Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

It's getting better all the time

 Here's to you and your mile!
posted by Melissa Baumgart
My son, Levi, ran with me today.  He was kind and chilled his pace down a bit to stay back with me.  What a kid!  He did finish about 10 seconds ahead of me, and I was happy for him.  Until he called me fat a half hour later.  I weighed myself today and my suspicions were correct, I have gained back 2/3 (20 pounds!!!!) of what I lost a year and a half ago.

How did this happen?  I know...I love poutine, I love pizza, I love burgers and fries.  And I lost my yoga practice when I started school.

I seriously hope that running one mile  day does kick start my love for being fit.  I know it felt good to be fit.  But so does going out for a yummy burger.  I just cannot seem to find a way to be in balance with it all.  I swing from one extreme to another.  Perhaps this small and reasonable goal will be a shot of temperance in my otherwise turbulent life.

That being said, I did add in another element.  How could I not?  I wouldn't be me if I didn't.  But I am keeping it simple as well!  I am doing 20 crunches a day and starting at 5 push-ups a day.  I hope to work up to 50 of each.  Next month is Trapeze Month for christ sake, I better work on my core and upper body strength if I want to have any fun at all in November!

Today I increased my run time again.  We ran a mile in 8 minutes 38 seconds, a speed of 6.9 miles per hour!  The best part was that I didn't hate it as much as the day before.  And what I want you all to know is that I squeezed it in between bringing my kids home from school at 3:20pm and leaving to take Talullah to her soccer game at 3:45pm.

I repeat me new mantra, "You Can Do It!!!"  Even with limited time, even if you walk, even if you go slow...you can fit this in!!!

Here's to us!
Melissa

Friday, September 16, 2011

The 3 Hour Challenge

posted by Melissa
I Have Worms!
Worms and worm poop.
"So, when your worms reproduce and you have too many, do you just go to your friends and say, I have worms?"

This was one of the questions Amy asked at our worm bin workshop we attended last night.  It got quite a few laughs.  The other good one was when Tallulah asked if she could have the green plastic piece that popped out of the bin after drilling.  I think people were expecting some cute little kid question about worms.

Just drillin' in the park.
It was a great workshop, and Amy gave all the details on her last post.  She was the first to volunteer when the drill was offered up to make the drain holes in the bottom of the top bin.  They do this so you can collect worm tea, which is a liquid (basically liquid worm poop, Tallulah loved that) densely packed with nutrients for your plants.  The Seattle Tilth volunteer said you can mix 1 tablespoon of the worm tea with 1 gallon of water and use it to spray your plants, indoors and outside.

The only bummer about the class was the timing, and only because as a new homesteader (I want to scream, "Faker!  I am a faker!") I am not used to the amount of planning that is required.  If you take on a challenge like this, it would behoove you to be organized and prepared for each day.  So, the class was at dinner time, and I had not planned a dinner.  I was originally hoping to try my hand at pasta making again.  Now, I wouldn't be home to do so.

The Oddity of Food Choices
I texted Jamie, who was with the older kids at soccer practice.  "There is no dinner, get something to eat for you and the kids."

I figured I would just make due with what was on hand, maybe some lettuce and a little quinoa from lunch.  I stopped by Big Mario's to get Tallulah a slice.  That was hard, standing in front of all that pizza, smelling it, almost tasting it.  Then watching her eat it, NOT finish it and leave it lying there, tempting me for the rest of the evening.

Taking some control over my situation, I made my own pizza.  I used the bread I made that morning, got a tomato from out back in Amy's garden, some basil from the front garden and some cheese from dinner the other night.  I have to admit, it was pretty good, and looking at them side by side, mine "looked" better and healthier, more fresh.  But I still longed to have the slice from Big Mario's instead.  WHY?  What the hell is wrong with me?

What would be your choice?  Do you also crave "junk" food?  Do you find that the more you eat it, the more you crave it?  That reminds me of that movie, Supersize Me.  And believe me, if I don't get a handle on this, I will be supersizing myself in no time.
Choice #1
Choice #2
Jamie got home with the other two kids with a family meal from Ezell's fried chicken for dinner, and promptly announced, "I won't be going to yoga, I am eating chicken instead."  Really?  Are you kidding me?  I don't know why, but I wanted it all, the whole bucket of chicken, the fake mashed potatoes, the bad coleslaw.  I think that sometimes when I go to one extreme (no processed foods), I desperately want to swing back to the other.

Perhaps another thing to throw out of my-life-is-junk drawer?  Wait, I thought I dealt with this the other day at lunch?  OK, starting again, healthy food choices, actually homesteading and less screen time...for the next three hours. 

Is there something you want to change? A behavior, a thought pattern?  Could you do it for three hours?  Let me know...share your ideas or commitments on our Facebook page.

-Melissa