fashion update

I don't know what you girls have done but for the first time in a very long time I am excited about buying clothes... what is up with that?

I received the blue dress from ColdWater Creek and am very impressed with the quality. It is so pretty. The fabric is rich and feels expensive, fully lined, it fits me nicely. It is a little big on me thru the hips but I have to order it big to get the bust to fit.

I found a lacy little jacket at JC Penny's this weekend. I almost choked on the price of it but Mark said "buy it!" and when I got to the check-out it was 1/2 priced. Yeah!!

I didn't find any shoes, yet, to go with but had fun looking.

Living the Low Carb Lifestyle...

I'm doing something a little new. I'm trying to wean myself off refined, starchy carbs. According to the research I've been looking at, the first 3-4 days are killer (energy levels plummet, etc.), but your body needs very few carbs to function well. You still need fiber and vitamins from fruits and vegetables, but breads and sugar-filled stuff--you don't need it to survive. (Duh!)

I'm inspired by Aola and Becky's examples; I can do this!

Confession time...

Although I had a wonderful time with my family this weekend, enjoyed everything we did, my self-esteem really took a beating.

I felt good enough about myself to wear a sleeveless shirt out in public, something I haven't done in years because of the flabby arm syndrome and felt sure I could enjoy swimming with the kids, too. But, once we got to the hotel I just could not make myself wear my old swim suit. It is too small in the bust and I just squeeze out everywhere in it. So, I thought... well, I'll just go buy me a new one that fits a little better and then I will go swimming with them. I found Emily and me both really cute two piece tankinies (sp?) and went back to the hotel. She looked adorable in hers. I put my mine on and couldn't even come out of the bathroom. I really don't think it looked that bad on me it was just ..... just... looking in that huge mirror at that 51 year old woman in a swim suit. No one should have to look at a 51 year old woman in a swim suit, especially not the woman standing in front of the mirror.
I just couldn't go parading through the lobby and into to the pool room. I just couldn't do it.

The kids were disappointed. Mark was disappointed. I was disappointed that I couldn't make myself feel better about being who I am... an old woman.

I keep telling myself that our society and culture is so screwed up, that we don't know how to embrace each season as it comes. We have very little appreciation for our elderly. As women we have a skewed idea of what beauty is.

I know all this stuff.

But, I still couldn't come out of the bathrooom.

Emily

The swimming season is about to begin here. As long as it doesn't hurt her, Emily will swim every day for at least an hour sometimes longer.
I was thinking about putting her on a diet (hate that word)during this season and see if we could take off some weight. She is soooo fat, probably 100 pounds overweight which I know makes her life even harder.
I sat down with paper and pen and started figuring what she eats now and I'd bet ya' that on an average day she doesn't eat but about 1200 - 1500 calories a day. Her metabolism is so slow and, of course, she gets almost no exercise because of her leg.
She walks around the house, dances in her chair (moving arms and legs while sitting)and that's about it, except for the swimming.
So, after looking at her calories I don't think I can cut them anymore.

I'm thinking I will just up her protein intake and see what happens.

She does love peanut butter!

What do you think?

Last night David and his friend Jeremy tried one day of the workout Kristen pointed me to at Oxygenmag.com. It was the most hilarous thing! Never in my life have I seen two grown men complain and gripe more than they did last night. When they did the squats their legs hurt. When they did the military press, the barbell was too long and off balance. They paid no attention to the recomended number of reps and sets. They both gave out after 3 sets. At one point I couldn't help but laugh. David got a towel and rolled it up to rest the barbell on his back while he did the squats. Boys think they are so tough, but when it comes down to it, they aren't all that tough. I do that work out once a week by myself and never complain. Sure it's tough. Sure, I'm sore the next day, but it is what it is. Silly boys. I'm so glad he doesn't read any of these posts. He wouldn't be happy about this one. I have to mention that when I started this routine he refused to do it because he didn't wan to do a "girl" workout. I explained to him that it's acctualy a workout for anyone and that a guy who's as big as The Hulk created it. It still took me several weeks to get him to try it. I think he will not make the mistake of calling it a "girl" workout again.

the dress

I bought this from Cold Water Creek, now I just hope it fits right.

How far should I go in my quest to expand my caloric intake? I'm currently pushing 2200 and feel full pretty much all the time. According to the scale I've gained a minimum amount of weight. It's nothing I'm freaking out over. Should I push through to 2500 and then begin to decrease once I've reached that point? I've tried looking up what my caloric intake should be but have come up with everything from 1700 to 2800. Is the truth somewhere in the middle? Should I just listen to my body? I'm ready to start cutting back, but only if it is the right thing to do. Whats the most high calorie food that is still really good for you? I need a way to increase without adding bulky food as I'm already sooo full!
Confession, the last two days I've eating brownie bites. I froze them thinking that would keep me away, and normally it would, but I'm close to starting my period and nothing chocolate is safe in my house.

Warning: Non-fitness related

I can't exactly post this over at my other blog, but I had to share this with you, my friends, many of whom helped me when J and I were considering not attending church, at least for a while:

I have a few friends who are trying to “save me” all over again, since J and I aren’t attending church at the moment. (We haven't since December.) In spite of the fact my morality, attitude, and general happiness have not gone…well, to hell…because I do not darken a doorway once a week, I need “ministering to and prayer.” (And apparently a good dose of gossip, although I'm used to that from church folks by now, so it doesn't bother me so much. Wow, seriously, that's kind of sad.)

I keep asking myself if I ever did this to other people...insisted on their church attendance. Thing is, I didn't. My dad didn't go to church for a large chunk of my childhood, and I didn't doubt his salvation. Besides, I had been raised on stories about Christians in other countries who couldn't meet with other Christians for church, either because it was illegal or dangerous or there were no other Christians to meet with. So I guess I grew up with a rather liberal mindset when it comes to church membership...

Anyway, just needed to get that off my chest. Sorry it's not "Skinny" related material. :)

Grasping At Straws

I haven't been successful in this venture at all lately. 5:30 a.m.s are good for me, but Chris has a really hard time with it and it is not nearly as easy without a partner.

So tonight I was in one of my moods, the dark ones that feel like emotional tornadoes. I'd been in it all day long and by the time Chris got home, i was exhausted from my own emotional weather. Beat down by it.

I was at the point where I was ready to take it out on someone else. and that is when I said

Let's go workout.

Yep, that is right.

And we did. We took Judah to that nursery where they FALSELY labeled him aggressive last time and he did just fine. (that is the first time i have ever given anyone a second chance with my son and it worked for me.) I upped my elliptical workout by two levels of resistance and did Just Great. Great. GREAT.

And I am feeling better.

I have no idea if I will be a fit person, but i know that today I made a good decision. that'll have to be enough for today.

Thanks for praying!

I found the suit! I'll try to post a picture of it soon. I paid what I wanted to--about half of what I was expecting to. Thanks, y'all.

My workouts last week were almost non-existant. I came down with a cold on Monday, but still worked out. Not a very smart idea. By Tuesday I had no energy. I finally felt better by Saturday, but not before passing my cold on to David. I'm such a giving wife. :)
I'm ready to start back tomorrow. My eating hasn't been too awful, but hasn't been spot on either. Yesterday was the worst! We had a poker game and I made chocolate fondue.
This week I will be increasing my calories to 2100. So far I've gained one pound, but I've lost inches. Hello muscle! :) I'm going to really push myself in this weeks workouts. I'm feeling really great with the food choices I'm making and being able to eat more is awesome!
Here't to a great week ahead ladies!

New routine I've been working on...

I'm still thinking about the gym thing...leaning toward a "yes." I'm trying it out next week, and I'm also trying a yoga class at the gym. Should be fun!

I went shopping for the suit today, but was unsuccessful. I'm going to a bigger town tomorrow...hopefully I can find something!

Just thought I'd share with you gals a new routine I've been working on...

Monday
(5X6)
Bench
Bentover row
Squat
Stiff-legged deadlift

Wednesday
(3x10-12)
Upright rows or lateral raises (for deltoids)
Hanging leg raises (abs--this will be my first ab work in months)
Walking lunges
Good mornings

Friday
(5x6)
Overhead press (either a push press or military press)
Pull-up (I really want to learn to do these; I'll do them assisted until I can do them on my own)
Front squat (or Split squat)
Sumo deadlift

Another question for you ladies...

Should I join a gym?

A little background: I’ve been wanting to join one for a while, but couldn’t find one that a) I was comfortable in, b) wasn’t prohibitively expensive, c) had free weights and a squat rack (my top priorities), and d) Jason was real happy about.

My friend, Becky, is joining a new one soon. It’s open 24 hours per day, isn’t too expensive (my dues would include all the classes, too!), has the equipment I need, and because I’d be going with a girlfriend, Jason is okay with it. I need to actually go there and see how busy it is during the times I want work out and make sure it doesn’t have a “meat market” feeling to it, but I’m feeling enthusiastic about it so far.

