Two weeks on this Cleanse, and I have to say it feels like it's been a lot longer! I'm so glad I am doing it, and I'm going to try and do it twice a year for years to come. My husband George and I are planning to do it together in the fall!
The first week was definitely the hardest. I love eating fruits and vegetables, but having really on other options besides a small amount of brown rice or lentils, and the SP Complete Shakes, it got old kind of fast. So I was very excited by Day 11 when I could add meat back into my diet. I made a simple chicken stir fry with organic chicken, peppers, onions and zucchini, and it was so tasty!
This past week has been so busy with exams at school, a phish concert, Bruins, etc, that it has gotten easier. Plus I finally got a battery for my scale and I've lost about 7 pounds. My clothes are fitting better and I feel much better about wearing a bathing suit. I still have more to go, but after having some results I feel like I can do it. It's amazing how much having the right foods and nutrients can help!
When you do a Cleanse, it helps to clean out and detoxify your organs (the Standard Process Cleanse helps detoxify your Liver, Kidneys, and Intestines). By doing that, the energy of your organs can focus on their jobs, instead of getting rid of toxins, which can lead to improved weight management. Other benefits include less bloating, clearer skin, more energy, and help with past conditions such as PMS or digestive problems.
There are many ways to do a Cleanse, some of them are harsher, more about fasting. What I like about the Standard Process Cleanse, is that it really helps you to think about making some life changes. Before I did this, I never wanted to diet. I thought since I work out a good amount, I should be able to enjoy the foods that I want. But being married, and comfortable, it's very easy to over do it with eating a drinking. I never wanted to make the commitment to go on a diet, because I thought it would be horrible. Although some of the days, I really, REALLY wanted to cheat and it other food, I made it through, and ended up enjoying lots of foods. I realized that when I'm craving something sweet, instead of looking for candy or a cookie, I can eat a delicious piece of fruit. I've been having fun with the shakes, and am going to keep having one a day, 3-6 days a week. I've learned new meals to make and have gotten into the habit (though forced) of having fruits and veggies for snacks, instead of junk food.
My last day is a week from today and I am planning a nice dinner for George and I. But I'm also really excited to figure out a new way to eat that I can stick with. Keeping some things I learned from the Cleanse, while adding in more foods, and seeing what works with my body.
Happy Eating!
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Day 7
The Cleanse has been going well, and I have to say I am feeling sooo good! Not that I was a horrible eater before, but it's so easy to just snack when you want, or make what you want for dinner, without putting too much thought into it. I always feel generally healthy, without any major complaints, but I had been feeling a bit sluggish and bloated (one of the reasons I wanted to do this), in the months prior to taking on this cleanse. Being on Day 7, I feel like I have more energy, I feel happy and vibrant (though I got annoyed when George asked me to go pick up a sub for him for lunch...), and I feel stronger. I went to a Group Power class yesterday, and I thought it was going to be hard because I haven't been able to make it for a couple of weeks, but I found that it was actually easier than I remember, and I could lift more weight. All this good food is really helping!
Our scale doesn't needs a new battery, and I went to target today, and of course forgot to check what kind I needed...but that's ok. As I said before, I am feeling great, and I am also happy to say that my clothes that were getting tight, are not as tight. If you were to follow this Cleanse and wanted to lose a lot of weight, I think this could easily be done by limiting fruit intake. Everyday I tell myself I am going to eat less fruit, but it has just been so tasty, I've probably been eating more than I should. Maybe on Tuesday, when I can add in meat and fish, I will be able to stick to the fruit more for just the shakes and less for snacking.
For my meals I have mostly been eating salads. When I think about having salad for a meal, I can always think of plenty of other things I would choose before it. But once I make it and sit down with it, I realize how tasty and healthy it is, and wonder why I don't do this more often. Other than that, I have been trying to think other things I can cook, since I like to have something warm for dinner. Tomorrow I think I will try to make vegetable soup, that way I can easily heat it for lunch and dinner. My favorite thing I have made so far has been spaghetti squash. I have no idea why I have never used this amazing vegetable before. When comparing it to real pasta (yum!!), I probably wouldn't choose it. But if you are looking for a healthy alternative, this stuff is great! Here's how I made it
Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut the squash lengthwise and put in a baking dish seed side down.
Fill the baking dish with enough water to come up about an inch and a half on the squash
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced with a knife
After that, bake for another 15 minutes
Scoop out the seeds and discard, and use a fork to pull out the "spaghetti"
Sauce
I didn't really measure this, as I was making it up as I made it.
