Me and Leighton

Last week a friend of mine randomly texted me in the middle of the day. The text read "Has anyone ever told you that you look like like Blair from Gossip Girl? Like identical! Seriously look up  pic."

First I had to Google "Blair from Gossip Girl" because I don't watch that show or know any of the actors. Turns out Blair is actually Leighton Meester (Leigton is a kick ass name, in my opinion). I remember someone telling me about 3 years ago that we looked alike as well. I think she's super pretty, so I'm feeling pretty flattered. Also, after learning a little bit more about her (thanks to Google) I also think she seems like a pretty cool girl.

So what do you think? Twins?

Me

Me

Leighton

Leighton

 I do think we have some similarities in the face. But I also think we have very similar body shapes. Seriously, in the photo below, the pic on the far right could easily be mistaken for me by my own husband. We also both have tattoos on the inside of our left wrist (if the photo I saw of her is accurate). 

Leighton

We may not be twins but I think I've found my new doppleganger (or whatever the heck you call it).

From My Mentor

I read an email from my boss yesterday and decided it'd make for an appropriate blog post for both this blog as well as my more "worky" type blog (which by the way I hardly ever post in and feel like a complete loser for leaving it idle for so long). You can view it here: Driving Sales Through Business Development

First, let me tell you a little bit about me, my job and my boss. I started working for the company in 2009 when I first moved to SC. I started in an entry level position, with entry level pay and entry level tasks. I had never worked in the automotive industry before and found myself thrust into a completely new atmosphere with  different types of people, aggressive monthly goals, and co workers I could have sworn slept in their offices because they were here so much. But all of this didn't scare me (well, maybe it did at first). I saw an opportunity. I noticed there were things that could be improved on, that would benefit both the sales and service side of the business, that someone with my personality and quirky obsessiveness could do.

So I formulated a plan. I spent days, weeks, even months researching how to develop and operate a successful Business Development Center (BDC) for a large automotive group. I joined forums, called other dealers, read countless articles, sat through webinars... and I put together a proposal. I'll never forget the day I walked into my boss's office with it in my hand (I had emailed him a pdf of the PowerPoint and printed it out for good measure- quirky obsessiveness). At the time I reported to a man named Bobby, the VP of our company. Bobby and I had a good working relationship. He said jump, I said how high, so he trusted me and enjoyed my work ethic. He was a business man and felt strongly that if you benefit the company the company will benefit you. When I came to him with the idea of a centralized business development center I could tell he felt proud and excited. We were about to do something big.   

Naturally the plans for the BDC went through a lot of critiquing and revising. We've grown into a  13 person team (with 2 more starting next week), with room for even more. As a matter of fact, the BDC I developed is featured in a magazine this month- Automotive Dealer Monthly (see page 22). Still to this day we are always evaluating and changing our processes to ensure we are doing the best we possibly can. Which leads me to the point of this post: Change is a catalyst for growth.

Bobby is no longer with our company, he had a great opportunity in Orlando and left us last year, so I now report directly to our President and CEO, Warner. The same qualities I loved so much about working for Bobby are also present in Warner, which only reiterates to me the strong foundation of the company I work for. Warner is a self-made successful business person, and I respect that more than I can explain. He may not know it, but he is entirely my mentor. I often joke with my husband that one day I'll get enough guts to say to Warner, "what do I need to do to be as successful as you." The crazy things is I truly believe he'd tell me. This is why I look up to him so much. I listen to what he says, pay attention to the way he manages, make sure I understand the motivation behind his decisions and learn from him everyday. He makes it easy because he is honest, transparent, and truly a pleasure to work for. When you respect the person you work for it motivates you to work harder. That's a fact. 

So yesterday we were discussing some changes we wanted to try in my department. As I said above, I'm flexible with trying new things to generate more business. The goal here is to sell cars and make money. Warner responded to one of my emails with two quotes:

"When you are though changing you are through" 

and 

"Change always comes bearing gifts."

Had I not been open to change the last 3 years of my life I wouldn't be in the position I am in today. I may still have that entry level job, entry level pay....heck I might not have even moved to South Carolina. The point I'm making here is that in order to grow you need to be willing to push your boundaries and try new things....even if they seem a little scary at first. Don't pass up an opportunity because you're afraid. And if you don't see an opportunity staring you in the face, dig a little deeper and find one. Make your own opportunities.

Are there any doors you can open for yourself today?

To Gluten or Not to Gluten...

