Show & Tell Tuesday: Our First Jobs

The very first job I ever got paid for was babysitting - I think that's true for most teenage girls. But I don't really consider that a job - I played with kids and only did it when it coordinated with my schedule. The first job that really counted for me was working at a local pharmacy in my hometown. I had responsibilities there - I helped fill prescriptions, answered phones, stocked shelves, cleaned. Very different from babysitting! There was a schedule where I had commitments several days after school from 4-8 and some Saturdays too. I got a legit paycheck where taxes were taken out of it - that was so cool. I also made a lifelong friend there.

Angela and me at work

Angela and I met at the pharmacy the summer of 1998 and are still very close. {She was a bridesmaid in my wedding...although I wasn't in hers, ha. To be fair, she only had her future sister-in-law as an attendant.} We've gone through break-ups and make-ups and fertility struggles {she got twins out of that deal!} and moves and a million memories. She still works at that pharmacy, and I even teach oil classes there! I'd say that was a great first job.

I also have 1 really awesome memory worth sharing about my time working there. Brent and I started dating in the spring of our junior year, and I began working at the pharmacy in the fall of our senior year. We were allowed to take personal calls, but it's a really small pharmacy, so I didn't really like talking to Brent late in the evening if I was only working with my male boss. One night, Brent called {when I was working with said male boss} and after we chatted for a few minutes we got off the phone. Brent said 'I love you', and I responded with something like 'Ok' - there was no way I was about to say that back to Brent in that moment. Well, Brent just KNEW me not saying I loved him back meant I was about to break up with him, so he drove up to the pharmacy to talk to me after I got off work. The parking lot was weirdly shaped and way too dark, so as Brent drove over to our side of the lot, he drove over the side of the parking lot and cracked something under his car {can't remember what it was}. So in walks Brent right as we're about to close - majorly surprising me - needing to call his dad because he's wrecked his car - all because he thought I was going to dump him! Turns out the car was totaled, but I'd say the relationship survived!

Brent's first job was working at a local golf course. It was the 'home' course for our high school, and Brent was on the golf team, so it just made sense that he'd be a cart boy at that course. He got fired for being reckless while driving a cart - scandalous!

I don't have any pictures of him from his cart boy days.

But I do have this one from before his first job interview as an 'adult'. So cute!

What was your first job?

Whole 30: Results and Now What?

Sick of my Whole 30 posts yet? I hope not! I officially finished last week but hadn't shared my results yet or where this journey is taking me. Since it has been really amazing {dare I say life changing?} I wanted to talk a little bit about the future as well.

First up, the results! During the program, you are not supposed to weigh yourself. The scale can be a fickle beast {lose 2 pounds then frustratingly gain 3 even though you feel like you are hungry all the time...}, and Whole 30 wants you to focus more on how food makes you feel over what the scale says. It is allowed to do before and after measurements, pics, overall scale results, etc. which I did. {Before and After pics will not be posted on the blog - yes, shockingly, there are things I consider private, Brent!}

Weight lost: 6 pounds
Inches lost:
-Arm: 1"
-Thigh: 2"
-Bust: 1.5"
-Hips: 1"
-Waist: 2"

Y'all, can you believe that? I was floored! I can really see the difference when I look at the before and after pics and my clothes fit SO much better!

So...now that I've finished the official 30 days...what now?

There are 2 ways you can choose to reintroduce food {if you didn't immediately eat pizza and donuts on day 31, which I didn't, ha} - 1 being to reintroduce only when you really want to with no timeline and the other being to follow a 10-day plan to reintroduce 1 food group at a time {for example, non-gluten grains on day 1, whole 30 eating days 2 and 3, dairy on day 4...etc.}. I opted for the second approach because Brent and I are taking a getaway soon and I wanted to know how each food group made me feel before I potentially binge on all the things over that weekend. I don't think I have any food issues, but I don't want to waste 30 days of clean eating and not find out.

I ate whole 30 complaint for 34 days and yesterday, I ate 2 meals with non-gluten grains - spaghetti with quinoa and chicken fried rice. Everything else was compliant food. I already have noticed that I felt groggier after each of those meals. I honestly felt like on day 31 I was going to be so excited to eat bread or pasta again, and I really had no desire to eat it yesterday {but did for the experiment}. Pretty amazing, huh? I'm not even that interested in dairy on Thursday when 2 weeks ago I was really jonesing for some cheese!

So we'll see what these 10 days bring in terms of increased awareness of how certain foods treat me, I'll go on my trip with Brent and enjoy myself 100% guilt-free, and then I'll come back and jump right back into what I really REALLY really to be a lifestyle for me.

Today also had a little mini-adventure packed into it. {Yes, I realize this post is a mile long and that I am STILL talking about Whole 30. I'm sorry. #sorrynotsorry If you want to really feel sorry for someone, think about Brent who lives with me and gets to hear this all day long!}

Veronica, whose Whole 30 journey inspired and encouraged mine, has been telling me about a cute food trailer in her neck of the woods {the hip, cool part of Austin, you know, not the 'burbs} called Picnik. I follow them on Instagram {@picnikaustin} where they show pictures of all their paleo food {Have I ever mentioned that Whole 30 and paleo are pretty much fraternal twins?} and teach about the health benefits of MCT Oil and bone broth. It is my new favorite IG feed and totally revs up my love-of-learning geekiness to a whole new level. So anyway, today Veronica took me!

See my totally overly excited smile?

I had a marshmallow chai {dairy free} with MCT oil and collagen.

Starbucks who? Can't believe I haven't had a SB chai in 35 days and don't care! #canstopdidstop

I also had a paleo blueberry muffin - my first 'baked good' in 35 days. {Another rule of Whole 30 is to not create non-compliant food with compliant ingredients.} It was amazing and did NOT create any cravings for more treats. Can I get an Amen?!

I asked Veronica if I could share a little bit of her story because it truly is inspiring, and she agreed.

This is Veronica in May 2015. We've known each other for close to 10 years.

I am blown away comparing this picture to the one above.

She embarked on her Whole 30 journey after watching Fed Up {she's the one who told me about it and That Sugar Film}. She told me that this was a lifestyle change that she needed to make as a family {she and her husband have the most precious 4-year-old}. She wanted to be a better role model to her son and thought she was feeding him 'healthy' foods but some were counteracting the process. During her Whole 30, she lost 17 pounds and has continued to lose weight with the Whole 30ish lifestyle. She has more energy, more stamina, and her son knows what the 'sugar dragon' is and how to say no to it. Total success! 

She and I spent a lot of time today talking about how great we feel and how much we've noticed in changed without incorporating much exercise in...yet. She and her husband continue to lose weight while eating out because they are making the RIGHT food choices. We are both so fired up!

This post is beyond long enough, but I just wanted to share my results and where this journey is taking me now. I want to do another post soon about the new recipes I've tried and how I survived thrived during Whole 30. Stay tuned!