Fun, Fit, and Fabulicious

Vampire Diaries Anyone?

2010-09-13T20:48:00.000-04:00

This is what I saw on my walk today. I love to walk through an old, historic neighborhood five minutes from my house and close to the town square. Today they were filming a scene for the show Vampire Diaries. They actually have some of the store fronts on the square set up for the show. This wasn't the first time they came to film, they are actually filming most of the show 5 minutes from my house. However, today I actually saw them filming. Usually they film inside and late at night (Hello, it is a show about vampires!). Today they were filming in the yard of one the historic homes and I stopped walking for a minute to watch. I happened to be pushing my one year old in the stroller. Right in the middle of one of their takes, my daughter lets out the most excited, high pitch, glass shattering scream. (she was fascinated by all the lights). Well, that is a way to get attention. The entire cast and crew looked in our direction and I was like, "That's our cue!". The walk was great today, not only due to the excitement buzzing on the street about the show, but also because the weather was so nice. And because I saw many people I knew walking up and down the same street as I was. We live in a small town, so that is not unusual. I love the sense of community here. I can't wait to walk again tomorrow! Maybe I can score an autograph!

Does Anyone Have Experience With a Liquid Diet?

2010-09-12T17:31:00.000-04:00

I am thinking of doing some sort of liquid diet. Before you begin lecturing me on how a liquid diet doesn't work and you always gain the weight back, let me explain what I am considering. I would have a smoothie for breakfast. a healthy mid morning snack, a smoothie for lunch with maybe a side of fresh veggies, and then a mid day snack, then a healthy dinner, and a small after dinner snack. I would replace two meals with smoothies. The reason I am wanting to do this is not out of desperation, but out of time issues. In the morning, I am always rushing out the door. A smoothie that I could take in the car with me would help instead of finding some sugary snack when I got to work. At lunch, I pick up my one year old which leaves little time to eat a meal. I could have another smoothie and maybe some veggies or a granola bar for lunch while I am going to get her. Does that sound OK? I don't want to do some fad diet that may cause health issues, extreme hunger, or doesn't teach you the proper way to eat. Has anyone every tried a liquid diet? If so, I would love to hear your successes and tips. Thanks!

Adopt Me Please!

2010-09-09T21:35:00.000-04:00

What a week!? Remember when I said I was a stress eater and I was going to work on that? Yea, God gave me quite a few opportunities this week. I have to say that I did not stress eat though, so I am quite proud of myself in that respect. However, I do feel that I struggle alone sometimes. When you were little and you were scared, who did you run to? Your mom and dad. When you got your first broken heart, did your mom take you shopping or watch movies with you and eat ice cream? Now as you are raising your kids, who do you call for advice? Your mom. I, unfortunately, do not have that kind of relationship with my mom. I have tried so hard to bond with her, but it just isn't happening. I am adopted (have been since birth) but I am nothing like my adoptive parents. I love them and always longed to hear "Good job!" or "I'm proud of you." I rarely got it. I have led quite a successful life- going to college, getting degree after degree; starting a family of my own; having a great career. My brother is a jobless mooch who plays on the computer all day and lives at home with my parents even though he will turn 30 this year. They treat him like he is such a gem. I don't want him to be treated worse, I would just love to have a relationship where I can go to my mom for things. I am going through a difficult situation in my life- one of the toughest ever. I really need my mom to be there for me. Instead, she adds to my stress and grief by complaining that I should have my daughter's 1st birthday party on a different date so she could watch her favorite football team play on tv. She actually threw a fit about it. I tried to do what I could, but it was too late to change the date. She told me how disappointed she was. Moms are supposed to comfort you and tell you things are going to be ok, not be selfish and add to your stress. I tried to talk to her about it. I was trying to be so kind and loving, spilling out my heart that I wanted the kind of close relationship that we never had. The response I got was heartbreaking. She told me that she had the right to feel however she wanted and she wasn't going to lie about her disappointment. She didn't get it. She is like this with everything. My husband feels so sorry for me. He has a great set of parents. They love me, but they don't want to overstep their boundaries. So, I am looking for a mom figure. I need that. I never had it growing up. I think I deserve to have a mother figure that I can talk to and learn from. My relationship with my own daughters is such a blessing. We are so close. But no matter how old you get, sometimes you just need your mom.

This Girl Was Made For Walking & That's Just What I'll Do!

2010-09-07T20:13:00.000-04:00

Loathe, abhor, despise, detest, refuse, reject, repudiate, revolt, SPURN! These words would normally describe my feelings for walking. I found walking plain old boring. I could not understand why anyone would do it voluntarily. I love interacting and changing things up when I exercise. Exercise classes, the Wii, team sports- that's all me. Walking? No thanks. That is until today. Here are some things that (dare I say it??) made my walk successful & enjoyable. (GASP)

1. The weather- autumn is such a great time to take up walking. The weather is finally cool enough where you don't have to be afraid of sweat stains showing up in weird places!

2. Pick a spot worth walking by. The last thing I want to hear on my walk is that neighbor's dang dog barking at me again. Ugh! Today I parked my car at our historic town square and chose one of the historic streets to walk down. It is one of my favorite streets. I always imagine what it would be like if I had the money to buy one of these southern beauties. I never actually get to slow down enough in my car and take in all of their beauty. Today, as I walked by, I noticed things about these gorgeous homes that I never had before.

3. Once I got started, I couldn't stop. Half way down the street I thought to myself, "What am I doing?". However, I couldn't just stop. I couldn't turn off the tv or get off the treadmill. I was forced to continue. I was so proud of myself when I was done!

4. Serotonin- I got some lovely color today. Being in the sun lifted my mood. It is all around good for you!

5. Good company- I pushed my sweet baby girl today in the stroller and she loved it! Half way through my walk she fell asleep and then I loved it! Tomorrow I am meeting a few friends to go on the walk with me. I never get to see my best friend enough and now we get to spend time together while getting fit! Bonus!

