Day 4: 21 Day Fix

Good news everyone! I've lost half an inch around my waist since Monday! I am seriously blown away by this program!

B: Chocolate Shakeology with 1/2 banana, 2 tsp Peanut Butter (red, purple, 2 tsp)
S: Plum (purple)
L: Half subway sandwich (yellow bc of the bread) with pepperoni (red), turkey (red), provolone (blue), mustard (free), olive oil (2 tsp), veggies (green) and sun chips (yellow). I was still hungry after that so I drank water, but then I was still hungry so I ate another half sandwich without the bread. The amount of each item though was altogether enough to fill one of each container so I was still good.
D: Spaghetti (1/4 g; 1/4 red; yellow) and an apple (purple)

Going back to my plan I am allowed to have:

4 Green
3 Purple
4 Red
3 Yellow
1 Blue
1 Orange
4 Tsp

Then I go back to my list and see how I did today.

Red
Purple
Purple
Yellow
Red
Red
Blue
2 Tsp
Green
Yellow
Red (1/4)
Yellow
Purple

So today wasn't too bad, except I need to eat a little more Green, Red, and an Orange. Seeing as it's so late I don't want to eat anymore but it was a successful day!

Oh, I had a cookie. But just one! So that would have been a yellow. Tomorrow is a new day!

21 Day Fix: Day 3

Day 3: Hunger Pangs

Today I didn't eat as much for snack so by the time lunch rolled around I was starving. I was going to opt out of eating the chips and salsa but by the time we got to the restaurant it was already 2 and food wasn't close to being on it's way. I decided since today was the last day of school I was going to celebrate but not go crazy. I did go a little crazy though... The good thing I was able to tell when I was full and stopped before I made myself miserable (NSV #1).

B: Chocolate Shakeology w/ 1/2 banana and 2 tsp Peanut Butter (Red, Purple, 2 tsp)
S: Apple (Purple)
L: Chips, salsa, guacamole, cheese, 1 taco (yellow, red, blue, blue, green) (too much blue today)
D: Spaghetti w/ homemade sauce (1/2 green, 1/2 red, yellow)

W/O: Upper Fix: 30 Minutes

Water: 40 oz

A couple more NSVs (Non-Scale Victory): Received a candy bouquet and didn't have one piece. Donuts were in the office but I resisted, and I could have had a soda at the work party but I opted for water and drank 1 and 1/2 glasses which is pretty good for me.
Also, I really didn't want to work out today since I pretty much bombed at lunch but I decided I needed to especially because lunch was bad. So I completed the work out and finished the day strong.

It's been awhile since my last post! That tends to be the trend... I post and then forget about my blog because I'm too busy and I forget about it. But I am so excited about this I have to share! But first, a little back story...

I decided at the beginning of 2014 that this was going to be the year that I get fit and healthy. Due to seeing results from friends, I bought Insanity (after three or four years of watching infomercials and wanting to buy it so badly, but not knowing if it was actually worth it). Very soon after purchasing it, I bought a Groupon for Crossfit and went to classes for about three months and tried to follow the Paleo "diet". I decided I would try 21 Day Fix because a co-worker told me about it and I saw some great results! She talked to me about it for about three months (right after I bought the Groupon) and I really wanted to buy it but I couldn't afford it. So finally, the wait is over. After a frustrating experience with the USPS, I finally received my Beachbody Box and immediately began to figure out how to customize the system to work for me.

What is it?
21 Day Fix is a home nutrition and fitness program that teaches the user portion control using 7 containers of different sizes and colors. Each color represents a food group: Green- Protein; Purple - Fruit; Red- Protein; Blue- good fats; Yellow- Carbs; Orange- Nuts/seeds; Teaspoon for oils and butters (olive, coconut, peanut, almond, etc.) You also receive two DVDs with a variety of different work outs ranging from 10-30 minutes long. All you need are weights, resistance bands, a yoga mat, and a towel.

This is the whole system. The containers look small but they really pack it in. I'm having a hard time finishing all the containers for the day!

I started this program yesterday and I'm finding it a lot easier to stick to than I had originally thought. 

I'm posting for accountability as well as to get the word out because I am very confident in this product and I hope more people get into it! If I see some good results by the last day, my goal is to become a Beachbody Coach and sell the product! I'm not a sales person and I hate the idea of selling something that I'm not passionate about. So far, I am passionate about this!