This topic has been on my mind a lot lately. Gluten-free products are becoming much more accessible, and for good reason. Apparently 1 in 126 children suffers from either a gluten allergy or Celiac disease. For adults it's 1 in every 111. With close to 15% of the world's population having some sort of gluten intolerance, it's no wonder the gluten-free market has really opened up. These gluten issues are really nothing new, they are just more commonly diagnosed today.

Often diagnosis of a gluten allergy or intolerance is diagnosed after several steps. First, some of the common symptoms must be present. If some are present and there's no other medical reason for it, then the patient is recommended to remove gluten from their diet for a few days or weeks to see if the symptoms subside. If they do the doctor may simply recommend removing gluten from his or her diet (or avoiding it as much as possible) or may call for further testing for confirmation. A blood test can be done to detect antibodies that suggest Celiac Disease. Damage and inflammation to the small intestine can also be detected via endoscopy to also confirm Celiac Disease.

Why the sudden interest in all this gluten nonsense? I myself possess several of the symptoms and think I may be gluten sensitive or have a gluten allergy. I'll spare you the details of my specific symptoms, and instead have shared a general list with you below.

Symptoms of a Gluten Allergy

• Upper repository tract problems
• Fatigue
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
• Mouth Ulcers
• Anemia
• Infertility
• Acne
• Weight Loss
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal Bloating
• Crohn's Disease
• Diverticulitis
• Depression
• Attention and Behavioral Problems
• Asthma
• Keratosis Pilaris
• Irritability
• Eczema
• Wheat-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis

I did a 3 day trial- removing most gluten from my diet and my symptoms literally disappeared. Though I'm happy I may have found a solution to my stomach and skin problems, I'm also a little sad. Gluten is in some of my favorite foods!

First, beer has gluten. I'm not a big beer drinker, but I do really enjoy good beer. I like rich dark beers with lots of flavor and am known to jump at the opportunity to try a new micro brew or attend a beer festival. Luckily, most of the other alcoholic beverages I enjoy (wine, vodka and tequila) typically do not contain gluten.

For those of you that don't know, gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale. Because I eat healthy and run a lot, whole grains are a large part of my diet. I'm going to have to do a lot of learning quickly if I need to sub my whole grains for gluten-free versions.

I keep looking at Healthy Pancake Recipes on the Peanut Butter Fingers Blog and have been anxiously waiting to try most of them. I don't think any are gluten-free, so they may require some modifying.

During my many hours spent online researching all this gluten stuff, I did find a delicious looking recipe for Gluten Free French Toast Brownies. Click Here to check it out.

I think my next step is to discuss it with an actual doctor. Self diagnosis can only do so much plus gluten free alternatives are not cheap. If I'm going to be gluten free there better be good reason for it. This brings me to another point. Some believe that removing gluten will help with weight loss but there is no evidence to support this. Gluten is in a lot of cards, which really is the only correlation with weight loss. Removing gluten has only proven to be beneficial to those with gluten allergies (thought removing gluten certainly will not hurt you if you are not sensitive to gluten). I guess this means I have to find a primary care physician.... this could take a while.

Creative Cooking

This post is dedicated to the other twenty-somethings out there who are figuring out the whole cooking thing, like I am. It hasn't been easy, but over the last year I've learned a lot about food and how to prepare it. I'm more aware what's going into my body, which has led me to try a lot of interesting and healthy new foods. I'm constantly reading blogs and scouring the internet for interesting ways to make healthy food fun and tasty! Although I may never get bored of steamed veggies, salads, grilled chicken and plain quinoa, I know my husband would! Therefore trying new things and getting creative is a MUST in the Stewart household. Unfortunately for me, my husband hates to cook. So although I try a lot of new recipes, there's little time (after working, exercising, then cooking) to blog about them, even with the photo on my phone as a constant reminder.

I wanted to share with you in a quick post some of my recent creations.

Ground Chicken Taco Salad (this is quick, easy, and one of my FAVES)

"Healthy" Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies and Mint Stuffed Sugar Cookies

Tune Steak with Homemade Salsa, Steamed Broccoli Slaw and Brown Rice

Heart Shaped Eggs, Bacon, and Wheat Toast with Nutella for my Husband on Valentines Day

Tone it Up Protein Pancake

In the next few days I'll post a few recipes for pancakes, cookie and smoothies that I've been dying to share with you. Are there any other recipes you'd like to see?

