These are basic necessities...

I was legit fired on Wednesday, and it's thrown me into an awful depression (more about that stuff some other time?), instead of focusing on that I am trying to focus on what I need to do to improve my situation, and keep this smile on my face. 

So, today I created a new workout, and as a challenge I am going to get up everyday and do said workout, and if/when I tire of that I will invoke runtastic matched with the classic C25K trainer I have on my iPod. The workout is called Sari's Autumn Morning Kick Off, it can be found (along with other workouts I've created) at:
http://www.skimble.com/workouts/557857-saris-autumn-morning-kick-off

Here's a run-down of the intense 46-minute morning booster...

Sari's Autumn Morning Kick Off Workout (Intense)

Warm-Up (2 rounds):
Waist hooping,   2:00
Hoop Jump Rope,   1:00
Chest Hooping,   2:00

Workout (3 rounds): 
Dumbbell Push Press,   1:00
Rest,   :05
Dumbbell Sumo  Squats,   1:00
Rest,   :05
Triceps Kickbacks,    1:00
Rest,   :05
Dumbbell Side Lunge and Touch,   1:00
Rest,   :05
Dumbbell Lunges,   1:00
Rest,   :30

Workout (2 Rounds): 
Burpees,   1:00
Dumbbell Plank Row and Triceps Kickback,   1:00
Rest,   :05 (transition)
Ball Reverse Crunch,   1:00
Rest,   :25
Ball Back Extensions,   1:00

Cool Down (1 Round):   

Hoop Dance,   4:00
Right Side Stretch,   :15
Left Side Stretch,   :15
Cat Cow,   1:00
Knee Hugs,   1:00
Quad Stretches,   1:00
Triceps Stretches,   :30
Meditation Pose,   1:00

Other than that I am proactively looking for work, one in an environment that's not as toxic (I am SO grateful for still having a job at Old Navy at The Gateway). I am trying to give myself a hand-up and stay afloat by seeking assistance, such as; food-stamps, and unemployment. I am going to bring up Flylady.com and use that to bring in some organization in life. I am focusing on my health and trying to get the things done I couldn't get done while working full time.

Honestly, I feel heavy with depression, but I keep telling myself that I need to focus on the seasons changing and loving my life and things will be better. I've also have turned off my facebook for a little bit of time. I want to focus on getting ready for Hoop Camp and looking for work

By putting light, and love, and laughter around things, I create positive magic in my life.

April's Goals

On April 8, 2013 I made a status update that said:

"Being home makes me realize how lucky I am to no longer be stuck in a body that doesn't allow me to do the things I want to. I think of last year and how devastated I was when I was told I couldn't hold Jess' kids anymore (I was having muscle spasms in my back pretty frequently, and it was debilitating), and how heart-broken I was when I was told three separate times in the ER that I shouldn't hula hoop anymore. 

Yesterday I picked up my 17-year-old brother while we were rough-housing (who is taller than me. I know the idea of Andrew being taller than me is probably freaky weird for those of you who know Drew). Stormy always tells me that she has always thought of my strength as being like Crater Lake-- she has no idea how deep it is, but she knows it's deep. And, that's probably my favorite thing about off the scale victories...hula hooping taught me to love my body, and my journey towards health (especially in this last year) has taught me how strong I am.

Which, I think, is pretty kick-ass." 

It's amazing how in only a few days how differently I feel from that original status update. I did really well nutritionally while I was in Oregon-- I ate some gluten, but I maintain eating pretty healthy, and I worked out. I've been having a hard time since I've been back in SLC.

I am always amazed by how quickly, and easy it is to fall back into old habits; ie, emotional eating, and how that begets poor decision making.


I am recommitting myself to making healthier life decisions. I am back to focusing on PlankADay, working out, hula hooping, 100 oz of water a day, keeping my emotional eating in check (I've been falling victim of emotional eating since I've been back in SLC and I feel it's important to steer away from that habit as much as possible), not just logging into MyFitnessPal, but actually logging my food everyday, smiling, hugging the children, and making good choices for me. I know what works, and choosing hoopiness is a hellva lot easier than choosing to be go back to bad habits. 

There is this fear in me of slipping so far back in my bad decision making that I undo all of the good work I do. This fear is making me feel very scale obsessed so, as part of my goal making for April I've decided not to step on a scale until May. I am going to focus on my monthly goals, working out, and MFP and reset my mind and give myself a break from worrying about the scale.

For the month of April I want to try and refocus on getting miles down-- I have really moved away from C25K training, and cardio. I want to combine strength training and my cardio work. I want to focus on my over all well being including keeping up on hygiene, and making sure I am dressing well. I want to work on putting out as much love as I can, and openly accepting it back. For the month of April I am going to work on communication, and asking for help. These are will be my goals...

