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How cool is this?! I signed up for this program online. ...

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:54:00 -0500

How cool is this?! I signed up for this program online. Bestowed-

for $19.99 a month they send you a package full of amazing, gluten (mostly) & GMO free & minimally processed foods. They send full descriptions of the product as well as tips on best way to eat or use.

It was fun to open the mailbox and see this, it felt like a present. and it has amazing stuff! this month came with:

Chia Seed cereal- a hot cereal and I’ve been wanting to try something similar anyway. this one has chia, flax, quinoa and amaranth
Salad Cookbook! Nice, I LOVE cookbooks and the recipes are creative and look great
Dark Chocolate Sun Cups- like a reeses but with sun butter instead of peanut butter. a great alternative for allergies
LaraBar Uber bar- again, something I’ve been wanting to try but too lazy to pick up
Coconut water powder- genius! now I can bring this stuff on flights or thrown in my gym bag. seriously, brilliant!
SImply Sprouted Sweet Chili Tortilla chips- made from various seeds and hig omega 3’s
Olive oil samplers- from a winemaker. apparently its amazing

I signed up to be an ambassador, so if you are interested in ordering please use my link- http://zfer.us/EmnSJ

Every month the products are different but follows the rules of truly healthy. Really, its amazing to get to try new stuff without thinking about it. sometimes I go to whole foods and read too many packages and there are too many decisions on flavors to choose and so lots of times I just skip the new stuff because either I dont have time or I have my toddler with me and its not usually ok for me to staff at the store.

give it a try! check out the site, and let me know if you order! I’d love feedback on this- its so cool!

These bars taste like a blueberry pop tart. Love!

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:29:26 -0500

These bars taste like a blueberry pop tart. Love!

EWWW, so I worked out at Lifetime in Indiana as I am here traveling for work. I tried to do a...

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:23:33 -0500

EWWW, so I worked out at Lifetime in Indiana as I am here traveling for work.

I tried to do a crossfit style lifting session but so strange because I didnt realize how different the bars were. Not spinning makes the lifts harder. add that to wearing short shorts that would be fine in Xfit but are obviously not the norm at lifetime and you get alot of people starting. I also worked on pullups too which I think always shocks people, but the worst part was that my hands were sweaty and there is no CHALK at the gym?! WHAT?! HOW do people work out without chalk?? is that just a crossfit thing? how do they stay on the bars?!

This is my new recipe. The Greek yogurt, Parmesan and spices,...

Wed, 15 May 2013 20:02:28 -0500

This is my new recipe. The Greek yogurt, Parmesan and spices, This time Italian seasoning and tilapia.

Coat the fish in plain Greek yogurt, then mix parm and any spices you want together. Dredge the meat and bake at 350. The fish took 15min or so as it was kind of thick

Side was mashed cauliflower
Steamed and blended with milk, salt & pepper and then tossed with some Brie cheese

Easy!

Now that I am pretty much only allowed to drink water, milk and...

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:21:22 -0500

Now that I am pretty much only allowed to drink water, milk and an occasional ice tea I’m trying to find ways to make my water more interesting. Today, lemon & cucumber

This is hands down, my favorite drink. It’s chocolate...

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:44:05 -0500

This is hands down, my favorite drink.
It’s chocolate coconut water- and somehow tastes like thick, yummy, full bodied chocolate milk.
My husband and I have been fighting over them. Delish!

what is your DOSHA - and no, I am not a crazy hippie!!

Tue, 14 May 2013 09:09:05 -0500

this may be nuts, but we learned about personality types (dosha’s) in yoga the other day. we took a test to determine which we are more like and then there is an improvement plan and how to live to bring out the best qualities and minimize the bad. the idea is that it is truly whole health, so the way you eat, meditate, and handle conflict all contributes to your well being (which i believe!)

here is a link to a test online - http://www.holisticonline.com/ayurveda/w_ayurveda-dtest1.htm

I am spread pretty evenly between all three types which is interesting as we took a personality test at work as well and I scored the same on that test. They are totally different tests, but the goal is actually to be evenly spread, meaning your adaptive and it makes for a good manager (which thats that what I do, I’m a regional manager at work)

Whats most interesting for me on the test is that the personality style Pitta, which I had a slightly more of, the diet foods they restrict are the same foods I am not allowed to have with IC. maybe its coindience but maybe theres something to it. I also need to limit sugar which I already knew but was having a terrible time doing it. Since I learned this on Sunday though I have totally stayed away from sugar, even feeling a little sick when I do eat it. strange!

the idea is you learn from each style, the detrements of each and improve your life by making the changes you can.

