heyhey!
i’m onna roll =D
OHYEAH.
i just had to tell ya!
if you havent visited my health journal lately, hop over there to see what i’ve been upta! i’ll probably be posting mostly over there for the next 10 days or so 
(click HERE to see why!)
in the meantime, i hope you’re having a simply maahhhvelous spring. here’s our forecast for tomorrow!
MUCH better than THIS just a little over a month ago!
ttfn!
~jos~
happy monday
and st. patty’s day!
welp, lately on my health journal i’ve been yappin about how i’m tryin to reach a certain weight loss goal. (specifically, the ever-8freakinmonth-elusive 200lb mark!) i have a lot of “reasons” (excuses?) why i havent fulfilled that goal and mainly they are health-related obstacles.
but really, is that what has slowed me down the most?
probably not. (i hate being honest with myself. dangit!)
for some reason, the more i fail to succeed the more i blame it on something “out of my control.” but honestly, how out of my control is healing my endometriosis/reducing pain and balancing my hormones? hmm. how out of my control is dealing with my foot/ankle issues so im not in pain all the time? isnt that what my journey to better health is all about—taking control of those obstacles?
i also keep telling myself i need to be more kind and gentle to my psyche and stop beating myself up when i fall short because it ends up starting a vicious cycle. and while that IS true, i also need to be brutally honest and ask myself—have i REALLY tried as hard as i could? have i given it my all? or have i put forth just a few weeks of consistency and then let the proverbial “cut off” time for my motivation take hold just so i can be lazy again?
i’m thinking the latter. :\
sparkpeople postlast week i read this post (left) on sparkpeople. while it’s not a fancyschmancy speech, it cuts thru the crap and excuses. it’s something i needed to hear at this juncture and i thought i’d share! i decided to give you a screenshot of the post so that way if you decide you want to be part of sparkpeople, you can connect with the author if you’d like
so wow, what did you think? definitely some points that made smoke come out my ears. LOL. at one time or another, every single one of these excuses is ME, whining. haha. (in addition to who knows how many more…)
i dont think i even need to expand on her explanations. i’m getting to the point where it’s simply cut and dry—either do it, or dont! get healthier, or dont! PERIOD. i’m tired of swimming in excuses!
even if losing weight or improving your health isnt high on your priority list, what is? and what excuses do you keep using that’re holding you back because it’s more comfortable there? think…spiritual time, family time, time spent doing something helping others…
i hope this gave you something to chew on, too!
AND…what are you going to do about it?
~josey~
happy hump day!! hehe!!
well gosh, its been since friday since i checked in here! i’ve been writing in my health journal, tho. if you havent checked that out, click on over and have a cuppa tea with me! 
i’ve been posting my food log every day, too (cept the weekend). so if you’re weerd like me and you like to know what other people eat, the secret has now been revealed! haha!
*gets out the raw milk cheddar cheese with gluten-free almond crackers, and serves up some cranberry spice hot tea* hehehe 
let’s chat!!
things have been a little busy here, which is a tad strange for me since i work at home, i dont have a whole lot of excitement going on, especially during the wintertime. and now that the holidays are over, you’d think things would be winding down!
you may (or may not) remember me talking about volunteering with a local agricultural institute all last summer. in the fall, i ended up helping them with some outdoor education things as well. this was right up my alley, as my college degree is in outdoor recreation management! unfortunately i have never held a paying position using my degree. (long story!)
until NOW!! =)
the ag institute wants me to fulfill the role as their youth educator the BEST thing about it is that its on a project-to-project basis (sub-contracting), so i’m not committed to an office job or even a part-time job. their programs are sporadic and when a request comes in, they’ll okay it thru me, and then i’ll do all the planning. i am SO EXCITED!
this will be THE FIRST time i’ve made MONEY from my college degree!! YAYY!!!! (it’s been 10 years since i graduated…and yes, i’m still paying for the loans…ROTFL…)
my first project is in february. a dozen teenagers from a school in chicago are coming for a 4-day outing. just this week i’ve been in touch with the school, and this afternoon i’m meeting with my boss at the ag institute to go over budget, lodging and program activities! YAY, feels good to use my creativity again! plus i love workin with the kids =)
they also have asked me to do some other volunteer work this month, so a few days a week i’ll be there helping them out! *watches as my dusty dayplanner fills up…!*
THEN, on top of that…there’s a pet supply/pet gift shop i go to every week to get dog and cat food. its kinda cool, cause the owner of it grew up in the house we are renting! (yep, small towns. hehe.)