Chop tomatoes, onion, basil, and mince garlic
Put it in the food processor fitted with the metal blade (I think it would work in a blender if you don't have a food processor)
Pulse until it is at desired consistency
Put it in a sauce pan and cook it while the squash is cooking
I have to say, it was delicious! I am going to make it again this coming week. It tastes so fresh and yummy, it's hard to believe it's healthy.
As for my ice cream addiction...I am actually using my 2nd shake of the day as dessert. I make it with all frozen fruit, so it's nice and thick. Last night I ate it with a spoon when George ate his ice cream.
I love the benefits I'm getting from this Cleanse. I love how I have proven to myself that I can be disciplined, and it's not as hard as I thought it was to eat healthy. I love that I am feeling strong and healthy....but...I really want to eat other food too! It's hard at the end of the day, when I want to relax and unwind with a cocktail. Especially now that the weather is nice enough to go to the beach and sit on the porch! And it's also really hard at dinner time. That is the time that George and I always spend together. I love cooking for us and enjoying or meal together. We still spend the time together and have dinner at the same time, but it's not quite the same. I'm excited to plan a special dinner for Saturday, June 18th, when I am done!! Complete with cheese and wine and bread :)
Unfortunately, I have to spend the rest of the afternoon studying. Homework due, and two tests coming up this week. I also just found out that I passed my First Year Comprehensive exam! I really wasn't sure of the results when I took the test, so I am feeling happy and relieved that I don't have to retake it. Though I really wish I could have a drink to celebrate!
Our scale doesn't needs a new battery, and I went to target today, and of course forgot to check what kind I needed...but that's ok. As I said before, I am feeling great, and I am also happy to say that my clothes that were getting tight, are not as tight. If you were to follow this Cleanse and wanted to lose a lot of weight, I think this could easily be done by limiting fruit intake. Everyday I tell myself I am going to eat less fruit, but it has just been so tasty, I've probably been eating more than I should. Maybe on Tuesday, when I can add in meat and fish, I will be able to stick to the fruit more for just the shakes and less for snacking.
For my meals I have mostly been eating salads. When I think about having salad for a meal, I can always think of plenty of other things I would choose before it. But once I make it and sit down with it, I realize how tasty and healthy it is, and wonder why I don't do this more often. Other than that, I have been trying to think other things I can cook, since I like to have something warm for dinner. Tomorrow I think I will try to make vegetable soup, that way I can easily heat it for lunch and dinner. My favorite thing I have made so far has been spaghetti squash. I have no idea why I have never used this amazing vegetable before. When comparing it to real pasta (yum!!), I probably wouldn't choose it. But if you are looking for a healthy alternative, this stuff is great! Here's how I made it
Spaghetti Squash with Fresh Tomato Sauce
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cut the squash lengthwise and put in a baking dish seed side down.
Fill the baking dish with enough water to come up about an inch and a half on the squash
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until it can be easily pierced with a knife
After that, bake for another 15 minutes
Scoop out the seeds and discard, and use a fork to pull out the "spaghetti"
Sauce
I didn't really measure this, as I was making it up as I made it.
Chop tomatoes, onion, basil, and mince garlic
Put it in the food processor fitted with the metal blade (I think it would work in a blender if you don't have a food processor)
Pulse until it is at desired consistency
Put it in a sauce pan and cook it while the squash is cooking
I have to say, it was delicious! I am going to make it again this coming week. It tastes so fresh and yummy, it's hard to believe it's healthy.
As for my ice cream addiction...I am actually using my 2nd shake of the day as dessert. I make it with all frozen fruit, so it's nice and thick. Last night I ate it with a spoon when George ate his ice cream.
I love the benefits I'm getting from this Cleanse. I love how I have proven to myself that I can be disciplined, and it's not as hard as I thought it was to eat healthy. I love that I am feeling strong and healthy....but...I really want to eat other food too! It's hard at the end of the day, when I want to relax and unwind with a cocktail. Especially now that the weather is nice enough to go to the beach and sit on the porch! And it's also really hard at dinner time. That is the time that George and I always spend together. I love cooking for us and enjoying or meal together. We still spend the time together and have dinner at the same time, but it's not quite the same. I'm excited to plan a special dinner for Saturday, June 18th, when I am done!! Complete with cheese and wine and bread :)
Unfortunately, I have to spend the rest of the afternoon studying. Homework due, and two tests coming up this week. I also just found out that I passed my First Year Comprehensive exam! I really wasn't sure of the results when I took the test, so I am feeling happy and relieved that I don't have to retake it. Though I really wish I could have a drink to celebrate!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Day 3
It took me a while to decide if I wanted to start the Cleanse on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, but now that it's Monday night, I'm glad that I did. Between a party, having people over for dinner, and the first 'official beach day,' I feel like I got through 3 of the harder days first.
