Boggy Creek Farm

While you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for my next blog post (c'mon, I know you are!) take a gander on over to my Achieving Healthy Blog and see some fresh (no pun intended) new shots that the talented Angela Doran took of me my first few weeks in Austin as well as a roundup of my trip to a super sweet local farm, Boggy Creek!

The post can be seen HERE!

IIN Health Coach {in training}

I am soooo late posting this, but it's been on my mind for at least 3+ months.

Back in June sometime, I enrolled at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition's July 2013 class. IIN’s year long, comprehensive curriculum covers over 100 dietary theories and combines counseling techniques with real-world business training. Its unique nutrition philosophy takes a holistic approach to wellness and encourages students to consider relationships, work, exercise, and spirituality as essential to building good health.

IIN's mission: 

Our mission is to play a crucial role in improving health and happiness, and through that process, create a ripple effect that transforms the world.

By June of 2014 (once I pass all my tests and graduation requirements), I will be a certified health coach! There are so many things that have brought me to wanting this. There's no possible way I could cover them all (plus you'd get bored, I'm sure) so I'll just review what I feel are a few the top reasons that lead me not just to  enrolling but having this burning desire to join the health and wellness industry in attempts to change myself as well as many others.

• I want to become a more health conscious person. I am my first client. If you know me at all, you likely know that I'm the pickiest person. Ever. I know I need to eat vegetables and do better for myself, but for whatever reason, it's been a battle. I've been doing SO much better in the past few years (if you don't believe me, go back and read my posts from 2009 talking about what I was eating vs. my posts about what my meals are like now).
• I have worked in the health & wellness industry a little bit the last few years and I see a huge disconnect on what these "professionals" are preaching to their clients vs. what they are actually doing in their own lives. Some of what they are telling their clients is so far off base, I cannot comprehend how on earth they deem what they're saying as acceptable. It's apparent to me that the education they are verbalizing is straight from a Google search and not from any proper schooling. 
• I feel constantly surrounded by unhealthy people. Some of these people KNOW what they should do to help themselves, and they just don't do it. Some literally just don't know that what they're doing is bad for them and the long term negative effects it has on not only them, but the rest of their family and their own lives. 
• I want to gain understanding as to why I often feel tired and sick. I know for at least 98% certainty that it has to do with my diet, but what exactly is the culprit?
• I want to be able to help those closest to me, achieve optimal health. I already have a lot of friends and family come to me for advice and with questions and I'm so excited to finally be able to have real, educated answers for them!
• I want to be known as an educated professional and not just someone with strong opinions from personal experience. Completion of this school is going to be such an accomplishment for me!

One of the things that I love so much about this school, that I hadn't even considered a part of my health prior to enrolling, is that they teach what they call "primary foods". It's everything that feeds you in life, but doesn't come on a plate. We wrap it up in four categories: Relationship, Spirituality, Career, and Exercise.

I cannot begin to tell you how much happier I feel since having started this program. Really evaluating each aspect of my life, and working to create a balance in each area. I am working daily on my happiness, and it feels so good to see how effortless it can actually be! I feel confident in saying, that this very moment is the happiest I think I have ever been. Of course, I still have areas of my life which I wish to improve, but I'm taking the steps to get there and know it will happen eventually. 

I've been brainstorming a lot about what I want my "niche" to be and I have a lot of really great ideas, but that will have to wait for a later post since I still haven't decided for 100% just yet. Thankfully I still have about 6 more months before I need to lock that down :)

Thank you so much, for taking the time to read through this post and learning more about what I've been doing the past few months. Please feel free to comment or contact me directly if you have any questions you want to ask! I hope you have a very happy and healthy day!

xoxoxoxo

- Abbey 

May Recap

Whooohooo! Probably my best month yet, in terms of actually doing what I mapped out for myself!   