I hope I have inspired you guys to get out your walking shoes! If I can be converted, anyone can!

Appreciate, enjoy, respect, like. A new attitude for a new me!

Help! Anyone Experienced in the Art of Tofu?

2010-09-06T08:37:00.000-04:00

Ok, I think I have worked up the courage to finally try tofu. I have heard you can do some amazing things with it. And if I could get used to it, it would be a great supplement in my diet. However, I don't know where to start. I mean up until I was in my early twenties I thought tofu was actually what the green sprouts were on the salad bar at a restaurant. See? Totally oblivious. I don't want to start out not doing it right, not have a good experience with it, and give up. I read that I should start out with extra firm tofu, but beyond that I am clueless. I would love your suggestions on how to start out with tofu. Recipe suggestions would be awesome! If I find that I like it, I might get my family started on it too. Maybe sneak it in their meals at first. I really want to be able to say I heart tofu, but we will see. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Down, but NOT Out!

2010-09-05T12:40:00.000-04:00

I am coming back from an absence of about 7 months. I would love to say that I had kept up with healthy eating and regular exercise, but for the most part I would be lying. I did keep up with my fitness routine until about 4 months ago. Since then I have gained all my weight back. So, I am starting over. I do not feel defeated, only encouraged and excited that I did not give up completely. I am coming back to my goals of fitness much wiser. I have learned a lot about myself and my habits that will help me to succeed.
          One of my first downfalls, when it came to eating healthier, was my husband. When I first met him I barely ate at all. I just wasn't that hungry. This is not good either. I have never truly been taught to eat healthy. He opened my eyes to how good food actually tastes (and how bad it can be for you!). When I am trying to eat healthier, he thinks I must be starving so he always offers me food. One day I tallied it and he offered me food 15 times in one day! Just think of that temptation. So we had a talk about it and he is forbidden to offer me anything. At first it was hard for him, but now he is used to it and there is much less temptation around the house.
           Second, I am a stress eater. I didn't think I was until one day I ended up standing in front of the pantry wondering what I was doing there. Coming to that realization is half the battle. The other half is knowing what to do instead. I am working on that now.
           Third, I am a perfectionist. If I mess up at one point, I get so frustrated at myself that I feel like giving up. I need to stop this or I will never get anywhere. One thing that kept frustrating me was that I felt like I was not doing well with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred the last few times I tried it. I LOVE the work out, but I felt like my body couldn't handle it. I need to take baby steps!

These are my goals for fitness:

1) Find another way to deal with stress.

2) Work up to a high intensity work out.

(I will start by walking our town square for 1 month)

3) Plan what you are going to eat and be realistic about your time and ability

(I am going to utilize my crock pot more to prevent unplanned emergencies where it becomes to late to cook and I would typically go through a drive thru.)

I think as I begin dealing with these issues first, I will see results and be encouraged to keep going. What is making me try again is that I feel horrible physically. I feel like I look horrible. My clothes are ill fitting. I am lethargic. Basically, I feel like my body is dying. I have terrible brain fog which can be caused by poor nutrition. I need to be revived with good health! If you have any ways that you deal with stress instead of food, please let me know. Also, I would love to hear of any healthy crock pot recipes you might have. Thanks!

CelluLITE??? There's Nothing Lite About It!

2010-02-19T09:29:00.001-05:00

What grown woman doesn't have even a little cellulite hanging on her? There are so many options such as creams, laser treatments, liposuction... It is hard to know what really is effective. I am the type that hates any kind of procedure unless very necessary. Today I watched a video by Dr. Oz. It gave me hope that I wouldn't have to get any procedure to get rid of the evil cellufat. I am including the video. It is really good. My next question for him would be, "Are there any foods that work to not only prevent cellulite, but break up these fat cells??" Because if there are foods out there that work better at other breaking up fat cells, I want to eat it like there is no tomorrow! I am going to do some research and get back to you. That will be one of the next few posts. Knowing that cellulite can be reduced/eliminated with diet and exercise gives me hope that my left over baby bulge can be toned by the diet and exercise also?? Is that true? Or will I really have to have lipo to get rid of the bulge? I am all for all natural methods. One thing I do want to say is that Dr. Oz is talking about permanent results. Some of these methods may work temporarily, but if you don't change your lifestyle it is just going to come right back. Hope you enjoy the video!

Cellulite Video

P.S. I received a blogger award from Happy Texans! I love their blog. I will be doing a posting about that later on today.

I Had No Idea I Ate A Little Donkey Today!

2010-02-17T21:33:00.000-05:00

What a productive day! This morning I woke up and ate a mexican omelet. Then I did the 30 Day Shred. My husband has started working out with me, which I am happy about. I love having a workout buddy. He had been watching me workout for about a month and decided he wanted to do it too. My daughter was sitting in her chair, playing on the internet, laughing at how we were huffing and puffing. Tomorrow she is going to do the whole thing through without complaint.

After we worked out, we got ready and went to the Dekalb Farmer's Market. It is only about 30 minutes from our house. Needless to say, I am in love with this place. This was my first time to an actual farmer's market. I bought over a year's worth of different spices for $5.00 total. And they are so fresh. For that price I can afford to change them out as needed. They had fish swimming in a tank that you could purchase and someone would have to catch the fish for you. I watched as an employee struggled to catch two tilapia. I will be going regularly to this place now that I know what to expect. The only thing I didn't care for was the odor in the meat and cheese department. So much meat and cheese- the smell was overwhelming.

We then ate at this place called Qdoba. It is somewhat like a Moes. I think I liked this place better. They had more choices. I had a Burrito Ranchera which was not the healthiest thing on the menu, but they really do have some good healthy options. And I found out today that burrito means "little donkey" due to the underside of the donkey's belly looking like a burrito. The burrito was fresh and delicious. I think they have these all over the country so I am including the link. Qdoba

After a good lunch, we went to the mall where I finally got the jewelry I owed myself for meeting my January fitness goals. Claire's has a sale going on now where you can get jewelry regularly priced under $10.00 for $1. So, if it was $9.99 regularly- you now pay $1. I racked up.