As I said before, even being at the beginning of this Cleanse, it is such an eye opening experience, and really makes me see food in a different way. Just thinking about all those times when I want a snack, whether it be a handful of nuts or a handful of M&Ms, it really adds up. I'm actually feeling sort of guilty for eating too much fruit (because of the sugar factor, you should be eating twice as many veggies than fruit, especially if trying to lose weight while on the Cleanse), but it's summer, and it's tasty, and I'm not eating the ice cream and other bad foods I normally would. So I guess it's ok. But I bought a juicer today, so I'm going to try and incorporate more vegetables into my shakes, so I can eat more fruit for other snacks during the day.
I am having a lot of fun making the shakes. With my weird taste/texture issues, I find it best to use at least some frozen fruit for a frosty, ice-cream like texture. Here are the recipes for shakes 4 and 5
Cucumber-Cantaloupe
1/2 cup cucumber (seeds removed)
3/4 cup cantaloupe
3 frozen strawberries
1 tsp coconut oil
Water and crushed ice
(I tried to make it with just the cucumber and cantaloupe, and it was a much thinner texture, so I added three strawberries and the coconut oil, and it was so much better. I want to try and freeze the cantaloupe and try it again)
Tropical (This was an easy one, because all the fruit was in one bag)
About 1 cup of mixed fruit (pineapple, grapes, mango, strawberry)
1 tsp coconut oil
Water and crushed ice
I know they would be better for me using more veggies, but these shakes are tasting quite good. And it really helps me not miss ice cream! Though that's one of the first things I want to eat when I'm done...
Yesterday we had company for dinner, I couldn't eat the cheese and crackers, or the steak, or swordfish...but I did roast some yummy vegetables. It was hard not to have some wine, but I had my water in a wine glass, added some fresh lime juice, and it was good.
We need a new battery for our scale, so I haven't seen if I lost any weight yet. I know it's not the whole reason for doing the cleanse, but if I do this for three weeks, and I don't lose any weight, I have to admit I'll be kind of bummed. But I keep telling myself, it's only the third day, and it's not instant gratification. And I really do feel great. I thought I would have some headaches from sugar withdrawal, but I've been feeling good, energetic, and well-rested. I've been running, and still feel just as strong (the extra whey protein in the shakes really helps). Except for today, because it was super muggy and we walked about half the run. So far it's been such a positive experience! And if anyone is wondering....I'm peeing a lot more (drinking way more water than usual), and, unlike some other cleanses, my number 2s have been fairly normal, 1-2 times per day. Just incase you were curious...
Having mixed greens with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. And probably a shake for dessert.
Cheers (with my water glass), to a happy, healthy Memorial day weekend!
As I said before, even being at the beginning of this Cleanse, it is such an eye opening experience, and really makes me see food in a different way. Just thinking about all those times when I want a snack, whether it be a handful of nuts or a handful of M&Ms, it really adds up. I'm actually feeling sort of guilty for eating too much fruit (because of the sugar factor, you should be eating twice as many veggies than fruit, especially if trying to lose weight while on the Cleanse), but it's summer, and it's tasty, and I'm not eating the ice cream and other bad foods I normally would. So I guess it's ok. But I bought a juicer today, so I'm going to try and incorporate more vegetables into my shakes, so I can eat more fruit for other snacks during the day.
I am having a lot of fun making the shakes. With my weird taste/texture issues, I find it best to use at least some frozen fruit for a frosty, ice-cream like texture. Here are the recipes for shakes 4 and 5
Cucumber-Cantaloupe
1/2 cup cucumber (seeds removed)
3/4 cup cantaloupe
3 frozen strawberries
1 tsp coconut oil
Water and crushed ice
(I tried to make it with just the cucumber and cantaloupe, and it was a much thinner texture, so I added three strawberries and the coconut oil, and it was so much better. I want to try and freeze the cantaloupe and try it again)
Tropical (This was an easy one, because all the fruit was in one bag)
About 1 cup of mixed fruit (pineapple, grapes, mango, strawberry)
1 tsp coconut oil
Water and crushed ice
I know they would be better for me using more veggies, but these shakes are tasting quite good. And it really helps me not miss ice cream! Though that's one of the first things I want to eat when I'm done...
