Reflections & Intentions

As 2017 comes to a close and the New Year begins, it is the perfect time for reflection and goal-setting, and even though I have written on this blog so minimally in the last few years, it is the best medium through which to record my reflections for 2017 and state my intentions for 2018.

(And that is specifically what I want to call these goals: they are not resolutions but are instead intentions. To me, this terminology seems more like a life-changing, transformative action rather than a let's-do-this-for-a-hot-second-and-then-fall-off-the-wagon-mid-January type thing.)

This past year was filled with so much joy and happiness and love, but I also faced some major downfalls, the biggest of which just happened: on December 27th, we lost my grandma, the most remarkable woman. Her funeral was yesterday, and I just got back from North Dakota a few hours ago. This was an incredible loss, and I have such immense sadness. My plan is to write a (literal) book about my grandma, but unfortunately, I am not in a place where I can write much more than this right now. I am just so sad.

The other major downfall was battling ankle issues, culminating in the surgery I discussed (complete with graphic images) in my previous post. While I was hopeful that it would fix everything and I would be back to running half marathons and lifting all of the weights, that doesn't appear to be the case; in fact, while the pain isn't constant (thank goodness), there are far too many days that are worse than before surgery.

Additionally, the fact that our country is a hot mess for so many reasons has been extremely distressing, to say the least.

But, this year was filled with so many wonderful things, too. First and foremost, I am surrounded by so much love. My partner and I moved in together at the end of September and have built a lovely (and loving) home. My family is the absolute best in the entire universe -- and is filled with so much laughter and light and love.

Second, I was awarded a few amazing opportunities professionally. First, I participated in the Bridging Cultures Initiative, and I met a tremendous network of educators around the world, people with whom I have developed lifelong friendships. Second, I am a Teachers for Global Classrooms fellow; I completed an incredible intensive online course this fall; I will be flying to Washington, D.C., in February for a symposium; and I will be spending three weeks in Colombia this summer. Third, I was just notified that I will be participating in the BRIDGE Program through iEARN, which will help me further my knowledge of and experience with global education.

Finally, while I was down and out with my ankle issue, I went outside of my comfort zone (both emotionally and physically) and tried a number of different fitness ventures, including elliptical, spinning, swimming, and Pilates. I found that I absolutely love -- and excel at -- Pilates, which has been an exciting discovery on so many levels.

And that leads me to my intentions for 2018.

1. Fitness

Not being able to run and lift has been such a bummer for me, which is why I am indelibly grateful that I finally found something that I can do, something that is both challenging and exciting.

My intention for 2018 is to continue my Pilates practice, and my goal is to attend at least four classes each week. Additionally, I want to continue improving in my practice, achieving new skills and reaching new levels.

(Relatedly, I would ideally make my goal more performance-based rather than a quantitative measure, but I do not yet know what my performance goal would/should be -- which makes me think it is time to have a conversation with my instructors.)

Totally me. 100%. (Insert laugh-cry emoji here.)

2. Nutrition

I feel fairly strong in my Pilates practice: my instructors push me to try new things almost every day, and I am often used as the guinea pig in my classes, the person to demonstrate the position for others. Additionally, I feel stronger than I did even a month ago. But -- and here is where this second intention comes in -- I don't look like it.

My nutrition has been atrocious.

The sugar dragon has reared its ugly head, and I have not even attempted to slay it.

I have not yet determined what my nutrition will look like for 2018, which I realize is not a strong start to this intention. Essentially, I just want to make healthier choices. Nearly everything I cook is healthy, and most of it is also Paleo. But, I have gone off the deep end in regard to snacking: "Oh, there are donuts in the office? Awesome." "Why yes, I do need a bowl of pretzels while I'm watching TV." "Long car ride? Hot Tamales? Don't mind if I do."

In the past I have done a few Whole30s, but I honestly do not believe this is the best option for me. I mean, I was legit allergic to it a few years ago. But also, I don't really do well with the restriction. When I did a Whole30 a couple of years ago, I got so sick of what I was eating, for instance, that I would just skip the meal. Newsflash: that is not healthy behavior.

Also, I now have a 12-year-old girl in my life, and I want to be very careful about how I talk about and treat food and nutrition. I don't want to ever say the word "diet," nor do I want to say that I "can't" have something. What I do want to do, however, is model healthy choices, including home-cooked meals and whole, unprocessed foods.

While I believe the majority of my nutrition will be Paleo (simply because I know this is what makes me feel the best), I will not be sticking to it 100%. I already know, for instance, that I will be drinking Metamucil every morning because I am a 90-year-old man. I also know that I will not be scouring nutrition labels for sugar-free bacon and sausage because that is doing too much. I also know that I will not be scrutinizing every ingredient my partner uses when he cooks us dinner. And, I also know that I will occasionally want some popcorn.

