I Eat to Live

Here we go again.  I've blogged before about eating, weight loss and working out, and yet here I am doing it again.  The gym that I go to, Crossfit Pittsburgh, entered a 9 week Paleo team challenge.  Since I just started to get back into a routine of dropping the kids off at school and heading down to the "box", I begged off the challenge.  I'm not particularly competitive and I especially didn't want to let anyone down.  See, we've created a delicate balance at home concerning Trey.  Right now, today, he's doing fabulous.  Who knows what's going to be happening next week, month, tomorrow?  I didn't want to commit to a team challenge if I wasn't going to be able to hold up my end of the bargain.  But, my sweet friend Jenn called and said simply that she wanted me on the team with her regardless of the outcome.  How can I say no?  So, I signed my life away up.

Strangely, though, this challenge presented itself at the exact time that I had been lamenting to Jay that I needed something to kick my (ever growing) butt into gear.  This past year, my size has fluctuated about 10 pounds either way several times.  Some people eat to comfort themselves during stressful times.  I don't eat at all during these times.  Then, when I feel better, I make up for the lack of appetite by eating...everything.  Not healthy.  And right now, I'm just not comfortable, especially since I know what to do to be in shape.  When I had to go into my bin labeled "pre and post pregnancy clothes" for the next size up in jeans, I knew something had to change.   Do you need something in a size 2?  I have it.  Size 16?  Yep, that too.

Another factor holding me back from initially signing up is that I just don't care about food.  That's it.  I don't want creative or fancy.  I don't want to spend time cooking or shopping or preparing food for just me.  I could seriously eat the same thing everyday.  By 'the same thing', I mean processed, easy to make, comes in a box type food.  I own the phrase "I eat to live" not "I live to eat".  A couple of years ago, I did The Zone diet and had really amazing results!  But, sadly, that only lasted a few months.

What is Paleo?  Some people call Paleo the 'caveman diet'.  Basically (in THE simplest form), Paleo is eating only the things a caveman would eat.  Lean meats, fruits, veggies, nuts and eggs.  No dairy, carbs, processed food or sugar.  As per this challenge, I must adhere to a strict Paleo diet, record my before and after pictures and measurements, and 3 'benchmark' workouts (I do 3 different workouts for time at the beginning of the challenge, then do the same 3 workouts for time at the end of the challenge and calculate the improvement)

So, here's where it's gonna get real. In the pictures I'm going to post below (be nice!), I'm wearing a pair of skinny jeans that I wore comfortably in the summer of 2011.  They're not so comfy now, but I hope they will be!!!

Please be kind!  And, check back to see how this challenge goes.  After these pictures, could it get worse?

Passing the time and the ugliest picture ever.

I let the kids set up a tripod and showed them how to use my camera....

mommy is a super creep

ugliest picture ever.

Pinteresting

Oh, my blog followers...I know I have been lacking in posts, leaving you empty...a hollow shell of your former self, unable to enjoy life without reading a post lovingly scripted by me.  Wait.  What?  You didn't even notice I was gone?  Pfffffttttt.....

In my own defense, even if you didn't ask for one, we were filling our summer days with trips, pools, dance classes, Jiu Jitsu classes, clinic visits, etc.  I didn't make a lot of time for blogging.  Plus, I very often feel writer's block.  There's nothing interesting to write about, that's boring, nobody would want to hear about that or you've already read about that on my facebook page.  But, then I would read a blog about what someone ate that day or what side of the bed that person sleeps on and I think, well heck, I could've written about THAT!  I apologize and hope you'll forgive me.  I promise to try to do better.

So, what are your feelings about Pinterest?  (Pronounced pin-trist by cool people) Please don't pretend like you don't know what it is.  I can't even help explain it if you don't know...an online, interactive, brain storming, idea pinning website that may or may not land us all in jail for misusing copy written logos .  There.  Is that clear?  I thoroughly enjoy Pinterest (jail be damned!) and do waste a lot of time scrolling through other people's pins that fantasize about the perfect house, yard, nursery, wardrobe, engagement/wedding/baby announcements, and sexy actors speaking clever quips directly to my soul (oh, I really kind threw up a little right there)...anywho...

 I tend to keep my 'boards' real-ish.  I only pin things that are with in my grasp, both in crafting ability and price range.  While I do love the idea of a curved slide attached to our staircase, that's just simply never going to happen.  Nail polish that requires 72 steps to accomplish, then chip the next day?  Not my cup of tea.  I don't cook, sew or travel.  For me, to pin things in these categories, would simply be torturing myself by reminding myself of things I can't have.  I understand that other people find comfort by just looking at the images and that's cool, too. 

To further keep myself pinning responsibly, I created a board titled "I tried/attempted/printed/used this!"  I add a little review of the project to remind myself or anyone else who happens to see it, how that particular project turned out.  Sometimes I had great success and sometimes I burned off my own fingerprints.  Following someone's lead can be tricky.  This really applies to all parts of life, no?  Add in some good photography of a finished project and I'm hooked.  But, as for Pinterest ideas....you're telling me THAT project only cost you $2.00 and took 10 minutes start to finish?  Likely story, lady. 

http://pinterest.com/rachelmitlo/i-tried-attempted-printed-used-this/

What are you pinning?  Love it?  Hate it?

*editor's note*  I removed the link to my actual Pinterest board because if I was logged in, you could totally get into my account and pin a  bunch of crazy stuff.  Therefore, if you are really desperate to see my boards...sign up for an account and follow me!