Yesterday we had company for dinner, I couldn't eat the cheese and crackers, or the steak, or swordfish...but I did roast some yummy vegetables. It was hard not to have some wine, but I had my water in a wine glass, added some fresh lime juice, and it was good.
We need a new battery for our scale, so I haven't seen if I lost any weight yet. I know it's not the whole reason for doing the cleanse, but if I do this for three weeks, and I don't lose any weight, I have to admit I'll be kind of bummed. But I keep telling myself, it's only the third day, and it's not instant gratification. And I really do feel great. I thought I would have some headaches from sugar withdrawal, but I've been feeling good, energetic, and well-rested. I've been running, and still feel just as strong (the extra whey protein in the shakes really helps). Except for today, because it was super muggy and we walked about half the run. So far it's been such a positive experience! And if anyone is wondering....I'm peeing a lot more (drinking way more water than usual), and, unlike some other cleanses, my number 2s have been fairly normal, 1-2 times per day. Just incase you were curious...
Having mixed greens with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing. And probably a shake for dessert.
Cheers (with my water glass), to a happy, healthy Memorial day weekend!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Day 2
I woke up this morning feeling like I had a little bit of a hangover, but then I remembered that I didn't drink last night. After drinking some water (with my handfuls of supplements), I felt better. Nothing bad, just a little bit of a headache. Besides that, I'm feeling good, and happy to have made it through 1 full day.
I think one of the hardest parts of the first day was just mentally telling myself that I can't snack on and eat certain things. I had a lot of down time yesterday, when I would normally snack, and I just had to grab carrot sticks or an orange, and drink water instead. I wasn't hungry, I was actually quite satisfied from my shakes, it was just hard to not be able to get a snack. Especially when George was eating onion dip and potato chips...
The shakes have been fun to make. I was really nervous that I would hate them, and have a really hard time drinking them. But so far so good. Here's recipe #2
1/2 cup pears
1 cup frozen peaches
Fresh minced ginger (probably about 2 tsp)
1 tsp coconut oil
2 scoops SP Complete
2 scoops Whey Pro
It was yummy! This morning I made pretty much the same thing, except I used less peaches and added frozen blueberries. For my afternoon shake, I'm thinking of trying cantaloupe and cucumber.
I have to admit, the first day was very challenging. And I kept thinking, how am I going to get through 20 more days??
George and I went to a party at our friends Jessica and Scott's last night. George was happy that I started my Cleanse, since I could be the designated driver. I had a fun time at the party, it was great to see some great people, even without partaking in the drinking. Not drinking was easy, but staring at all the good food was hard! Jessica and her sister Jo had some delicious fruit (so sweet and yummy) and vegetables that were great to munch on. But it was quite hard not grabbing a piece of cheese (I keep craving cheese!) or some potato chips.
After the party, George and I stopped at my parents house, because my mom got me some big bags of frozen fruit from BJ's for my shakes. This proved to be another challenge of the day. My dad had bought 3 different quarts of ice cream, along with toppings from my favorite ice cream shop, Cherry Hill Creamery. Everyone, including George made very yummy looking sundaes. I was tempted to just have a taste, but I fought the urge, and was glad I did.
In just one day of the cleanse, I feel I have already learned a lot, and I'm excited to get through it. Though, I really, REALLY want to see some results (weight loss) soon!
On another note, I am also training for a half marathon. I did my first one last year with some great friends; Jolene, Jessica and Scott. This year our team is growing bigger and I'm happy that my younger sister Kaitlyn will be running with us as well. We have a lot of training to do. We're only up to about 6 miles right now, but we have until August 14th, and I know we can do it! Kait is coming over to go for a run this morning, my first run since being on the cleanse.
We are having company tonight, and we're making surf and turf. Steak and Swordfish on the grill. I will be eating roasted summer vegetables with organic cold-pressed olive oil, and the squash-ginger soup (roasted squash and onion that I put into the food processor with some fresh ginger, then added some water to make it soup...actually very yummy) that I made yesterday. We'll see how it goes!
