Adventures in Homeowning

Last night, after returning from the gym and eating a yummy dinner (salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, goat cheese, and balsamic), I started doing the dishes.  I noticed the water wasn't getting hot.  It usually does take quite a while for my hot water to come out because the hot water heater is in the front corner of the basement and all of the sinks are on the opposite side of the house - go figure.  But, this was just plain not heating up.

Last summer, my basement had leaked in a severe rain storm and I'd ripped out a bunch of carpet and made sure everything on the floor was in plastic.  In the carpet ripping process, I had bumped the temperature adjustment on the water heater and it was pretty cool - so I thought perhaps this had happened again somehow.

But no - when I went downstairs I discovered this:

Ugh!!

Water on the floor + no hot water = something wrong with the water heater.  

I proceeded to drag all of my plastic bins away from the area, cut and tear out more carpet and padding that was wet, dragged that up the stairs and out to the trash. (side note: if you have an UNFINISHED basement, why would you ever put down decent carpet with padding?!? Thanks, previous homeowner) But anyway, I used the trusty shop vac to suck up the water (yes, Isaac, you were right - we DID need that shop vac) and proceeded to call someone to come fix my water heater.  2 calls later, my "regular guy" is coming on TUESDAY. 

In this process, I learned how to empty my hot water heater tank.  (Thanks for helping me with that, Pringle!) So, I resign myself to a few days of cold showers because at least I'm blessed to have a house at all, right? I head upstairs, preparing myself for a fast and freezing shower before bed - I'm exhausted.  

Well, I turn on the shower and guess what?  Since I don't have separate nozzles for hot and cold - there's no water at all.  I end up washing my hair (with cold water) in the sink - and myself too.  

Finally, around 11:00, I get to sleep.  

I wake up this morning, head downstairs, wet vac a little more water that finished leaking out last night and come upstairs to start breakfast.  And I see this:

 

That's a bat.  Seriously?!  For 32 years of my life, I never, ever remember a bat in any house I've lived in.  So, I hide in the doorway to my basement while furiously Googling "how to get rid of a bat" on my phone.

Do you know what is suggested?  CATCH THE BAT IN A TOWEL.  Um - that?  Not happening.

I grabbed a towel to cover my head - because I had this vision of the bat attacking me and getting caught in my hair - headed outside to grab my broom (yes, with the towel on my head), and proceeded to cower in fear in my dining room (when I snapped the picture). 

I took the broom and smacked the bat.  It did NOT fly out the back door, but rather, landed on the kitchen floor looking a little stunned.  I worked up some more courage and used my broom to whack the bat towards the door again.  This time it seemed to wake up and flew straight out the back door.  

Thank goodness it is Friday!!!! 

(and don't worry, I'll be showering at the gym this weekend)

Lessons in Craving - Part 2

In yesterday's post, I shared with you about my Sunday meltdown.  I actually wrote that post on Monday, and I thought today I'd give you a little follow-up now that it's been a few days.

First, I started reading the Made to Crave 60-Day Devotional on Sunday night. If you've been around this blog for any length of time, you'll know that Made to Crave is my #1 book when it comes to getting your mindset right for getting healthy.

This devotional....oh man.  I love how this has been on my "someday I'll read it" list for so long, but really it was on the "you'll need this at exactly this time" list for God.  He always knows, doesn't He?

I'm 5 days into the devotional and just really soaking in the TRUTH in this little book.  I'm feeling so much more at peace.  You know that phrase "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels"?  I don't think that's true - because chocolate cake with peanut butter icing tastes REALLY good.  But, I do believe this:

Nothing tastes as good as peace feels.  One of my highlights from the devotional this week was this: "Remember, our ultimate goal is peace - physically, emotionally, and spiritually."

It's true.  My ultimate goal isn't a number on the scale or a size to wear or a speed for a mile.  My ultimate goal is to feel peace in my obedience to God in how I am treating my body.  

And nothing - not even chocolate cake with peanut butter icing - tastes as good as feeling that peace.

Lessons in Craving

It was Sunday evening.

I had run a little over 4 miles earlier in that day.  I'd prepped my salads for the week, sides of sliced fruit, grilled chicken breast, and stuffed peppers.  I had attended a graduation party where I had a slice of cake that I'd planned for in my calories. I ate a healthy dinner (grilled chicken, roasted veggies, and goat cheese tossed together).

In short - I had been in control all day.

But somewhere between 6:30 and 7:30 I lost it.  I had been struggling a little for the previous few weeks to maintain my focus.  Most days I was fine, but I was always reaching for "treats" too frequently and feeling frustrated.  Well, it all unraveled Sunday night with a half a bag of chocolate chips, 4 Unreal peanut butter cups, 1/2 of a bar of sea salt dark chocolate.

I stood in front of my pantry searching - What can I eat?? The reality was, I wasn't craving anything in particular.  If I was, I would've just eaten that thing and gotten over it.

I just felt like my stomach was a pit and no matter how much junk I was eating, it wasn't satisfying me.