Pros:
-Spending money would probably motivate me to hit the gym more often. I’m a total cheapskate.
-Becky would be there most days to watch my form and “spot me” if I need her to.
-Meet new people, take new classes, etc.
-Lose the fat, increase the muscle!
-A place to run when it rains.
-I'll be able to lift more than one hundred pounds (when I get there, that is--my weight set at my parents' house only goes up to 100 lbs).

Cons:
-Wouldn’t see my folks as often since I lift weights at their house (although lately, I haven’t been doing it as much as I’d like to since the weather has been so nice, I’ve been walking sometimes over two hours a day).
-I have a really hard time getting my butt out of bed in the morning…oi vey.
-Stupid guys either hitting on me (no matter how hideous you look all sweaty, someone will do it!), staring, or trying to tell me how to do an exercise (usually they're totally wrong).
-I'm kind of a solitary person, so I like working out on my own.
-Jason will probably give me a hard time about it since he thinks all you need to be in shape are push-ups and sit-ups and a daily walk. Kinda true, but...

Advise me!

And lastly, I have a really dorky prayer request. I need to buy a dress suit this weekend, and I need to find that is classy, but inexpensive. Can you pray that I’ll find the right one for the right price? Thanks.

Sandra's Super Smoothie

I used to make this every morning when I worked at Michales. My friend,Nicky, and I would have a morning smoothie. Now, I tend to make one after my workout.

Ingredients

4 oz plain fat free yogurt
2 oz of water (or just enough to mix things up)
3 ice cubes
1 tbsp all natural peanut butter
1/2 a banana
2 scoops Carb Solutions chocolate protein shake or shake of your choice

Place all ingredients in blender mix and enjoy.

Calories 280
Carbs 28
Fat 10
Protein 31.5

I posted this on my blog, too, but...

which class should I take this summer? Which one would you take?

Yoga

Pilates

Belly dancing

I have a quick question about something thats been confusing me for a while now. What is the difference between Quick Oats, which have listend in the ingredients only 100% rolled oats, and Old Fashioned Oatmeal which has the same ingredient? The nutritional value seems to be the same, but I see on all the boards that everyone says Old Fashioned Oatmeal only. Is this just to say no instant oatmeal which has all the yucky aditives or Quick oats too? I'm very confused.
I didn't lift Friday because David wanted me to show him my routine Saturday. He ended up having to work and I went to an art and wine festival and walked for four plus hours. By the time I got home at 7:30 I didn't feel like lifting. I think it was a combination of being out in the sun all day and not eating every 2-3 hours like I normaly do. I didn't eat any of the yummy food that tempted me at the festival, but I did have two slices of pizza when I came home. Evil pizza!

Well, I keep thinking... slow and steady wins the race but it sure doesn't give you much to blog about :)

I was just thinking about me running down the street in that little black jogging bra and a whole crew of roofers falling off the roof and dying from laughing so hard.....
that'd teach the pigs, huh!

No, really, I've had a pretty good week. Eating was fine except for one day when some sort of junk food demon must have possessed my very soul because I ate french fries twice in one day, once with a Braum's (ie.. huge) burger. But, I came to my senses after having indigestion along with nightmares all that night.
Exercise was good. Having to mark it off every day makes me think twice about skipping it.
It is not getting much easier to lift that 20 pound dumbbell but I'm increasing slowly.
I noticed something last night I had not noticed before.
I was lifting it with my right hand over my head and without thinking put my left hand on my waist ( I guess to steady myself) but I could really feel the lift working the muscles in my side, hmmm.. I didn't realize it was working those muscles, too.

Mark and I looked at weight benches this afternoon and I showed him which one Seth and I want. He is going to stop and get it next time he is in town with his truck. Cool. It has a thingy for leg weights too. Very cool! I guess we will put it upstairs in Seth's big bedroom.

I am still hooked on salad with kalmata olives, feta cheese, lots of onions, and a hint of olive oil dressing.
My favorite snack still remains my smoothie with everything healthy or a 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt with blueberries and a spoonful of soy protein mixed in.

So, what has been your favorite health food this week?

Congratulations to all of you for working so hard at getting and staying lean and mean and especially to Mcmom for her huge weight loss of 9lbs and counting in the last few weeks.

I weigh on Fridays. This morning I had lost 3 pounds but that's liable to change by tomorrow.

Have I mentioned that the ladies who go to my Curves are the best! Today I was feeling really down about the diet/exercise and they gave me the best pep talk. It was nice to know that they believe in me and can see the positive changes I'm making. The difficulty I'm having is believing that what I'm doing will work. It's probably because all that I've ever heard about weight loss is eat less. Logically, I can see that eating more is the way to go for long term results, but that little voice that says "You are going to gain 100 pounds if you don't stop eating!" won't shut up sometimes. There is also the issue of working out. Everything in the media says "more cardio", and now for the first time since high school, I find myself doing less. It's a difficult adjustment, but one I am committed to. As we talked about it and I voiced all of my concerns to these ladies, they were so supportive and kind. It helped me to take my focus off of what may happen and put it on what is happening and on what I am doing now to make changes. The fact is, I'm from a "right now" generation. We want what we want when we want it. Waiting is foreign to most of us. Waiting weeks or months to see results is tough, but it's what I have to do.

My workouts have been great! I lifted Monday and Wednesday. I ran yesterday, but didn't do too much because I've been fairly sore. I'm not putting too much pressure on myself thanks to Kristen's advice. My eating has been fantastic! I'm learning that the things I thought I wanted when it comes to food aren't really what I want at all. Healthy food just makes you feel better!

So I've been wondering...

if it's okay to run in my jog bra (and shorts or pants, of course)? I'm not as skinny as this chick (above)...but, okay, I'm just gonna say it: I don't have big boobs, and I don't think anyone would be mesmerized by my flat chest, especially without any bouncing going on. (The bra smashes them down pretty well.)

I live in a liberal area...I don't think anyone would even look twice at me. Many people exercise like this; I'm just not used to doing it myself. What do you ladies think? Is it a do or a don't?

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As a side note, I've been doing great with the exercise this week. Monday I ran in the morning and lifted at night. Tuesday I walked over two hours over the course of the day. Wednesday I ran at lunch (I work from home on Wednesdays so I can hit the showers after a run) and walked with Jason at night for 40 minutes. Today I lifted weights and am going for a walk with a friend tonight. Tomorrow I'll probably run in the morning...we'll see. Eating...mostly good...probably about 85% good, but I think I'm eating too much. I'm eating at maintenance--my measurements haven't changed although I feel a little firmer. I think I need to eat below maintenance so I can see if I can lose a little fat off my legs, though it's going to take a lot of time. We'll see. Power to my girls. Try to kick a little ass today, ladies.

Did anyone else watch Oprah on Monday? I tivo'd it and watched it this evening. Other than being completely grossed out by the open heart surgery, I thought it was a great show. It was full of information, most of which I already know, but some stuff was new to me. The doctor recommended keeping raw almonds and olive oil in the refrigerator. He said that eating roasted almonds is about the same as eating hydrogenated oil. The roasting ruins the good fat. His list of foods we should be eating at least once a week included; tomatoes preferably in a paste or sauce form (mixed with olive oil for best absorption), spinach, olive oil, raw almonds, and pomegranate fruit or juice.
The flag words on food labels are partially hydrogenated, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and enriched. If any of these are in the first five ingredients you should throw it out. Surprise, the Zone bars I was eating up until two weeks ago have high fructose corn syrup in them. I knew it was a no no but didn't realize it was so bad. Basically he said that it interferes with lectopine (?) which is what gives our mind the signal that we are full. One of the things he said that surprised me was that it's not the 150 calories in a soda that are so bad for a person. It's the fact that a person who has a soda with a meal tends to eat an additional 100-200 calories at that meal because the brain does not receive the signal that they are full due to the high fructose corn syrup.
If anything, this show is helping me make better choices for Erin. I tend to be a little more slack where she is concerned because she doesn't gain weight at all, and she is a picky eater, but this show helped me to see that it's the things I teach her now that will follow her through her life and if I don't want her to struggle with weight and health related issues caused by a poor diet I need to teach her now. There are only a few things in her diet that I can see need to be changed. She eats enriched white bread, really bad cheese, and sugary cereal. The difficult part of changing these things is that they are things David eats. I'm going to have him watch this show. Maybe it will open his eyes a little too. I can't complain much. He gave up soda two weeks ago. I'm pretty proud of him.
I'm thinking about getting "You The Owners Manual". Has anyone read it?

My weight training sessions are going well. I think I could be lifting a little more if I had someone to spot me. I would wait and do my workouts in the evening with David if he didn't get home so late and if it seemed like he and his friend had any idea what they were doing.
The lifting routine at OxygenMag that Kristen pointed me too is great! My legs were so sore last week! I went easy on the weights so I could find the right level. I'm still making adjustments.
I didn't do so well with cardio last week. Even though I only do HIIT twice a week, I managed to skip both days. My goal this week is to include them in my workout.
The diet side of things is getting better. It's difficult to convince myself to eat more. Gaining weight scares me even if it is only temporary and better for the long run. I just keep telling myself it is the right way to do it.
I bought the most delicious Tilapia at Costco this weekend. I also bought some yummy soy nuts and soy/flaxseed chips from TJ's.
I've convinced Erin that all natural peanut butter really does taste great especially when put on an apple.
small steps, very very small steps.