Our Pocono Weekend

I've been seriously neglecting this blog over the last 2 weeks. Let me catch you up to speed on what's been keeping my away from laptop (I've yet to add a Blogger app to my iPad).

Valentines Day
Doug and I typically do not celebrate it. Still, I like to do something nice for him on Valentines day which inevitably ends up making him feel guilty. But what can I say? I'm a sucker for any reason to eat sweets and get a little mooshy. I ended up making Doug breakfast, complete with heart shaped eggs. I also had a box of cookies and brownies delivered to his work and framed a home-made photo of important dates. We laid pretty low that day, getting in a good workout after work and enjoying a quiet evening at home.

Family Ski Trip
Doug and I drove up to the PA mountains for a fun-filled family ski weekend on 2/16. Several of Doug's aunt, uncles and cousins were there, Doug's dad, brother, sister, brother-in-law and our 2 nieces. It was a packed house! We had planned to ski on Saturday and Sunday and use Friday as a day to get some much needed PA business handled. Doug and I still own a triplex in PA and were eager to walk through the apartments, meet some of the newer tenants and collect any items we left behind that we could fit in or on top of my VW Touareg (i.e. Doug's beer pong table). Our plans changed almost immediately.

Friday were were too exhausted from driving through the night to do much more than nap. We ran a few errands, did some catching up (with family and with some Zs) and had a quiet dinner with Doug's dad at a local restaurant. We decided we would handle business with the house on Sunday instead. I got up early on Saturday to get a quick workout in before heading from Pine Creek to the Poconos. I decided to run up and down Doug's dad's driveway. It's about 1/2 mile long with a VERY steep incline (he lives in the side of a mountain). I only went down and back up once, but it got my heart pumping. Once at the top I worked out with an 8lb kettle bell, did some lunges, abs and stretching and enjoyed the view.

We then drove to the cabin, unpacked and changed, then headed straight for Big Boulder Mountain.

Skiing all day was a blast! I'd forgotten how much fun it was. I did my fair share of falling, but by the end of the day I was feeling confident and made several runs without any spills. We even got to ski while it was actually snowing!

After a long and fun filled day we headed back to the cabin for dinner and libations. I loved sitting around with the family and catching up. I especially loved spending time with my niece Ava, who spent a good part of the evening entertaining me with songs and stories, sitting on my lap, and reading my mind. Reading my mind? Yea- that's what I said. At one point during the evening I was contemplating getting out of my seat to get a cookie or a brownie. I thought I shouldn't because I had already indulged on some pretty unhealthy foods. Then Ava comes over and says "Aunt Amanda, would you like a brownie?" It was adorable and I accepted. When she came back with my brownie she then asked, "would you like a cookie too?" How did she know I wanted both?? The crazy thing is that my sister-in-law says that Ava has done similar things to her. Next time I see her I'm hoping she does it again!

But despite the fun of the evening Doug and I gave into our exhaustion pretty early and were in bed by 10:30. It was only a few hours later that our family vacation to a terrible turn for the worse. It turned out that Doug and I weren't just exhausted from traveling. We were coming down with a nasty stomach virus that consumed us for the next 24 hours. This was the kind of sickness that makes you ache from head to toe. We were quarantined to our room and only transported to Doug's Dads when absolutely necessary. By the time we were feeling well enough to drive it was Monday morning. We didn't get any of our house business done and  ended up getting Ava and Blake (Doug's 9-year-old cousin) sick as well. We made the 800 mile drive back to SC feeling weak and exhausted.

Still, the trip was worth our while. I missed everyone so much and enjoyed the short time that we had with them. I can't wait to go back in a few months to see them again.

Spending Money Wisely

I like to feel good about how I spend my money. Anyone that knows me well has heard me  say it a million times. I'd rather pay a mom-and-pop a little extra than pay a big chain. I'll spend the extra for organic free range chicken over chicken that was raised inhumanely and pumped with antibiotics and steroids. I work hard for my money so I spend it wisely. For me it's simple: I have to WANT to pay you, either because I agree with your business ethics, the way you make your products, the ingredients that go into your products, the things you do for your community... I put a lot of thought into it. I'm going to spend money on food, products and clothing anyway so why not spend it on things that are good for my community, my body, and my world? Sure I can buy the knock-off Thin Mint cookies at Walmart (a company I do not particularly like) but I'd MUCH rather bring a smile to my cousin Lia's face and buy 4 boxes of the authentic kind from her. So this is what I do and boy does it feel good.