3. Water

I am the worst when it comes to drinking water. A lot of this has to do with the fact that as a teacher, my bathroom breaks are fairly limited: I can't just leave a classroom of 34 14-year-olds to fend for themselves, and I also can't make it to the bathroom down the hall and around the corner in a five-minute passing period when I have students waiting to talk to me about this, that, and the other thing.

But really, that's an excuse.

I need to drink more water.

My intention for 2018 is to drink four Camelbaks per day. Including the water that I so gracefully sip chug with my Metamucil in the morning, this will be just under a gallon.

4. Books

I love to read -- and I don't do it enough. I have also never set a goal to read a certain number of books in a year, but I'm going to do so in 2018 in hopes that it will encourage me to read more.

My intention is to read 50 books this year.

According to Goodreads, I read 32 books last year. That seems like a low number to me, but it could be because of the ten-week course I took for my fellowship. There was not a whole lot of pleasure reading happening during that time, especially because I was also working three jobs (teaching, freelance writing, and working at the gym). Also, I was on a lot of drugs after surgery: considering I still don't know what Moana is about, I don't think reading would have been a solid choice.

5. Social Media

The amount of time I waste scrolling on Facebook is ridiculous. I can easily meeting my aforementioned intention of reading more if I focused on books rather than on mindless status updates. While I cannot give up Facebook entirely due to various organizations with which I am involved, what I can do is remove the app from my phone.

My intention is to delete the app and then check Facebook once each day.

Additionally, as the image suggests, I want to spend more time outside -- specifically by going on walks with my partner. We live in an incredible city and just blocks from the river and a gorgeous park, and it is so silly that we can count the number of leisurely walks we have taken on two hands.

I mean, I may wait until the temps rise above zero, but we'll see.

6. Nails

I have bitten and/or picked my nails my entire life. It is an absolutely disgusting habit, and I need. to. stop. And I have stopped before. There was a good chunk of time a couple of years ago where I actually had to file my nails because they were so long.

(Yes, I realize that that is a ridiculous statement for most of you, but for me, this was a first.)

I don't know what happened, but I reverted to old habits, and my nails are looking as raggedy as ever.

So, my intention is to just stop it. To help, I will be painting some hard-core top coat on my nails in hopes that will deter me.

Give me one month, and hopefully my nails will be as pretty as this picture.

While it is really, really hard for me to not end my list on a multiple of five, I want to keep my intentions both specific and manageable. Ultimately, I hope to have a beautifully happy and healthy 2018.

Cheers, friends.

I Will Get There

Hello again!

It's been two days since the Return to Blogging, and I know you've been waiting with bated breath to see how my crazy fitness and nutrition plan has been going.

Well, friends, wait no more.

Let's start with Tuesday, the day that my "mission" started.

Breakfast: I made Poached Eggs with Tomato, Swiss Chard, and Chickpeas for breakfast this week. It reminded me of one of my favorite Nom Nom Paleo recipes, Uova in Purgatorio. But guess what, y'all? This was better. I loved it and am already excited to make it again next week.

Lunch: I brought a huge salad for lunch today. Hy-Vee (my favorite grocery store ever) has a great salad bar, and I threw together a bucket o' veggies, a sprinkling of blue cheese and slivered almonds,  and a couple tablespoons of sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.

What makes lunch a huge success is that it was our staff appreciation luncheon, and our administration bought us huge Subway sandwiches and delicious-looking desserts. I attended the luncheon but ate my salad instead of the other goodies.

Dinner: I made one of my new favorite recipes, Blackened Shrimp Tacos. I think I could eat queso fresco on everything. To drink, I had a kombucha, as I'm trying to up my intake of probiotics.

Snacks: I ate an apple and a Quest bar (my new favorite protein-packed treat).

Overall, I was right on track in regard to my macros.

Workout: I did a leg/butt workout that included deadlifts (starting with 135 pounds and working up to 165, as I'm still re-building my strength), good mornings, leg press (373 pounds), calf raise (on the leg press machine), two miles on the elliptical, and Week One: Day One of Sore to the Core.

Basically, I killed it.

Mini-Goals: I hit my 10,000 steps and drank four Camelbaks of water.

Tuesday was a success!

Breakfast: This could get boring. I ate the same thing I did on Tuesday.

Lunch: Again, this is pretty boring, as I ate my leftover tacos. But, I added some roasted asparagus.

