Saturday Brain Dump

Since I was in bed moaning and groaning and whining about my wisdom teeth pain most of yesterday, I didn’t take the time to write a post. So…let’s give it a try today! I thought I’d give some quick updates.

1. Wisdom Teeth: The first two days were pretty awful. Yesterday, I was swollen like crazy and there was quite a bit of pain from just the pressure of being so swollen. Today, I am still swollen, but it’s not quite as bad. The pain has receded significantly from three of my four teeth holes (I have no idea what else to call them) but my bottom two are still the worst. Hopefully, today will see some significant improvement.

You can see my jaw is a bit more swollen on my left side (since the photo is a mirror image, it’s also the left on the photo). It was much worse yesterday, but I didn’t get a photo of it!

2. Weight Loss: Maybe this is the wrong time to post this because…lets face it, I’ve been eating nothing but liquids for the past few days, but I’ve lost more weight! More than in just the last two days, but my official weight loss is now up to 17 lbs. I think a lot of it has to do with the amount of soups I’ve been eating lately. It was never really intentional, but I’ve also been living largely on a vegetarian diet as-of-late, and that might have helped. Of course, I won’t become a vegetarian any time soon, but I don’t think that meat at every meal is always necessary.

3. New Computer: Last weekend, Mike and I went to Delaware and I picked up a new 15″ MacBook Pro! I still haven’t transferred a lot of the stuff from my old computer on it, but it’s beautiful and I loooove it. The screen is so much bigger & brighter than my old 13″ MacBook!

4. Pinterest: I thought Pinterest deserves a mention because I joined a couple of weeks ago and think it’s just about the best. thing. ever. I can bookmark anything I want through it, it’s SO easy to keep track of the things that I’m inspired by, and as a blogger, it’s an awesome way to keep track of sources. Plus, it’s just so darn pretty! Wanna follow my pins?

5. Spotify Music: My good friend TJ sent me an invite to Spotify this past week, which is also just as awesome as Pinterest. I have SUCH a hard time committing to buy an album on itunes or amazon or whatever, so listening to an album by almost any artist I want has been an awesome way to “try before I buy.” Since I’m just streaming the albums, it isn’t illegal like The Pirate Bay, Limewire, or Napster were. I also enjoy it more than Pandora because sometimes, I just want to listen to an album instead of a mix of artists.

A screenshot of the Spotify software, where I’m listening to Young the Giant’s album.

6. Tomatoes: Thank you for all of your tomato recommendations!! I was surprised by the amount of people who would eat so much caprese salad! Unfortunately, I had to preserve a lot of them before they started going bad, so while plenty of caprese salads have been eaten, I’ve also made some sauces, just roasted & frozen them, I made soup, and when I pick up cilantro at the farmer’s market tomorrow, I’ll certainly make some salsas. Great recommendations!

Okay, that’s all for now. I hope everyone has a happy weekend!

Working on my Fitness, Part Three

Until recently, my body saw little to no exercise.  I hate the treadmill, I hate feeling like I can’t breathe, and I hate having to take so many precautions due to my medical needs.  It was easier to do nothing than to deal with the consequences of exercise medically for me.  Since I’ve gotten on a new medicine that helps regulate my digestion, I don’t have quite so many stomach issues and so-painful-I-feel-like-I’m-dying stomach cramps following a workout, but I’m still not where I’d like to be.

I’m trying though because I know if I don’t, my body won’t change. I want to be healthy and live a long, full, happy and adventurous life, and one thing that will help me get there is exercise. Honestly, it’s the most obvious thing in the world–ALL research points to exercise leading to longer, healthier lives, so why not just do it?

Of course, anyone who has started an exercise regimen after being a bit sedentary will huff and say “Easier said than done.” Trust me, I know…I said it too. Oh wait…I’m STILL saying it! And huffing. Not huffing like…cement glue or anything…I’m just huffing in a big, angry sigh kind of way. Nevermind.

So let’s get down to what I’m doing now, what I’m changing and what needs improving.

My Exercise Habits

• Now, I’m biking daily, or as often as I possibly can.  In the days that I have ridden since I got my bike, I’ve seen a significant improvement in the way my body feels when I’m out riding.  I’m getting faster and stronger, and usually the landscape will take my mind off of the pains of getting exercise.
• Since biking is now my main form of exercise, I’m going to try to do some strength training on our bowflex to supplement the exercise.  It will help my legs get stronger, and it’ll help me develop more upper body strength, of which I have none.
• During the summer, I try to be more active with our dogs…taking them on hikes and trails with Mike.  The last time we did this though, we severely underestimated the amount of water the 4 of us needed and I kept blacking out in the woods.  Moral of the story: I shouldn’t go out with them in severe heat and I should always prepare myself with extra water.  I’d like to continue to be active with them in a safe way!
• Occasionally, I’ll force myself on the treadmill and pump up the speed to a light jog until I feel like I’m dying. (yes, I know I’m dramatic, but seriously I effing hate exercise and if I’m going to do it, I’ll be as dramatic as I want. so there.) I hate it every step of the way, but I should try to get on more often.
• As a few of you mentioned yesterday, swimming would be a fantastic way for me to get a safe workout. I’m not sure if I’d be able to join a gym or club with the little amount of time we have left in the States, but I might look into it. The only time I’ve ever swam laps was my freshman year of high school when we had to for gym! I remember thinking it was much harder than it looked, and I was too self-conscious about being in my swim suit in front of my classmates to truly enjoy the experience. I think I can put aside those self-consciousness issues now though and give it a try! It’d be ideal to have a pool in Spain, but we’ll see