My daughter wanted to stop by Cold Stone Creamery, so we did. I got a scoop of Non Fat Sweet Cream Icecream. It was very good. My hubby said he would have preferred mine to what he got.

We came home and rested for a while and then I got out my new Joy of Cooking Cookbook.

This is the best cookbook. I just got it for Valentine's Day. The cookbook has been around forever and was in the movie Julie and Julia (great movie; it will make you hungry). Tonight I cooked Sauteed Chicken with Herb Sauce, homemade mashed potatoes (trying to use them before they go bad) and garlic lemon artichoke hearts. The chicken was out of this world as were the potatoes. The artichoke hearts I am was not a big fan of by themselves. I usually have them in pasta or dips- solo they were too strong for me. The picture is below. The picture isn't great, but the meal really was. I don't know how to take good pictures of my food. Some of you are so great at it! Anyway, all in all it was a good day.

Good day today. I have been thinking about marriage and the work it needs. Here is what I have come up with: Marriage is a privilige, not a right. It has been given to us as a blessing by God. We should treat each day that we have with our spouse like the blessing that it really is. I am holding myself accountable for this. People often say that marriage takes work, but here is what I think they mean sometimes. That women are to work at it. They are to find out what their husband likes and do those things- go to football games, hang out with his friends, cook his favorite meals. However, when it comes time to reciprocate, women write it off as "He's just not romantic." I beg to differ. I wasn't born loving football and hotwings, but I made a choice to try because I love my spouse. Men are not children. They can try. That is all I am asking. Try. Both parties need to work at the marriage and to meet each other's needs. I think that is why I have been holding such a grudge. Because it wasn't happening. I shared that with my husband in a very nonconfrontational way and he didn't say much. I don't think he could. He knows that I have been working on our relationship for so long without getting a lot in return. I do things to please him all the time and in 9 years he can count on one hand how many times he has done something that I would like to do- just for me. I can tell he took it to heart- he is trying to do better. I am very proud of him. I hope he keeps it up. All in all a great day!

Thanks For Your Support

2010-02-15T23:18:00.000-05:00

Not a long post tonight. I did want to tell each of you thank your for listening and comforting last night. You were my angels in disguise. I will get in touch with each of you personally to let you know how much I appreciate it, but just know I am glad to have people supporting and encouraging me. I thought a lot about what was said. I am still thinking about it. I know that I cannot nag my husband. Nothing good comes out of that. Communication is key. I need to do what I know is right and eventually he will come around. I am still shaken up. I was off of work today. He went to work. Things were quiet. We haven't talked much. I am not sure either of us knows what to say. I am afraid to act like things are ok because I am afraid he will think that everything is back to normal and things will go back to the way they were. That cannot happen. We both need to change. I don't want to be rude or naggy to him. So, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am definitely not saying or doing anything outright negative. I am just being quiet until I know what to do. Anyway, I haven't done too bad on my diet today. Every day will get better. I am going to choose to keep up my healthy eating and exercise whether I feel like it or not. The pity party ends today. That never gets anyone anywhere. I had my time of venting and sadness. Now what am I going to do about it to make things right??? We'll see. Again, thank you all so much for lending an ear. As I end this post, I hear James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend" going through my mind. I hope you all have a great night. Positive posts coming soon!

Taking Off the Mask

2010-02-14T23:39:00.000-05:00

The past two weeks have been tough. I will say up front that I am sorry if this post rambles or goes off in different directions. I am so overcome with emotions that it is hard for me to think clearly.

I was staying on my diet- doing very well. THEN

TOM visited me. He always makes me crave naughty snacks. However, I can usually handle it. However, I can not handle it WHEN

I have a pre-k student slap another pre-k student in the face. When I ask the student why he did it, he does not answer. He refuses to say a word after my many attempts to question him. I send him to the principal's office. The principal uncovers that he was play fighting (not allowed) and then the student got mad and really slapped the other student. It happend on the playground when my parapro was watching them, so I am a little aggrivated that I do not know for sure what happened besides what the child tells me. So after telling the principal he was fighting, he goes home. I work at a private school where the students will be sent home if they are not ready to be in school and do not conform to the standards. Fighting is a big no no. The following day, the mother comes in and lets me have it for picking on her son. WHAT? He really did hit someone. The boy had a scratch on his face to prove it. He admitted he was fighting. The mother said he didn't know what he was talking about. She reported my mistreatment of her son to the principal. Both the principal and I tried to talk some sense in to her 4 times to no avail. Over the course of the next week the child snuck a cell phone onto the playground and called 911 and knocked a child out of a chair to which the reason was "because I wanted to". I am sure you can see why this led to eating sugar cookies and marshmallow creme. I would love to say this was the only behavior issue I had. Alas, another parent and I had a small issue. However, I think this parent actually learned something from the situation. The parent asked me to keep her daughter in from recess to study her sight words (words that break the rules of english and cannot be sounded out) because she would not mind her mother and do them at home. I, normally, would not do such a thing. They are in preschool, and sight words are a bonus to what they know. I don't want them to hate reading and be forced to do it. ( I am proud to say that 100% of my preschoolers are willfully and joyfully reading!) However, this child had started showing behavior issues and the mother begged me to help her, so I did. I told the little girl that if she did not go home and obey her mother and work on her sight words without a problem that she would miss recess the next day. The next morning the mother comes in and says the girl did not study her sight words but requests that I not keep her inside like she had asked me the day before. I can feel the migraine coming on. Did I keep the girl inside????? Yes, I did. I told her I would and I did. I do not give empty threats. I have a feeling her mother does which is why the child will not obey her. If you tell a child you are going to do something, do it. I told her mother that follow through was the only way to get her to obey and that I kept her inside. The mother was not mad at all. Well, guess what? The following day I found out that the little girl went home and worked on her sight words immediately! I think that helped the mother to see the importance of following through with discipline. Anyway, that is only part of the reason I have not been sticking to my diet.