she asked me if i’d be interested in managing their website! :-O so, i’m meeting with her this week or next to get started on that. woohoo! this may be considered a part-time job, but i think i’ll be able to do most of it from home
on the health front, if you’ve been checkin out my health journal at all you’ll have a little peek inside my crazy mind as far as my obsession with healing my endo and losing weight goes these last few days in particular have been very challenging for me, tho, and i didnt mention it i the health journal.
in the last week or so, i’ve had some light-headedness that in the last several days have turned into full-blown dizzy spells. spinning room, shivering, ringing in the ears and nausea—the works. it’s freaked me out! i’ve never felt that way, and was very concerned.
monday night i barely slept at all. i had to sleep with the light on because i kept waking up every single hour feeling REALLY dizzy…and with the light OFF, it made me feel dizzier when i opened my eyes! ACK! poor hubby moved to the couch 
of course by then my anxiety was high and my heart pounded every time i woke up. :(
i contacted my naturopath yesterday and she said it means my body is “shifting.” meaning partly that i am starting to get enough (really, too much) of the supplements i have been taking. in addition, since i have been detoxing my liver, it could also mean i’m finally ridding myself of some pretty toxic heavy metals. YAY.
plus on top of that, i’ve changed my diet somewhat drastically—no wheat or gluten. this has forced me to eat pretty durned healthily—tons more fruits, veggies, and higher quality carbs than before. if you’ve ever gone off caffiene or sugar (or even cigarettes) cold turkey, you’ll understand what i mean when i say i’ve been having withdrawal symptoms! LOL!
so, yesterday and today i am not taking any supplements at all. tomorrow morning i’m going in for a nutritional balance, even tho i just went a few weeks ago for a follow-up. since its impossible to predict when my body has had enough of a certain supplement and is ready for the next step, its really important for me to pay attention to the cues my body gives off. i guess this one was pretty hard to ignore! hehe!
oh and by the way, i slept WELL last nite, and have been feeling better since i stopped taking the supplements. i am feeling much more normal today!! (as you can tell by my superdooper gabby fingers. teehee!)
so anyhoo…that’s SOME of what’s goin on with me…how about you? how’s your new year goin? =)
i also wanted to let you know about a new “search” feature i’ve added to my site. if you look in the navigation bar, at the bottom of the 7th yellow cube (yep, WAY down there. hehe.) there’s a white search box so, if you ever wanna see if i’ve yapped about something you’re interested in without sifting thru my archives, give that search box a whirl! it’s pretty spiffy
and lastly…remember my (WI)nter wonderland about a week and a half ago? well, it is no more! mr. heat miser dropped by! LOLOL!
our front yard, just this mornin 
our back yard…lonely with no snow!
over the weekend and early this week, we had 3-4 nearly 60 degree days! we also had thunderstorms (lightning and all!) and even tornadoes! crazy huh?? and its january—in WISCONSIN! it’s back down to the 30’s now, tho, but i dont mind
in the first pix, if you click on it, look in the lower right hand corner of the big window. do you happen to see a certain puppy dog there? hehe!! btw, that’s the big picture window featured here.
and yes, there’s one lonely chunk of snow in the back yard. i think it’s remnants of a HUGE snow ball hubby and i made—it was almost as tall as me. hahah!
so anyhoo, that’s whats happenin so far in my new year!! things are looking up, for sure. i’ve had some rocky times already with my anxiety issues, but i’m determined 2008 will be the year i get much healthier AND accomplish many of my other goals!
have a wonderful rest of the week!!!