Dinner: I forgot to take a picture of it, but I made one of my new favorite, easy, made-up recipes that I so cleverly call Chicken with Peppers and Queso Fresco. (I told you that I could eat queso fresco on everything...)

Snacks: I had an apple after my workout, and then things get a little trickier. I finished up some Good & Plenty that I had leftover from my weekend road trip. Then, J and I went to a show, and I had a beer (followed by soda water w/ lime) as well as a few of the steak fries he ordered.

But, all of that kept me within my macros!

Workout: Today was another kick-ass day at the gym. It was chest/back day, so I did bench (starting with 45 pounds and moving up to a formerly-easy but currently-difficult 85 pounds), close-grip bench (55 pounds), lat pulldown, machine back extension, seated cable row, Week One: Day Two of Sore to the Core, and two miles on the elliptical.

Mini-Goals: Yet again, I smashed my 10,000 steps and drank four Camelbaks of water.

Breakfast: You guessed it! I ate my last serving of Poached Eggs with Tomato, Swiss Chard, and Chickpeas. 

Lunch: Yep! I brought my leftover Chicken with Peppers and Queso Fresco -- but I also brought some asparagus.

Dinner: Tonight I made an oldie-but-a-goodie: Crab Cakes w/ Mango Avocado Salsa. I forgot just how amazingly delicious these are. I also had kombucha because, well, probiotics.

Snacks: I had a Quest bar and some Metamucil. (I'm not even ashamed to admit it, and I don't care that it makes me sound like an 80-year-old man: Metamucil is the best stuff in the entire universe.)

In order to fit my macros, I had a serving and a half of the crab cakes and salsa.

Workout: I took a day off of abs and lifting because wow, I am sore. My muscles are like, "Yeah! We remember this! But it's been a while, yo!" Instead, I laid by the pool for a bit. Because I was still short on steps, though, I headed to the gym this evening for an elliptical workout and ended up cranking out three miles.

Mini-Goals: I'm killing it, y'all. Those 10,000 steps had nothing on me, and I have been chugging water like it's going out of style.

I'm really digging this plan.

I am someone who needs routine, someone who appreciates guidelines. I have given myself both with this plan.

Nutritionally, I am eating a wide variety of food: veggies, meats, cheese, fruit, grains, etc. And while there have been moments of huh, I could go for a snack right now, they have been few and far between; my meals fill me up and keep me full for quite a while.

As far as fitness goes, it feels good to be a regular at the gym again. I have spent years poo-pooing the elliptical, but y'all, I am giving myself a damn good workout on that machine. I have a long way to go before I feel like I can compare it to running (which is a kick-ass core workout for me), but I'm not hating it as much as I had anticipated.

But, I'm likely not hating it because I'm pushing myself like crazy. What I've been doing this week is starting with a super-fast mile -- and pushing myself to beat that super-fast time the following day. So far I've significantly smashed my records. After my super-fast initial mile is done, I do another mile or two at a moderate pace to keep my heart rate elevated and to get those steps in.

Tomorrow is Pedal Pub Day, so as I previously mentioned, I am not going to stay within my macro guidelines; I am going to have a nutritionally-sound breakfast, lunch, protein-packed snack, and four Camelbaks of water, but then I am going to have a few adult beverages and likely dinner out. And that's okay.

And aside from pedaling around Northeast Minneapolis, I'm probably not going to workout. The original plan was to get up super early and workout before school, but I foolishly had a coffee with my friend at the pool, and now I'm wide awake. While I'll set my alarm for 5:00, waking up that early is not likely. But, I'll still get my steps. 

This is my new "everything in moderation." And I'm really excited (and amazingly motivated) to see where it takes me.

A New Mission

It's been a while. Like, a long while. Like, six months a while.

Oops.

Life has been incredible the last six months. Some highlights include celebrating Christmakkuh with my family and my boo (J) in Omaha, celebrating New Year's with J and his daughter in St. Paul, road-tripping with J on our first family vacation to Florida and to Ohio, flying to Santa Fe with J and wandering around the city while he worked, being selected as one of ten teachers to participate in the Bridging Cultures Initiative, being asked to present at big conferences in Des Moines and St. Paul, finding an amazing group of like-minded friends and colleagues, and I could go on and on.

Overall, life has been ridiculously amazing.

J and I jet-skiing in the Gulf of Mexico. 

What hasn't been amazing, however, is my focus on healthy living.

As mentioned in my previous post, I have been battling a foot injury. Yes, you're reading that correctly: have been battling, not battled. You may think that it should be back to perfect now; after all, I was in a boot for a collective six weeks (minimum, probably longer), went to physical therapy for another six-ish weeks, received a cortisone injection, and followed every single one of the doctor's orders (for once) for seven months.