I also went to a baby shower where I did ok. I did have a very small piece of cake, but I was quite pleased with my choices considering what was there.

Last but not least. The part where I really take off my mask. My marriage. Today is Valentine's Day and I can tell you that it has been the worst one of my life. My marriage is crumbling. I am devestated. There are many reasons things are going wrong. The main one is that my husband is not on track where he needs to be spiritually and I am having a hard time with God myself because of my husband's lack of realtionship with God lately. I have been studying the Word and praying, but my heart is so dry. Until we both have a strong relationship with the Lord, I don't think our relationship with each other will get better permanently. Another reason we are having issues is that I am a horrible wife. I admit it. It doesn't matter what got me to that point, it just matters that I am no longer the best wife I could be. I just want to be loved. I want to be romanced. I want to be comforted. I don't want to have to plan my own Valentine's dinner, tell my husband exactly what to get me for Valentine's day, or tell my husband exactly what to do and where to go on a date. We have been together for 9 years. I just thought he would know me by now. I would love to hear kind words from him. Instead he asks if I have done the things on my to do list like he is my manager. He keeps total control of the money (even though I work). I have to call and ask if I can get a biscuit and wait while he transfers the money to my account online. All of these things have made my heart so hard and cold. I used to be such a good girlfriend/wife. I almost worshipped the ground he walked on. Whatever he wanted to do, I would do it just so I could be with him. I loved him so much. He would never really tell me how he felt about me. I had to fight and struggle and work so hard for love from him. Even the night of our engagement was not a story I am proud of. I was crying and asking where our relationship was going and he asked me to marry him. No romantic dinner or making me feel special. We have talked about that and I said I would forgive him. I did, but it is so hard to forget when such an important event in your life goes down in such a crappy way. Since we have been married I feel like I always struggle to get him to show me that he loves me. I do what he likes to do, but he rarely does what I like to do. This has made me so bitter which leads me to talk to him in a not nice tone or say words sometimes that I don't mean. I am awful. I don't want you to think my husband doesn't do anything. He does a lot. We both work, so he helps out at home. He makes my lunch every day. He washes dishes and clothes. He helps to keep the house clean. I cook and take care of the kids. He does a lot for me. I don't show I appreciate it as much as I should. As for intimacy, it is pretty much nil. I used to think there was something wrong with me. Especially since I have gained weight since we have been married. So that is what is going on. I am sad. I have been eating my feelings. I work at a Christian school. People often think that Christians are fake or don't have real problems. Well, I am here to tell you that this girl is not fake and I have plenty of problems to go around. I love the Lord. I know He can get me through this. Sometimes Christians are afraid to show that they have problems because the perception is that they are supposed to be better than non Christians. Christians aren't better, they are just forgiven. And I know we wouldn't be having such severe issues if both of our hearts were right with God. I can't blame God for my own sinful acts. (anger, pride, unforgiveness). Working at the Christian School, it is hard to talk to other people about the problems I am facing. It shouldn't be that way, but sometimes it is. I feel alone. That is why I am airing my dirty laundry here. I can type it up and send it to blog land and know that I let it out. I love my husband. I just wanted him to show me that he loves me. He says he is not creative and doesn't know how. He also says he is waiting for me to make him want to by being so nice. I would be nice if he hadn't left me without love for so long. It is a vicious cycle. However, I am not going to eat my feeling any longer. Starting tomorrow I am going to get back on track. Luckily the scales have been gracious and I have not gained any weight. Tomorrow is the beginning of physical health and hopefully soon a healthy marriage.

~Another Happy Blog Award~

2010-02-12T23:32:00.000-05:00

Kait

So, I received another blog award from an Olympic Torch carrying, inspirational, skinny minny, awesome blogger from 266. This is her blog. You should totally check it out. 266

So I am supposed to list 10 things that make me happy. ( I think that is what I am supposed to do) So here goes.

1. SNOW!!! We are finally getting a good amount. Enough to make a good size snow man. Just a little dusting doesn't do it for me.

2. A good cup of coffee. I mean good with good creamer- doesn't have to be Starbucks, especially at the price they charge.

3. A good book in a good place. I mean a book on the beach or a book with a glass of wine. A book in the mountains while the snow is coming down..

4. Getting things done on my to do list. What a stress reliever!

5. Teaching- I love seeing the light bulb come on in the minds

of my students.

6. Seeing results healthwise. Whether that be living through the

30 Day Shred or clothes fitting better of the numbers going

down on the scale.

7. Cooking- I love serving others with good food and watching them enjoy something I made!

8. Dining Out- I love trying new restaurants. It is one of my

favorite things to do! I should be an ameteur food critic.

9. Traveling/New Experiences- I love visiting new places. I

have so many places I want to visit in my life. I don't know

how I will fit them all in!

10. Music/Opera/Ballet/Theater/ Concerts- Music has such

an impact on my mood. It is amazing to see how notes

come together in harmony to evoke so much feeling.

So now I must choose 10 bloggers to pass this on to.

1) Jo at 282.5 She has a great blog that makes you feel you are not alone in this weightloss adventure!

2) Dawn at 365 Days to a New Me I love pics of her results every 20 pounds. How motivating!

3) 4 oz. This lady says she has been dieting since she was a fetus! She must know what she is talking about

4)Chris at A Deliberate Life She cracks me up and I love her style of writing and love for literature.

5) Kelly And Her Little Dog Too She has such a cute layout and really good material worth reading. I often learn something from reading her blogs.

6) Monica at Confessions of a + Sized Girl She is doing the 30 Day Shred and living to tell about it! Worth the read!

7) Kaitlin at Every Day Grace Motivating and Inspiring others as she becomes the person she always dreamed she'd be.

