Monday, November 16, 2009

Out with the Old




My grandmother lived through the depression. She learned to be scrappy and crafty in dire times and she learned to conserve and save. She never got rid of these traits. In fact, she held onto them so steadfastly that she was able to pass them right on down to her granddaughter. Being her granddaughter was wonderful as a kid-so much stuff to play with, so many things to eat. So many ways to challenge my overactive imagination around her house.

My mother is sentimental. She saves things that mean something. She also has a very good memory which means that a lot of things mean something. The great thing about my mother is she is also a planner. Especially when it comes to her daughters. She has taught us to plan well for our future.

My father is a fixer. I wonder if his father was this way also or if he became this way out of necessity when money became scarce after his father died. Either way he would rather fix an old thing over buying a new one. His motto is definitely function over fashion. If it works, it stays. Just because it may not be beautiful, doesn't mean it doesn't work really well.

From a grandmother, her daughter and her daughter's husband came me. A sentimental, crafty, scrappy, planning fixer. These might sound like some great traits to pass down. And sometimes they are great traits, but when it comes to creating a world of less clutter for myself, these traits greatly hinder me. Whether I am going through clothes, papers, the garage, the kitchen-it doesn't matter. I am constantly fighting against my own nature. My instinct is always to either fix it, make something new out of it, or save it- you know, "just in case." Hmmmm...I wonder where I get it.

For the moment, lets set aside the piles of papers I can't seem to part with, the old toys I won't let go of, the ripped clothing I am one day going to get around to fixing, and the jars, ribbons and other items saved to "create." Lets focus instead on my bedspread. My bedspread? Why oh why are we focusing on that you may ask? For over six months my duvet cover had a tear on its underside that went almost the entire length of the cover. It didn't affect me much because it was on my husband's side of the bed, but still it nagged at me. I am a very particular sleeper-obviously my husband is not. I tried to fix it with mighty mend-it, but could never quite find the time to take it off the bed and do it properly.

Finally, I broke down, ripped it off the bed and replaced it with a brand new bedspread and new sheets and new pillows. It felt freeing to just get rid of the old and bring in the new. Our new bed is calming, and beautiful and at last, we are done with a duvet and are living like real live adults with sheets and a blanket. Ahhhhh.

This was a turning point. Since the bed transformation, I have continued pushing myself to the limit of my comfort zone. So, go forth and get rid of things! I know this may not sound like the greenest way to think, and when you really are going to fix something, or make something, do it! But, don't be like me and hang onto things indefinitely. There must be a time limit and if the item sits around longer than that- then get it gone! Either recycle it, trash it, donate it, or give it away. Just work hard to make your life skinner and I will too :).

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Money Saver or Time Waster?



About a month ago I made a list of the things that complicate my life. A recurring theme I noticed was the never ending flow of all types of paper-from junk mail to invitations to bank statements to birthday cards. I tackled a box of paper of all types in our office with the help of my husband and decided to move on to a better organizational system for the flow of paper in the kitchen.

I like to save money. Most people do. I go through sporadic periods of crazed coupon clipping. I get them in the mail and the promise of free money becomes intoxicating. The problem is that I end up with lots of neatly clipped coupons and never remember to use them. Unused coupons are nothing more than trash, but because they offer that tempting promise of money, they end up saved long past their expiration dates.

I thought I had a system of organization in place: three magnetic trays attached to the side of our fridge. When I went through the mess I found coupons that had expired over two years ago. Past system of organization=failed! I kept the trays but now I can use one for our gift cards, one to hold my new file system and one, well I am sure we will find something to stuff in it.

Check out the new system. Now, whenever I get that urge to cut, all I have to do is file by expiration date month- then whenever I glance in there and notice it is September and the May-August files still have coupons sitting in there, I can trash them. Anything without an expiration date gets put in the front and gift cards get there own home.

I know the dynamics of organizing coupons, etc. may seem incredibly boring to some, but for me it is one more baby step to living The Skinny Life.

