Tag Archives: health

Every day in May…mostly in May…whatever.

Before I get sidetracked…..Mental Awareness Month….click HERE and “plant a seed” and my friend’s company is donating up to $10,000 toward Children’s mental health network.  Let’s do SOMETHING!!!!  Ok, stepping off soapbox!

Why do I force upon myself these ridiculous little goals that make me no money, cost me time and force me to sit down and put together some coherent thoughts???  Oh, I actually enjoy writing, sometimes have something to say worth reading about or laughing about and it gets me in a good habit because writing is actually my happy place.  That and a piece of cheesecake…..

So, I missed yesterday but I was in a super crappy mood (sorry, but if the shoe fits…), couldn’t put my finger on WHY I was in such a foul mood and went to bed at 8:30.  I woke up refreshed and in a much better mood.  Still not fully sure of what happened but my guess is that sometimes when things are going REALLY, REALLY good I feel like it’s just too good to be true and prepare for the bottom to fall out.  A lie from the king of lies, I know and I don’t always get sucked in quite so deeply and yet this time I did.  A good night’s sleep +  prayer before sleep=refreshed.  I’ll take it.

Today was our final weigh in and measurements for our contest and Saturday is the award ceremony.  I am “officially” down 6 pounds and 7 inches in 5 weeks.  A great jump-start to my summer!  Thursday we do assessments on exercises to see how much strength we’ve gained, etc….just a real encouraging way to end up the contest.  I’ll keep you posted!!

Alrighty, my cat is being the neighborhood bully so I need to drag his furry self in the house so I don’t have to hear cat fights all night.  Sigh.  The problems with taking in a stray cat is you just can’t really get the “outside” desire out of him.  It’s all good, he knows where the good food and comfy sleeping spots are!

Until tomorrow….probably!

Beach workout Saturday

Saturday morning, bright and early!!  Enjoying a few quiet minutes until I wake up the big boy–he’s getting some volunteer hours in at the Church Thrift Shop before a day filled with skateboarding with his buddies.  Hubs is off to his Saturday morning meeting and Adoration and all the kiddos are still snug like a bug in their beds.  I will be off to my last workout class for the contest.  This morning it’s at the beach!!!  Don’t hate!

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A little update on the contest and such.  First of all, the 6 week contest was actually a 4 1/2 week contest when it comes right down to it….buuuuuuuuut……at last count I was down 6 pounds.  I didn’t weigh in last weekend and I’ll hold off today since we have our official last weigh-in on Tuesday.  HOWEVER…..on a measurement scale, I am definitely down.  Clothes are feeling better and I’m creeping seriously close to the next size down…from a 10/12 to a 10.  Not to mention, I’m seeing a little more muscle definition and having more energy.  Win-win!

The 3 key things that have brought me the biggest results have also been my biggest struggles this past week:

  1. Planning and prepping meals.  I work full-time out of the home  pre-cooking on the weekend is huge.  I enjoy cooking, however, sometimes I really don’t want to be in the kitchen for a couple of hours on my precious free time on the weekend.  The truth is, without that prep and planning, it’s challenging to stay on task and not get tempted throughout the week.
  2. Writing down what I’m eating.  I’ve been using the app “My Fitness Pal” and it works great.  Only downside?  We have a pretty strict no cell phone use at work which they’ve suddenly decided to enforce and so logging has become more of a challenge.  I guess I need to just jot it down throughout the day and log in later.
  3. Planning exercise.  It’s May.  I may have mentioned that the other day…..crazy, crazy, craziest month of the year. All the more important to plan it and DO IT.  For me, that will mean getting my rump out of bed in the a.m. because aside from these classes at night, it just doesn’t happen once I get home from work.

And so, with the contest almost over and a good jumpstart for me….I’m ready to keep on keepin’ on because it is bathing suit season, people and there is no hiding from it.

