How to be the Leading Lady of Your Own Very Real Life

SBD to LBD: 1

2010-12-02T10:37:00.002-07:00

I'm going grocery shopping today and I thought I'd post my dinners I planned. I ALWAYS make a dinner plan and then a grocery list to go with it, without it I know I would spend a million bucks month on food that would go bad.

Thursday (tonight's dinner)- Chicken Spaghetti from the POW Cookbook subbing spaghetti squash and Dream Fields pasta for the spaghetti, green salad with cranberry vinaigrette (P.S. I graduated with a BA in English from BYU and I STILL cannot spell vinaigrette without spell check. Sad, but true.)

Friday- Simple Perfect Chili from POW Cookbook subbing ground chicken breast for the beef, POW Homemade Ranch with iceberg Wedges

Saturday- Tofu and Veggie Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Sunday- Cajun Spiced Cod, with two on-sale veggies (TBA)

Monday- Leftover Night (No Cooking for me!)

Tuesday- Simple, Perfect Enchiladas from the POW Cookbook, subbing pinto beans for the beef and cabbage leaves instead of tortillas

Wednesday- POW Lasagna with zucchini slices instead of noodles, and green salad

Thursday- Leftover night

Friday- Spicy Lemon Grilled Shrimp and veggie stir fry with avocado slices and ranch dressing

Saturday- Grocery Shopping Day!

Whew! That seems like a lot, since it's 1 1/2 weeks worth of food. It sounds SO GOOD TO ME! Maybe I'm just hungry.

Ciao!

Updates and Whatnot

2010-12-02T10:25:00.002-07:00

So, somehow in the stress of being pregnant and moving to and from California, I completely forgot I even I HAD a blog. So, quick update:

1. I had a sweet little baby girl (thanks to the help of my husband, my birthing coach and my super great doctor) last November 17. Yeah I know she's a year old now. But hey, I seriously just remembered about this blog.

2. My husband graduated from grad school at BYU and we moved to Phoenix, AZ. We live as DOWNTOWN as it gets and I do. not. like. living in the city. therefore, we plan to move to the suburbs sometime in the spring or early summer when our lease expires.

3. Overall, life is REALLY good, but (you knew there had to be a "but") I have not lost a single pound of baby weight. :(

Honestly, I know why I haven't lost the weight, even though I sometimes pretend I don't. It's because I don't move enough. Plain and simple, though I'm sure eating a little healthier would help too, though I don't do too terribly at that. Anyways, my clothes don't fit me and I just don't feel good at all, so today I'm starting the South Beach Diet and I'll be doing a series of posts called SBD to LBD (LBD as in Little Black Dress).

I'll still be doing other posts, and hopefully get Leiah to do some more as well, but health and fitness do play a huge role in becoming the Leading Lady of your life. When you feel confident in the way you look and in your own health you walk taller and with more confidence in other areas in your life. I used to have that and I have just let it go. SBD to LBD is my way of getting it back.

In other news, my mother in law just bought me The Pioneer Woman Cookbook and I'm thrilled! I'm making a few recipes from it for my meal plan next week (SBD-ing them a bit of course) and I think they'll be great.

my not so humble opinion...

2009-11-11T10:28:00.002-07:00

I truly hate to rant, to stand on a soap box and spout my thoughts, (i save those moments for my mom, my sister, and my dearest friend), however on this day I'm fed up with the lazy world. I did a post on time management before. Did it motivate you at all? I write today about the need for people to clean up their houses and their yards! I am tired of going to peoples messy houses! They apparently have no time to clean - but plenty of time to surf the internet, watch TV, read, and dawdle. Get your acts together and get moving. A clean house makes you more productive and therefore happier! Begin today! So, unless you are sick, have sick kids, or have a baby under 4 months....okay, maybe 6 months, you have no excuse to have a messy house! (well, there might be a few other reasons out there) but for the most part you get the idea...quit being lazy!

Self-Talk

2009-10-27T17:36:00.003-06:00

There's someone living in your head. Did you know?
The voice that you have in your head, whether it's negative or positive, as a very definite impact on your life, health, and happiness.

The voice in your head has the power to make any good thing seem bad and, surprisingly, can turn any bad situation into a positive one. As I wrote in my last post, positive self-talk has helped me to feel happy and really good throughout what has been a physically demanding and difficult pregnancy. Hopefully it will help me in labor and when I become a mom, too!

The trick to positive self-talk is PRACTICE! It's definitely something that takes a little effort and time for most people. Even when you feel you've got it down pat, there will still be moments of weakness where you let negative thoughts have their affect on you. The trick is to always try and get back on the wagon of speaking positively to yourself.

I like to use trigger words such as: bad, failure, hopeless, lonely, depressed, etc. Man just writing those words makes me feel yucky! When I hear my inner voice using words like that, I stop what I'm doing, take a deep breath and come up with 3 positive things that are going on in my life. Then I try and turn around my negative thought and make it a positive one.

Example:
Negative Thought: "I'm so lonely, my husband never has time for me."
Positive thoughts: 1) "I am healthy," 2) :I am intelligent," 3) :My husband loves me so much and is such a good man" (okay that one was two, but going overboard is perfectly acceptable!)
Turned around negative thought: "I am so lucky to have such a dedicated, intelligent and hard working husband! What can I do to make my time with him more meaningful and show my love and appreciation for him more?"

It's good to end with some idea for pro-activity! Your happiness is in your own hands! Go do something about it and stop the negative self-talk. The impact it will have on your life and stress levels will be huge, I promise you!

Love, Lis

Pregnancy is hard work!

2009-10-27T15:07:00.003-06:00

My pregnancy has definitely not been an easy one physically. I won't go into all the details, because it's boring and not very fun or productive to talk about them, but it really has been a struggle these past nine months.
That being said, if you were to come up to me (9months pregnant) right now and as me how I feel what do you think I would say? Huge. Bloated. In Pain. Fat. *insert any and all negative responses here*
My honest answer to the question "How do you feel?" is "Pretty darn good!".
Wait a minute, what? How can you be huge, bloated, in pain and suffering from constant acid reflux and say that you feel 'pretty darn good'?

I have my parents to thank for it. Since I was a teenager (or maybe earlier, but that's when I have my first solid memories of learning this) my parents taught me that every person is in charge of his or her own feelings, attitudes, actions and reactions.

How does this apply to pregnancy? The same way it applies to any person suffering from any physical ailment. Knowing this has enabled me to look past my immediate discomfort (or downright pain, lets be honest!) and see that a) if there's something I can do to help myself I need to quit moaning and do it, b) there may be nothing I can do for myself, physically, right now and c) even if there is nothing I can do to help myself, I can choose to be happy in spite of my troubles.

Sometimes when I read that it sounds kind of depressing (the whole "there's nothing you can do so just be happy") but I promise that when you put it into practice you will notice the most humongous change for the better in your life and in your happiness levels!!!

How do you put it into practice? Positive self-talk...but that's a topic for another post. Until then, think about a) proactivity b) acceptance and c) choosing happiness.

Sorry for the long post and lack of pictures- I've got a new cool camera coming in the mail though, so there should soon be lots of awesome photos (of my big belly!) and maybe even some videos soon!

Love, Lis

Time

2009-07-12T11:50:00.004-06:00

I recently read a post on another blog by the enlightened homemaker, www.enlightenedhomaker.blogspot.com, that said everything I am always thinking. Her post was called Time. Her is a small excerpt from her post, "Time is one of the few things that is limited in this life. Almost anything else we can get more of to some degree. We don't know how much time we have. There is only a certain amount of hours in everyday for everyone. No one gets more, no one gets less. It is up to us how we use it. I love this quote by H. Jackson Brown Jr.
'Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Theresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.' As mothers, wives, employees, etc., we may not have the time to paint a masterpiece or invent something new and amazing, however, there is always ways we can use our time more wisely. Do we find ourselves sleeping in a little longer than we need to? Do we use our precious time given on this earth as we should? I remember one talk that I heard years ago that stuck with me. The speaker asked us to ask ourselves when doing an activity, "how is this benefiting my life or those around me?"
We need to ask ourselves this question on a day to day basis as we sit for hours on facebook, watch prolonged periods of TV, blog hop and other unwise use of media. Do we spend too much time worrying? Do we use our time too selfishly instead of thinking of others or using our time to develop talents?
I remember being a senior in high school and writing in my yearbook many of the things I wanted to accomplish in my life before I died. At that time in my life, It seemed I had nothing but time ahead of me. It was a blank slate. What I have learned is that time goes so quickly and that we have to grab it up. We have to be extremely organized and value each minute.
I am so not perfect with this. I do not use every minute like I should and I recognize that sometimes time is spent perfectly well sitting at a pool relaxing or reading a good book. We all need down time. But, I want my children to learn to seize the moments. To get up, get exercise to get their bodies and minds going. I want them to make plans, to plan their time, to use it up and enjoy life. I want them to develop all of their wonderful talents that they have been given in this life."