This is not my cousin, by the way

Naturally, this means I will refuse to spend my money in certain places, like McDonald's for example. Hate is a very strong word, but I feel I can use it whole-heartedly here. McDonald's food is crap. There's a reason why you'll almost die if you eat it 3 times a day everyday (if you haven't seen Super Size Me I highly recommend it). With hardly any nutritional value there's very little attractiveness to their menu. But to make matters worse McDonald's is one of the few fast food chains that refuses to adopt a more humane way of slaughtering their chickens. I won't get into the gruesome details but I can tell you that their refusal of the more humane and cost effective method has successfully solidified my boycott. I won't even buy a soda there (I don't drink soda anyway, but you get my point). You can read more about it here: www.McCruelty.com

But enough about the companies I don't like. I think you get my point. That's why I am so excited I found a company I do like: Arbonne. Arbonne is a company that sells health and wellness products that are organic and vegan. They don't test on animals or use any animal products. The products are botanically based and incredibly healthy. Where you'll usually find harsh chemicals in over the counter products you will not find with Arbonne. Their products are better for you, your family and our world. Sounds incredible, right?

"I'm so happy about being healthy!!! It makes me want to jump!"
This photo IS me, by the way, thanks to Walter Barrera Photography

I just bought a bunch of stuff and am eager to give it a try. I'm most excited about their acne line. The last year has been a struggle for me with my skin. I think it's a combination of my hormones and just sweating more (yea-I workout). I tried Pro Active for about 2 months and it didn't clear up. I've also tried Neutrogena Skin ID, Clean and Clear, and countless others. I've heard great things about the Arbonne acne line and can't wait to try it.

I'm also going to start using their body products, shampoo and makeup. I've already used their protein powder (a wonderful gift from my sister-in-law) and am very excited to try their all natural energy supplements before my workouts.

I plan to review all of these products once I've had the opportunity to use them. I ordered them yesterday so I should be able to write on them by this time next week. When I was completing my order online yesterday I was happy to be giving my money to a company with the same values as me. Like I said, it feels good.

If you're interested in trying any of the products please let me know. I can get discounts for you or let you try some of my samples first. To browse their online catalogue just visit their website. You'll need some info from me before purchasing so please don't hesitate to reach out.

Seek New Horizons

This morning was a typical Saturday- typical for me anyway. I woke up at 6:30am, brushed my teeth, put on my running clothes, laced up my Saucony shoes and met my friends by 7am. By 7:55 we were at the starting line of our third half marathon in the last 5 months. We've also done 5ks, 10ks, Turkey Trots, Jingle Jingles and any other race we can sign up for. We run in the heat, in the cold and in the rain. If it snowed in Hilton Head SC we'd run in that too. We train together week after week and I don't see that changing anytime soon. We're a team.

Having a team has been incredible for me. They encourage me when I need it, push me to be better, deal with me being late on a regular basis and basically put up with my bullshit. We support each other when it comes to our health, physical ability and most importantly running. My team has also become my friends. We spend hours together every week and most of that time are chatting about personal lives, work...whatever comes to mind at that God awful hour in the morning. I believe having each other, combined with running, is an outlet. By the time we're done our run we're ready to face the world with an optimistic and energetic disposition. My running group has changed me. And I like it.

Joining a team was a catalyst for a lot of changes I've made over the last year or so. I've joined a book club, been more social with different types of people, started treating my body better than I ever have, began volunteering and now pay more attention to this blog (even if no one reads it). I jump on opportunities to go out of town and be adventurous. I feel like I have things going on. I'm not just going to work and going to the gym. I'm living my life and having fun.

I've said it before and even if it's redundant here I go again: Running is my metaphor for life. During my race today I pushed myself harder than I ever have. I looked up at the steep bridge at miles 4 and 5 and then again at 9 and 10 and thought to myself "I can push through this. This is no sweat." And I did. I conquered that bridge, then ran several miles after it, crossing the finish line at the best time I ever have on flat pavement. I knew my husband and our two dogs were waiting for me at the finish line, and I sprinted my last tenth of a mile like someone was chasing me. It wasn't easy, but it was possible. That's the way I'll continue to live my life: accepting challenges, staring them in the face and then owning them.

"Once upon a time, we believed the world was flat- that beyond a certain point, there would be nowhere to go. And though we know the world is round, we still fear falling off imaginary edges, too often thinking there's only so far we can stretch, so hard we can push. The most dangerous limits are those in our own head. When you feel you're at your edge, look again. You can go farther." -Self Magazine