But you would be wrong.

I finally went back to the doctor at the end of April and had another MRI. The talus bone healed (yay!), but they didn't know what was wrong (boo!). So they sent me to a specialist -- which is what I wanted them to do back in October.

The appointment with the specialist was by far the best, most productive orthopedic appointment I have ever had in my life. He ordered more x-rays, gave me some shoe inserts for my semi-flat feet, injected more steroids into the joint, and gave me a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel treatment option: surgery to break up the scar tissue (from a horrible ankle sprain I got in a soccer game seven years ago) that was likely impinging on stuff it shouldn't be.

(Fun fact: the specialist knows my brother! They both trained in Michigan! Small world.)

I am hoping that the injection and the inserts help, as I'm not super excited about a surgical option. (I've never had surgery, and that terrifies me.) However, it's been pretty uncomfortable over the past week, so I'm not sure how lucky I'm going to be in that regard.

As you can imagine, this has been extremely frustrating. At this time last year, I was prepping to run a half marathon -- a half marathon that I would end up PR-ing by almost 20 minutes. I was powerlifting crazy amounts of weight, and I was two months out from running 17 miles of a Ragnar relay.

I was in the best shape of my life.

And now, I'm far from it. I have gained 20 pounds in the last year. Just typing that makes me want to puke. Twenty pounds. How does that happen?!

Actually, that's a silly question. This is exactly how it happened: I have been eating (and drinking) whatever the heck I want and have not been able to run or lift like I want to. My cardio has been limited to swimming (puke) and cycling (fun -- with the right spin instructor). My lifting has been limited to upper-body and weight machines (that do nothing for my quads, hammies, or booty).

I want to look like I did last summer. I want to rock my jorts and slinky tank tops. I want to look smokin' in whatever sundress I throw on. I want to live in my bikini at the pool. Yes, I realize I can do all of those things now. But I want to do all of those things and feel like I did last summer; I want to be where I was a year ago both physically and, more importantly, mentally.

So, I made a plan.

I am going to print this off every week and record -- in pen/pencil -- my plan and how I accomplished each daily goal.

I'm not anal-retentive. Not at all.

Let's break it down, shall we?

The top portion of the document is clearly my meal plan: what I am going to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

While I love Whole30 and Paleo and believe that they are excellent nutritional plans, they are not realistic for me at the moment (I like tortillas and rice), so I'm trying something new: IIFYM.

I put all of my information into the IIFYM calculator and determined the number of grams of carbs, fat, and protein I should be eating in order to gain muscle and lose fat most effectively and efficiently.

(Side note: I abhor counting calories and macros, but I need to do something and am excited to give this a go.)

The bottom of the top chart is where I will record how well I did macro-wise for the day. (I use MyFitnessPal to track nutrition.)

The workout section is where I plan what workout I am doing when, and the miscellaneous section is where I note what kind of outside-of-work activities I have going on that day so that I can plan accordingly.

The bottom half of the page shows my targets for the week: I want to hit 10,000 steps per day (which I am finding to be difficult when I can't run), do four days of Sore to the Core ab work (so my tummy can be back to its flat-ish self), do four days of lifting and four days of cardio (which can be on the same day, obviously), and drink at least three liters of water each day (which equals four of my Camelbak bottles, hence the four boxes).

And that's it.

I know that it's not just a couple of goals. I know that this won't be easy. But I also know that I can do it.

(I should also add that there will be some days of exception to my brilliant plan. After all, summer is coming up, and lots of fun, celebratory adventures happen during this time. For instance, I will be partaking in a "pedal pub" on Friday, so while I will workout in the morning and have a nutritious breakfast and lunch, I know that I will be drinking beer and eating not-super-healthy food for dinner, and I'm okay with that.)

The one goal that did not make it on my chart (but may in the future) is blogging. I really like writing. And I really like how it keeps me accountable. I can't promise this will be an everyday activity, as I have a lot of amazingness in my life right now and blogging takes more time than you may believe, but I hope to write at least a few times a week -- definitely more than once every six months.

I look forward to y'all (hey, Mom!) joining me on this journey.

Peace and love, yo.

Mini-Restart

I was kicking so much butt this spring and summer: I was working out like crazy (literally six to seven days a week, often for two hours at a time), and I was eating relatively healthfully.

And then I wasn't.

A few things happened: first, I ran two huge races and, while I did really well, also injured myself pretty greatly. Finally in mid-October, I went to the doctor and discovered that as a result of a severe sprain six years ago, a fragment is off my tibia, and now I have fluid in my talus bone, which is causing the bone to swell. I have been in a boot since then, and while I have had it off for two weeks, I have realized that that was a poor choice and that I need to keep wearing it until I can start physical therapy.