I know that I feel better when I use my time wisely. I wake early and use my morning hours for the tasks that must get done but I also use it as my time without children to exercise and shower for the day. When those things are done early it leaves me happier and feeling good to spend the rest of my day on other matters. Don't waste away your time, seize the day and make the most of yourself! You will be a happier and better person because of it!

We're back!

2009-07-09T12:38:00.002-06:00

Hey Lis and Leiah are coming back from the Twilight Zone! Life has been happening at a rapid pace even if we haven't been posting about it, but we are both getting re-dedicated to becoming Leading Ladies.

The biggest news so far is that I (Lis) am PREGNANT! Woo hoo!
I found out that my leading man and I will welcome our first little bundle of joy into our family around Thanksgiving and I am SO excited!

Pregnancy has been very uncomfortable with plenty of nausea, aches, pains and complaints, but it's all worth it when I feel my little baby move and think about raising a little boy or girl. Sorry, I know that sounds mushy, but I gotta focus on the positive things!

That's my little update for now! It's good to be back and I'll write again soon!

Love, Lis

And the winner is...

2009-02-21T17:50:00.003-07:00

And the winner of the Heart Healthy Recipe Contest is....

Kath of Katheats.com!
(this photo is from Kath's website- I have made these and they are delicious, but Kath is a much better photographer than I am!)

Kath is basically the queen of oats and she responded with a recipe for Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars that are bursting with heart healthy oats and walnuts. Here's an excerpt from her email explaining why these two ingredients are so heart healthy:

"Oats: Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) B the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. Gel-like soluble fiber binds bile (which contains cholesterol) and dietary cholesterol so that the body excretes it.

Walnuts: Walnuts have omega-3s that are a healthy form of fatty acids that seem to help your heart by, among other things, preventing dangerous heart rhythms that can lead to heart attacks. Nuts also have lots of arginine, which is a molecule that increases the production of nitric oxide in your body, which may in turn help improve the health of your artery walls and make them more flexible and less prone to blood clots."

You can find Kath's recipe on her website in the recipe section- a great resource for heart healthy recipes.

Congratulations, Kath! I'll be sending you three packets of Rokit Fuel in the next few days!

Love,
Lis

Rokit Fuel

2009-02-19T07:55:00.007-07:00

Okay, okay, so this is totally a food thing and I should put it on the "foodie" blog, but I really wanted more people to see it, so I'm putting it here.
This was my breakfast this morning- Pumpkin Chocolate Rokit Fuel Cereal with other things added in- shredded coconut, a little extra chocolateness, some protein powder and almond milk + extra plain oats (to bulk it up, since I was sharing with Dale). Rokit Fuel is SO yummy! More about Rokit Fuel later in this post!

So I got the results of my many lab tests at the doctors and (big surprise) everything was normal (the doctor is almost positive that I'm allergic to the mold growing in my apartment- eww! More on that later...) EXCEPT for my triglyceride count, which was... high.(Classy, I know.)

Wait, what? I'm only 22! How can my cholesterol/triglycerides be high yet? Well, the funny thing is that I've been thinking for a while that I should get it checked, because heart disease is so prevalent in our family. I'm very grateful that I followed my intuition and had this checked- what better motivation to workout more and eat healthier than wanting to lower your risk of heart disease?

So, to start of my increased heart-healthy consciousness "How to Be a Leading Lady" is going to host a contest!

This is a heart healthy recipe contest!
You have until 5 pm on Saturday to email your favorite heart healthy recipe to leadingladylis@gmail.com.
On Sunday at 5 pm Leiah and I will collaborate and choose the winner- so be looking for that post sometime Saturday evening.
The rules are:
- it has to be an ORIGINAL recipe. NO plagiarism please!
- it has to contain at least TWO heart healthy ingredients. Please include a SHORT description of why these items are heart healthy.
- All emails must be in my in-box by 5 pm on Saturday in order to be considered for the prize.
- Bonus points if you sign up as a follower of this blog!!!

Here are some examples of heart healthy foods that I have in my kitchen right now to get your creative juices flowing!

(That last one there is golden flax seeds)

So what do you get if you win?
Rokit Fuel! http://www.rokitfuel.com/release/

This is a great hot cereal that I love (they say that you can eat it cold, but that doesn't sound very good to me)! It is seriously one of the best cereal's I've ever had and SO filling and heart healthy. Check out their website for the nutrition facts and awesome flavors!

They have four flavors of cereal and I'll be giving a 3 single serving packets of Rokit Fuel to the winner of this contest. And think about it, not many people read this blog so your chances of winning are really good!

I'm excited to read your recipes!

Love, Lis

Choose Happiness #2

2009-02-17T21:15:00.000-07:00

"Choose Happiness" "Choose Happiness" "Choose Happiness" has been my mantra today- it hasn't been easy but I have succeeded. Somedays it's tough to choose to be happy, but I never gave up and guess what? I feel pretty darn happy!

So there you have it. It works. I've put it to the test and it has worked again. It's that old saying "Mind over Matter." It's the knowledge that I can rise above whatever "daily life" throws at me. Knowing that I am in charge of my own happiness is empowering- I am still learning this, but having a successful day like today gives me strength and encouragement.

Try it out for yourself! Tomorrow! Right now! And always.

The choice is yours.

Choose happiness.

Love,
(a happy) Lis

P.S. Sorry for the lack of pictures- I thought about taking a picture of myself SMILING, but you can see that in my profile photo!

Happy President's Day

2009-02-16T20:59:00.004-07:00

I hope you all have enjoyed your President's Day/Valentine's Day weekend- I have! My brother-in-law drove from California to visit and we had a lot of fun hanging with family, especially on Sunday. Here are some pictures from our visit at my husband's little sister's house:
we ate dinner and then played a ROUSING game of Scrabble- rousing as in we were all freaking out and calling each other names (all in good fun of course- we're all best friends) and making crazy facial expressions, as you can see in the pictures below...
Noel's mad because Dale said she has no talent (even though she won!).
I'm mad because it's the last round and the best word I can spell is "tip"- I had a minor tantrum over that one....
And then we had a much more civil and happy game of Scum- my FAVORITE card game...
NOW we're smiling and having fun!
Dale's brother Quinn brought a date to hang out with us old married folk (she's in the green) and we all liked her a lot.

I highly recommend spending time with people who make you feel happy and good about yourself. Sometimes, especially during the winter for some reason, I tend to kind of isolate myself. It always makes me feel unhappy so I'm making an effort to reach out to my friends and family- yo spend time with them, playing games or watching movies or just gathering around the dinner table for a homemade meal. People need other people! It makes us feel good (most of the time) to be social and friendly.

Later this week I have another friend-date- so I'm definitely looking forward to that!

This week, I challenge you to try and reconnect with people who make you feel good and happy- I promise that it will brighten up your day!

Love,
Lis

Happy Valentines Day!

2009-02-15T13:44:00.002-07:00

(Not the best picture- we looked better in real life, I promise!)
I had such a wonderful Valentines Day thanks to my sweet husband and to re-reading the post I did on "Choosing Happiness." I'm sorry for how negative I was in my last few posts, but that has been my mood for the past week. I'm trying to move past it and focus on the good and CHOOSE to be happy and productive. This really works, even if I forget sometimes.

