Eating Clean

So in my quest for wifely hot-ness, and overall cementing my plan to live to torment my husband for decades to come, I have changed the way I cook. Disclaimer: It's only been about a week so far. I'll let you know about next week when we get there. :)

However, so far, so GOOD!

Eating Clean is basically eliminating processed foods from your diet. Any real food is in, anything you can't pronounce is out. I love the principle of this. I mean, do our bodies really know how to process red dye #20? I've been reading The Eat Clean Diet Recharged, by Tosca Reno, and The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook.

It's also made me really concerned, because it made me realize just how difficult it is to find foods that meet this criteria! Instead of, well, nearly anything in a box, my shopping looked more like this:



I love that there's no calorie counting. No weighing food. No math! :) 5-6 small meals (which, realistically, is more like 3 meals and two snacks) means I have NOT been hungry. But I'll warn ya; there's a LOT of prep. Because the emphasis is on whole foods, you can't just grab some pre-packaged process thing and heat it up. But bread is in (thank God!) as long as it's whole wheat, milk is good, and fruits and veggies happily hang out with MEAT! :)

I haven't yet lost any weight(to my knowledge, I'm trying NOT to over-weigh, actually, because of the disappointment shame-cycle involved), but I feel good! If I wasn't so damn sore from taking crazy gym classes this week, I'd likely be bounding and leaping around the house. My mood has been good, I haven't been starving, and I'm overall happy with it.

The only sucky thing is that it makes me feel so damn virtuous, I'm sure to get smacked in the face with a double cheeseburger in the near future. Must. Not. Get. Too. Smug. :)

Love,

Steph

22, 28. 22, 28....

The title of this post references one of my favorite scenes in the movie, "The Sweetest Thing." Cameron Diaz's character does a cute little move that shows the difference in where her boobs were at age 22, and where they now are at age 28. (they are lower!)

I'm sad because I've tried to link it but not working. :( I found it on Youtube under Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate, the Gravity Scene in The Sweetest Thing. I hate it when I can't link, because I actually bored my own self typing that out.

Anyway. Moving on.

Even though I haven't hit the 30 mark yet, my life is drastically different from where it was when I was 22.

Case in point.

Work

22: Work 3-11pm. Change clothes in the bathroom at work to go out. Don't really care who noticed. Spend $10 on "dollar beer night" at the pub. Crawl in bed around 3. Drag self out of bed around 11. Do it again! Everyday! Full of energy, rarin' to go! YAY!

28: Drink 3 cups of coffee after prying self out of bed. Work 9-12, paperwork until 2, meet with clients from 2-7. Eat. Watch TV. Fantasize about winning the lottery so that I can pay off my student loans and all the debt I racked up when I was 22.


School

22: Work 7-3 shift on school days, in order to attend classes at night. Find reliable friend (ahem, Sarah, ahem) who is organized, so that I don't miss project deadlines, due dates. Get straight A's. (thank you Sarah!)

28: Master's Degree Complete! But. Start getting student loan bills. All the time. Learn that I actually need to continue for 2 more years and get licensed to actually use degree appropriately. What?!?! Shit.


Social

22: See aforementioned dollar beer nights, watch roommates play video games. Pine after a guy who does not "need a commitment right now."

28: See my friends at Wine Nights and the gym. Get Married! (Hey, at least this one's better!) :)

FAMILY

22: Called family randomly. No family close by. Bit lonesome, actually.

28: Enter Facebook. Family overload! :) In-laws, step-family, mom, dad, everyone in contact all the time.

So, really, most things have actually gotten better! And thank you Jesus, my boobs are still the same. :)

Love,

Steph

Fashion Smashion

On my current quest to be a fabulous, fit, stylish wife, I am trying to be more fashionable. Hmm. Now all 3 of you who read this will start scrutinizing my clothes.... :)

However, I lack the resources (i.e., cash) to make said goal fully attainable, so I'm trying to use what I have, and fill in the rest from T.J. Maxx, Stein Mart, Marshall's, and similar stores where I can get a dress, top, and cute belt for $40 total. (For serious!) This got me thinking.

