30 before 30: Month 3ish

I haven't looked at this list since the last time I wrote an update. Needless to say, I haven't been actively working on the list.

List update:

Fun run season is coming up, I haven't registered for any yet. Registration for the one we really want to do isn't open.

Camping isn't happening any time soon, the weather lately has been too crazy.

Bruce's first birthday is coming up, hoping to get family photos around then. I've been looking for the perfect shade of blue for him to wear.

Stockings, nope.

Tattoos, nope.

Photography class, just waiting for spring classes to be scheduled.

I am officially crossing sweet tea off the list.

Hot air balloon, nope.

White water rafting, nope.

Snow tubing almost happened around Christmas but then it didn't happen, so that'll have to wait until the end of the year.

Sewing machine, nope. I do have some pants that need to be turned into shorts, so that will be a good project to get start with.

Photobooks, just the two of the girls so far. Guess I should start Bruce's first year one.

Monthly dates seems so hard to accomplish, I need to work harder on this one.

I have cleared out a shirt from the closet, so a pair of sweats and a shirt. Woo.

Natural bridge, nope. Next time I go to my mom's house we'll plan to visit there.

Canning, nope.

I have started talking to my brother about visiting his house before he moves again in the fall.

There is a homeschool convention I plan to attend in August.

I'm not even sure I want to go to a blogger conference anymore since I've stopped writing on the art blog (for now).

I'm not sure why I haven't started an art journal yet...

Er, the foul language thing needs more work.

Volunteering, nope.

State parks, I have a Chimney Rock visit scheduled for April after that I'll only have Morrow Mtn and Lake James left to visit. Maybe I'll also visit Mt. Mitchell, it's just over 2 hours away.

I have been working on the gardens whenever it's nice out. I cleared out the front bed, created a bed around my mailbox and transplanted some irises, and have moved some bushes. No planting yet.

I have been consciously hugging more often.

Game night, Tuesdays sounds good. Tomorrow it is.

I finished reading Gone Girl and was so disappointed I haven't picked up another book since. I still have 10 books to go.

Mile High Bridge, nope.

I am not going to accomplish coaching youth soccer. I was planning to coach U5 but Lexi has decided she doesn't want to play and I do not have the skills to coach older children.

Finding time to go to the gym, easier said than done.

Other things:

Travis was laid off in January and got work on another site in February, he is down in SC now but we are used to him traveling for work so life goes on.

We became a vegetarian family in February, just because. I don't feel bad that people eat meat, I still like burgers and bacon, but I don't miss them.  We did try plant based dairy products, they were gross so we're not vegan.

I have been working hard with a friend to start a strictly secular group for homeschoolers in our area. I can't wait for it to grow! We have a lot of ideas for this group.

We're getting ready for Char's 3rd soccer season, she is very excited about it. Char will also be a registered homeschooler when she turns 7 so we are busy planning that. As much as I love child led learning, I do have to acknowledge required testing.

Lexi is just being Lexi and if you know Lexi then you know what that means.

And what keeps me the busiest of all is the little dude that is running around my house. He needs a bell.

30 before 30: Month 1

Last month I wrote a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30. It's been one month since I've turned 29, so I wanted to update you all on my progress.

I've actually managed to finish one adult fiction book! I chose The Help and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it very much. Gone Girl is next on my eBook hold list.

I've been doing well with the sweet tea thing, haven't had a sweet tea since before my birthday. I thought I would miss it more than I do.

I was doing a six-week program at the Y but stopped because of the holidays. I need to schedule another appointment.

I finished Lexi's third year and Char's fifth year photobooks. I have several to go before I'm caught up.

I've managed to throw away one ratty pair of sweat pants I've been hanging on to for dear life; I have no idea why. One step closer to a decent wardrobe!

So far, that's what I've accomplished. Not as much as I'd like but better than nothing!

11 months to go!

30 Before 30

I realize it has been months since I've updated this blog.

I have a little baby that loves to be held and I'd rather do that than sit at the computer and blog. Though sometimes I do wish I had more time to blog, then I could keep a record of all the cute little things that baby does so when he is older I can come back to the blog and reflect.

But, this post is not about that

This post is about the fact that I recently turned 29 and I made a list of 30 things I want to accomplish before I turn 30.