Yesterday was strange for me. I ate breakfast, waffles with sugar free syrup and scrambled eggs, around 9:30 a.m. Then our day got busy and we didn't have lunch until 1:30 ish. By the time we decided to eat, my hands were trembeling and I felt really weak. I've had the shakes from not eating for a long period of time before, but this felt different. My arms felt so weak that holding up a glass seemed like a risk. I felt better after eating, but was tired the rest of the day and just felt a general blah sort of feeling.
Today, I have felt great. I'm not sure what caused the difference. I didn't really do anything very different on Sunday. I'm going to keep an eye on it, and if it happens again I will go to the doctor to see what's going on. Hopefully it was just something random.

Hey ladies

I've had a really good day so far. I got up for a run this morning, and I'm hoping to hit the weights tonight. I feel really proud of myself when I get up in the morning, so I had to share. I've got two "walk dates" with two different girl friends on Tuesday and Thursday night. It should be fun! We're supposed to get some CRAZY sunshine this week. Maybe up to 85 degrees on Thursday--woo-hoo!

How was your weekend?

The Plan

Month 7

My weight gain has slowed down to 1/2 a pound per week (grand total of 12.5 lbs.) -- exactly where the pregnancy books say I should be, and I'm starting to look forward to after the baby comes. It will be bliss when I can sleep on my stomach or back again.

So, here's my fitness/eating plan for the rest of the pregnancy.
1. Increase walking, pilates and weights -- I have more energy at this point and should take advantage of it.
2. Increase veggies and get more protein for babies brain.
3. Quit eating crackers.

Weird details
I crave lemons. I slice them up and eat them like oranges.

I am trying something different this week. I still keep my food journal almost every day, not as strictly as I did at first but I still pretty much keep up with daily calories. This week along side my column of food/calories I wrote a column for exercises that I plan on doing each day, then at the end of the day I either mark them off as done or feel like a loser...

it's weird but it is helping.

Just knowing I would have to leave an empty spot on my check list has helped me stay on track a little better this week.

I haven't really given up, I'm still staying within my calorie goals, still doing most of the exercise but I kind of have given up hope that it is ever going to really change anything.
To be honest, I just don't have the time or the energy to do any more than I am already doing and week after week of not seeing any change is bringing me to that point, once again, of not caring.

Off track

Do you ever feel like if you get off track for the day (or the week), you just feel like saying, "Ah, screw it!"?

It seems like every time I am really motivated and focused, something gets in the way: I get sick, I get injured, I accidently sleep in, I forget my lunch at home and have to eat gas station food, I forget I'm trying to eat healthy and eat a gigantic, sugar-filled 600-calorie blueberry muffin--just because it's sitting there!

What the heck!?

Anyone else find themselves there?

--------------

I'm also trying to figure out ways women can come to peace with their body type. Doesn't it always seem that we want to be exactly what we aren't? The curvy wish to be willowy; the big-busted wish to be flat. We fixate on our arms or thighs or stomach when another body part is the envy of our friends. Sometimes the area we fixate on is even the envy. (Not that we should seek to make each other jealous, but...you know what I mean.) How can we learn to accept ourselves? And how can we do this while still striving to lose fat, gain muscle and eat well (which does have an effect on our physiques) for health purposes?

We purchased a weight bench this weekend. In keeping with true Davidism, he picked one that was much larger than I wanted. The price was good. I started my workout routine yesterday by working my chest and back.
3 sets of 10 bench presses @ 65 lbs
3 sets of 10 incline bench presses @ 65 lbs.
3 sets of 10 One arm dumbbell rows @ 8lbs (we have to get more weight for these.)
3 sets of 10 barbell rows @ 45 lbs ( I could only do it with the barbell and no weight.)

Today I am going to do a HIIT session and tomorrow I will work legs & back. I'm not sure if I should be doing a full body routine three days a week or stick with the muscle groups split up like this for a few weeks and then switch to a full body routine. What's the best for a beginner? Also, over at Oxygenmag they talk about lifting heavy with a lower number of reps rather than lifting light and doing more reps. Is what I have above considered heavy and low? At the end of the third set I can barely lift the bar back up. I understand what they are saying, but the numbers are so relative and it's difficult to know where I should start.

I started off the morning with scrambled egg beaters and oatmeal. I hope the rest of the day stays under control. My weekend eating was not so good.

How was your weekend?

Mine included lots of walking, quite a few deadlifts and lunges (woo-hoo!), not enough sleeping (I've got a bad cough--which means sleeping in the guest bedroom and sucking on cough drops all night to get some sleep), and a little too much apple pie and strawberry lemonade. We're having some amazing weather. I couldn't lift weights this morning (had to take J to an early morning appointment), but I'm hoping I'll get to run tonight in this sunny, cloudless weather we're having!

Hope you're all peachy! How was your weekend?

Yep, It's Me

Hi All,
I'm still here. Alive. Just not doing really well with "Finding Skinny." Apparently, one of us is really really lost. Heh heh.
This week Jerry is gone and I'm hoping to get myself back on track. The truth is I've got to...I can't function much longer the way I've been going.
As you know, life is full of the usual stuff. Seems that never changes.
I read your postings and pray for each of you, just haven't posted back. Sorry if you feel abandoned. Forgive me?
Talk to you soon.

Per Kristens advice, I made old fashioned oatmeal in the microwave this morning. I was in such a hurry that I didn't watch it and it bubbled over. What was left in the bowl was still okay. This may sound completely wierd, but I put a spoon full of natural peanut butter in it and sprinkled some splenda on top. It was very yummy and kept me full all morning, so full in fact that I couldn't eat the hard boiled egg I had planned to have with breakfast. I just had it with my string cheese and pear.
I purchased all of the ingredients to make Beckys breakfast recipe. I'm planning on making them this weekend so I will have them for next week. I also bought a new protien shake mix which has more protein and less carbs than the one I was using. I went out on a limb and bought Wasa bread, a.k.a. cardboard. It's not so bad when I put Laughing Cow light cheese on it. In fact, it was a yummy snack yesterday.
I've realized that I tend to think I need to have everything in place and be perfect at "dieting". In reality, I just have to take it one step at a time. I know this theme has been repeated over and over again here, but sometimes I just have to stop and remind myself that 90% is really okay.
Thanks for all the support ladies!

Baby Update

Thanks Kristen for reminding me to post.

86 days to go.
Total weight gain -- 11 1/2 pounds
waist - 36 inches (you have no idea how huge that feels, very close to having belly button pop, which isn't something I'm looking forward to)
chest - 44 inches
approximate times the baby moves an hour -- 2,899,976,134
complaint department -- leg cramps that make me feel like I've been on the squat machine
money spent on tent clothing -- $70.00 all from second-hand shops
money I need to spend to get ready for this baby -- a trillion dollars
number of times a day I cry for no reason -- one
number of hours my body and Sam let me sleep per night -- four
number of yoga poses it takes to relieve back pressure -- ten
minutes I walk per day -- 45
number of times I mumble prayers -- on the minute
number of times I talk to unborn child per day -- almost every time he moves
number of time I look at my husband and give thanks -- everytime

Two month goal

I feel so much better when I exercise in the morning! It's crazy--I feel more attractive, I feel happier, I feel more prepared, I feel more kick-butt! I can do anything!

Today I biked to my mom's house (about a 10-minute ride), lifted weights (upper body), and biked back home. It's exactly two months until my 25th birthday (June 20), so I'm looking at that as a short term goal to get consistent and healthy. I've kind of been ho-hum with my workouts lately (just running when I feel like it and the weather is nice), but I'm trying to kick my booty back in to gear. The eating has been great (other than a cookie here and there), but getting up early is just not my thing. Sandra is my inspiration--she gets up so early!

Erica, how is the getting up early thing going for you?
Becky, how's everything going now that you're heading for the home stretch?
Aola, how long are you walking now?
Cheri, how's your new eating plan?
Jeanne, are you working out, girl?
Sandra, don't be overwhelmed! I'm coming to help!

Love you all-Kristen

A Typical Day

This is what a normal day of eating looks like for me. Please, someone let me know what I'm doing wrong and how to fix it.

Thanks ladies!

Sandra

Help! I'm drowning in a sea of information. I started reading the threads at Oxygenmag and I have no idea where to start! I increased my calories, but still am not getting enough protein and I'm not even sure if what I'm eating is really okay. My first question, is two slices of flaxseed toast with 2 tablespoon of all natural peanut butter and an orange a healthy breakfast? A friend recently suggested to me that having bread of any kind might not be a good idea. Is this true even if it's sprouted grain and flaxseed? I have tried waking up early to make an omelet or oatmeal and I just can't do it. I already wake up at 5 ish and I just can't force myself out of bed any earlier so anything that requires more than 2 minutes prep and cook time is out of the question.
Then there is the issue of weight training. To start, lets just decide what are the most important items that I should buy to get going.
I'll ask more later.
BTW, I've gained about 2 lbs since I started increasing my calories 3 weeks ago, but my inches are the same. I have not checked my body fat yet.

sort of health related .............

