I work out....

So I decided about a month ago to say "yes" to a fitness challenge group. I had been working out about everyday with no results. WTF?? I use to be able to get myself in shape before (oh... I must be getting old. Ok seriously.. I am now older than I was when I started this post. PFFFTT!)

A friend of mine had just done one and was looking pretty darn good so I figure.. why not!
The biggest fear I had with this PRIVATE (since it is on FB) group was that you are to post "before" pics. Uhhhh like I want to see myself flexing or let anyone else see that. Not that I think I am fat or anything.. but I LOVE FOOD and I must subconsciously want to protect my muscles with a layer of fat. I sucked it up... with the encouragement of my other girlfriend who say "yes" with me and posted the collage of Meghan. Once I have "after" pictures, I MIGHT post the before's on here. We'll see.

A month into it, I have to say that I really enjoy this group. No one judges.. even if you ate ice cream or didn't work out. It is more of a support/accountability group. I have found myself wanting to workout just so I don't have to post that I didn't. LOL. I also switched up my workout from the usual running to an at home DVD that includes weights, etc. I REALLY love it. I tried the at home DVD: Insanity and after a week somehow had hurt my arm. Talk about feeling sheepish... I hurt my arm, at home, alone, working out. And I use to think I was athletic.

We also have a different "thing" to do each Wednesday... i.e: lunges, squats, etc. The lunge one was my favorite as I was in SF during that day and I made my friends join along in the "fun".

Everybody... get low

So, I figured the more I am public with my new challenge, the more I have to be accountable for (esp since I was so hungover this past weekend I didn't workout at all... just cannot bounce back like I use to. ohhhh... that is that age thing again. DAMN)

And just to make it clear... instead of eating chocolate right now... I decided to write a blog post. FUCK.. I still want chocolate. 

Carrie's Locks of Love

My dear friend Carrie is the backbone and director of an amazing nonprofit called For One Another. Carrie and team travel the world leading safe & clean drinking water and community health care projects. Her next big destination is Uganda, Africa. In preparation for Africa she talked to a few of us (her close friends) about her desire to do something big before she goes. Carrie threw out the idea of chopping her hair and donating it to Locks of Love. now how can you argue with that idea!! I told her (didn't ask) that I was coming with her to take pictures and video. When the day came it there were mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness. Carrie's bravery (traveling to third world counties around the world to chopping her hair) never ceases to amazing me.

Before....

During

And AFTER!!!!

 

 

Locks of Love is a wonderful organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

 

I was honored to be a part of Carrie's little journey and I urge you to check out her website - For One Another and see what it is all about. :)

 

xoxo,

 

 

Meghan



Paleo Fail

Well.... This weekend was jammed packed with events, fun, little sleep and a finished with a migraine. I really tried hard Friday to not cheat but after the long day of setting up in the sun and then working the event (The Taste of Loomis) I finally broke down and ate a delicious gourmet cupcake. I have to say... While it was delicious and I didn't have any issue devouring it... The guilt sucked.
I tried to get my act together Saturday and did pretty well but after two long days I woke up Sunday with a killer headache. After sleeping away half the day I woke up hungry and succumbed to a pizza. Ok, this oven baked pizza was not even that good so now I feel really bad.

Time to re-group and get my sh!t together. I've spent the last few hours looking up local CSA's (community supported agriculture) and meat clubs. I don't need a ton of veggies and fruits since my garden is growing like wild fire (post to follow with  pics) and my chickens are providing our eggs (oh wow... Just realized how farmer-ish I just sounded.... And to think... I lived in NYC at one point) but I would like some grass fed beef and chicken.
During the last hour I learned two pretty interesting things: 1) that even grass fed cows an be grain-finished. Many ranchers/farmers will finish feeding their cattle with grain in order to ‘fatten’ them up prior to processing. Now I'm emailing local places to find out if they are grain or grass finished. I'll keep you posted. And.... 2) "If you eat a typical amount of beef per year," Robinson points out in Pasture Perfect, a book about the benefits of pasture-raised animals, "which in the United States is about 67 pounds, switching to grass-fed beef will save you 16,642 calories a year." 