8) Get Fit after 40 This lady offers tips and ideas to stay on track. And she has great recipes on her site!

9. Kyle at Getting Better and Better A male perspective about fitness! How invaluable!

10. Glam, Glitz, and Gut This girl is meeting her fitness goals glamourously!

Take Two Asprin and Keep Away From Children

2010-01-27T18:46:00.000-05:00

I feel like I have not written in so long even though it has only been a few days! My baby girl has been coming down with a cold and not sleeping at night, so I am exhausted! In fact, I don't think I have been this tired in my life. I have been doing bizarre things that I have never done before. First, instead of making a pot of coffee, I made a pot of Enfamil Gentlease Baby Formula. Luckily, I noticed that my coffee was not the right color and I did not make the mistake of drinking it. Yuck. Can you say gag reflex? Then my husband comes home and asks, "Why is the container of sour cream in the sink and dirty dishes in the refrigerator??" No joke. I don't know where my mind is lately. Finally, I was looking for my coffee creamer to flavor the real coffee I made. I could not find it anywhere. I was so mad! I started blaming my husband for throwing it out. ( I didn't know if he did, but I needed someone to blame.) Later, I found my creamer in some random cabinet that I never use. Seriously, they say when you have a baby your mind turns to mush. Yep, I am the proof in the pudding! So now when things go missing we check every bizarre place we can think of. Underwear in the dishwasher, baby bottles in the bathtub, television remote in the pantry, etc.

Let me recap what has been going on dieticiously for the last few days. I had my controlled splurge on Monday. I went to Jim n' Nicks barbecue for a mini turkey barbecue sandwich and macaroni and cheese. I also had their cheddar cornbread muffins which are to die for. Yea, I didn't have the willpower to pass these babies up. I had 3 of them. I was kind of frustrated because even though Jim n' Nicks is a popular chain in the south, their website did not have any nutritional info on it. So, I have no idea how many calories I really consumed. What do you do when you don't know the calorie content? In New York it is mandatory for restaurants to post the info, I think. Not that it is very accurate. Anyway, I came home and worked out for an hour. I burnt 700 calories to make up for the meal that I ate.
I was so tired by Tuesday that I went home and should have taken a nap. Did I? No. Instead I ate a whole tupperware container filled with parmesan rice. It was not healthy! There is scientific research to link sleepiness and hunger. Look it up, it is so true. The worst part was that the rice was not even good. I knew I was just eating because I was tired. Then I had 2 glasses of red wine to help me get some sleep which worked. I didn't work out Tuesday so I din't weigh in today. What do I think is going to happen when I get loose with my diet? However, this is my first time not working out in like 9 or 10 days, so I think I will be okay.
Well, my delirious tired body and my germy daughter and my students finally caught me. I have a head cold. Colds are the worst. I think they are a way to torture. My head is swimming (worse than before) and I feel vomitrocious. I did work out today which helped for a little bit. So now, I am lying in bed following the direction on the bottle of asprin: 'Take two and keep away from children".. I hope you all have a fabulicious rest of the week!

Heather

7 Wierd and Wacky Things About Me!

2010-01-24T18:15:00.000-05:00

Halley over at For Real This Time gave me my first blogger award! She is a girl on a mission to meet her goals. Her blog is motivational and funny. You should check her out! So I am supposed to share 7 things about me... Ok, here goes.

1. I am a Christian. Not the Bible thumping, make you feel bad about yourself Christian; a sinful, forgiven Christian relieved to have God's wonderful mercy and grace.
2. I am adopted. I have known this since birth. I met my biological family four years ago, and realized that it was a great thing for me to be adopted. Still, knowing that, sometimes I still feel unwanted. It is just part of being adopted. I totally am for adoption and want to adopt some day, but I have to realize that the unwanted feeling may always be there looming at the back of the mind of adopted children. Knowing that God has a perfect plan and He works everything for good really has helped me to think less the negative thoughts about being unwanted. I just think how He worked it out for me to have a better life.

3. I have no coordination. None. The other day I was doing a Jillian Michaels' workout and I was supposed to be criss crossing punches and I hit myself in the face. No joke. I can't believe I am sharing that with you.

4. I am afraid of heights. I can't even look down from the second story railing of a mall or stand on the top level of bleachers.

5. I almost drowned in a pool when I was 5. My friend dared me to swim to the deep end and I did. The people watching us did not know how to swim- someone happened to drive up and jumped in the pool to save me.

6. One of my life goals is to visit Europe. I am saving up now.

7. I really dislike winter. It is only fun when it snows. I think I would like to move to a warmer place, even though Georgia is pretty south.

Now I am to pass this on to 7 worthy bloggers. It was very hard, but here goes

1. Linzerellos Blog     This girl is so awesome! She totally cracks me up. I love reading her blog also, becaus it is insight to European culture (which I love!!!). I love her lingo in the blog.

2. A Year's Weight   One word- hilarious. You have to read her blog about the battle of the bread basket. My sides were hurting. By the way, I resisted the temptation of cheesy garlic bread thanks to her blog!

3. Me So Hongry!    This great lady is very motivational. And I LOVE the name of her blog!

4. Chupsies Episodes!   She is so sweet and encouraging. And I love her style!

5. Curvy is the New Black, Right? Mary has a newer blog, not too many followers yet. But I am sure that is going to change any day. She is funny and motivational. And she really pays close attention to her readers!

6. Lessons Learned         Funny, insteresting, creative, you name it. I check her blog daily!

I can't believe we are already at 7! I sit down and read at least 50 blogs per day, so it is so hard to choose!

7. The Crazy Woman Inside of Me - This woman IS crazy (in a wonderfully hilarious way). You should read her post about the bra that makes you giggle. I need one of those!

If you receive this award, you must pass it on to 7 others and tell 7 things about yourself that people may not know.

I want you all to know how much I love all of your blogs. They keep me motivated!
Have a fabulicious week!

