I compromised my values....

Normally I'm a very "stick to your beliefs" kind of a person.  But I recently made a decision that went against everything I knew and trusted in.  I was trying to be a risk taker, part of the 'in' crowd, trendy if you will.  And I can now share with absolute certainty, that you have values for a reason -- they should never be put aside just to be "cool".  

I just didn't think the consequences would be that great.  I thought I would just try it once, because so many other people like it, and then I wouldn't have to do it again, or I might even like it, and it might even be good for me! 

No. 

Big Mistake.

I bought banana walnut oatmeal squares. From Costco.

I don't know what on earth possessed me but it had to have been evil.  I have known for more than twenty years that bananas are a plague.  They contaminate everything they come in contact with and thus can only be eaten by themselves and then disposed of immediately and far from your vicinity or they continue to contaminate from the grave!  Nuts also are of a contaminatory nature and should be eaten alone as well (if not covered in chocolate).  They should never be anywhere near something as precious as a brownie and trail mix is pushing it.  (On a more personal note, walnuts are my least favorite nut.)  Again. What was I thinking?

Here's what happened.  First, since it was Costco, the offending oatmeal squares were packaged with similar oatmeal squares with chocolate chips.  Who doesn't want those?  Second, I rationalized how healthy oatmeal is for you especially when paired with a nut, because as I've recently learned the good things in oatmeal combined with the good things in nuts creates the entire spectrum of good proteins you need to fight things like bad cholesterol and all those other things.  And then my kicker thought was, "really, how bad could these things really be?"  

Then yesterday I ate one.  And they were everything I imagined they would be.  Now I have like 20 more to choke down.  These things better be damn healthy for me.

pump ME up

I supposed you can tell what my life has been like lately with all this talk of working out. This however is more a timing thing rather then just what I've been thinking about. So I've started this workout challenge through a friend of mine. I actually did it last month but it was kind of thrown together so this feels like the first real month of the challenge. Here's what happens with the challenge:

*You put up money ($10 last month, $15 this month)

*You make goals about how much you will do for the month (we'll get to my goals in a sec)

*And then you do to the challenge, if you complete it you get your money back

This is what I've gotten myself into. Last month my challenge was - 400 sit-ups, 200 push-ups, 40 pull-ups, and 15 miles run. It was actually really easy. Except for the pull-ups but that's because I hate them. This time though the ante has definitely been raised. Over the next 45 days I have to do:

*1500 push-ups (not girl push ups mind you, the real ones)

*1500 sit-ups

*Run 20 miles

*Bike 30 miles

In all reality (if you break it down by day) this isn't actually that much....but still it seems like a lot right now. I'm really excited about it though. This kind of goal making actually really works for me and I think it will be really awesome. I'm excited for tonight and my daily 34 push-ups/sit-ups (ya it calculates out to 33.3 of those per day) and I think it's going to be a good 45 days.

*PS if anyone wants to join the challenge just let me know and I'll give you the website to join!

Spiralling Downward

I'm going to make a confession here... I have only worked out once in the past three weeks. Granted pretty much every night I do some push-ups, sit-ups and abs, and plank for at least a minute. But I don't really think that this counts. Now though I've confirmed it doesn't count. I've discovered that when I don't work out my mental health really starts spiralling towards crazy town. Maybe it's the endorphins, maybe it's just the fact that when my body isn't doing anything it's meant to be doing, or maybe it's really because when I'm not working out all I'm doing is sitting in my office and working. Ugh.

My whole point for this though is not just to admit that I'm a fat lazy ass.... but more to share my realization once again that working out is probably the best thing ever. It makes all aspects of my life better. And I'm just SO excited that today I get to work out by playing my favorite game - Soccer : ).

My Bucket List

Okay I kind of mislead the subject of the post with the title. I really don't have a bucket list. I think they're kind of a fun idea and really pretty awesome if you make one and then are able to follow through with it. I've just never made one. I even thought about what would be on it if I had one.... and pretty much I think of ridiculous things that would be really awesome if I get to do them, but I don't feel like my life would be a failure or not fun if I don't do them. But it hit me the other day that I really do have one thing on my bucket list.

I really really want to see the Northern Lights someday.

I truly feel that my life will not be complete unless I get to see this phenomena at least once. My last year of undergrad I did a report on electroMAGNETIC (*Not electromechanical. I was corrected by my dad :) interference specifically relating to the Northern Lights. Yes I do realize how nerdy that just sounded, but aside from learning about solar flares and what they do to our Earth, it basically solidified in my heart that I need to see this. I almost can't even describe the excitement that I feel when I think about how increibly awesome it would be to see something like that. I imagine/hope that it's about a thousand times cooler than I can even comprehend. It's kind of crazy to feel this passionate about something that I have no clue how I'll ever make happen. I wouldn't even know how to go about seeing it! Short of living in the extreme North, I don't think it can really be planned.... Maybe I'll just have to go on a lot of Alaskan cruises :)

So there's my bucket list. Pretty impressive right? The more I think about it the more I think that maybe you need a bucket list. Not really a list of random things you think would be fun but more a list of things you're really passionate about doing. It would help you get to know yourself I think.