By posting twice in 1 week! If only I would get better about having more exciting things to post about... Sadly it seems that as my mind is less stimulated and challenged through literature, my writing skills seem to go to crap :( I'll wrack my brain this next week to come up with something fun!
Well, today is Day 4 of the South Beach Diet...and it is not going well. Today for lunch, I had a burrito from Chipotle, and Jared had cereal (remember the "no grains" thing?) Sadly I'm not sure how closely we are going to be able to stick to this diet as a whole. However, I do hope that maybe we can continue to follow the Dinner menus for the next 6 weeks. That in and of itself I think will make a significant change both on our metabolisms and bank account. And the gym - we need to go.
Ok, for something slightly more thoughtful - I have had multiple conversations with multiple people just over the past few weeks regarding how ridiculously difficult it is to be a single adult living in Lubbock, TX. It seems that the culture of the city just is not conducive to such a lifestyle, which is completely ludicrous to me. It's a college town: once people graduate, if they stay in Lubbock, it is to get married and settle down. Otherwise, most people move away. Either to graduate school somewhere else, or to pursue a job in a bigger city, etc. But this continues to build an ugly pattern, so that due to the lack of singe community, it drives out the few single people that do get left here. It's hard to meet other single people (for friendship or dating), and the conservatism of the South still carries some stigma for an adult to be single.
When you're single here you feel isolated, like you don't have a place, and sometimes even shamed by others because you're not doing "what you're supposed to do." There is something seriously wrong with that. Here in Lubbock we live in our own little bubble - we are isolated geographically, and somehow that has created isolation in many other intangible ways. The culture of the city has not changed in 100 years because it has not been forced to. There has been no "invasion" of newcomers, or significant outside influence strong enough to take hold of the city to help it progress and grow. Therefore, it continues to remain as it is, with people who want to keep it that way, and those who disagree just leave. Good for them, bad for the city. Can you imagine if everyone who "disliked" Lubbock actually remained here and made an effort to help make change for the better? It could probably develop into something similar to the greater Austin or DFW areas...but instead of "investing" we just bolt. Strength mostly comes in numbers, and here that will probably never be the case.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Fad Diet
Everything that I have read in the past several years (and especially the past several months) has completely slammed any and all "fad diets" due to their unhealthiness and ineffectiveness to provide long-term results. Just about EVERY source that is not endorsed by a specific diet system has die-hard facts to prove that these things just don't work. What DOES work is a reduction of your daily caloric intake (specifically fats and sugars) and an increase in physical activity. Period.
Fad diets are a quick fix, but once the diet is over an overwhelming majority of people eventually gain it all back because they fall back into their previous lifestyle pattern. Changing WHAT you eat for 6 weeks does not necessarily mean a change of HABITS. Losing weight and becoming more healthy entails an entirely holistic approach - your ATTITUDE about food and exercise has to change, and the motivation for that becomes a large influence of how successful one can be at it.
All of this said, Jared and I are starting the South Beach Diet this week. I am not super crazy about the idea, mostly for the reasons I just mentioned, but also because the whole first 2 weeks are JUST lean meats, vegetables, and a little bit of dairy. NO FRUIT ALLOWED?! Being vegetarian, this severely limits my protein intake per day, along with snacking options (I typically eat 1 apple every day). I do eat fish and shell fish (which is allowed) but they are expensive, and let's face it, who really wants to eat fish EVERY day for 2 straight weeks? Whole grains are a major source of protein for me throughout the week; now, I will admit that I am pretty good at packing in plenty of the bad carbs and sugars so I know I shouldn't be complaining too much about it, but I just don't trust this drastic change in food choices for 2 weeks. Yes, after the first 2 weeks the second 2 weeks do incorporate fruit, and a FEW whole grains...I still just don't know how the hell my body is supposed to get any kind of REAL energy from eating mostly lettuce every day. Like today, I had a MASSIVE salad for just - just greens and balsamic vinegarette dressing - and within an hour I was almost falling asleep at my desk (I ate half a protein bar and feel much better now.)
