Does This Blog Make Me Look Fat?

Do You Yoga When You're Sick?

2012-02-14T18:08:00.004-06:00

I'm at the tail end of a bad cold, and it's put a damper on my workout schedule. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information out there about whether or not you should exercise when you're sick. The consensus is that, if you have a fever, you should not work out. But what if you're just congested and stuff? And do the same rules apply to yoga as to cardio and weight training?

Because yoga isn't the same. I mean, jogging doesn't usually involve being upside down. And breathing is such a key element of yoga. So if you can't breathe...?

The first day, when I barely had a throat tickle, I went to yoga, and it was fine. I mean, that was probably the point when I was contagious, so it might not have been fine for everyone else in the room. But I felt okay.

Then a couple days later I felt so bad that leaving the house just wasn't even an option. So I skipped yoga that day. Then a couple days after that, I was starting to feel a bit better, but still not great, and I debated on what to do. So I Googled. Which is, ideally, the best way to find out your health information. Not.

But seriously, what I found in general was this:

You shouldn't do any of the inverted poses if you're congested. This means any pose where your head is below your heart. Like downward dog, forward fold, or headstands (as if I do headstands, but whatever). I could see where this might make one feel worse, but I actually found several sites cautioning that it could make you sicker by forcing gunk into places it doesn't belong.

Some gentle, upright poses can be helpful. Things like chest expansions and side bends. But in general, you shouldn't do any strenuous poses.

And the advice that finally made my decision for me was this simple question: Do you want to be in a closed up yoga studio with someone who is hacking, sneezing, and sniffling?

Ummm...no. And I realized I've actually had this very thought before while I was relaxing into a corpse pose and listening to the person next to me cough up a lung. "Really?! You felt the need to come share all that with us?"

So I stayed home.

What about you? Do you work out when you're sick?

Give Up the Funk

2012-02-06T17:26:00.000-06:00

I've been in a funk lately. More so now, because I'm sick. But then, that's the way I do. I work and stress and do too much until finally my body says, "STOP." And I get sick. So, Friday my body put its foot down, so to speak.

I had gone to yoga Thursday, and was actually doing okay. I've been doing the harder class for a couple months now, and it's gotten to where the gentle class is too easy. I'm contemplating trying power yoga soon. (I thought it might be today, but ummm...no.)

I've even started jogging a little with my walks. Not a lot, just a lap, a block, the distance between two mailboxes, then I walk until I catch my breath. And the reason I did this at first was not to improve my cardiovascular fitness. It was not to lose weight.

It was because I was mad.

I was having a horrible day, and I decided to walk it out. I went to yoga early and walked on the track, and I swear, the longer I walked, the madder I got. I think every person there was out to get me. People standing in the track for no reason. People hogging the lane. One crazy old man doing some bizarre form of martial arts/torture/fit throwing that involved tying himself to a post with a stretchy band and flailing about every time I walked past. (I'm not even kidding. It was weird. Had never seen him before, and haven't seen him since.)

And finally as my anger rose, I decided the only thing to do was RUN. And I ran. And I felt better. So I kept running. Sort of like Forest Gump.

Then last week, I was walking, and contemplating starting to run a little, when who stepped out onto the track but someone I dislike intensely. Someone I hadn't seen in over a year. And there she was on MY track. At MY gym. Oh, Lord, what if she goes to MY yoga class???

I rounded the corner and kept right on walking out the door. I just couldn't face her. And I was so livid, I was shaking and near tears. I calmed myself down and decided I wasn't letting her keep me from yoga. Yoga has been the only thing keeping me sane these days. I tentatively walked back in the building, looked both ways, and made a break for the yoga studio.

Thankfully, she did NOT attend class. But now I'm freaking the he!! out that she'll be there next time I go walk. I mean, really, I go to the gym to get AWAY from people who upset me.

I've decided I need to suck it up. If she's there, she's there. And honestly, she has every right to be there. No matter how personally I'm taking it. It's a public place.

Seriously, she won't keep it up anyway. I know her. She won't.

And that's very un-yogish of me to think.

New Yoga Pants

2012-01-17T20:06:00.000-06:00

If anyone else out there is ridiculously short or abnormally tall (which really, I cannot even imagine), I thought I'd share that I just got some great yoga pants at Target. They come in short and tall sizes, as well as "normal" and they were marked $27.99 but are actually on sale for $19 right now.

I decided I deserve new yoga pants, since I'm going to yoga twice a week now. I usually wear capris because I get way too hot in long pants. But Stacy and Clinton always say that if you are short you should never ever wear capris. And aesthetically, I know they are right. Temperaturely, I wear capris anyway.

These pants came in both lengths, and I decided to buy one of each. I wore the longer pants today, and honestly, I was too hot. But I looked thinner. So I might just have to be hot more often!

The Only Thing I Feel Like Doing

2012-01-10T20:31:00.000-06:00

I had a rough day. I've had a rough couple of days. And it's not like there's a good reason for it. Nothing hugely horrible happened. In fact, a couple of really good things happened. But I've felt awful for a couple days. No energy, bad mood, not sleeping, anxiety for no good reason. Blah.

Tonight was yoga night. Not even easy yoga night, but harder (okay, medium) yoga night. I kept thinking as I got ready to go, "I do not feel like doing this right now."

And then I stopped myself. Because in reality? Going to yoga was the only thing I DID feel like doing. I did NOT feel like doing all the rest of the cr@p I had to do today. But I wanted to go to yoga class, and I knew it would make me feel better.

So I went. And it was hard. And hot. And awesome. And I do feel better!

Meeting Myself Coming and Going

2012-01-08T16:11:00.000-06:00

Sometimes you just have to mix up your exercise routine a little. So you want to know what I did today? I walked my entire route backwards. I mean, I didn't walk backwards. I walked frontwards. But I walked the route backwards of the route I usually walk.

This is my version of being wild and crazy. R is laughing hysterically at me as he reads this. So is EG.

Anyway, it's a tiny thing, but it did make a difference. I'm a serious creature of habit. And I've gotten to know my walking route so well, I could probably do it with my eyes closed. But today I felt like I needed to mix it up a little.

So, I started at the end and worked toward the beginning. And it was kind of cool that during the parts where I'm usually exhausted, I was fresh and energetic. At the part where I'm usually thinking, "Oh Lord, I've only just begun, and my legs hurt already," today I was thinking, "Wow, I can't believe I'm almost finished!"

It gave me a little extra push, and you know what I ended up doing? I added one more little "leg" to my walk and did more than I've done in years. It felt good.

Most Awesome Walking Song I Heard Today:
"Do you know what I wanna do? Do you KNOW what I wanna DO?! Strut."

Stayin' Alive by The Bee Gees

Back on the Mat

2012-01-04T17:28:00.000-06:00

I went back to yoga class last night, after the three class hiatus my instructor took over the holidays (how dare she?!). I'm not gonna lie. It was hard.

It's amazing how quickly I can get out of practice with stuff like that. But I was proud of myself for going, and I plan to go every Tuesday and Thursday in January. My goal is to stick with these two classes per week for a month, and then if I feel up to the challenge, I might try the Power Yoga class on Mondays during February.

Might.

I'm a little scared of that. So, we'll see.

I've been back into walking also, and the longest I went without walking over the break was three days. Note to self: You can miss one day of walking. You can even miss two days in a row if necessary. But don't skip three days anymore. It's just too hard to get back into it after taking that long off.

So how are you doing with your fitness goals so far in January?

Two Great Workout Apps

2011-12-30T10:43:00.001-06:00

R got me an iPhone for Christmas. He has this knack for buying me electronic gizmos I see no need for, but soon realize are absolute necessities. It started with my pink RAZR years ago. *Sigh* I loved my pink RAZR, and held onto it for years after it became obsolete.

Then it progressed to XM satellite radio. Could not live without this now. I got the home kit the next year, and it made my work life infinitely more bearable.

So, now I have an iPhone, and I love it. R keeps telling me I'm going to run out of my data plan before the month ends. Anyway, I've found two apps that I just love, and I'm really enjoying p~~laying with them~~ utilizing them in my workouts.

The first is Moodagent. This one is free. Yay! It allows you to choose from a range of moods, and then it customizes a play list from your iTunes to fit that mood. You enter whether you're feeling sensual, tender, happy, or angry (or a range of those) and then you select the tempo you want. You can also select one song from your list and then have it create a playlist of songs similar to that one. It's fabulous!

In general, I tend to prefer more mellow, soft rock type stuff. However, when I'm walking, this doesn't work. So, I've found myself in the past skipping 15 songs in a row before I get to one that's appropriate for my workout. This handy tool eliminates all that.

I'll give you one little hint though. If you're like me, the songs that are perfect for working out to, Moodagent considers "angry." I was having a hard time getting just the right mix, until I jacked the "angry" all the way to the top. Then it was pouring out Lady Gaga, Madonna, Bon Jovi, and P!nk.

The second app I'm loving is called Quick Sleep, and it was 99 cents. It's designed for ummm...sleep...Hence the name. But I'm loving using it for yoga. It has a selection of sounds, everything from thunderstorms to wind chimes, to New York at night from a rooftop. And what's neat is, you can mix them! So I can put in say a cat purring, a flute song, and waves crashing, and have a nice relaxing yoga soundtrack. Fun!

So there you go. If your New Year's Resolution involves getting more exercise, and having fun while you do it, I highly recommend both of these toys!

And Then Panic Set In...

2011-12-19T17:17:00.003-06:00

I'm doing really well with my exercise lately. I've been walking probably five days a week, and I'm really enjoying it actually. I'm adding a little bit more distance every couple of weeks, and I'm probably doing about 2 1/2 miles now. I walk around my neighborhood, so I don't know the exact distance.

I'm also going to yoga regularly, the easy class once per week and the harder class once per week. I feel so much better when I go, and I'm getting to where I look forward to it, instead of having to force myself to go.

Anyway, I'm finally getting into this good routine, and I'm looking forward to some time off work over the holidays. I've been thinking about how this break will be really good for me, a time to re-focus on myself and my health, etc...

Then, at class last week, my yoga instructor (whom I adore. Have I told you that?) informed us that she's taking a family trip and will be gone a whole week and a half! As in, three whole classes will not be in session. And she's entitled to have a life. But seriously, I felt this sense of panic rise up in my chest when she made this announcement!

I've been doing soooooo well! And her class is like nothing else. I mean, I have yoga DVDs and stuff, but they are not the same. Not even close. I have one I've always really enjoyed, and the other day there was no class on Tuesday, so I made myself do the video. (Yay for me!) It was okay. Just okay. I used to love this video, and now, compared to my class? Eh.

So I guess this is my latest hurdle toward wellness, maintaining my calm serenity (stop laughing) while my yoga teacher is out of town. Wish me luck.

Showing Up

2011-12-04T17:55:00.000-06:00

I was talking with my mom the other day about our yoga teachers. It's no secret that I adore mine and think she's fabulous. And I've been making an effort to go at least once per week, even if that means going to the harder class.

I've been successful for a month straight now. Yay! But some days it's sooooo hard to drag myself out of the house. Somehow when I was leaving work (maybe even leaving work a little early!) to go, it was easier. Now that I'm working at home a lot, and now that class is later in the evening, it seems like a huge effort just to make myself GO.

Mom said her yoga teacher has something she says at the start of every single class. "Congratulate yourself for showing up on the mat today."

I think that's fabulous! Some days I really feel that way. Like making myself SHOW UP is such a huge accomplishment. Whatever I do beyond that point is just gravy. And it applies to more than just yoga class. Sometimes just showing up for work is the best I can do. Some days showing up the kitchen to fix dinner is huge.

So whatever your day entails, congratulate yourself for showing up!

Most awesome song I heard while working out: Glee cast version of Defying Gravity.

Beautiful Lines

2011-11-15T19:55:00.000-06:00

I just got the nicest compliment after yoga class tonight. I have been diligently going to the gentle yoga class on Thursday nights for several weeks, but my teacher has another commitment for this week, and next week is Thanksgiving of course. So, I decided to go to the intermediate class on Tuesday nights for these two weeks, just to stay in the habit of going.

I knew it would be hard. And what's sad is, I used to go to the intermediate class all the time. Twice a week if I didn't have to work those nights. And I got pretty good at it. Then I slacked off.

Now the gentle class is more my speed. But I was determined to make it through tonight. My teacher told me to go as easy as I needed to, modify poses, etc... I think I kept up pretty well though. It was certainly more strenuous than the class I'm used to.

So, after class she asked me how it was. I was telling her how hard it was, and this woman came up to us and told me, "You have really beautiful lines in some of your poses." I was dumbfounded. She said, "Especially in your triangle. I was just looking at you and thinking you look just like the pictures you see of people demonstrating the pose." And then my teacher said, "You know, I noticed the same thing tonight!"

I was in shock. Here I was saying how hard the class was for me, and this woman I don't even know comes up out of nowhere and compliments how well I was doing! Yay me!

I'm definitely going next Tuesday. And who knows, I may keep going to both classes once my gentle class starts up again!

The Whole Truth

2011-11-05T17:21:00.001-05:00

So, I wasn't entirely honest with you all when I wrote that post about giving up caffeine and trying to get off my sleeping pills. I didn't lie. I just didn't tell the whole truth.

You see, there was a bigger reason I gave up all that stuff. I was pregnant. I'm not anymore. If you want all the details on that, you can read about it here. The point of this particular post is reflecting on all the healthy changes I made during those few weeks and what I plan to do going forward.

There's nothing like finding out you're pregnant to make you re-evaluate every single aspect of your life. Where you live. Who you interact with. Your job, your car, your beauty products, your medications, and of course, your diet. I've heard other people say this, but honestly, I don't think I ever lived as healthy a lifestyle as I did for those few weeks when I was pregnant.

Sure, it was hard. Mostly the quitting sleeping pills thing. The food thing wasn't too hard for me, because I really started craving healthier stuff. I wanted water, I wanted fruit, I wanted nuts. I didn't want candy or cookies or chips.

My prenatal vitamins didn't make me nauseous, as I've heard so many women say. And I easily started walking 30 minutes almost every morning, not for me, but for my baby. I knew that moderate exercise reduced the risk of many complications, and it results in a healthier baby.

So, all these things I should be doing for myself? I didn't. But when somebody else came along (however briefly), it was super easy to do all the right stuff.

And now that I've had a miscarriage, I really couldn't wait to have a big cup of coffee and an Ambien. Okay, not like one after the other. You know what I meant. But I didn't do that.

I've decided that whether for me, or for some future baby I might have, I need to be as healthy as I can from this point forward. I gave up all the medication. I gave up caffeine. I got into a walking and yoga routine. I got into the habit of eating healthier foods. I took my vitamin every single day. And I can keep doing all those things now.

It's a little harder, because my cravings have turned back to their more "normal" state. Like we have only two pieces of Halloween candy left. And we only had one trick or treater. One.

Still, I'm doing my best to keep up with my pregnant habits, even though I'm not pregnant. I planned to live that way for 9 months anyway (more if I was successful at breast feeding). So why stop now? Don't I deserve it as much as the baby? Yes, I do.

I'm Alive!

2011-10-23T22:42:00.034-05:00

I had an insane week. Monday wasn't too bad, but then Tuesday I ended up working 13 hours, because I started early to make it to an out of town meeting by 9:00 a.m. and then I had to teach a class that night that lasted until 8:30 (and was out of town). Then Wednesday I left bright and early to drive over two hours for work, then did my thing and spent the night and drove another 30 minutes for another work, before finally driving 2 1/2 hours home Thursday evening.

I was exhausted. And I really just wanted to go home, change into my sweats, and crash. But, yoga is Thursday nights. And I'm trying to go every week, if I can.

I drove and drove, looking at the clock, and trying to decide whether I'd even make it in time. Then I tried to decide whether I'd actually leave the house again if I went home to change first. And I realized I had sweats in my suitcase that I could probably just change into at the community center.

Yet...soooooo tired.

Anyway, ultimately I decided to suck it up and go, without going home first. I changed clothes, paid my fee, walked 4 laps around the indoor track, then headed into the yoga room.

And about five minutes in, suddenly I felt better than I'd felt all week. I kept thinking, wow, this is amazing. I felt like hell for three days, and then five minutes in this class, and suddenly I feel like I'm alive again! I felt great by the end of class, and I felt pretty good the rest of the evening.

Remind me of this later this week. Because I have to do the same thing again, almost. The two days out of town part, heading home Thursday, just in time for yoga.

Do you know how many songs there are titled, I'm Alive? Like way too many.

This, of course, is the best one:

Cold Turkey

2011-10-09T11:54:00.001-05:00

I've recently made some pretty drastic changes in my life involving making healthier choices. I've had terrible insomnia for about five years now, maybe six, and I've resorted to taking a variety of sleeping pills. Sometimes prescription, sometimes not. Sometimes just a melatonin supplement. But on a typical night here lately, I was taking an Ambien, and Ativan, and a melatonin every night just to get some sleep.

I know this isn't good for me. And I know I was addicted to them. Not like physically addicted so much as psychologically addicted. I was terrified I couldn't sleep without them. And being terrified is not conducive to a good night's sleep.

So, I spoke with my doctor, and she recommended that I cut out, or at least strictly limit, my caffeine intake. I don't think I drink a ton of caffeine compared to the average person. Most mornings I'd have either one cup of coffee or one diet soda. Maybe a cup of hot tea on the weekends. And then most afternoons I'd have a diet soda. So, two drinks per day. If I was at some crazy boring work thing and just dying to make it through, I might have an extra soda or two.

The doctor also recommended that I take a walk outside right after getting up each morning. Not so much for weight loss or health as for helping my internal clock re-set itself and know that, "Hey! The sun is shining! It's time to be awake now!"

Oh, and she told me the whole spiel about waking up at the same time every morning and going to bed at the same time every night, even on weekends, blah blah blah. We've all heard it before.

So, I don't recommend that you do this, but what I did was rip the band aid off all at once. I quit the caffeine and all the sleeping pills cold turkey. And I spent about 48 hours not sleeping AT ALL and suffering from terrible headaches, nausea, etc... This probably would have been much more bearable had I weaned myself off everything more slowly. But hey, it's done now, and I survived.

I'm also walking 30 minutes most mornings. Probably five per week. If I have to be somewhere early for work, it just doesn't happen. But if I'm home, or if my appointments aren't until later in the day, I get up, eat something, check e-mail and phone messages, and then take my walk.

Now the same time every day thing? Well, sleeping in is one of my greatest pleasures in life. So, I'm not adhering to that too strictly. Some mornings I have to be up at 6:00 for work, and others I can sleep until 8:00. And on the weekends, I seriously look forward to not having an alarm. But, for the most part, I'm making 8:00 my "regular" wake up time, and I can deal with that. I know that's not reasonable for a lot of people, but when I work from home and don't have be "at work" until 9:00, it's doable for me. And now that I'm off all this stuff, I've been waking up on my own about 9:00 on weekends anyway. So, I'm not straying too far.

I have to say, I do feel better. I still have a terrible time falling asleep. Like some nights it takes me 3 hours. But I do sleep some. And I've gone through this thing of having crazy nightmares every time I do sleep. (Which, again, doesn't really make one motivated to fall asleep!) I think because Ambien tends to prevent one from dreaming. So, I've got it all backed up or something.

But I'm proud of myself for sticking with it, and for the progress I'm making. I haven't slept without something, even if just a melatonin or 1/2 a Unisom, for years. And now I'm taking nothing. Yay me!

Toficken, or Seiticken, or ummm...Well, it's just NOT chicken.

2011-09-17T13:54:00.001-05:00

I tried another vegan meat substitute the other day, and I wanted to share the results. What I used was West Soy Chicken Style Seitan. I'm providing a link, just so you can see what it looks like in the package, but this is not where I got mine. I got it at Whole Foods, and I didn't pay that much for it.

Anyway, we like a lot of stir-fry type dishes, and R's favorite is Pad Thai, which he actually makes more often than I do, and he does an awesome job. We usually use chicken, but sometimes use cubed firm tofu. We decided to try the chicken substitute this time.

The verdict? Well, it looks like chicken. It comes out of the package in pieces that look just like shredded white meat chicken. And it tasted okay. Not exactly like chicken. I think what bothered me was that the texture was a little rubbery. Not bad, but definitely not chicken.