I am the biggest weenie in the world when it comes to going to the dentist. I had my 4th appointment today. For two day before I have knots in my stomach. I knew this one was going to be a rough one.He was supposed to pull a metal post that had been put in a couple of years ago, insert a new post, build up the tooth around it getting ready for a crown and do two more fillings.
I was a wreck by this morning.

As I was doing my yoga this morning while in warrior pose I breathed deep and could feel the breath working its way through my body. I asked God to help me find that place of strength and peace of a true warrior.

It helped.

The visit turned out to be much better than I expected. He didn't have to replace the post after all. He was much more gentle than he was the last visit and even a little more personable. He does beautiful work and I don't really care if he has a personality or not... not why I go.

So, one more appointment over............... 7 to go.

GETTIN' BUSY

Well, girls, How did we do?

I actually did pretty good this weekend...... if it just hadn't been for all that cheesecake I ate :)

No, really, for Sunday dinner (knowing that Levi and Charlie's families would be going else where later to eat again) I only made ham, a large salad (with lots of veggies in it), deviled eggs, and rolls.
Saturday night's dinner wasn't quiet as healthy. I fixed baked (breaded) chicken strips, mashed potatoes and corn ... oh, the carbs. But, I ate very small portions. (1 piece of chicken, no potatoes, 1/2 cup corn).

I did not indulge in any of the Easter candy laying around but I did eat a couple of pieces of key lime pie and a couple of pieces of cheesecake over the course of the weekend at a whopping 450 calories per slice. OUCH!! (and not good calories either)

I missed most of my exercise time last week (because of the horrible cramping that accompanies my period) I did walk this weekend but that's all.
I miss the exercise, which still just amazes me, but I do miss it when I don't do it. My body literally aches.

SO, today I am gettin' busy.... we still have company but I am going to get back to my normal eating and exercise routine as much as possible.

Smooches

This week hasn't been the most consistent--either eating was good or exercise was good. And never the two shall meet! :)

But there's always Monday!

We're heading down to Oregon to visit family this weekend; I might get to see my best friend, Carissa, when we go through Portland for lunch! I hope so!

Have a grace-filled Easter, y'all.

Oh, my, gosh.

I recently went from a 10 pound weight to 15 pounds for doing my curls, over-the-head lifts (upper body work outs). Seth is using the same amount of weight that I do. Last night I did 7 reps of 10 or 70 lifts each arm with 15 pounds. I was tired but not hurting by any means. So, tonight Seth and I decided it was time to go to a 20 pound weight.

Big, big difference (which kind of surprised me). We both just barely got thru 1 rep of 10. Barely.

Now when I can do that 70 times... LOOK OUT!!

and BTW, the 5 pounds was just water, I started the next day. I am right back to where I have been for the last 2 months.
I'm still eating around 1600 calories a day. I am walking twice a day now. I haven't done my yoga but once this week because of the cramping.

I still think that the increased activity of summer will help.
I may remain fat but I'm sure gonna be strong :)

Pine nuts?

Thought you guys might be interested in this -- Magic seeds? Pine nuts suppress appetite.

Remind myself again

In fitness, you never really "arrive." It's a marathon for life.

Even if you are as fit or healthy or lean as you ever want to be, you have to keep working to maintain it.

Even if you are working on building healthy habits, you never get to a point where you are beyond failure. You still have to make the right choice consistently. And you need to make good fitness choices every single day.

I Heart Junk Mail

If it weren't for junk mail, I would not have worked out today. When I don't eat well, I have a tendency to toss out the workout. For whatever reason I think that both have to be spot on or why bother.
Today I had all but talked myself out of working out when David brought in the mail. There at the bottom of the pile was an offer for a free subscription to Fitness magazine. Because they use these to entice new customers, the envelope was stuffed with inspirational quotes and pictures of hot bodies. It was this quote that got me off my duff "I don't always want to workout..but after I am done, I feel like I could conquer the world!"
I did a 7 minute HIIT session with a 5 minute warm up and cool down followed by 25 minutes on the total gym. My arms were so tired afterwards that it was hard to shampoo my hair. It feels good to know that I can workout in spite of myself. It feels good to know that HIIT won't kill me even though I think it came pretty close tonight. Like an idiot, I bent over right after my session and got light headed. Don't worry, I won't do that again.
I added a protein shake after my workouts. It has 15 grams of protein. When combined with 2% milk (I'm all out of skim.) that's 25 gram
s.

Doin' some reading...

on self-discipline. I used to consider myself pretty disciplined back when I was in school, but not so much any more.

I realized today that sometimes I eat junky food or sleep in because it's my way of "getting what I want" at that very moment, when so much of what I want is beyond my control right now (not having a baby, job-related issues, etc.). I'm only hurting myself when I do stuff like that. The instant self-gratification makes me feel good in the moment, but not later.

Some other thoughts I read:

-"All the perseverance you need is already inside you, waiting to be exercised."

-"If you set goals, you first must decide what to sacrifice to get them." (H.L. Hunt) For me, that would be chocolate chip cookie dough blizzards--a whopping 730 calories for a small one.

-The more you exercise self-discipline, the stronger your self-discipline becomes.

I also did an exercise where I wrote out my excuses for sleeping in and eating poorly. They ended up looking pretty lame on paper. Hopefully I can remember this when I am tempted again.

Mucho love-o, girls!

Good Protein list

Protein can help you shed those unwanted pounds and keep your belly full. But it's important to eat the right amount and the right kind of protein to get the health benefits.

Fish & SeafoodSeafood is one of the best sources of protein because it's usually low in fat. Fish such as salmon is a little higher in fat but it is the heart-healthy kind: omega-3 fatty acids.

White-Meat PoultryStick to the white meat of poultry for excellent, lean protein. Dark meat is higher in fat. The skin is loaded with saturated fat, so remove skin before cooking.

Milk, Cheese Yogurt Not only are dairy foods excellent sources of protein but they also contain valuable calcium. Choose skim or low fat dairy to keep bones and teeth strong, prevent osteoporosis and enhance weight loss.

Eggs Eggs are one of the least expensive forms of protein. The American Heart Association says normal healthy adults can safely enjoy an egg a day.

Beans One-half cup of beans contains as much protein as 3 ounces of broiled steak. Plus, these nutritious nuggets are loaded with fiber to keep you feeling full for hours.

Pork Tenderloin This great and versatile white meat is 31% leaner than 20 years ago.

Soy Twenty five grams of soy protein daily can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Combine soy protein foods like tofu with a healthy low fat diet.

Lean Beef Lean beef has only one more gram of saturated fat than a skinless chicken breast. Lean beef is also an excellent source of zinc, iron and vitamin B12.

Protein on the Go Grab a meal replacement drink, cereal bar or energy bar. Check the label to be sure the product contains at least 6 grams of protein, and is low in sugar and fat.

I haven't had much to say lately except in the comments sections, probably because not much is happening with this "finding skinny" way of life.
I lost 14 pounds in the first two months ,11 the first month, 3 the second and then nothing. The scale wouldn't budge.
After talking with you guys and doing some reading on MSN health and other places I decided to try to jump start my metabolism by increasing my calories a little.
I went from eating 1200 - 1400 calories a day to eating 1400 - 1600 a day. I also increased my exercising a little to compensate.
Rocked along for about a week with no weight loss, no weight gain.
Then I got up yesterday morning and the scale had jumped UP 5 pounds.
Now, why couldn't it have gone down 5 pounds that easily?
That really sucks!!

Everything I read said there would probably be some weight gain at first so I'm trying not to panic or throw in the towel.
I printed myself a list of the best proteins to eat and posted it in the kitchen along side my Super Foods list. I am trying to increase my protein intake.
I'm hoping that with all the extra activity in the summer and sticking with this routine that I will lose some weight by the end of summer.

I will be starting on the new supplement, gugulipid, next week.
I go back to the doctor in June to have my lipids checked again.
My goal is to have my lipids in the normal range by then and to, at least, be able to say I have lost some weight.

We have a Winner

I received this email from Steph this morning...


While I'm thinking about it, did I ever tell you that I started losing
weight? I started Jan. 2nd and decided I was changing my eating habits
and I was going to start exercising and get this weight off! So as of
today I am 29 1/2 pounds lighter! I'm so excited. I've been needing
new clothes and such, but that comes slowly. I did buy one pair of
jeans that fit perfect and show off my new figure. But don't get me
wrong my figure is forever changing, I have 36 pounds to go to get to my
goal weight. So wish me luck on my venture and hopefully I'll get to
where I want to be.