Ohhhhmmmmmgggg! Wow. I'll be looking into buying a 1/2 or 1/4 cow to keep in the freezer now. That is just crazy. 

Taste of Loomis – Food, Wine, FUN!!!

Loomis welcomes the 1st annual Taste of Loomis food and wine expo June, 21st 2013. CalDreamHomes is excited to be a sponsor!!

More than 30 local restaurateurs and wineries will offer a delicious combination of ethnic dishes, family favorites, exotic and local Loomis specialties for more than 300 guests at the Downtown Stage and Park area in Loomis (Blue Anchor Stage, 3640 Taylor Road, Loomis, CA 95650). Live music and dancing will also be a part of this fun evening! Jamba Juice (one of my absolute FAVORITE PLACES) will also be there with some of their signature smoothies.

Join us for this special event! Tickets are available at www.foroneanother.org or feel free to give me a call or email me and I will happily set you up. Hope to see you all there.

cmp.ly/3/fiOBYC

Making my own clarified butter

What in the heck is clarified butter and why would I make it? Well... on my journey to "attempt" eat according to the paleo plan I came across so many blogs talking about clarified butter (or ghee). The wiki definition is: Clarified butter is milk fat rendered from butter to separate the milk solids and water from the butterfat. HUH?? Basically you are  removing all the potentially problematic milk solids The advantages of this type of butter is its long keeping quality (several months refrigerated) and its high smoke point (can be used in frying without burning).  And if you don't know anything about the paleo diet... search "paleo" and do a little reading.

Now this was REALLY EASY! Seriously.. too easy. All I did was start with some grass feed unsalted butter and melted it in a pot. I used Kerrygold which I found at Trader Joes.

I prepped a triple layer cheese cloth over a measuring cup (for the straining part).

As the butter melts, you will really start to see the separation as the milk solids form a foamy top layer. Once it starts bubbling, you’ll know that the water’s cooking off. One the bubbles start to slow down you know you are close. This whole process took about 10-13 mins for me on medium heat.
Once you see the milk solids start to brown and there is no more bubbling, remove the pot from the stove and pour (SLOWLY... I made the mistake of pouring too fast and it went all over the cup) into the cheese cloth covered heat safe cup or bowl. (I don't have a pic of this as I was doing this solo).

As you can see all of the yuckies stayed on the cheese cloth and the clarified butter went in the cup.

From there I poured my finished product into a glass mason jar and put in in the fridge! EASY PEASY!

I think I am going to try for a little garlic flavored CF (clarified butter) this weekend.


Hugs,

Meghan

HUGE Multi-house Garage Sale - SUNDAY!

Huge multi-house garage sale all at one location! 5 different house are coming together at one house with an overflow of items. Location house is moving and downsizing. EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Don't waist time hopping from yard sale to yard sale! HIT 5 HOUSES IN ONE!!!
 - household items, clothes, tools, appliances, electronics, games, sporting equipment, furniture and more!!!!!

 

SUNDAY June 16th starting at 8 am.
635 Toad Hollow Drive, Lincoln, CA 95648

 

View Larger Map

Meghan v2

As many of you know I had a blog previous to this one (www.themeghanshow.com). After some recently LIFE changes, I decided to get rid of it. I just needed some time offline to figure out my life. Well... I cannot say that I am a whole new person but things are different and I am taking each day as it come. I missed my "show" if you will and either typing or videoing in cyberspace. So... here we are with the new (light) version of The Meghan Show.... aka: part duex! I am pretty much going to blog about my life, my paleo lifestyle attempts, chickens (yup... I got some chickens!) and my dog. Ok, that would probably be really boring... let's just see where this leads and if you are bored... UNSUBSCRIBE! LOL

Hugs,

Meghan

My little helper!