I asked R, if he had not known it wasn't chicken, would he be able to tell? And he said no, probably not. But I think I would have known.

My opinion is, I still prefer to just not eat meat at all, than to eat fake meat. I'd rather have the cubed tofu, or even just have the rice or noodles with veggies, and not try to pretend I'm eating chicken if I'm not.

Also, I'd like to share that I was driving to the store this week and seriously craving meat. I was thinking of all the types of meat I might like to buy, hamburger, chicken, a nice beef roast...When I drove right up on a chicken truck. And I was stuck behind it, following all those pathetic looking chickens. Dirty, crammed in their cages, staring at me with their beady eyes. And I just thought, ugh, I cannot eat one now. EG doesn't eat poultry for this very reason. She just thinks it's gross.

Then I passed the truck, and I swear, came upon a pick up with the back full of goats, and a TURKEY. It was a conspiracy, I tell ya. I got to the store and bought some tofu.

It Sneaks Up On You

2011-09-11T10:16:00.003-05:00

Maybe I'm talking about the days - and how the weeks fly by and if you aren't paying attention - and before you know you've lost track of an entire month.

Or maybe I'm talking about the meals - and how summer turns into Ice Cream Fest '11! Or how bad habits pile on top of each other. And how one bad food choice can lead to another one - and soon you are having daily "treats" or "cheats".

But really - it's all of these and more. We used to have a yearly wellness exam that would occur at our workplace - it included all the blood numbers and helped you to reflect on your daily choices and how they add up to changes that you can't see. And then our insurance changed - like 2 years ago. So for 2 years I have lacked this formal self-reflection.

So I finally broke down and went to see my primary doc. Who greeted me with these words...

Dr: So, Regina I have not seen you in almost 2 years. I see you've gained 20+ (I blacked out the real number) pounds since I last saw you.

R: Ouch.

I'm awaiting the results from the blood work - but with cold hard facts like 20+ pounds...I'd be a fool to think they will be good. But this is kind of how it happens - the weight (the budget, the days) just sneak up on you and then you are kind of floored about how you got so far off track.

And I want to believe that it doesn't require a boot camp to get back on track - but regular doses of intentional choices - which sounds about as exhausting as boot camp - only it never ends. So while I await the dreaded numbers - I'll see if I can't start to get back on track with some good choices. I'm not sure that a yearly look at the numbers will be enough to keep me on track - it would seem that quarterly check-ins would be more regular to maintain the focus. How do you keep your focus? What keeps you going?

Tempeh and Gardein and Daikon! Oh My!

2011-08-28T17:06:00.000-05:00

I usually post my Project 52 updates on my other blog. (Well, honestly, I usually don't post my project 52 updates, but whatevs.) However, I met a goal from my list that seemed more suited to this blog, so I'm sharing about it here.

22. Visit Whole Foods and buy some vegan meat alternatives.

My mom visited recently, and she is exploring a mostly vegan, mostly organic, mostly raw food diet. (I know, right?) She asked me if my local Wal-mart Supercenter has much organic food, and (after I laughed) I told her it has some, but not a lot.

Then I remembered that I'd put this goal on my list, and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to make the trip. I knew she would enjoy this outing much more than R would, and it would allow us to get more things that would fit into her diet.

And Whole Foods is awesome you guys. It's expensive. But they give out a lot of free samples, so maybe it evens out. It just made me happy to be in there. Whole different sort of people than my local Supercenter I'm planning to go more often, whenever I'm in that area.

So, one of my main objectives on this trip was to purchase a variety of Gardein products, because I've heard Ellen DeGeneres talk so much about them, and they are not available within a 60 mile radius of my home. I had more trouble finding them than I thought. So, just FYI, if you're looking, there are a lot in the frozen section, but there were some items in other sections too. I sort of thought there would be like a "Gardein Area" but there was not.

Anyway, the only item I/we have tried so far from that lot is the Boneless Buffalo Wingish Thingies (not the official name). And honestly, I wasn't much impressed. They looked like chicken. I'll give them that. But taste like chicken? Not so much. They didn't taste bad. Just not like chicken.

R did eat them though. But there isn't much he won't eat. Brussels sprouts. He won't eat them.

So, anyway, we have a couple more products to try, including some tempeh that is supposed to mimic ground beef and some chickenish kind. But so far, I'm more leaning into the vegan diet by eating actual real non-meat foods. Like beans, nuts, grains, veggies, etc... I'd rather eat a real bean than a fake wing.

That said, we did try one of the recipes from The Kind Diet while Mom was here. Mostly. It was for a vegan stir-fry, so it was sort of a "make it up as we go" thing more so than strict recipe following. But, at Ms. Silverstone's suggestion, we used organic brown rice and some organic daikon and leeks we had picked up at Whole Foods. And it was good!

Leeks aren't that exotic, but I'd never cooked with them. They are a lot like giant green onions I think. The daikon I'd never heard of before reading the book. It's a white root, and it tastes kind of like a mild radish. Only bigger. And apparently you are too cook them, rather than eat them in your salad.

So there ya go. My trip to Whole Foods, and my first adventures in vegan cooking. Daikon and leeks are a go. Fake meat substitutes, so far, not getting my vote.

(Oh, and you might notice my ticker has gone down a couple more pounds! I don't honestly know what to attribute this to exactly. Swimming a lot? Eating less meat? Either way, I'll take it!)

Diets Can Make You CRAZY!

2011-08-18T18:53:00.003-05:00

Of course, I am not speaking from experience - as you can see from my ticker (which is moving in the WRONG direction) - I am CLEARLY NOT on a "diet".

However, recently, I have decided to torture my dog - oh, I mean - improve the health of my dogs by adjusting their food servings based on the weight they SHOULD be. It's not shocking that we quickly found we were overfeeding. Isn't this a big part of many of our weight problems? It's not WHAT we eat - but that we've been eating 2.5 servings per meal.

So, we began adjusting their food. For one of our poochies - this meant only getting 1/2 CUP of food for the whole day. I swore they were going to starve. And they agreed. They would quickly devour their food and then look at you like you were insane - they even developed some mind games to try to trick different family members to believe that they had not yet been fed.

The good news? No one starved to death. Their energy increased. Our oldest dog even has the energy to toss her food around and pretend like it is alive. They've played more and they've actually lost weight. Well, ONE of them lost weight.

I discovered just the other day - that the OTHER dog - who shall remain unnamed - may have been caught sneaking food out of the dog container. I couldn't figure out why she looked heavier, but clearly - she's been snacking! (let this be a reminder that good meal servings can be sabotaged by snacking)

So while most of the results were good - I did notice that the dogs were flirting with insanity. When it is food time - it is FOOD TIME! There is no joking around. There is no distraction that can take their mind off of it....they will rip your hand off if you offer them a grape, a shred of lettuce, or heaven forbid - a dog treat! Food is very serious business to a dieting dog and they may paw your leg until you bleed if you don't take the hint.

Still hoping to find the "diet" that doesn't inspire insanity....(for me and the dogs).

(Dogs pictured are not mine - when mine are crazy there is no time to grab a camera!)

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

2011-08-06T20:38:00.002-05:00

You may or may not know that Clueless is one of my all time favorite movies. You also may or may not know that my mom shares this love. And that we both admire Alicia Silverstone.

I knew that Mom was going to a book signing to hear Alicia speak, but I had no idea this was coming to me in the mail:

"As if!"

I teared up a little when I opened it.

Anyway, I haven't finished the book yet, but I did finish the "meat" of it (ha ha! That was a little vegan humor). So I feel like I have enough information to share my review of the book. I haven't started reading (let alone cooking) any of the recipes yet. That will be a post for a future week.

Let me start by saying I am not vegan. I'm not even vegetarian exactly. I've said for years that I could pretty easily give up meat though. I just don't eat much of it when left to my own devices. But I do love cheese. Mmmmm....cheeeeeessseee...

And I do love animals. So, the meat-eating thing is something that bothers me if I think too much about it. I generally prefer my meat to be as far from looking like actual meat as possible. I'd much rather have pepperoni say, than a pork chop. I'd eat a hot dog over a steak any day. I don't like cooking meat, and when I do eat meat I'm really particular about picking out any "weird things" that might be in it. Like say gristle and fat and stuff. Anything that would remind me that this thing I'm eating was alive once.

So, I went into reading this book with already having the attitude that meat eating is something I'm not terribly keen on. Though I was clinging to my cheese for dear life.

I do share Alicia's views on kindness to animals, saving the planet, being green, and so on also. I have heard that giving up meat is one of the best things we can do for the planet, because of the energy and resources used in meat production, and because of the waste it produces. But I didn't know the full details before reading this book.

She also has some thought provoking things to say about dairy. I guess my theory has always been, no animal had to die for me to eat this cheese. Cheese is okay.

She says it's not. In fact, she says the dairy and egg industries are more cruel to animals than the meat industry. I'll spare you the details. Mostly because I'm not quite ready to fully face it myself.

She also says that there is a reason many people say, "I could give up meat easily, but I can't give up cheese." (How did she know?) There is a chemical is cheese, and all dairy products, called casein. Casein breaks down in our bodies into a morphine like substance. So it makes us feel really good. Like a drug. Cheese is addictive basically.

Who knew?

I'm still not quite ready to give it up. But I'm leaning toward eating less for now.

While I embrace most of the concepts discussed in the book, it left me with this feeling like I really don't know what I should eat now. Kind of like the movie Food Inc. Did you guys see that movie? It started out talking about how bad the meat and dairy industries are. Then it goes on to explain about genetically modified corn and soybeans. And it left me thinking, "What on earth CAN I eat?!"

This book lists these "top five vegetables"
kabocha squash
leeks
leafy greens
daikon
burdock

Okay, at least I know what a leek IS. Though I am not sure I've ever eaten one. I know for darn sure I've never purchased and cooked one. I have no clue what kabocha squash, daikon, and burdock are. (Neither does spell check.) Let alone where to purchase them in my rural Midwestern town.

And I thought I was cool with the "leafy greens." Until I realized she doesn't mean lettuce. She even specifically says spinach isn't great for us. I mean, if spinach isn't healthy, what else is there?! (FYI, it's because it contains oxalic acid, which interferes with calcium absorption.)

She goes on later to say potatoes aren't great either. Which isn't as big a shock to me. But seriously, if I'm giving up meat and cheese, can I at least still eat potatoes? Apparently I'm supposed to be eating a lot of "sea vegetables" instead. Which, again, aren't abundant in Missouri.

In Ms. Silverstone's defense, she does spell out three levels of embracing The Kind Diet: flirting, going vegan, and becoming a super hero. So I guess I'm deep in the flirting stage.

I'll keep you all posted on any recipes I try from the book, and my continued thoughts on being "kind." Because I do believe that "anything you can do to draw attention to your mouth is good."

Alert the Media

2011-07-27T18:20:00.002-05:00

I may have figured out the only good thing about this heat.

My interest in food is pretty much extinct.

I'm finding the idea of most food pretty repulsive. Cereal for supper sounds reasonable. I am thinking of starting a smoothie diet. (with yogurt not ice cream-for the record)

In my new job, in our new building - with no central A/C - I am showering in the morning (as is my normal routine) and then 10 minutes into my day - I'm wondering why I even bothered with make-up, hygiene or hair styling.

I'm trying to make the most of this momentary "break-up" with food. I figure that even if I am eating odd foods - if I focus on limiting sugar, boosting fiber and focusing on calorie free drinks - then I hope to make some progress with the scale. Sadly, I can not bring myself to embrace salads. I'm kind of gagging just thinking about the idea of eating one. Yuck.

Do you find your diet changing with the heat?

Too Damn Hot

2011-07-22T13:00:00.005-05:00

Hot enough for ya!? Have we not heard that enough lately? Really it's at the point for me where it's almost too hot to even move. So this makes exercise a more than usual difficult thing. The air conditioner in our house has been on the fritz. The air conditioning guy told us last week that our central air is on it's last legs, so we have to make the major investment of buying a new one. The prices range from anywhere from $5,000 on the low end to $10,000 on the high end. I think we will settle for something in the middle. However, not having an extra $10,000 in my back pocket means a home improvment loan. This is not necessarily a bad thing. With the improvement of the new system we should see a good return in cost AND the home loan will enable us to get our screened in deck finished and the trees trimmed. So I guess I'm kinda down with this senerio and the air conditioning guy said he would keep our system running until the new one is in.

However, in my world there is no relief. The powers that be, here at work, seem to think it's a good idea to turn the air off over the weekends. Never mind that we have people here who work on the weekend and millions of dollars of equipment that need to be cooled. Anyway, when I come to the office on Monday it's almost unbareable to be at work and usually by Friday it's a normal temp. Except for this week. It's been pretty aweful all week and I have my fan on in my office pointing toward me. I know it could be worse, I could be in Iraq but you get used to what you get used to.

AND.. have you noticed that people are much more cranky because of the heat? I think I've had little arguements with at least 2-3 different people at work.

So to get back to my original thought. It's too damn hot to exercise. I'm doing yoga once a week and I have been outside playing with my son either early in the morning or in the evening. Isn't that enough for now? Somehow I still feel guilty that I'm not doing more but... IT'S TOO DAMN HOT!

Do You Know What Makes You Feel Good?

2011-07-11T17:52:00.002-05:00

I read an interesting quote in Yoga Journal the other day. I don't subscribe to this magazine, but it was in the quarter pile at the library, and I picked up an old issue. It was a bit too intensely yogish for me, but it was interesting to read for a change of pace.

Anyway, the quote was, "Researchers have found that humans are generally pretty bad at predicting what will make them feel good over time." The article was about how we always want more than we have, and we think having this one thing, or one life circumstance, or one person, will make us happy. Then once we achieve a goal, it doesn't take long before we're wanting the next thing.

But I thought a lot about it in terms of our physical well being. At any given moment, I probably would predict that sitting a little longer, sleeping a little later, eating another piece of chocolate, or having another Diet Coke would make me feel better. And in the short term, those things do make me feel better. But in the long term, taking a walk, going to a yoga class, eating some fresh fruit, and getting out of bed on time make me a happier person.

Why is it so hard to make those positive choices that will make us feel good in the long run? Why are our bodies and minds created so that the easy choice, the choice we instinctively want to make, is the one that's ultimately bad for us? I'm sure it has something to do with prehistoric man needing to roam the earth fighting mastodons. But I don't run across many mastodons in my day to day life. Do you?

Come on human body, evolve already!

Anyway, it's been something to ponder. Whether a choice will make me feel good in the moment, or in the long run. What things always make you feel good in the long run?

(Lest you think I'm being too hard on Yoga Journal, take a look at this pose. An entire eight page article in this issue is devoted to how to properly do this pose. It's called Parivrttaikapada Sirsasana, or "revolved split-legged headstand." No thank you.)

Have You Met Me?

2011-07-06T18:39:00.003-05:00

I've been lying to myself - and to you too. I keep coming up with "action plans" that are not true to myself. I'm not feeling the focus on weight loss. Don't get me wrong - I still want the number to shrink, I'm just lacking action. You could describe my current plan as "let's try to be healthy-ish and not get any worse". How many times have I told you I was going to keep a food journal? Total lie. Okay, so maybe I MEANT it every time I said it. But I clearly am not following through.

I have tried Sparks. I have tried paper. I have tried some cool app on my phone where you take a picture of the bar code and it automatically knows all the nutrition info about that food (great app if you eat food with bar codes - I usually don't) - all of these for one reason or another do not work for me.

I also keep saying that I will take my break in the fitness center. LIE. I paid my membership a year ago and I've not been there since. I don't take my break at work - so you can see the problem here. I have "Mom Guilt" at the end of my workday and don't want to spend an additional amount of time away from the kiddo. (I know, take care of yourself so you can take care of others. Blah. Blah.)

So, I'm going to stop acting like I haven't met myself - and I'm going to stop making the plan that I THINK I should be following. And I'm going to just start doing it my own way, k?

I will write nothing down. Let's face it - with a new job, job stress, and crazy life - I'm doing good to remember to EAT at work. Much less write it down. I'm going to CONTINUE to pack good food to eat at my desk. I will be BETTER at remembering to eat it. I do pledge to be MINDFUL when I am eating so that I don't accidentally devour a small village without noticing. (This will be more challenging at home than at work.) I will also limit the number of tempting foods that come INTO my house. I'm setting myself up for failure if I have ice cream, baked lays, and bagels all at my finger tips....see the calories adding up?

I will build exercise into something that I will actually DO. Right now, this means gardening (irregular as it is), swimming, occasional walks, and when desperation strikes - I will start what I shall coin the "TV Exercise Plan". I'll get up and move (in some random kind of way) during one commercial break per show. Small stuff adds up right?

Excuses, Excuses...

2011-07-01T12:27:00.003-05:00

Well here I am back with my second blog post in a row. I think I deserve a big ‘ol pat on the back for that! My diet is doing pretty good. I’ve lost about 5 pounds (in three weeks) and I feel healthier. I don’t have that bloated feeling like I used to have after eating. I try to stop eating once I feel full and take my time to eat. (example: we ordered pizza for dinner one night, instead of my usual 3-4 slices, I had 2 because I felt full after 2) I will say I’ve slipped now and then and had bread or bread product for lunch but nothing nearly as I have had before. I tried doing the salad thing but… here’s a TMI moment… it made me very gassy. I think I can do salad but just not every day and with a variety of dressings. I’ve really got to figure out a more diverse diet if I’m going to keep this up.

Here is my big problem with weight loss; I have no desire to exercise. In the past I really got into exercise and even enjoyed it a great deal. But I just don’t have a desire for working out right now. How does one get that desire or make themselves do the work? I think the diet part of things is going well because I’ve always been good at denying myself things. I was vegetarian for 8 years and had no problem doing it. I know it’s completely psychological and maybe I need to approach it from a different angle. I can be very self deprecating and unfortunately I see that trait forming in my son. So, I REALLY need to change my attitude before he gets as bad as me. On the exercise front I’ve been busy the last month with redecorating my bathroom and landscaping my backyard so that is a convenient excuse for not exercising as well.

July is a new month and really the start of my son’s summer vacation since he was in summer school all of June. So, the challenge of finding time to work out will be even greater now. I will also have to feed him lunch instead of doing my own thing on those weekdays we are at home together. So, I hope I don’t backslide on the diet either.

Anyway, any encouraging words or suggestions on how to get my butt motivated would be greatly appreciated. (Btw, I haven’t changed my weight loss ticker because I can’t remember my stupid password.)

Have a safe and happy 4th of July weekend!

Is This News to Anyone?

2011-06-23T19:27:00.000-05:00

I recently read an article in Good Housekeeping that says all that advice about getting up at the same time every day, even on weekends, is a bunch of hooey. They used to say you can't "catch up" on lost sleep by sleeping in on weekends. This new study has found that's not true.

Seems they allowed a group of people to sleep only four hours a night for five nights, and the participants were found to be less alert. (You don't say?) Then they allowed them to sleep up to 10 hours the sixth night. After a good night's sleep, the participants had large gains in alertness and reaction times. (Shocking!)

Is this news to anyone? Because I could have told them that I'm a completely different person when I'm allowed to sleep in. And we hear stuff all the time about not getting enough sleep being one cause of weight gain. I firmly believe that if I could just fall asleep and wake up according to my own bodily clock (which would mean going to bed about 1:00 a.m. or so and getting up around 11:00 the next morning), the world would be a happier place. Well, at least my world would be.

Alas, most of the world doesn't share my night owlish ways. And I find myself struggling to get enough sleep while getting up in time to make a living five days a week. So, my doctor has prescribed me various forms of sleeping pills. I'm telling you, I've tried them all. The only thing that's worked for me is Ambien. And it has some undesirable side effects (such as amnesia, but whatever... Who are you again?).

On my most recent visit, the doctor prescribed me something else. Something he said I hadn't actually tried yet. He warned me that it might make it difficult for me to get up in the morning. (Like I need anything making it harder for me to get up in the morning?) But he assured me I'd sleep through the night, which is something I swear I haven't done like since I was a child.

It was Trazodone. 100-200 mg. And I'm here to tell you, my advice for you is, do not take this. EVER.

He told me to take one to two pills at bedtime. So I started with one the first night. And I laid awake for hours. Then I finally did fall asleep, and slept like a log until 11:30 the next morning. At which point I got out of bed, made my way to the couch, and there I stayed the rest of the day. (This was a Saturday, thankfully.)