We had a fun and free date- a Valentines Dance at our church with a live band and lots of fun. We danced a ton, had our picture taken and had some fun little finger foods. A good date doesn't have to be expensive if you're creative and open about it!

I hope you all had a nice V-day and are remembering to be happy and enjoy life!

Love,
Lis

Doctor

2009-02-13T12:14:00.002-07:00

So my doctor's visit went pretty much as I expected it to- they said I had a virus but didn't know why I get sick all the time. So I've got another appointment for next tuesday for a FULL physical. Exciting, huh? But, I haven't had a physical in years so I AM interested to see what they find out about me.

I'm still feeling sick, but I think I'm at the tail-end of it- no more fevers and I'm not so much like a walking zombie. I've started doing my stay-healthy regimen again which I'll describe for you:
take the following pills: 2 claritan, 1 women's multi-vitamin, 1 acai berry capsule, probiotics and 1 Vitamin E gel capdrink the following: 2 Emergen-C packets daily, TONS of water, (and as much as possible of the following) green tea, ginger tea, echinacea tea, and really as much herbal and green tea as I can squeeze in in a day.I know from experience that when I am religious about this regimen I don't get sick nearly as often- it's just kind of a pain (and expensive) to maintain- but I guess it's worth it if I don't have to feel like crap so often.

leiah's weigh-in

2009-02-10T09:20:00.001-07:00

126! Yay Leiah!

Stumbling Blocks

2009-02-10T08:51:00.003-07:00

Sorry for being MIA for a while on the blog. It's the perfect opportunity, though, to talk about stumbling blocks because my signature stumbling block has really been a doozy the past couple of weeks.

So, I don't have a life threatening illness, I'm not injured or confined to a wheelchair, so I know this may seem paltry to people who are suffering through those kinds of things, but this is very real to me.

I am ALWAYS sick. Seriously, I get a cold or the flu once or twice every month, complete with fever, aches and pains, chills, and all the rest of the symptoms that come with those sicknesses. It's not like they're going to kill me, but it's SO frustrating and very DEPRESSING to feel like absolute crap every other week.

The only time when I've noticed a significant drop in how much I get sick is when I'm drinking 4 kinds of (immunity boosting) teas and taking a whole bunch of vitamins and other pills every single day. When I let my guard down for a little while BOOM I'm sick all the time again.

Right now I'm suffering through my SECOND sickness for the month of February and it's only the TENTH day of the month. Ridiculous. Sometimes, I just feel like giving up. (though I'm not as cute as this kitty!)But then I remember that I CAN'T give up because this is MY LIFE! MY BODY! And I'm in charge, so I'm going to the doctor today and I'm gonna find out what I should do about this sucky problem.

I guess I just needed to rant about that for a minute. I'm feeling extremely frustrated and a little hopeless and depressed about it, but I'm trying to just be proactive about it- to be a leading lady and just FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS and then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

I guess that really is what Leading Ladies do when they are faced with problems. They don't waste time crying about it and saying how unfair it is. They just identify the problem and then fix it. I'll do my best. In the meantime, do any of you have suggestions? Or support, would be great too, I'm feeling pretty low. I'm gonna try channeling Lara Croft today- she never gives up.Anyways, Monday weigh got forgotten yesterday(again) so here's mine and I'll call Leiah for hers.

Weight- 147 lbs.- it's hard to work out when you're sick. Somehow I didn't feel like going to my 6 am class with a fever. Maybe I'm a wimp.

love,
Lis

Celebrate!

2009-02-06T16:14:00.003-07:00

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Love,
Your Daughters

P.S. We still look to you for inspiration and advice- you are truly a Leading Lady for us.

Choice

2009-02-04T20:22:00.004-07:00

Life is full of potentially problematic situations. Situations where we could easily choose to get depressed, have bad attitudes and just throw up our hands in defeat. Or we could choose to make the best of our circumstances, look on the bright side and work harder and better.

The key is CHOICE.

One of the most important things to learn in life- one of the true signs of a mature, well balanced person- is that we always have choices. Life may throw us some truly nasty circumstances, it may knock us off our feet and attempt to sink us into the depths of despair, but we always have a choice about how we will react.

Learn this. Learn to choose to react in a positive way to any and all of life's crazy little (and big) adventures and you will have learned one of the keys to living a happy and successful life. Learn to do this and you will have made a huge step towards becoming the leading lady of your own life.

Choice is everything.
http://www.teesforchange.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_17

Great shirt, huh? teesforchange.com has some shirts with inspirational messages on them.

Love,
Lis

Celebrity Part 2

2009-01-31T08:51:00.004-07:00

Back in early January I did a post on the everyday "celebrities" we have in our lives.

My mom is one of those celebrities. This summer when I was on bed rest with my 4th baby she came to live with us for 9 weeks. She did everything for us and nothing for herself. She is certainly a HERO.

This blog is about becoming a leading lady ... although mostly it's been about food and weight loss I wanted to get back to the roots of why I thought my sisters idea for this blog was so GREAT!

Someone who becomes a leading lady is someone who feels good about herself. One way to fast track those good feelings is to do something good for someone else. Don't wait to be asked, don't wait to be told, be observant to those around you and find some way, small or not, to make them feel good, or ease their burdens.

Let me know how your service goes.......best of luck!!!

Love Affair

2009-01-31T08:46:00.004-07:00

Part of my monday weigh in downfalls have been directly related to my new cookie recipe! I would hate to even post the recipe on here as it may bring about your LOVE Affair with this sinful cookie! It bakes perfect, stays perfect, tastes perfect, and doesn't talk back. It my world that is bliss! The recipe makes 8 dozen cookies.........hence the weigh in woes!

"The Downfall of Juicing"

2009-01-30T10:58:00.002-07:00

Sorry I left the blog on that negative note for a few days! I got a cold and a MAJOR case of carb cravings- but I'm feeling all better now!

So here's why juicing sucks:
- You have to really force yourself to drink enough calories so that you don't get lightheaded and nauseous. If you DON'T force yourself then you end up wanting less and less juice and feeling crappier and crappier and get a headache and sick tummy. That was one of my biggest problems I think. Since I wasn't feeling hungry I didn't drink, but that just made it worse.
- You know how they always so to not do deprivation diets and to always include small treats or else you'll break one day and totally over do it? Well, I never believed that until this week! When I finally stopped juicing I was DIEING for some bread and fat! And I over did it.

Here's what I learned from juicing:
- I learned that I really don't need as much food as I sometimes think I do. I really RARELY felt hungry doing this and it helped me to realize that I often eat because "it's time" or for other non-fuel related reasons. Juicing will help me to stop that, I think, and eat when I'm hungry.
- Drinking fresh juice is good when included in a healthy diet! Concentrated nutrients are what you get when you make juice at home and I could definitely use some more of that in my life. Some of you have wondered about how much juice is leftover and what I'll do with it. Well, I'm freezing it all up into ice cubes and I'll be using them in my morning smoothies for an added boost of nutrients.
- SERIOUSLY! Never do deprivation diets! They set you up for failure and feeling bad about yourself AND overeating when they're done. Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and you'll be 10 times better off!

I feel like I learned some other things too, but I can't remember them right now- maybe later!

Anyways, for now, I'm happy to say that I have recovered from juicing and ...
...
...
DALE COMES HOME TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm SO excited- what a sap I am!

Love and hugs,
Lis

uh huh

2009-01-27T20:48:00.001-07:00

yeah, so, the juicing is OVER! And I feel good- I learned, I lost, I did some internal cleansing and I really do feel pretty good. Except being a little lonely.

Tune in for the full story of "The Downfall of Juicing." Haha!

Love,
Lis

P.S. California Pizza Kitchen is so good!

...and...

2009-01-27T14:40:00.003-07:00

Oh, and I also really miss Dale. I've already called him twice today and the only stopping me from calling more is that he's in meetings with the heads of the California analysts office and accounting office, so um, I guess that's more important than me wanting Lentil Tacos and our broken heater/frozen house.

*sigh*
not feeling so great.

Juice Fast Day 3

2009-01-27T14:31:00.002-07:00

This sucks.

