What We’ve Been Up To Lately – San Diego

The last two months have been insane! I’ve got a “Part 2” blog post for the holidays coming up, but wanted to share a brief recap of our trip to California!

Mid November, I joined Bob while he was out in San Diego for a work trip and we did a little exploring together. It was a MUCH needed trip because I felt like we hadn’t spent any time together since the beginning of October when school started. I loved San Diego, (so warm! so sunny!) but we only had a few days so we still have a lot more things to explore in the future. He’ll be going out there a lot for work, so I’m hoping to join him at least once more… we’ll see!

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the trip:

Farmer’s Market in Little Italy

La Jolla — gorgeous area

Unlimited mimosas at brunch overlooking San Diego skyline

In La Jolla — rooftop bar

Sunset on Coronado Island

Altogether, it was a nice respite from a busy life and we enjoyed the several days together uninterrupted by work or homework. So nice.

Have you had a quick getaway recently? Where’s your favorite place to rest?

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Typical Tuesday Thoughts on Rx-ing Christine & on the Blerch

CrossFit Update:

So yesterday I RXed Christine which make me really freaking happy because as it turns out, I suppose I HAVE gotten stronger.

For those of you who don’t know, Christine is 3 rounds of 500 meter row, 12 body weight deadlifts, and 21 box jumps.

The last time I did Christine I used 80 pounds. This time I used 145. Last time I finished in 14:48 — this time I finished at 15:46. So, although I was a minute slower, I also was using 65 more pounds.

I decided that next time I do Christine, I need to do a juice cleanse so I can lose weight. (Totally kidding, juice cleanses freak me out!!) MAN 145 pounds is a LOT OF WEIGHT. Especially after rowing. That first time I picked up the bar after I got off the rower, I double checked to make sure no one added plates while I was gone. It felt like a million pounds. And then I had to step up a few times on the box jumps because I almost bit it after the deadlifts. Also, my rowing is terrible and I need to work on getting faster.

But yet, despite all of that, I still RXed a named WOD!! 🙂 Hooray!

Gratuitous Ryan Gosling meme. Because I rowed 500s and would have liked a bubble bath.

Reaction to Bob’s post yesterday:

If you haven’t seen Bob’s post from yesterday, go read it. It’s a good one, and an honest one. And I think anyone who has lost weight (even a little bit) and tries to keep it off can empathize. It’s hard work, maintaining, and it’s overwhelming to think that you’ll have to do this the rest of your life.

I remember once when I was in Weight Watchers we were talking about maintenance. I hadn’t reached my goal weight yet, and the leader was talking about how she had been a lifetime member for 10 years. She had kept the weight off that long. And then she said something that terrified me.

Every day of those 10 years has been a struggle. I continue to count points. I continue to say “no” to food I want.  I continue to reassure myself that my health is worth the determination and motivation I have to muster up every single day to eat healthy and exercise.

I remember thinking then that I couldn’t ever return to my blissful ways of eating whatever I felt like eating, whenever I wanted, if I wanted to keep the weight off.  That was an incredibly sad thought — but then, I realized a sense of empowerment.

I don’t HAVE to choose healthy foods — I GET TO choose.  And those choices lead to either gaining back weight or keeping it off. It’s in my control.

But that doesn’t mean the choice is easy. And like Bob, I wish I could just eat pizza and beer and watch TV. And it is a CHOICE, every day, to eat a salad instead of ice cream, to head to CrossFit instead of sleeping, and to drink water instead of a margarita (mmm….).

So I guess I’m reiterating what Bob said yesterday, but adding my own positive slant to it. You make the choice. You have the control. And it may be monotonous, and boring, and overwhelming, and frustrating, and terrifying, but it’s still up to you and how you handle it.

How do you manage to maintain?

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Monday Meal Plan + Going Paleo for 10 Days

Okay, so I have a confession. I am 5 pounds over where I want to be. Which wasn’t a big deal until I realized I was avoiding certain clothes because I noticed it in my stomach. Yes, thanks to vacation eating during the road trip & pre-vacation traveling (NYC, Boston, etc.), these 5 pounds are sadly here to stay until I do something pro-active about it. I was hoping it was just water weight that would come off quickly, but that, my friend, was disillusioned.