Since I didn't have so much luck with the falling asleep on one pill, I took two the following night. And I still laid awake for hours. I was making R as miserable as I was, and I finally broke down and took an Ambien on top of what I'd already taken. (Which I am by no means endorsing. As you will soon read.)

I slept. I slept until after 1:00 Sunday afternoon. When I woke up and spent the next hour sicker than I've ever been in my life. R wanted to take me to the doctor. I refused to leave the bathroom floor.

When I finally could stand of my own accord, I made my way to the couch, and that's where I spent the remainder of Sunday. I didn't feel sick anymore. I just didn't feel much like moving either.

So, I shoved those pills in the back of the medicine cabinet, and I'm back to Ambien. Some nights I only take a 1/2 pill. And if I have more than two days off work in a row, I can get by without any, assuming I'm free to stay up as late as I wish, then sleep as late as I wish.

Anyway, I'm telling you, if you have the same issues I have, don't take Trazodone. Run far away. While you can still run.

PEZ is NOT a Food Group

2011-06-17T07:39:00.010-05:00

When it comes to food - I have a one track mind.

Which CAN be good...... you know, if I'm stuck on something like my favorite baked oatmeal, or if I happen to be on a kick where I can't get enough salad.

But if something happens and my taste buds are yelling out for something like pizza, or ice cream, or bagels, or something equally as evil - that's a recipe for disaster. See the thing is that when I HAVE these things that I crave it's not enough to have them ONCE. I like to have them again and again.

So it was dangerous times when I found PEZ as I was checking out at my favorite local store. I LOVE PEZ. I remember getting it as a child - always with one of those silly character tubes. My brother and I would keep a watchful eye on each others inventory - we didn't want to finish too soon (and have the other still enjoying their treat). But you also did not want to let it linger around too long - or it might be hijacked by some nearby family member (or dog) when you got distracted. Heaven forbid you EVER lose the PEZ dispenser in a coat pocket or purse or under the seat in the car - you would want to KNOW that at least there was no precious PEZ left in it.

So there is a stack of PEZ. Not the crappy packages that have 3 Lemon packs and Orange packs. NOPE. We are talking prime 100% quality flavor PEZ packs - strawberry, raspberry, grape, oh my!

I'm an adult. I can buy candy. I can control myself. Right?

Well, here is a clue. IF after buying large quantities of PEZ candies - you instantly begin thinking of where you can stash them (glove compartment, work bag, in my desk - never ON the desk, but hidden in the lower drawers, the top shelf of the spice cabinet) - well then, you MAY have a problem.

I would like to say that this is the end of my sugar addiction story- but it is not. Shortly after that there were holidays - the kind that involve candy sales and more importantly - AFTER holiday candy sales. Where one could pick up a whole box of Fun Dip for like $.75. So I bought them all.

I consumed them in record (crazy-obsessed) time. The logic (or lack of) still is hard to comprehend. I seldom drink a soda - a single serving soda - because of the huge amount of sugar involved. But here I was eating 3-4 Fun Dip packages in one sitting.

Clearly, I can not be trusted. Also, I may or may not be the basis for Dr. Oz's recent topics of sugar as a highly addictive drug.

I'm happy to say that I've been Fun Dip free for a few months now. I did however, just find my secret stash of PEZ in the glove box last week. I haven't opened the package. I can savor it as long as the seal isn't broken - but I'm sure that once I take it from it's safe container - their outlook will not be good. I'd give them 48 hours.

Do you have a sugar addiction? Is it one food group? Do you find that indulging once leads to a stronger craving? And have you found a way to enjoy your favorite foods without needing a rehab vacation to recover?

Elizabeth's Back!

2011-06-10T10:06:00.004-05:00

My Turn! Well many of you... well, some of you... well, maybe one or two of you, may be wondering why I haven’t posted since January of 2010. Yeah, I know unbelievable and inexcusable. To put it in summer concert terms, life in 2010 was pretty much a Crap Fest. Yes, I said Crap Fest 2010, with a capitol C and a big ‘ol fest! This has a great deal to do with why I didn’t post or have anything weight wise to post about. My exercise and eating habits went completely out the door. I can proudly announce that I didn’t gain any weight but I certainly didn’t lose any either. I pretty much stayed where I was. (Considering the 5 deaths of friends and family, my dog getting brain cancer and dying on Christmas Eve, my job being cut and several friends losing their jobs as well.) I think no change in weight was a great accomplishment. Although when I look in the mirror I can see the stress and strain of the past year, which is why I’ve rededicated myself to a new regime of eating healthier and exercise.

One of my big food loves is bread or really any starchy food. For the past week I’ve cut out eating any starchy foods during the day (Breakfast and lunch) eating mostly veggies and fruit. For dinner I eat a normal meal with my beloved starchy foods on the menu. As far as my exercise routine… well my intentions were good but my body did not comply. I fell last Thursday and fractured my pinky and scraped up my knee really bad. So riding my bike, which is my favorite form of exercise, has been left in the garage. I know I could probably walk but motivation has left the building without me.

I’m really hoping that getting back into blogging again (with two fingers and a thumb on my left hand) will keep me honest with myself and do the things I’ve been neglecting to do for the past year and a half. My God! It’s really been a year and a half! Kick me in the ass if I haven’t blogged again in 3 weeks. Seriously!

How Can I Keep My Job from Making Me Fat?

2011-05-30T17:08:00.000-05:00

I've been pondering today why healthy living is so much easier for me on weekends/vacations. Seriously, I've been off work for three glorious days, and I've happily eaten normal portions of healthy foods (okay, a small amount of cake, but I swear, normal portions of cake, and only once per day). I've also managed to do some form of exercise each day. Maybe not a full on workout, but I push mowed the yard, went for a long walk, and did some yoga.

Do you think I'll be able to keep it up once tomorrow comes around? I hope so, but I'm not holding my breath.

And this is my list of ~~excuses~~ reasons:
1. Lack of sleep makes people fat. It's been proven. And I'm so not a morning person. Work day means alarm clock day, and that means I didn't get enough sleep.
2. Stress. Work is stressful. I eat more, and make less healthy food choices, when stressed.
3. I travel a lot for work. And I realized today, not only does this mean that I end up grabbing something at the quick store or a fast food option, but it also means I eat more in the morning, because I'm trying to keep myself from being hungry later.
4. Working all day means I usually don't have time or energy for exercise.
5. Stress. I know I said that already, but I think it bears repeating.

So, what am I going to do about it?

1. I don't know about the sleep thing. I just don't do well when I have to get up early. Left completely on my own, I'd go to bed about 1:00 a.m. and sleep until about 10:00 every morning. My work schedule can be somewhat flexible sometimes, but I don't think an 11:00 to 7:00 schedule all the time would make my boss or my boyfriend very happy with me. But maybe I could get away with it sometimes?

2. I'm still pondering whether the amount of stress my job causes me means I need a new job. Or whether I just don't do well working. Or whether everyone's job is stressful, and that's just life? But I suppose I can take some steps to lessen my stress. Stop and take deep breaths more often. Get up from the computer for a few minutes every hour. Try not to expect people to be sane?

3. On the eating on the road thing...I guess I should probably stop eating more in anticipation of maybe being hungry later. That's kind of silly. Plus, I could pack a little cooler with healthier snack and meal alternatives.

4. Once upon a time I had a plan of doing little five minute bursts of exercise during my work day. A few push ups here, dancing wildly to the radio there. In my defense, my work duties changed so that I'm very rarely actually in my home office anymore. But I'm hopeful that things will calm down soon, and then I can start this up again. And I do get a 30 minute lunch break. Now that the weather is nice, I could take a short walk during that time and still eat a sandwich.

5. It just all comes back to the stress for me. And I'm not doing so well handling it. But hopefully it will get better.

What do you do to minimize the stress in your job?

It's On My List

2011-05-24T14:39:00.007-05:00

Dear Readers,

I have been away for a long time. You were on my mind more than I can begin to express. You should know that the guilt of my silence has weighed heavy on my scale- and my mind.

I wish I could tell you that I was off solving the worlds problems. Or was so busy shedding pounds that I couldn't sit long enough to type. Or that I found a way to sleep the pounds away. Or that I discovered a way to make TV viewing a cardio event..... Alas, I did not. I was not.

I stepped on the scale this morning for the first time in a long time. And I quickly remembered why I have a love / hate relationship with the scale. He says ugly things...and that is no way to start the day.

But if you are still out there. And you are still on this journey, I wanted you to know that I am too. So with this message - I can cross this (Must Let Bloggers Know I Have Not Yet Become A Super Model Skinny Bitch) off my list. Let's get back to business, mmm'k?

Like Stuffing Ice Cream in a Baby

2011-04-02T11:36:00.000-05:00

The other day I witnessed something pretty disturbing. I was in the presence of a fussy toddler, and her mother kept shoving food at her every time she'd cry. And junk food at that, ice cream, cookies, chips.

Now, I know it's frustrating when babies won't stop crying. And I know it's hard to be a mother. But I also know that our relationships with food are formed very early in life. And what this child was learning was, "When I'm upset, I'm supposed to eat junk food."

And it wasn't even really working. She'd eat the food, then she'd scream more. And then it got to where she would turn away from the food. But her mother kept trying to give it to her.

Cry.

Eat junk food.

Repeat.

Feel bad anyway.

Get fat.

Feel worse.

It's interesting to me that when R and I are responsible for feeding his daughter, I make an effort to feed her healthy foods. I make sure she has a vegetable. We eat at the dining table like human beings. Yet I'm responsible for feeding myself all the time, and I don't always make good choices. And I eat dinner in front of the television every night.

It's easy to see patterns when it involves someone else. And it's easy to know what to do to fix it. But when it's yourself, somehow it's much harder.

Another Reason to Take Baby Steps

2011-03-21T14:27:00.000-05:00

(I forgot to include my little daisy icon last time I posted. Sorry!) Several times in my long and illustrious weight loss career (stop laughing) I've had an experience where I got all gung ho and jumped in full force with a big exercise regimen. And then I got sick and stopped.

While I know for sure that this is a real phenomena in my own body, I'd never realized there is an actual scientific reason for it. I didn't even realize it happens to other people. I thought it was just me and my out of shape self.

Then I read an article the other day about how doing extreme amounts of exercise does, in fact, suppress the immune system. Thus, making one more likely to suddenly get sick. (And in my case, give up the exercise.)

Here's an article about it.

Turns out that even athletes, who are used to vigorous exercise, often experience this immune system suppression when they drastically increase the level of intensity of their work outs. So, I'm just saying, for lil' ol' me, who's used to sitting 16 hours a day, suddenly walking three miles five days a week is a major increase.

So, I'm taking it as another argument for making changes to one's health habits a little at a time. And this is why I started walking again a few weeks ago, and just did a couple blocks for a few days. Then I added another block or two every week or so. (No, it's not because I'm lazy. Or because I'm just that out of shape. Well, maybe that's part of it.)

Today I did about 20 minutes all together. Yes, that seems small, but it's a start. And I don't want to get sick!

The Dog Who Shares My Walks

2011-03-20T16:43:00.000-05:00

No, it's not one of my own dogs. Usually.

See, Daisy is a puller. And Daisy is freakishly strong.

Rudy doesn't pull much. And if he did pull, he's pretty little, so it's not like it's a big deal to keep him under control. He used to flop around at the end of his leash like a fish, but he got over that.

Anyway, I feel bad that I don't take them when I walk. And I know there are things you can do to teach dogs how to walk properly. (EG just had a puppy graduate at the top of her obedience school class, so she assures me, it can be done.) But when I just want a nice walk, it's too stressful to take a dog who's likely to drag me through a neighbor's yard against my will.

So, I go it alone a lot of times. And when I do that, there is a neighbor dog who often joins me. He's a very sweet yellow lab, and when he sees me nearing his house, he runs out to greet me. We have some petting and ear scratching time, and when he's done with that, he takes off walking, looking behind to make sure I'm following.

We'll walk on that way, and every once in a while he'll stop and ask for more ear scratches, and I'm happy to oblige. When I turn back towards home, and we get close to his house, he'll trot off back from whence he came. It's very neighborly.

I hadn't been walking much lately, so I hadn't seen him for a while. But today when I went out for a stroll, there he came, running out to greet me, tail wagging. We did our thing for a few steps, but then something happened.

Someone started yelling for him. I didn't understand the name that was being called, but clearly, he did. He immediately took off running for home, without so much as a wave of his paw.

I watched him racing toward the chain-link fence surrounding his back yard, and I had a moment of thinking, "Oh, dear. He's trying so hard to be good and go home, but he's confused as to how to get inside the fence."

Wrong.

I watched this big yellow lab climb a chain link fence. Just moseyed up to it, and paw over paw, climbed it as easily as you or I would climb a ladder. Probably more easily.

I'm so glad my dogs don't know how to do that!

Why Did Everything Get so Hard?

2011-03-06T16:36:00.001-06:00

I don't know what happened to me, but my whole plan of just relaxing and letting the pounds fall off isn't going great. Somehow the relaxed philosophy that was working so well for me has turned into stress the F*&# out and watch the pounds pour back on.

Work got a little crazy. I spent more days on the road than I'd like, and that led to being tired and pissy and eating to make myself feel better.

I did go to yoga this week, but I hadn't been in three weeks. And it was hard. Really hard. And this was the "gentle yoga" class. Ugh.

The weather is warming up though, so I'm trying to get back into walking to the end of the road and back during the day. Maybe that will help.

I actually like cold weather and winter, but even I was getting tired of the snow and the freezing temperatures and no sunshine. I'm hoping that spring arriving will put a "spring" back in my step.

How have you been doing?

Snowing and Sniffling My Way to Fitness

2011-01-20T18:03:00.000-06:00

I'm still here. Me, Janet, of the pink daisy icon. My fitness efforts have been somewhat sidelined by massive snow storms (yes, stormS, plural) and a nasty sinus infection. So, when I've felt like making it to yoga or going for a walk, the weather hasn't necessarily been cooperating.

I finally went to the doctor, after my "cold" had been hanging around (unwelcomely) for 2 1/2 weeks, and I found out it was a sinus infection. I've been on antibiotics for just two days now, and I'm feeling much better already. It's easy to forget what "well" feels like when one is sick for so long. Breathing is awesome.

I have gone to yoga twice since I posted last. I didn't feel great, and it was a struggle, but I went. I have to constantly remind myself that I never regret going to yoga. No matter how awful I feel or how badly I want to stay home, I always feel better after yoga. Usually I feel better during yoga.

I have been sticking diligently to staying OFF a diet and following my new mantra, "Eat what you want when you're hungry. Feel what you feel when you're not." I'm mostly doing pretty well. I've had a couple instances of eating more than I knew I physically needed, then feeling bad (physically) afterward. But not too many times.

Mostly I'm starting to learn when my body wants an orange and when it wants oatmeal. Sometimes it wants Girl Scout cookies, and I've let it happen. But when it's not a "treat" or a "punishment" I only eat one or two. There have even been some times when I've stood in the kitchen looking here and there for what my body might want, only to ultimately decide, what it wants is water. Go figure.

What has your body wanted to be fed lately?

Not -So Steller Start

2011-01-07T18:04:00.006-06:00

In keeping with our system to end author confusion - the star girl will always be me, Regina.

This week I was successful 6 days in wearing my pedometer. And as I would have suspected, my steps per day are way too low.

I was completely NOT successful at dragging myself away from my desk and into the fitness center - which, to review...is right across the hallway. Boo, hiss - bad girl. I know. There are some free Zumba classes going on this month. And as additional motivation -several of my new co-workers are involved in fitness challenges OR are looking for a buddy to attend aqua aerobics or other classes with them....so it seems that I should have plenty of excuses to get with it.

I also did not transport my workout bag with me. Nor did I designate the play-list that will make me shake my groove thing while I am on the treadmill --or maybe that music will just help to distract me.

I've had a lingering headache with some random waves of nausea this week. Generally these feelings don't motivate me to get up and move about a bunch. But I'm sure this will pass and then I'll have to get serious.

On a good note. I had not weighed in for a long, long time. Regardless of feeling like I had overindulged during the holidays - I found that my weight was surprisingly very close to the same place I last found it--I think this is confirmation that if I continue what I am currently doing - I will not see a decrease in my weight. (duh, I know) But also that I seem to be at a natural plateau.

And while I would LOVE to see a smaller number on the scale (or on my jean size) - I am also satisfied with an absolute limit that I will not exceed.

I will enter my pedometer numbers in some kind of chart form at the end of the week so I can track that progress. Also, I was not so good at the food journal - though I find the threat of recording everything helps me to think twice before devouring a treat. For Android users - I did find FatSecret Calorie Counter - it offers a barcode program where you can use your camera to read the nutritional info on things you eat. The first disadvantaged I noticed is that it is really hard to enter homemade food - which I'd rather eat than pre-packaged food, so I'm still searching for my perfect fit. I may just be a paper girl and that's okay too.

Hope your week was much more productive than mine...

Who's Who, My Pants, and Crazy Dancing

2011-01-04T17:38:00.000-06:00

I love that this blog is a collaboration and gives readers a look into the health and fitness journeys of more than one woman. We each have our own lifestyles, preferences, and struggles, and I hope you can relate to one or more of us as you follow our progress (or lack thereof!). But it has bothered me for a while that it seems to be confusing keeping straight whom is posting what. It says at the bottom of each posting "posted by..." but you won't see that until you're done reading a post, if you even notice it at all.

So, I've created the little pink daisy icon at the left, and I'll put that at the start of any post by me, Janet. Then you'll know who I am. Or something. I hope.

Anyway, I was saying the other day how I haven't updated my ticker in a while, partly because I'm refusing to step on the scale and let that number define how I feel about myself for that day. I know I'm making positive changes, however small. I will step on it eventually, but for now, no.

Regina suggested I create some new system of measuring progress, like how my pants feel. Well, this morning I tried on a pair of pants that I had picked up at a garage sale right toward the end of my previous job (late spring, early summer). They ended up being a little snug on me (you know how garage sale clothes buying goes), but I kept them, because they were cute, and I figured it was something to strive for. This morning, the pants fit. Just fine. Yay!

I'm fighting a little cold, so I haven't been doing much exercise. Plus, I've found that my new "work at home" job is awesome in a lot of ways, but not so much for squeezing in my lunchtime walks. Theoretically, I set my own schedule and could do whatever I wanted. But I find it works best for my life if I work 9-5. And I'm entitled to a 1/2 hour lunch, paid, so I tend to take that time to ummm...eat lunch.

But, I've realized that sitting at my computer for hours on end is sucky and not good for me, mentally or physically. And I've come upon my new workout plan. I'm trying to get up every hour or so and do some sort of little exercise. Today I danced wildly to one song on the radio (one perk of working alone is that no one can see me act crazy), did a set of lunges, did a few yoga stretches, and walked a short distance down the street when I went out to get the mail.

It's working for me in terms of schedule and mental focus. I'll keep you posted on how it works in terms of actual fitness results!

A Different New Year's Eve

2011-01-01T15:09:00.000-06:00

I spent my New Year's Eve differently than I usually do this year. Partly because I've been sick, so hanging out in public just didn't sound fun at all. We were home, on our sofa, snuggled with pups, playing Mario Kart and watching movies on Netflix. It was really kind of awesome. We toasted the new year and were in bed at like 12:05.

But the biggest difference was in what I ate. Or didn't eat. And what I resolved, or didn't resolve.

I cannot remember a New Year's Eve when I wasn't stuffing myself with every forbidden food on the planet, because TOMORROW starts the diet!!!! Every December 31st in memory, I've had that whole "Last Supper mentality" because I knew, after that date, I couldn't eat THAT food anymore.

I'm not thinking that way lately. I've been reading Women, Food, and God by Geneen Roth, and I just finished reading Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi. The messages behind both of these books have really started to sink in with me lately. There is no food that is forbidden. And making them forbidden is really the problem.

Geneen Roth says, "Eat what you want when you're hungry and feel what you feel when you're not." If we're eating food when we aren't physically hungry, we're trying to satisfy some other need. I do that a lot. And I haven't completely stopped doing it, but I'm trying to feel my feelings and at least be aware of when I'm trying to use food to make me feel better.