I made myself a cup of tea hoping that would help.  It didn't.  I chewed gum.  Still - all I wanted to do was eat.

Finally, I just started crying.  Why - why after all of this time, after 80+ pounds lost, after I feel like I've changed so much - WHY AM I STILL STRUGGLING WITH FOOD? Will I never, ever win this battle completely?

Then it hit me - the front of the book Made to Crave - the book I always tell people about when they ask how I did it - the front of the book says:

No wonder I couldn't satisfy my hunger.  I wasn't physically hungry - but I was spiritually starving.

It had been weeks, maybe even months, since I'd last sat and had real, quality quiet devotional time with God.  It had been a long time since I'd earnestly sought Him in prayer, since I'd listened for His voice, since I'd walked with Him in this.

So, standing in front of my pantry - a belly full of chocolate, wondering what I could eat to satisfy me...I could've stared all day.  Nothing in that pantry was going to fill the emptiness I felt.  

I cried out to God.  I confessed that I'd taken Him out of the picture...that I thought I could do it on my own.  I searched Scripture to remind me of His Truth.  I got myself a big mug of Stomach Ease tea, and finally felt satisfied.  It wasn't food I needed.  It was God.  He is so faithful - and the moment I reached out to Him, He was there for me.  He'd been there all along.

"This is not who I am - nor who I was created to be.  Goodbye to my shallow efforts, self-focus, and suspicious fears that I'll never find victory in this area of my life.  I am made for more than this constant battle."

(Made to Crave 60-Day Devotional)

Inside the Fridge

Want to take a peek inside my fridge?

Head over to Robin's Bite to see what's inside my fridge!

Weekly Recap

This weekend...

 

...made a trip to Wegman's (45 minutes away) - so good! 

...tamed the front of my house!

...bought some plants at Lowe's and mulched my back yard!

...got sweaty in aerobics class at the gym - sweated in the shape of an upside down heart! I <3 exercise="" p="">

...whipped up this graduation gift (thanks, Pinterest) and went to a graduation party for a former youth group student!

...ran - I was supposed to run 8 miles, but then I was crazy sore from my gym workout so I decided to back down to 6, then my IT band/knee area was feeling achy so I ended at 4.23

 

...made single-serving berry rhubarb baked oatmeal from Edible Perspective. YUM!!!

Workouts last week:

Monday - 20 minutes elliptical + 60 minutes yoga

Tuesday - 30 minutes Arc trainer + 45 minutes weights

Wednesday - 2.23 miles run + 1 mile hill repeats

Thursday - 30 minutes Arc trainer + 45 minutes weights

Friday - rest

Saturday - Athletic Challenge class (like a boot camp class)

Sunday - 4.23 miles run

What I've Been Eating Lately

Last week's jar salad - Lemon Strawberry

Taco Salad with grilled romaine lettuce

Coconut flour pancakes - topped with PB2 syrup (2 tbsp. powdered PB + 1 tbsp maple syrup + water to thin) and banana

Sweet Potato Nachos - recipe from Peas & Crayons

Caffe Misto and a Spinach Egg White Wrap from Starbucks

Sliced mango and strawberry, pear balsamic "pizza" (whole wheat tortilla drizzled with balsamic, topped with thinly sliced pears and Swiss cheese)

This yummy salad - Spring Mix, strawberries, grilled chicken, walnuts, lemon juice, balsamic

Super Green Pasta - whole wheat pasta, asparagus and spinach tossed with homemade pesto

Egg White Frittata - egg whites, asparagus, greens, tomatoes - cook on the stove until it starts to set up, then transfer to a 350 oven until it's cooked through.  Top with melty cheese!

Bottom of the Jar Oatmeal - from Peak 313

Mexican tortilla pizza - whole wheat tortilla topped with salsa, black beans, corn, peppers, cheese, and fajita seasoning!

The Misto

When I hear of a beverage called a "Misto", I typically think of this:

That delicious combination of Rita's Italian Ice and custard...

But have you ever seen the "Caffe Misto" on the menu at Starbucks?  

Last night I got a coupon in my email for $1 off of a breakfast sandwich at Starbucks.  I also had earned my free drink with my gold card, so I treated myself to Starbucks this morning.  The thing was, I didn't want to spend a ton of calories on my drink, and I wasn't feeling the heaviness of my usual soy latte. 

I did, however, want something other than just plain coffee.  What I really wanted was plain coffee with steamed soy milk in it.  I did a little Googling and found that's exactly what the "Misto" is!! It's also known as "Cafe Au Lait" at most coffee shops.  It's equal parts brewed coffee and steamed milk - exactly what I was looking for!

Here's the real bonus - it's a calorie saver!!!

Tall Soy Latte: 130 calories
Grande Soy Misto: 100 calories (If you're a skim milk drinker, it's 70 calories)

Yep, that's more drink for less calories!!  It's also cheaper than a latte - around $2.50 for a grande! 

Less money, less calories - more drink, same flavor?!?  This is the best discovery I've made in a long time.

(P.S. - I got the Spinach Egg White Wrap - which is my favorite sandwich there - and only 280 calories!)