BEFORE AFTER

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Practice Makes Perfect

When it comes to getting in shape, I am by far my worst enemy. I can easily find any other thing to do with my time besides using it to get fit (many of these options include my television). Yesterday was not perfect, but I have to say I was pretty proud of myself for putting in some practice. Yesterday, I ran.  I know it wasn't pretty, but at least I forgot about what bystanders must be thinking and put foot to pavement. The weezing and heel pains weren't great, but it did feel good to be outdoors and to feel like I was doing something good for myself finally. I was right about needing to walk part of the way which was sort of a bummer, but walking is still better than sitting on my couch. My total amount of running was probably around three blocks-I walked quite a bit more. I know to most people that may not sound like a lot, but it is the most I have run since around 1993, so I am damn proud of it. Next time....four blocks baby!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Ready to Run


In 2003 I bought a pair of great walking shoes. After ruining them on my honeymoon, my husband replaced them for me for Christmas that same year. I loved these shoes. Then a few months ago I realized that my feet would hurt after walking in them for a while. I finally stopped and thought about it....hmm...I know they rarely get use, but even so, 6 years seemed like a long time. So I did some research and found out that shoes should be replaced every 300 miles. Well, even with my minimal usage, I am sure I hit that number years ago. My miles were walking miles, but hey, they were still miles.

I decided it was time to replace my walking shoes with running shoes. At first I planned on stopping by Marshalls and getting a great deal, but then I realized I knew absolutely NOTHING about buying a good pair of running shoes. It was time to contact a professional. I found a running shoe store walking distance to my house called Movin. I had no idea what I was in for. The thorough and patient gentleman at the store had me not only try on shoes, but also run across the parking lot outside in each pair. He watched each short run and helped determine the best pair for me. This turned out to be the Asics 2140

I am really excited to begin the journey to becoming a runner. I don't really care if I am ever able to run a marathon, but I sure would like to no longer be afraid of running. It would be nice to feel like that is something I can do instead of having it in a list of things that scare me- along with spiders, clowns and rollercoasters that drop straight down.

I may sound like a crazy person with an irrational fear, but the last time I ran a mile was in the 7th grade when my gym teacher humiliated me. Running was always really difficult for me. I always had an abnormal amount of trouble breathing and pain in my heels from a condition where my heels have tiny cracks in them. The blood circulation to heal the tiny cracks gets disrupted when I run and the continuous pounding causes pain. This almost never bothers me now, but as a kid when you are expected to run more often, it was quite a bit more painful. I was the tiny middle school girl running almost 12 minute miles. Weird since I found out later that I can walk one in 14 minutes. Since my miles were so slow, my gym teacher made me run them by myself until I could do it in 9 minutes. I think the 8th grader she had timing me finally felt pity on me and may have fibbed a bit. After that, I got a note from my doctor and became a permanent member of the "walking team". And apparently I stayed on the "walking team" until now.

Well...I am not afraid anymore. Slightly cracked heels be damned! I will learn to run! I know I will be starting out slow. Maybe even a block at a time, but the good thing about my new shoes is I can walk in them too. I guess in fitness, as in life, a walker is not always a runner, but a runner is most definitely also a walker at times too.

Coming soon:
A fitter me
A fear-conquering me

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Hydrate

Obviously I know that staying hydrated is essential for bodily functions. Not so obvious is the reason behind my body's need to sabotage itself. And I am not the only one with this problem. Did you know that 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. 75%! That is insane! I don't know what everyone else's problem is, but mine is laziness. Downright, full bore laz-i-ness. This has been an issue for as long as I can remember. Even my hairstylist/friend Juju has told me repeatedly that the reason my scalp is always so dry is because I need to drink more water. She even crams it down my throat when I go see her. I am too lazy to get the water, too lazy to unscrew the cap of the water, too lazy to screw it back on, and way too lazy to pee repeatedly after I drink all this wonderfully hydrating water. Water is so important for our bodies to work properly. It clears toxins out of our body and helps our metabolism. Also, I just found out that because the thirst drive in most people is so weak, it is regularly mistaken for HUNGER! Great, so not only is my scalp dry, but I am getting fatter too?