Sunday I felt great- wonderful even!- and light. Not even very hungry.
Monday I felt okay- mostly just energy-less and about 3 I developed a light headache that has persisted even until now.
Tuesday- I want to stop this. I'm cold (my heater is broken...again!) I'm still not hungry (weird) and that headache is still here. I'm trying to study and I just CAN'T concentrate- everything keeps seeming to long so I just skim and don't remember anything I just read. I HATE feeling unproductive. I feel like I'm on the verge of tears and I really want to eat something.

Thy Upside? I don't want to eat crap! I'm really craving a recipe from the newest issue of SELF magazine for Spiced Lentil Tacos- burgers and fries (except for sweet potato fries!) are the furthest thing from my mind. Even my quintessential comfort food the holy "bean burrito" doesn't sound appealing to me. This may be because I also feel slightly nauseous, but I think this juice thing has helped with my cravings for all things cheesy and sugary. I haven't truly "given up" on it yet, but I just mixed some protein powder into my pineapple juice and am having a bit of cooked cabbage right now, but I don't expect to hold out for much longer....

Love, Lis

P.S. I still don't think I'll regret trying this, I just should have planned to do it for a shorter period of time.

Monday Weigh in #4 Leiah

2009-01-26T14:59:00.003-07:00

Sorry - I've only got a brief second to leave a post - 128 even. The weekends are a vicious cycle of eating for me. I've got to break it!

Monday Weigh in #4

2009-01-26T07:51:00.002-07:00

So, my weight is (obviously) quite a bit lower this week because of my 1 1/2 days of juicing so far- the real trick is going to be seeing if I can maintain whatever amount of weight I lose when this is all over!

Starting Weight: 150

Weight this morning: 144!!!

Cool that's six pounds and about 2 I think for this week- awesome!

I'm gonna go call Leiah and pressure her into posting her weigh in (and other stuff) 'cuz I think she's going to need a little motivation. She wants me to call her and giver her a food pep talk today- maybe I'll just do a post? Or both? Who knows, I've got so much time on my hands now that Dale is gone until Friday. I'm proud that I didn't cry at all this morning when I dropped him off, but I miss him already. We really depend on each other a lot.

Anyways- the juice fast/feast continues and I'm feeling fine!

Love,
Lis

It's been a while!

2009-01-25T13:05:00.007-07:00

Wow- I haven't posted since Wednesday, but I have been up to SO much it seems like!

I made homemade Pear Pie Granola-

And had some with some vanilla almond milk!
It had dried pears and dates, oats, flaxseed, almonds, cinnamon,brown sugar, applesauce, Smart Balance oil and probably more things too, but I can't remember- I just made the recipe up! It is so good!

I also made meringues for the first time since I was a teenager! They were like little clouds and tasted like perfectly toasted marshmallows!
I made banana sushi with my 4H kids- they all loved it!

This is a great recipe for kids, so I'll include it:

4 flour tortillas
1/4 - 1/2 cup of smooth peanut butter (depending on how much you want on each one)
4 bananas
4 tbs raisins
1 apple thinly sliced

Directions: Put the tortillas on their own paper towel or plate and divide the peanut butter evenly among them. Spread the pb all over the tortilla. Peel the banana (kids will probably need help with this part) and break the banana a little bit so that it will lie flat. Place the banana in the middle of the pb and top with raisins and apple slices. Roll up VERY TIGHTLY and then slice just like sushi!

This was a HUGE hit!

The other thing that I've been working on is prep for a juice feast which I started today. I know that there is a lot of controversy about cleanses and juices fasting/feasting and that sort of "detoxy" sort of thing, so before you all tell me how horibble this is let me tell you some reasons why I'm doing this as well as some "Not!" reasons for doing this..

Reasons Why:
I sometimes find (as many people do) that I am ruled by cravings. I plan a lovely meal at home only to have a craving for a bean burrito and so we go to a Mexican Restaurant instead. This wastes money and makes my waist get bigger- I know this! Juice Fasts/Feasts are said to help reduce cravings even after they are over.

Maybe this is TMI but Waste Removal is a big reason why as well. I have aome problems with that and can tell that my system is backed up- I get tummy aches and other things that tell me this is probably so. Juice Feasting is said to help alleviate many minor health issues that I suffer from- Migraines, constipation, horrible cramps and others.

I've wanted to do this for a while and my husband is leaving on a trip early Monday morning for the rest of the week so this is the perfect time! No dishes, no cooking for him and being tempted by his food or anything like that. Just me and my juice and NO DISHES!

One of this biggest reasons is just plain old EXPERIMENTATION! I've heard so much about it and really have no way of actually knowing what it's like and what it does and how it feels unless I do it for myself. I'm intensely curious about the process.

"Not!" Reasons Why:
Because cleanses and detoxes are "popular" with celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow who are STICK skinny- she looks like she might need a little MORE food in my opinion!

Because I think I'll lose tons of fat and keep it all off. I do think I'll lose some weight and I will try to keep it off, but weight loss is not the main motivation for me, health and reduced cravings are!

Because I plan on doing this over and over for prolonged periods of time. I have heard of many people to 100+ day juice feasts and I definitely think that that is EXTREME. I'm sure a lot of you think that any amount of time without chewing is extreme and I can understand that, but I think that 6 days of drinking fresh homemade juice will be perfectly healthy and fine.

Anyways, now that I've explained myself, let the comments fly- feel free to tell why you think juice feasting is bad or good- just keep it polite!

Here are some pictures from my Juicing Prep:
My shopping cart!
My bounty- nothing but fruit, veggies, green tea and dark chocolate (not giving that up even for six days!)
I got two new kinds of chocolate- the Lindt chili flavored kind is actually super tasty! (haven't tried the other one yet)
More ginger than most people probably buy in a year! Ginger makes a great addition to juices.
Lemons and limes for my Lemon Limeade (with ginger juice!). Surprisingly easy to peel.
And the end product above!

I've got:
2 gallons of green juice (cucumber, celery and cilantro)
1 gallon orange carrot ginger juice
1 gallon of (very strong) lemon limeade with ginger
1 gallon delicious fresh pineapple juice
1/2 a gallon of apple juice
1 gallon green tea

They all actually taste pretty good, too! I've been practicing making yummy juice (as opposed to gaggy juice- been there done that!)

We'll see how it all goes!

Love,
Lis

Changes are never easy

2009-01-21T11:40:00.002-07:00

Changes are never easy- that's a pretty indisputable fact, I think.

Whether you're trying to lose weight (as Leiah and I are) change bad habits, begin good habits, or- as is the theme of this blog- trying to treat yourself the best you can, change takes great effort and concentration. Sometimes even when we know we are making changes for the better, we still miss our old days of deviance. Why is that?

I think there is a part of human nature- particularly for women- that feels we deserve less than the best. Again, why is that?!? That's probably one of the most destructive thoughts we can have, but I know that I am guilty of it sometimes. If I feel I haven't done "enough" one day then I sometimes feel that I don't deserve good things- love from my husband, a trip to the movies, or things like that. Funnily enough I never feel I don't deserve an ice cream sundae or a chocolate chip cookie.

Something inside us seems to resist our success, our changes for the better. I think this is part of the reason changes are never easy.

Ok, so this post has taken a different direction than I'd planned, but I mentioned the other day that this blog was taking a "food and exercise" direction and that that was okay by me. Leiah got a little worked up about that, but I think that was because I didn't explain myself well enough.

This blog is about learning to be good to ourselves and learn to really act like leading ladies, in charge of and loving our lives. I think two of the best things we can give ourselves is good food and time to exercise!

Food soothes and nourishes our bodies and souls and exercise gives us endorhpins, helps us sleep better and helps us adopt a better body image. Not mention lengthening our lives.

That's what I meant about the blog taking a food and exercise direction- all with the intention of helping me to become a better, happier person! I'll still post about other things, but I think many of my posts will be about those subjects.

Anyways, maybe that was a boring post (no pictures!) but I think it was important- and good!

Love,
Lis

P.S. What sorts of things do you think help you become a better, happier person? Leave a comment and let me know!

Monday Weigh in #3 Leiah

2009-01-20T06:02:00.001-07:00

Can I opt out?
128.5 right back to starting. I ate a LOT of fun stuff this week! - time to get serious!