~josey~
happy saturday morning
to help me stay on track on my journey to better health, i decided to create a little mini-health journal within my website it’s the second link from the top called “my 2008 health journal.” you can find the archives for it at the very bottom of the navigation bar!
i’ll still be talking about health, nutrition, weight loss, endometriosis and FOOD (of course! hehe) in sillygolucky so dont think you’re off the hook. BWAAHAHA! >;-D
the health journal is for more of a daily basis check-in place for me. i’ll post what i eat, my weigh-ins, how im feeling physically (probably TMI for some of you, but oh well! its a good way for me to track the association of certain foods to my pain levels!), and talk more specifically about my diet and my endo treatment.
if any of you are curious about anything i mention, have questions about certain foods i eat or just general health/nutrition questions/comments, PLEASE indulge me i love learning more about these things and helping others do the same!
and i would be overjoyed to help you reach some of your own personal health goals along the way =D
~josey~
happy saturday morning
to help me stay on track on my journey to better health, i decided to create a little mini-health journal within my website it’s the second link from the top called “my 2008 health journal.” you can find the archives for it at the very bottom of the navigation bar!
i’ll still be talking about health, nutrition, weight loss, endometriosis and FOOD (of course! hehe) in sillygolucky so dont think you’re off the hook. BWAAHAHA! >;-D
the health journal is for more of a daily basis check-in place for me. i’ll post what i eat, my weigh-ins, how im feeling physically (probably TMI for some of you, but oh well! its a good way for me to track the association of certain foods to my pain levels!), and talk more specifically about my diet and my endo treatment.
if any of you are curious about anything i mention, have questions about certain foods i eat or just general health/nutrition questions/comments, PLEASE indulge me i love learning more about these things and helping others do the same!
and i would be overjoyed to help you reach some of your own personal health goals along the way =D
~josey~
hey there! =D
last week i watched the (tivo’d) finale of the biggest loser. this was my first season watching; im not much of a tv gal, really. i just have a few reality shows i watch, scattered throughout the year as they come on (survivor, the amazing race, american idol, so ya think you can dance, hell’s kitchen, and america’s next top model).
anyhoo! sorry bout the mini-tangent. haha.
let’s put aside the fact this show was edited for tv and all that jazz. there’s something that attracts me to TBL in particular—people’s lives are actually changed FOR THE BETTER by participating in the crazy realm of reality tv!
it was totally amazing to see how nearly all of the contestants—especially the top 4—changed so drastically! a few of them even lost 50% of their original body weight!! can you imagine?! HALF of yourself—gone!
i think what inspired me and impressed on my heart the most was their determination and perseverance. yes—they wanted to win; but more than anything, they wanted to improve their lives and prove to themselves they could do this, and that they WERE WORTH IT.
emotionally and physically, i understand what many of these people went through. there wasnt an episode i didnt cry once or more because i felt so sorry for someone, or identified so closely. maybe im a cheesey chump for getting so sentimental about a dumb tv show that a network uses just to make money. so, call me a sappybutt! i dont care! LOL.
i think i also cried because sometimes i felt sorry for myself/guilty for not working harder toward my goals. i saw them succeed under pretty extreme circumstances and i was so proud! i KNOW how hard it is to fight past the mental and physical burdens of why you’re fat—anyone who’s ever been overweight knows what i mean.
now if you’re sitting there reading this and STILL thinking im a total idiot for being suckered into this show emotionally, then maybe you’re missing my point!
for those of us who struggle with our weight and all the baggage that comes with it, its a light in the darkness to see others come so far.
we celebrate with them and cheer them on! it boosts our own morale. it renews our hope when we are mentally exhausted.
we identify with the human condition and begin to realize we have the same strength and motivation as these people, who come from the same walks of life. it’s easy to forget we have reserves we haven’t yet tapped into.
no, i dont worship reality tv but watching this season of TBL gave me a boost of optimism for my own situation. it’s been tough (understatement!) losing weight this year with my endometriosis and the pain and hormonal fluctuations its brought with it. but i’m getting better, slowly.
i just cant give up!
i want to prove to myself i can do this.
this whole “health” goal of mine is so much more than losing weight. it’s shedding layers and layers of emotional cruddy build-up. feeding my self-esteem. giving worth to my character, my core—pushing myself to persevere and emerge as stronger and more confident. i want to use these positive things to help other people.
but first, i have to tend to my own wounds and issues. 2007 started that and now im onna roll
i am VERYVERY excitedly looking forward to 2008 as being the year i blossom into a more balanced, kind and healthy person. and not just in how i react and give back to the world around me, but how i treat and care for my own mind, body and spirit.
(more on all this soon! weeeeeeeee!)