What a dummy I am. I had tried everything to snap me out of this laziness. I had bought fancy water bottles with twists and built in straws. I bought super cute trendy looking ones, and I even bought the en vogue metal ones thinking that being environmentally conscious would snap me out of it. I know I need the water I just had to find the lazy girl's way to get it in my mouth. 


My mom was the one who unknowingly found my solution. I know I am going to sound like a commercial for these water bottles, but I don't even care. www.gocontigo.com. Everyone should have one. I have one for water (the pink one to the left) and one for hot liquids. They don't spill and all you have to do is squeeze. Also, they don't have the bad plastics that cause cancer. I just got the hot liquids one, and the no-spilling component is completely awesome on that one. I have been using the water one for a few months and I carry it everywhere. It can even clip to my bag for easy transport. I buy a 2.5 gallon jug of water and keep it in the kitchen and fill it all the time. Ideally, I will at some point figure out how to hook up my PUR water purifier so I am using less plastic. Living life should be easier so I have finally "skinnified" my water drinking and I am finally getting the hydration I need.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Hell Hath Frozen

Yes, I thought that is what would have to happen before I ever got motivated enough to enter a gym again. I was a "member" of a gym for years and went only a couple times a year. When we moved out of that area, I finally realized that if I couldn't get off the couch when I lived 5 minutes away from the gym, I probably wouldn't do it if I lived 20 minutes away. Gym membership-cancelled-2006. Fast forward to my ass getting wider and wider-2009. Time to get off the couch, get myself to Costco for the deal of the year on gym memberships, and get myself to 24 Hour Fitness. If you are trying to get motivated or looking for a cheap gym membership, try looking at Costco. It was $299 for 2 years. That breaks down to only $12.50 per month. And, this time I am going to get my money's worth. Weight today: X-2.5 pounds.

Is it weird that my toes went numb while on the elliptical?

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Oh, yeah.

If I thought sticking to healthy diet once summer was over would be easier, I was sadly mistaken. Even though summer was filled with parties and dinners and barbecues and going out, going back to my job as a school librarian has proven even worse over the last three days. So far I have been tempted by yummy items on a table in the lounge every day. I am proud of myself for resisting all but some mini cinnamon rolls- come on, who could resist those?

I know that table in the lounge almost always seems to hold something that can derail days of healthy eating, so this year I plan on staying well fed with healthy goodies and turning up the dial on my will power knob. Go me!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Trashy

As I looked at my list of things which complicate my life, I noticed a very defined theme. Paper. Paper bills, junk mail, piles of paper, receipts, policies, paystubs, statements, canceled checks, gift cards, coupons, investment information, the list keeps going. I feel like I am swimming in paper. Yesterday I worked on the beginning phase in sorting through the mounds of stuff in our office. One large box became "items to sort through." I was able to throw away a lot and cleared a full filing cabinet drawer for education related materials. Although I know there is a ton more to do, I felt really good about yesterday. It already looks much better. Then, this morning I got the perfect email about trashing papers: 

http://newsgeni.us/out.php?title=When_to_Trash_Old_Papers 

Check it out. I am going to use this as a guide while sorting through the giant box today.

Monday, August 24, 2009

Make it Simple







Elaine St. James has written 3 awesome books about simplifying life. I have read the first one called "Simplify your Life" and I am currently reading the second one called "Living the Simple Life." I recommend both of these if you are trying to create a more simple living environment. And although my innerness seems to be pretty simple, I am looking forward to reading the third book. In "Living the Simple Life"  St. James recommends making a list of the things that complicate your life. All day, I have been mentally doing this. It seems like it clarifies problems and by identifying them, it makes it easier to also identify solutions. Here goes...

Junk mail, piles of paper, spare change, folding clothes, bills, mail, sentimental items, grocery shopping, dust, feeling pulled in too many directions, negative energy, too many books, hobby supplies, art supplies, gift wrapping supplies, bill deadlines, printers not working, broken things, no room for my shoes, old paper records, fabric stains, recyclables, car issues, medical insurance, issues with family members, PCs.