Try not to be tooooooooo jealous.

Second, I was working out so much because it gave me something to do. Since I was still relatively new to Minnesota, I knew so few people, and being at the gym gave me human interaction, built-in friends, and again, something to do. Now, I have friends (and the most phenomenal partner), so the gym has become less of a time-filler, for lack of a better word.

Third, I got lazy -- not necessarily with working out (although I haven't been going as much as I would like) but rather with food. I have been quite busy lately, and I have found that Qdoba or Panera are much easier and faster than cooking. Also, my sugar dragon reared its ugly head, and I became addicted to Hot Tamales and all things sweet.

Needless to say, while I was looking (and feeling) utterly amazing this spring and summer, I am looking (and feeling) less-than-stellar now. Because it is starting to affect my mental health and self-image, I have decided that things need to change.

Deciding this in the middle of the holiday season is, admittedly, probably not the most solid of choices. While I really want to do a legit Whole30, I am not going to commit to that right now (and Melissa Hartwig, the founder of Whole30 does not even recommend doing so). Rather, I am going to eat mostly Paleo during the week and allow myself to "indulge" if the occasion arises on the weekends. In addition, I am going to set a workout plan for myself and actually stick to it rather than just go to the gym and "do whatever."

So, here's what this week looks like:

This organized table/spreadsheet should surprise none of you who know me.

In addition to having a specific menu and workout plan to follow for the majority of the week, I am going to restart Sore to the Core. While I think the majority of my stellar results came from eating super well, I also know that my core needs a heck of a lot of work; I generally rely on my cardio (specifically running) to shape my abs, but since I can't do anything of the sort right now, I need to actually do some targeted ab work.

The other goal that I have for myself is to drink more water. This spring, Aly (my sister-in-law) and I did a gallon-a-day water challenge, and I felt so good while doing that. Lately, I have been drinking hardly any water and have instead been surviving largely on coffee (and maybe some wine). So, starting tomorrow, I am going to try and drink five Camelbaks a day. The only difficulty I see with that is school. (And yes, I realize that is a big difficulty.) We have one water filter in the building, and it is quite a long way from my classroom. And I also have limited opportunities to use the restroom (something about not leaving 33 teenagers unattended...). 

But I think I can do it.

I know my skin will thank me.

I really enjoy drinking a glass of wine at night. I have yet to decide how I am going to handle that part of my "lifestyle change." Right now, I think I am going to say it's a-okay, as long as I drink my gallon of water first.

But we'll see.

I think in January I may do a legit Whole30, in which case the wine would be a no-go.

That's a whole different conversation, though. When I did a Whole30 last January, I do not believe I did so in a super healthy way, which makes me hesitant to do a Whole30 again. We'll see how this amended plan goes this month.

Stay tuned.

For now, my ultimate goal is to just feel better. I felt so freaking amazing this spring/summer. I physically felt super good, and I also felt like I looked the best I ever have. While I know that looks are not the ultimate goal, feeling confident and strong is -- and honestly, some of that comes with how I feel I look, how my clothes fit, etc.

I just want to get back to where I was a few months ago. And I know that I can.

Peace, friends.

Week One of Working Out & Healthy Eating

It's January 3rd, and I am three for three with workouts for the year.

While I was a bit over-served on New Year's Eve, I still managed to make it to the gym to mooch off their ESPN to watch Iowa get clobbered in the Rose Bowl to run on January 1st; I ran a mile, walked half a mile, and then ran another half a mile. It was a slow pace and an easy workout, and it felt good to sweat out the toxins from my NYE celebration.

You can almost smell the Coors Light and champagne wafting from my pores.

Yesterday, Sunni (my MN BFF) and I headed to the gym together, and while she went upstairs for some cardio, I made leg day happen: squats, pause squats, and lunges. I am feeling it today, friends. (I think I'm still feeling some residual soreness from our NYE dance party, too: shakin' my groove thang to a 90s hip-hop cover band is a killer leg workout, let me tell you.)

Today, I headed back to the gym for arm day and a two-mile run.

While I've done a good job of focusing on powerlifting moves (i.e. squat, bench, and deadlift), I have neglected other areas of my body, namely arms and upper back. I decided that if I want to look smokin' in a tank top this summer, I needed to change that.

The arm workout was totally outside of my comfort zone. I get a lot of anxiety about trying new things at the gym, worrying that I'm not using the weight/machine correctly, that my form sucks, that everyone is judging me, etc. But today, I put on my big girl panties, did some research prior to hitting the gym, and convinced Sunni to do the workout with me. We figured everything out and got a kick-ass arm workout. (Seriously, how we're supposed to write on the board tomorrow at school is beyond me.)