So here ya go (in no particular order)

Run a fun run with the family

Go camping

Get updated family photos taken

Finish Alexis and Bruce's stockings

Get Alexis and Bruce tattoos

Take a photography class

Quit drinking sweet tea

Ride in a hot air balloon

Go white water rafting at the US National Whitewater Center

Go snow tubing

Learn how to use my sewing machine

Make photobooks for each of the kids (catch up on the girls)

Go on monthly dates with Travis, Charlotte, and Alexis

Donate all my pre-kids clothes, replace with new clothes

Visit the Natural Bridge

Learn how to can food

Go to my brother's house

Attend a homeschool convention

Attend a blogger conference

Start an art journal

Cut down on the foul language

Volunteer locally

Visit all the state parks within 2 hours drive

Start a garden

Give more hugs

Start weekly game night

Read at least 12 adult fiction books

Go across Mile High Bridge

Coach a season of youth soccer

Finish a 6 week fitness program at the YMCA

I will update with posts as I cross things off the list!

I've already started the fitness program at the YMCA and haven't had a sweet tea in days (ugh)

Day One

So we have officially started our new diet. I told you that I would fill you in on our stats so that you can keep up with our progress.
These are from Monday morning
Travis: 6'0" 210lbs
His goal is to drop to at least 180lbs and go from there.
Aleacia: 5'8" 120lbs
My goal isn't to drop pounds but to lose the extra fat I have hanging around (can you say muffin top?) I'll be able to gauge my progress by how my pants fit.
The first two weeks are called "induction" it drops you to a low amount of carbs (20 net grams per day) and then after induction you add 5-10 grams per week to find your ideal balance of fat, carbs, and protein.
For ease (because we're lazy) we've decided to eat the same thing everyday, for at least the first week. We may venture a bit by the second week.
Breakfast: eggs, sausage, spinach. (The girls get oatmeal and milk, too)

Lunch: salad greens, broccoli slaw mix, tomatoes, olives, cheese, chicken breast, olive oil and vinegar dressing
(The girls eat chicken, a little bit of salad, and fruit)

Dinner: hamburger with cheese, sautéed onions and mushrooms, salad greens, olive oil and vinegar  dressing
(The girls eat hamburger, salad, and whatever veggies they want)

Travis eats snacks, I never remember to so I add extras into lunch or dinner. He eats a combination of cheese sticks, olives, cream cheese, avocados, celery sticks for snacks.
So there you have it! We're on our way and I'll be sure to keep you updated as we go along.

Let's Talk Lifestyle Changes

I feel as though I'm always posting about changing the way we live. I suppose there isn't anything wrong with that, I mean, who wouldn't want to change the way they live to make it just right for them?
We're constantly learning so it only makes sense to adjust things accordingly.

Let's talk Ketogenics.

Your body is probably using carbohydrates as its source of fuel, think of it as lighting a fire with newspaper, sure it burns but it quickly needs more paper or it will burn out.
Now imagine you have a whole stack of logs you aren't using, the logs represent fat, wouldn't you rather burn the fat?
Ketogenics is a low carb diet. Once you don't fuel your body with carbs, it starts to burn the fat stores (by the way, fat is how your body stores carbs).

We are switching to a ketogenic diet.

The most famous keto diet is Atkins, I'm sure you've probably heard of it. High fat, moderate protein, low carbs. Of course, this diet has a bad rap because people were using it as an excuse to eat truckloads of bacon and sticks of butter, which is definitely not what the diet is about (you still eat the normal 2000 calories a day). The fat comes from cooking in olive oil, eating fatty fish (like salmon) and/or small amounts of cheeses. The proteins are your basics, meat and eggs.  Carbs are kept to a minimum, the main source of carbs is veggies.
You start out with a small amount of carbs and slowly introduce more until you find your limit, meaning if you get to a point where you're reversing and your body starts burning carbs again then you need to cut back.

Now, I'm not a Dr, nutritionist, or dietician. I'm just a regular person, my husband is desperate to lose weight, he has tried plenty of diets and goes to the gym daily, he asked me to do this with him and I agreed. I thought I'd blog about the journey in case it might help someone out there in bloggy land.

I will be posting my stats (and his) and what we're eating, etc. We're making our grocery list and hoping to jump straight into this diet as soon as we get to the store.
I hope you'll check back soon to see how we're doing!