2015 Growth Plan

The pastor at our new (can we still call it new if we’ve been going since October?) church posted this blog about resolutions, plans, and the New Year. He broke it down into six sections and encouraged us all to develop a growth plan for 2015.

Here’s mine:

1. Faith – I have been really stepping out of my comfort zone this past year with my faith. I’m serving as the AWANA Sparks Director this school year. Its forced me to be more comfortable leading kids and speaking about my faith. Steven and I have joined a LIFT (Living in Faith Together) Group with our church and that has really helped us move through life together. I would like to continue serving others and developing my faith as well. I’m hoping to work through reading the Bible this year. Tackling the whole thing is not going to happen in one year, but I’m going to get started.
2. Family – Things have been going so well for us. We had a lot of great adventures in 2014 and we have a few planned for 2015. We’re spending more quality time together. Games, books, outside adventures, and it’s been paying off. As the kids are growing up, more things open up for us to do. I look forward to exploring more of life through their eyes.
3. Finances – We are so lucky to be financially comfortable. This year we are working on saving more and spending less. Just to get a little more comfortable, a little more stable, a little more secure. I’d love to pay off the Mustang this year and start saving for a house.
4. Fitness – This is where I tend to put most of my focus. And being how it is number 4 on the list, perhaps this was my problem. We are starting the year on the Whole 30 program. It’s really helped me figure out what I should eat and when I should eat it. I’ve started a 12 week program that I am using for strength workouts. Short and sweet. I’m also training for a Ragnar Relay and a half-marathon this Spring. After March, I’ll focus more on strength training until the fall when I start running hard again.
5. Friendship – I have some of the best friends in the world. Absolutely. I hope that this year I can make more time for them. To see them, to talk to them, to make sure they know I’m there for them. We may have miles between us, but in true military wife fashion, we can make it work. And I’m going to put more effort into it.
6. Fun – We must have fun! I try to find fun in every day. Fun at work, fun at home, fun in the gym. I am planning a fun trip with the kiddos in late spring. I’d love to have a family getaway in the fall, but otherwise, I’m focused on fun right here in the moment.

What’s your growth plan for this year?

My Whole 30 Journey

Today is Day 0, tomorrow I start on 30 days of a new way of looking at food. Here’s the basic of what the Whole 30 entails.

I will eat:

• Meat, seafood
• Eggs
• Vegetables, some fruits
• Good fats: oils, nuts, fruits, seeds

I will NOT eat:

• Sugar – real or artificial
• Alcohol
• Grains
• Legumes (yes, this includes peanut butter)
• Dairy
• Carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites
• “fake” desserts – ie Paleo cupcakes

The few exceptions to this rule:

·         Clarified butter or ghee

·         Fruit juice as a sweetener

·         Certain legumes (green beans, snap peas, snow peas are ok)

·         Vinegar

·         Salt

So, I will eat the things that are allowed and not stress over the things I can’t eat. I will not cheat. I will make food as interesting and fun as possible and I will start viewing it as fuel and release its psychological hold over me.

Yes, my family is doing this with me. The kids, of course, will still have dairy and grains. But desserts are gone from the house. There is nothing bad or dangerous about this, so there is no reason they can’t participate.

So, why am I telling you? Because this is important to me. Very important. So please do not:

1.  Try to convince me this is not what I should be doing. I’m intelligent enough to do my research.
2. Offer me things you flat out know I can’t have. Like birthday cake. Or a bagel.
3. Let me eat things I cannot. If, in a moment of weakness, reach for something I should not eat, be a good friend and slap me. Throw it away. Save me from myself.

This is my plan for the next 30 days. January 2^nd through January 31^st. They keep telling me this is not hard. That having my coffee without creamer isn’t hard. That if I could handle childbirth, multiple deployments, several moves, and finishing a Spartan Race, I can handle this. I can handle this! Who knows, I may even like it….