Can't I have Both?

I like living in a city. I enjoy the convenience and activity, I really do. But I often find myself wishing I lived somewhere more isolated. Of course, this thought is almost always followed by an acknowledgment that I'd hate not being able to run to the grocery store and back in 10 minutes if I forgot something, or having the ability to go out to eat at where-the-heck-ever-I'm-in-the-mood-for.

Nevertheless, I find that I am at my most content when I'm outdoors. Not just outside, but somewhere beautiful---woods, parks, gardens, lakes, beaches, mountains...  Just taking a walk around campus in college could lift my mood immeasureably if I was stressed out. Breathing in the air makes me feel healthier and more alive. It's all so complex and awe inspiring.

I've traveled to a few breathtaking locations before: Jamaica, Costa Rica, Arizona, Colorado

They can't be described later by words or truly captured in pictures or videos. You have to be there. You have to stand looking at a rock taller than a skyscraper and feel small. You have to experience the colors you'd forgot even existed in nature. You have to be still and quiet and just absorb it all.

In those rare moments when a picture can capture some of the beauty of nature, I find myself longing to be where it was taken. Here are some recent examples:

So I guess my options are to always vacation in the mountains or to buy Casa Loma. :)

Beatin' the Heat with the Nieces

I've always loved New York summers. The weather is beautiful, the city and villages come alive with activities and festivals and everyone seems to really appreciate and relish the ability to be outside. That being said, this has been a HOT one (record breaking). Our apartment doesn't have AC so it is like living inside a little oven. Luckily we have a window unit in our bedroom so we can sleep peacefully. I spend a lot of time in there these days.

Last week we had a few days of surrogate parenthood as my 7 and 9 year old nieces came to stay. It was really fun and I love those kids to death. It was also exhausting and expensive. Although my sister-in-law Julie affectionately referred to the week as a week of "birth control" it did not deter us from wanting kiddos of our own, haha. It was nice to see my brother and sister in law as well since I don't get to see my family all that often.

The week started with a bang (Fireworks at the Falls) and time with the McLaughlin clan. Other highlights include the Maid of the Mist, the Buffalo Zoo, movies, shopping, lots of swimming, LOTS of Selena Gomez, the Canal Fest, and of course lots and lots of dance parties. There may have even been a choreographed number that included John Paul (which I was not allowed to video tape) and I did document some of the fun!

Here are a few pictures and a short, very poorly edited video that I promised to post for the girls:

 John Paul took them to the Buffalo Zoo

Chloe lost a front tooth while here...

They decided that while they were in NY they were "McLaughlins"

(Matching)

 (King of the World Poses)

 (Biggest smile ever?)

 

and last but not least...

Seeking Advice: On Fitness

Some of you may remember that in June I proclaimed that July would be health and fitness month. That clearly never came to fruition. Part of that is laziness and busyness, but the majority of the reason was financial. This summer is so jam packed with plans (and unexpected car repairs) that our finances are a little strained to cover everything.

I really want to have a healthy lifestyle and eat real, healthy, food. But eating the best quality food possible is an investment. An investment I think is totally worth making, but at the moment I'm resorting to buying the cheap non perishables to stock my kitchen because there just isn't money to invest.

So I guess this is a request to anyone reading: What suggestions do you have for getting fit in ways that fit into a busy, tight-budgeted, lifestyle?

In reality I know what sorts of things to eat for health and weight loss and I have a fitness center a short walk from my apartment which is free. The knowledge of how to be healthy is in my head thanks to parents who've always been "health nuts," but I just can't seem to get a routine going. I need some practical advice from other experiences about how you got over the "hump" of being out of shape, tired, busy, and broke. I'm so exhausted all the time, and I know this is due to my lack of activity and eating habits, but it makes it kind of hard to get motivated to exercise or do a lot of planning/prep for meals. I feel like I need to trick my body into exercising by doing things outside or playing a sport but I also probably need something I can do on my own as well. 

So help me out. 

What are some easy inexpensive quick meals and snacks that are healthy and will be easy to fit into the busyness of our summer? 

What are ways to get active or motivated for exercise that have worked for you?

Instant Gratification

Have you ever gotten really irritated because your computer was being slow or a website was taking forever to load? 

Has it ever annoyed you to have to wait an extra 5 minutes for your french fries at your favorite fast food place? 

Have you ever been so sure you were going to marry the person you were dating and been angry when the relationship failed?

Have you ever impulsively bought a pair of shoes? 

(Because cmon, they'll only be around this season and you'll never be able to find them again!)

Have you ever been irritated when you needed to get ahold of someone and they aren't responding to your text or call fast enough?

I strongly believe that we are conditioned to expect instant gratification. Just look at the slogans you see in commercials. I can honestly say that I have experienced every single one of the above examples. And frankly, it's ridiculous.

Is it so hard to see that this attitude is at the core of a lot of our problems? Relationship problems, health issues, addictions, debt...

Blog Finds

I've come across a few blogs lately that I think are worth passing along. So if you are looking for new reads, check these out:

Autism as a Whole

http://www.autismasawhole.com/

If you are at all effected by or interested in Autism, this may be a good blog for you. I was taken aback when I found out that this mom is a single mother of four, one of which is Autistic. To say I am impressed is an understatement. Having an Autistic child is challenging...to put it lightly. To do it alone, is even more so. But add supporting an entire family and raising three additional kids all on your own...she's a super mom, that's all I can say. 

