Some Thoughts...

Things About Today


Never try to take a "faster" way home. There is no such thing. Chances are your "faster" way will take longer than your original route.

(Some of you maybe don't want to listen to this but since it's my blog I don't care. My blog, my rules!) I actually got sweaty at the gym today. Pat on the back for making an effort. It's hard to get back in the habit of exercising when you have lost 20 pounds without it! I use to go at least 4 times a week, and now I struggle with making it 2 times. It's officially off my radar- not good! I need to get to the gym because it's good for my body, not because I want to lose a few pounds. Obviously my body is all about "you are what you eat" when it comes to weight loss. So for now I'll just admire the buff girls in front of me and create new goals. Weight loss can no longer be one of those goals or I just won't go!

 Ya know that math test I thought I bombed? I got an 80%. Go me!

I'm officially into this season of the Bachelorette (Caitlin, are you watching??). I usually don't get into the Bachelorette, just the Bachelor. I didn't know what I had been missing! This is reality TV at it's finest. (It's even better DVR'd so I can fast forward through the boring parts....bring on the man drama!)

I need my hair cut and colored...professionally. "But Megan, you are a professional!" No, no I'm not. Not when it comes to color, and not when it comes to my own hair! The only problem? My fav. hair dresser is 5 hours away and I don't want to shell out full price. Ha! I'm a cheap-o...but only because I haven't paid for any kind of salon service at full price for at least 6 years. I just need to suck it up and do it.

Birthday Cereal

My dad turned 50 this week! We surprised him with a party at the park. It was the finest of parties, complete with cold cereal and chocolate milk (a family/dad favorite). It was pretty toasty at the party, and my camera's battery was dying so I didn't get tons of pics, but you get the idea!

Sell Yourself

Day 11,: Sell yourself in 10 words or less

For Sale: A girl who cries sometimes and laughs often.

Writing for New Media Mid-Term

I am currently in a Writing for New Media class and for my mid-term I was asked to answer this question in any "new media" format I choose. I chose my blog so I have PLENTY of space to talk.

1.     How does new media affect your work? How does your work influence your approach to new media?

New media is a HUGE part of my job! I am a morning producer for a lifestyle show and having an online presence is a priority. We have a pinterest page, a twitter account, facebook page and Instagram. My work influences my approach to new media because I have to be constantly thinking of ways to keep things fresh and interesting for our viewers. My approach has changed since taking this job because now it's a large part of my life. Before I was a producer, I didn't really care about how many likes I got or what was going on with my personal page. Now numbers matter! We recently passed the 10,000 likes goal and I couldn't help but feel proud. I love reading the comments and seeing what excites our viewers. New media is constantly on my mind. Deciding which topics to post where, and when to post certain photos can be overwhelming! I'm not an expert but I am applying the mantra of "fake it till you make it."

Not only does new media influence my approach, it also affects my work. As a news station we are always getting emails with links to stories around the internet, and figuring out the best way to maximize our online presence. We get a lot of our segment ideas through new media. Every morning we spend the first ten minutes of the show talking about the hottest new stories and topics on the internet. Thanks to social media sites, online magazines and other websites we are able to compile the most interesting topics from around the world. When it comes to revenue for the station new media is a huge part of the plan. Creating contests and giveaways for our online audience is essential if we want to get ahead of our competitors. 

Understanding the way new media works is an essential part of my career. Throughout the whole broadcasting spectrum, from TV to radio, new media has become our whole life. Without new media Newspapers, Radio stations and TV networks wouldn't be able to get their messages across to huge audiences and stay current with their content. Like it or not, new media is here to stay!

When the going gets tough, the tough call mom!

Isn't it great that each morning is a new day? That we can be better than we were yesterday? Thank goodness for that. Yesterday I had a day. ya know, THAT kind of day. Pulling double duty at work, trying to focus on my Math class and feeling exhausted. My day went from meh to grrrrrr in just a matter of hours.

The real downfall started around 7:30 p.m. as I'm looking for a space to park my car up at the University of Utah. I hate that place. They closed down the whole $%&#@&% parking lot I usually use. Of course the surrounding lots were full so I had to park across campus and get to class as quick as I could. Not only was I running late, I was running late on test day. Halfway through my trek to get to class they had the sidewalks closed as well. FML. I was so pissed! I thought about jumping the "do not enter. sidewalk closed" sign, thinking of all the smart-ass things I would say to any one who tried to stop me. (something along the lines of "Me and my 2K I gave you a month ago can walk wherever we damn well please). By the time I got to class the test had begun. I sat down with calculator and pencil in hand, pep talk going on in my mind. It was hard! It will be interesting to see what my grade will be. I hate not doing well in my classes, and I hate feeling not-smart when it comes to math.

So after my test I start the journey back to my car and at this point I'm super emotional. I'm fantasizing about all the candy I want to eat. Isn't that interesting? My mind goes immediately to food whenever I'm stressed (can I hear an amen??). I imagined going to the nearby convenience store and buying all the candy I wanted and just taking one bite from each thing. (I have tons of self control in my mind). Finally I call my mom because when the going gets tough, the tough call mom.