Portia de Rossi started down the path toward anorexia and bulimia because of unrealistic diets forced upon her as a child model. Once she stopped labeling foods as good or bad, and started giving her body what it really wanted at any given time, she reached a normal, healthy weight, easily. She even stopped going to the gym and started walking her dogs and riding horses instead. She made a comment in the book something like, "How often do you see fat people walking dogs? And how often do you see fat people on treadmills? Which one seems to be a healthier thing to do?"

I'm far from the end of my journey. And I haven't updated my ticker in a while, mainly because I know I'm making healthier choices for my body, and I don't want that number on that scale to make me feel good or bad about myself.

But I know this much. I didn't pig out last night. And I didn't diet this morning. And I feel really good about that.

Close Only Counts...

2010-12-30T16:08:00.002-06:00

Well, I settled into my new office (read as not temporary - really mine - 7 days a week - even if I'm not there) just in time for all the holiday parties and then a week long holiday break.

Aside from the obvious joy that is happening from having my own space with office equipment, real working drawers...and the joy that comes from having a job with no "stated" expiration date...and the joy of having new co-workers that mostly seem to enjoy me and I mostly enjoy...there is an additional benefit.

My new office is directly across the hall from the fitness center. If I am sitting at my computer, I am looking in the direction of it's doors. This could benefit me greatly - in the past (pre-chaos and disorder) I would take my "break" in the fitness center. However, I really hated to be there if anyone else was around. Because I like to the gym with the lights off. And I have a mild intolerance for non-preferred music / bad radio. And I generally don't want to be "nice" when I'm torturing myself on a treadmill.

So now I have a front row seat to the vacancy of the fitness center. And I have a daily reminder that is literally staring me in the face. And if that is not enough- I have my scale at home that has been taunting me lately.

So here is the plan:

1. Try to fit in desk push-ups 2 (hopefully 3) times a week. It will be hard as I have office mateS and no walls dividing us. And I refuse to have witnesses.

2. Take break in fitness center 3-4 times per week.

3. In order to make #2 happen - I must take my workout bag to work - fully stocked with shoes, socks, optional t-shirt, and things to make me not smelly at the end.

4. Also, as general motivation - I will need to create a play list for the occasion - perfectly timed for my 15 minute express workout. Nothing worse than flipping songs / artists in the midst of my focus.

5. I shall recommit my relationship with my pedometer. I will track my progress (it has a 1 week memory) but I'd like to be able to see the progress.

6. Ugh. As much as I HATE, HATE, HATE the food journal - I've got to do something to keep the eating present in my mind. I did sign up for the Sparks People app - I may default to paper, b/c so far, I'm mostly annoyed by it's "preset menu". I'm looking for a tracking application - not so interested in them telling me what to eat. Suggestions welcomed (android apps only).

Have you set your goals? More important do you have a plan to get there?

The Professional Bra Fitting

2010-12-29T18:26:00.000-06:00

You know how Oprah is always doing her "bra interventions"? And saying that something like 85% of women are wearing the wrong size bra? And then people come out for their "after" shot, and they look like they've lost 15 pounds?

Well, I have insane breasts. I know I do. I've always known I do. And so far, I've managed to squeeze them into sizes that are available in major department stores, if not the local Target or Wal-mart. But I had a feeling I was wearing the wrong size.

I live in a small town, so bra options are few and far between (unlike my breasts, which are abundant, with no space between). But the other day I was in a larger town for work, and I happened to pass a little specialty lingerie shop advertising "custom bra fittings." I decided, what the heck? And I went in.

The woman informed me that there was a $15 fee, which would go toward my purchase, should I choose to make one. I decided to go for it.

She asked what size I thought I was, and I told her...38 DDD...but that I was pretty sure that wasn't right. She asked me to take off my coat and turn around. She looked at my back, and ran her hand over the back of my bra, and then led me to a dressing room.

She brought bra after bra, and explained to me things I never knew about bras. And the verdict? Are you sitting down? I was right on the 38 part. Not so much on the letters. Turns out, I'm an H. As as, E, F, G, H. I didn't know they made bras in H's. But they do, and they had several. Apparently this size is also known as FF. So now you know.

And would you believe, the one I ended up buying is a push up?! Could you die? I mean, I've long avoided anything with any additional padding and/or pushing. But really, when she put me in it, and I saw how the girls stood up at attention, far away from their natural place somewhere closer to my waist, I knew that was the one. It was more money than I've ever paid for a bra. But hey, it was $15 off, right?

I'll warn you, this bra fitting deal is not for the modest. The woman started out being pretty hands-off and telling me how to do various things, but before long she had her hands inside my brashuffling my parts around where she thought they needed to be. And she began to freely enter and exit the fitting room, whether I was clothed or not. (R liked this story very much, until I made it clear she was old, and very overweight. And there wasn't anyone else in the store most of the time, but still.)

Anyway, in case you are interested, the one I got is by Elomi and you can get one here if you'd like. (That's not the right size, or the color I got, but you get the point.)

I also got this Barely There shaping tank, which I'm loving! (And holy cow, that price on Amazon is way less than I paid. I may need to buy more!) I've tried shape wear on the lower half before, but really, it's my upper half that needs shaping. And this goes over the bra, and makes me look a bit smaller. And it's comfortable.

A few other tips this woman gave me, that I'll share with all of you:

A new bra should fit best with the straps on a looser setting, and with the back on the outside hooks. Then, as you wear and wash the bra, it will loosen up, and you can tighten the straps and the back. If you start out on the tightest settings, there's nowhere else to go. (Good advice!) Who knew?

You should lean forward when putting on your bra, to get the girls settled into their proper place. She encouraged me then to reach inside the bra, and pull each boob up and toward the middle. Then you should pull the back down and pull the straps in toward your neck. She said this would keep my neck and shoulders from hurting so much, as it pulls the supporting part more to the middle.

She also told me this big hullabaloo about how wearing a proper fitting bra, that compresses the breasts, will eventually help them "learn" to stay in and up. I'm not sure I buy that. But my girls could use some movement towards "in" and "up" so whatever. We'll give it a shot.

So, my hope for you all in the new year is that you'll make a resolution that's easy to keep, and will help you feel instantly better about yourself, and get a professional bra fitting! I'm not sure I look 15 pounds lighter, but I do have a more defined waist. And that's worth something.

(Nobody is paying me to endorse either this bra or this tank thingy. But if you do click on those Amazon links and end up buying something, I might get like 4 cents.)

My Old Job Was Making Me Fat

2010-12-18T17:19:00.000-06:00

I've posted before about how I thought my old job was making me fat. And about how I've lost three pounds (or more?) since being laid off. Well, I had a chance (or the misfortune, or the horrifying experience) of testing my theory once more this past week.

See, someone decided to plan a reunion Christmas party. And I decided to go. Against my better judgement.

It was everything I feared it would be. It was awkward. It was uncomfortable. It was nerve wracking and awful. It was tense and bitter.

Or maybe that was just me?

I don't think so. Because most people arrived late and left early.

Anyway, the point is, it was terrible, but the food was really good. Mostly. And I found myself in the midst of this bizarre social/dietary experiment in which I STUFFED myself for no good reason other than being really uncomfortable and wanting to escape. Or something.

I filled my plate once, along with everyone else. And I ate every bite. Then everyone else got up and got a second plate. And I was full. I knew I was full. But I got up and filled my plate a second time. And I ate every bite again.

Then I felt sick. Then someone brought out dessert. And it wasn't even good dessert. But So and So had made the dessert, and I was afraid So and So would be upset if I didn't eat her dessert. So I ate a plate.

It wasn't even good. And I was full to the point of feeling miserable. But I guess the physical miserableness was easier to bear than the psychological miserableness. So I ate and ate and ate.

And I sat there thinking, "Why am I doing this? I'm not hungry. I'm stuffed. But I'm going to keep eating."

I knew exactly what I was doing. Which maybe is progress in some way. Considering I'd worked with most of these people for years, I'm sure I did this sort of thing to myself on a regular basis. Maybe not to that extent, but still.

The good news is, I had a Christmas party with my new co-workers later in the week, and it was great. The food was fabulous, and I didn't stuff myself. Yay for that!

Thyroid Pills and Other Doctorish Stuff

2010-12-12T17:18:00.000-06:00

I went to the doctor Friday for my annual "well woman exam." I try to go every year on time, mainly because I've had issues in that department in the past, including abnormal Paps and fibroids. I just like to make sure everything is running smoothly so to speak.

A couple years ago, my doctor did a test and discovered I had an under active thyroid gland, which can cause such things as weight gain, insomnia, depression, tiredness, etc... Which I have, but then, don't we all to some extent?

Anyway, when I lost my job, I lost my insurance. And my thyroid pill is only $4 a month, but the problem is, my prescription ran out in August, and I didn't want to pay to go to the doctor to get the prescription. So, now that I have insurance again, I went, but I'd been without that pill for about three months.

Well, the doctor wasn't pleased with me for this. She explained to me that an under active thyroid can cause weight gain, insomnia, depression, tiredness, etc... And she asked if I'd been experiencing any of these things. Ummm...yeah. But, the reason I hadn't been to see you is that I lost my insurance, because I lost my job. And unemployment can cause depression, insomnia, blah blah blah, yes?

So, whatever. I'm back on my $4 a month pill, and we'll see if I feel any better. I kind of just didn't think it was doing much, so I didn't think much about being off of it. I have felt bad, but I've had reasons to feel bad.

One reason to feel good though: The doctor congratulated me on having lost three pounds since I'd seen her last. And my appointment was in the middle of the day. They weighed me with all my clothes on, including shoes, and I even forgot my keys were in my pocket. So, yay for that!

Does Your Family Comment on Your Weight?

2010-11-24T16:12:00.000-06:00

My family is full of overweight people, on both sides. (Of the family I mean, not like they are overweight on both sides of their bodies. Because that would be weird. If they weren't I mean. Oh, never mind.)

And my step-monster never hesitates to comment about my weight. Or anybody else's for that matter. Sometimes she'll just blatantly say, "Wow, you've put on some weight!" Which is not helpful.

I mean really?! When has anyone ever said this to anyone and gotten the response of, "Have I? Oh my goodness, I had no idea! Thank you so much for pointing this out to me. Now I can take steps to remedy the situation. You are so helpful!"

It's not helpful. It's hurtful. And it makes me want to eat another cookie.

Sometimes it's more subtle. Like she'll slowly look me up and down and then ask, "So are you still walking every day?" Or like the last time I saw her, when she gave me the once over then said, "Your DAD has lost a lot of weight!"

Which, really? If he had, I couldn't tell. But whatever.

Anyway, so I've been aware that this woman has been putting me, and others, in our places for years based on weight. I've determined in the last year or so that the reason she must do this is that she has a lot of faults, but she's always been thin. She's not the smartest person, or the richest, or most beautiful, or the most well liked. But she's thin. So she must feel a confidence boost by bringing up the issue of weight whenever she gets the chance.

What I hadn't been conscious of, until our Thanksgiving celebration the other day, is that my mom's side of the family does this too. I swear, we hadn't been with my grandparents two minutes before Grandpa brought up the fact that a particularly heavy member of the family has lost 30 pounds. And then he immediately launched into a story about my obese uncle sitting in a chair and breaking it.

Now, okay, that's kind of a remarkable story. But honestly, it hit me then that this side of the family too is obsessed with weight. Yet the majority of the people in the family are overweight. So whatever Grandpa is trying to accomplish with pointing all this out, it's not working. Well, I mean, unless his goal is to make all his progeny overweight.

Which proves my point that really, it's not helpful, and it's not appropriate, ever to talk about anyone else's weight. It doesn't accomplish anything. The person already knows he or she is overweight. And telling them about it (or telling everyone else about it) only serves to make the person feel worse. Which probably will make them eat more.

It's given me a lot to think about. Like do I talk about people's weight? If I do, what is my motivation? Is it even okay to talk about people losing weight? Because doesn't that imply that they needed to? Doesn't it imply that they were somehow less than before they got their act together and lost the weight?

I mean, it seems like a compliment on the surface. "Wow you've lost a lot of weight! You look great!" But does it mean they looked bad before?

Either way, I've been pondering the implications of 39 years spent in a family which is largely overweight (no pun intended) yet contains several members hell bent on putting everyone else down for their obesity. I haven't quite figured out what to do about any of it, but I figure just being aware of it is progress.

Nutrition Lessons from a 2001 VW Bug

2010-11-14T11:56:00.000-06:00

I had some car trouble this past week. You can read the full story about what happened here if you'd like. But I came here to post about the crazy old mechanic's obsession with Premium Fuel. One of the first things he said to me when the tow truck dropped us off was, "You DO put Premium Fuel in it, don't you?"

Ummm...no. I don't. That stuff is expensive, yo.

So I got a lecture about it. How my car is a turbo, and it "just flat won't run" if you're not putting premium fuel in it. And I was a bit concerned, because I've had this car for like 8 years. And nobody has ever told me that. The dealer I purchased her from didn't tell me. The dealers I've had her at for various mechanical issues over the years never told me. I mentioned this to the crazy old mechanic, and his response was, "The car tells you every time you fill up. It says inside the gas door 91 octane fuel only."

Yes, because that's what I do when I go fill up with gas. I open the gas door and stand there and read that tiny print inside the door.

The guy asked me this again when I came to pick up the car. And then again when I stopped by two days later because my "check engine" light had come back on. "You DO put premium fuel in it, don't you?"

Anyhow, I pondered this guy's words, and then I started to actually feel bad that I'd been putting sub-par fuel into my poor little Buggie. I love her. I want her to run well. And I wasn't giving her what she needed to run. But I didn't know!

So I vowed this week to only put the premium fuel in her. "When you know better, you do better!" To quote Oprah.

But then it hit me. How many times have I been told what my body needs to run well? And I still don't give her what she needs. I give her the cheap fuel, and then get upset with her when she won't do what I want her to do or doesn't look like I want her to look.

Why am I so willing to immediately change what I put into my car, the moment I learn what that should be? And I'm so unwilling to change what I put into my own body? Even though I know. I know very well the ramifications of poor nutrition and unhealthy food choices. I know my "machine" will run better on premium fuel. But apparently I'm not quite ready to make that investment.

What is up with that?

Some Things Stick

2010-11-11T11:23:00.003-06:00

I'm not sure how it has come to be over a year since we got started on this adventure - but here we are. Is my weight at a new magical perfect number? No. Is my battle over? No, not even close.

As I think over the past year (and yes, I do realize I have been MIA for several months---loss of job and then finding a temporary job with the word "Crisis" in the title apparently will do that to a person).... I think I've been working very Part Time at my weight loss. I've had a few moments where I've given it my 100%. But mostly, I've been sidetracked by life.

However, let us review the successes.

Success #1

A year ago I was only beginning ending my addiction to soda. I remember a year ago - nearly to the day - I was salivating over a Diet Coke and trying to avoid the temptation. Now I am happy to say I mostly complete week after week without having a single soda.

This habit has also rubbed off onto my husband - who used to be a soda-addict in the denial stage. Now, 99% of the time you will find Club Soda in our fridge and no real soda in the house.

There are times that I indulge in a beverage. Sometimes more than once in a week. But I generally find that shortly after that I am craving some water and feeling dehydrated. When I can trade my soda dependency for water dependency? Well, I call this success!

Success #2

Somewhere, I managed to fall in love with the idea of doing push-ups at my desk. I did fall off the wagon (when you don't have a desk....well, you get the picture). But I've recently returned to my habit and I really like the burn. I also like that I can do several of these push-ups, I can alter the difficulty (bring hands closer together) and unlike floor push-ups - they don't make me feel like a wimpy loser.

Prior to this experience - it had been years since I'd done push-ups. Much less doing them multiple times a week. Increased physical activity - record this as success.

Success #3

I really do think that I am eating healthier overall. This is no claim at perfection - just that I've tried to eat more "good" and less "bad". I do believe that any steps in a healthier direction are worth celebrating...and so, we'll call moderation a success.

Okay - so it's a short success list. But you know, I think I've lost the same 5 pounds about 20 times....so, maybe I've lost a total of 100 pounds?

Never underestimate the power of lying to yourself. :)

Taking More Than I Need

2010-11-06T17:44:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted much here lately, because I have done much lately in terms of healthy living, eating better, or exercising. My work has been crazy, and I've been travelling a lot, which unfortunately, leads to less physical activity and more eating.

I actually just forgot to go to yoga this week.

And then there's the Halloween candy.

Anyway, I just started reading Women, Food, and God so I hope to soon gain lots of helpful insights into my weight struggles, which I hope to share with all of you.

I've had this book for months. I bought it to read during my vacation this summer. Then, instead of getting a vacation, I got fired. And reading a book about why I'm overweight was the least of my concerns.

I've barely begun reading, but I think I'm going to get a lot out of it. I read this part last night, and it really made me think:

To discover what you really believe, pay attention to the way you act--and to what you do when things don't go the way you think they should...You will quickly discover if you believe the world is a hostile place and that you need to be in control of the immediate universe for things to go smoothly. You will discover if you believe that there is not enough to go around and that taking more than you need is necessary for survival.

I don't know yet what to do about it. But I'll let you know when I figure it out.I know I always take more than I need. I take more food than I need. I buy more shoes than I need. I have a bigger house than I need, filled with more stuff than I need.

I'm Still Standing

2010-10-21T21:41:00.001-05:00

I've noticed that one thing I do to make life harder on myself is not getting into an exercise routine and sticking with it. I tend to go in huge spurts, and then quit for weeks. And then I have to get myself all psyched up to get started again, which is way more effort than it is to just keep going once you're in the habit.

Part of it isn't my fault. The yoga class I love is only once a week. And my new work schedule means that, for a while, I can only go every other week. I keep thinking I'll do a yoga video in between, but it just isn't the same.

Anyway, I went last night, and it was awesome, as always. I walked a bit beforehand, and I noticed all the people working out as I circled the community center. I love working out there, because I never feel like anyone is looking at me or judging me. There are people of all shapes and sizes, and everyone is just there to exercise. No one cares how cute your clothes are, or how buff your biceps are.

And I, of course, would never be judgemental, but I have noticed lately that a lot of people have really fat elbows. Like there is one woman who is probably a size four, and she's always there working out like a fool, but I noticed she has major fat around her elbows. I guess, if we should find something we love about our bodies, I can wholeheartedly say I have super sexy elbows.

Most Awesome Song I Heard While Working Out: "I'm Still Standing" by Elton John. I know it's technically a "break up" song, but it's been keeping me going through my unemployment mess.

It's Just Not a Good Time to Diet

2010-10-18T20:41:00.000-05:00

I've read before (sorry, I can't point to where, but I've seen it more than once) that a woman should start a diet after her "time of the month" and never before. Just better to let the hormones work for you, rather than against you.

Yet, here I find myself, deep in the throes of PMS, and trying to start back on that Rapid Start Plan again. It's not going so well.

I had raisin bran and coffee for breakfast. A big salad, with only two tablespoons of dressing, for lunch. A cup of light yogurt for a snack. And then...a cookie.

But then, baked tilapia, cold slaw with low calorie dressing, and fat free baked beans for supper. And then...a cookie.

R must be hormonal as well, because he followed me into the kitchen and promptly ate seven miniature Reese's cups. But then he ate some grapes. And when I commented that we weren't doing so well on our diet, he said, "Hey, at least I'm eating fruit."

All in all, I figure the majority of our choices today were healthy. I know we got more vegetables in than we would have on a typical day. I'm calling it a win, given the timing.

Working is Hard on my Diet

2010-10-10T15:26:00.000-05:00

I've written before about how my job was making me fat. And about how, since being fired (or laid off, or whatever it was), I've lost a few pounds.

I start a new job on Monday, which I'm happy about, despite a couple concerns. It is actually almost my old job, only I'll officially be employed by a different agency. And I won't have the same co-workers and stress that they brought on. I'll also be avoiding a few of the tasks that made my old job so stressful.

Still, I'm a little bit concerned about how this is going to affect my eating and exercise habits. I can already tell I'm slacking off the healthy eating, just out of stress from preparing to start the new position. And I'm starting with a bang by travelling for three days.

I hope that once I get settled into the new job, my eating will resume it's healthiness. I'll be working from home 3-4 days a week, so I should be able to control what goes into my mouth those days, even if the "on the road" days are a bit more difficult.

