What the soul needs

I have the best friends. We met in college and worked together as CAs, lived together, and went through a lot together. As the years have passed, we have gone on to making our own lives: marrying, buying houses and cars, continuing our education, having babies, and just living our own lives; so, it's really nice when we can get together. 

The four of us got together Saturday in Hermann, MO to hang out and drink wine.
We talked about EVERYTHING. Our exciting things, and scary things... things that made us laugh SO HARD... and things that happened in the past. 

These women are strong, independent, smart and caring. When I am with them I always learn something. I'm always challenged. And I always laugh. This weekend was a great time with Hermann as our backdrop and our stories as our song. 

Our first stop was Hermannhof Winery. We enjoyed a wine tasting and settled on a bottle of "White Lady" to share. 

Then we went to Adam Puchta and enjoyed a bottle of Adam's Choice ... our last stop was Stone Hill Winery. It has a beautiful view of the town of Hermann, we tasted wines again and each got a bottle of our favorite to bring home. 

Afterwards we went and grabbed dinner downtown.
I tried very hard to stick as close to my plan as possible: I even took my own food in my own cooler (You can take food in to the wineries). 

My friends and I are all so different. We got to talking about our health journeys. One of my friends and her husband have decided to go totally plant-based in their diets. It's an interesting concept and it works for them. I know I would never be able to be that disciplined! Some of us just eat what and when we want, some of us have strict diets and exercise routines... but even though we have all made different choices, we all have respect for each others' decisions and want to listen and learn about what the other is doing. 

So there ya have it. My weekend isn't over by any means (I have my great-uncle's 75th birthday to attend tonight) and I have a BUSY week ahead (I'm not used to that this summer). 

I got home around 10:30 this morning and went straight to Wal-Mart and got my food so I can prep it. I have everything prepped for the week except eggs for breakfast, and those will be easy to do this evening. 

I know that this week the exercise part is going to be hard to fit in, so my eating has to be on point so that I can reach my goals! Next weekend is another weekend that will be full with all sorts of things! 

 I'll leave you with this ^^ My friend Karley was in the states (from Germany) a few weeks back and she wanted to do a "cake smash" photo shoot with me for my 30th birthday. It was a quick and FUN shoot! So, here's one picture to tide you over until October :) 

Goalz

 So this week, I am looking forward to hitting a big goal. 

That being to weigh less than 200 pounds.
Two mornings ago when I weighed, I was at 198. 

I really TRY to not put too much of an emphasis on the number on the scale.
But isn't that what it's about, a quantifiable thing that everyone understands.
Even if it does just measure the effect of gravity on your body. 

I've tried to make all of these Healthy U changes as realistic as possible, and as easy to put into my daily life as possible. So when someone is serving something that isn't on "my plan" ... I can still have some, but I know it needs to be a small amount (like ONE BITE of a strawberry-banana shake) 

There have been times when I wanted to go through the drive through a get a ton of greasy food, bring it home and chow down... but then I remember that I have goals to meet, and in order to meet those goals, I have to do what I know needs to be done:
Hence the name of this blog, conquering the abyss.
Bodybuilding.com defines "abyss" as "A barrier which stands between knowing what needs to be done and actually doing it"

I feel like that's where we are in this year: we know what needs to be done, we've been practicing what needs to be done, and now it's time to just do it! 

And it's hard but so worth it! 

This past week was totally full!
Monday we had softball games in Sedalia: two losses, but GREAT games! 

Tuesday we had Open Field with about 16 girls! 

Sunset Tuesday night 

Sunrise Wednesday morning 

Wednesday we had games in Higginsville -- we have won every game there! 

Thursday was a full day: 

Sandra came and talked to my girls about nutrition.
There weren't a ton there, but those who came said they learned a lot! 

Thursday was also Moving 101 with Healthy U!
An open-to-the-public Turbo Kick class at Total Fitness! 

This is just our Healthy U class. 

We have all changed so much since January! 

So, after Thursday's gym class, I thought I would do a few comparison pictures.
These were all taken at the gym, after workouts.

A little blurry, but you can see a difference! 

Friday I got my hair done. Usually when I sit in that chair, I feel like I look like a whale. Friday, I didn't hate the way I look and you can even see some of those calf muscles! 

This weekend was great.
Saturday I hung out with Joe.
Sunday we went out and worked in the chicken barns-- that was my workout for the day: hauling chickens back and forth is a workout for sure! 

Then we went and watched his cousin play baseball and had dinner.
Just a really nice, full, balanced weekend :) 

God has plans bigger than us.
Have a great week!! 

SUMMER

Summer is my favorite!
(until it turns fall, and then that's my favorite! ... well really any time a season changes!) 

This past week is when summer really kicked in!
(hence why I missed a Sunday posting) 

So here's what my first summer week went: 

Monday night we started league games in Sedalia.
We played Knob Noster JV and Sedalia Lady Legends.
We lost both games, but had a lot of fun AND I saw some things we are going to get to build on!