My mom has been my saving grace the past 11 weeks. She decided she was going to join me in this diet and we have been each other's cheerleaders. It's been an excellent idea! Not only have we grown closer in our relationship because we talk more often, we can relate to each other now more than ever. Last night I considered her my sponsor and I was the alcoholic about to step into a bar and have a cold one on the rocks. I sat in my car on the campus I hate crying about my life and how much I wanted some freakin' sugar. My mom said all the right things (as usual) and eventually I put the car in drive and headed home. Her final advice was just to have Bart hold me and fill that void that I needed filled with love, not sugar. (it worked).

I went to bed knowing I could start fresh in the morning. Today was a much better day. I'm still tired and a little stressed, but today I went running instead of dreaming of candy and I feel so much better.

Strong Wind = Strong Trees

Day 20, : Get real. Share something you're struggling with right now.



When I think about my life, and where I'm struggling, I send a little prayer to the Man upstairs and say thank you. My problems and struggles are so small compared to others! I am truly blessed in my life and I believe all struggles make us stronger. A part of my very favorite poem says:

"Good timber does not grow at ease,

The stronger wind, the stronger trees"

So what is the wind in my life? What am I struggling with? Well I'll tell you...but only because the blogger challenge says so :)

I have blogged about these things before so I apologize if this seems like a repeat! My blog, my rules :)

When I hear "struggle" my mind automatically goes to my Hashimotos and the life changes I have had to implement. But my mind only goes there for a second. I don't live every day with a heavy heart "struggling" with my disease. Do I think about it every day? Yes. Has it changed my life? Yes. But am I learning to live with it? YES!! Some days are harder than others. Yesterday I really really really wanted a Dr. Pepper and Kit-Kat. Instead I drank my water and munched on almonds. It seems such a silly thing to struggle with and sometimes I feel like struggle is too strong of an adjective for my experience. In my mind struggling indicates an inner hardship and pain...something deeper than my carnal cravings for sugar and chocolate. I look at my diagnosis as such a blessing that I have a hard time calling it a struggle in the same breath. I do struggle to find a balance. I am supposed to weigh myself regularly but not become obsessed about weight. I'm supposed to start exercising, but not too hard. I can start branching out with foods, but not too far.

I can honestly say I understand what the term "life changing" means. I have never experienced anything life changing before.  Moving out was not life changing. Getting married was not life changing. Starting my career was not life changing. Not when I compare it to Hashimotos. Nothing has ever consumed so much of my time and thought process. I guess you could say I'm "struggling" to find a new normal for my life. Is cooking 3248 cups of brown rice every few days my new normal? Will I always get a little frustrated/teary eyed when ordering at restaurants? Will I spend time every morning and night taking supplements? The things that weren't in my life 11 weeks ago are now regulars...and that takes time to adjust. 

Folding Shirts Ninja Fast

I thought I was a pro at folding shirts until I saw this video...you better believe I'm trying it! I'll document it via video so we can see how it really works...stay tuned!

Day 72

I have been on this crazy Hashimotos journey for 10 weeks! Something about that double digit makes me feel proud. The more I talk to people the more I realize how far reaching this disease is. 

I haven't had any new foods introduced for the past few weeks since I've been sick. Bummer! Hopefully he will give me a little somethin' somethin' on Monday :)


- I am still losing weight. My scale ran out of battery 2 weeks ago so I don't have any official numbers..but my pants are all falling off so I'll take that as a good sign!
- My skin is beautiful! No breakouts. Other than my sunburn peeling I have no complaints.
- I STILL get cravings for candy. I don't think this will ever go away. People say it does, but I say they're lying!
- I discovered Rumbi this past week. Helloooo brown rice chicken bowl!!!
- I need to eat more vegetables. (is that possible you ask? unfortunately I do believe it is). I think I am going to try a "new" veggie each grocery shopping trip to keep things interesting.
- Getting back into the habit of exercising is hard! I was sick this past week so I didn't do anything, but before that it's hard to get it back into my schedule.
-My confidence is sky high and I'm loving it.
- I am always on the lookout for new recipes. My current favorite is this Chili. I've been making copious amounts. Copious!


If I had to sum up what I have learned the past 72 days is on sentence it would be : Your Health is Worth It!

My Person

It's been one of those "leave work early but still go to class" kind of days. If I were smarter maybe I would feel comfortable missing Math a few days before the test... But I'm not, so I don't. Hopefully this horrible cold/virus goes away soon....it's already on my shit list since it kept the Dr from adding any new foods today. 

On the plus side my husband is amazing and so thoughtful. I come home after class around 9 tonight and he greets me with a glass of OJ and has brown rice cooking on the stove for my lunch tomorrow. He also stocked up on yams, sweet potatoes, peppers, bananas and apples. He knows me so well :). He is a champ at doing things that mean the world to me because the things he does shows he was completely thinking of me and that feeling is hard to beat. 