I already looked at my work calendar compared to the yoga class calendar. and it looks like I can only go one more time in October. Ugh.

Wish me luck!

You Be Illin'

2010-10-05T23:03:00.000-05:00

R and I are doing fairly well with our eating habits, though we fell off the wagon pretty hard this weekend. He was out of town for basically all weekend, and I was too on Friday. And we had burgers and fries for lunch that day. Ummm...and for dinner too.

I know, that's a bad meal plan in any book. But the thing is, after just four days of eating healthy foods, I actually felt ill from the burger and fries. The second time anyway. It was a bigger burger the second time.

So, I got back on the wagon Saturday, pretty well anyway. We had Taco Bell last night because we were in a hurry and out running errands, and I felt ill after that too. Though feeling ill after Taco Ball probably isn't unusual.

I've walked every day this past week except Saturday. And I'm planning to go to yoga tomorrow night. I haven't been in weeks. I think it will be good for me, both physically and mentally. I've been feeling a little off, and I think skipping yoga for so long is part of it.

So, my plan is to keep up my positive efforts, continue to avoid the scale, and try harder to avoid foods that make me ill.

Day Three...Or...Whose Pants Are They?

2010-09-30T22:49:00.000-05:00

Today is theoretically day four of our diet plan, except that we kinda quit following it very closely after day two. This was mainly due to a couple work events R had and me being on the road today. However, we have been following it more or less, and overall we have been eating much healthier than we normally would have.

For instance, tonight we had to run some errands, and normally we would have either eaten out or grabbed fast food to go. Instead, we decided to buy a rotisserie chicken with our groceries, and we also got a can of fat free baked beans, a bag of broccoli slaw, and some lower calorie cole slaw dressing. When we got home, it took us two minutes to whip up dinner, and it was delicious! If you've never tried the broccoli slaw (we hadn't) I highly recommend it.

Anyway, I haven't stepped on the scale, and I'm not sure I will, because that tends to derail me when I have been making healthy choices. But I did go to Macy's today, because I had a job interview out of town, and there happened to be a Macy's two blocks from the office. Two months ago when I lost my job, I bought a pair of black pants specifically to wear for job interviews, because none of my nice pants fit me so well anymore. I knew these pants were kind of big on me last time I had an interview, but nothing that kept me from wearing them.

Until I walked into the Macy's dressing room today, caught a glimpse of myself in these giant pants, and realized I looked like a clown! Or a homeless person. Or something. I mean, they were HUGE. Holy cow.

So I bought a new pair of black pants. In one size smaller. Yay!

Rapidish Startish Day Two

2010-09-28T12:24:00.000-05:00

Well, we did fairly well with our plan yesterday. We both followed the program except that we both ate a small piece of banana bread last night. And I never did eat my snack that was to be a pear. (Does banana bread count as a fruit?)

This is the problem I have with new eating plans. I hate to throw out perfectly good food that I already have. Especially when that food is already prepared. And I'd made this yummy banana bread a few days before.

Plus, we were hungry. So, we agreed to each have a small piece. I figure, all in all, it was a vast improvement over what we would have normally eaten in a day. (For one thing, R would have had a HUGE piece of the banana bread in the evening.) We each ate fruits, vegetables, high fiber cereal, low fat yogurt, and lean protein. I drank hot tea (black) most of the day instead of my usual two to three diet sodas.

Plus, we went for a bike ride after supper. Then we worked painting our garage.

I'm calling it a success.

Tonight we're eating a bowl of soup, even though that's not technically on the plan for today. But, I'd made the soup Sunday, and it needs to be eaten. And it's healthy anyway. I made it with ground turkey this time, and the rest is all beans, vegetables, and spices. We'll just skip the cheese and crackers we would normally eat with it.

Rapid Start

2010-09-27T12:34:00.001-05:00

Have you noticed that whenever a blogger posts something like, "I'm going to post every day for thirty days!" or, "Starting today, I'm working out every day for a week!" it's a sure sign that they will not, in fact, do whatever they say they are going to do?

Well, here I am! To tell you all about the diet plan that I'm doing! No, really, ya'll, I'm doing it!

But I'm only committing to following it exactly for three days. R and I are doing it together. I figure, anyone can do anything for three days. And at that point, we'll see if we feel any better, are any less hungry, want to strangle each other, whatever.

What we're doing is the Rapid Start plan from Dr. Phil's Ultimate Weight Solution. I know this book is old. And Dr. Phil kind of annoys me. But my ex-husband and I followed this plan for a few weeks about six years ago, and it really worked for us. I think the main reason I "fell off the wagon" is that there are very few carbs, and I swear, I need carbs. You get a bowl of high fiber cereal in the morning, and then that's it for your carbs. (Well, other than fruits and vegetables, I know those are technically carbs, but I'm talking bread, pasta, cereal, rice.)

Anyhow, we both know our eating habits are a mess, and even if we don't follow this plan exactly or forever, mainly we just wanted to kind of reset our brains and our bodies, and I think this plan will help. It helped me before.

So far, day one, we've had our one cup of cereal, (which isn't much cereal. Really, measure it and see.) one cup of skim milk, one egg, one piece of fruit, and tea for breakfast. Now for me, that's more breakfast than I would ever eat. I would have cereal OR eggs OR fruit. Granted, I'd have more cereal. But still.

And R had his fruit for his morning snack, but I'm not even hungry again yet, so I haven't had mine. Then lunch is a big salad with some tuna and 2 tablespoons dressing. Again, not very much dressing. I probably normally use twice or three times that.

I made R a HUGE salad, because it says "a generous portion of greens." Mine is quite a bit smaller, but I know he is used to eating a lot. So, he gets more lettuce, cucumbers, celery, and carrots. He came home and ate it, then I sent him on his way with a light yogurt for his afternoon snack.

We'll see if he's gnawing on his arm by the time he gets home for dinner. And I'll keep you all posted on how our three day diet plan goes!

I'm Not Fat, I'm Fluffy!

2010-09-23T10:08:00.000-05:00

Daisy is here today to welcome our new friends from the Thankful Fur Three Bloghop. The Teacher's Pets hosts this fun way to meet new blog friends, and she focuses on pet-friendly blogs.

Each of us here at DTTBMMLF plays mama to two doggies, which can actually be a great way to help you lose weight. Dogs have to be walked, right? Regina reminded me the other day of the saying, "If your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise."

Unfortunately, I don't think the reverse is necessarily true. My Daisy and Rudy are pretty healthy, but that's not so much because I walk them as it is because they chase each other around my yard and my house like they are qualifying for a NASCAR race. I think they keep each other fit. Maybe my boyfriend and I need to join in the chase more often!

At any rate, I have also found that for optimal weight control it's best if you do not eat like Rudy does:

If you'd like to meet some new fluffy friends, join in the fun. Happy Blog Hopping!

Amish Friendship Banana Bread Recipe

2010-09-20T22:33:00.000-05:00

I've been experimenting with variations of an Amish Friendship Bread recipe Regina gave me. The original recipe is cinnamon bread, which is delicious. However, after making it every ten days for weeks, I've been wanting new variations, and I'm trying to straddle the line between great taste and healthy ingredients. I made this banana bread this weekend, and it has been yummy!

This recipe does use the starter that Regina gave me, but just in case she didn't give you one too, you can find recipes for the Amish Friendship Bread Starter online.

Amish Friendship Banana Bread

1. Pour entire contents of the starter into a large, non-metal bowl. Be sure to stir with a non-metal spoon and use non-metal pans also.

2. Add 1 1/3 cups flour, 1 ½ cups sugar, 1 1/3 cups milk. Mix well. (For four starters. For only one, add only ¾ cups of all ingredients.)

3. Label 4 (or only 1) one gallon ziplock bags with “Day 1…” and the date. Put 1 c. of the batter mixture into each of these bags. These are the starters for you to pass on to your friends. You may keep one if you want to continue making the bread yourself.

4. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

5. To the remaining batter, add:
3 eggs
3/4 c. canola oil (or ½ oil and ½ applesauce. I didn't like the texture as well when I used the applesauce, and I thought the bread just tasted like apples. Which isn't bad, but isn't what I was going for.)
½ c. skim milk
1 c. sugar
2 mashed ripe bananas
½ tsp. vanilla
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 c. whole wheat flour
1 large box banana instant pudding
1 c. chopped walnuts (I saved back about 1/4 cup and sprinkled them on top.)
1/2 cup milled flax seed
6. Grease bottom and sides of 2 large loaf pans. Dust the inside of the pans with a bit of sugar, making sure to coat sides and bottom.

7. Pour batter evenly into the 2 pans.

8. Bake for approximately 1 hour (until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine took more like an hour and ten minutes).

Sorry, I don't have calorie counts or fiber content or any of that stuff. I just figure it's much better for me than using white flour, whole milk, etc... And the banana, walnuts, and flax seed are nutritious. A slice of this with my coffee makes a pretty filling breakfast too.

For more great Tuesdays at the Table, visit Cole at All the Small Stuff.

I Really Should Take My Own Advice

2010-09-16T19:02:00.000-05:00

Remember my post about why I wasn't weighing myself? Well, I weighed myself today, and then I wished I hadn't, for all of the reasons I wrote about in that post.

Since becoming unemployed, I've been home more, so I've been cooking more healthy meals (rather than eating out so much). And honestly, despite the financial strain, I've been feeling less stress than I had in a year or more, so the stress eating has diminished.

I've been busy on a couple painting projects that have had me climbing up and down ladders for days on end, carrying heavy objects, and using my arms a lot. I've even started walking again, and did five out of seven days last week.

It seems like my pants are getting looser, and I'm seeing some new definition in my arms. Plus, riding my bike has gotten a lot easier.

So, silly me. I figured I'd step on the scale and marvel at my own progress, then come here and let all of you marvel at my progress as well.

Except that I gained a pound and a half.

Seriously?! How is this possible?!

What's worse is what it did to my mood. I went from feeling really good about myself and my progress to feeling like a slug. A fat slug. A fat slug who eats too much junk food and sits on the couch most of the day.

I did snap out of it this afternoon finally, enough to take my walk and cook a healthy dinner. But I think I'm going back to the no scale plan for a while.

Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me?

2010-09-07T15:21:00.000-05:00

I did something crazy today. Something so radical, I'm certain it will revolutionize the world of weight loss. And no, it had nothing to do with injecting myself with urine from pregnant cows.

I went for a walk.

Shocking, I know.

I put on my shoes and my ipod, and I stepped out into the fresh air and sunshine, and I put one foot in front of the other. I did this for about 30 minutes. Straight.

I think I might do it again tomorrow. And see what happens.

Most Awesome Song I Heard While Working Out: "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me" by Keith Urban

Yes. No. Maybe.

2010-09-06T13:20:00.003-05:00

Does this blog make me look fat?

Yes.

It points out my terrible LACK of Weight LOSS. It highlights my failures / my detours / my lack of focus. I'm afraid that instead of a site for motivation - my posts may soon be used as "what not to do" or perhaps more likely "how to not do much about it at all."

Does this blog make me look fat?

No.

If "think thin" (or thin-er) power can be harnessed to prevent us from further backsliding on our weight goals - I think I've tapped that energy! Even though I may NOT be making much movement in the forward direction - at least I have managed to not go above my "start weight" during this project. I have thought of you all when I considered making bad choices. I have also thought of you when I made better choices. And while I'm sorry that this hasn't been a journal of overwhelming success - it has been a picture of reality.

Does this blog make me look fat?

Maybe.

Back to that picture of reality - the truth is that I need to lose weight - so maybe I do look a bit fat. It never fails to amaze me that "fat" and "thin" is so based on a comparison to who you are with. At one of my job sites -I was referred to this week as "skinny girl". It took me a few moments to realize they were talking about ME. And I wasn't at all deluded into thinking it was the truth - just that I had maintained something "closer to thin" than these ladies. Which also is a reminder that it's funny how our eyes round up when we are judging ourselves and how often we are willing to "round down" when we are judging others. So maybe you'll catch me on a fat day, maybe on a looking okay day - either way, the scale continues to be my forever frenemy!

Have You Heard of this Pregnancy Hormone Diet?

2010-08-30T15:38:00.000-05:00

I'm not on the diet. But I just had lunch with a friend who is. And yes, she's lost 9 pounds in 11 days. But at what cost?

I don't even know how much she's paying, so I mean the figurative cost. She's taking some hormone that is supposed to mimic what a woman's body produces after pregnancy, like to help the body shed the baby weight? Which, I can't think is good for a person, but whatever.

And then she's only allowed to eat 500 calories a day. 500 A DAY! I just wanted to grab her and shake her. I mean, come on. Anybody will lose weight at the start on only 500 calories a day.

She can only eat like grilled chicken, fish, or shrimp and fresh fruits and veggies. Oh, and melba toast (????) So, you can imagine, eating a meal out with her was a joy. In her defense, they screwed up her order, twice. I mean, when you ask for no dressing on the salad, you mean no dressing.

Then she proceeded to sit there and drool over the pasta somebody nearby was eating. And the dessert menu so cruelly placed in front of us. I was at least kind enough to order a salad as well, though I cheerfully enjoyed the dressing on mine. I refrained from ordering the new pasta on Applebee's menu that is topped with provolone cheese filled meatballs.

Anyway, I am not on this diet, and I'm not going on this diet, and I have not lost 9 pounds in 11 days (or in 100 days). Any of you tried it?

How Can Unemployment be So Time Consuming?

2010-08-17T16:04:00.000-05:00

I swear, I don't know how I ever had time to have a job. I've been so busy lately, and it's causing me to fall back into the stressed out eating phase. I haven't weighed, but I'm afraid the downward trend didn't continue last week.

R's daughter S was here, and since I'm not working, and he doesn't have that many vacation days, I just stayed home with her. Which actually proved to cause some good calorie burn. We swam almost every day. We played Just Dance on the Wii. We rode bikes.

Plus, I think we actually ate healthier while she was here, because I was trying to set an example for her. We actually cooked dinner every night but one, and we ate at the table like human beings (instead of in front of the TV like R and I usually do).

I had a big presentation to do yesterday (which yes, was a "job" of sorts, but only a one time deal). I was completely stressed out about the whole thing anyway, and having S here the week before meant I had little time (and even less focus) to prepare. It was originally going to be today, so I kinda thought I had at least one more full day to prepare, then they changed it.

Anyhow, that's over now. My house is quiet again (maybe a little too quiet!), and hopefully I can get back into some healthy habits. I'm planning to start reading Women, Food, and God. I'll for sure keep you posted on my thoughts as I do!

Silent, Steady, and Still Here

2010-08-09T19:40:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted for a while...

it's not because I've been away on any great adventures...(unless you consider the chaos of job loss / scramble for new life-plan to be a great adventure)

And for those that are confused - yes, both Janet and I are going through the same thing with our loss of employment with little warning.

So most of what she has said, has felt like it was also "from me".

Exercise isn't a priority (though I have been filling in as a substitute cook - and I must say, the pedometer likes this job MUCH more than my desk job).

Eating hasn't been perfect but also hasn't been out of control (stress makes me eat less).

Weight is holding steady.

Perhaps I should re-think the claim that I am good at multi-tasking...because when it comes to my life - I'm not so good. I can focus on organizing. OR I can focus on exercise. OR I can focus on being a health nut. But I'm not so good at focusing on all of the above.

And right now - I'm forced to figure out my life / income plan...in the meantime, I hope that I can hold stead on the weight front.

But I'm still here...

What Goes Up...

2010-08-07T17:50:00.000-05:00

Just in case you hadn't noticed, I'd like to point out that my ticker has gone down. Down I tell you! DOWN!

It had slowly but steadily gone up for months and months and months. As my job stress steadily went up and up and up.

But I stepped on the scale today, and I was down by about a pound. From the last time I updated that is. Which honestly, was a long time ago.

Anyway, hooray for small blessings! And small weight losses!

I Told You it was My Job

2010-08-05T17:19:00.000-05:00

I spoke with a friend today who considers herself "sporadically employed." She doesn't have a "job" so to speak, since she got fed up and quit hers about a year ago, but she does a lot of consulting and part time stuff here and there and seems to do okay.

She asked me if I was losing weight since losing my job. I haven't stepped on a scale, so I couldn't answer for sure, but I think I might have lost a little.

She said she has lost 10 pounds without trying since quitting her job. She says she does a lot of yoga, which she wasn't doing before, but that she used to walk three miles a day, which she isn't doing now. And she said she's probably eating a bit better, and eating out less, but that she still loves her cookies and so forth.

She's decided that the major factors in this mysterious weight loss are absence of stress and abundance of sleep. She was curious if I've experienced the same thing.

Honestly, at this point, I'm not sure I have an absence of stress. I hope to reach that point soon. And I hope to reach the fabulous sleep stage soon. I'm still not sleeping well.

Right now I think mine is more too upset to eat.

Anyway, I'll of course keep you all posted. And maybe this friend and I will soon publish our future bestselling book, Does this Job Make Me Look Fat?

The Plan is...There is No Plan

2010-08-04T13:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't stepped on a scale in months. And with all the job stress, and then unemployment stress, my eating has been crazy, and my workouts have been minimal. Plus its hot. Really hot. I don't do hot.

Yes, I have a treadmill. Whatever.

I have been getting in the pool most days, and kind of doing my own water aerobics, or water calisthenics, or water yoga or something. So, that's good.

I'm having major PMS again too, so that doesn't help my mood, stress, or weight loss efforts. But I'm thinking of stepping on the scale in a couple days, updating my ticker, and getting going on this thing again in some capacity.

The last time I lost any amount of weight (like 20 pounds) I was unemployed. So, hopefully I can find the time and energy now to make a positive difference in my health. Plus I don't have all that job stress causing me to gorge on chocolate anymore.

Awards Shows are Always on Sundays

2010-07-25T09:09:00.023-05:00

So I felt it appropriate to post our second ever blog award on Sunday. We just received this from Food Addict at Food: My Drug of Choice. She found us the other day by searching for her own blog, and happening upon my post, "Is Food My Drug of Choice?" Turns out, we seem to have a lot in common (except that she is, um, like actually losing weight), and she has a great blog, so check her out!

These are the award's rules:

1. Thank the person who gave you the award.

2. Share seven things about yourself.

3. Nominate 15 newly discovered blogs.

4. Let your nominees know about the award.

So, without further ado...Thank you Food Addict!

Seven things about me:

1. Most of the time, I'd rather snack than eat "real food." Someone told my mom once that she eats like a ten-year-old latch-key child, and I think I inherited that from her. (Nobody uses that term anymore, "latch-key child" which maybe means fewer people are leaving children home unattended? I hope. Anyway...)

2. I really dislike sports. Playing sports especially, but I'm not terribly fond of even watching. Unless I'm terribly fond of someone playing, like a cousin, or my high school team, or whatever. Then I'll go. But I still don't really relish the idea.

3. I can do butterfly pose in yoga really well. I'm not the most limber person, but for some reason, my body bends that way.

4. I cannot, however, do child's pose. It makes me feel like I'm suffocating. I think because my boobs and stomach are too big. So, I do a variation, which I think is actually called polar bear or something like that. I spread my knees wider, and rest my forehead on my palms. Try it. It's cozy.

5. I guess I'm what you'd call a "flexitarian." I eat meat, but not a lot. And if I think about it too much, it bothers me. I'd really like to be able to just give it up completely, because I love animals. I don't think I could ever do vegan though, because I adore cheese.

6. I seriously believe my job was making me fat. I'm hoping to reverse that trend now. Unless being unemployed also turns out to make me fat. So far it makes me mostly just not want to eat.

7. It makes me insane to work out without my ipod. I'll seriously just skip working out if I forget my ipod. And "my" ipod technically belonged to my job. So, when I lost my job, I lost the ipod. I went without it for a day, then bought a new one. And it's awesome.

Okay, as for the fifteen "new blogs", I have been neglecting my blogging world so much lately, I don't have that many "new" ones to nominate. So, the newest ones I've found are:

Dr. Grumpy in The House (Hilarious!)
Eric Maisel Creativity Central (which actually hasn't been updated in a month, but is worth browsing)
Stuff No One Told Me
Everyday Rebel

And now they are cuing the music telling me to wrap up my speech, so thank you all for reading us, despite our ups and downs (on the scale, and in our lives).