The Big Decision

2009-01-19T21:38:00.002-07:00

So, I wanted to wait until I told my parents and Leiah about this before I posted, but Leiah is in Tucson (I called and said, "Hi! It's me!" to her babysitter on accident) so I didn't want to bother her. I just told my parents and I'll call Leiah tomorrow to discuss it.

The Decision
I'm getting certified as a group fitness instructor, personal trainer, and (eventually) yoga instructor!

This is a crazy decision for me- I struggle with science (though I love biology) and I was a Lit/Folklore major, but I've been thinking, researching and praying about it a lot for the past month and I really feel that this is a good choice for me and my future.

My first step will be to get certified to be a group fitness instructor and my course (through ACE) is already in the mail! I can't wait to get started!

My inspirations are:

The Fitnessista (there's a link to her blog in my blog list)

Jillian Michaels (from the Biggest Loser- love that show!)

And my Aunt Doreen

I'll do a post in the future about my Aunt Doreen and what she has done lately to inspire me and our family- she is a leading lady for sure!

So, wish me good luck and I'll keep you updated on how the studying and training are going!

Love and best wishes,
Lis

Monday Weigh in #3

2009-01-19T09:29:00.003-07:00

It's that time time again!

Starting weight: 150.8
weight today: 146 !

I was dreading weigh in all weekend, but was pleasantly surprised this morning when the scale said I was down by 1.6 pounds! I'll take it!

I know I said I'd do another post yesterday, but things have been a little intense around here- decisions being made and emotions getting out and all that jazz. Later today, after I talk with some more people, I'll do a post about the big decision I made- it's pretty big and exciting (at least for me) but I'm nervous to reveal it for some reason.

Wow, what a teaser that is! You'll just have to wait until tonight to hear about the decision!

Love,
Lis

Wraps and Green...Milkshakes?

2009-01-18T07:42:00.003-07:00

I just got these new wraps this week and boy are they tasty! They only have 90 calories a piece plus they have like 9 grams of fiber a piece too! They are very soft and pliable, yet they hold together well when you wrap things up in them. Here are two of the wraps I've had this week:

I know you can't see the inside, but this had deli roast beef and romaine lettuce and I made a greek salad on the side with our homemade cheese. This was a great meal, though it did feel a little too summery for all the snow outside!

Mmmmmmmmmm! This one was really good! Broiled salmon, shredded cabbage, romaine lettuce, cheddar cheese and jalapenos. This hit the spot and tasted like it came from a restaurant!

So, next time you see these wraps in the store (I got mine at Wal-mart) you should definitely check them out!

In other news, I have discovered a new and wonderful breakfast/dessert! Just add 1 tablespoon of fat free sugar free instant pudding mix to you smoothie and it tastes like a milkshake! Even with greens in it! This was white chocolate berry with blueberries and blackberries and ff/sf white chocolate jello pudding mix plus a ton of spinach. It tasted thick and creamy like a real milkshake.

Enjoy!

Love,
Lis

P.S. I realize that this is sort of turning into a food and exercise blog (I'm sure Leiah's noticed too), but I'm okay with that and I'll do a post later today about why that's okay by me. Off to church now!

Green Smoothies in The Magic Bullet

2009-01-15T19:23:00.003-07:00

Okay, so a while back my sister made a post about green smoothies. It looked gross. I however was curious and decided to go for it. I already drink a smoothie every morning for breakfast, why not give it a try. I however, have to keep things more simple than she does. Here's what I did.

1 cup water (you could do milk - but this saves on calories)
1 scoop of my spiru-tein vanilla protein powder
1 banana
1 cup of kale

If you read her recipe you'll see what I mean about keeping it simple! This smoothie has 250 calories and about 20 grams of protien. I'm not sure on the fiber because I'm not that savvy yet about kale. Using water shaves off anywhere from 50 - 200 calories depending on what kind you use. The banana makes it creamy so I don't miss the milk. I made it once without the banana and it wasn't as good.

The verdict: Delicious! Keeps me very full!

She was right the kale really didn't change the flavor at all - and I felt great knowing how good it was for me.

Now, this is my magic bullet. I make my smoothies (along with lots of other things) in here. It is the single most fantastic thing to have in your kitchen! When your done clean up is SO easy and you just drink it right out of the cup you mixed it in. You can buy them lots of places, but mine I got for Christmas and I think it came from Walmart.

I have made chicken salad, sauces, baby food, milk shakes and the fastest ever whipped cream in the magic bullet. I strongly suggest you check it out! While your at it make a kale smoothie, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

Restaurant Review and Yoga Burns!

2009-01-14T09:12:00.003-07:00

Happy Wednesday! Man, I am having a good week- it's probably all that exercise plus the start of 4H.

Guru's Restaurant Review
So on Saturday after our workouts, Dale and I decided to go to our favorite place for brunch- Guru's!
Guru's is a hippie/funky/ethnic little place in downtown Provo, UT with great food- Thai, Mexican and Italian- all with a distinctly American twist.
Some of my favorite include the Grilled Salmon Salad which has sugar snap peas, edamame, red peppers and tons of other interestingly cut veggies and the Thai Peanut Noodle Bowl which also has tons of veggies cut up like pasta and mixed in with the rest of the noodles. (I also love the blue cheese and steak quesadilla- but we won't go there, 'cuz it makes me feel all heavy and sick afterward).

Though there are many wonderful things at Guru's NOTHING and I mean NOTHING compares to the two ways they prepare the lowly (but nutritious) sweet potato. Therefore my entire reason for going there on Saturday rested in the hands of their talented sweet potato chef (what a great job to have!)

I got two eggs (poached medium), two slices of whole wheat bread and SWEET POTATO HOME FRIES which are sauteed with green and red peppers and onions. Mmmmmm...a little ketchup and I was in heaven (until Dale somehow got ketchup into my blackberry jam- don't ask).

Dale got his favorite breakfast ever (done Guru's style of course): Biscuits and Gravy.
They call the The Cowboy Benny at Guru's- not sure why but it does have poached eggs on top of the biscuits. Yes a heart attack waiting to happen, but it made his mouth and tummy so happy- with a side of sweet potato home fries, of course.

The other way they prepare sweet potatoes are the most magnificent potato french fries with a chipotle dipping sauce. They are so good that I really never eat french fries unless I eat them there. So maybe this is one time where eating french fries actually helps your diet- nothing else compares!

All in all Guru's is a great place- friendly people, funky decor and chilled out music and Fabulous Food with two capital F's.

Yoga Burns
So, I am fairly new to the whole yoga thing, but I really, really like it. Two of the funniest/helpful things that yoga teachers have said to me in class are:
"Just breathe through any pain or discomfort you might be feeling."
and
"Feel the fire building in that muscle."

Somehow yoga teachers can turn a "HOLY HECK! MY MUSCLE IS GOING TO SPLIT OPEN!" moment into a peaceful, relaxing, empowering moment. How do they do that?

Next time you're working out and feel like you can't possibly go any longer or harder just remember to "Breathe through any pain or discomfort you feel" and to "feel the fire building in your muscles." (not to the point of injury, of course- do listen to your body and stop if you feel you might injure yourself.)

My Pilates Teacher gives us a challenge at the end of every class. Today's was to be cheerful and I pass the same challenge along to you. In every situation today do your best to be genuinely cheerful and happy. I promise to try it too!

Love,
Lis

P.S. I love my sister. She's great!

Monday Weigh in Leiah #2

2009-01-12T20:23:00.002-07:00

So this morning as I got on the scale I was totally prepared to have to lie on the blog about loosing weight. My husband was gone most of the week and I ate great while he was gone. But when he got home we ate out about 3 times and I put all guilt aside and ate what I pleased. However, somewhere I must have worked hard because the scale was good to me and I won't be telling any lies today!

Previous weight - 128.5
Todays weight - 127.0

WOO HOO! Down 1 1/2 lbs! I'll try not to go overboard this weekend and blow all my hard work. That's my goal for this week! I also learned something new this week. For every pound you loose you burn 20 calories less. ( I don't remember if it was per hour or day) However, bummer - the thinner you get the less you burn. That encourages me to build more muscle. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn! Good luck with your goals!