Splurging On Your Diet Can Actually Help You Lose Weight???

2010-01-23T08:49:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing well with your fitness goals. I am still on track. However, I was really wondering if I would have a loss this week. I was eating very well, drinking plenty of water, and exercising regularly. The scale on the other hand did not want to reflect that. It was not budging. I definitely wasn't about to give up ( I feel fabulous now that the right foods and nutrients are in my body) but it was a little discouraging. Well, Friday I finally showed a loss of just over a pound. What a relief! It really motivated me to keep going. I was still wondering how I would meet my goal for the month if I only lost one pound for the next few weeks. So, I started discussing with other ladies what helps to get them over a plateau. What I heard was foreign to what I would think; never had I heard this tip before even though it seemed to make sense. It was to eat 2 splurge meals per week. NOT two splurge days, but two splurge meals. And when I say splurge I mean controlled splurge. Do not go overboard. From multiple people, including trainers, I heard that if you continue to eat the same amount of calories every day, your body gets used to it. However, if you mix your calorie content up your body is constantly having to readjust. Splurging twice a week sends a message to your body that it needs to work harder to burn more calories. So what I have done was to set my calorie intake between 1200 and 1400 calories per day. Some days I might consume 1159 and some days I might consume 1399. It is changing constantly. This theory is somewhat like the exercise confusion theory. Change up your exercise so your body won't get used to the routine and stop producing results. Well, I tested this out. Yesterday I had a controlled splurge of two slices of cheese pizza from Dominoes. (By the way, on their website you can build a pizza online to check the calorie content before you order. My two slices had like 160 calories each). Anyway, I went home and did my Jillian Michaels workout. This morning I had lost almost an additonal pound and a half which makes 2.4 pound loss for the week. Pretty good results since until Friday morning I had not lost anything at all. I think that next time I will plan the days for my splurges. Since I weigh in on Saturday morning, I will have controlled splurges on Monday and Thursday. Have you ever heard of controlled spluring helping your diet? I know I may not be explaining this exactly right, but I hope you get the gist.

On another note, I found out yesterday that my husband and I are receiving an all expense paid trip to Doral Resort in Miami in March! My husband is a golf professional and the company that sponsors him is paying for us to go as their guests to a big golf tournament at the resort. I can' wait to be lying by this pool, hopefully 20 pounds lighter! I will have to start bathing suit shopping soon! I am so excited! Free vacations are the best!

Jenny, Jenny Who Can I Turn To?

2010-01-20T21:32:00.000-05:00

I came home to work out today and my Jenny McCarthy's Your Shape game wouldn't let me workout. It demanded that I take a rest! I didn't have any other workout videos (since my 30 Day Shred is probably being ejoyed by the person who found it where it fell out of my shopping ag), so I was kind of stuck. I did just the standard Wii Fit game and I burned almost 300 calories which is better than nothing. I wanted to do more, but I didn't have a clue what to do. Can you tell I am totally new at this exercising thing??? Do you have any workouts that you can do on your own? I would love to get some ideas.

Trivia Time!: What song does my title come from??? I hope someone knows it or I will feel really old!

Random Ramblings

2010-01-19T21:43:00.000-05:00

So, first I have to get off of my chest that I am irritated. I bought the 30 Day Shred on Saturday. I was SOOOO excited. I mean it was $8.99. How awesome is that!? I didn't want to start doing it until today because I was getting home so late the past few days and I have more energy in the afternoon. So anyway, I bought the DVD at Wal-Mart. Sunday I had to stop by Wal- Mart again to pick up a few groceries. I had coupons so I stored them in a plastic bag. Well, the plastic bag I stored them in just happened to be the bag that my 30 Day Shred was in. I had brought the video back into the store with me. I was sure they were going to think I was shoplifting. Luckily I found my receipt from the day before. Everything was going fine. I left the store without even anyone knowing that my video was in the bag. I had put the bag in the bottom of my stroller. I went to the car and put my stroller in the back and then I realized that my workout video was in the bottom. To make a long story short, I got home, got the bag out of the back, and brought it in. Today I went to get the video out of my bag and it was no there. It is no where to be found. It must have fallen out of the bag at some point. I am so ill. Now I have to go back and buy the video again. I really wanted to do it today. Instead, I did Jenny McCarthy's Your Shape which I really like. But I still wanted to try mixing things up. This leads me to my other issue/question.
My calf muscles are hurting now every time I work out. They feel tight. Is this normal? How do I prevent this? I think this is one of the things making my workout so hard. I would love your input. Thanks!

Does it get Worse Before it gets Better?

2010-01-18T22:55:00.000-05:00

So it has been a while since I have blogged. It has not been for lack of wanting. I have been extremely busy and there are just not enough hours in the day! My wonderful mother in law had to have a knee replacement. We have been in the car driving back and forth all weekend taking care of my father in law and visiting my mother in law. I love spending time with them. The only issue I had was that my father in law always wanted to take us to dinner. And he only wants to go to these eclectic places where I can't look up the nutritional info. Normally, I love the restaurants he takes me to. However, not so good on a diet. I did the best I could. I still ended up losing 2.5 pounds, so I am happy.
Even though I was running back and forth all weekend, I still made time to work out. I have noticed that it seems to be getting harder today instead of easier. At least this week. Does anyone else go through stages where they find their workout more difficult than normal? Does it mean anything? Anyway, I am so glad to be back in blogger land. I have needed my inspiration from your blogs!

Loving Yourself

2010-01-14T22:44:00.000-05:00

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same."- Akilah and the Bee

I am learning how to love myself. It seems all my life I have felt like loving who I was, was wrong. I could love others, but loving myself was selfish. There is a difference between loving who you are and being self centered and arrogant. Arrogance is making others feel bad to elevate your own self worth. And if someone feels the need to be arrogant toward others, then they probably don't have a true love and respect of who they are. Loving yourself is being ok with who you are no matter what. Believing in yourself. It gives you the freedom to love others. If you don't love yourself, you cannot truly love others.