Review - As Promised

2010-07-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

Time has gotten away from me - I have valid reasons...but some time ago I said that I had requested some samples of a product to flavor up my water - calorie free!

It's called True Lime (though there is also True Lemon and True Orange). They also offer True Lemonade - it does have calories but only 5 per packet - I haven't tried this version so I can't speak about it.
So I got my samples and immediately poured myself a beverage. The packets are the size of a sugar packet in a restaurant - and it says that one packet equals about one wedge of fruit.

Did you know - when those slices were tested in restaurants - they often had many bacteria on them? This is a natural product without the germs.

It did have a nice flavor - though if you wanted it to be strong, you may need 2 packets for a normal glass of water. The price for a box of 32 is around $5. For most flavor packets I'm paying $2-3 for 10. So even using 2 packets at a time, this product is very competitively priced.

Also, I enjoyed the orange and lemon in club soda - a nice alternative to sugar / chemical filled soda!

Overall - we have a winner!

The Stressed Out Person's Diet

2010-07-22T21:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't stepped on a scale lately, but I think I'm losing some weight from this whole job loss fiasco. At least I have that small consolation I suppose.

I'm not working out a lot or anything, but I'm just not having much of an appetite. It's hot, I've been upset, I don't feel like cooking, so I just don't eat a lot.

I did go to yoga last night, which was awesome, as usual. Last time I went, I immediately burst into tears, so this time was better in that there was no crying.

Until after.

Yesterday was my last day of work, so I was pretty emotional. Sometimes in a bad, devastated, my life is over kind of way, and sometimes in a thank God I never have to do this or that again kind of way.

My poor boyfriend is putting up with a lot lately. At least maybe he'll have a thinner girlfriend out of the deal.

Can't Keep a Good Woman Down

2010-07-14T19:01:00.003-05:00

I haven't really exercised for several days, but I made myself go to yoga this evening. And then there was no yoga. Again! Grrrrr. If I'd gone last week, I would have known there was no class this week. But I was too upset to go last week.

Anyway, since I was there, and in my workout clothes, I went ahead and walked for about 30 minutes. It felt good. Not as good as yoga, but good.

I don't know why I make things so hard on myself by not being consistent. When I can get into a routine of working out most days, I start to crave it. And it's easier to stay in a routine once a person is in a routine.

But I seem to consistently be inconsistent. Then I have to make huge efforts to get myself going again.

And then once I make myself go to the gym, there's no yoga class.

At any rate, maybe once my job situation settles down I can get myself back into a routine of working out regularly.

Most Awesome Song I Heard While Working Out: "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" by Alabama

Time Flies...

2010-07-06T17:34:00.001-05:00

Has it really been a week since I posted that last thing about being too upset to eat?

You'll be relieved to know I've moved firmly into the "wanting to eat everything in sight" phase of my upsettedness.

Ugh.

The Diet Plan I Do Not Recommend You Follow

2010-06-30T19:39:00.002-05:00

It's the "I'm So Upset I Can't Eat" diet. It pairs nicely with the "All I Want to Do is Whine on the Phone and Pace around the House" exercise plan. I don't recommend it, but I'm pretty sure it's working. At least it's working better than the "My Job is Making Me Fat" plan I was on previously.

See, I found out yesterday that I'm losing my job. I work about three more weeks, and then our office is closing down. Which sucks.

I mean, it always sucks to be fired. Or "let go" as they are calling it. I know it's no fault of my own. I'm being repeatedly told that. The state budgets were cut. Our funder's budget was cut. And they, in turn, cut our program. As in, cut it off completely.

This is the first job I've ever had that I truly liked. And I've been there over six years, which is the longest I've ever had the same job. I know I complain about it, especially here lately, but honestly, I've loved it. At least I did until maybe a year ago.

Things have kind of gone downhill the last few months. And the last few weeks, with budget cuts looming, have been excruciating. Everyone has been stressed and looking out for themselves. And the uncertainty has been very hard to live with. At least now I know.

Anyhow, I went to yoga tonight, and promptly burst into tears and spilled my guts to my yoga instructor. She's a doll, and she calmly listened, was appropriately horrified, and gave me a big hug.

I truly did feel much better by the time class was over. So, maybe I can turn this new found free time into more health and fitness success. We'll see.

Namaste.

Chug-A-Lug

2010-06-27T17:59:00.002-05:00

So, as promised I've been trying to get my 8 glasses of water a day.

This lead to questions from my son about how much water HE should be drinking each day- which of course lead to google - and there I learned that 8 glasses of water a day is the generic answer.

The REAL answer is to take your weight. Divide it by 2. Drink that many ounces of water per day. So 8 might NOT be your real answer either.

I've read many times that we get a good amount of water from our food. So I'm still going with 8 glasses. It is at least a starting point.

So here's what I did to try to hit 8 a day.

1. Wide mouth, PBA free 16 ounce water bottle . Wide mouth because that makes it easier to clean. PBA free because I worry about that kind of thing. 16 ounces because that is about what we consider a "serving" - and it gives me credit for 2 glasses with only one fill - and it is easy math. I kept this bottle at my desk. I try to fill it up every day or anytime before I leave my desk area so that when I come back I can quickly grab this very cold beverage without much thinking.

2. I still used some flavor packets. But I drank plain water between each flavor. For plain water - I really need it to be ice cold. This involves either ICE or it needs to be pre-chilled. No water fountain has yet to deliver the temperature that I require. I have access to ice in the main kitchen - but my backup plan is to take a ziplock bag and put some in my own fridge in my work area.

3. This was much more successful on workdays than weekends. I was able to pace myself - by noon I should be about half done. By the time I leave I should have 8 glasses down. It is not likely that I will not drink anymore all afternoon / evening. But really, I simply can not predict how much beverage will be at my disposal - and it varies greatly based on our schedule for the day. That being said, there are days with odd schedules or back-to-back meetings. These were more challenging to stay on track.

4. This doesn't seem to happen by accident. It requires some focus. It requires some attention to make sure you are on pace and that you are trying to get some percentage of these drinks as pure water.

5. Even with my flavor packets - I'm slightly frustrated. Many have calories. (Look closely - they will say 5 calories per serving - but there are 2 servings per pack.) Many others have artificial sweeteners - I'd rather avoid these - call me boring, but I'm trying to ensure my food is actually "food". And almost all are from artificial flavors- again, I'd prefer real. But I guess real doesn't often come in powder form. In an effort to find something more "real" but still convenient to use - I'm hoping to try out a product called True Lime, True Lemon, and True Orange. I'll let you know what I think about it - calorie free, all natural - price very similar to other flavorings.

Overall, all my drinking did help me feel satisfied longer. Did it kill my ice cream cravings? No. But any little bit helps!

What about you? Did you up your water intake? Do you have any strategies that help you succeed?

Songs to Help Me through a Rough Time

2010-06-24T12:43:00.003-05:00

I started this post to be one of my Most Awesome Song I Heard While Working Out posts, but I kept hearing another good one, and another good one, and then another. These aren't really "pump you up" type songs, and ummm...well, most of them are Olivia songs (I can't help it, half the songs on my Ipod are Olivia) but each one contains a message I desperately needed to hear right now.

If you read my other blog, you've read my detailed horrors from our recent stay at The Heartland Inn (Sorry, but I'm telling everyone I know, don't stay there, EVER), and about my current job situation being a bit iffy. All this leads to stress eating, stress insomnia, stress....just stress.

I've been trying to walk as much as I can, more for my sanity than for weight loss. So, some of those slow songs I might have skipped over previously made it into my ears today. Here are some you might enjoy, and might not be familiar with (unless you're an Olivia freak like me and EG).

Under The Skin by Olivia Newton-John
Great song about realizing we are beautiful, inside and out. My favorite line is, "You only see what's changed, but to me you're still the same. There's no one quite like you." Listening to Olivia makes me feel like I'm still a seven-year-old girl wanting nothing more than to BE Sandy in Grease, and believing she CAN.

Wonder, by Natalie Merchant

I've decided this is my new theme song. Anybody out there who used to watch Ally McBeal? And remember her therapist telling her she needed a theme song? She chose "Ooh Child," which is another good song for picking yourself up in rough times.

Let Go Let God by Olivia Newton-John
I'm not a religious person, but I needed to hear this message right now. "Let the signs remind you, we are passengers. Let the signs remind you, to surrender."

And the last awesome song I heard...Love is Letting Go of Fear by Olivia Newton-John

"Love is letting go the chains that tie your spirit down."

I've had a lot of chains trying to tie my spirit down lately. I'm looking forward to two weeks vacation starting Monday, and I hope to use that time to get my spirit back on track, in many ways.

Move Over Chef Boyardee

2010-06-19T11:23:00.003-05:00

We finally ate our last meal from the Self Magazine article, Cook Once, Eat Healthy All Week. This was the one I was least excited about trying, Vegetable and Chickpea Ragout.

I had to look up "ragout" and find out what it even means. Turns out it means "a main dish stew" and it's pronounced "ra-goo" just like Ragu pasta sauce. So there, you learned something new. Unless you already knew that. I didn't.

This is a very healthy vegetarian meal (15 grams of fiber, 14 grams of protein, 380 calories), which I liked. I do eat meat, but not a lot. I'd love to say I eat none, but I'm not there yet.

We left the olives out, because I don't like olives. Also, our "fresh basil" was long ago not fresh anymore, so that didn't make it into our final plates. The only other change I made to the recipe is, it calls for "1/2 cup whole wheat penne pasta, cooked." This confused me greatly. Does it mean 1/2 DRY pasta, cooked? Or 1/2 cup of the already cooked? And either way, seriously?! 1/2 cup of pasta?? Who cooks a 1/2 cup of pasta?? And this is supposed to serve TWO?!

I cooked more like two cups of pasta. So, I'm sure the calorie count went up there, but it was whole wheat at least. I mean, I had a total of probably six cups of the veggie/chickpea mixture. Was I really supposed to stir in 1/2 cup of pasta??? Also, I should say, this ended up making us more like three or four servings, so I think we're good.

As for taste, it wasn't bad. It was just kind of bland. I actually added salt, pepper, and garlic powder to the final product, which helped a lot. R said he liked it, "except it has these weird crunchy dry beans in it?" I guess he's not a chickpea fan. But he ate two helpings, and he took the leftovers to work for lunch the next day.

Now that we've eaten all five of our meals, my final evaluation is that the one meal I would definitely cook again is the Sweet Potato Shepherd's pie. That one was majorly tasty, and we both agreed.

And I do like the idea of having basics on hand (and sometimes frozen) to make quick, healthy meals. We've used the leftover onion/garlic mixture three times in various dishes, and we used the leftover broccoli/red pepper mixture to make a quick and healthy stir-fry. So, I may look more into "cook ahead and freeze" type plans and try more recipes.

I'll keep you posted on anything good I find!

The Answer is WATER

2010-06-16T12:19:00.003-05:00

What is the best dietary supplement for weight loss?

What diet -friendly drink should you consume to ensure you will add many steps to your day? (think potty breaks)

What is the most natural cleansing / body detoxifying item on the planet?

What substance (when there isn't enough) is one of the 4 most common causes of a headache?

What is one of the easiest ways to reduce your "eat out" bill?

What are you probably not drinking enough of?

What does your brain need a lot of in order to properly function?

What kind of weight do unhealthy diets help you shed?

What should you go grab a tall glass of right now?

Clearly, I'm on a water kick. Because I consider myself to be a pretty heavy drinker (of liquid - not alcohol). And while I've been paying attention...I have noticed that while I do drink a lot - not very much comes in a "pure" state. I have water flavors added in, I drink lots of iced tea, but I'm not doing so good at giving my body it's 8-8ounces of water per day...and I am CERTAINLY not getting a good portion of that without something mixed into it.

So this week - and on upcoming weeks. I challenge myself (and you) to count your fluid intake. Meet the minimum of 8-8 ounce servings and make sure at least half of those are"pure"...plain water (though fruit or fresh herbs mixed into them is still "pure" in my book).

In a week, we'll do a check in and see how it's going...how you met the challenge, if you met the challenge, and strategies to help others...

Let Them Eat Cake

2010-06-11T19:39:00.002-05:00

I must credit Katherine with this post, because I searched for this video after her comment on my earlier post about cake.

I found the video quite amusing, and sadly, quite true, so I thought I'd share.

I'm going to another cake event this weekend, a wedding. I'm going to a wedding that's five hours away. It's a long way to travel for cake.

I hope it's good cake.

What Was I Thinking?

2010-06-04T08:41:00.004-05:00

As I shared about a week ago - I was going to try some Special K Regina-ized two week long diet.

Then the holiday weekend happened.

And baseball season.

And work meetings.

And this is the problem with diets that don't really include "real / normal food".

It only took me about 3 minutes when reviewing the Special K diet online to realize that their suggestions were filled with HFCS, lots of sugar, not lots of fiber (even when they said it was a high fiber item), and little to no veggies / fruits. And even a little sprinkling of "insignificant" amounts of trans fats!

I guess if you were consuming fast food in super sized quantities every single day - this would be a good change. But even then, it wouldn't be long lasting and it is DEFINITELY NOT the road to a healthier YOU!

I thought this would be a good idea for me because in this season - I often don't want to eat at all. Or I want to eat something cold. (And while ice cream for dinner can happen on occasion - I would not suggest you try it for weeks on end.)

In the Regina-version of this Special K diet. I did eat a good amount of cereal. I do not own a single bowl that makes the box suggestion of a "serving" an easy thing to measure out (and by the way, it varies by flavor of Special K that you are eating)...but isn't this the problem with everyday food intake? The box says 5 crackers - and 10 crackers aren't enough to seem like a snack? Must learn portion control.

Also, you would think I would know better...several years ago I had a gum graft ( a midevil procedure where they take skin from the roof of your mouth and add it to the gum line - yeouch!) and since then the top of my mouth has been very sensitive. I don't like soggy cereal. So this means that meal after meal of crunchy flakes= my mouth feeling very assaulted.

I will continue to replace a meal here and there with cereal - it's not the easiest thing to pack for my desk. And sometimes a girl just needs real food - you know?

What I should have done instead - is branch out even further from the Special K diet. I should have done the Baked Oatmeal diet - high fiber, low sugar, fresh fruit. Serve it warm or cold! I am still considering this - as I simply do not get tired of this food item. And if I wanted cereal - who's to say that a higher fiber cereal wouldn't work just as well as a meal replacement?

Needless to say - with the decreased fiber, the holiday, the concession stand at baseball games...the numbers are not moving in the right direction. So 1 week in and I'm already sick of the plan!

How many times must we be doomed to re-learn the basics? Fruits and veggies first. Moderation everywhere. Smaller serving sizes. More calorie free drinks. And a healthy - moving lifestyle.

Can you say "duh"?

Is Food My Drug of Choice?

2010-06-03T21:22:00.000-05:00

I've had a couple moments this week where I totally had an understanding of why people do drugs. Never fear, I'm not heading toward my nearest crack dealer. But a couple days this week I truly felt like I wanted to just pop some pill or drink some drink that would just make the bad feelings STOP.

And I got to thinking about food being something I use in those situations. Somehow what's been happening lately isn't anything that ice cream can cure. Trust me, I've tried. But I know I do it all the time.

Bad feeling? Ack! Must eat chocolate! Make it stop!

I spent a couple years in a haze of various anti-depressants, and I truly do not want to go back there. I truly do not believe that I need something all the time anyway. I've narrowed it down to my feeling bad generally in the week or so before my period (okay, sometimes two weeks) and feeling bad generally when I have to go to work.

Which sadly, happens about five times a week. For eight hours at a time.

But the rest of the time? I'm fine!

Anyway, my latest potential solution has been going to the drug store and stocking up on every supplement and herb that is supposedly helpful with mood, stress management, or PMS.

I'm taking a multi-vitamin, B6, Calcium and Magnesium, Fish Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, and St. John's wort. I'll keep you posted on how this goes. I've started slowly, just taking one of each per day. Some of these things say on the instructions to take two pills three times a day! Ugh.

Anybody have any good advice on which supplements have helped you stabilize your mood? Not counting chocolate, I mean.

New Strategy

2010-05-27T23:18:00.002-05:00

In MO there are a few seasons...winter, fall, spring (lasts about 2 weeks) and then the humid season. Humidity causes many problems - higher AC bills, bad hair days, and auto's that are instant saunas.

The one good thing they bring....is a lack of hunger.

This is the season where I sometimes could care less about eating dinner. Or, I'll be craving something light. So as I was eating some cereal for dinner --I thought, hey, I'll try the Special K plan.

After a quick search online - I was pretty disgusted with their suggested plan. If diets were made to be all carbs - then it might be a great idea. It was (of course) full of Special K suggestions to eat - but I failed to see where it encouraged enough fruits and veggies. But searching the nutritional info it became quite clear that they do not know the meaning of "high fiber" AND that they have a love affair with some hidden trans fats and high fructose corn syrup.

So, now I'm trying my own version of the Special K diet. 2 bowls of cereal and one regular meal. Veggies and fruits are "free" in between or with meals. Limited drink calories.

I know it's not a long term plan - but it has some advantages. First, it allows me to eat less - since this is what I'm wanting to do anyway. Second, it is easier to track calories when 2 of your meals are mostly the same every day. Third, it's pretty easy because it's short term (they suggest 2 weeks) and once you select your variety of cereals there isn't much question of what you will be eating.

I'll let you know how it goes...

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

2010-05-23T19:07:00.004-05:00

That happens to be the title of a very funny bookthat has nothing to do with losing weight. In case you're interested.

I had an epiphany yesterday about cake. (Yes, that's what I said, an epiphany about cake. I don't claim to be deep.)

I've been sick this week. Well, actually for two weeks. (I'm finally starting to get better, thanks for asking.) And I had to work yesterday, which kinda sucks. Then after work I was driving to a birthday party for a special seven-year-old and thinking of how exhausted I was, when I found myself thinking, "I hope there's good cake."

And then I got to thinking about all the events where we serve cake in our culture. Birthdays, weddings, graduations, anniversaries, retirements, basically any cause for celebration is cause to eat cake.

Here's the thing about me and celebrations. I'm very happy for whomever is celebrating. And generally I'm going to the celebration because I love the person being celebrated. But celebrations mean large groups of people. And as R likes to say, "Janet doesn't like people."

That sounds bad, I realize. And I guess the truth is, I love certain people. And I love those people one-on-one or in small groups. But you put any people in a large, loud, chaotic group? I'd really rather be at home.

So, I realized yesterday that I tend to say to myself about every time I'm faced with one of these situations, "Well, at least there will be cake." Cousin's wedding? Grandparents' 75th anniversary? "At least there will be cake."

This cake coping mechanism is a classic example of me using food to numb whatever feeling is making me uncomfortable. I'm grateful that I live in a culture which serves cake. Otherwise, I'd be forced to feel uncomfortable without assitance.

Do you suppose this is WHY we serve cake at these things? Because generally they involve seeing family we don't like? Or being around large groups of noisy children? Or co-workers we'd rather not spend our social time with? Do we serve cake to medicate people into being able to stand the pressure?

At any rate, I know that I personally look forward to the food at these things. And I'll admit, good food is a good way to motivate me to do something that makes me uncomfortable. Which is something for me to think about.

Lost Causes and Plan B

2010-05-17T13:18:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure when it happened - but I think I was robbed.

...Robbed of my ambition and motivation.

But I think someone returned it recently. So I'm looking forward to getting back ON track!

All things considered - I guess I haven't done too bad...assuming you will forgive me for my silence.... *slap on the wrist - bad blogger, bad!*

My numbers are still hovering in the same area. My soda consumption is still around 1 per week - often less. (And at this point, usually when I drink it - my body tells me "no thank you" and it's not nearly as good as I remember it to be.) I'm looking forward to ice cold water with lime and mint (a virgin mojito?) on a nice sunny deck.

I'm eating okay but as always need to ramp up the veggies and fruits.
I have a planter full of homegrown lettuce that is soon going to be on my diner plate!
And a garden of veggies that I hope will inspire me to eat better!

I've been doing a lot of gardening - and I know that counts for some kind of workout because I FEEL the BURN, but it can't be my ONLY form of exercise. This is the season of "slowness" at my position - so no excuses not to get back in the habit of desk push-ups and taking my break on the treadmill or walking around the block (and possibly getting lost to meander a bit more freely through the town).