I think one of the hardest parts of the first day was just mentally telling myself that I can't snack on and eat certain things. I had a lot of down time yesterday, when I would normally snack, and I just had to grab carrot sticks or an orange, and drink water instead. I wasn't hungry, I was actually quite satisfied from my shakes, it was just hard to not be able to get a snack. Especially when George was eating onion dip and potato chips...
The shakes have been fun to make. I was really nervous that I would hate them, and have a really hard time drinking them. But so far so good. Here's recipe #2
1/2 cup pears
1 cup frozen peaches
Fresh minced ginger (probably about 2 tsp)
1 tsp coconut oil
2 scoops SP Complete
2 scoops Whey Pro
It was yummy! This morning I made pretty much the same thing, except I used less peaches and added frozen blueberries. For my afternoon shake, I'm thinking of trying cantaloupe and cucumber.
I have to admit, the first day was very challenging. And I kept thinking, how am I going to get through 20 more days??
George and I went to a party at our friends Jessica and Scott's last night. George was happy that I started my Cleanse, since I could be the designated driver. I had a fun time at the party, it was great to see some great people, even without partaking in the drinking. Not drinking was easy, but staring at all the good food was hard! Jessica and her sister Jo had some delicious fruit (so sweet and yummy) and vegetables that were great to munch on. But it was quite hard not grabbing a piece of cheese (I keep craving cheese!) or some potato chips.
After the party, George and I stopped at my parents house, because my mom got me some big bags of frozen fruit from BJ's for my shakes. This proved to be another challenge of the day. My dad had bought 3 different quarts of ice cream, along with toppings from my favorite ice cream shop, Cherry Hill Creamery. Everyone, including George made very yummy looking sundaes. I was tempted to just have a taste, but I fought the urge, and was glad I did.
In just one day of the cleanse, I feel I have already learned a lot, and I'm excited to get through it. Though, I really, REALLY want to see some results (weight loss) soon!
On another note, I am also training for a half marathon. I did my first one last year with some great friends; Jolene, Jessica and Scott. This year our team is growing bigger and I'm happy that my younger sister Kaitlyn will be running with us as well. We have a lot of training to do. We're only up to about 6 miles right now, but we have until August 14th, and I know we can do it! Kait is coming over to go for a run this morning, my first run since being on the cleanse.
We are having company tonight, and we're making surf and turf. Steak and Swordfish on the grill. I will be eating roasted summer vegetables with organic cold-pressed olive oil, and the squash-ginger soup (roasted squash and onion that I put into the food processor with some fresh ginger, then added some water to make it soup...actually very yummy) that I made yesterday. We'll see how it goes!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Day 1...
So I am finally doing it....a 21-day Purification Cleanse.
All of my supplements and powders came in the mail yesterday and I started this morning. Here's how it went so far...
It was a grey morning, and the first day of the cleanse, so I decided to take a rest day. George and I had some errands to do, so I held off starting to take the supplements until we got back.
My supplements for the morning were: 7 capsules of SP Cleanse, 3 Gastrofiber, 1 Linium B6, 2 A-F Betafood, 2 Prosymbiotic..and I think that was it. I'm no longer worried about drinking the 64 ounces or more of water, because I drank 32 ounces swallowing all those capsules and tablets! I take all of these 2-3 times a day (Except for the SP Cleanse, which I take for the first 7 days, then SP Greenfood for the remainder of the Cleanse). It's a lot, and I hope to get used to it quick!
Besides all of the supplements, I will be having 2 SP Complete Shakes, with Whey Pro powder (needing the extra protein so I can keep my workout routine). I was nervous all morning about the shake. I tend to have a hard time with flavors and textures of things, and the thought of all that powder in a smoothie was kind of grossing me out. BUT I was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked it! I mean there were a couple of times when I thought about all that powder (weird, I know), and I gagged a little, but honestly it was quite tasty. For my shake today, I used 2 scoops SP Complete, 2 Whey Pro, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, and 1/2 cup of frozen pineapple, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, with some water and ice. I am going to try to experiment with using at least some vegetables, but we'll see how it goes.
Halfway through the first day, and having already taken all of the supplements twice and having 1 of the shakes, I can't imagine being hungry for much more (though I am definitely craving cheese, and the leftover pizza in the fridge is calling my name!). But I have to admit I feel full and satisfied. To help me get over my habit of snacking, I have been eating some carrot sticks, more to actually chew something than for hunger.