CONGRATULATIONS STEPH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ended up the day yesterday fairly well. I consumed a whopping 1695 calories (65 short of my goal) with 211 grams of carbs, 95 grams of protein, and 55 grams of fat. I had no idea I was skimping on the protein. Perhaps that is why I'm always craving protein?
When the craving for sweets hit me, I had a mini dark chocolate Hershey bar. It completely killed the craving.
Today is off to a good start. I had scrambled eggs with my oatmeal to try and squeeze in some more protein. I've got to go to Trader Joe's to get some all natural peanut butter at some point. It won't be today though. The sun has made an appearance and I plan on taking full advantage of it. Let's hope the clouds don't over take it before I get off of work.

Finally I run!

It felt good to run today. I haven't posted on my running blog for a while (the weather and my foot injury kept me indoors), but here's my latest post.

It's raining again or more accurately, it hasn't stopped. My knees and elbows are so achy.
According to my brain, an increase in calories means I can eat whatever I want. Obviously that is not a good thing. I'm going to be posting my food journal here for the next few days to see if that will help keep me on track. For some reason I am craving sweets in the middle of the day. Anyone have any idea why? My thoughts are that I feel tired and my body thinks something sweet will give me a perk which it does for about 30 minutes and then I crash. Anyone have an alternative option? Today my goal is to not give in to the craving. If I have the craving I am going to make a healthy shake.

Breakfast:
2 Whole Wheat Grain waffles 210
1/8 cup syrup 100
2 slices turkey bacon 70

9 a.m. snack:
Zone bar 210

Post workout snack:
Pear 98
String Cheese 60

I haven't planned the rest of my day yet. I'll add it once I do. My workout plan is a HIIT session and an upper body strength training session.

5:30 am for eight weeks

Desperate times calling for

5:30 am so that I am sure to get a workout in. Chasing a toddler all day is practially a guarantee I won't feel like it any other time, once I am spent on him.

Chris is in this with me and it is great to have a partner.
I am committing to eight weeks because I need some sort of goal, limitation to the pain.

After eight weeks, we'll see what the plan becomes.
Erica

In Support of Stretching

In my rush to start a new workout routine, I completely forgot to stretch after my workout last night. This morning, my back won't let me forget.
I'm working on healthily increasing my calories to 1760. Yesterday the calories were increased but I didn't stick to the healthy part. Today I will do better.
Last night I tried out HIIT which is what Kristen does. I did intervals of intense running (about 8 mph) on the treadmill for 20 (a few times I only made it for 15) seconds and lower intensity for 60 seconds. I only managed to do 5 intervals. I was pouring sweat!
It's raining here again. If I didn't know any better, I would think we had moved to Seattle. The sky today is a strange milky green hue. The clouds coming in from the West hold promise of more rain. All this rain is sucking the life out of me. I could barely get out of bed this morning.
Please forgive me if my attitude seems less than positive.
It's been a week and 3 days since I've had any coffee.

I did it! I did it!

After 3+ months of doing yoga I can now go from a Stretch to the Son pose, bend over at the waist legs straight and touch palms down on the floor.

Ladies, this is an accomplishment of major proportions for me!!

A competition

I was talking to my sister-in-law's sister-in-law (did you follow that?) this weekend. She just organized a "Biggest Loser"-type competition, complete with some very stringent rules, among 13 of her friends and family. They are all pitching in $100 and whoever wins, gets $1,000. Second and third places receive $200 and $100 respectively.

I'm not suggesting we do that here at all. :)

But I thought it was kind of a fun thought...it made me wonder how motivating it would be to have a $1,000 prize to stick to a diet and exercise plan. I felt my competitive juices flowing! (I always say I'm not competitive, but sometimes I really am!) I wonder how we could motivate ourselves like that. I'd love to have a fire lit under my butt like that! Hahaha!

Muscle vs. Fat

This picture is a good reminder to me today that I'm (we're) not working just to be skinny or to have a low number on the scale, but to build muscle, be strong, not worry about the scale, and be healthy.

Thought I'd share it with y'all.

Gugulipid

gugulipid






What Is It?

From the resin of the mukul myrrh tree (Commiphora mukul) comes a remedy--gugulipid--that holds promise for lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels as effectively as certain prescription medications. Native to India, this tree is closely related to the plant that provides the fragrant myrrh described in the Bible.

The tree’s resin is called gum guggul, or guggulu. Traditional Ayurvedic healers in India have relied on this resin for centuries to treat arthritis and obesity. Interestingly, as early as 600 B.C. they were giving it to people who suffered from a condition associated with regular overindulgence in rich foods and a sedate lifestyle--what we now know as atherosclerosis.

Research has subsequently revealed that the refined resin (gugulipid) inhibits the formation of artery-hardening plaque. In addition, it has been found that active ingredients called guggulsterones encourage levels of cholesterol and fat to drop. This in turn lowers the risk for heart disease. Guggulsterones may also help to control arthritis-related inflammation and may aid in weight loss.

General Interaction

There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with gugulipid.

3 month evaluation

Ok, I went to the doctor yesterday for my 3 month check-up.

Overall I have lost 14 pounds.
My triglycerides have dropped 64 points... HOO RAY!! this was the one I was concerned about.
My cholestrol only dropped 1 point, but the LDL (bad) was up from last time.
I wonder what in the world that I'm eating would cause that?

I had hoped for a better report but I guess it's not too bad for only 3 months.
I will go back in another 3 and test again and again until I get the weight and the lipids under control.

Guest Blogger, Cheri aka McMom

I thought you guys would find this as interesting as I did. It is from Cheri (a friend of a friend and fellow blogger)who has been having trouble losing weight even tho she watches her diet and exercises a whopping hour to hour and a half a day.


Insulin Resistance
Monday I went to see an Endocrinologist. He confirmed that the pituitary tumor is not returning. That is a blessing! I discussed with him my inability to loose weight, even with all the exercise I do. He is running some lab tests, but believes I have Insulin Resistance (IR), also called Metabolic Syndrome. I fit the profile,( lower blood sugar, high blood pressure and high triglycerides), and what he said makes sense. IR leads to Type 2 diabetes and possible coronary problems. My Father has Type 2 diabetes. I wonder why a Dr. did not suggest this possibility sooner. I have been fighting my wt. for 5 yrs.

Anyway I have been researching it some and found some pretty good links.

http://syndromex.stanford.edu/InsulinResistance.htm

http://www.heartlandnaturopathic.com/irdiet.htm

I have been eating close to the way the diet tells you to eat, BUT I usually give myself a" free day" or have something sweet now and then. Doing that takes me back to "square one" again.
Until I get this reversed and loose some weight I can't indulge, even a little bit. This is going to take some work and discipline, but I have to do it! I want to be healthy and avoid some of the health issues my parents are dealing with.

The Dr. also asked what my life has been like the last few years-any stress?! When I told him about the 3 moves in the last year , major surgery and a husband headed for Iraq if he does not get a civilian job soon, he said my stress level is off the charts ! Stress raises cortisol levels and keeps you from loosing weight also

Happy Monday ladies! (I'm only happy because I have Monday's off!) Last week, I managed to meet all my goals. I drank my water each day, took my vitamins, ate my two pieces of fruit each day, and worked out for 45 minutes. This week I'm going to add having a salad for lunch each day. I really need more of the green stuff and having a salad is the best way to get it.
I've reset my long term goal to losing 20 lbs by my birthday. That's three months away. I bought a calander today so I have a visual of my timeline. I'm just going to keep doing what I know I should and see what happens.
The past few weeks, eating has been out of control, but I can feel myself starting to bring it back together again.
David also seems pretty searious about losing weight. He and his friend have been working out for two weeks now. I'm so proud of him!
Here's to a good week ladies! We're getting there even if it is two steps forward and one step back. :)

"Motivation Fatigue"

I found this nifty article on MNS today about "motivation fatigue" and sticking with fitness for the long haul.

One of the things they suggested Sandra is already doing: setting goals for the week. Sounds like a great idea. I also like the suggestion to congratulate yourself when you do something well; I don't think I do that enough. I always focus on what I did wrong.

Enjoy!

My favorite super foods this week have been:

in a very small container (8oz) I put:
1/4 c. or less of organic oats & honey granola
approx. 2T chopped walnuts
" 2T frozen blueberries
1/2 c. low fat vanilla yogurt

And another:

Bowl full of spring green bagged salad mix
thin sliced onions
2T crumbled feta cheese w/tom. and basil
1T balsamic vinaigrette
6 kalamata olives

I've had a healthy week. Did my exercise, ate well, took vitamins, rested from school.
No weight loss. No weight gain.

Tomorrow we are having a picnic in the park with several friends who had March birthdays.

A survey of sorts

Hey gals, I was just wondering...

For those of you doing the low-carb thing, how low have you gone? No more than 50 per day? No more than 100?

For those of you counting calories, what is your daily calorie goal?

Woo-hoo!

I worked out today for the first time in a week and it went great! :)

Following in her footsteps? Weird eating patterns

I watched my mom cook a lot of meals, usually three a day for most of her married life, but I rarely saw her eat any of them. My mom is a snacker. She'd eat meals at restaurants, but even then she always walked out with leftovers to snack on later.