AND - I'm planning to kidnap my hubby a few times a week to make him walk with me in the evenings while dragging the poochies along for the fun.

That's the plan - try, try again?

I Do Not Have a Cold but I Do Have Thai Soup

2010-05-13T16:46:00.004-05:00

Last night we ate our fourth meal from Self Magazine's recipes. This one was Spicy Thai Soup with Lime Shrimp. Except I don't do shrimp, so mine was technically Spicy Thai Soup with Lime Chicken.

This was one of the recipes I was a bit unsure of. It involves sweet potatoes, onions, broccoli, and red peppers pureed in a blender. And curry (it calls for green curry paste, which I defy you to find in a small Missouri grocery store) and the juice of two limes.

It seemed an odd combination to me.

But I actually thought it was really good. Though I'm warning you, it might have something to do with what I have finally accepted is a cold, and not allergies.

I came home last night thinking that what I really wanted for supper was homemade chicken soup. And then it occurred to me that I had homemade chicken soup in the freezer. Sort of. If my grandmother was from Thailand, this might have been what her soup tasted like.

In my state of trying really hard not to have a cold, the combination of spicy, and hot, and limey was really good. And it was technically chicken soup. With garlic and onions, which are good for colds.

So, I'm giving it a thumbs up.

What I'm Not Doing to Lose Weight

2010-05-09T17:32:00.003-05:00

I had a pretty good week in terms of eating healthier and exercising. R and I ate three of our five Self Magazine meals. I walked five out of seven days, and three of those days I also biked.

I was only able to go to yoga once because I had to work the other night, but it feels really good to be back into going regularly. Moves are getting easier, and I feel better about myself after going. Plus it goes a long way toward reducing my stress, which I know is a huge factor in my health.

At yoga that one day, I did something revolutionary. Or rather, I didn't do something revolutionary. I started to weigh myself at one point, and then I stopped.

I know there are two schools of thought on scales and weight loss. One philosophy says, "The scale doesn't mean anything. Focus on how you feel. Focus on how your clothes fit." The other idea is, "Weigh yourself regularly so you can quickly tell whether you're making progress or need to make some changes."

The way my mind works is, if I weigh and I did lose weight, I feel fabulous, and I'm motivated to keep going. BUT, if I weigh and I didn't lose weight? I feel like crap. And if I have actually been doing a lot of the right things, and the scale doesn't show it? I decide that this eating right, exercising regularly nonsense doesn't work and isn't worth it, and let's just go get ice cream.

And the thing is, this past week or two? I KNOW I've done better. I know I've been more active. I know I'm getting stronger and more flexible. I know I have more energy, and I'm feeling better about myself. And I also knew that if I stepped on that scale and didn't like what it told me? I'd feel awful and want to quit.

So I saved myself the trouble and didn't weigh. And I don't think I'm going to for a while. Maybe when I reach the point where my clothes feel looser, and I know that number will be motivating, rather than potentially discouraging, I'll step on.

But for now, I'm just going to keep doing those things I know are making me feel better.

How about you? Never step on a scale? Weigh every day? Do you feel like it helps or hurts?

Shepherd's Pie and My Yoga Class

2010-05-05T19:08:00.002-05:00

Last night R and I ate meal number three from Self's Cook Once, Eat Healthy All Week. This one was Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie, and it was YUMMY!

This was the one meal R said he was unsure about. (The one I'm most unsure about is the Thai Soup. Coming soon to a blog near you!) But even he loved it. This is one recipe I think we will make again, maybe with a few modifications.

As with the previous two meals, this one was hot. Darn those chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. (What is adobo sauce anyway? I should warn you, that link won't help. It basically says that "adobo" means "sauce" in Spanish. Which makes me wonder, does that mean that "adobo sauce" is just redundant?)

Anyway, before we ate this, we took our longest bike ride to date, and my thighs are feeling it today. Two and a quarter miles, knocked out! Yeah, I know, that's nothing on a bike, but it's more than we started out with.

And tonight we will not be bike riding because I walked over lunch with EG, and I went to yoga tonight. Nobody else showed up for class, so I essentially had a private one-on-one session with my teacher. It was a little bit awkward, but mostly it was good, and she was able to give me little personal tips on a couple things. Plus she did all my favorite poses, since it was just me.

There will be no Self meal tonight. Tonight, in honor of Cinco De Mayo, R is in the kitchen whipping up some fajitas for me. He brought me a margarita a few minutes ago. I know, he is "un novio fabuloso."

Meal Number Two: Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake

2010-05-04T16:44:00.001-05:00

We ate our second meal from Self's Cook Once, Eat Healthy All Week article last night. This one was Cheesy Shrimp Enchilada Bake. Except I don't do shrimp, so ours was technically Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake.

As with the sauce from the meatloaves, this meal was HOT. I kept thinking it needed a nice dollop of sour cream to balance out the hot, but we didn't have any, and that would have defeated the healthy purpose somewhat. (Of course the brownies we ate for dessert probably did that anyway.)

I will say, it was lovely to simply decide which meal we wanted to eat, from the four we had conveniently placed in the freezer Sunday evening. R complained a bit that it took 30 minutes in the oven to heat these back up though. But he loved them once they were ready.

We biked for the second time last night too. I'm tellin' ya, it's been too long since this woman has regularly ridden a bike. I had to stop and rest after every tiny hill. And by the time we finished our mile and a half route, my thighs were twitching something awful. I walked about 3/4 a mile just to try to calm them back down.

Miraculously, my legs haven't been sore though, at all. They hurt like crazy while we're pedaling, and they twitch for hours after. But I haven't had any soreness. Well, except in my behind. But that's from the seat. But it hurts.

Anyhow, we're keeping it up. I think R is liking it much better than walking. He seems to look at bike riding more as play than as exercise. Which is probably the point we all need to get to in our routines, yes?

I walked today at lunch too. And I heard this Most Awesome Song I Heard While Working Out: I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas. I think I love this song so much because I remember how incredible it was seeing that flash mob on Oprah, and seeing Oprah not know what the heck was going on. It was fabulous. It makes me tear up every time.

The Cooking Project that Destroyed My Kitchen

2010-05-03T11:54:00.003-05:00

We completed the cooking phase last night of our Cook Once, Eat Healthy All Week project last night, and I lived to blog about it. Barely.

First of all, let me tell you that it took time. Lots of time. The article specifically says you can do all this, "In less time than it takes to watch Dirty Dancing." Now, I'm not sure how long it takes you to watch Dirty Dancing, but this cooking thing took us over 3 1/2 hours last night. Us, as in two of us working together. I cannot imagine how long it would have taken one person to do this alone, but I'm guessing it's about as long as it would take to watch Dirty Dancing, then watch all the special features, including watching the movie a second time with the director's commentary turned on.

We were exhausted and starving by the time we finished. And it ceased being a fun activity for us to enjoy as a couple by about the end of hour 2. That was about the time I became incredibly confused and stressed from following directions such as, "While the loaves bake, prepare the sauce for the enchiladas, then begin the Thai Soup, then recite the entire Gettysburg Address while standing on your head."

My other complaints: We ended up with way too much of many of the "building blocks." You start out the adventure by making four different concoctions that then go into the various recipes. One of them called for three large onions, and five cloves of garlic, which are chopped and sauteed in a little oil. Then each recipe calls for a varying amount of this "onion garlic mixture." As I chopped and chopped and chopped (and cried and watered and teared) I kept thinking, "This is a lot of onions." And it was. As in we ended up not using about 1/3 of it. Same with the broccoli/red pepper mixture. So, if you decide to try this at home, my advice is don't make as much as they say. Or, do what we did, and freeze the leftovers in appropriate stir-fry fixin' proportions.

And this "building block" concept is one other concern of mine. If you don't like any one of these mixtures, you're out of luck, because these things in varying combinations make up all five recipes. So, if you're not an onion eater (which I'm not so much), you may end up not liking anything you've fixed all week.

My final complaint is that by the time we finished, I swear to you, every single pot, pan, bowl, measuring device, knife, spoon, cutting board, and Tupperware dish we own was dirty and scattered about my kitchen. Many of them were actually washed multiple times and used again and again. I don't handle mess well. And believe me, this was A MESS.

When we finally finished the last recipe at midnight (okay, it was only 9:30) we decided to sit down and eat the first meal, which was Adobo-Glazed Mini Turkey Loaves. They were okay. That's about the best I can say for them. The sauce was HOT. We like spicy food, so it was okay, but I'm warning any faint of tongue in the audience, HOT. We made some instant mashed potatoes to eat with them, so that may have cut down on the healthy quotient, but it also balanced out the hotness, and seemed to make more of a "meal" than just a mini meatloaf.

I'll keep you posted throughout the week as to how we like the other four recipes. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go finish cleaning up the kitchen. Ugh.

Cook Once, Eat Healthy All Week

2010-05-02T17:22:00.002-05:00

R has gotten on board with both of us getting healthier. I got him started walking with me most evenings, and doing push ups and sit ups with me every other night. On about day three of this plan, I was trying to get him to do the push ups/sit ups, and he was acting pretty pissy about the whole thing.

Finally I asked him if he just didn't want to do this, and he said, "No. I don't want to do this. I want to be healthy, but I think it sucks that you have to do all this to be healthy. Bastards."

Which I guess pretty much sums up how most of us feel at one point or another in our weight loss journeys.

Anyway, today he talked me into both of us buying bicycles. Now, I used to ride a bicycle all the time. I could go miles and miles on my bicycle. When I was 10. I am considerably older than 10 now.

Honestly, I was trying to think back to the last time I rode a bike, and it's probably been when I was a teenager. And it's been since I was 10 that I was riding regularly.

Today we rode a mile and a half. That was an hour ago, and my thighs are still twitching. I hope I can even walk tomorrow.

Also, as a part of our getting healthy plan, we decided to try this series of recipes from Self Magazine titled "Cook Once, Eat Healthy All Week." We bought all the groceries today. I was afraid it was going to cost me $100, but it was more like $60. Granted, I had some things at home already. I'm doing chicken breast instead of shrimp in the two recipes that call for shrimp. R loves shrimp, but I can't do it. I don't like the texture.

We also had trouble finding some of the ingredients. My local Wal-mart doesn't seem to carry almond milk. I was a bit skeptical about buying a half gallon of almond milk just to use 1/4 cup anyway. So I bought soy milk, which I will use in coffee, cereal, etc... And we couldn't find green curry paste. I just bought some curry seasoning, and I hope that works okay.

I will keep you all posted on how the recipes turn out, and on how well our biking adventure goes. If I can walk enough to get back to the computer tomorrow.

Body Image Wisdom from Glee

2010-04-29T16:09:00.002-05:00

I mostly watch Glee because it's hilarious and fun, and I love the music and dance numbers. But this week I found myself getting pretty emotional at some of the situations.

During one scene, Quinn, who is pregnant and was kicked off the cheerleading squad because of it, was talking with Mercedes about being healthy. She made the comment that she didn't know why she was so willing to eat healthy for her baby, but unwilling to do the same thing to take care of herself.

Whoa.

Good thing to consider, huh?

Then later, Mercedes did an awesome rendition of Christina Aguilera's "Beautiful." It won't let me embed it for copyright reasons, but you can see it here. She talked about how often we all feel fat, feel unattractive, feel not good enough, and asked the crowd to join her if they'd ever felt the same.

I know I was singing along. And even R commented that he'd never really listened to the words before, but wow, that was a really good song!

Though, for a more lighthearted moment, I think my very favorite quote from the episode may have been when Brittany said, "I'm pretty sure my cat has been reading my diary."

Pain, Struggles, and Distraction Tactics

2010-04-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

First let's talk about the struggles...

I read this week (or sometime in the past month -time just bleeds all together) that you have to cut 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound. 1 pound - people. That's 500 calories a day for 7 days straight that shouldn't be going into my mouth. Now the mystery as to why the numbers aren't plummeting in a down-ward direction is finally clear.

Have you ever fought yourself to go to the gym. Hated every minute of being there and then at the end of a programmed workout - looked down at the screen to see that you just sweat and panted and spent minutes of your life - and burned 97 calories? Maybe it says 130 calories? Is this disappointing to anyone else?

I think this MAY be why (digging into Long Term Memory Now) my review of that Fact or Crap weight loss article was suggesting that exercise simply is not the answer to LOSING weight. Unless you are a serious athlete or a marathon runner (I know there are some of you out there) you simply are NOT going to find success with this method. You HAVE TO CUT CALORIES.

I know that isn't fun. Trust me. But it also isn't fun to imagine the number of minutes I would have to commit to the treadmill in order to burn that 1 pound. I will try to remember this choice (spend my entire evening on the treadmill or don't eat the ice cream) whenever I have the urge to flirt with "unnecessary foods".

Other light bulb moments this week included the fact that 99% of calories in hot dogs are from FAT. About 80% of calories in cream cheese is from fat. I'm usually good at looking at labels - but the fact that these two had escaped my radar for this long is making me question my diligence.

Distraction Tactics

Coke Rewards thinks they will try to derail my 1 time a week soda plan by encouraging me to drink their Diet beverage in mass quantity for extra bonus points. Pure evil.

Dairy Queen is having a blizzard birthday. My son was amazed / horrified to think that I was nearly 10 years old before the idea of putting candy into ice cream was thought of. And for the record - yes, I took part in the .25 cent blizzard promotion. I pray that it is over now so that I can avoid a repeat offense.

And finally - let's talk Pain!

I had my best workout (unintentionally) in a long time. This weekend I spent some time outside planting flowers. The ground was wet, it was cold, and this led to some interesting poses (perhaps I've invented gardening yoga) in order to avoid the mud while squatting to plant flowers. Apparently while bending, reaching, digging, and balancing - I rekindled my relationship with some long-lost inner thigh and glut muscles.

The next morning I had that happy muscle burn. I was very please with myself. I suggested to Janet that this may be my new workout plan.

By afternoon - I was trying to fake a "normal walk" but I think it was more like a light hobble. I'm thinking maybe I over did it.

By evening I was wincing in pain with every step and cursing the builder of our house that thought stairs was a good idea. As I admire my happy flowers - they seem to be taunting me.

Today, I'm considering a plant sale in the driveway. I've had the realization that I have only planted one flower bed (and not even completely) and that I have about 4x more to go. Spring fever causes brain damage and should be a medical condition in the DSM. Why on earth would anyone call gardening FUN?

I'm praying for rain this weekend so that I have a valid excuse to procrastinate at putting the rest of the flowers in the ground. I'm also wondering how many dog treats I would have to offer to get my poochies to dig the rest of the wholes for me.

Baked Oatmeal

2010-04-26T20:03:00.003-05:00

I originally got this recipe from $5 Dinners - and I can't thank them enough!

2 eggs
1/2 cup applesauce (I use sugar free)
3/4 cup sugar (IF I use applesauce with sugar - I cut this back to half)
1 cup milk
3 cups of quick cooking oats
1 tsp salt (I have left this out completely or just added one shake)
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBS brown sugar
1 cup fresh fruit (I have used frozen berries, you may need to add a few minutes to baking time to bake out the extra liquids.)
2 TBS wheat germ (not in the original recipe, but I add it)

Directions
1. In large bowl, whisk eggs, applesauce, sugar, and milk. Once creamy add oats, salt and baking powder (and wheat germ) and mix. Then add 1 cup fruit.

You can use Gluten free oats if this is a concern for your family.

2. Pour batter into greased 9x13 baking dish. (You can cut the recipe in half and bake in 8x8 pan. I prefer to bake the full recipe in a glass dish that is irregularly shaped - I think it's around a 8x10. This makes the oatmeal thicker and the sugar topping has more POW with each bite!)

3. Sprinkle top with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with either milk or vanilla yogurt. (I vote for yogurt, but the boys prefer it with milk.)

We've tried fresh strawberries (sometimes I use strawberry applesauce in that batch), fresh blueberries, apples, and frozen fruits as well. All have been a winner! We only made the 8x8 batch once...since then we make the full batch and have enjoyed it for a very filling dinner. Then I pray for leftovers so that I can take some to work each day and warm it slightly in the microwave and top with yogurt.

As an additional note, one night when I was clearly brain-dead from my day, I accidentally topped with yogurt without warming it up first. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was still delicious and I can see this being a summertime favorite as well!

Enjoy -you've got to love a simple, cheap, yummy dish that is healthy and filling- and very close to eating CAKE!

My New Favorite Junk Food

2010-04-24T19:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, I know – I haven’t posted for some days/ weeks. I’m not sure what happened; other than I got caught up the whirlwind called life.

And don’t worry – I didn’t fall off the wagon, well not totally.

I did have a short love-affair with the soda. I drank more than I would care to confess. But I’m here to come clean and tell you that I have returned from the “dark side” and have remained on the 1-soda per week program successfully THIS week and plan to keep it up.

But back to my new favorite junk food…

I HAVE to call it junk food. Because for as long as I’ve lived if I’ve gotten “stuck” on a food--you could pretty much bet it was a junk food. Bread sticks, pizza, milkshakes with cookie dough – you know the stuff… high calorie, not good for you, and certainly not a food that you want to eat OVER and OVER and OVER.

Now, I have to say – I have WISHED for years that I LOVED oatmeal. It’s so good for you. It has magic powers against the cholesterol. It’s filled with fiber and keeps you full.

But alas, the texture of oatmeal mostly makes me want to gag and IF I manage to eat it, it’s almost always followed by nausea. I know, it’s weird, but it’s just part of being ME. Who wants to start their day THAT way?

So last year – I fell in love with Oatmeal on the Go bars by Quaker. My only disappointments were that it does involve some High Fructose Corn Syrup, and it does contain “an insignificant amount of trans fats” ….and you know how that grinds my gears. Regardless, I bought the high fiber variety – nuked it and enjoyed a warm, mostly healthy kind of breakfast most of last year at my desk. (And only recently have I found that my usual grocery stop has decided to NOT carry this flavor.) My blood work results at the annual physical did tend to show some improvement with the numbers – and this is the ONLY major change that I identified.

Imagine my joy – when I found an easy to whip up, so delicious I call it junk food, recipe for baked oatmeal. It involves NO fats. It uses fresh fruits. It’s kind of like eating cake. You can make it in a wide variety of flavors (we’ve tried apple, blueberry, strawberry). And while I haven’t done the calorie count – at a glance it’s got to be a winner.

Since we’ve discovered this recipe I swear we have gone through one HUGE tub of oatmeal each month, if not more. We have enjoyed it for dinner and I am now in the habit of making sure there is enough in the fridge to get me through the week.

Even with all that – I swear, I find myself wanting it for dinner ….. or snack….. or dessert….

Now that is a junk food winner! Do you have any super –healthy foods that you’ve not been able to eat enough of?

I’ll post the recipe next Tuesday.

Janet's Rules for Healthy Living

2010-04-22T18:43:00.003-05:00

1. Chocolate chips are a perfectly acceptable breakfast food when mixed with almonds and a high fiber cereal.

2. A Quarter Pounder with Cheese is a perfectly acceptable lunch if you leave two bites uneaten.

3. Chocolate in general only has half the calories if you eat it as a reaction to a co-worker behaving insanely.

4. If you go to yoga, and the instructor doesn't show up, you still reap all the benefits of doing yoga.

5. Any exercise done while it's pouring rain outside burns double the calories.

6. Doing yoga two days in a row is a really good idea. I think. I'll let you know for sure tomorrow. If I can move.

Yoga Voices in My Head

2010-04-16T17:11:00.003-05:00

I had to go to a luncheon for work yesterday, and there was a motivational speaker. Yeah, I know, it was thrilling, beyond belief. And yes, it was the typical, "You can do it!" and "Just change your attitude!" stuff you always hear from motivational speakers.

She was perky and tiny, and I wanted to wring her size two little neck most of the time. I'd be motivated too. If I could button my pants.

One thing she said was that for every negative thing she hears her little inner voice say about herself, she makes herself think of two positive things. Which might be kind of corny, but I do say a lot of bad stuff to myself lately. So, it kind of stuck with me.

I went to yoga last night for the first time in six weeks. Okay, it's not the first time I went to yoga in six weeks, but it's the first time I got to do yoga in six weeks.

And it was rough. I'm tellin' ya. Six weeks worth of not doing yoga (or much of anything for that matter) isn't pretty for this chick.