So! Starting yesterday, Bob and I are on strict 10 day Paleo. (Which is great for Bob, too, since he can’t really move.)

“WHAT!?” you may be thinking, “But Meg, you don’t do strict Paleo! And you don’t do Paleo challenges!”

Desperate times call for desperate measures, friends. I need to be in a bikini by July 4th. and I need to look good in said bikini.  And I don’t want to be self conscious of my bloated stomach. And I know Paleo works pretty well for people.

I prepped yesterday like my life depended on it. Shredded cauliflower for quick cauliflower “rice”, created my favorite cucumber salad, baked a few spaghetti squashes, made cilantro chimichurri since I didn’t last week & my cilantro was getting a little wilty.

So glad we invested in a big fridge last summer. It’s full to the brim with veggies, fruit, and prepped food.

I’m going to keep my fruit servings to 2 a day and nut servings to 2 (that includes almond butter). And I am going to eat a crap ton of vegetables. And weigh my meat to make sure I’m not eating more than I need to. (Unless I’m still hungry. Then I’ll eat a little more).

Hopefully I’ll be able to report happy things in 10 days. If not — well, then I’ll know once & for all that the Paleo diet is not for me. But since I’ve never given it a true shot (ie.. never followed it w/out indulging in a non-Paleo food for longer than 5 days), I suppose this is a nice (short) way to see how my body responds.

So without further commentary, here’s our meal plan:

• Monday: Bob may or may not be meeting someone for dinner. I plan on eating a big salad. With balsamic glazed salmon.
• Tuesday: Buffalo chicken meatloaf FTW. With roasted cabbage steaks. Mmm, cabbage. And cauliflower rice.
• Wednesday: We’re going bowling with friends where there will be pizza. I’ll make a big taco salad. You know, without the sour cream and cheese. But with the guac.
• Thursday: Venison bacon burgers! With sweet potato wedges! and mushrooms!
• Friday: Leftovers.

I’m hoping that by prepping & planning great meals that I look forward to eating, this 10 day Paleo thing will be relatively easy. I’ll keep you posted.

Quick disclaimer: I do not usually endorse crash diets or cleanses or whatever. I believe that you need to make lifestyle changes in order for healthy eating habits to stick. BUT sometimes I just have to buckle down and do something drastic to lose the bloat that I’ve put on from poor eating choices & to kickstart getting out of my poor nutrition rut.  Also, I”m simply curious to see how I react to a Paleo-only diet — to see if it’s really not for me as I’ve said all along, or to see if it gives me the results it seems everyone else sees!

Have any tips for a new-to-strict-Paleo newbie? 

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Sunday meal plan!

Hi friends! I’m finally putting up a meal plan on a Sunday. Which makes me happy, because that means this has been a wonderfully relaxing weekend. First ice cream of the season at our favorite place (Lugia’s), first campfire of the season, first weekend we’ve dragged the Adirondack chairs out into the lawn and sat outside. I am so excited to have warm weather.

We have a beautiful view. Ignore the pile of leaves.. we have a lot of work ahead of us this summer 🙂

Because of the warm weather, our week revolves around the grill. Easy, delicious, and ability to enjoy the sunshine while we’re cooking. Can’t go wrong!

Today: Sausage, peppers & onions on the grill, and cabbage steaks on the grill.

Monday: Salmon burgers (picked them up at BJ’s!), grilled asparagus, sweet potatoes with bacon (FAVORITE)

Tuesday: Grilled chicken, roasted broccoli & cauliflower

Wednesday: Leftover grilled chicken over salad (Bob has floor hockey)

Thursday: Burgers with guac, portabella mushrooms, and zucchini strips on the grill

Friday: Out!

Saturday: Our friend Teaghan is turning 2 and we’re going to her birthday party! If we’re still hungry afterwards we’ll eat leftovers 🙂

Hope your weekend was full of spring & summer celebration!

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