Monday Weigh in #2

2009-01-12T10:13:00.006-07:00

Alright, time for another Monday Weigh in- Oh Joy of Joys.

Starting Weight- 150.8
Last Weigh in- 148.2
Weight today- 147.4
Body Fat%- 31%
Water%- 50.4%
Muscle %- 35.9%
Bone% (which I'm still not sure I understand what that means- can anyone enlighten me?)- 3.1%

So, down a pound- I can live with that, but I know that I can eat a LITTLE bit better and exercise a LITTLE bit more this week to see it come down even more!

Remember (as I am trying to do) that little steps forward can add up to BIG successes- it just takes patience!

Sorry for the three day hiatus from posting. My internet was doing funky things so I am posting from campus with Dale doing his homework next to me. We're changing our internet provider sometime next week so hurray for that!

Here are some random photos taken this week for a little visual stimulation:
A delicious homemade meal of grilled chicken breast, salad with homemade orange balsamic vinagrette, and (the star of the show) homemade vegetarian (vegan) barbecued beans with lima beans and black eye peas. Oh, this was SO good. I believe we had some San Pellegrino with this too.
A new find! Chicken Jalapeno Sausages from my favorite store ever, Sunflower Farmer's Market. Spicy and juicy.
The same sausage chopped up and topping a wonderful bowl of greens and goodies along with crock pot pinto beans and spinach- no dressing needed. (this was my lunch one day this week.)
And, last but not least, a Russian tortoise (or something- it was just cute) that was in one of the classrooms I subbed for this week. These little guys apparently LOVE lettuce! They were totally going to town on it.

Workout Plan for the week:
Monday- already did it! Pilates class, weight lifting and elliptical for 30 minutes.
Tuesday- yoga class, running for 30 minutes plus stretching
Wednesday- Pilates class, weight lifting, cardio machine mix 30 minutes
Thursday- yoga class, running for 30 minutes plus stretching
Friday- sprints for 30 minutes, weight lifting
Saturday- yoga class, jog for 30 minutes- maybe sledding or to Jump On It (a cool place FILLED with trampolines for adults!)
Sunday- rest! Maybe a walk or some light yoga

Well, that's all for now, but I'll leave you with a teaser for an upcoming post- a RESTAURANT REVIEW!

Looks delicious, huh?

Love,
Lis

P.S. What are your goals/plans for this week?

Celebrity

2009-01-08T16:43:00.005-07:00

A couple months ago I was asked to attend a night at our church for the young women ages 12 - 18. The night was about celebrities, however, not the ones in Hollywood. Each of the girls had been asked to pick someone they admired and wanted to be like. They then wrote a letter why they chose them as their "celebrity". Then each "celebrity" was invited to attend that night, hence the reason I was there.

I felt honored to have been chosen by a beautiful sweet girl. However, humbled by the thought that we truly are always being watched. I was also even more impressed by the girls who had not chosen women who were necessarily fashionable, slim, or gorgeous by the standards of the world. Some had chosen women who were crippled but still kept their happy attitudes and worked hard to be independent. Others chose women who had simply lived a very hard life and worked hard all their days.

It made me think of the wonderful women in my own life. Women who are strong, work hard, serve others, are kind, have a happy attitude, and are giving. Most of all the evening presented me with a desire to be a better person. I've been watching people more now and learning from them the skills and attributes that I think would make me an even better person!

Who are your celebrities?

Until next time,

Leiah

Who is Leiah.....

2009-01-08T16:29:00.003-07:00

Hi there! I'm Lis' big sister - big by almost 5 years, and about 6 inches! We live in different states so this is a fun way to keep up with eachother and feel connected. Our lives couldn't be more different!

I am a stay at home mom mother of 4. I've been married for 7 + years and my oldest just turned 6 yesterday! I have two girls ages 6 and 4, and two boys, ages 2 and 4 months. They are of course adorable, and fun, but they keep me super busy! I'm married to a fantastic guy who makes this life a fun and enjoyable journey!

I've lived a lot of places, including China, gone to college, and owned a business. I've learned a lot but nothing has taught me more about myself than being a wife and mother. The struggle to keep yourself afloat through all the ups and downs and not get lost in everyone elses needs!

With Alyssa I hope to help us all remember who we are and discover more who we can become. There's always room for improvment!

Until next time,
Leiah

The Best Sub Job Ever and Something to Learn from it

2009-01-08T15:32:00.008-07:00

Ok, so I mentioned that I'm a substitute teacher and that I really love it. Well, today I had the Best sub job ever!

Today I subbed for a music ed. teacher at an elementary school and we played games about musical styles and musical instruments and that was cool, but the BEST part was a game called "Freeze Dancing."

For this game I played a song from one of the different music styles we learned about (reggae, rock, hip hop, country, classical and jazz) and all the kids just went crazy dancing! (me too, I confess!) Then I pressed the pause button and they all froze where they were. They loved it and were such great dancers!

The tip I have for today comes from Freeze Dancing! I guess I forgot how much fun dancing can be, but seeing those kids with huge smiles on their faces and just GOING TO TOWN bustin' moves right and left made me remember that dancing is GREAT fun- not to mention a great way to get moving and lift your mood and metabolism.

If you've got kids, try playing "Freeze Dancing" with them, or if you're alone just put on some rockin' tunes and set the timer for 15 minutes and dance your heart out. Some of my favorite songs to bust a move to are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3xafme2PWA "Why Should I worry" by Billy Joel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aLFmVwbxro "Beautiful Liar" by Beyonce and Shakira

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lFXy5bIiSA "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
Have fun rockin' out!

love,
Lis

P.S. What are your favorite songs to rock out (or work out) to?

First Yoga Class!

2009-01-08T07:58:00.002-07:00

Wow! I just got back from my first real yoga class and it was great! Maybe this sound cliche but my arms were killing me during all those downward dogs...but I held out and never took the "child's pose" option. My teacher was great, not too out there but she still had some great things to say besides describing poses and form.

And amazingly...

...it wasn't that hard for me to get up at 5:15 am this morning to get going! That was certainly surprising, but I guess I was excited!

My next class is Saturday morning and I can't wait (though I know I'll be sore from this class)!

Love,
Lis

P.S. Jenna over a eatliverun.com (you can find the link to her blog in my blog list) was one of the main things that encouraged me to try out a yoga class. She is very into yoga and has often written about how good it makes her feel- I'm starting to figure out what she means! You feel strong, but light and powerful, but peaceful. And just plain good. Thanks Jenna!

Pilates and Yoga

2009-01-07T20:03:00.005-07:00

I've signed up for two new classes to help feed my new obsession!

Pilates CoreMax

Using the Joseph Pilates Method tone your core to the Max!

Power Yoga

A vigorous and powerful approach to Yoga, using Ashtanga, Anusara and Hatha styles of yoga.

As the spouse of a student I can sign up for "aerobics" classes on campus! (I also get free access to the University's Gyms and track) And so I signed up for these two classes. They are at 6:00 am!!! except for the yoga class on Saturdays which is at 8:30am, so that's a lot better.

I'm excited for several reasons:
A) One of my goals is to exercise regularly!
B) Another of my goals is to get in the habit of waking up early!
C) And ever since the summer (when I had some private yoga lessons) I have wanted to get better at yoga and this yoga class sounds like it will definitely be a CHALLENGE!(This is where I lived over the summer where I took my yoga lessons- Bellyacres in Hawaii!)

My first class is yoga tomorrow- wish me luck!

love,
Alyssa

P.S. I said I would update you about how I was exercising- I did yoga last night for about 20 minutes (a little wimpy, I know, but I got my brother-in-law Quinn to do it with me! Shocking!) and this morning I did Pilates (with my workout tape) for only a little while.

P.P.S. I bought cute new workout clothes today- to help me feel a little more confident and motivated for my classes!

My New Obsession...Hopefully

2009-01-06T21:48:00.005-07:00

So, I mentioned my obsession with books, but I have another obsession I guess (according to Leiah...and my husband....and my mom and dad...and others).