In high school, I was completely jeans-and-t-shirt all day all the time. Okay, okay, a hooded sweatshirt or sweater would make it into the rotation if it was chilly, but I even hated jackets and coats (except for the completely too big suede jacket I begged for in 8th grade and wore daily--lucky for you, I can't find a picture of it). I definitely did not win Best Dressed, if you get my drift. Actually, I think the only time I wore a dress was at graduation. Somehow, I was still mid-range on the popularity scale, which continues to be a mystery to me.

However, despite being a complete fashion moron, I had to have the NAMES. The LABELS. The BRANDS. If I'm gonna wear a t-shirt, it better have somebody's name on it!

After college, where my desperate lack of style, (and broke-ness) continued, this thinking completely reversed. I noticed the trend shifting one day when I was comparing flats with my friends, and we chatted about who got the cutest shoes for the cheapest price. Your outfit was actually cooler if you got a bargain on it! Bought your dress for $3 at a thrift store and made it look amazing? 1,000 cool points!

This was an awesome revelation for my mindset, and especially for my poor, sad credit card. I also discovered the emotional junk behind the spending. When I gained weight, I bought clothes. Felt sad? bought clothes. Or actually, underwear, socks, and shoes, because none of these really required the dreaded try-on in the dressing room. And so it continued, until I began losing weight during and after college, and realized that nothing I bought would cover up how miserable I felt about myself at times.

So, maybe it's not really a "Fashion To-Do List," but a "Continue to Be Confident in who I am List," where I only buy clothes that make me feel good about myself. I used to think a girl had to be thin and tall to pull off cute clothes, so why should I even bother? But, now that I'm rounding towards my 30's, I actually feel BETTER about myself, despite being short and curved. It's been a total growing up process.

But, then again.......I could probably just give full credit to my husband, who thinks my ass looks hot in everything! Having someone tell you you're gorgeous every day sure doesn't hurt. :)

Love,
Steph

Wedding Season

*this is me, kissing my groom."Father Joe, can I kiss him yet?!?"

Our "wedding season" this year began with Seth and Katina's gorgeous, formal, Greek Orthodox affair in April. Ours was a Catholic afternoon ceremony with a Navy base reception a few weeks later. Fast forward two more weeks--Greg and Chrystal's oceanside ceremony and beach house reception. Within a month of that--Alex and Elaine's Catholic ceremony and hotel reception! Last weekend was Cassie and Joseph's outdoor wedding ceremony and Navy base reception, and on Thursday we are traveling to the Kentucky/Ohio border for Derek and Leslie's rose garden ceremony and lunchtime reception.

Am I sick of weddings at this point?

No. Way! :)

Out of those weddings, we were of course, COMPLETELY immersed in our own, Juan and I were both in one, and he's also in this weekend's upcoming shindig--which we are driving 10 hours each way for--which in itself, will be a roadtrip adventure!

I think that having our own wedding had definitely made me more aware of how to act/dress/behave and generally be AWARE at other people's weddings. Not RSVP'ing in a timely manner--a BIG nono and headache. RSVP'd? Unless you or your child is very ill, you better show up, smiling, and at least eat the dinner I paid for! :)

I also enjoy being at a wedding with my husband, and hearing the (not the same, but similar) vows over and over. There's definitely more connection to the ceremony, tradition, and the power of the event itself! I also definitely notice the details more. The ribbons that family members spent hours trying. The cake that was so lovingly tasted and worried over. The frustrated feelings of wanting to have the wedding YOU want, and fretting over the wedding that others expect.

And yes, weddings are expensive for the couple, expensive for the wedding party, and can be expensive for the guests, depending on travel/hotel/etc. But they are so much about celebrating the individual couple, that I've still gotten butterflies at every wedding I've been to this year. That's not to say I have always been in a perfect mood, the entire time, at every single moment. But. There's just that wonderful magic of new beginnings and happiness at weddings...I hope I never get tired of this feeling.