~jos~
hey, folks!
back at the beginning of december, tish over at the kat house did this really cool meme that chronicled the “evolution” of her blog by choosing 5 of her landmark archived posts.
i commented on her post, but being the doober i am, i wasnt paying attention and put my comment on the wrong post. LOL!!
but, being the nice gal she is, she replied back anyhoo and suggested i do the meme when i gotta chance! well, now i have the chance…so, here goes! (oh and btw, they arent in perfect chronological order, but i think you’ll still get the point! LOL.)
i started blogging in december 2005 on Yahoo 360. blogging, for me, was (is!) basically a replacement for a hand-written journal. i’ve been on a quest to lose weight and get healthy for ohhh about 7 years now…so it was obvious that would be the thing i’d yap about most. my very first blog post EVER was a great start to the end of the year!.
that was basically my introduction. and i’m not gonna count it toward the 5 posts im supposed to feature in this meme. HEHE! even to this day, i dont think i could ever change a word of it and say it any better!
having my blog on the big Y kinda kept me sheltered from the REAL blogosphere (at least in my opinion)—i wasnt aware of all the commenting, the memes, and all the fun stuff that really gets your name out there. i just wrote when i felt like it and “closed the book” and hid it back in my drawer when i was done. hehe!
i really didnt start semi-seriously blogging again until january of 2007!
i’m guessing most of my readers dont really know that im completely and totally obsessed-submersed-bookwormed into learning about and applying holistic nutrition and health stuff into my life.
the reason why i’ve dove in head first into this stuff is because in march of this year (2007), after a diagnostic laparoscopy, i found out i have endometriosis. <—-btw, that’s my fave endometriosis site. hands down.
in fact, IRL, healing my endo (aka endometriosis) through proper nutrition is what i talk about, think about and read about a lot. i mean LOTS a lot. . o O (hmmm, probably why i dont have any good friends. LOL.) especially because i believe the things i’ve learned can be applied in a myriad of ways to everyone. (yep, even men!)
i wrote time to heal the week after my laparoscopy. i dont think i really revealed how scared i was about having endo and how big of a step it was to take a greater responsibility in my own healing by not choosing the typical path of treatment through my doctor. but, there was just something in my gut that said—YOU have to do this. you CAN do this. your body WANTS to heal; you just have to give it what it needs.
the gears in my brain started churning and i knew my diet was due for an overhaul at this point. i then found and read a book called Endometriosis: A Key to Healing through Nutrition. this got me thinking quite a bit about what i eat and how it effects my body on a cellular level. *totally nerdy pose*
at this point, i couldnt get enough info—i was (and AM!) a total sponge! i just kept reading and reading…about food…our bodies…about amazing things i’d never thought about before.
after reading books like Real Food: What to Eat and Why and Nourishing Traditions i felt moved to write pass me the olden days, please…probably the most telling post i’ve written thus far about how i feel about nutrition, health and the industrialization of our world.
then i revealed a little more, embarrassingly, in crying over chocolate cake. this was a time, in the midst of coping with the drastic hormonal shifts, i asked myself “am i doing the right thing?” and “how much more of this can i handle?”… in addition with grappling with the fact that i may never have biological children of my own, which especially bothers me on those most hormonal days. this post was a recount of one of many times i’d have days like this—days where i swore i was losing it. days when it didnt seem fair that i had to have this disease and i let it get the best of me.
this year i’ve had a lot of doubts, but also a lot of revelations. what’s the real reason is my reassessment of why and how i’ve come to be where i am this year…in my health, my emotions, my goals. it felt good to admit all my grossly gluttonous habits…most of which i am thankfully tackling full-force it also feels good to look at my life by taking a step back…and truly realize where i’ve screwed up, then use that knowledge to turn it into something positive!
and finally, something that’s become quite apparent to me after all the physical and emotional pain, desperate pleadings to God, confusion and feeling alone…after all the things ive read and studied to educate myself so i can take responsibilty for my health, THIS is what it all boils down to for me: nutrition + emotions = health. (and tho i failed to mention it—for me, spirituality is the foundation of that equation!! that post would have been pages and pages longer had i included that aspect. i venture to guess one of these days it will all come out. )
maybe most of the stuff in that last post seems a little new-agey, or far-fetched or like im getting scammed over. but until you go through a time in your life when nothing else makes sense…when something comes along that clicks in your gut and you just know…then, well, you know…you JUST KNOW you have stumbled upon something that can—AND WILL—change your life.