This is some pretty high tech medical testing…really?...

Mon, 13 May 2013 14:02:11 -0500

This is some pretty high tech medical testing…really? I’m getting allergy tested and they WROTE ON MY ARM WITH A BIC PEN. Jeesh

I bought these great water infusion bottles. One is mango lime...

Sun, 12 May 2013 19:01:00 -0500

I bought these great water infusion bottles. One is mango lime and blackberry lime. Love.

I’ve made some easy dinners but this may take the cake....

Fri, 10 May 2013 18:43:52 -0500

I’ve made some easy dinners but this may take the cake. Yummy, easy crunchy chicken and butternut squash

Grated Parmesan cheese, about 1cup, mixed with pepper and Cajun seasoning
Chicken breast, dip in plain Greek yogurt, covering both sides, then dredge In the cheese mixture
Place on baking pan and cook at 375 for about 20-30min, until done.

Then take a bag of precut butternut squash, microwave for 6min. Toss maple syrup, butter and cinnamon in and that’s it.

5 minutes maybe of prep/cook time and dinner was awesome. I will be doing this again, and often!

Yoga Training is pretty serious. To get your yoga certification...

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:20:41 -0500

Yoga Training is pretty serious.

To get your yoga certification you have to take 200 hours of course work. Training & techniques are the biggest portion at 100 hours, but then the remainder is filled with teaching methodology, ethics and surprisingly; 20 hours of atanomy & physiology.

I remember being in a yoga class and it hitting me that all of the instructors I had worked with in the 10 years of yoga REALLY knew their stuff. Not only the names of the muscles, but how to move & which muscle to tweak to correct a posture. It made me realize that they werent just someone who took an online course or even a weekend course (sorry crossfit) to become a trainer.

Our classes are set up really well- with a yogi who is really well respected and has a great following as our regular teacher. Then, we have guest teachers, who specalize in each of the disciplines. We will have the anatomy department head from Wash U to cover that, a buisness teacher from there as well to teach the basics of making a living in yoga (or any other athletic) and The last few days have been a chiropractic dept head from the local chiropractic college in town. She works with some of the pro sports teams in town and says that many all over the world are beggining to recognize the place of yoga in professional sports. Athletics are realizing the benefits of injurt prevention through practicing yoga. She seriously knows her stuff, and can look at someone and know what is wrong with their body just by LOOKING. We are learining how to do it as well; how to recognize good allignment and body awareness. Yoga postures are really telling because once you have the eye for it, you can literally tell what is going on in someone else’s body. You can tell from their downward dog if they have tight hip flexors, or if they have back issues. Or if one leg is longer or they have an ankle problem. Its kind of like a magic eye, once you get it and understand how it works its pretty amazing. I feel like I am back in school and this time I LOVE IT. I hang on every word and I honestly though that this would be the hardest part. I have never been good at science, so anatomy and physiology was a little daunting. But here I am reading my physiology book in bed. For fun…

I’m 3 weeks 2 days post surgery. To remind you all :) I...

Thu, 09 May 2013 23:12:38 -0500

I’m 3 weeks 2 days post surgery. To remind you all :) I had an ovary removed and they cut out all lining of my insides, so it’s pretty much entirely fresh skin inside my abdomen.
So I get home tonight from yoga training- where I’m the only one who has eaten a full dinner every night so far (more then just a piece of fruit) and I’ve also hit crossfit today as well as taken an hour yoga class. I’ve also been active all day and haven’t sat still since I woke up.

My husband, so sweet and honest, says “whoa babe! Your belly looks huge! So swollen” and then tells me lovingly that I need to take it easy.

I was looking at my belly thinking the same thing almost exactly the same time he said it and if you’ve ever met nick you know he is brutally honest. Honest like, don’t ever ask him a question unless you really are ready to hear the truth because that’s how he rolls; no sugar coating and brutal honesty.

But it’s not THAT bad! I mean seriously? 3 weeks ago I was in the hospital still! I think it’s coming along really well and it may be swollen compared to normal but come on! Progress!

WHOO HOO!

Thu, 09 May 2013 16:20:10 -0500

I went to Crossfit today! and did the whole class!

I got my post op ok on tuesday of course and so I am taking it slowly though. I modified the WOD;

Every Minute on the Minute for 6 min:

3 DL

6 Burpees (I did 3 HSPU, then 4, 5, so on increasing each round because burpees seemed like too much to cordinate and think about

then every min on the min

6 CTB pullups, and I subbed Ring rows

thank goodness, I seriously needed to get that first class out of the way and it felt great! I didnt even miss that ovary ;)

This is what is wrong with Starbucks. I love the consistency at...

