love* cheezits and peanut m&m's.  Neither are particularly good for you, but sometimes during my mad dash through the day I gotta have one or the other.  I'll zip to the vending machine, drop my money in and punch the buttons for my beloved treat.  I'll eat HALF the bag then either crunch up the rest and throw it away or give it away to someone in the hallways.  Not only am I cutting out unnecessary calories but not depriving myself at the same time but I'm also brightening someone's day when I hand them the rest of the bag of M&M's with a smile and walk off.  

Restaurants

Such a tricky place to eat.  Here are a few tips and tricks from someone who has worked in the industry for half my life and likes to eat out.  

Fast food places.  #JustStayAway.  If this is your *only* option either commit to working out extra hard, OR getting the least damaging thing on the menu.  Use your common sense.  You know what's relatively good for you and what's absolutely horrible for you at fast food joints so make the right decision.  

Sit down restaurants.  #ChooseWisely.  Don't be fooled by the pronouncement "We only use fresh ingredients in our dishes" or the servers advice that everything's "Good for You" because it's not.  Follow this rule of thumb.  Ask for your side of vegetables to be STEAMED otherwise they'll toss them in the skillet with "butter product", unwanted fat that you don't need.  When you receive your entree ask for a box and put HALF of what you've ordered into the box to take home.  Most restaurants portions, of even the "healthy" items, are too large and so even if you are eating a "healthy" meal if you eat all of it you're still taking in too many calories.  Always, always, ALWAYS start with a dinner salad.  Dressing on the side and DIP, don't coat.  Try the balsamic vinagrette (most all restaurants have one), I bet you'll like it.  #STAYOUTOFTHEBREADBASKET.  It'll just fill you up and you would rather fill up on veggies than carbs.  Don't fall victim to the "upsell", i.e. loaded mashed potatos, waffle fries, extra cheese, etc.  While it pads the restaurants pockets and admittedly those options are quite tasty, they're definitely not good for your waistline.

Last thing I'm going to mention about eating out.  Desserts.  Oh they are so delicious but evil and wicked.  Either SHARE a dessert (preferably with more than one person), OR when it arrives, cut it in half and send the other half back without even blinking.  Not only will your server love you (because they will undoubtedly scarf the untouched half in the back with their friends and they can afford to eat it because they're working their tushie off walking that restaurant), but your waistline will too. 

I don't want to ruin your eating out experience anymore than I possibly already have so I leave it with this.  Sometimes you just gotta say #ToHellWithIt and have what you want when you're out.  Don't feel guilty when you do that...enjoy it.  Just don't do it every day. 

So that, my friends, is what I do on a daily basis.  I make sure I do at least 30minutes of a sweat inducing workout at least 5 days a week, and incorporate yoga whenever I can.   I drink lots of water, focus on lean protein and whole grains, and indulge without over doing it (most times ;).  I love my body and how far it has brought me in life; I want to make sure we make it quite a bit longer.

I must go do my yoga now.  Namaste.

**Please note I am NOT a doctor of health expert in any way shape or form.  These are just things that work for ME.  Please consult your doctor when making any exercise and/or nutrition changes** 

A blog post that spoke to my soul

This gal put into words feelings that I had during my journey.  Enjoy.

Cancer Recovery, Yoga Style

yoga yoga yoga...i love yoga....

Triangle pose, downward dog, upward dog, mountain, pigeon, crescent, warrior I, II, III, reverse warrior, headstand, handstand, bridge, low lunge, high lunge, goddess pose, eagle pose, lord of the fishes pose, twisting sage, forward bends, backward bends, hip openers, shoulder openers, cow, cat, camel, plank, chattarunga, dolphin, side stretch, and savasana to name a few. Bikram, Vinyasa, Anusura, Hatha, Gentle Flow, Power, Yogitrance, Yogidance, I love it all.
Why do we practice yoga? Why do *I* practice yoga? Is it to become bendier than our friends? Is it to find peace, solitude and quiet within ourselves, or is there some higher purpose at work? Yoga, in Sanskrit, can be translated as "union". It originally comes from the root word of yuj which means "to yoke", as in to attach yourself to a task at hand with the discipline of an ox. The task at hand with Yoga is to find the union, *your* union, between body and mind; between our God and ourselves; between us and everything in the world.

I've read books on Yoga, and I've practiced Yoga consistently now for about 10 years, and I am still a work in progress and that's what I love about it. Following a Yogic path doesn't mean you become all natural running around in the woods eating nuts and berries, howling at the moon and twisting yourself into pretzel like shapes while wearing no deodorant. Far from it. In fact; following a yogic path is something that takes time, and something that can wax and wane in your life. The Yogis believe that within all of us there exists a supreme Self who is eternally at peace and when we are calm, quiet, focused and centered we can find it. The Supreme Self is our *true self*. The one we want to be, yearn to be....it's who we really are.

One of my most favoritest (yes my English teacher friends I realize that's not correct grammar but you'll just have to deal with it ;) books is "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. If you have not read her book I *highly* recommend that you do. In a nutshell it is about her life's journey through a painful divorce to the other side. Whenever I am feeling distance from Yoga, distance from myself, I read through this book. One of my favorite passages is below...

"Yoga is the effort to experience one's divinity personally and then to hold on to that experience forever. Yoga is about self-mastery and the dedicated effort to haul your attention away from your endless brooding over the past and your nonstop worrying about the future so that you can seek, instead, a place of eternal presence from which you may regard yourself and your surroundings with poise. Only from that point of even-mindedness will the true nature of the world (and yourself) be revealed to you."

I leave you with my favorite meditation as I get ready to practice yoga this morning. I had wandered off the path for a while and now am ready to return. So this morning I will honor the divine that resides within me and be one with my Supreme Self.

Om Namah Shivaya

ॐ नम: शिवाय:

"I honor the divine that resides within me"

Namastae