For other meals while on the cleanse, I can eat as many vegetables as I want. I can eat fruit as well, but want to save them for my shakes (you're supposed to have twice as many vegetables as fruit if trying to lose weight). Then once I hit day 11 I can add in some meat and fish. I can also eat a small amount of lentils and brown rice throughout the cleanse, but am going to try to stick to the shakes and fruits and veggies for the first 10 days.
Besides peeing a TON (which water makes me do anyway), I haven't had any side effects yet. I know it is going to be a long, hard journey, but it's something I believe is great to do, and I think will benefit me in many ways.
I'm not looking forward to dealing with symptoms of sugar withdrawal/detox. But it will be worth it, and I can use acupuncture to help any adverse reactions.
I'll be trying to blog daily about this...
All of my supplements and powders came in the mail yesterday and I started this morning. Here's how it went so far...
It was a grey morning, and the first day of the cleanse, so I decided to take a rest day. George and I had some errands to do, so I held off starting to take the supplements until we got back.
My supplements for the morning were: 7 capsules of SP Cleanse, 3 Gastrofiber, 1 Linium B6, 2 A-F Betafood, 2 Prosymbiotic..and I think that was it. I'm no longer worried about drinking the 64 ounces or more of water, because I drank 32 ounces swallowing all those capsules and tablets! I take all of these 2-3 times a day (Except for the SP Cleanse, which I take for the first 7 days, then SP Greenfood for the remainder of the Cleanse). It's a lot, and I hope to get used to it quick!
Besides all of the supplements, I will be having 2 SP Complete Shakes, with Whey Pro powder (needing the extra protein so I can keep my workout routine). I was nervous all morning about the shake. I tend to have a hard time with flavors and textures of things, and the thought of all that powder in a smoothie was kind of grossing me out. BUT I was pleasantly surprised that I actually liked it! I mean there were a couple of times when I thought about all that powder (weird, I know), and I gagged a little, but honestly it was quite tasty. For my shake today, I used 2 scoops SP Complete, 2 Whey Pro, 1 cup of frozen strawberries, and 1/2 cup of frozen pineapple, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, with some water and ice. I am going to try to experiment with using at least some vegetables, but we'll see how it goes.
Halfway through the first day, and having already taken all of the supplements twice and having 1 of the shakes, I can't imagine being hungry for much more (though I am definitely craving cheese, and the leftover pizza in the fridge is calling my name!). But I have to admit I feel full and satisfied. To help me get over my habit of snacking, I have been eating some carrot sticks, more to actually chew something than for hunger.
For other meals while on the cleanse, I can eat as many vegetables as I want. I can eat fruit as well, but want to save them for my shakes (you're supposed to have twice as many vegetables as fruit if trying to lose weight). Then once I hit day 11 I can add in some meat and fish. I can also eat a small amount of lentils and brown rice throughout the cleanse, but am going to try to stick to the shakes and fruits and veggies for the first 10 days.
Besides peeing a TON (which water makes me do anyway), I haven't had any side effects yet. I know it is going to be a long, hard journey, but it's something I believe is great to do, and I think will benefit me in many ways.
I'm not looking forward to dealing with symptoms of sugar withdrawal/detox. But it will be worth it, and I can use acupuncture to help any adverse reactions.
I'll be trying to blog daily about this...
Monday, February 14, 2011
Little Bit of Acupuncture...mostly Valentine's Day
The semester is going by fast...tests most weeks, constant studying, same old thing. This is the last week of school before break. Monday. February 14th...Valentine's Day.
A fun holiday, but never such a big deal to George and I. All of those years working at a chocolate shop made Valentine's Day a little different to me than most people. And the fact that my husband plows...it seems he's either too tired from too much snow, or a snow storm on Valentine's Day, or not enough snow, meaning money is tight and having a night out is a little tough.
Now this year, I am fully immersed in school. I get home at about 7:30 on Mondays, only to leave around 5:45 on Tuesday to go back to school. So Monday nights I am mostly in "school mode." Knowing this about myself, I told George not to do anything for Valentine's Day.
We had a great, relaxing Sunday. Then I got up early on Monday, went to the gym, came back home and left for school on Monday morning. We had decided to order out to Harry's...the local pizza place for dinner. That way we could relax and not have to cook.
