Fat Tuesday

I love that the roots of this tradition lie in the church calendar. Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of a long fasting period for Christians. Besides fasting, it is a time for me to give up something that I enjoy. So, Fat Tuesday for me is a celebration and the opportunity to indulge in that favorite food/drink/distraction that you give up for the long lenten season. Our small group, of course, always celebrates..."What's your vice? Bring that!" I know there will be great food and some good brew.

This is not about breaking bad-for-you habits though but rather a time to give up and meditate on my need for Jesus. A time to grow, make room for quiet in my loud (busy) life,  journal, reflect on God's goodness and grace in my life and to prepare my heart for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Lent can be a dark time in the church it is a season to remind us that we are most fulfilled when we are emptied

But  first... 

It's Fat Tuesday, let's EAT! 

   

Work IT!

Wednesday (Thursday HA) Weigh-in!

• Weekly loss = 0.8 lbs 
• Total loss = 2.6 lbs
• Workouts completed last wk = 3 Running, Running, Cross Training. 
• Days in caloric range = 4
• Thoughts = Paul and I try to get as many workouts as we can in on the front end of the work week...weekends we usually do something fun together on Saturday (walk, frisbee, go to the park in our neighborhood) but Sunday is a day of rest, church, seeing friends and family and grocery day. ps Can I just tell you how much I hate going grocery shopping. I mean I feel so much better after we get home. Maybe I need a new day? Is everyone is getting stocked up for the week on Sunday...oh well this topic deserves its own post. Hmmm 10 Reasons I Hate Grocery Shopping (this will be fun) 

Photo from my pinterest board, Life is Art! 

Work IT!

Ok, so my strategy for losing those annoying 10lbs... diet and exercise! Crazy, I know! My friend Carly has challenged me and some other brave, determined friends to meet that personal goal once and for all! Check out her blog, it's a WARD life! for more.  The idea is, whatever your goal, lets keep each other accountable! Group motivation. I LOVE NEED that! So for the next 12 weeks, every Wednesday I will be "weighing in" with my friends. I'm also going to try and journal this (bring on more accountability)

Here are MY GOALS:
Lose 10-12lbs
Tighten and Tone (I want cuts) Be happy with myself and not just a # !
5 days of exercise a week (running, bootcamps, yoga, and weight training with Paul)
Eat healthier and more often (mid morning and mid afternoon snacks)
Drink more water and only 2 cokes a week (oh coke how I love you, you really are happiness! I'm ridiculous!)

Here are the questions I'll post each Wednesday:

• Weekly Loss: 
• Total Loss: 
• Workouts Completed: 
• Days staying within caloric range:
• Other:

Ok, down to business...Here are the past 2 Wednesday Weigh-ins!


Weekly Loss: .8 lb
Total Loss: 1 lb in past 2 weeks
Workouts Completed: 4 workouts last week. Ran 11 miles total for the
week (2 runs, a five mile run and then a 6 mile run) and did 2
strength/toning days.
Days staying within caloric range: 5 days staying in range
Other Updates: Paul and I have been doing a pinterest found exercise in our living room. 40 jumping jacks, 30 crunches, 20 body squats and 15 girl push-ups. (Our neighbor below loves us ha) It's suppose to burn 100 cals per set you do but we think its more like 70-80. It kicks your butt and takes about 15 minutes to do 4 sets. Plus you can do it in your living room. NO EXCUSE, right?!?!


Weekly Loss: 1.8 for this week
Total Loss: 2.8
Workouts Completed: 1 unacceptable!
Days within caloric range: 5
Other: off week with groceries and just emotional week not hungry for food


I'm going to try and post weekly! Crazy how life changes week to week. I thought I had a pretty set schedule but as you can see life gets loud and hectic.  


Photos from the past 2 weeks 
WORK IT! 

Resolution-Worthy

Happy 2012 Friends! Ha 12 days in...

I know a lot of people don't do the whole resolution thing. If you think they're cliche or for some reason flawed from the beginning/that you are setting yourself up to fail, why would you do them? But for me, there is something about REFLECTION and seeing the CHANGES. Whether I meet the goals or not I am hopeful and God is gracious! This past year was sweet! There were definitely ups and downs. Days feeling FULL and days I had been emptied. We made mistakes but we also laughed through the mess of it all!

Here's a list of just a few resolution-worthy changes I want to make:

Read &Write more
Buy a home
Lose those 10 pounds and be healthy and happy with ME
Make music
Do something that scares me
Trip Trip Trip
Have more dinner parties with my girlfriends
Photograph gifts
Be quiet


Whatever your stance, here's to the New Year!

Full

I married my sweet Paul 2 years ago, November 7, 2009! We celebrated our marriage on Sunday after church where he surprised me with a visit to the High Museum to see the Picasso to Warhol exhibit and then dinner at one of our favorite spots in Old 4th Ward, 4th & Swift. Recently, Paul and I were talking about things in our life that fill us up and things that empty us and yesterday, friends, I was so full and happy. I had the best day...I had breakfast with some amazing women that serve on the hospitality team at my church. We ate, laughed, shared and spent time in prayer. I love love love meeting new people and I especially love girl time! Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Romans 12:12-13 The best day continues with time in our great city and with my great love! The Art...

The Menu... I had 2 small plates Crispy Brussels Sprout & North Georgia Apple Salad | (Crème Frâiche, Apple Cider Reduction, Toasted Pistachio) and Wood Roasted Berkshire Pork Belly | (Local Turnips, Beech Mushrooms, Parsnip Ribbons, Red Chili-Muscadine ) Paul ordered the “Three Little Pigs” | (Berkshire Loin, Wilted Spinach, Cotachino, Chicharron “Popcorn”, Grits, Bourbon Apples) and for dessert we shared homemade Vanilla Cream Donuts | (Chestnut Panna Cotta, Vanilla Salted Caramel)

Our Day 2 years ago... Is it crazy that I could look at the photos everyday?!?!?! I just loved my wedding day so much! I love you sweet husband and am faithfully yours!

Christina

Fav Things

Of course I'm loving the new Coldplay album. My fav song right now is Us Against the World and U.F.O.. I've been reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp and it has been such a blessing to me. Each page, every chapter is refreshing and confronting and inspiring me to live a fuller, emptier life in the Lord. I've been running my butt off...in the past 2 weeks I've ran over 40 miles. I think Paul and I are going to run the Cooper River Bridge Run in March. It's in Charleston,SC.You can read my love for Low Country here. I have been loving this scarf weather. I'm especially liking this cute polka dot scarf from madewell.

And dreams of...

Best Friend + Coldplay = time of my life and I've had several of these moments with Kimber! Our most recent Coldplay adventure was Music Midtown at Piedmont Park! I'm actually not sure where/when/how we discovered our mutual LOVE for them but it's there and its our friendships theme song (you know the moments in your life that need background music, yeah you get it) It was a weekend of planning (to meet them of course), laughing, dancing, bopping, jamming and most importantly hanging with each other!