All In A Day

I just looked in the mirror and I pray that I didn't look like such a hot mess all day.  No telling.  After all, I am with kiddos most of the day.  This morning started off pretty dang good.  I slept in until 6:00.  After I got ready I sat down and actually ate, that's right ate--not drank--my breakfast.  If only I could have cuddled up with a good book and read all day...

But that's not the way my life goes.  I have to go to work.  As a teacher, I have to plan to be off work.  I'd almost rather go to work sick then try to get things ready for a sub at the last minute.  So, I bid farewell to warm thoughts of spending this cool day with a book.  Hence, the reason I am writing this post.

My students can be brutally honest.  Yesterday a student told me I looked like I was getting ready to have a baby.  Really? Honestly?  She really knew how to make a girl feel good about herself...or not.  Then today happened. I always allow a student to pick a book off my bookshelf to read after activity.  Today the student picked a book I wrote and illustrated when I was a student at BYU-Idaho.  The back of the book had my author's page with this picture and my students just had to see it.  

After they saw it one student said, "You used to be pretty." Then another student commented, "You were a lot prettier then."  Last followed by, "You used to wear makeup."  (Yes, I did have on make-up today when he said this.) Really???  So, yesterday you tell me I look like I'm having a baby and today you tell me that I am no longer pretty... Thanks for smashing my dreams of being a beauty queen and ruining my self image kiddos.

On the bright side, other comments I heard were, "I can tell you used to be a doctor because you have on a white shirt and something around your neck."  I wanted to compliment the student for making an inference but instead felt it necessary to correct her. 

Seriously...these comments make me laugh.  They are often what keep me going after long nights spent lesson planning and getting ready to see the kids again.  Do I love my job? Honestly, NO.   Do I love my kids and enjoy spending time with most of them...Well, YES...that I do love.

Whole 30 Misconceptions

I'm in the process of completing my second Whole 30 and I am pretty excited about it.  Today is day 7 for me.  The first few weeks are always rough and I didn't feel the magic until close to week 4 in my first Whole 30.  Still, it was worth it.

Anyways, to the point.  Today I was at church and I mentioned how tired I was.   My mom then stated, "It's that diet you're on."  Another gentleman in the lobby then commented, "You don't need a diet.  If you loose any weight you are going to blow away."  These are my thoughts on that conversation.

First of all a diet isn't some 30 day meal plan you do.  A diet is part of your lifestyle.

Second, I'm not fat.  I know I'm not fat.  In my opinion I look pretty dang good.  I am not completing a Whole 30 to loose weight.  I am completing another Whole 30 because:

1. I want to be healthy.  I am responsible for my health and I want to live a healthy lifestyle.  One day, when I become a parent, I will be responsible for the health of my children.  I want to be able to live a healthy lifestyle to set an example for them.  I also want to be able to actively participate in my life and their lives.  Rather this be hiking with them, playing ball with them, or whatever other activity is demanded of me in order to spend quality time with them.  I don't want my health to limit the relationship I have with my family.
2. I want to perform my best.  I didn't notice my gym performance improve during or even immediately after my first Whole 30 until months after off-roading and then looking at my gym times during and immediately after the Whole 30.  Turns out, I was stronger when I was eating real food.  By real food, I mean food that has not be overly processed.  I want to be strong--Not just so I can have better times at the gym, but so I can better handle whatever life throws at me.
3. I get a sense of satisfaction knowing that I have enough willpower to complete a Whole 30.  It lets me know that I can be in control of what I put in my body.  I don't have to let food control me.
4. I realize that I have a sugar addiction.  Let's be honest, when you start crying over not being able to eat a piece of candy (a type that you really don't even care for) because you would do anything for the satisfaction that a sweet treat brings you have an addiction.  I cried over not being able to eat certain "foods" in my first Whole 30 and I have cried during this Whole 30.  At night, I dream about all the food I am not allowing myself to eat right now.  (It's not that I can't eat it.  I am making a conscious choice not to eat it.)  This lets me know that I have an unhealthy relationship with food and I need to do something about it.
5. Last but not least, I am doing the Whole 30 because real food is worth it.  Twinkies, Snickers, Mac-N-Cheese, etc. is not real food!  It is processed and modified junk.  I'm not saying I don't enjoy eating this junk every now and then but it isn't real food.  Meat, fruits (not in heavy corn syrup), vegetables, nuts, and seeds are REAL food.   

So yes, I will let my body be tired feel tired for a few measly day, allow myself to dream about sweet concoctions, and even allow myself to feel like I want to dropkick kittens every now and then during my Whole 30.  This is all part of detoxing and it is scary that I am eating foods that will allow me to feel like this when I remove them from my diet. For me, it is worth it.  I am not saying it is the right path for you but the only way you will ever know is if you try it out yourself.

Ramblings, Thoughts, and Vents

Before I type anything, I already know how much I am going to probably regret this post!  Still, I'm just gonna let it happen because tonight I don't really care.  Besides, it's really not my business what anyone else thinks of me.  With that being said, here is what is on my mind.

I am so tired of fitspiration posters with women with six packs.  Who cares if you have a six pack or not.  A six pack is not necessarily an indicator of health.  Don't you remember the battle over skinny models and girls all thinking they have to be skinny?  Well, now the new "fad" is a six pack.  Yes, I'll admit that I would love to have a six pack.  I don't have one.  That doesn't mean that I am not healthy.  I know I am healthy and I think I am pretty dang good looking if I can say so myself--one pack and all.  


Now to my next item of business.  I have been thinking about this quote a lot lately:

"If it is important to you, you will find a way.  If not, you'll find and excuse."  

Well, I am guessing that six pack is not as important to me as cupcakes!  Seriously, I have thought about this quote and relationships.  I think that we find a way to stay in contact with people that are important to us.  I'm not just talking about being friends on Facebook contact but genuine contact. Rather it is randomly calling or checking on a person to check on them or actually having "real" time with that person.  I think of all the people I've meet.  I only stay in contact with a small percentage of them.  Guess I know who is important enough to me to make the effort.  Life is about choices, we choose who we want in our lives.  On the other hand, people have to choose to let us in their lives.  I could go deeper and further with this one but I will just say that I don't beg to be part of anyone's life or to have any type of relationship with anyone that doesn't put forth the effort to have a relationship with me.

The quote also has me thinking about life goals and dreams.  There are things I say I want to do, and I really do want to do them, but I am not doing them.  Guess they are just not important enough to me to be a priority.

Last little ramble: I went to the single's branch today.  I didn't go with any intention of meeting "the one" or whatever you want to call it. (I know that there is no "the one" by the way...don't get me started on that.)  I simply went because I am bored and I wanted to meet new people.  Still, I hate how it is sometimes treated like a meat market.  I am not there to "get on anyone."  I won't say it wouldn't be a perk though.  I just think people should be treated as people and that includes not treating the branch like a meat market.

There, I'm done...with all that I am going to allow myself to say out loud.  Sweet Dreams.