So I'll lay in bead with an achy body and scratchy throat and drive to work tomorrow with a car that has no AC and I will be OK because Bart is my person and it doesn't get much better than that. 

Overfed & Starving

Hi my name is Megan Bowen and I LOVE a good documentary! Netflix comes in so handy when it comes to this little hobby of mine, and this weekend it delivered once again. On a night where sleep didn't seem to be an option I watched "Hungry for Change". O.M.G. This film will open your eyes to a whole new world when it comes to what you are eating. It's funny because the diet they talk about is actually the diet I've been living the past two months. Realizing the good I've been doing to my body gives me the motivation I need to keep going.

 Here is a quick preview. It's the only thing I could find on YouTube and it doesn't even crack the surface. If you have Netflix go watch the whole thing it's worth it, I promise!

"People are overfed but they are also starving to death."

Cheese-less

So yesterday I finally admitted that cheese is NO BUENO. I was in denial for a week because I love how it adds flavor to everything, but after a week of being exhausted I knew what I had to do....Bart comes home to me laying in bed and when he asks if everything is okay I tear up and say "I need to stop eating cheese". My 7 days of cheese eating bliss are over, but I know it will be for the best in the end.

I had a moment where I was this close to cheating and eating something sweet. The only problem is I couldn't decide what I wanted and eventually that desire just went away. Bottom line: I had a bad week and was feeling a little discouraged. But today is a new cheese-less day and great things are happening.

Runners Day

Today is National Runners Day where runners from around the world celebrate their passion and encourage others to give it a try. So why do I run?

I run because I LOVE to be outside

I run because the sun on my face just feels oh.so.good

I run because it gives me confidence

I run because it's better than sitting on the couch

I run because my body thanks me for it later

I run because I like to be able to say "I ran -insert miles here-"

I run because it makes me feel strong

I run because it gives me a chance to jam out to the latest tunes on Pandora

I run because it's a great way to spend time with Bart ( and apparently it has other benefits....)

I run because it makes me happy!

Why does Bart run?

"I run because that sit on the couch just doesn't feel right without it anymore. Happy Runners Day! "

                         

List 'o Links

Day 21, : A list of links to your favorite posts in your archives

M: Marriage 

S$%& Bart Says (#1)

Party Like a Rockstar

Friday Night Lights with Rudy, Rocky and the Titans

Hey, it's OK

There is Beauty All Around

My Logan Memories

6 Cups of Flour

Bowen's Christmas Card

My moment

Day 9, : A moment in your day (this can be just a photo or both a photo and words)



I started running 15 months ago. It was hard, my body seemed to hate it, but I figured I would just get stronger and better and eventually my body would catch up. 

I ran races every month with Bart and went running multiple times a week. Last July I ran my first 10K and it kind of scarred me. It was miserable and I clearly wasn't ready to run that distance. I was frustrated because I had trained just as hard, if not harder than Bart was, and he was dominating every race we went to. He was excelling while I stayed the same. It was discouraging but I didn't give up. 

In January I committed to the goal of being able to run a 10K without crying, and running a half marathon. I met a few great friends who were willing to help me get there. I was fired up and ready to go. Despite the fact that running 3 miles was STILL hard I figured I just needed to work harder and train more. 

Then 2 months ago my life changed. I was diagnosed with Hashimotos and was told that because my adrenal glands weren't functioning properly I couldn't exercise.  I was so disappointed. I thought all of my hard work was going to go down the drain because I had to stop running completely. Little did I know that the changes I have been making the past 2 months would make it so I could run better than I ever had before. 

I got the green light last week to start exercising a few times a week and on Tuesday I went running for the first time in 8 weeks. I figured it would be worse than when I started running a year ago since I had been completely dormant and losing my hard earned muscle. I was pleasantly surprised when I was able to run a mile on the treadmill with no problems. I stopped at a mile since my Dr told me not to push myself....but that mile was enough, I wanted to start running again.

This morning I woke up alone since Bart is gone coaching and decided to go for a run. I knew a 3ish mile route I could try and went for it. The first mile was straight up a hill but I was feeling good! In the past when I run my legs are tired and in pain, my ankles are sore and my feet hurt. I felt none of that today. I was elated! At 1.5 miles it turned into a downhill and around 2 miles it tapered off onto a flat surface. I had to pause a few times to get rid of the stitch in my side but other than that I felt great. For the first time in my short running life it was my CARDIO that kept me from going further, not the aches and pains of my body and muscles! I wanted to cry I was so happy. I was finally experiencing my body in the way it was meant to function. I realize now that all those months spent running in pain wasn't because I wasn't working hard enough, it was because there was something else going on inside my body that was out of my control. I can honestly say I enjoyed my run today. I've only been able to say that maybe  a handful of times the past 15 months, but I have a feeling it won't be the last time I get to say it.