and if you share it, it might change someone else’s, too.
and this, my friends, is the evolution…of me. (through my blog.)
i’m very, very grateful you stopped by
happy monday, folks
i believe my poor, nutritionally abused body is having chocolate cupcake/pumpkin pie with whipped cream/mashed potatoes/dressing withdrawal today. i feel like crap! headache, body aches, acid reflux, general malaise…bleh.
this is what usually happens after i’ve eaten "irresponsibly" for more than a few days in a row. *hehe* i’m positive im not getting the flu or a cold; i havent had one in over two years! i actually ate some HEALTHY food last nite and today, so now my body is ticked-off and rebelling cause IT WANTS JUNK.
fortunately, last nite i also planned out our menu for the whole week–every single meal. its been rough sticking with it today, because im a little grumpy and wanting sugary/carby junk. i usually give myself a "transition day," but i have to stick it out! i’m tired of letting myself slack. just a few more days or less, and i’ll feel normal and energetic again.
my weigh-in this morning was 208.6! EEEEEP! i suppose i’m not toooo shocked, but man. what a big ole dork i am for going nutto with the food over the holiday. i have a goal to lose 10lb by the end of the year. i will be sooooooo happy if i do! no wait…i’ll be sooooooo happy WHEN I DO!!
i wont even go on a tirade on how im such an idiot and i could have been under 200 and well below over the summer. i’m just too tired to type that much right now hehe. i suppose the best thing i can do is to keep focusing on the positive and making good food choices and getting in my exercise!
here’s my plan for the next several weeks:
AND most importantly…loving myself and being kind and patient with myself. even tho i havent lost tons this year, i know i would have GAINED had i not stopped my self-trash-talkin-train-of-thought as much as i have. stinkin thinkin has no place in a healthy relationship with ones self!
i should be proud that i have at least maintained most of what i’ve lost despite the physical and emotional things i’ve had to deal with this year. i’m sure the hormonal imbalances (esp thyroid) have thwarted even my best efforts so i cant completely say it was a total lack of motivation. its just soo hard to give yourself ANY credit when you’ve failed so many times at something you want SOOO BADLY.
okay! enuff rambling for now…;) time to go rest for a while and i will see you all back here tomorry!
enjoy your monday!!
~josey~
happy monday, folks
i believe my poor, nutritionally abused body is having chocolate cupcake/pumpkin pie with whipped cream/mashed potatoes/dressing withdrawal today. i feel like crap! headache, body aches, acid reflux, general malaise…bleh.
this is what usually happens after i’ve eaten "irresponsibly" for more than a few days in a row. *hehe* i’m positive im not getting the flu or a cold; i havent had one in over two years! i actually ate some HEALTHY food last nite and today, so now my body is ticked-off and rebelling cause IT WANTS JUNK.
fortunately, last nite i also planned out our menu for the whole week–every single meal. its been rough sticking with it today, because im a little grumpy and wanting sugary/carby junk. i usually give myself a "transition day," but i have to stick it out! i’m tired of letting myself slack. just a few more days or less, and i’ll feel normal and energetic again.
my weigh-in this morning was 208.6! EEEEEP! i suppose i’m not toooo shocked, but man. what a big ole dork i am for going nutto with the food over the holiday. i have a goal to lose 10lb by the end of the year. i will be sooooooo happy if i do! no wait…i’ll be sooooooo happy WHEN I DO!!
i wont even go on a tirade on how im such an idiot and i could have been under 200 and well below over the summer. i’m just too tired to type that much right now hehe. i suppose the best thing i can do is to keep focusing on the positive and making good food choices and getting in my exercise!
here’s my plan for the next several weeks:
AND most importantly…loving myself and being kind and patient with myself. even tho i havent lost tons this year, i know i would have GAINED had i not stopped my self-trash-talkin-train-of-thought as much as i have. stinkin thinkin has no place in a healthy relationship with ones self!
i should be proud that i have at least maintained most of what i’ve lost despite the physical and emotional things i’ve had to deal with this year. i’m sure the hormonal imbalances (esp thyroid) have thwarted even my best efforts so i cant completely say it was a total lack of motivation. its just soo hard to give yourself ANY credit when you’ve failed so many times at something you want SOOO BADLY.
okay! enuff rambling for now…;) time to go rest for a while and i will see you all back here tomorry!
enjoy your monday!!