A Pretty Penny

http://aprettypennyblog.com/

This is a style blog, and becoming one of my favorites. She's cute, endearing and I like her style. :)

Tips on Triplets

http://tipsontriplets.wordpress.com/

The story here is sad. This is a daddy blogger who started a blog when he found out his wife was pregnant with triplet boys (naturally I might add). A few months later they lost the babies after they were born prematurely. He's still blogging, and it is both tragic and inspiring.

Moments with Love

http://momentswithlove.blogspot.com/

I love adoption blogs. And I love big families. 

This family currently has 5 kids under the age of 7 and are working on adopting 2 more. I believe they have 4 girls of their own, 1 adopted boy and are working on adding two more boys to the family.

And speaking of adoption. A couple I am connected to in real life are on an adoption journey to adopt two brothers from Ethiopia and you can read about their story here:

When Love Takes You In
http://growininourhearts.blogspot.com/

Health, Fitness, Food

Okay. Time to set aside my usual musings about life for a post focused on something more practical: Fitness.

I've always been lazy when it comes to my health and it is starting to catch up with me. I truly want to eat healthy (and get this, I love healthy food) and exercise but my motivation/will power is seriously lacking. Up until this year, I was at least pretty active even if not always eating healthy. I haven't played sports in ages, but I walked to class daily in college and loved being outside and playing games like Kan Jam. Then I got a desk job, dun dun dun. I sit 8 hours a day and because of my inactivity and bad eating habits I come home at night exhausted. It's very hard to motivate yourself to exercise when you're tired and want a nap. I've gained 10-15 pounds over the last year and got a bad report from the doctor in the Fall: My good cholesterol was low (solution: exercise) and I was low on vitamin D. And though I went out and bought Vitamin D supplements and a gym membership...I never really consistently stuck with either. I can blame the winter weather. I can blame the fact that eating healthy is a financial investment. But at the end of the day it all comes down to laziness.

I grew up eating healthy. My parents were vegetarians for a very large chunk of my childhood. We ate a lot of raw food and juices. We didn't go out to eat, ever. And because of this, I really love healthy foods (to the point of being teased all through school about the "weird" things I was bringing to lunch --this is before being Vegetarian was trendy) and while I eat meat (it's not the enemy), I have no strong attachment to it. When it comes to food, I try to buy organic/local as much as possible just out of the conviction that it's healthier and more sustainable. I am strictest about this when it comes to meat. I get grossed out thinking about how meat (and a lot of other foods) is processed. Processed food (that doesn't really go bad) isn't really even food and is causing serious health issues in our country. And this can apply not only to non-perishable food but to meat as well, believe it or not. My dad, the health enthusiast that he is, currently has an nine year old happy meal that he uses as an example for clients. Other than shriveling up a little bit...it doesn't look much different from the day he bought it. That's right, the meat never went bad, just dehydrated a little. The fries look normal.

I'm not saying I don't eat out or eat meat at restaurants sometimes (and fried food is my absolute weakness). I believe you have to have some balance and splurges.  But I am personally convicted about taking care of my body and thinking locally. I have no intention of forcing that on anyone else. Well, except for my children. And to be honest, I haven't followed all of these convictions consistently.

If you are interested in some well balanced material about health and food (not diets or fads), I highly recommend the documentary "Food Inc." and any book by Michael Pollen, but most especially In Defense of Food. The book I currently have on my shelf to read is Food Matters by Mark Bittman.

So I guess my main goal is just to get in shape and eat healthy. Whatever weight follows will be appropriate. But I cannot lie, I would also like to slim down. The only time I ever lost a lot of weight very quickly was when I once did The Atkins Diet. But it's not healthy long term. John Paul is a big fan of The Spartan Diet which is similar but more about whole foods. He's also been excited about the work-out plan used for Thor. But, high protein diets are just not for me. Weight Watchers works, but only because of counting calories and portion sizes, not really because of health in general. One diet I find interesting is The Five Factor Diet. 5 meals a day (everyone knows more smaller meals is better than one big meal---this is no secret), 25 minute workouts 5 days a week, and a splurge day. But at the end of the day I know what I need to do: cut out the bad foods, eat more raw food and juices, drink more water and exercise.

Baby steps. Forming good habits. That's what it's going to take for me. So why write about this here? I'm thinking that if I publicize my goals, maybe I'll stick to them.

I can't just eat whatever I want anymore. I'm tired and starting to have "health issues." It's time to get serious about health and fitness. I need to have energy to be productive and I know I'll feel better. Additionally, I've heard being healthy before you get pregnant is crucial to having a good pregnancy that isn't miserable, so before that happens I really want to be in good shape. And most importantly, I'm not going to live a long healthy active life unless I find some consistent healthy habits and I can't just keep putting it off forever.

I read a blog by a girl who themes each month to an area she wants to improve in her life: Spiritual, Mental, Physical, Relationships, Family, etc. and publicly sets specific goals for the month and then at the end of the month, writes about how she did. I think I'm going to steal this idea. The next couple weeks I will try to start some better habits and decide on some goals, and then June will be focused on Physical Health and Fitness. In a couple weeks expect a goal list!