Even when I was young, I had a low self esteem. As I grew older and gained more weight, my self esteem did not improve. I hated looking at myself in the mirror. (I am still not comfortable with that yet). I didn't love myself, I couldn't fully love others, and others couldn't love me. Because I didn't love myself I became a doormat. I had no boundaries. I didn't think I was smart enough, pretty enough, or had potential. Not a fun place to be. As a mom and wife I did everything for my family because it was my "duty", not out of love.

As I matured in my faith, I began to see that I was fearfully and wonderfully made. It was ok to love, believe, and be proud of myself. Since that time, I went back to college and graduated with a degree in education where I hope I can inspire students to reach their full potential. My goal now is to lose the weight I have gained over the past few years. I still struggle with believing in myself, but studying God's Word and remembering inspirational quotes like the one above, keep me motivated. Never before could I meet the goals I have set for myself until now. I hope you don't take yourself for granted. You have great potential. You can do anything you set your mind too. It is nice to hear that once in a while. I hope it encourages you today.

Running the Race

2010-01-13T22:26:00.000-05:00

1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win."

How are you running in your race to meet your health and fitness goals? Are you walking in the race? Making little progress? Or are you running at an unsteady pace, where you stick to your diet for a few days and then give in? Then you start the process over again? How about the runner who runs too fast and then quits before she has actually begun? Do you go to extremes in your dieting, starving yourself or working yourself too hard only to get sick of it and give up? Finally, what about the steady runner? Not burning out, not giving in. That is where I want to be. I have been each of these runners before. I start out gung ho and then give up. I have rebelled and refused to take care of myself. I have went to extremes with my diet thinking that would work. Each stage is a learning process. I finally feel I am running the race to win. The prize is the healthier me that I was meant to be. I hope that in this daily race of life that you are running in a way as to meet your fitness goals. If not, don't give up. It is never too late to start! I hope you all are having a great week. I can't wait to celebrate your progress with you at your weigh ins! Remember, you are fabulicious!

Thanks For Your Inspiration!

2010-01-11T21:30:00.000-05:00

I had a definite case of the Mondays today. Nothing went wrong. In fact, everything went very well today. However, I was totally unmotivated. Tired. Exhausted. There was no way I was going to work out today. I came home and started reading all of the blogs I was following. If you follow me, then I follow you and have read your blog today. It took me over an hour- maybe two- to read all of the blogs. When I was done I was more inspired than ever to get up and work out. I didn't quit. I did it. I had been telling myself that I would do it tomorrow. Let's be honest, when people start talking like that does tomorrow ever really come? I didn't want to be down and out already. So, inspired by your blogs I chose to do better. Without your words of wisdom and encouragement I might have quit. So thank you! I am so proud of myself for not giving up and very thankful for you. Don't quit encouraging through your blogs. You never know who is being inspired! I look forward to reading your words tomorrow!

PARTY SUCCESS!!!

2010-01-10T10:19:00.000-05:00

Today I feel humbled, excited, purposeful, touched, and so many other emotions. I wasn't sure who would come to my fitness party yesterday and not only did women come, they were excited about what I was doing! It really brought to my attention the need that women have in being supported in their goals and being encouraged to feel fabulous. We so often put ourselves last and it is nice to hear that we are actually worth something.
     13 women attended yesterday's meeting. We had healthy snacks. Then we sat and just discussed what was working for us in our journey to fitness and also what was not working. We offered tips and support. Everyone went away having learned new things to try and feeling totally motivated! We tried out my Wii Fit and my Jenny McCarthy game, which I love. They each took home a bag of goodies, including a diet journal and a magnetic calendar to stick on their fridge to document thier goals, to help them in their journey. The party was supposed to end at 3:30, but it really didn't end until 4:30. Ladies were talking and exchanging ideas to help them this year. They were there because they wanted to be there. It was a great feeling.
     After the party, I received emails thanking me for hosting this fitness party. I heard comments like "we really needed it", "you opened my eyes to things I hadn't thought of before", "the party rocked", and "I am so inspired now". That makes the whole thing worth it. I was inspired by them and they were inspired by me. Win win. The icing on the cake was when other people saw the posts on facebook (some who had been invited and didn't come) they began to want what we had yesterday. They asked to be on our email list for our Fun, Fit, and Fabulicious group. This thing is growing by the second and it is humbling and exciting at the same time. People are excited about something I did. I can't believe it! What a great feeling! My heart is truly touched that people were helped by yesterday's meeting. I can't wait to see where this thing takes us!

I did want to post some of the recipes that we had yesterday that were so yummy. The first is a Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup from myrecipes.com   It is only 72 calories!

Ingredients

3 red bell peppers (1 1/2 lb. total), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and halved

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion (7 oz.), peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 can (28 oz.) whole San Marzano or other pear or plum tomatoes

1 tablespoon paprika such as pimentón de La Vera (see notes)

3 cups vegetable or fat-skimmed chicken broth

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Crème fraîche or plain yogurt

Chopped parsley

Preparation

1. Preheat the broiler. Place the red pepper halves, cut side down, in a baking pan and broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until the skins are black and blistered, about 8 minutes. Let cool, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel the peppers and place in a bowl, reserving any juices.

2. In a 3- to 4-quart pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and the onion; stir often until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the roasted peppers and tomatoes, along with their juices, and the paprika. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.

3. In a blender or food processor, purée the soup in small batches until smooth. Return purée to the pan and stir in broth and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into cups or bowls and garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche or plain yogurt and parsley.

Do-ahead tips: Make soup up to 3 days ahead. Store airtight in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Party short-cut: If your guests tend to congregate in the kitchen, leave this roasted red pepper soup over a low flame on the stove and set cups, ladle, and toppings nearby (that's one fewer dish to wash).