This list is sure to grow, and as it does, so will my solutions.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Frosting Lust


I think that the majority of the time I do a pretty damn good job eating healthy or at least close to that. I have tried to cut down on sugar in recent years and the last few months have seen me eating many bags full of spinach (which I call spinach pillows) from Costco. I seem to have some sort of mental block when it comes to chocolate cupcakes with butter cream frosting. It is like all sense of will power goes out the window. 

For the 4th of July my mom bought a giant cupcake cake and had tons of leftovers- guess who ended up with them in her freezer? ding ding ding! winner winner chicken dinner! (in my case cupcake dinner, but whatever).  So tonight, when I got home from being a busy little bee, I took one of the tupperwares out of the freezer and set it on the counter to defrost the 4 little cuties. I spent my evening working and watching t.v. thinking to myself, "you can always put them back in the freezer."

Right.

Two cupcakes later, I am sprawled out on the couch feeling like a bloated pig. And still lusting after the bit of frosting that I left at the edge of the plate. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?! I am definitely weighing myself in the morning. Maybe my week of no appetite while I was sick will help to balance it out.

Coming soon:

A clean house
A healthy body
Some physical activity
Organized files.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Living the Skinny Life


Losing weight is just one way for me to get closer to living what I call "the skinny life." This is my own version of living in a green, healthy, minimalistic way-life gone streamlined. It seems to be an ongoing process. At this moment, life feels cluttered and weighted down. I have implemented a "good will" box and I am working hard to weed through my life and put more and more things into that box. Once everyday life becomes more streamlined and skinnier, it will be easier to focus on fulfilling my own dreams and goals. 

OK, so far all summer I have just been "trying" to get through paper work and clothes and books and eat healthy. As of yet, I have not set goals to get there. The more specific the better. And I think any time things are put in writing I definitely listen to them more. 

Although I am still focused on losing weight and eating healthy, Focus #1 will be reducing the clutter (of course if I lose a few pounds in the meantime, all the better).

I recently read the book 10-Minute Clutter Control by Skye Alexander. I am going to be incorporating a lot of the ideas in this book into my home makeover. Stay tuned for more on my new and improved "skinny life."

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Souplantation

I ate at Souplantation tonight and left feeling pretty ok about the situation. This was much better than the bloated, I-need-to-vomit sensation that I usually leave there with. Why is it though that entering Souplantation always makes me forget how many calories are in ranch dressing? Is it necessary to fill individual cups of it to dip pizza and pasta in? I would never normally do this at home. Maybe I should just not be allowed to eat out. I CAN make good choices and I WILL.

Daily food intake:

grilled cheese sandwich
1/2 tuna sandwich
Souplantation (aka food bonanza)

Friday, August 7, 2009

Rock Bottom

This past weekend we went to Vegas. I love Vegas, but this was the first ever trip where I truly felt like the "fat friend." I also felt like the girl in the ugly clothes and the poor girl, but that is beside the point. I know in my brain that I am not fat. I am a little chubby. And to be totally honest, most people would never know this (until I put on a bathing suit in Vegas). Today though, I stepped on that dreaded scale and the numbers I saw scared me. Lets call those numbers "X" (an idea hatched by my brilliant friend Chu). So, these scary numbers made me realize that it really is time to hit hard and get serious about losing the extra meat. When I graduated high school, I weighed 95 pound. I will admit that was extremely unhealthy, but at age 29 my weight has gradually crept up and up and up. This weekend was a total eye-opener. I have have hit rock bottom multiple times though, so I thought if I blogged about my eating and my situations, it may hold me more accountable. Putting this in print will make it more "real" instead of just saying I would like to lose weight. I really want to get healthy, get toned, and lose weight the healthy way. My goal....To lose between 14-17 pounds.I know I am not fat, but I also know I would feel so much better about myself and my body if I lost this weight. So please help me out and keep me accountable. Thanks magical blog world.

Well, since I am going to go hard core here, I may as well treat myself to some 10pm pancakes :). They are whole wheat.