But, when I got home...George had a wonderful Valentine surprise for me. He cooked us filet mignon, with asparagus, onions, fresh bread and delicious wine. The table was set, complete with beautiful flowers and candles. Louis Armstrong was playing, the house smelled delicious...just perfect. I was so happy and appreciative for a special Valentine surprise. And as if that wasn't enough, I got a box of chocolate, and chocolate covered strawberries with our favorite ice cream dessert.
So I'm mostly ignoring acupuncture for this blog post to acknowledge how happy I am to be married to the perfect person for me. He makes me so happy, is so caring and I just love him so much!!
A fun holiday, but never such a big deal to George and I. All of those years working at a chocolate shop made Valentine's Day a little different to me than most people. And the fact that my husband plows...it seems he's either too tired from too much snow, or a snow storm on Valentine's Day, or not enough snow, meaning money is tight and having a night out is a little tough.
Now this year, I am fully immersed in school. I get home at about 7:30 on Mondays, only to leave around 5:45 on Tuesday to go back to school. So Monday nights I am mostly in "school mode." Knowing this about myself, I told George not to do anything for Valentine's Day.
We had a great, relaxing Sunday. Then I got up early on Monday, went to the gym, came back home and left for school on Monday morning. We had decided to order out to Harry's...the local pizza place for dinner. That way we could relax and not have to cook.
But, when I got home...George had a wonderful Valentine surprise for me. He cooked us filet mignon, with asparagus, onions, fresh bread and delicious wine. The table was set, complete with beautiful flowers and candles. Louis Armstrong was playing, the house smelled delicious...just perfect. I was so happy and appreciative for a special Valentine surprise. And as if that wasn't enough, I got a box of chocolate, and chocolate covered strawberries with our favorite ice cream dessert.
So I'm mostly ignoring acupuncture for this blog post to acknowledge how happy I am to be married to the perfect person for me. He makes me so happy, is so caring and I just love him so much!!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
6 Classes is Way Better Than 8
My second semester as a full-time acupuncture student started on Monday, and so far I am loving it! The week before school started we had a snowstorm, so my husband, who plows was gone plowing, or sleeping, or busy most of the week. I was a bit disappointed, wanting to spend time relaxing or doing fun things with George after the craziness of the holidays, and before the craziness of school, but instead of wasting so much time, I decided to study. I really enjoyed getting back into the swing of things a little early, and it made it nice starting the semester off just a little bit ahead.
Going back to school on Monday was great. As I said in my last post, it's so nice to have my time back on Monday mornings. Being able to workout, then have time after to shower and get stuff done at my own pace, is such a great way to start out the week. Once at school, it was so nice to see my fellow classmates. Being in such an intense program, I have made so many close friends in the past semester, friends who are supportive, helpful, caring and fun. I really can't think of one person in my whole class of about 70 people that I dislike, it's really amazing how great everyone is! So anyway, I got my grades from last semester, and was very excited and relieved to see that I passed all my classes. Mostly B's, an A- in Materials and Methods and a C+ in Living Anatomy (a class I found quite challenging).
My schedule is great, I am only taking 6 classes this semester, instead of the 8 I had last semester. So already, this semester seems very doable, and a little easier than the Fall semester. Things are starting to come together and make more sense. I'm still having a hard time with Point Location, it was my biggest challenge last semester, and it seems it will be again this semester. Hopefully with some extra practice and help from my friends, it will start to click more and get a bit easier. With that said...time to do some studying today... ;)
Going back to school on Monday was great. As I said in my last post, it's so nice to have my time back on Monday mornings. Being able to workout, then have time after to shower and get stuff done at my own pace, is such a great way to start out the week. Once at school, it was so nice to see my fellow classmates. Being in such an intense program, I have made so many close friends in the past semester, friends who are supportive, helpful, caring and fun. I really can't think of one person in my whole class of about 70 people that I dislike, it's really amazing how great everyone is! So anyway, I got my grades from last semester, and was very excited and relieved to see that I passed all my classes. Mostly B's, an A- in Materials and Methods and a C+ in Living Anatomy (a class I found quite challenging).
My schedule is great, I am only taking 6 classes this semester, instead of the 8 I had last semester. So already, this semester seems very doable, and a little easier than the Fall semester. Things are starting to come together and make more sense. I'm still having a hard time with Point Location, it was my biggest challenge last semester, and it seems it will be again this semester. Hopefully with some extra practice and help from my friends, it will start to click more and get a bit easier. With that said...time to do some studying today... ;)
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