• See how long I can make it without purchasing a loaf of bread/eating bread in general (hopefully the entire month!) – I still haven’t purchased a loaf of bread, but I did go to Subway, ate a bagel, pizza, etc. but I’m gonna keep going as long as I can without buying a loaf of bread!
• Continue to track my food on MyFitnessPal Monday through Friday – CHECK! I skipped a couple of week days when I was traveling, but I logged every day I was at work!
• Plan workouts for the coming week by Monday – I am so glad I started doing this. I’m the kind of person where once I've set a goal for myself, I have to do it or I’ll feel really guilty. Doing this was a great way to keep me accountable and I’ve already got the first 2 weeks of June planned out!
• Plan meals for the coming week by Monday – Woof. This probably the thing I failed at the most. With leaving town so much, it was hard to know how much groceries to keep in the house so I pretty much had to just make do with whatever I had. I think I still did a decent job of eating clean/healthy for the most part though, so that’s what’s important.
• Run at least 1-2 times per week – I definitely accomplished at least 2 runs/week, sometimes 3! Feels good to be running so much, but I’m not looking forward to it warming up :/ Thank goodness I run at 5am most days! 
   I had a bit of a high school reunion when I was in San Francisco when I can the Bay to Breakers with my friend Megan!
   The race finished on the Pacific Ocean.... such a gorgeous view! 
• Lift weights at least twice per week – This may have been closer to once/week, but definitely twice/week sometimes. And I was doing Insanity a couple of times per week, so I feel like that counts.
• Daily doubles at least twice per week – Especially towards the end of the month, this one gets a CHECK! I’m a homebody and hate going out, and I love working out, so this was not near as difficult as I thought it might be, even in the slightest.
• Eat out in NYC no more than once – What’s weird is that as stated above, I’m a homebody and hate going out. I didn't think this one would be hard to check off at all, but I ended up eating out like 4 times! Very unlike me. I have to remind myself though sometimes that spending quality time with friends is more important than saving a few dollars. Besides- I was well taken care of when I was in CA and Arizona, so I didn't end up over spending like I thought I might. 
   Cassie and I went to Blockheads to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
   Tacolicious in San Francisco! 

Sorry I’m a little late! I’ll post goals for June some time later this week :D

May Goals

Deciding on what goals to post for May was harder than any other month for some reason. Mostly because April came and went faster than I knew it and I wasn't prepared. But also because I'm wondering if I should post fewer goals in attempts to up my chances of actually crossing them all off.
Am I posting too many goals for myself each month? Am I being unrealistic about what I'm setting myself up for? Who knows. But two days into May... here goes nothing!

• See how long I can make it without purchasing a loaf of bread/eating bread in general (hopefully the entire month!)
• Continue to track my food on MyFitnessPal Monday through Friday
• Plan workouts for the coming week by Monday
• Plan meals for the coming week by Monday
• Run at least 1-2 times per week
• Lift weights at least twice per week
• Daily doubles at least twice per week
• Eat out in NYC no more than once

So there you have it!

I'm going to San Francisco and Arizona the last two weekends of the month, so I really want to 1) try to pinch my pennies so I can enjoy spending money on vacation and not be stressed and 2) Um hi, it's warm there... photographs will be taken... I'd like to feel good about the way I look in said photos. 

March Goals

Posting my goals for February had a significant impact on me. I did a lot of what I laid out for myself and had such a huge sense of accomplishment when the month ended. I will continue to post my monthly goals for the foreseeable future.

March 2013

• Eat sweets (in general, not just the S&S peaches) at work no more than 2 times/week
• Finish the NYC ½ marathon with a smile on my face :D
• Foam roll at least once/week
• Try at least 2 brand new recipes for dinner
• Finish editing and print cruise pictures
• Go to at least one “NYC only” restaurant that I’ve never been to before
• Go to the public library
• Go to yoga at least once (I was not so good at this for Feb. and I hate yoga in general, but I know it’s good for me-   so I’m trying….)
• Go to spin at least once
• Add vegetables to my meals at least twice/day

Thank you to everyone that continues to read about my silly life. I love the encouragement that you give me! Do you have any goals you wish to achieve during the month of March?!

February in review

February 2013: Results

• Run at least 75 miles This did not work out as planned, but only because I got bronchitis the last week of Feb :( I ended up completing 67.42 miles. Had I completed all of the runs I had mapped out for myself, I would have ended up over my goal. This really bummed me out, but I guess it's better that I get sick now, than the week before the race!

• Go to yoga at least twice Nope! Didn't even go once :(
• Take my scheduled cross training days seriously: actually do a full set of weights Frankly, I do not do well with creating my own workouts. I love working out, but I love it more when someone else is telling me what to do. I still did cross training about 2 days/week, I just know I didn't workout to my full abilities, for a number of different excuses: my gym is always packed and mostly full of men who stare at me (I'm also usually the only white/blond woman/person in my gym); I love cardio and have a hard time jumping off the machines to move on to the weights; etc. etc. etc....
• Eat sweet & sour candy peaches from work no more than twice/week I did alright with this, except for the week of Valentine’s Day… there was ridiculous amount of treats in the office and once I start, I can’t stop!