You want to know how many times during a one hour yoga class I said something negative to myself? I lost count after 47. And half the time, I'd be trying to think of the two positives, "My calves are really strong!" and the negative would pop in and says, "But not as strong as they used to be!" before I got the second positive out. Which meant I had to think of three positives then.

I think.

I kind of kept losing track.

Anyway, the biggest positive I kept telling myself, is, "Hey! You're here. You haven't been in a long time, and it would have been easier to stay home. But you're here."

And I know it will get easier next week.

The Post About Bloating and My Boobs

2010-04-12T15:27:00.003-05:00

I feel like crap.

Like fat, bloated, PMSy crap.

Sorry, not the positive, uplifting post you were expecting?

I've written before about how I have PMS from hell. Like to the point that I was on antidepressants and stuff for a while, even though I truly only felt like I needed them two weeks out of the month.

Yes, I said two weeks. PMS runs two weeks in our household. Welcome to our world.

R loves it.

Not.

Anyway, I was on the road for work three days last week, then worked Saturday. So, that means I ate out....9 of my last 12 meals? The PMS had started before I left, but I'm thinking so much soda, fried food, and salt, has really taken its toll.

I was getting dressed Thursday morning, and I put my rings on, only to realize 5 minutes later that my fingers were turning purple. And then I couldn't get the rings OFF. And once I soaped my hands and got them off, I had the ring imprints on my fingers for two hours.

Got to be the bloating. I mean, did I seriously gain that much weight in a day?!

And my boobs are killing me. I mean, I'm in boob pain sitting here typing. I take my bra off at night, and I can hear them go "WHUMP" and then I yell from the pain.

And my neck and shoulders are a wreck. Which might be stress, and might be the 45 pounds of boobs they try to hold up every day of my life.

Saturday my co-worker (who admittedly, is never a ray of sunshine) informed me that she hates me because I have such big boobs. I told her she can have them. I don't want them.

I was serious.

I still am.

Any takers?

A Mostly Sugar Free Easter

2010-04-06T07:29:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm returning from my Easter holiday with a mostly happy report on the world.
(I say that and I realize that I haven't weighed for several days in a row...)

Somehow in the past years - we've grown this horrible tradition on our house. The "E Bunny" hides 100+ eggs in the yard or house (depending on weather). The downfall is that all those eggs contained a piece of candy. I know, I know, I don't even remember how it got so out of control.

And certainly...calories / pounds were to follow.

I spent a lot of time prepping for the idea that perhaps the "E Bunny" was going to be a little lighter on the candy this year. Though I assured the little man that there would be plenty of other treats involved and he could still run around the yard picking up 100+ eggs. And come Easter morning - I crossed my fingers and hoped.

Okay, really I got out of bed at 5am to "hide' the eggs - which is a joke, b/c when you are talking about 100+ eggs - let's be honest, there is little hiding involved. You stand and throw and hope that the colors nicely spread across the yard in some kind of magical display. And even if this would not normally be your nature to be so careless - it's 5am! it's cold! and you know an excited child is going to wake early so you better get all the sleep you can before he wakes up!! But I digress....back to the candy...

The good news is that the Easter load ended up consisting of 6 Butterfingers Eggs, 1 Large Marshmallow Bunny, and 1 Cookies and Cream Bunny, and 1 Small Pastel Bunny. When you compare this to the normal 'load' - we seriously downsized. (Also take into account the unbelievable fact that I purchased these bunnies at the Russel Stover's Outlet MONTHS earlier and put them in the freezer - for a ridiculously low price, but better yet - there were still around to make their "debut" for the holiday!!! There may be a Noble Prize coming my way...this took serious self-control.)

And in the midst of all this low-cal nonsense...my little man (knowing and understanding my deep love for Butterfingers) offered to share - even though he only got 6! I teared up a little. And he made the same offer with each of the bunnies.

So the good news is, that while I may not have eaten like a Saint this weekend - I had less junk to reach for. And that's a gift that will keep on giving for weeks to come!!! An important lesson - listen to the child. Maybe you will find that it's the "hunt" and not the "prize" that they really enjoy the most?

Thanks Easter Bunny! Bock! Bock!

"What Are You Hungry For?

2010-04-05T18:48:00.001-05:00

Hint: It's not food." And so starts a really interesting article in the latest issue of O Magazine. It was written by Geneen Roth and it's based on the ideas in her book Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything.

The concept that I found most fascinating is that most of us approach weight loss from a perspective of what we dislike about ourselves. We see things we don't like, and we want to change them. And we think that if we can just lose the weight, we'll be happy. Geneen says we think that, "If you hate yourself enough, you will love yourself. If you torture yourself enough, you will become a peaceful, relaxed human being."

Which is crazy, is it not?

And you know it doesn't work. I know it doesn't work. I know for a fact that when my step-mother tells me I've gained weight, it does not help. It makes me hate my body and myself more, and then it makes me reach for the chocolate to make myself feel better. For a moment.

She goes on to say,

...there are always exquisitely good reasons why [you] turn to food. Can you imagine how your life would have been different if each time you were feeling sad or angry as a kid, an adult said to you, "Come here sweetheart, tell me all about it."?

Wow. That made me tear up a bit. I mean, honestly, as an adult, that is all I want really. For someone to care and listen and sympathize and understand. Isn't that what we all want?

The advice Geneen says she gives her students is, "To eat what they want when they are hungry and to feel what they feel when they're not." She says that if we eat when we are not physically hungry, we are using food as a drug. We're using food to kill the pain of whatever negative emotion we're trying to squash.

It's a lot to think about. I haven't read the book, but I'm thinking I probably will. I'm not a religious person, so this whole "God" aspect of the book makes me a little squeamish. I know there are church groups that help people lose weight through prayer and so forth. If it's more spiritual than religious, I can handle that and embrace it. So, we'll see.

Anyway, the main idea I've been trying to remember is that hating myself or my body is never going to make he healthy, or thin, or happy. So, I'm trying to make my choices about food and exercise and such from a place of love for myself, rather than hatred.

It kind of worked over the weekend. Today I had to work, and I didn't so much remember all that as I kept reaching for the candy bowl.

Oh, well, it's all about baby steps.

Another Exercise in Flexibility

2010-04-01T18:58:00.000-05:00

I hadn't been to yoga in over a month. Twice I had to work. Twice I was too sick. Once the teacher was on vacation. I know I need to get back into it, because I feel so much better when I'm going regularly. So, despite being tired and still not feeling 100%, I made myself go tonight.

And then the teacher didn't show up!

The weird thing is, I'd had this feeling since about noon today that class wasn't happening. And I called the Community Center to double check, and nobody was answering. I looked on their website, and the posted schedule was still for March. So, I went this evening, despite my crazy feeling that there was no class.

And when I arrived, the daily schedule board did not list yoga. So, I walked up to the desk and said, "I had a feeling there was no yoga tonight. Is class canceled?" And they looked at me like I was insane, and they insisted there was going to be class.

I told them it wasn't on the board. The guy then asked if I had an April schedule, and I said, "No, and it's not on your website." So he handed me a schedule. Which said there was yoga tonight.

But the girl checked some other paper, a "facilities report" or some such thing, and it did not have yoga listed for tonight. So, she called somebody, and I heard her say in an exasperated tone, "Well can you check NOW? There's a woman here wanting to pay."

She hung up, and told me this person was supposed to call her back. So I stood around at the desk and listened to this girl complaining about how she needs a new job.  The other person eventually called back and insisted that yes, there would be yoga tonight. So I paid and went on upstairs.

I generally walk around the track until the teacher shows up to unlock the room. So, I'm walking, and I'm walking, and it gets to be 10 'til, then 5 'til, and I'm thinking the whole time, "I just know there is no class." And it gets to be TIME for class, and she's not there yet.

So, I grabbed my stuff, and decided to check the door, just in case maybe she slipped in when I wasn't looking. She wasn't in there, but three other ladies were in there, waiting for class. And right behind me, one more walked in. And she said she had called, and they told her yes, there was class.

By the time it was 5 minutes beyond class time, I told them all that there was no way she was coming.  She is always early. So, one girl went back downstairs to ask again what was going on. And she was told they were calling the teacher. Which I'm thinking maybe should have happened 15 minutes earlier, but whatever.

At that point, it was 10 minutes late, and I told them all I was giving it up. On my way back downstairs, I met a girl who was heading up to tell us all there was no class (you think???). She apologized and said the teacher had spoken to So and So, but she forgot to tell Whomever, and then Somebody Else left early, and with all that, Nobody got the message.

Or something.

Anyway, I did walk about 25 minutes. And while I was waiting around in the room, I grabbed a couple weight balls (is that what they're called?  Squishy kind of things like they are filled with sand?) and did some arm stuff. So, all in all, I felt like it was not a waste of time.

Except that I could have been at home.

Except that if I'd gone home, I probably wouldn't have exercised at all.

So, it was a good day at yoga. Or a good day to not do yoga.

No News is Good News?

2010-03-28T11:58:00.000-05:00

You may or may not have noticed that I updated my ticker last week. I didn't post about it, because honestly, I wasn't happy about it. The thing is, I went up a pound from the last time I updated. However, I hadn't updated in so long, that in between updates, I'd gone up four pounds! So, this weigh-in was actually three pounds down from where I was the last time I personally weighed (and didn't post the four pound gain). Confused yet?

Anyway, I weighed again today, and was exactly the same. I mean to the tenth of a pound, and the same on the body fat percentage. So, at least I didn't gain. Because I think I worked out once this week. And I basically ate whatever I wanted. Which included a lot of Easter candy.

So here is where I pledge to do better next week. Right? Well, I'll try. It's gonna be a stressful work week, so I'm not making promises. Though, the weather is supposed to be gorgeous, which motivates me to walk outside much more. Maybe the two will balance each other out and next week will have a happier headline.

Oh The Places You May NOT Go

2010-03-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

This week - with a view of spring tempting us - we started walking outside. Which got me thinking...sure, most exercise is pretty much NOT something that I look forward to. But what surrounding do I find the most preferable?

After much mental debate - I've decided that I can't live without either option. Here are the benefits / drawbacks as I see them.

You Are Going Nowhere Methods - This includes tracks, treadmills, stationary bikes, and other stationary equipment.

Benefits:
You can stop at any point - you don't have to worry about going so far that you are too tired to get back. I want to believe that this helps me push myself further...but maybe it just makes it easier to quit at a weak moment.

If it is a motorized piece of equipment (like a programmed treadmill) you don't have to trust yourself to set the pace. You just have to keep up with the machine. You can always push the pace up a notch - but I pretend that the "slow down" button is broken and off limits.

I live in an area where there are approximately 14 days per year that are bearable outside (in my opinion). It's either freezing cold, sauna hot, or wicked allergy levels. Being inside sometimes makes breathing possible - and I find that to be a necessary part of exercise.

You can set your own scene - loud music, low lights, set temperature, watching trash TV, if it's private there is no need to dress for public viewing...you can pretty much have it your way.

Limited interruptions.

Drawbacks...

The scenery sucks. My son and I tried out a track last week for the first time. It surrounded a gym and had an "open locker" shelf where you could put your belongings. I took every vantage point to keep my eyes on one suspicious fellow who was hanging around the shelf that then held my purse, wallet, cell, and car keys - a little longer than I thought necessary. So I guess in that case, there was some scenery drama.

It can be kind of boring.

You might not push yourself as hard - especially if it's not a programmable / automatic machine. At the very least, I find it difficult to keep a steady pace on those machines.

Ease on Down the Road Methods-

Benefits:

Good or at least ever changing scenery.

Fresh air.

Could lead to a social encounter.

A good excuse to buy some cute workout gear.

You've got to get yourself back home. No quitting until you hit the finish line or front door.

Time moves a bit faster when you are paying more attention to your route and less attention to the countdown of the clock / miles.

The down side...

Could lead to a social encounter- this generally gets in the way of a serious workout.

Who looks good sweaty, panting, and without a mirror? Maybe it's best to keep it out of the public eyes.

Distractions everywhere...dogs barking, traffic, other walkers, the occasional dog running free and threatening to eat you.

Allergies, no temperature control, unpredictable weather.

It really is hard to expand your distance without fear of going too far. If you only have to drag yourself home, maybe this isn't too terrible - you'll likely survive. However, if you walk with a younger child - this requires some thought or quality earplugs to block out the whining.

Hills, potholes, no sidewalk, mud. We try to walk from home and our neighborhood just wasn't designed with the walker in mind. Driving somewhere so you can walk seems like an extra hassle- add a child that wants to take a bike, two dogs that have vet-paranoia, and soon you have to question the sanity of this plan.

No stereo - yes, I realize I could use my mp3, but refer back to the traffic, dogs, and child and suddenly this doesn't seem like a safe option.

And the winner is?

I would hate to only have one option. I think I would prefer outdoors a lot more if I lived somewhere with milder, user friendly weather...but since I don't I'll have to keep relying on both.

Which place do you prefer to walk / run? Do you mix it up or find that one style suits you better? Either way...keep on movin!

Frozen Fruit Cups

2010-03-20T15:19:00.007-05:00

This recipe is from Don't Panic - More Dinner's In the Freezer - shown below in it's original form / directions. My notes follow.

20 oz. frozen strawberries, sliced and thawed
12 oz. frozen OJ concentrate, slightly thawed
2-20 oz. cans crushed pineapple
1-16 oz. can mandarin oranges
1/3 c. lemon juice
6 bananas, sliced

Combine all ingredients. Include juices from the fruits. Spoon fruit into lined muffin cups and freeze. Once fruit is frozen, place liners with frozen fruit in freezer bags.

Remove 30 min prior to serving.
Makes 25 fruit cups.

Calories - 17

I had frozen sliced strawberries - so I used those instead and I didn't thaw them.
I didn't have any muffin liners on hand, so I used my silicone cupcake pans instead. The recipe indicates that you will have enough to make 25 - but I found that it made much more. I made 24 regular sized cups. Then I started filling one tray of roses shaped cupcake pans (they tend to be larger than typical cupcakes- but they turned out too cute). After making 29 total cups, I still had enough for us to eat for dessert that evening - and I'm not sure that we just ate a single serving each.

In their totally thawed state, everyone really enjoyed them. We have found that in their frozen and then slightly thawed state - they are very tart / strongly acidic. Overall they are a hit with the family - but if I make them again, I may double all the ingredients except the lemon and orange juice and see if that helps to tone down the tartness. Of course, that means we will be eating a lot of fruit cups- so I plan to freeze some in 3-4 size servings.

I think these will be the perfect summer day treat! Bring on the sunshine!

This recipe was linked to :
Tuesday's at the Table with Cole
Tasty Tuesday

Extra Credit

2010-03-19T21:01:00.004-05:00

One week out of the Perfect 10 and I'm missing it already...so I'll just pretend that we're still on the mission and give you a report anyway.

I'm very thankful that Mother Nature was kind to us this week and blessed us with the promise of spring. Thanks to this weather, we walked 3 times this week. Two of these were verging on the 2 mile range - which is good for us.

I've avoided the soda - but drank one last week after the update. Let this be the reminder that I'm not out of the woods yet.

Eating - not so perfect. Not even close. I have consumed a good amount of fruits - but I'm failing veggies. Too much snacking - skipping meals (usually because I'm not hungry at "meal time" and then it's too close to the next meal to eat a meal - so I snack - I see the pattern).

Push-ups. Work has been a bit heavy this week and while I have been in overdrive I've not taken time for myself to do any desk exercises. If the weather holds (I'm nearly laughing / crying as I type that b/c we are currently having an ice storm with snow on the way. A warm up is promised by Monday.) then we should be able to continue the outdoor walks, I may replace my usual gym breaks - where I would walk with some weight lifting and arm work. The reward will be getting to step away from my desk for a much needed break.

Boxes - None came in the house.

When I had my rendezvous with the scale this morning - I saw that I'm pretty close to my "sick weight" and within one pound of that number. I'll give it until next week to see how it's all going to work out and update then.

Are you still on track with your goals?

Have a Nice Day

2010-03-17T17:34:00.000-05:00

I walked today for the first time since before I got sick. Which was...two weeks ago today? Ugh. I never feel like working out when I'm sick, but this time I really did have the fever, and symptoms "below the neck" that they (who are they again?) say you shouldn't work out with. So, I felt justified.

And honestly, I thought it would be rough getting started again today, but it wasn't. It felt pretty good to get moving again. And I only coughed a few (dozen) times.

In all fairness, I haven't been totally sedentary. I went to a conference for three days last week. A conference that I swear was all uphill. Both ways. It was at a resort by a lake with a lot of hills. Our rooms were on the far end, and we had to walk and walk and WALK everywhere. It was all hills if you walked outside, and all stairs if you tried to walk inside. I decided hills were less evil and did that most of the time.

Also, I went to see Bon Jovi in concert Monday night, and spent two plus hours shakin' what my mama gave me. And yelling. Not sure how many calories yelling burns.

I do think I've lost a few pounds from all this illness. Which isn't the way I'd choose to lose, but I'll take it, and I hope I can get right back into eating healthy and working regularly out in order to keep it off. I haven't officially weighed to see what's what, but I will soon.

Most Awesome Song I Heard While Working Out: "Have a Nice Day" by Bon Jovi. Not my favorite song of theirs, but it's one I do kinda like, and one they did not perform Monday night. So I was glad to have it pop up on the iPod today. Plus it's got a good beat for walking, and the message about living one's own life is a good one. "I ain't gonna do what I don't want to. I'm gonna live my life!"

So That is What WELL Feels Like?

2010-03-12T17:21:00.005-06:00

Perfect 10 Update - Final Week!

It's been a long time since I've felt this good. And while I would NOT say that I am 100% yet, I am very happy to be 90% well - and looking forward to the rest coming along soon!

Is the Perfect 10 REALLY over already? I feel like I'm just getting back in the game - only to find out that the buzzer is ringing. Here's how it wound up - this week and overall.

Limit to 1 Soda a Week - Again, I went with no soda this week. Overall, I have gone from being a "several a day"drinker to about 1 a month. I am very pleased with this result and believe that I will be able to continue this pattern. (I even made it through the "sick period" without returning to my old ways - previously, this would have been a deal breaker!)

Push-ups 3xs a Week - I did do 1 day of push ups and for the rest of the week I had one of those BOX weeks - that I did enough lifting to mimic weight training! And I have the aching muscles to prove it. Due to illness - I'm out of practice. I think that overall, I did very well. I plan to continue this practice in hopes of shaping and toning my arms to reach a "sleeveless quality"

Walking 2xs a Week - I walked twice (counts for last week) after updating - and I didn't think I would feel that good. I'll be walking this weekend as well. With spring approaching, I see this routine developing into a regular thing - the dogs love the walk and so does my son, since it gives us "talk time". I plan to get back on track with this and also to increase - by joining a new found pal on a regular schedule of walking...though she would like to convince me to run! Time will tell!

Limit calories - I was much more successful at boosting fruit intake this week. I spent some days without meat as well. And what I did eat the rest of the time was pretty reasonable and appropriate in portion size. This is a work in progress and I don't know that the goal is ever "met", but I'll keep working on this. I know it's the only way to make my scale my friend.

Limit Boxed Foods - I did purchase a few boxed food items. Not in crazy amounts. This challenge has really forced me to look closer at my box purchases and while it has not prevented all "junk" foods from entering my pantry - it has limited my relationship with them. I do plan to continue this challenge - I see the direct correlation between what goes in my cart and what is available to go in my mouth mindlessly later. Go figure.

Unknown thing about me: I am legally blind without the glasses. This is somewhat related to my month+ long headache. I'm hoping that a new pair of glasses with new prescription and progressive lenses (don't be fooled - that means BIfocals - a fact that made me cry) will help put all that headache business to rest once and for all.

I am happy that I've been able to experience success with this project. I'm sad to see it end. If nothing else - the weekly posts kept me focused and honest and accountable. I may continue updating on a weekly basis - before this challenge it was easier to say nothing. Cross your fingers that all my work is rewarded with being the random winner of some exercise equipment that will NO doubt help me continue meeting goals and getting fit! Thanks for all the support / comments and new followers - we hope you stick around. Also, a big thanks to Steve for hosting this physical challenge and for giving me an excuse to push myself and report to the world!