April 2013 Goals:
1 hour of Hooping a week
PlankADay
Post in KUWS once a week
Buy a bike for May (Bike Month)
Start training for Color Me Rad 5K (Try and get 100 miles in by May 15th)
Work on Flexibility 
P90X 
8 hours of sleep a day
Don't have a weigh in until Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Strength training with stability ball and resistance band
Log food into MyFitnessPal

Anyways, today is Sunday, and I am looking forward to kicking off this week on a good note (I did over indulge in some Chuck-A-Rama earlier, but I made sure to make healthier choices while out and about, and I didn't eat gluten).

Wish me luck  on this month! 

Life Changing Art

Photos by Skye and Keith Ten Eyck of Radiance Photographics

I make this look good

Hula hooping on the footbridge above the Willamette River between Valley River Center and River Road in Eugene, Oregon on Monday, April 8, 2013.

Lao Tzu

"If you want to awaken
all of humanity,
then awaken
all of yourself.

If you want to eliminate
the suffering in
the world, then
eliminate all that is dark
and negative in yourself.

Truly, the greatest gift
you have to
give is that of your
own self-transformation."
--Lao Tzu

Check, check.

March goals wrote down (check).
Get job at Landis (check, third day tomorrow).
Keep logging on MFP (check).
Post in KeepingUpWithSari (check).

So, aside from things being all cray-cray (we've had a real slice of life filled with new jobs, death, and juggling), things are still trucking along.

Sending love out, accepting love in.

Grieving is the pits

I feel for my boyfriend today-- his family lost his grandma Toland, and everyone is mourning pretty hard.

Death's a door that love walks through in and out, in and out back and forth, back and forth.

March 1st: My first weigh-in in three weeks with a 6.8 lbs loss.
I have had a 108.8 lbs loss since May 2008.
I had an over 20 lbs gain after a car accident in July 2011. 
I have had a 63.8 lbs weight loss since June 2012.
I am only 6 lbs away from being the weight on my ODL (said weight was a lie even back in high school).
I am glad I started when I did.

Ready for my shadow interview at Landis Lifestyle Salon (my co-workers picked out my clothes). 

My second pair of size 10 pants. Such an amazing feeling after being a size 22/24, and hitting the plateau at 16/18 (I still head straight for the 16/18 sizes at my work when I am trying things on). 

I have so many awesome things approaching, or maybe I always have awesome stuff going on but since Spring is fast approaching (less snow, c'mon!) I'm able to appreciate them more. Either way I'll take it!

I'm currently waiting to hear back from Landis to see if I got that second job of been wanting, things are still going amaze-balls at the store. I am really loving being on the Marketing Team. And I am continuing to be gluten-free, though I can think of a couple days there where I caved and had some French fries (whatcha gonna do?).

In the meantime, I am saving like a mad woman for my upcoming trip, training hard-- my first 5K is April 20th, and on my birthday this year I'll be going to The Postal Service's 10-year-reunion Tour. Basically I'm going to be meeting them for my birthday and this brings me a lot joy.

Anyways, I guess that's it for an update. I kept on wanting to wait to post, because I wanted to have this month's goals written out-- I've been so busy I just haven't had the time! Then I decided there is always an excuse not to do something so I might as well just do it.

So, next time goals, and this time; Oregon, 5K, Postal Service for my birthday. <3

I can't disguise the pounding of my heart It beats so strong

I will be grain free (low-carbs, sans gluten) for seven days on Saturday. I am super stoke. I'm feeling strong. I hope I'm able to continue with my momentum.

Carbs intake the last couple of days:
Wednesday 101 grams
Thursday 123 grams

'night!

Gluten-free, Less-Carbs. Doing okay.

Proud moment: Being able to (finally) fit into a dress that I love.

Anyways, so far I've been doing pretty good at keeping myself gluten-free. I've also been eating a TON of less carbs. I've read that recommended servings of carbs per day is 230 to 250 grams per day. I've done the following:
Saturday-- 118 grams
Sunday-- 79 grams
Monday-- 102 grams
Tuesday-- 126 grams

I dunno-- it seems to me that I'm doing a pretty good job for being one of those people with NO will-power.  And, since I've been sans gluten I know the carbs I have put in my body have been healthy; brown rice, sweet potatoes, and other random carbs in veggies, eggs, and meats.

I'm hoping I see a difference in the next couple of weeks. I know that my last weigh-in I didn't record. I had a 3 lb gain, and I wanted to give my body an entire week on this new life-style to see if it reflected on the scale, or if I notice a difference during working out. 

So, here's a couple different meals I've had this week, just to show you that I'm not starving, or hurting. :P

Eggplant Pizzas

Eggplant pizza and Alton Brown's Fresh Broccoli Salad for lunch.

Jess and I cooked dinner together. Roasted Asparagus, Fresh greens, steamed broccoli, 1/3 cup brown rice, and Pepper-Crusted Flank Steak