After the arm workout, you guys, I killed my run. I ran two miles in less than 20 minutes. That is fast for this girl. I was so stoked. I then cooled down by walking for another three-quarters of a mile.

This morning, my sister-in-law and I also decided on a couple of other goals for the next 30 days: we are going to meet our 10,000 step goal each day (along with my mom and sister), and we are going to complete Alexa Jean's Sore to the Core Ab Program. Because I now have approximately 25,000,000 goals going on right now workout-wise, I decided to create a little calendar for myself:

This looks like a lot, I know. But it's really not.

See, I am already doing most of this. Like I mentioned previously, since I joined the gym, I have gone nearly every day that I have been in town and have either lifted, run, or done a combination of the two. This calendar is simply adding in an ab routine and two additional days of lifting. If I find that the arm and back exercises are too much or are not effective, I will simply modify (Sunni and I already found a couple of things we want to change about the arm workout for next week) or remove them completely from the plan. It's a trial and error right now.

In addition, I will be getting those 10,000 steps every day. So while I may not be running on Tuesday, I'll likely do a bit of easy walking on the treadmill to ensure I hit that target.

As I also mentioned previously, a group of friends and I are going to be starting a Whole30 on January 10th. (Again, please let me know if you'd like to participate, and I'll add you to our secret Facebook group.) While I am not officially starting earlier, I am going to be doing a sort of "warm-up" for the next week. I mean, I'm kicking ass in the gym, and it kind of defeats the purpose to come home and eat Kraft Mac and Cheese for lunch.

So here's that plan:

As you can see, I left off today as well as next Saturday. Today, I had sugary cereal for breakfast and Trader Joe's sushi for a post-workout meal, and I am going to make the sausage and potato soup for dinner. I will also spend the evening making the quiche that I'll have for breakfast every day. Next Friday night and Saturday, I want to allow myself the option to go out to eat, to have a couple cocktails, etc. since I'll be officially starting the Whole30 next Sunday.

I would say that 2016 is off to a good start. I'm pretty proud of myself and am super excited to see the gains I make. My motivation right now is off the charts.

Finally, I want to wrap up with a picture I saw on one of my friend's Facebook pages. She said that she did not make any resolutions this year but that this sentiment will be in the back of her mind. I love it.

Have a great rest of your day and an even better week, friends!

Infinite Possibilities

When I look back on 2015, I will remember it with mixed emotions. It was absolutely one of the toughest years of my life, but it was also the year that taught me many invaluable lessons and brought me great growth. And, it brought me to the Twin Cities, a place I love more than words can say.

As I did in previous years, I created a Pinspiration board for 2016 and wanted to jot down some of my goals for this new year, this fresh start.

Really, I just have one goal for 2016:

LIVE HEALTHY & HAPPY

As with all plans, however, this needs to be broken down in order to be manageable and therefore achievable. So without further ado, here are my five smaller goals for the new year:

1. EAT CLEAN

Allergies aside, I never felt better than when I ate according to the Whole30. Starting January 10th, a group of friends and I are going to be delving back into the world of meats, veggies, healthy fats, and fruit. If you are interested in joining us, please let me know, and I will add you to our top-secret Facebook group.

Even after the Whole30, I plan to eat mostly clean. One of my most favorite friends does a Whole7 every month as a time to reset. I like that idea and think I may give it a go as well.

2. EXERCISE REGULARLY 

I am already off to a good start with this one. On December 14th, I joined the gym that is basically right across the street from my new place. Despite being out of town from the 22nd through the 29th, I managed to get in eight trips to the gym -- and did a bodyweight workout while I was out of town (and prior to getting the stomach flu). In order to earn the insurance kickback, I have to go to the gym at least 12 times a month, and I know that I will handedly exceed this requirement.

The first thing I am doing at the gym is lifting. As I mentioned previously, I have really gotten into powerlifting lately -- specifically squat, deadlift, and bench. I definitely want to continue this trend and increase the weight on the barbells. I also want to add in accessory lifts, especially those that will strengthen my arms, upper back, and abs.

The second component to my exercise plan is running. I impulsively signed up for the Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon (the 13.1 component to Grandma's Marathon in Duluth), which takes place on June 18th, 2016. I have 168 days -- 24 weeks -- six months to get in tip-top shape.

I would also like to run Dam to Dam, my favorite half marathon, a couple of weeks prior. I pretty much just like to overextend myself as much as possible.