And, until now, I've always been a meal eater, unless I was completely unhealthy (read binging or starving). Three full meals each day, and in restaurants there were rarely leftovers. I've always been able to eat. Pregnancy has changed this, drastically. The only meal I eat, with more than one kind of food on my plate, is breakfast. Meals make me sick. So, I've become a snacker. A mandarin at 9, crackers at 11, yogurt at 1, a hardboiled egg at 3, and then I snack through whatever I'm making for dinner. My stomach doesn't feel big enough to hold any more at a time. It's weird.

Thus, I think I've found the answer to my mother's eternal snacking -- after four kids her stomach just never returned to normal and she kept the same eating patterns.

I have no idea why I'm posting this. I just think it's weird.

This diet thing has me all in a funk. I just can't seem to get a grip on things. Yesterday, I made and ate chocolate chip cookes.
The workouts are great. I feel stronger and healthier. I was surprised at how far I am able to jog.
It's the food. I tell myself each morning that I'm going to make the right choices. I tell myself that when David calls to see if I want anything for lunch I will say yes to a salad. I tell myself that I must listen to the reasonable side of me which wants to eat a healthy balanced diet. I tell myself all of these things, but lately, I'm not listening.

Moving on up

Well, my foot is 95% better. I probably won't be doing any running for another week or two (it's raining like crazy here anyway...what's that saying...March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb? I hope so.), but I hope to get back to lifting weights and riding the stationary bike again tomorrow.

I've been feeling very sluggish lately, and J is blaming it on my lack of exercise. He's probably right. Pray that I can get my momentum back.

I'm still struggling a little with having appropriate goals, especially since my goal of "consistency" has been so consistently SCREWED UP as of late. :) I am pretty happy at the size I am, though sometimes I look in the mirror and think, "Ugh," like most of us ladies do from time to time. Health itself is always a good goal, but it's a little abstract.

Anyway, I appreciate you ladies, and you have really kept me on track, even as I've been unable to exercise (or walk--haha!).

mmmmmm... good

Walmart has been having Red D'anjou pears the last few weeks. Oh, my, they are so yummy. I like pears anyway but these are soooo good.
Our Walmart is doing a little better at carrying some better foods. I've been buying an organic granola there and this week they had a few choices of organic produce. I bought organic carrots and cauliflower.

I have two weeks before I go back to get my lipids tested again. I'm excited to find out what they are.
But, I'm gonna have to not do what I did tonight anymore...
The only time I like breakfast foods is at night and tonight I was craving them. I only ate 1 biscuit (200 calories), 1 sausage patty(230 calories), 1/4 cup gravy(60 calories), and two scrambled eggs(210 calories).

YIKES!!

But it was good.

I'm so happy. David has decided to start eating helthy with me. He and his friend started working out last week, and this weekend he said he would start watching what he eats on Monday. I've noticed that his stomache is getting bigger, and with a family history of heart diseas, that is scary. I want to make sure he is here with me for a very long time, so I am excited about his choice. Not to mention, it will help keep me on track if he doesn't have all the junk food in the house.
This week, I'm still focusing on taking my vitamins, drinking my water, eating my fruits and veggies, and working out. I'm also adding going to bed at a more reasonable time. I would like to be in bed no latter than 10 each night.
Here's to another week girls!

Falling Off the Wagon

Jeanne is right.

When i was teaching high school, I went to a conference where I attended a very memorable session on changing habits.

What applies to us is that, like Jeanne supposes, making the kind of changes we want is like learning to walk. Quitting any negative habit is a trial and error thing, but your intentions are a very important part of this process. The presenter substantiated his point by stating that of people who had long-term succcess in quitting cigarettes, a very large percentage had been "gearing up" for two years. That is, they had been talking to themselves about quitting, making starts at quitting, going back to it, and so on.

I am not sure we will be able to get around this, though we can do very well at this process overall. And I think togetherness helps. That said, today I am getting back on the wagon too.

Peace to Jeanne at your new job. I have given up worrying for lent! So I am totally with you today.

Today...

I start a new job. Well, it's a job I've sorta done before, in a place where I've worked before...but that was ten years ago, so actually its a new job. I'm nervous though.
Today I begin again with my new lifestyle of eating better and exercising more. I fell off the "wagon" BAD. But, shoot, you can only just get back up again, right? It's a journey; it's a marathon; it's a work in progress. Looking back on this particular aspect of my life, it looks like a toddler learning to walk. Sure is good to have other's hands to hold sometimes. Thanks, ladies.
Today, I choose to not worry about my kids (just because I'm their mom) or my husband who has been sick for three weeks, or my friend who has suffered numerous strokes.
Today I'm not going to watch so much TV. Today I'm not going to eat BBQ potato chips or cookies.
So far, so good. I've been up for 20 minutes. Coffee's perking. It's not raining. (I know some of you really need it, so I'll ask that it be sent to you.)
Have a good today, dear ones.

lurking

I go through this with all my blogs, the ones I read and the ones I write on: i turn into a blogosphere lurker for a while. Can't say why, it is like I run out of typing steam. I want you all to know that I am both reading your posts and cheering you on.

I am totally exhausted today, physically and mentally. I'm so tired my brain won't work correctly. I find myself just sitting here staring at the monitor, when I try to type the words come out all wrong and misspelled (good thing for spell check).

Besides all the moving, cleaning, painting, reorganizing the bedrooms I have been involved in some serious discussion on a couple of blogs this week.. heavy stuff. I don't take matters that have to do with eternity lightly. It has weighed on my heart and my mind and still is.

But, with all that going on I've stayed on track this week with food and exercise. I've increased my yoga by one new pose. My arms have been too tired to lift weights from all the painting and hauling but I did lift 3 nights. I've stayed within my calorie goals and I even lost a couple of pounds this week. It was a little hard to tell on the analog scale if it was 1 or 2 pounds, but I will take it. At least it moved a little.

I'm hoping to finish up the final details of the move by tonight and then do absolutely nothing for the next couple of days.

Hope you all have a restful weekend.

much love,
A

Not so great week

I have been injured all week. I worked out on Monday and Tuesday; both workouts were great. All day Tuesday my neck was really stiff. I couldn't turn my head to the right. I felt like Zoolander ("I'm not an ambi-turner!")

Then on Wednesday night, just as my neck was starting to relax and not hurt so badly, I started feeling a twinge in my right foot. Weird, huh? I have no idea what happened. (Maybe from wearing some tight shoes a few weeks ago...I don't know...) Now I can't walk on the inside of my foot or big toe; it's killing me. Which of course means very little exercising. Heck, I'm having trouble standing up for more than a few minutes, let alone keeping my balance or running.

Yesterday after work, my foot was so swollen I could barely shove it into my shoe to go drive home (fortunately, Jason was driving). I started bawling on the way home; poor J didn't know what to do. I had been holding it together all day (it was a huge day at work yesterday), but dang, it really hurt! He took me to McDonalds (not a great option, but there was no way I was cooking that night).

I was supposed to drive down to Portland today to see my best friend who I haven't seen in two years (she just moved there from Colorado Springs), but there is no way I can do it. I might be able to drive, but then I'd just need to have my foot up all night and wouldn't be able to really hang out with her. I'm so disappointed...about missing workouts, about not being able to go see Carissa, everything. Blah. These things may sideline me for a while, but I'm not going to let myself get discouraged.

I've found that, for me, the less I think about food the less of an issue it becomes. When I'm not franticly counting every calorie, I manage to stay within my calorie range.
I've done well with drinking my water, taking my vitamins, and eating all my fruits and vegetables this week. I've also been working out for at least 45 minutes each day. Yesterday I ran for an additional 20 minutes. My knees were killing me afterwards and I was bummed because I thought it was from the run, but when my elbows started hurting too, I knew it was from the weather. The temperature dropped and that always means achy joints for me. This morning my hips, knees, and elbows are hurting just enough to make me uncomfortable. I'm a walking barometer!
I really think that taking my multivitamin has a huge effect on me. It could be placebo. All I know is that when I didn't have it for the last two weeks, I was eating like crazy and having a craving for something I could never figure out. This week, I've been eating normally and no cravings. Of course there are many other factors involved, but I'm going with the multi.

Update -- I'm not sure where to post this

24 weeks
Total gain - 6 1/2 pounds
Ultrasound tech says baby boy is around 2 lbs, big for this early. They'd love to move the due date up and make me suffer through every two week appointments sooner, but I refused. Nate was 10 lbs at birth, and I was 8 lbs. 6 ozs., so I have no delusions about this being a small baby.
Baby and I are both perfectly healthy.

Pomegranate

A source of:

Vit B-6
Vit C
Polyphenols
Potassium

Pomegranate juice my have 2 - 3 X the anti-oxidant power of equal amounts of green tea or red wine.
As little as 1/4 cup per day(of juice) may improve cardiovascular health, reduce LDL cholesterol.
possesses potent anti-inflammatory phytochemicals (helps arthritis) and has been shown to lower blood pressure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have never eaten a pomegranate. Guess I ought to try it.

new products

I tried two new Schwan's products this week:

the fully cooked pork loin roast - probably the best loin roast I have ever eaten (except when Richard slow cooks one in the smoker)
very lean, 130 calories per serving (3 oz.)

and

the peach mango fruit bar - yummy!!! only 60 calories and no fat.