 

This was my first workout: Total Body Cardio Fix

Duration: 30 Minutes

Intensity: Moderate

Beginning Measurements: 

Waist: 34

Chest: 38.5

Arms: 12

Neck: 14.5

Hip: 41

Weight: Haha... right. That'll be my secret. But i'll post the amount of lbs. lost :)

You, follow Me!

I found this entry in my journal from 2011 during the fall when I started at Community Roots Academy. I hope you will be encouraged. 

"So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!" (John 21:21-22)

This lesson is familiar in my place of work. Kids are always telling me "But that's not fair!" I hear their voices saying this in my head as I write. They ask, "But what about them?" and I tell them not to worry about the other kids and do what I've asked and you'll be fine. As simple as this principle is to explain to kids, it's so hard when it pertains to you. When Jesus is saying to me, "Don't worry about those who are in relationships, about those who have more liberties, about those who seem to have it easier when eating, about who is doing what profession, about anyone else. You, follow Me! I'll take care of you and guess what... I'm taking care of them too." 

I find it humorous almost when I hear this coming from kids, whining or sometimes distraught because "the other kid doesn't have to put the ball away!" and yet I go to the Lord many times in the same manner and complain that "it's not fair!" as if He's holding out on me and not giving me what I think I deserve. In the back of my mind I remember this verse in Psalm 84 (verses 11-12) which says, 

"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; no good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of hosts, How blessed is the man who trusts in You."

and then another verse: Psalm 16:11- 

"You will make known to me the path of life: in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." 

God has a perfect plan for your life. Trust Him. Obey Him. Don't worry about everyone else. 

You, follow Him!

Photography

So I've finally decided to jump on the photography bandwagon with everyone else. My first ever "couple" shot was taken yesterday at Main Beach in Laguna Beach, CA with my friends Clara and Lucas.

This is the final product and I am quite pleased with the turnout. :D

Tamales, Snow, Crocheted things

So the fieldwork semester for Teacher Credentialing has ended and TPA 2 has been successfully passed with 3 out of a possible 4. That was such a blessing and there was nothing but the sigh of relief heard throughout the education department. Well, that, and the sound of students rushing to turn in the last couple of assignments before Christmas break. There was a great amount of grace given to the secondary ed students (myself included) as we were given time to turn in the last assignments which are due Jan 3. Unfortunately, I took advantage of that opportunity and am still pushing to get them all finished. It has been a nice Christmas break in snow-filled Whitefish, Montana. It's all white outside and warm inside with the fire and the scent of homemade tamales and enchiladas in the air.

I have taken up a new hobby (which only took 16 years to actually persevere). I am practicing my Crochet skills and am doing pretty well if I do say so myself. I'm about 1/3 way done with a scarf, I've finished a flower (needs a little work) and I made a pan-handle cover for my mom's skillet. That was the first project (scarf turned pan handle cover). Even though it doesn't look too good, my mom loves it so that's all that counts right?

I'm just plugging along trying to finish this 3 week unit and then I should be done with the hw and completely finished with the semester. :)

TPA 2

This past semester I've been in the Credentialing Program at The Master's College. It has been quite the emotional/physical/mental roller coaster as I've struggled with deciding whether or not this teaching thing is really for me. I've dealt with issues that have pushed me to my limit, others that have literally broken me. And yet I still believe that God has called me to do this with faith and obedience as my tools to push through and succeed.

You'll notice my title is TPA- Teacher Performance Assessment. These are beasts. There are four of them in the year long program and we've finished the first and easiest of them all. The 2nd one which I am in the process of slowly tackling, is due on Monday and I have little motivation to continue.

I know that I need to be diligent and disciplined to persevere, I know that I can and will complete it whether or not I like it. But I also know the one thing stopping me from trying is fear. Fear is what brought me to this point and fear is once again holding me back.

God tells me that He has not given me a spirit of fear (timidity), but of power and love and discipline. Why don't I believe Him? Why don't I trust Him and obey Him and love him?

2 weeks until finals. two days until I find out the results of the CSET which will determine whether or not I continue in the spring with the Student Teaching Assignment. 2 hours until I go to bed.

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb 12:1-2