This is my kind of swimming. Photo taken last summer. PS…this year’s tomatoes are kicking last year’s tomatoes’ asses

So now you all know my dirty little secrets about my eating habits, exercise habits, medical issues, goals and challenges! I appreciate all of the comments and encouragement I’ve received from you and I’ll keep you updated on my progress as I go along. I am not perfect, and I’m very resistant to this kind of change (hence the drama), but I know it’s in my best interest and I just need to buck up and do it.

I am so lucky to have my husband, who is so supportive of everything I try and do. Mike has been a wonderful cheerleader for me and encourages me every step of the way. He never judges me (okay, maybe he judges a little when I make cookies and eat five) and every time I slip, he’s there to remind me of why I’m trying in the first place. Thank you so much, honey! I love you!

Working on my Fitness, Part Two

So.  The goal is to get back to my 17 year old body.

To do this, I will have to climb in my time machine lose about 40 more pounds.

My Eating Habits

• I eat mainly organic, unprocessed, whole, natural foods: Fruits, veggies, eggs, meats, whole grain bread etc.
• I like to take those organic items and sprinkle (local, organic) cheeses over them. I also looove me some quality olive oils.
• I have a wicked sweet tooth and get pretty intense chocolate cravings after dinner. Sometimes I’ll drink coffee to help curb the craving.
• We’re trying to eat out less often, but when we do go out, it’s usually for sushi or to our favorite wine, beer and cheese cafe, Tria.
• Oh, did I mention that I like wine? I drink 1/2-1 bottle a week depending on the week. Lately, I’ve been on the low end of the spectrum and Mike and I will share a bottle of wine one night a week.
• I go through nearly 1.5 gallons of skim milk a week by myself (Mike drinks the other .5).  God, I LOVE MILK. Trying to cut back on this with more water.

So basically, I’m not on the deprivation train here.  I don’t overeat, but the things that I do eat have a fair amount of calories in them.  I limit the sweet stuff as much as I can, I eat vegetables as much as possible, but I’m not going to limit myself to celery sticks.  It’s not realistic for me.  Especially as we’re about to embark on our adventure to Spain:  There will be meat, there will be cheese, there will be wine.  It would be stupid of me to cut it all out of my diet if I truly want to embrace the Spanish culture.

Plus, I’m just not so good at “forbidding” items in my diet. My parents have done incredibly well with a low carb lifestyle–they both have lost an amazing amount of weight and look fantastic.  It’s a lifestyle for them though, not really a diet anymore. It works for them, and I’ve tried it, but I just can’t do it!

I’m also not good at counting calories.  I did the Loseit.com thing for a few weeks, but oh my GOD was it time consuming just to figure out how many calories are in my whole wheat pizza with nothing but organic fresh ingredients.  I know the difference between a healthy food item and an unhealthy food item. My pizza is a pretty good, healthy choice with veggies, whole wheat, a little local cheese…there are worse things in the world, right?  Why on Earth do I need to spend time figuring out how many calories were in the 1.5 slices I ate??

So counting calories and carbs are out.  Mainly, I stick to the “I eat when I’m hungry and I try not to go crazy with the high calorie stuff” plan.

So far, it looks like I’m on the right path…completely ignoring diets and calorie counting and pretty much eating whatever I want…the right path for everything to stay the same, right??  Meh.  I think I eat much better than most Americans in the sense that I’m eating REAL food and I’m conscious of where my ingredients come from and how they affect our Earth.  If I refuse to eat partially hydrogenated soy bean oil and opt for a nice drizzle of olive oil instead, so be it.  The best I can do is be conscious of my portion sizes (which I am) and try not to cave to chocolate cravings very often.

I guess my game plan will have to come in some form of exercise…Next I’ll talk about that!

What are your eating habits like? What works for you?

Working on my Fitness, Part One

A couple of weeks ago, I told you in this post that I had lost 10 pounds!  I figured I’d go into more detail about my goals and the things I’m doing to try to get more fit.

The Starting Point:

This photo of me, from our Maine vacation over the Easter holiday was me at my heaviest ever (10ish pounds ago).  I hated all the pictures of me from this vacation, and it really made me realize that my weight isn’t going down anytime soon.  I’ve been steadily climbing since I graduated from college, and while I wasn’t eating poorly, sitting behind a desk and rarely doing any physical activity was contributing to the issue, but you’ll see some of my other challenges below.