I went for a jog with Patches and Erin today. It was nice. We jogged for about 30 minutes. The lawn at the park we went to was freshly mowed and the scent was lovely. I'm planning on going to the park to jog four days a week. Two of the days I'll take Patches and two I'll go alone.
I'm learning to take this weight loss thing slowly and to not freak out when I don't get it all right. When I focus on keeping everything inline I lose it, but if I focuse on a few things I can keep it all going. This week I'm focusing on taking all my suplements, drinking 64 oz of water, working out 45 minutes each day and getting all my servings of fruits and vegetables.

Hi There

Well, this Wednesday is my last day at Kirk's. I had my exit interview today. It was okay and the general manager blessed me. I got a new job at my church. It feels kinda weird...I worked there before. When I left, I was totally burned out. FAL had become my world - my social circles, my worship, my ministry, my work. That stupid obsessive-compulsive way of mine. I know you understand. It has taken me literally years to get over it. My dearest friends are happy that I'm doing this, partly because it's a proving to myself that I'm not a failure. And it fits me.
And these changes bring with them their own set of stresses...ah well.
Darren is settling in in Mississippi. My heart is still spasming, but it's not an aching mess anymore. I was feeling bad and sorry for myself and I remembered my friend ? who had a son Darren's age who drowned. Sorta put things in perspective you know? Course I did not want to hear that last week, but I knew it would get better. And it has. I was able to redecorate Darren's room and it's cute and ready for guests. Anyone want to come? Any time, girls, I mean it.
So, 24 is on and I need to go to watch it. My husband is looking at me like I'm a crazy woman. AND he just said to me, "You'd rather watch THAT than SuperNanny?" Well, duh!
He loves WifeSwap shows, too. What a funny guy. I hope its making him realize I'm pretty normal. Ha ha. So, see you all soon. Eat well, exercise as much as you can and love who you are.
(How's that for profound.)

Happy Monday!

I thought this was a really good article about transitioning from an occasional exerciser to being a bonafide fitness freak. :) I can't even sum up all the good points it has, so be sure to check it out when you've got the time.

This is another cool article with bodyweight (no equipment necessary) exercises you can do at home. Good stuff.

Everything's going fine here. Peanut butter cookies are tempting me a little, but my workout this morning was awesome and I'm looking forward to a really great week!

Patches and I went for a long walk this morning around the park by Erin's school. I'm feeling much better about things. There's nothing like the fresh air to cleanse the sences and focus the mind.
I've come to far to think about giving up or going in the wrong direction.

recap

This week is one of those weeks you just get your red Sharpie and mark out with great big X's
and forget that it every happened and you move on to hopefully a better week next week.

I didn't over eat, didn't feel much like eating at all. But, I sure didn't exercise. I think we walked one day this week. I lifted once early in the week and then last night. I was surprised at how weak I felt just after 3 days of not lifting. I had to push to get thru my sets. So, of course, it was yet another week of no weight loss.

I did do a few really healthy things like buy some extra dark chocolate. I'm eating one small block each day. It pretty much fills the craving for chocolate I have this time of month with no guilt involved. I ordered and received two boxes of organic foods from Net Grocer and an order from Web Vitamins for bee pollen granules and lecithan granules to add to my daily smoothy. My refrigerator and pantry could be an ad for the Super Foods book.
It makes me feel good just to stand at the door and look at it all.

Sethy sometimes acts like I am slowly killing him when he stands at the door and looks. :)

I'm feeling very unmotivated today. I am very tired of couting calories. What do you do when you just lose the motivation. I love working out. That is never a problem, but this counting thing has my brain fried! I'm constantly thinking about food, what I can eat, what I can't, and what I want to eat regardless of weather I should or not.
Last night we grilled burgers. I chose to have my burger on a portabello mushroom rather than a bun, and I skipped the chese and chips. It was delicious so it wasn't a hard choice for me, but when everyone else had an ice cream, I had one too.
It feels like it's a constant battle to make the right choice. I thought it might be easier by now, but it seems like it's gotten harder.
Sorry for the whine, but I'm just feeling very frustrated this morning. I know it will pass. Thanks for listening ladies. :)

Totally unrelated to fitness, but...

I didn't want to put this on my regular blog, but I need some input from my friends.

What do and your spouse do when you get home at night? How do you spend your weekends with each other?

(Not including, um...sex.)

What does a typical week night or weekend look like for you? I know we all have kind of crazy schedules: Mark works a lot on weekends, David's at school, taking care of our kids. But...

Where this is coming from: sometimes (not always, but sometimes) Jason and I are too tired from working hard all day to do anything but stare at the History Channel all evening. I'm just wondering what other couples do, realistically, to make their time together quality time.

Other issues involved:

-We work in the same office in a high stress environment. When I say, "How was your day?"...well, I already know, and the day was probably frustrating. Talking about our days just takes work home with us and makes us irritated.

-He doesn't have a lot of outside interests for us to talk about. Other than work, which takes a huge chunk of his time and energy, he likes football and gardening. I have done my best to be interested in those things, but when football season is over and gardening season hasn't begun, the guy just doesn't do a lot.

Thanks for helping me out, y'all.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are the best plant source of Omega-3 fatty acids.

A powerful source of:
fiber, protein, magnesium, iron and potassium, lignans (which are the phytoestrogens).

They have to be ground to be able to absorb the nutrients.

And, yes, my book says you can used them in quick breads or pancakes.

1 - 2 T. a day is all you need.

I've decided to go back to working out at Curves alternanting days between upper and lower body. I feel like I get a much better workout when I'm doing that. I'll probalby incorporate some free weights into my routine too.
Aola, does flax seed have the same benefits if it's baked into bread?
My co-worker is comming in early to work for me the last part of today and then I have four days off. It will be so nice! I hope it doesn't go by too fast.
Some things I'm lovin right now...
Sugar free instant chocolate pudding
Breyers all natural sugar free chocolate ice cream (Thanks for the idea Kirsten)
and pears!

I'M BA A AA CK

Hello Ladies,
Yes, I'm back from my travels, but I'm still recovering. I've missed you. I had internet one day, but all I could do was read, the connection was so weak.
I'm gonna have to start all over again. It's a good thing I'm not feeling guilty about it. So, Monday is my new first day.
I'll be reading and commenting this week.
Talk to you soon.

The bad thing about David being out of school is that I want to eat what he eats. I've been doing so great in the mornings! I've been packing my lunches and snacks. Today I had an omlet for breakfast with an orange and green tea. I have a light yogurt for a snack, and letuce wraps for lunch. My goal today is to not eat when I get home. I will have lunch at work around 12 and I don't want to eat again until 3 when I have my afternoon snack which will be 3 whole wheat crackers with laughing cow light cheese. I know if I can hold off, I will stay at my calorie range. It's those hours between 1 and 3 when I tend to snack like crazy. I know I can do this. I'll be checking in tomorrow to let you ladies know how I do.
With David home, I'm much less likely to workout. I ran for 30 minutes at work yesterday but did nothing else once I got home. I really feel like if I can just push myself through this it'll be great, but I'm having the hardest time staying focused.

Pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers

Pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers:

A source of:

Alpha carotene
Beta carotene
High fiber
Low calories
Vit. C and E
Potassium
Magnesium
Pantothenic acid

Associated with reduction in:

Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Inflammatory conditions, ie., asthma and arthritis
Diabetes mellitus

Recommended amount:
1/2 cup 5 - 7 days per week

Chili's Molten Lava Cake...enough said?

Thought I would post my Super Foods list:

SUPER FOODS

Dark chocolate (100 calories of daily or 2 small nuggets)
Citrus fruits – lemons, grapefruit, limes, etc.
Kiwi
Blueberries – grapes, cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries
Apples, pears
Plums, pomegranates
Pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes
Beans (all kinds)
Tomatoes
Soy (all soy products including edame, soy nuts, soy milk, tofu, etc.)
Avacado
Garlic
Onion
Broccoli (all brassicas including brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower)
Oats, flaxseed (all whole grains including wild rice, barley, couscous, etc.)
Nuts (all kinds)
Honey
Tea
Yogurt
Salmon, albacore
Turkey
Chicken breast
Cinnamon
Black Pepper
Turmeric
Oregano
Olive oil, canola oil

I can't convince myself to like cottage cheese again, but I can deal with riccota. I'm having my midmorning snack of one fourth cup of low fat riccota cheese, 1/2 a sliced pear, and a drizzle of honey. It's yummy. When I did the South Beach diet there were a lot of deserts made with riccota cheese. One I really liked had cocoa powder and splenda. It was pretty good. I had my green tea this morning and felt similar levels of awakness as when I have coffee. I don't think this will be a difficult transition at all. I planned out my meals yesterday and had my lunch bag ready for work this morning. Today this weight loss journey seems doable and maybe even a little exciting.

somebody slap me!!!