Love,

Steph

Dear "The Biggest Loser,"

You have the uncanny, ironic ability to both motivate me to lose weight, and at the same time, to make me wish I weighed enough to get on your show.

Sincerely,

Steph

Recipe Success! (But Diet Fail)

This is a total half-win, half-lose post. On one hand, I whipped up an awesome lasagna. On the other hand, the lasagna is NOT skinny. :) Ah well. The way to MY man's heart is through his stomach, fortunately (unfortunately?). And I'm sure I'll be over this cooking phase at some point :) It is just a phase, right? right?!?!



*This picture is slightly misleading. Because although I did put more salad on my plate than lasagna, I sure didn't go back for seconds on the salad. Just sayin'.
Anyway, this was pretty easy. To my Italian/French stepdad's horror, we used a jar of tomato basil Classico sauce, added canned tomatoes/tomato paste, minced garlic, green peppers, oregano, and salt and pepper for the sauce. Threw in some ground beef and Italian sausage for good measure:)

The cheese mixture was 15 oz ricotta (some people use cottage cheese, but isn't that a sin? kinda like killing a mockingbird, ain't it, Atticus?) :)
1 1/2 c. mozzarella
2 beaten eggs
pepper (not to taste, silly. Just till you see the black dots. Tasting can give you salmonella, you see)
a handful of shredded parm.

Boiled the noodles, because no-boil just seems wrong. Al-dente.

Then threw it together:
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese mixture
Sauce
Noodles
Cheese mixture....

Repeat.

Until it's gone.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes, then sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella and one handful of parm. and throw it back in for ten minutes. Top with parsley and oregano.

Then make your husband drool for 20 minutes while it sets. Now would be an opportune time to go for a run, or do tae-bo. Of course, I opted to bake peanut butter cookies instead.

Then eat, and send a picture to your mother. You know, so she believes you did it all by yourself. Come to think of it, couldn't hurt to send a picture to your mother-in-law as well.

While you're patting yourself on the back, be sure to portion enough for tomorrow, and then send the leftovers to your husband's bachelor friends and family. Because really, only two people live here, and if it sits around too long.....well I'd end up eating the whole pan. :)

It's that good.

Love,

Steph

Helper, Help Thyself

Eek. Today began with my husband smashing the snooze button several times. Pure exhaustion. I was late, and had to move my first appointment (a supervision meeting) back 30 minutes. Yuck, I hate being late. She wasn't upset though, and gladly gave me the extra 30 minutes to help me out.

So then the day dragged along, and I went to pick up a client at 4:00, and got a flat tire. I am so thankful I had just gotten off the interstate! My fab coworker drove 20 minutes to rescue me.

Then I had to work late, until about 8pm. My husband did the laundry, made some supper, and washed the dishes.

All this helping was great. However, I don't like to ask for help. Hate it actually.

I am woman, hear me roar, and I hate roaring for help!

The lateness was okay, because this is my co-worker/friend and sometimes she has things too. So, that help seemed okay for me to accept. But the tire--I mean, this is 2010. I am a country girl. I know how to change a tire, and I wanted to do it for myself. But. The lug nuts were bolted on so tight, I couldn't budge them. I even stood on the lever-thing and JUMPED. No budge. I had to call for reinforcements. I didn't like that feeling at all!

The last time my best friend's battery died, I googled "How to Jump Start a Car," PUSHED her car out of its spot, and then jumped the damn thing. That was such a proud moment! :)

I'm a counselor. I am much more comfortable being a helper than a helpee. I bitch, moan, and complain that everyone comes to me for everything. However, I really do like to be needed, often to the detriment of my own needs and wants. I'm working on this, learning how to strike a balance between helping others, helping myself, and asking for help when I need it.

I'm trying to recognize that its much better to ask before I'm drowning, rather than when I'm completely overwhelmed, in over my head, and at the breaking point.

It's a process!

And now, I am helping myself to some "breakfast for dinner." :)

Love,
Steph