Wine pairing: Classic Brut sparkling wine brings elegance to this dish. Alternatively, a dry, fruity rosé is an unexpected match.

Nutritional Information

Calories:72 (47% from fat)

Protein:1.5g

Fat:3.8g (sat 1.5)

Carbohydrate:9.3g

Fiber:1.5g

Sodium:127mg

Cholesterol:0.0mg

The next meal is a veggie pizza that is a great appetizer/snack! It has about 70 calories and 3 g. of fat per 2 squares.

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated reduced fat crescent dinner rolls

1 container (8 oz) reduced fat chives-and-onion cream cheese spread

1 tablespoon fat free milk

3/4 medium red bell pepper

1/4 medium yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh broccoli

2 tablespoons sliced ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots

1 tablespoon chopped cucumber

lay the cresent rolls on a cookie sheet w/o tearing them apart. keep seams of

the triangles together. follow heat/time directions for crescent rolls- and then

let it cool for 15 minutes on cooling rack (use a spatula to release it from

cookie sheet)

add the milk to the cream cheese and stir until spreadable. put it on the

cooled cresent sheet-

cut all vegtables into finely chopped pieces- then sprinkle over entire pizza.

cut into pieces and serve right away- or you may keep this covered in the

refrigerator for up to 24 hours and enjoy anytime.

Oh, and Tricia from Endurance Isn't Physical is having an AWESOME giveaway. You should check it out!

http://enduranceisntonlyphysical.blogspot.com

Weigh In Day!!

2010-01-09T08:21:00.000-05:00

I am so excited!!! Even with my sodium intake being too high, I still lost almost 4 pounds! I have met my weekly goal of 2-3 pounds per week and I am working toward my 10 pound monthly goal at a nice pace. I also kept my sodium content significantly below the limit yesterday. Thank goodness! I pray I can just keep this motivation throughout the rest of my fitness journey.

Today I am having a Fun, Fit, and Fabulicous party at my house. It is to get local women together to support them on their journey to better health. We will bre trading healthy recipes, fitness tips, looking over exercise programs, and making a calendar to get together to do group walks or exercise. I am excited! I hope it goes well. I am not a diet and fitness expert. But I have the desire to reach my goals. I know that I have a better chance of succeeding with others cheering and pushing me on. So while I may not be able to answer all of their diet and exercise questions, I can offer them the same support that I know I need. I pray I don't get nervous and clam up! I am very introverted. Having this party was a big step for me. At first I thought no one would come, but I am actually going to have at least 10 ladies show up! Well, I am off to clean and make lot of healthy party snacks. I hope you all stay on track today! Heather

Hide and Seek

2010-01-08T13:14:00.000-05:00

So, I know now that my sodium needs to be lowered. All day yesterday I tried to be so good. I felt like I had done very well yesterday. I logged into my alli account (it lets me know how much sodium I need- more on that later) and I consumed over 1,000 more mgs than I am supposed to! I about hit the ceiling. I looked back over my meals for the day and couldn't figure it out. I started researching foods that are high in sodium and there are a ton of them! Little did I know. Now I am on a mission. I am going to stay within my sodium limits by this weekend. I will seek out that hidden sodium and get it out of my house! My actual weigh in day is tomorrow, but I got on the scales today and I have lost a little over 3 pounds. I would like to see what it would be if I wasn't retaining so much water from my sodium intake. Hopefully, by next week I will see accurate weight loss without sodium. I will formally log my first weigh in tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!

Balancing Act

2010-01-06T22:36:00.000-05:00

          I am doing quite well this week. I am staying at or significantly under my calorie and fat limits. I am drinking plenty of water and have been excercising daily. I love the sleep that comes after exercise. As I post this, I can't wait to curl up under the soft, warm sheets for the night. We are expecting a blizzard here in Georgia. Yeah, we might get half of an inch.of snow I don't know what we will do with ourselves. I know we will be stocked up on bread and peanut butter. Just the word "snow" sends people into a dizzying frenzy. I personally enjoy people freaking out over the threat of snow. It means that schools may be closed and I will get to spend the day in my warm home with my family. I love teaching, but unexpected days off are always welcome!
          Anyway, I have been doing very well with my diet for the most part. The only part I seem to have trouble in is sodium. I LOVE salt. I am having trouble staying within my sodium limit. Is this going to affect my weight loss significantly? If so, does anyone have suggestions on how to lower my sodium levels. I am trying to stay on low cal/low fat diet. Is there a way to work in low sodium as well? (I think it might taste like cardboard) Let me know your suggestions.
          Also, I am not sure how weight fluctuates on your monthly cycle. I feel I have been doing everything I should be, but I actually gained a little. I think it may be from bloating. Does anyone know what the average weight gain is while you are on your cycle? I am starting to stress that my hard work may not be paying off. All of your expertise would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Heather

P.S. What exactly makes a diet expertise? Someone who has dieted many times, someone who has always been fit through healthy eating and exercise, or someone who has went on a diet one time and succeeded??? Just something to think about.

The Way You Dress Each Morning is SO Important!

2010-01-05T21:48:00.000-05:00

Before I started my weight loss goals, I felt horrible about myself. I was continuing to gain weight. My clothes did not fit correctly. I just looked uncomfortable and miserable. And the way I looked was the way I felt about myself. I was defeated before I had begun. Then I went to get new clothes that would flatter me. I didn't spend a lot. I followed a few simple rules and now I feel better than ever! Once I began to feel good about how I looked, I could begin concentrating on how to make myself even better. My confidence in myself has been restored. I am meeting my goals. Let me ask you, do you wake up every morning defeated before you begin? The way you dress and feel about yourself in the morning will determine your success for the day. Before I went shopping, I read a few articles on how to choose slimming clothing. I followed the rules and have been receiving tons of compliments. Here are two of the articles. Remember, dress for success. Have a fabulicious day!

P.S. The pic is a pic of me in my new clothes!

Slimming Clothing

Smart Dressing for Overweight Women