I really like food!

Not necessarily eating it, though I like that too. I love cooking, reading about cooking, reading about eating, daydreaming about food, planning menus and really anything else food related. I even teach two kids cooking classes and one healthy living class where we learn about the food pyramid and healthy eating habits. I think food is super cool.

They say that getting a fit and toned physique with a healthy body weight and all that jazz is 80% nutrition, 10% exercise and 10% genes. I'm doing alright with the 80% (though I know I eat a little too much to be losing weight- healthy foods though!). The part where I have trouble is with exercising.

It's not that I don't enjoy exercising- because I do! I just never do it. When I actually get myself out there and get moving I love it and almost always feel fit and happy when I'm done. The problem is that I keep telling myself the same phrase over and over each day "I'll do it later."

This is such a destructive phrase! If you keep saying it over and over you'll end up NEVER doing anything. So one of my goals is to develop an exercise plan and STICK TO IT! Say "I'll do it now" instead of "I'll do it later."

Leiah is really much better at exercising than I am and she has some great tips on revving your metabolism up into high gear. Hopefully she'll enlighten us in a future post about how she finds time to boost her metabolism even with four little kids running around!

In the meantime, here's my exercise plan for the rest of the week:
Tuesday- 30 minutes of yoga
Wednesday- Pilates class (at 6am- jeez!)
Thursday- Yoga class (6am again)
Friday- elliptical machine for 30 minutes
Saturday- sledding with Dale and some yoga
Sunday- rest and easy yoga

Can you tell I like yoga? I'm still a beginner, but am trying to get better at it- feels so good.

From now on I'll be doing this post on Sundays- announcing what my exercise plan for the week is and, periodically, reporting on how that's all going. Keep me accountable! Pretty soon I'll be looking like her
Jillian Michaels- one of the trainers from "The Biggest Loser." Hey it could happen!

I'm making exercise my new obsession (hopefully) while still eating healthy.

What are your healthy obsessions? (like me and kale, I guess)

love,
Lis

My Sister!

2009-01-05T22:08:00.003-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm so excited to announce that my sister Leiah is going to be my partner in blogging crime from now on!

She's a great girl- so smart and put together- and whenever we chat on the phone (for hours, sometimes) she always has tons of advice for me. She recently gave birth to her fourth kid! (she's got good tips for losing the baby weight)

She'll do an introductory post in the next few days, but I just wanted to announce the happy news beforehand.

Love,
Lis

Monday Weigh In For Leiah

2009-01-05T21:08:00.003-07:00

Hey, this is Leading Lady Lis' older sister. I'm going to be a contributing author on this blog. I'll do an introduction later, but for now here is my Monday weigh in information. I don't have a fancy scale like my sis - mine only tells me how much I weigh, which I'm grateful for because I'm sure I don't want to know what my body fat is!

As of Monday January 5, 2009 I weigh 128.5. lbs

Goal - 120 lbs

I haven't lost a pound since Thankgiving, but I haven't gained a pound either, which must be a feat in itself all things considered!

Monday Weigh in #1

2009-01-05T08:29:00.003-07:00

So, Mondays are going to be weigh in days. I debated about whether to put this on the blog because it's so personal and...jeez...what if I mess up!

But I figure, if I know that anyone who reads this blog is going to see how much I lose (or gain) each week then I will definitely feel more accountable for what I eat and how I exercise during the week, which is a good thing. So I'll swallow my pride and every Monday there'll be a short weigh in post.

Starting weight (from last week): 150.8
01/05
weight- 148.4
body fat- 31.2% (yikes!)
water- 50.4%
muscle- 35.7%
bone- 3.1%

Okay, I'm off to make a green smoothie with oatmeal in it instead of psillium husk per my Dad's suggestion.
See ya!

Green Smoothies!

2009-01-04T10:44:00.004-07:00

Did you know that Kale is one of the most nutrition-packed foods- especially dollar for dollar- that you can buy? Here's a condensed list of Kale's many wonderful qualities:

- helps prevent Cancer, especially Ovarian Cancer
- Optimizes your cell's natural ability to detoxify and cleanse themselves
- Lowers cataract risk
- helps prevent cell damage from free-radicals
- promotes lung health (do you get a lot of second-hand smoke? This could save your life!)
- Vitamin C for improved skin and boosted immunity
- Helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis (which runs in my family- yikes!)
- Manganese for energy production and antioxidant protection
- Great source of dietary fiber
- Great source of calcium with fewer calories and non of the fat in milk
- Vitamin E for improved skin and mental function
- Super Heart Healthy
- Kale's also a great source of copper, Vitamin B6 and potassium!
(I got all my information from http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38 -- it has EVEN MORE fabulous information on kale, if you're interested in the un-condensed version)

Isn't that amazing?!? Seriously go out and buy yourself some kale right now!

I used to be a little afraid of greens because my grandmother used to make mustard greens for us and I HATED them. You know what I found out though? Not all greens taste alike! I still don't like mustard greens but I really enjoy collards and spinach and, of course, kale.

Here's my favorite way to eat my greens: Green Smoothies!

Green Smoothie Recipe
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 tsp raw cacao
1 tsp whole brown flaxseeds
1 tsp psillium husk powder
1/2 a scoop vanilla protein powder
1 vitamin C fizzy packet (this one's cranberry flavored)
1 1/2 cups fresh kale, stem removed
1 cup frozen orange slices
1/2 a banana
2 cups ice cubes
(makes enough for two people or one VERY hungry Leading Lady)

In pictures:Put the milk in the blender then add the dry ingredients

and blend for about a minute until everything is very smooth. Then add the

KALE! you can add as much or as little as you want. If you're worried about the taste (which is incredibly unnoticeable) then start with just a half a cup and work you're way up slowly. I do about 1-2 cups. Blend that until the smoothie is completely smooth and green then add your fruit and ice cubes.
Beautiful! The perfect breakfast even on a snowy day like today.

Try it out!

Love,
Leading Lady Lis

P.S. This is the kind of raw cacao I use:Raw cacao is seriously the food of the gods- so good for your heart and your mood and so many other wonderful things. Go antioxidants!

P.P.S. Are you going to give kale a try? You know you should!

What is a Leading Lady?

2009-01-04T09:29:00.004-07:00

I've been getting a lot of questions from friends and family members (who are really the only people reading this blog right now- thanks guys!) about the title and theme of this blog. "What," they ask, "do you mean by 'Leading Lady'?"

To me a Leading Lady is someone who is Conscious and Proactive- who really takes part in life- someone who has a lot of self-esteem (but not cockiness), self-respect and self-confidence. Strong but feminine. Happy but not careless.

Like
(Kate Hudson)...and...
(Jane Austen)...and...
(J.K. Rowling)...and maybe even...me! Or you!

My Leading Lady goal for this week is to be Proactive. I can admit (and my Mother will be happy to tell you) that I do have a tendency to be LAZY. Well LAZY is my new four letter word! Now, don't worry, I'm not going to run myself ragged or anything, but I know that some of the happiest, most satisfying memories I have are of times when I was PROACTIVE- doing lots of things, checking off my to-do list and making things happen. I slept well those nights and felt good about the time I spent on those days. So this week I'm focusing and developing the proactive side of Leading Lady Lis.
My big To-Do's:
- do all the paperwork to start subbing with another school district
- turn in all of my 4H paperwork (LOVE 4H!)
- Go grocery shopping and stay UNDER budget!
- write a product review for my new favorite beverage- so tasty!
- make an exercise plan for this week and stick to it
- do something I really love to do (as opposed to being lazy and doing nothing)
- spend time with my loved ones (husband and in-laws)

Ok, so that's one for every day this week. I'll check in and report each time I accomplish one of my goals and tell ya'll how my proactive week is going!

Love,
Leading Lady Lis

The Last of the Info...

2009-01-03T09:47:00.003-07:00

So far I've confessed to you certain things about me- 1) How I have been acting like "the best friend" in my own life and 2) How I've made a "New Year's Revolution" to begin acting like a Leading Lady.

