Swap

Eating healthy is hard. We've been working at healthy lately, but life gets in the way sometimes. Still, it's baby steps right? One thing, then another, until it all snowballs and you can say you eat "healthy". Although I'm not perfect, I have noticed a huge change since we started focusing on our diets. My stomach has been problematic since my gallbladder was removed, but it's happy with fruits and veggies and a low fat diet. My energy has peaked and the germs I always catch from the kids at work that used to leave me sick for weeks have barely bothered me this winter. I think I spent all last winter with a cough and runny nose, so this is amazing. This week is the first time I feel like I'm fighting a cold in months...

Healthy swaps:

-I gave up soda! I no longer crave carbonation, and the last time I tried it, it was too sugary and syrupy. Yuck.
-I'm still a coffee lover though. I need some caffeine somewhere!

-I've cut way down on eating out. We try to eat dinner out only once or twice a week, and at least without soda I'm cutting down on calories. I try to stick to salads, subs, and healthier options for lunches too.

-Juice! We were juicing for a while and loved it, we even splurged on a nice juicer. But mornings are not my strong suit, and I quickly lost the motivation to prep and juice and clean each day. Then Jeff brought home Naked juice. That stuff is delicious, and not that different from our daily juice. We've switched to that for breakfast, and we'll get back into juicing when we have time. It's also super expensive over here because produce is more expensive than in the states. And rots or goes bad in about a day. I'd kill for a nice, fresh tomato.

-Snacking swaps. I've tried to stick with fresh fruits and veggies, canned fruits, and greek yogurt for my snacks. But sometimes, I need salty and crunchy. Since potato chips are just bad all around, I'm trying different options. I discovered these last week. I tried the sea salt first, and while they're not potato chips in any way, the crunch and salt make me happy. And once you get over the different taste than what you expect, it's pretty tasty. These sweet chili ones taste like Doritos to me...

 

-Less-processed. I'm trying to stick to less-processed foods. Getting most of our groceries from the edges of the grocery store and such. But I just don't have all the time in the world on my hands and I like short cuts. I found this pasta sauce last week and was surprised by the ingredients list. Pasta sauce isn't exactly brimming with odd ingredients, but this one is super easy. I could probably make it myself if I wanted to spend that extra time in the kitchen...

I'm getting better at sticking to my routines if somebody else knows about it. I can't slack off on working out and not feel guilty if someone asks me every day how my workout went. I get more excited and motivated about eating healthy if I share with other people trying to do similar. So this is my healthy update for the week :)

Final

Remember how I said I'd work harder at taking pictures? The only pictures I've managed to take were at work...

It's the end of my first semester of graduate school, and it's been a transition. It's only been three years, but a lot has changed! I'm still getting used to coming home from work and needing to log on and work some more. Online school isn't my favorite, but I'm thankful it's an option this far from home.

On that note, there are some things I really miss about a real school.

My mom and I at Fresno State, 2010

#1: A library!

Our library on base is teeny tiny, smaller than the original library in my hometown. It has limited hours and next to no tables, or books for that matter. Not very inviting.

My Dad and I in front of the Fresno State library, 2010

Maybe I was spoiled at Fresno State, but man, that library. I could spend hours in there and get SO much done. This girl loves her libraries.

It's rough to work on papers on the couch! So many things to get distracted by... it's a serious problem.

I am missing my favorite distraction though.

Guinness "helping" 2010

On that note, I should probably get offline and work on my paper. That's what I pulled the laptop out for in the first place.

Catching Up

Long time.

It's been hitting me that our time in Japan is winding down. We've been here for two years and it feels like a lifetime since Lemoore. Those 20 year old newlyweds feel a long way away! We still love it here and we're fast approaching all the grown-up decisions of careers, babies, homes, etc. etc. etc. etc. So we're trying to enjoy Japan as much as possible before that big headache. Now that the snow is almost melted, we can end our hibernation and get out again. The snow was crazy and I failed again to get good pictures of the piles of snow and ice that gather here. This is the Air Force base with the most snow accumulation in the entire world, after all.

So, updates on life? Jeff and I are still chugging along. We're forever buying a new movie and trying a new recipe so we can cuddle on the couch. Homebodies, through and through. I don't get lost driving around Misawa anymore, but I can guarantee a wrong turn or two with every new drive out of town. I switched jobs last summer and am loving the new one. I also started graduate school in January, so that keeps me busy. I may or may not be avoiding homework right now... No babies over here, although we feel like the last couple we know without kiddos. I swear my Facebook newsfeed is all pregnant bellies and newborn cuties.


Anyways, here's a photo dump to catch you up. I borrowed all of these from Facebook and most probably deserve a story, but this is a start. After I realized it was March and I hadn't taken a photo this year until St. Patrick's Day, I realized I should probably do a better job of documenting my life. We'll see how that one goes!

These are horribly out of order, my apologies.

 Enjoying a friend's aprons after our command Christmas Party, December 2012

Happy birthday to me! October 2012

At the Imperial Palace Gardens while down in Tokyo, September 2012

 Happy St. Patrick's Day, March 2013

 Enjoying a beef and garlic festival, because I am my father's daughter after all. October 2012

 Exploring the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Tokyo, September 2012

 At the Imperial Palace Gardens again, September 2012

 The guys at the command Christmas party, December 2012 (We managed not to get a single picture together....)

 Sumo wrestling! In Tokyo, September 2012

 In the Tokyo Tower, September 2012.

The tower is an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower, only bigger and bright red. Japanese amaze me.

 Edo-Tokyo Museum in Tokyo, September 2012

 Jeff being the Easter bunny for all the kids at a command event last weekend, March 2013

 The girls at the command Christmas party, December 2012

I think this is the only picture I even took of the snow that's been here for a good 5-6 months. Pathetic! At one point the sidewalks were almost as tall as my car, and I never even took my camera outside. Next winter, I swear.