However, since Jared and I are doing it together it's more of a jumping-off place for us to make each other accountable, so that this accountability WILL last once we finish the 6-week diet and we'll continue to motivate and encourage each other in making healthier food choices and working out more often. Therefore, we are doing this together, and hopefully it will be just the first step of many more progressive steps later. I will definitely be sure to keep you updated on how the next 2 weeks of half-starvation continue to unfold.
Fad diets are a quick fix, but once the diet is over an overwhelming majority of people eventually gain it all back because they fall back into their previous lifestyle pattern. Changing WHAT you eat for 6 weeks does not necessarily mean a change of HABITS. Losing weight and becoming more healthy entails an entirely holistic approach - your ATTITUDE about food and exercise has to change, and the motivation for that becomes a large influence of how successful one can be at it.
All of this said, Jared and I are starting the South Beach Diet this week. I am not super crazy about the idea, mostly for the reasons I just mentioned, but also because the whole first 2 weeks are JUST lean meats, vegetables, and a little bit of dairy. NO FRUIT ALLOWED?! Being vegetarian, this severely limits my protein intake per day, along with snacking options (I typically eat 1 apple every day). I do eat fish and shell fish (which is allowed) but they are expensive, and let's face it, who really wants to eat fish EVERY day for 2 straight weeks? Whole grains are a major source of protein for me throughout the week; now, I will admit that I am pretty good at packing in plenty of the bad carbs and sugars so I know I shouldn't be complaining too much about it, but I just don't trust this drastic change in food choices for 2 weeks. Yes, after the first 2 weeks the second 2 weeks do incorporate fruit, and a FEW whole grains...I still just don't know how the hell my body is supposed to get any kind of REAL energy from eating mostly lettuce every day. Like today, I had a MASSIVE salad for just - just greens and balsamic vinegarette dressing - and within an hour I was almost falling asleep at my desk (I ate half a protein bar and feel much better now.)
However, since Jared and I are doing it together it's more of a jumping-off place for us to make each other accountable, so that this accountability WILL last once we finish the 6-week diet and we'll continue to motivate and encourage each other in making healthier food choices and working out more often. Therefore, we are doing this together, and hopefully it will be just the first step of many more progressive steps later. I will definitely be sure to keep you updated on how the next 2 weeks of half-starvation continue to unfold.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Wedding Excitement
Ok, so I mentioned in my last post that I did NOT want this blog to be solely about Jared and I. So this will be my first and final post that discusses anything regarding the wedding and honeymoon.
First of all, everyone tries to tell you about how the wedding/wedding day is just completely exhausting and flies by. When I think back on it now, several weeks later, it does seem that way. But when I really look at it, you feel just such a mixture of emotions that by the end of the day you're exhausted from experiencing them all. Logistically, everything fell into place beautifully - once we hit about 1:00 pm that day, I wasn't worrying about anything. I was thinking about getting myself ready, having all of the photos done, and just following through with everything. The ceremony flew by (literally, I think, because I believe it lasted about 25 minutes, only 15 of which I was actually a part of it.) The reception seemed short and quick, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. I don't have any digital copies of photos from the wedding and reception right now, so here is a link to the wonderful Amy-Rose King's blog where you can get a pretty good preview (my photos are about halfway down the page):
Amy Rose King Photography
We spent the night of the wedding in Lubbock, and the next morning spent the entire day in airports and on planes on our way to Barbados - definitely worth the effort. Below are some pictures of us and the uh-mazing Crane Resort, originally opened in 1890.