Ok, I am feeling bloated (probably because I am), like I am never going to lose anymore weight.. I doomed to be fat for-ever, hormonal and weepy.
I just had a quick email from Jeanne, she didn't really say anything, much, and I sat here and cried.
I read Rachelle's post, again, about her pain and I cried.
I'm in one of those "who gives a flyin' rip" moods...................

If I had any "bad" food in my freakin' house I would go eat it, right now, but silly me refuses to buy junk so I have no reserve stash. :)

organics

For those of you who don't have an organic grocery store close to you I have discovered that Net Grocer www.netgrocer.com has a pretty good selection of organic products at reasonable prices and the shipping is not too bad.

Kristen, I took your advice and am having green tea this morning. It's an adjustment from my morning mocha, but I like it. I've had green tea before. I used to drink it every day, but got out of the habbit. I'm going to try replacing my morning mocha with green tea except for on Sunday mornings.
I bough The Biggest Loswer book at Target last night. The diet is everything I already know. There are some good recipes and I love the stories of the cast members. They are very inspiring. There is also so good workout advice.
I finally started my period. Last week was horrible! I just wanted to sleep and eat. I didn't even workout yesterday because I was so tired. I'm feeling much better today other than cramps. (nothing midol won't cure) The week before my period always kills me.
Comming to work at 8 a.m. rather than 6 a.m. was nice. The sun is out and shining a complete 180 from yesterday when it was hailing! I'm trying to convince David and Erin to wake up in time tomorrow to drive to the nature reserve down the street from us and enjoy the sunrise together. We can't see it from our place and I really miss it!
Have a great weekend ladies!

Another Article...

Weightlifting may help women battle abdominal fat

By just lifting weights twice a week for an hour, women can battle the buildup of tummy fat that often takes hold with aging, a new study suggests.

And they didn't even diet.

The study focused on intra-abdominal fat, the deep fat that wraps itself around organs and is the most unhealthy because it's linked with heart disease.

"One of the most common complaints in women, especially as we continue to age, especially as we go through menopause, the No. 1 complaint is abdominal growth," said Dr. Tracy Stevens, a cardiologist who directs the women's heart center at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City.

"It's the apple-shaped person I'm most worried about," said Stevens, who was not involved in the study. "The more central the fat, the more it's laid down in the arteries."

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and is being presented Friday at an American Heart Association conference in Phoenix.

In it, 164 overweight and obese Minnesota women ages 24 to 44 were divided evenly into two groups. One group participated in a two-year weight-training program and the other was simply given a brochure recommending exercise of 30 minutes to an hour most days of the week. Both groups were told not to change their diets in a way that might lead to weight changes.

Women who did the weight-training for two years had only a 7 percent increase in intra-abdominal fat, compared to a 21 percent increase in the group given exercise advice.

The strength-training group also decreased body fat percentage by almost 4 percent, while the group just given advice remained the same.

"I think we need to provide people with multiple possibilities, multiple roads to the same end. If this is what you're willing to do, I'll tell you what you can get out of it," said the lead author of the study, Kathryn Schmitz, an epidemiologist at the school of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Researchers reported only marginal effects from the training on total fat mass and the fat you can pinch under the skin.

Using both free weights and machines, the women in the strength-training group worked out for about an hour and were encouraged to gradually increase the weights they lifted.

"This is not a program you could do in your home, unless you can afford to have a full gym in your basement," Schmitz said.

The women, who completed 70 percent of the advised exercise throughout the study, were in supervised strengthening classes for 16 weeks.

Schmitz said the focus was on chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, lower back, buttocks and thighs. She noted that adding muscle mass can help overweight women move faster so they burn more calories.

Dr. Rita F. Redberg, a cardiologist at the University of California San Francisco, pointed out that since muscle burns more calories than fat, increasing muscle mass means losing more calories.

"Certainly, any kind of exercise is better than not doing anything," Redberg said. But for "maximal benefit, cardio with weight training will get a lot more bang for your buck."

"I think exercise is the fountain of youth," she said. "If it was a pill, everyone would be taking it."

I got a new book yesterday, Super Foods/ Healthy Lifestyle. Most of what is in it I already knew but I love reading about nutrition and health related issues.
I have learned one new super food that I was not aware of... the kiwi.
I love kiwi but I had no idea it was so power packed.
Most of what I eat is on the super foods list.

What are you guys planning for your weekend.
We work and then we work some more and that's about it.
Mark has people in the studio tonight and tomorrow.
Sunday Jason and Shyla, Levi and Christi are coming for dinner.

I am making a shrimp and chicken alfredo, salad, and bread for our meal together.
and lemon bars for dessert.

And, that takes care of my weekend.

Hope you guys have a safe and healthy weekend.

What Kind of Eater Are You?

This came to me in one of my daily Denise Austin e-mails. Thought I'd share it with y'all. I don't think it's "all-inclusive" obviously, but it is good advice. (I'm more of a rebel eater myself.)

Part of overcoming your struggle with weight is understanding how it began. Need some help getting started? See if you can recognize your overeating type. Keep in mind that you may be a combination of these:

The Indulger: For indulgers, eating is used to nurture and reward. While you should be good to yourself, that doesn't have to come with calories attached. Think of some nonfood rewards instead. How about a bubble bath, pedicure, or some new flowers from your garden, for example?

The Critic: Critics are always telling themselves that they're never going to be good enough — so why bother? "You can't, you won't, you aren't…" And on and on it goes. Remember, being fit isn't about being perfect. It's about doing your best and getting back on track when you derail.

The Rebel: Rebels eat "bad" foods to feel good. But remember, unhealthy eating doesn't "get back" at anyone. In fact, the only one you're hurting is yourself. So dye your hair, listen to alternative music, or wear red when everyone else is wearing gray, but skip the chocolate cake!

The Victim: The voice inside the victim's head says, "You just can't stop yourself. You're helpless." You eat and eat, then tell yourself it wasn't your fault. There's always an excuse. But the reality is, the only one who can control your eating is you. So stop feeling powerless and start taking charge!

another question

I have a question, too.

My knees are in pretty bad shape, when I walk up stairs they creak and grind (sounds awful). I don't have a lot of pain in my knee but some....

I have started doing some knee bending type exerices, going very slowly. I know that any exercise and especially weight bearing exercise is good for the bone and also good for people with arthritis but how much is enough or too much? I shouldn't push to the point of being painful, should I ?

Let's play 100 questions....

I'm not hungry. I'm not hungry. I'm not hungry. Maybe if I keep repeating it, I won't eat like a starved crazy person. :)
I only worked out for ten minutes yesterday. I felt really guilty about it, but I'm over it now. It's a new day, and I'll workout today.
I've noticed that if I don't have my short not fat no whip mocha, I eat more. I'm sure it's the caffine in them that keeps my appetite a suppresed, and that's okay with me. They are only 110 calories.
Hey Kristen, weren't you asking about Faxseed Oil? I found this article and that you might like to give it a read.
Anybody have any suggestions for when I should change the amount of weight I'm doing in my strength training routine? Is it better to have more weight or more reps? Also, I know I need to skip days between stregth training, but what if I do two strength training sessions a day? Let me explain. I am currently doing TBL strength workouts which use dumbells for arm workouts and some but and thigh stuff. It focuses a lot on the biceps and triceps. Is it okay to add a Curves workout on the same day I do TBL stuff as long as I still have a day in between so that I get a more overall workout?
And one final question that has been bugging me. What is a better factor in calories burned..the activity or your heart rate? For example at Spark People it says that doing a circut program for 30 minutes I would burn 334 calories or something like that. However, it I put in 30 minutes doing Curves circut it drops to 204. But, if I am keeping my heart rate at 80% couldn't it be more than that? Where do they come up with these numbers? Is there a way to calculate it myself? have I asked too many questions?
Thanks ladies!

Slow and Steady wins the race....

Ok, you guys keep telling me that.

March stats:

I only lost 3 pounds in February (makes a total of 14 since we began)
I lost 2 inches in my bust,
none in my waist or hips.

Mark swears he can tell a difference in my tone. Which I choose to believe.

I need to lose 6 pounds in March to have reaced my goal of losing 20 pounds before I go back to the doctor. Hopefully, the warmer weather and working in my yard will help.

I am feeling pretty disappointed but I wont' give up!

I was relieved to step on the scale this morning and see the number back to what it was prior to my food frenzy. That, of course, means I have not lost anymore weight, but I can deal with that. I did my complete measurements for the first time since January 10th. The results are inspiring. I've lost a total of 7.5 pounds, 2.71 pounds of body fat, and 13 inches. I am adjusting to the fact that I don't lose weight fast. It's a slow process for my body, but it's worth it.
I did much better diet wise yesterday. I managed to stay within my calories and not feel like I was straving. I think somedays our bodies just need a little more for whatever reason.
Other than weight loss, I am seeing other more significant results. I am more capable of pushing myself to workout and less likely to come up with excuses not to. I can fit into a smaller size jean. I have more energy durring the day. I feel better emotionaly. I haven't had the ups and downs that usually plague me especially during my period.
I'm going to reward myself with some Burt's Bees citrus facial scrub. :)