My ultimate goal is to break 2:30. I strongly believe that this is more than achievable given my current fitness plan, the six-month time frame, and my strong motivation.

Finally, I want to continue my yoga practice. It has been spotty lately, but I would like to go at least once a week. It really is mind-clearing and centering, and nothing compares to how I feel afterward. Plus, I can tell a great difference in my flexibility and strength (especially in my lower back), and those benefits are going to become increasingly important in both my lifting and my running.

3. TAKE TIME FOR ME

Like most working adults, I get super busy (and exhausted) during the week. I leave for school before 7:00, and I head to the gym immediately after. I generally have a couple of hours in the evening to do whatever, but often those get filled with various commitments. Or, I zone out with Words With Friends or Facebook and realize the night is over.

I want that to change. There are a few things that I want to make sure I do nearly every day:

I want need to read more. I have only read a couple of books in the recent past, which is far too few for this girl. I have piles upon piles upon piles of books (just ask my friends and family who helped me move) that are just waiting to be read. I would like to read at least 30 books in 2016, and I think that'll be super easy, especially since I'll have all the time in the world this summer.

Additionally, I have really gotten into calligraphy lately -- thanks to my mom, a beautiful calligrapher. (Seriously, check her out on Instagram: @cathyboll.) I have always been into hand-lettering and have created all of the posters in my classroom. I then started doing chalkboards in April for Maggie's wedding and even opened an Etsy shop (that currently doesn't have any listings). Recently, though, I have focused more on straight-up calligraphy. And I'm loving it.

Finally, I want to write more. I'm not going to say that I'm going to write every day or that I'm even going to update this blog every week. I know that I have said those things before and have failed miserably. I just know that I love writing and that it is such a great outlet for me, and I want to be sure to do more of it this year.

4. BUILD LASTING RELATIONSHIPS

I have always been blessed with amazing girlfriends, and I am indelibly grateful for that. In 2016, I want to not only maintain but continue to build and foster relationships with all of my girlfriends -- those in Minneapolis with me, my besties back in Des Moines, and my beautiful friends that are scattered across the country.

It is hard moving to a new city. First, it's so sad to leave behind such a wonderful family of friends. I miss The Sugar Donuts with every ounce of my being. Thank goodness for group texts and Facebook. But I wish we were closer so that I could invite them over for Hoppin' John tonight or join them for a movie this weekend. And second, making friends as an adult can be a difficult task, as many people already have close-knit circles. Thankfully, I have made some truly amazing friends up north and honestly believe we were all brought together for a purpose.

5. SPREAD POSITIVITY & HOPE

As most of you know, I am a super positive person by nature and view life through a lens of optimism (and often idealism). I want to continue to do so: so much of our lives depend solely on our attitudes and our perspectives.

Relatedly, I want to treat everyone with kindness and compassion. I believe I do this 100% of the time when I am at school with my students, and I am really good about doing this in the "real world" as well. But there is always room for improvement, and I want everyone with whom I come into contact to feel listened to and valued.

And on that note, friends, I am going to sign off. I wish you all nothing but the greatest in 2016. Happy New Year. :)

Hmm. What Now?

Before I forget bore you with this post, I wanted to let you all know that my sister-in-law and I are hosting our very first link-up tomorrow: Three Thanks. We would LOVE for you all to join us, as the happiest, healthiest people are also the most grateful. The link-up will go live at 12:01 Thursday, March 27th, and the only thing you need to do is write a post about three things for which you are thankful. The rest of the directions will be in tomorrow morning's post. :)

I thought that as soon as I had my hood, my diploma, and the last grade posted for my graduate degree, I would be relieved.

I thought that as soon as I stepped across the finish line after running 26.2 miles I would be thrilled beyond belief.

Yes, I was relieved when I earned my masters degree, and yes, I was thrilled when I ran my marathon.

But I was also dejected: after all, these were feats that took months to accomplish, events that I had spent countless hours preparing for, milestones that I had looked forward to for ridiculous amounts of time. After I had invested those months, those hours, that time, what was I supposed to do when all of it was over?

Honestly, that's kind of how I feel now. I finished my Whole30 yesterday. I don't "have to" continue: I already accomplished my goal. I spent the last 30 days thinking solely in terms of #whole30approved, #whole30challenge, and #paleo; talking to whomever cared and would listen about nutrition and healthy living; and writing about pretty much only Whole30-related things.

Now that my Whole30 is officially over, what am I supposed to do?

Set another goal, of course.

As they've told us a million and a half times at work -- and as Melissa and Dallas told us during Whole30 -- it is extremely important to set SMART goals:

According to Melissa and Dallas Hartwig, there are nine factors that are crucial to optimum health. (I first discussed the Whole9 when introducing my goals for the Whole30).