~josey~
hey there!! TGIF!! =D
the other day i stumbled upon a bloggy type personality test that’s modeled after the original Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. my results were suprising, because i have actually taken the true Myers-Briggs several years ago and had the same result! usually these cheesey little online quizzywizzies aren’t very accurate. so, either this one’s half way decent or i just got lucky! hehe!
if you know anything about the Myers-Briggs, you know its WAY more than a teenyboppery fun "who am i?" personality quiz. when i took it, i learned a lot of very important things about myself and more than anything, it gave me the insight i needed to understand how other people in my life think and react in certain situations.
so, here was my result from the quizzywizzy:
| You Are An ENFJ |
|
You strive to maintain harmony in relationships, and usually succeed. Articulate and enthusiastic, you are good In love, you are very protective and supporting. At work, you are a natural leader. You can help people discover their greatest potential. You would make a good writer, human resources director, or psychologist. How you see yourself: Trusting, idealistic, and expressive When other people don’t get you, they see you as: |
so let’s chat about this a bit! i am Extroverted (surprise! LOL)…however, the MBTI says:
Everyone spends some time extraverting and some time introverting. Don’t confuse Introversion with shyness or reclusiveness. They are not related.
i like that. i thought it was very interesting! "introverted" seems to carry a negative connotation (and maybe that’s just more with us extroverts?), and i think its essential to embrace someone’s way of getting inspiration and energy. to me, that’s one of the things that makes others so intriguing!
then, the N stands for intuition. this one makes me giggle…only because i now realize this is the part of my personality that is the strongest in my life right now. it is, in fact, the very thing that creates stress in my little head! LOL!
what it means is that i focus more on reading into (or shall we say…ANALYZING…particulary, OVER-analyzing? hehe!!) information instead of sensing it for what it is. they give these examples that i think hit is smackdab on the money:
I solve problems by leaping between different ideas and possibilities.
Sometimes I think so much about new possibilities that I never look at how to make them a reality.
obviously something i need to balance out a little better!!
then, i prefer Feeling. before i go on, the MBTI wants us to make this distinction:
Don’t confuse Feeling with emotion. Everyone has emotions about the decisions they make.
this made me feel better, because sometimes i think i am too emotional. i think most of it comes from the simple fact that my hormones are so out of whack right now and i lose my ability to be rational when i need to be. (men, believe this!! LOL!)
the feeling aspect really focuses on having the need for harmony and balance in relationships, and essentially having a people-pleasing personality. this obviously can be a detriment when i refuse to…er i mean when i fail to see the real (and sometimes unpleasant) truth about a situation or another person.
i think sometimes this aspect of my personality is a nice compliment when i am in a group of otherwise less compassionate, less nurturing indivuals. we need all sorts to make the world go round, right? RIGHT!
then finally Judging. i remember when i first took the MBTI i was like NOOOO! i dont want J! i dont judge other people! ROTFL. obviously that’s not what it means…well, cause then that would be judging others!
really what judging refers to is how i need to have some structure in my life and in the way i make decisions. i think it goes right along with the fact that i’m a virgo *hehe* i like to make lists, normally i dont procrastinate, and i tend to be punctual and like to make plans ahead of time, etc…
not that i dont like spontaneity tho, cause i do! its just that i tend to resort to judging most of the time.
so, to sum all this up, the Myers-Briggs paraphrases the ENFJ as:
ENFJ
Warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. Highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. Find potential in everyone, want to help others fulfill their potential. May act as catalysts for individual and group growth. Loyal, responsive to praise and criticism. Sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership.
so what does the quizzywizzy say you are? oh, come on and do it and tell me what you got. LOL. (i COULD be really mean and tag this as a meme…but i wont!!! LOL.) and what are your thoughts about it? have you ever taken the official MBTI?
i think its fun and SUPER important to take a plunge into understanding our own AND others’ personalities better. i mean, who doesnt want to be a happier camper?
have fun!!!
~josey~
The Giver