• Bring (healthy) lunch to work at least 4 times/week This is something I was already doing, but I wanted to make sure I stuck with it, and I did!! There were a couple of days that I just stuffed my face with unhealthy snacks from our kitchen, but I would say for the most part, I did well with this and will continue to do so :)

• Get checked for skin cancer This is something I’ve had on my mental to-do list for a very long time. I love the sun, and I love going tanning. Yes, I am aware of how bad this is for me. No, I do not plan to change my tanning ways anytime soon. (sorry I'm not sorry) Thankfully, my skin checked out good! I do plan to continue going back once a year to get checked.

• Hold at least a 1 minute plank no less than twice/week I actually did better with this than I anticipated! If I'm being honest, I probably only averaged once/week; but I did notice them getting slightly easier by the end of the month. But I put a huge emphasis on "slightly"...
• Go to at least 1 spin class CHECK!!! Not only that, but it was theeeeeee best spin class I have EVER taken! Come back in a few days to read my review of this amazing class!
• Find someone to run at least 1/2 of my long runs with me I didn't even bother asking anyone (other than my friend Rachael, who is running the half marathon with me). Last year, I needed the help towards the end of my training. This year? Not so much! I'm trying my hardest, to run in new areas of the city that I've never been to before, which is really keeping me entertained throughout my runs :)
• Do at least 1 thing I could only do in NYC CHECK!! I went to the Museum of the City of New York! It wasn’t the best museum I’ve ever been to. I also didn’t realize that there was a 3rd floor and ended up having to rush through it because I had somewhere to be. I think I’ll go back sometime, to see if the exhibits change, and to look longer on the 3rd floor.

I really enjoyed doing this for myself and would like to continue to keep posting my goals for each month. I mean, who says that goals should only be something we have January 1st?! That being said, check back March 1st, for a new list of goals I've set for myself.

*** Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read this blog lately. It's definitely keeping me inspired to write and post more often! ***

 

Goals

Part I...
I don't know if anyone reads this anymore.... I kind of doubt it. If you stopped, I don't blame you.


When I started this blog, it was supposed to be all about my new and exciting adventures of life in the fast lane in New York City. Unfortunately, my life is a bit less than exciting or adventurous.

I go to bed between 9:15-10pm almost every night (even on the weekends...). I wake up anywhere between 4:40am-6am . Even on Sundays, I'm lucky if I can sleep in past 8am. I only go out about once a month, if even that. Every time I leave a Broadway show (which is almost never), I vow to myself that I'll go more often, but never do. I almost never drink anymore, except the random glass of boxed wine from home here and there (just keepin' it classy folks).
It's not to say that NYC isn't exciting anymore, I'm sure it is. But after 2.5 years, it's definitely lost its luster. I feel the nightlife is very “been there done that/same shit different day”. As a 28 year old, I just don't feel like I'm doing my generation justice by living my life in the way that I have been the past year or so. So, I'm sorry to all my mid-late 20-something people... I'd love to tell you that I'll try harder and really take advantage of NYC for all that its worth. But the truth is, I'm not changing, and I don't want to.

After having worked at a gym for about a year and a half, my interest in the health and wellness world/industry has really piqued. Realistically, I drink diet soda more than I should; I have a hard time resisting the jar of sweet & sour candy peaches that my office has in our kitchen; I love cheese and will never give that up; blah, blah, blah. But I am trying. A little while ago, I wrote out my goals for the next 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years and I want to try my hardest to make sure that I accomplish them.

I am really making an effort to make sure that I have a healthy lifestyle that includes whole foods, adequate sleep, a workout routine I can live with, all while trying to juggle a social life sprinkled in there somewhere too.
Let me tell you, all of your granola eating, gym rat friends make it look wayyyyy too easy. I swear their lying. Because I've only recently been putting solid effort into trying to balance it all, and it's really hard... And my social life? Well it is pretty much non-existent.

I have been feeling guilty that I’m not making the most of this time in my life when I’m supposed to be young, carefree, do it all (and on no sleep) etc., etc., etc… I feel like I shouldn’t be allowed to live in New York City.
Thankfully, I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately about nutrition and realize that I just need to remind myself more often, that what I’m choosing to do and how I’m living my life right now, is probably the best thing I’ve done for myself- ever.