For the purposes of my next Whole30 (30 days of whatever I choose to make my goal), I am going to focus on nutrition (yet again) and healthy movement.

• Nutrition: I will continue following Whole30 guidelines regarding food and nutrition for the next 30 days, aside from Days 17-19 and Days 28-30*.
• Healthy Movement: I will workout -- either run or attend Farrell's -- at least four days each week for the next 30 days.

I asterisked the specific days in my nutritional goal that I will be out of town, first for my friend's bachelorette party in St. Louis and second for a professional conference in Atlanta. While I am going to try to maintain as close to a Whole30 diet as possible, I know I will likely stray in St. Louis (primarily because I would like to have a drink or two with my girlfriends) and in Atlanta (primarily because breakfast and lunch are catered to us and because I would like to have a drink or two with my colleagues). Again, I will maintain a somewhat Whole30 diet while traveling, but I do not want to set myself up for failure by expecting to be 100% compliant.

"Attainable" is the "A" in SMART goals, remember.

I wanted to include a fitness-related goal for the next 30 days since I feel like I have been totally slacking in that department lately. I'm pretty thrilled that I lost six-and-a-half pounds just by changing my diet, but I want to see what that would look like if I bump up the exercise, too.

I've had such good intentions of working out and have gone on a few runs here and there, but it's been sporadic at best. I am really good at making excuses: today's, for instance, was that it was "too windy." I mean, who runs in 30-40 mph wind gusts?

I was almost persuaded to get out there and just do it when I heard the middle-school track team sprint up the hill by my house, but then I talked myself out of it: I'd have to change, shower, etc., and I just don't know if I have time to do all of that before bowling.

Seriously.

I suck.

So anyway, that is the game plan for the next 30 days: continue eating Whole30 (aside from my two trips out of town) and exercise at least four times each week. And, per a suggestion from one of my new blog friends, Melissa (hey girl!), I am going to post my workout plan each week along with my meal plan. 

Let's start with the plan for the rest of this week. Tomorrow, I am planning on running two miles with one of my work friends; it is supposed to rain, however, so if it does, I think we will either run on the treadmill (kill me now) or through the halls at school. Saturday, I am planning on running 7-8 miles.

On Sunday, I'll post next week's plan along with my weekly menu. 

Hold me accountable, friends.

Breakfast: I didn't take a picture, but I made the ever-delicious blueberry scrambled eggs. I've been in the mood for sweet breakfasts more than savory breakfasts lately, and this dish is a bit in between the two and absolutely hits the spot.

Lunch: 

I brought my leftover Jalapeno Chicken Burgers to school today but thought that a.) since I finished Whole30 and b.) actually had a break for lunch for a change, Linds and Mags and I could eat at a restaurant like real grown-ups. We headed to Gusto, a super-awesome pizza joint in town, and all three of us ordered salads. :)

This is the same salad I ordered last Friday when I went with Kate, Shaw, and BFF. It was so ridiculously good that I had been thinking about it since then. I inhaled it, yet again.

It was a nice "celebration" (i.e. a break from lunch alone with students chatting my ears off in my classroom) with great friends.

Dinner:

Tonight's dinner was supposed to be Grilled Swordfish with Peach-Avocado Salsa from PaleOMG (without honey in the marinade -- still stuck on Whole30 principles). However, as soon as I went to make the salsa, I realized that my peaches had been sitting in my fridge a bit too long: brown peaches were a no-go. Also, apparently chopped red onions aren't good three weeks later. So, I improvised: I made my salsa with an avocado, some blueberries, a bit of cilantro, some salt, a plop of olive oil, some lime juice, and of course, a freakin' shit-ton of jalapeno.

I'm pretty sure you could put jalapenos and avocado on dog poop and I'd think it was delicious.

I was nervous about making swordfish, as I've never cooked it before and have only recently (within the past couple of years) become comfortable with "easy" fish like salmon and tilapia. The swordfish actually turned out okay! I put a bit of olive oil in a pan and let 'er cook on each side for a while, and then I pretty much demolished it with a knife to make sure it was done in the middle.

Then, I inhaled the whole dish.

Nom nom nom.

Since I'm no longer "technically" on the Whole30 challenge, I'm not going to continue posting how I feel physically or emotionally, and I'm not going to post about my cravings (since they've been fairly non-existent for quite a while anyway). However, if something drastic (or, okay, interesting) changes, I'll keep you posted.

See you tomorrow for a super-fun link-up! Please cross your fingers that it actually works. :)