Wednesday night we play in Higginsville.
We played Sweet Springs and Higginsville Varsity and beat them both! 

Every Tuesday we have Open Field in the mornings, and Thursday mornings we have weights:
We did a "Wild Card Boot Camp" workout, which was fun- and we had some extra time, so my girls started asking me questions about what I eat, so I asked them if they would want to hear from my nutrition person: They answered with a resounding "YES"
So, Sandra is going to come talk with my team! I am so excited! 

Also Thursday: 

Lucas achieved a goal! He came and did Boot Camp Thursday night before our Healthy U meeting. 

This next set of pictures shows Ashley teaching me to use chopsticks and Lucas making faces. 

We decided eating in gloves is the new thing! 

My table of chefs. We had mixed reviews of all the foods we tried! lol

Saturday Healthy U peeps went to Wild Card Boot Camp and Zumba in the morning! It was a great workout! 

Sunday was my Grandmother's 75th birthday! We had a surprise party for her at my mom's house. It was a lovely day with the entire family. The weather held off (wasn't too hot) and we had lots of yummy foods. I ate a plate of normal "bbq" foods, and then one helping of dessert. If it's a party, I was gonna party. It was still less than what I would have eaten in the past!
I have to remember those small victories.

Me and my niece, Avery Anne.
We were playing Hide-and-Seek with the other little cousins! 

This was today before BootCamp started.
I went to Boot Camp at 8am, walked 4 miles on the Katy Trail and then went and walked in the pool at Adult Swim (Such a good workout!) 

Anybody else feel like this?!
I've had so many friends posting things about their vacations ... I'm a little jealous! 

Have a great week! 

Just Breathe

As a part of Healthy U, we learn skills to help with our nutrition -- how to make better choices with our foods & what our body really needs -- and we learn about fitness -- how to make choices to increase fitness and make it reasonable & fit in our lives. We also have a mental component that deals with a wide-range of things. 

The greatest thing I am learning is from the mental-side of things... 

Let me tell you a little story from long ago, roughly 13 years ago.
I was in high school and I was... on the High School softball team and a travelling summer softball team. I was a member of Cabaret, A Cppella, the All-Girl's Chorus and took private voice lessons. I took a solo, mixed double and sextet to contest each year. I was the boys basketball manager, played on a club volleyball team, and went to every home baseball game. I was the president of National Honor Society and secretary of the Future Teachers of America chapter at my school. I was SUPER involved in my church: going to Youth Group, planning services, leading Bible Studies, and teaching VBS. I was a member of SPIZ (our school-pride organization), SCUFL (foreign language club), and Student Council. I was selected as a STAND Exceptional Teen and went around giving speeches to elementary aged kids about making healthy choices (the irony). I had great friendships and managed to keep my GPA above an 11.0.

You're probably thinking "WoW! That's a lot!"
But ya know what?
When someone in my AP History class said "We need to make a History club" who was one of the first people to put her name on the list?
Me.
Guess who also had two grand mal seizures, terrible heart burn and awful sleeping & eating habits.
Me. 

I have ALWAYS been the girl who over-extends myself.
I say "yes" to every committee, foundation, board, team, extra-duty, tutoring, supervising... you name it and it's on my resume`

I am learning that in order to take care of myself, I have to say "no" to some things I have been involved in.
Because I have had time now to really think about what is in my life, I have also had the opportunity to think about what I WANT in my life.
I've also had the chance to take stock on how being involved in each different thing is adding to or subtracting from my quality of life.

I really had this thought {just like high school me} that the more involved I was in my community, the happier I would be. The more groups I was involved in, the more people I would know, and the happier I would be... And I'm realizing that's just not true.

There was a time (before Healthy U) when I thought that I would keep 'filling my plate' both figuratively and literally.
I would imagine the different organizations that I wanted to be a part of and think about what great connections or whatever it would bring me.

And now I know how/why people get burnt out and "quit" these community groups.
I am realizing that #1. these groups aren't really adding to the quality of life that I have or want to have. and #2. part of that reason for that is that these groups have very little progress being made. It is hard for me to stay with something if I don't see it progressing & moving forward. 

And so.
I know that some of my decisions in the next coming year will seem crazy to some people.
But I am realizing what makes me happy, and some of these groups are making more debits than deposits into my soul.

I am realizing too how much I don't get involved in the drama of things. 

Our Healthy U group went bowling on Wednesday!
It was SO fun and I scored an AWESOME bowling score! Woot Woot!

I went out and messed with all my flowers on Saturday morning and I was surprised by these beauties!
I had dug out a rose bush that was suffocating them and now they can live!
Another lesson that sometimes things have to be removed for other things to flourish. 

I'm also finding and making time to hang out with this guy. {and he's finding and making time for me, too}
Which sometimes means walking the chicken barns together or going to pick up a fridge.
Rearranging my priorities hasn't been all bad. ;)