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:42:38 -0500

This is what is wrong with Starbucks.
I love the consistency at Starbucks, every cup is the same.
now that caffeine and chocolate are on my list of not allowed foods. Gasp, I know

I went to the local coffee shop today and got a decaf white chocolate mocha and its amazing. Not too sweet, I can still taste the bitterness of the coffee which balances the sweet perfectly.
That’s what Starbucks does wrong; over flavor.

Regionals are NOT heavy! I could do it. Slowly but I could...

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:44:34 -0500

Actually my girl heather and I would partner and get it done in a day of so ;)

Yoga!

Tue, 07 May 2013 23:06:17 -0500

Started my cert classes yesterday!
It’s an hour or so of yoga and then 2 hours of class each day this week and 2 8 hour days this weekend.
Then a weekend a month for 6 months. Pretty intense!

I’ve been feeling pretty good and I got the official ok from my dr to exercise and “let pain be my guide”. Funny that the sentence was also accompanied with a Percocet script. How am I supposed to feel the pain then to signal me to stop? (Don’t get me wrong, i am ecstatic for the meds, Just saying that the western medical system blows me away sometimes)
Anyway, 2 days in a row of yoga have me stretched out and relaxed. I’m sore but happy and I can’t help but think that there would be no better way to recover. Scar tissue will have no chance with this recovery plan.
I will end this week with 10-12 hours of yoga, and I’m confident that I can get back to Crossfit next week.
I’m thrilled because the yoga is going to loosen me up. The shock of stretching out stitches and sutures on a kipping pull-up will be avoided this time :)

After 4 abdominal surgeries (3 of which have been in the last year! WTF?!) I have to say that I am hopeful and happy and looking forward to what’s next.

My husband told me recently that I need to heal and “Christmas Abbot it up” I cracked up but know he is right; I’m going to get back to training like I did before diagnosis. I am going to focus on what my body CAN do, not what it can’t.

These are amazing! I found them at TJs and they are all natural...

Mon, 06 May 2013 15:24:37 -0500

These are amazing! I found them at TJs and they are all natural and crunchy and delicious.
I’m pretty excited!!

Hey STL peeps! Fundraiser next week for my husbands regionals...

Sun, 05 May 2013 10:01:50 -0500

Hey STL peeps!
Fundraiser next week for my husbands regionals team. Come out! Wod, food and beers :)

Best oatmeal; Regular plain oats cooked with a little salt &...

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:49:52 -0500

Best oatmeal;
Regular plain oats cooked with a little salt & 1/2 banana sliced in. Then topped with vanilla protein powder, flax, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.

And I'm back...

Sat, 04 May 2013 08:38:37 -0500

I don’t know what it was, probably a combination of events-shitty appt with serious A-hole dr, having my husband sit me down and telling me how worried he was and seeing how hard its all been on him too, and visiting my best friend and holding her week old baby, (you know, the miracle of life…)some how I turned a corner.
I have a friend who I’ve known for 20 years now. It makes me feel really old to say that, but she seriously is such a good person. I can tell her anything and she can relate.
She never minimizes or exaggerates what I’m saying/feeling and seems to always know what to say. I talked to her for a long time and it was the first time I had talked about what happened without crying. It honestly felt really good. She didn’t have the ‘I’m so sorry for you attitude’; it was really an encouraging talk and I don’t even think she was trying.

I ate terribly. Like awful. I really don’t eat foods with sodium which is i guess is weird. So I did the only thing I could think of and ate processed junk.
Snapshot (don’t judge)- 3 fudgecicles, corn chips & speghettios (organic at least) full sugar yogurt, 3, yes 3, cinnamon rolls and bowls of popcorn. And guess what? First day since my surgery I wasn’t dizzy & lightheaded.
I think that gave me a boost as well; a glimpse of feeling normal. (But my diet? WTF?! I actually had to focus on eating that badly)

Somewhere during those events (which are just life, really) I mentally Clicked a switch. It went from feeling sorry and sad for myself to moving on. I realized that I had broken life up into categories; life before I knew I was sick, and my life after. That’s not good- I was sick for a long time before I actually knew it and it effected me some, but definitely didn’t consume me like it does now. I needed to move on; think positively and get past it.

I spent the day with my son, stayed in a great mood with a good out look and noticed that my surgery site felt better as well. I’m going to try the power of positive thinking for awhile. I start my yoga cert next week and that coupled with prayer and recovery I feel like I’ve got this :). Finally.