First of all, everyone tries to tell you about how the wedding/wedding day is just completely exhausting and flies by. When I think back on it now, several weeks later, it does seem that way. But when I really look at it, you feel just such a mixture of emotions that by the end of the day you're exhausted from experiencing them all. Logistically, everything fell into place beautifully - once we hit about 1:00 pm that day, I wasn't worrying about anything. I was thinking about getting myself ready, having all of the photos done, and just following through with everything. The ceremony flew by (literally, I think, because I believe it lasted about 25 minutes, only 15 of which I was actually a part of it.) The reception seemed short and quick, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. I don't have any digital copies of photos from the wedding and reception right now, so here is a link to the wonderful Amy-Rose King's blog where you can get a pretty good preview (my photos are about halfway down the page):
Amy Rose King Photography
These are my BEAUTIFUL bridesmaids at the rehearsal.
The night before our wedding, in front of my little apartment door for the LAST time!
We spent the night of the wedding in Lubbock, and the next morning spent the entire day in airports and on planes on our way to Barbados - definitely worth the effort. Below are some pictures of us and the uh-mazing Crane Resort, originally opened in 1890.
One of 2 pool complexes on the resort grounds. This specific view is from our room's balcony.
Our very own private plunge pool on our balcony.
The Crane Beach has been voted in the "World's Top 10 Beaches" several times. I don't know if you can see well enough why, but the sand is PINK! You can kind of tell a little bit when you look at the water, and the sand that has been pulled up by the waves.
Barbados has the clearest, most blue water I have seen in my entire life - this includes Cozumel, Hawaii, and the western coast of Italy. I think you can even see the salt from the air stuck onto my face.
On our last full day there, Jared and I went on a tour of the entire island, which included a visit to a wildlife reserve where the monkeys run up to you and will eat out of your hand. I opted to just be the photographer, and let Jared play with the monkeys.
At the same wildlife reserve, instead I chose to hang out with the tortoises...the HUNDREDS (literally) of tortoises. You had to walk carefully to step in between them because they covered the entire path throughout the reserve.
OK, that's all. If I get any better photos of my in my dress I will definitely post them (that one day was the ONLY time in my life I will ever wear it, so I gotta show it off!) but hopefully this will suffice for now.
Hopefully some pretty exciting stuff is going to happen in Jared and mine's life over the next 6 months, so I promise that my posts will get even MORE entertaining.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
New Beginnings...again
Oh my goodness...I began this blog a year ago, almost to the date. The previous blog I posted was last August. Obviously, I'm not very good at this blogging thing. I would really like to be though, so I am going to try again. One of the words my coworkers use to describe me is "perseverant." I guess I am with most things...and that's usually because I like to make sure things are just the way they should be. And often that doesn't occur with just trying something once, so you have to keep at it until you get it right.
Obviously, I haven't made a blog any sort of priority in my life which is why I let it fall by the wayside. But it's a really fun way to keep people updated with what's going on in your life, and (even if no one reads it) I think it will help me with personal reflection. So here we go again.
Jared and I have been married for 18 days. 6 of those days were our honeymoon (in Barbados, which was amazing - I'll post photos next time) which means we've only REALLY been married for 12. This morning I was awoken by the (his) 80-pound chocolate lab jumping on the bed...with me still in it...on top of the BEAUTIFUL quilt coverlet from crate&barrel that is too expensive to clean and too expensive for us to replace should it become damage by someone's doggy claws. Needless to say, not the best start to one's day. But we're a family, so I'm hoping that the dog gets over this awkwardness soon, because clearly I am already fully adjusted :)
I've noticed that most people have a sort of theme to their blogs. A central idea of focus or point of interest that would make other people want to read them in the first place. I know several people whose "theme" is their new engagement/marriage. While I don't necessarily know if I completely agree that this type of occasion is indeed exciting enough to warrant daily/weekly posts about new developments or events, my 18 days of experience has already given me plenty of evidence that this marriage thing is indeed an adventure.
While many of my posts will probably have something to deal with this new life path I am on, I do not plan on this being the focus. Maybe I'm delusional, but I think I'm secretly hoping that if I put events down in words that they may become more life-filled than they seem in the immediate moment, and I can talk myself into thinking that my life is maybe a little more interesting than what just meets the eye.
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