Ready to Whine

Here I was, all set to whine about how horrid my day was and how unfair my job is being...but I'm not going to do that.

I heard this song and it completely distracted me from my worries. I'm most definitely not in this place right now...but the song is so pretty and it just instantly transports me there. So instead of whining, I'm going to share this song with you - I love this girl's voice.  (Sure hope this link works!!)

Every Time I Fall in Love - Clare Bowens



http://abc.go.com/music-lounge/video/Nashville-Extended-Performances/_m_VDKA0_ug2jpoe6

I need to get better at blogging...

*sigh* I've gotten really bad at updating this thing. But NaBloPoMo starts Friday and I've participated (I think) every year! I shouldn't skip this one. So I'm going to get better at updating.
What's new in my life?
1) I'm moving back to NC. That's the big thing. It's not exactly common knowledge but I'm not exactly hiding it either. I don't have an exact departure date. It will be March 31 or April 30 or something like that. I'm excited about it. I'll fill you in more throughout November, I'm sure.
2) I'm still doing crossfit. I feel like I may have finally gotten somewhere with figuring out how to eat somewhat healthy...just in time to move back to the land of biscuits and fried chicken. So maybe I haven't figured this stuff out. But I'm getting stronger and am not very actively working on getting a pullup.
3) Work is work. It monopolizes my life. It stinks. Is this what being a grownup is like? I don't like it, if that's the case.
4) I met a boy. I am absolutely dead set against liking this boy. It is horrible timing. I will not like him. I still see him from time to time. But only so I can further determine that I will not like him. (Do you believe this? Because if I say it enough, I'm sure I will.)
5) I'm going to need a new car in the near future. This saddens me beyond belief. I love my car. She's mine. I'm hers. How will we get by without each other?

Alright folks, that's it for my life! See you Friday and every day thereafter!

Self-date!

I took myself out to dinner tonight. Why? Because I wanted to. Because I deserved to. But mostly because I had 2 hours to waste on that side of town. I decided to take myself out to the only steakhouse I've been to in Chicago - David Burke's Primehouse. They have a 40 day dry aged ribeye that makes me want to punch someone. It's that good. Throughout the entire dinner, I felt like I was hanging out in a field in the countryside of Spain (Spanish wine, that's why Spain), licking a cow. The dinner? Amazing. I felt like I couldn't eat another bite and then I got to the bone. The flavor changed! It was earthier and cow-ier. I had to keep going! I left dinner, smiling and quite content, despite the high cost of dinner.
I decided to walk a bit while heading back to the car -and it was so relaxing. You know how after a really really good date, you just smile and feel like the world is such a good place and you just want to hug somebody? Well, that's how I felt tonight. After I hung out with myself. I walked around feeling so light-hearted and like the city was such an amazing place to be. It's been a long time since I felt that way and I realized - this has nothing to do with a boy. This has nothing to do with a new place. This has nothing to do with anything. This feeling has to do with me. And that makes me smile even more. (But maybe this is just the beef-nebriation kicking in.)

Give me a treat...or else!!

The cravings are hitting. I want a milkshake so bad. I don't even know what I would do for a milkshake right now. I'm a little scared to leave my house because if I pass by a Baskin Robbins...it's going down.
This week I wanted a pumpkin muffin so much. A patient brought fresh baked ones with homemade  cream cheese icing to work. I didn't eat them. I made a deal with myself that when I get down 6 lbs (3 more to go) OR my body fat gets down under 20% (2%) to go, I can make myself paleo pumpkin custard. But earning that treat means no milkshake today.

Day 2

Well here is day 2. My first official full day eating paleo. I ate some dried fruit yesterday which took my carbs way too high. Today? No fruit! I feel like I've been eating meat. all. freaking. day. 3 eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, 2 turkey burgers, turkey jerky and fish wrapped in prosciutto. Am I at my designated protein levels? no. ugh. So frustrating. I also ate some vegetables and almonds.
I wish I could say I felt better today. I guess I did while I was working out. This is my first day with a running workout where I didn't get shooting pain in my shins!! But I've felt like I was in a fog all day - not sure if it's lack of sugar/carbohydrates or girl issues or the weather. I'll give it a few more days and see if my fog lifts.

Here is a picture of my dinner today: fish in a blanket. It's basically whitefish wrapped in prosciutto with some pesto. And roasted tomatoes with a ton of garlic. Tasty.

Day 1 of My New Life

I'm making a change. I should probably make a lot of changes. But that's a whole other post. This change is in regards to my nutrition/lifestyle.  I met with the nutrition guy at my gym. I call him the nutrition guy because I don't think he's an actual nutritionist. But he has taken courses on nutrition and maybe he knows what he's talking about. The first rule he gave me? NO TACO BELL. He said his challenge to me was to not eat Taco Bell for the next 30 days. It made me a little sad but maybe it's for the best.
I'm going to follow the Paleo diet for the next 30 days and see how it goes. I'll modify it from there based upon what's working for me and what's not working for me.

Tonight's meal: Tarragon Turkey Burgers with Citrus Fries.  That is misleading though. They are not citrus fries. They are roasted carrots with some lemon juice and garlic. They were good. But they were NOT fries. Let's just be clear on that. The burger was good, although I think I may need to double up on the burger tomorrow at lunch.  If anyone is interested in the recipe, here ya go:

1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
a bunch of fresh tarragon
4 cloves garlic
4-5 carrots, sliced into "fry" shape
juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Place "fries" on baking sheet, sprinkle with 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic & lemon juice.  Bake @ 350 for 40 minutes or until desired firmness.
2. Mix turkey, egg, garlic & tarragon into bowl.
3. Form into patties. Place on grill pan and bake for 25 minutes.

Oh Geez, I'm Quoting Presidents.

"History and experience tell us that moral progress comes not in comfortable and complacent times, but out of trial and confusion." - Gerald Ford

I came across this quote today and it was perfect timing. I've been feeling a little overwhelmed and tired of the "I only care about me" attitude that it seems like 90% of the people I interact with seem to have. (Side note: some people I interact with seem to actually be nice, caring people.) I went in to work today, determined to adopt that same attitude. I get tired of reversing the situation and thinking about how I would feel if I were in their shoes. So I was going to do what they do - think only of myself and not care how it affects anyone else. I didn't do very well with that attitude. I probably wasn't as concerned with helping others as I typically am but I did do a few "extra" things. Mostly because I was pretty sure if I didn't do them then the people who are actually genuinely nice people would have to pick up my slack. And I didn't want them to feel the same way I'm feeling right now.
So my moral progress didn't come too far today...but tomorrow is another day.