Today I present you with more information about myself, my havits and my plans for this blog. Maybe some of you find this uninteresting- maybe others find it fascinating. regardless of whether you skip this part or read ravenously, I feel this is important infor, so here it is.

A) Who is Leading Lady Lis?
Glad you asked! Well, I am a born and raised Californian, but I am living in Utah right now as my dear husband, Dale, is doing his graduate studies. I graduated back in April with a BA in English. In conjunction with that fact you should know that I have a sad and appalling addiction to reading. I LOVE books! I am a speed reader extraordinaire!
Another think I love? Cooking! Cooking is my passion, my pastime and my favorite subject of daydreams. Other things I like are hiking and doing crafty things. I am a substitute teacher and, though it's not the most glamorous of jobs, I really love it! I also do 4H after school clubs at one of my local elementary schools about cooking and healthy living. I live in a old apartment that my husband and I have turned into a warm and comfortable home. I hate the snow (except when sledding!) and love animals. And goat cheese. And did I mention books?

B) The Regulars- So there are several "regulars" that you will see on the blog (foodwise) pretty often. Here's an explanation:
1) Green Smoothies- this is the way I start most of my days. I began drinking Green Smoothies over the summer living on a farm in Hawaii where we had kale and papayas coming out of our ears to I started blending them tegether for a smoothie and it was delicious! A nutritious way to get in a full serving each of fruits and vegetables first thing in the morning! The original green smoothies of cold green tea, Hawaiian papaya and kale has morphed into my current day green smoothie with consists of:
a) 1/2 a scoop vanilla whey protein
b)1 tsp: raw cacao, flaxseed and psillium husk (did I spell that right?)
c) about a cup of unsweetened almond milk plus some water and ide
d) fruit
e) about a cup and a half of fresh kale
f) sometimes green tea- but not very often
It may sound strange but don't knock it until you've tried it. This is my favorite way to start the day. It's filling and energizing and boy does it start you up for success!
2)Raw Almonds- I do not like all of the oil and salt they add to roasted almonds- both for taste adn for health- so I nearly always eat my almonds raw. I am allergic to raw walnuts, pecans and pumpkin seeds though so I usually toast or roast most of my other nuts when I have them. But, honestly you're mostly going to see Almonds and occassionaly pistachios or peanuts on this blog. I'm kind of scared to eat the rest.
3) Greens and Goodies- this is what I call salad.

I am a firm believer in greens! I think they have such huge health benefits that they should be included in every diet every day (hence the kale in my breakfast). Sadly, most Americans do not get nearly as many greens in their diets as they should and iceberg lettuce is much too popular for my liking. I love to eat dark green or red leafy goodies like baby spinach, radicchio, romaine and spring mixes not to mention TONS of kale in my smoothies, collard greens and other stuff. Everybody need GREENS! (And not boring ones either, hence the "goodies" added on- salads should never be boring!)

Ok, that's the last of the boring information. Tomorrow is Sunday and we'll start the blog for realsies. Keep reading! And don't forget to comment and let me know you're out there reading this!

Love,
Leading Lady Lis

P.S. What are some of your "regulars"?

carrot cake cookies

2009-01-02T19:18:00.005-07:00

I was reading Sweet and Natural's blog the other day and saw her post on Carrot Cake! Yum! Who doesn't love carrot cake? This reminded me of one of my favorite cookie recipes--Carrot Cake Cookies!

Here's my recipe for delicious and healthy(er--the are a little high in sugar so they're still not an everyday thing):

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup Smart Balance Omega Oil
1 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 cups old fashioned oats, divided
1/2 cup soy milk
2 Tbs whole flaxseeds
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups of flour (any combo of white and wheat flour)
About a cup of shredded carrots

Mix together the applesauce, oil, two sugars and the soy milk with a hand mixer.
In a very dry blender place 2 cups of oats and the flaxseeds and blend until very fine (about 3 minutes). Dump that into the applesauce mixture along with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Place by tablespoon-fulls onto a greaed baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Makes about 45-50 tiny cookies (which is the size I like them).

These are great for game nights like my husband, Dale, and I had last night
(with Settlers of Catan)
Or after a day of playing in the snow like today.
They're a delicious and healthy twist on carrot cake and oatmeal cookies.

New Year's Revolution

2009-01-02T08:58:00.004-07:00

Around this time of year people are making all kinds of grandiose "New Year's Resolutions." In fact, I'm willing to bet that a couple hundred new blogs have popped up this week as a result of "New Year's Resolutions" as if suddenly, because it is now the beginning of a new year, people are going to be able to immediately change. Be different people, think differently and, above all, act differently.

Personally, I don't think MOST people who make "New Year's Resolutions" are likely to succeed--at least I haven't succeeded with my past resolutions.

That's not to say that I don't believe in goal-making! I totally do, but most changes happen over a period of time. Sudden, drastic changes (such as "I'm never going to eat carbs again!" or "I will exercise 3 hours a day, every day!) usually only happen when something highly traumatic occurs in our life. Stepping on the scale come January 1st to see 10 extra pounds is just NOT traumatic enough to really cause us to change!

No, no. The type of change I'm hoping to make happen in my life will be a gradual one. I want to make little changes the feel so good. I want to THINK a LITTLE bit differently and ACT a LITTLE bit differently. I have no desire to become a different person--I like who I am now! I just know that I have it within my power to treat myself a LITTLE bit better than before and WHY NOT TREAT MYSELF WELL?

Around a month ago I started to fall into that same old trap again where I started thinking about my "New Year's Resolutions" and all that jazz and when I sat down at my computer to type them out I accidently wrote "New Year's Revolutions." That stopped me in my tracks. "What an interesting thought," I said to myself. A Revolution versus a Resolution.
(The American Revolution)

Revolutions (of countries) are never easy. The revolutionaries have setbacks and struggles and hard times yet those who have been successful have always been the ones who pressed forward despite SETBACKS, MISTAKES and HARD TIMES.
(The Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic)
They held onto their ideals (whether virtuous or not is beside the point) and changed their own situations.

I guess English majors like me get more hung up on words than normal people, but seeing the new phrase made a big difference to me. Anyways... so my "New Year's Revolution" is to treat myself well--like I'm special and deserving!
I'm starting a Revolution! Let's join forces!

Love,
Leading Lady Lis

P.S. What are some of your "New Year's Revolutions" (Or Resolutions or whatever works for you)?

Leading Lady Lis

2009-01-01T12:34:00.011-07:00

Hi, my name is Lis and this is my new blog- "How to be the Leading Lady of Your Own Very Real Life."
So what is this blog about? It's about clever ways to make your life happier, healthier, and more elegant, even if you live in an old apartment, have never owned a fabulous car and definitely if you have never strolled down the red carpet.

OR

How to be the Leading Lady of Your Own Very Real Life.

In the movie "The Holiday" (which is a fun movie by the way, so go check it out) Arthur says the following quote to Iris (Kate Winslet's character):

Arthur: Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend.
Iris: You're so right. You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for God's sake...the was brilliant. Brutal, but brilliant.

This quote really started me thinking about my life--which is decidedly less pathetic than Iris's--and about whether or not I was acting like the leading lady of my own life.

I thought about how I spend my time. I thought about the voice inside my head (everyone's got one you know--the one who tells you to go ahead and have one more chocolate chip cookie or that those jeans make your butt look like the Goodyear Blimp) and what it constantly tells me. I thought about how I treat myself physically and mentally.

And what did I decide after several weeks of serious self-reflection? I was definitely acting like "the best friend" instead of "the leading lady." I decided that I was not going to accept that from myself anymore!

"But," I said to myself, "I'm not Kate Winslet! I'm not Cameron Diaz! I don't have millions of dollars; in fact I don't even have thousands of dollars! How am I supposed to become Leading Lady material when I'm worrying about my next paycheck or when I'll have time to work-out or any number of "real life" things that distract me from becoming a Leading Lady?

Well, I haven't precisely answered that question yet, though I do have a few ideas. That's what this blog is all about--me finding the Leading Lady inside myself and, hopefully, helping others to do the same. I'm trying to stop accepting mediocrity from myself, because I deserve the best!
I'm ready to become the Leading Lady of My Own Very Real Life. Is anyone else?