After the Maine vacation, I came clean to Mike about just how much weight I’d gained…I told him my weight for the first time ever so I could be honest with him about my issues and my goals, and have his support.  It was a very scary thing to tell him my weight for the first time, but he was supportive as usual and helped me set realistic goals for myself.

The Goal

While I do have a number in mind of what I’d like to weigh, my biggest concern is really to get to a point where I can live the healthiest and most realistic lifestyle for me.  Mike and I want to travel a lot, and I don’t want my level of fitness to hold me back from doing or going or hiking or climbing or walking a whole city.  (Note: I didn’t say “weight” because I really do believe that it’s a person’s level of fitness that matters, not so much the numbers)

A few years ago while on vacation, we were hiking up a volcano on St. Kitt’s and our guide basically called me a “fat American” the whole time I was climbing up this stupid volcano.  It’d be nice to not have foreigners see me in that way.

Me, from our vacation in St. Kitts.  Come on, seriously? I wasn’t fat! In fact, I’d be happy to go back to that weight now.

The happiest I ever was with my weight was the end of my senior year in high school:

Me on the left, my sister Stephanie on the right.  Sorry, it’s a picture of a picture since my scanner is apparently broken.

That picture is from my high school graduation, and I had recently lost 15 pounds.  I remember being so proud of myself for working hard…only back then, “working hard” was just getting on the elliptical for 20 mins a day after school and not changing any of my eating habits.  Oh, to be 17 again.

And I know that to go back to my 17 year old weight AND maintain it will be impossible difficult, but we all have to have goals, right?

The Challenges

I do have a couple of medical issues which make it difficult for me to lose weight, which just makes this process longer and more frustrating than it should be!

1. I am unable to sweat on my neck and head due to my first surgery for my hyperhidrosis.  Not being able to cool my head down through the natural process of sweating makes me very vulnerable to heat stroke.  I’ve had a few scares in the past in the gym and on especially hot days when hiking, playing tennis, etc where I’ve blacked out.  To prevent this from happening, I have to take things easy and frequently wet my head with water so it cools me down and make sure that I am very hydrated.  Taking things easy doesn’t exactly equal the fastest way to lose weight, but I have to stay safe.
2. Due to the medicine I take for my hyperhidrosis, my metabolism has slowed down nearly to a crawl.  I’m working with my doctor to correct my digestive system so my metabolism gets back up to a “normal” speed.  Of course, that just means more medicine, but hopefully in a few weeks, we can take the dosage down or eliminate a few things completely.

If only I wasn’t such a sweaty/non-sweaty mess!  I’m just full of medical contradictions, right??

So this is the most recent photo of me, which will essentially serve as my starting point since I didn’t exactly take a proper “before” shot 10ish pounds ago. (I say “ish” because I’ve lost a little more than that)

Next up, I’ll talk about my approach to losing the weight!

My Weighty Junk

You know, for someone who has a blog called “bride junk,” I’ve been horribly remiss about sharing some of the tougher issues I’ve been going through as a bride.  I think my fear of sharing some of these issues is the fact that writing them down makes them a little more real, and it makes me feel like eventually I have to figure out & write about a solution to some of this junk, and some of these things may not have a solution.

It’s a little scary.

But as long as I’m sharing my wedding with the virtual world, I feel like I’d be painting a false picture of myself if I didn’t share some of the hardships that I, and no doubt other brides, go through.

There are a three pieces of my junk that I need to write about, and unless I wanted to write the longest post in the history of posts, I’ll take the issues one at a time.

First up, the issue I think has the best chance at getting a solution:

The Junk in my Trunk:

Weight isn’t really an issue I’ve talked about on my blog for obvious embarrassment reasons, but I’m going to throw it out there:

I will be furious with myself if I don’t lose weight for the wedding.

All I think about is seeing pictures of myself after the wedding and just being mad that I didn’t try harder.  So what do I do about it?  Precisely nothing.

I get so stressed over “what if I try to lose weight and it doesn’t happen?”  Failing after I’ve tried at something seems much worse than not trying and pretending like it doesn’t matter, right?

Yeah, backward logic much?

Secondarily, I just don’t wanna.

What?  That’s not a valid excuse either?  I could tell you all about how I have no time after work, that I’m too exhausted, that I work 18 hour days or something, but let’s get real:  We have a treadmill and a bowflex in the basement and I usually have about an hour and a half between dinner and whatever favorite prime-time show is on.

So here is my vow:  Get my butt on the treadmill more often.  All I have to do is close my laptop, put some workout gear on, and walk downstairs.  That’s it!  I don’t even have to get in my CAR to get a decent workout in!

Now that my junky trunk is out in the open, I feel slightly more resolve to work out more often.  Maybe blogging about it will help.  How long will this last?  What’s the best motivator to get your butt moving?

Next up on my three-part junk reveal:  Sweating the Small (and big) Junk