A lot of the other health/wellness/fitness bloggers that I try to keep up with have been posting their goals either daily, weekly, or monthly in attempts to help keep themselves accountable. So I’m going to go ahead and follow suit. However, this post has gotten long enough, so you’re going to have to check back in a few days for my Part II… I promise there will be one because I’ve already got it up and scheduled to post, I just didn’t want to bombard the people who actually might be reading this….

To be continued…

20 pounds... gone!

Since I've started running, there have been times where I think to myself, "why am I doing this??".
My roommates tell me all the time that they think I'm crazy for running.
Shortly after I started really making a commitment to running (back in April '11) I discovered an app for my phone (RunKeeper, for those that are interested to know) that would track my runs. It would give me my stats for time, distance, pace, and loads of other interesting information.
I started posting my stats on my Facebook because, I felt like maybe if I put it out there in public, it would help keep me accountable to stick with it.


I really never thought that the feedback I would get from friends would be what kept me going.
I can't even begin to tell you the overwhelming response I've gotten from people who email me or tell me I'm inspiring them. Even my friends who are already runners, or into working out are telling me that my posts, and pictures make them want to get out and get moving.
It just goes to show you, that you just never know how what you do, or what you say will effect others.
A huge thank you to anyone and everyone who has ever emailed me, commented on a photo of mine, or told me in person that I've inspired you in some way. Please keep them coming... they inspire ME and keep me motivated to keep doing what I'm doing.


That also brings me to the other thing that has been keeping me motivated lately....

These are screen shots from a video I had taken just after moving to NYC. I was going through my phone the other day to delete old photos when I came across this. I was appalled. How did I ever let myself get this out of hand?! I look swollen! If you remember the BLOG POST I did in August about my weight loss, you may remember this shot: 

This is from just a couple of days before I moved to NYC. Oye.


Please don't ask me how it's possible that I didn't get motivated until the following spring before I decided to take action...

Slowly... getting.. there...

Finally starting to see progress...

And here I am today!! Finally, my hard work is proving to pay off!


I've lost almost 20 pounds since August 2010! Can you believe it?! These pictures are such a great reminder for me of where I was, to where I am now. I feel really lucky that I actually enjoy running- I know it's not enjoyable for a lot of people; but I firmly believe if you can force yourself to do it, and constantly remind yourself why you're doing it, it becomes addicting. 


You may start to see some changes in my blog in the future... I'm still on the fence about where I want this "publication" to go. I already have another blog dedicated to my photography, so if that's what you're after, I suggest you check that one out HERE. I'm considering making this blog more health/fitness/food related; but I would really love to hear from YOU about what you'd like to hear about. Would you enjoy reading a more healthful related blog? More NYC experiences? 
Tell me in comments below!


Thank you, as always for taking the time to read about me, my life, and my struggles and successes. I appreciate each and every one of you!

2011 in Review

I wanted to do something a little different than last year. I feel like the majority of you are all friends with me on facebook, so I didn't want to bore you with loads of pictures you've already seen (though, please forgive if there is a repeat or two). Instead, I want to give out one last thank you from 2011 for all the great things I've been blessed to have added to my life this past year....

New Roommates

The most amazing cheerleading team, ever.

1 year anniversary of living in NYC

Fabulous new friends for life

Even more fabulous new life long friends.

The strength and will power to maintain a healthier body

A new found love for running

I'm not sure I'm all that fond of the term "resolutions"; because I feel like, if you don't accomplish them, it sounds like a much bigger disappointment or let down.

So instead Im going to share my goals with you for the future that I will start in 2012:

- eat pasta once a week

- eat fish once a week

- exercise (weights) at least 3 times/week and no more than 5 times/week 

- run at least 3 times/week

- stretch 4 times/week 

- eat 3 banana's/week
- write 1 hand written letter/week

I realize that they are all health/food related, but I'm at a point in my life right now where that is my main focus. I have even decided to put my photography on the back burner a little bit. I'm feeling very burnt out with it, and just don't have the same passion I had for it at one time. I'm hoping a break, and some time to gather some funds to buy updated equipment will help give me back that fire I once had for it.

I hope your 2012 is off to a great start so far! Have you made any goals or resolutions?