I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished this past month and look forward to seeing my overall results.  Our contest’s presentation to the winner is the next weekend so I’ll keep you posted on the final results for everyone!

Have a great weekend!!

Five Favorites…

Last week was fun for me, so I say…do it again!!!  Joining in the Baby-Mooning Mama, Hallie @ Moxie Wife for 5 Favorites

This is week 3 for me in my Clean Eating/ Paleo / no processed crap.  Basically, I’ve not had bread (unless you count Ezekiel bread–of which I’ve had 4 slices in 3 weeks); no snacks/sweets/candy/soda/chocolate (unless you count chocolate protein powder in a smoothie and 6 chocolate chips in a spoonful of almond butter).  I’m here to tell you….holy cow, I’m surviving!!!!  I have energy!!!!  I’ve lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks!!!!  I mentioned a few things last Friday and here’s a few more…..5 to be exact:

  1. Hard boiled eggs.  Mix in some baking soda into the water to make for easier peeling.  Great snack!!!!imgres
  2. Avocado.  Mix it in my eggs.  Mix it in my smoothie.  Mix it in my salad.  One avocado goes a long way!!imgres-1
  3. MyFitnessPal.  I’m actually logging my food and exercise in aaaaaaaand it can be done on the phone or the ‘puter.  Snap!! (now you know my user name if you want to follow/join/encourage)Screen shot 2013-04-23 at 9.28.16 PM
  4. Paleomg.com    I’m getting so many great recipes off this site and my family even loves them.  FOR THE WIN!!!!
  5. Clean Eating magazine and website.  Another great resource for family friendly recipes.  If I can’t get them on board this isn’t going to work and I refuse to be a short order cook making separate dinners for them and myself.  Nope.

There it is.  5 quick and easy things I am loving these past few weeks, let’s hope I keep loving them!!!!  Have some good clean eating tips???  Bring it!!!

Now go check out Hallie and all the favorites!!

Seven Quick Takes (a day late….)

A day late to the party, but the kids have hijacked the computer this week and I’ve been coughing so much I haven’t cared to be on it anyway….however…..bright and early Saturday morning and I’m feeling fine-ish and they are sleeping so it’s MINE.  ALL.  MINE.  And I’m joining in with Jen and her weekly Quick Takes…she says she might go last first…hmmmmm, that might bode well for me  😉   without further adieu….

  1. I’m working on a “Day in the Life” post.  Riveting.  I’m sure you can’t wait to see how my day shapes up compared to yours.  Funny thing is, it’s a little tedious accounting for one’s day AND trying to make it funny.  Clearly I have nothing mind-blowing to talk about if THAT’S my big project, eh?
  2. One week post-flu and I THINK (Oh, please, please, please, please let me not jinx myself here) we are relatively healthy.  Except for this nagging cough/sinus infection I’ve had all week.  I’ve been eating cough drops by the bagful and have had several nights on the couch trying to breathe/sleep/not wake Hubby all night.  I finally broke down and my doctor called me in some antibiotics and cough syrup…hence the early wake up–slept like a baby.
  3. Week 2 of my fitness Groupon and each workout KILLS.  Amazing how hard you can work in a 35 minute period doing just a few exercises and opposing muscle groups.  Super excited to see how I’ll be at the end of the 6 weeks.
  4. This week our boys had a WWF session in the backyard.  By boys I mean including Hubby.  Let me say, I HATE wrestling.  Someone always gets hurt.  It’s loud.  It’s annoying.  And yet…..so necessary.  Hubby had me read (and I probably need to REread) John Eldredge‘s book Wild at Heart and it helped me to understand and appreciate the male “need” to be a male, so I accept it a wee bit more.  Wee bit.  In the end, Dad still won (he’s still hanging on…).  Big brother still won (barely).  And the only blood drawn was on Dad’s chin by a stray long nail. boys
  5. I scored some AWESOME dishes at our church thrift store this week.  Service for 12.  TWELVE I tell you!  12 dinner dishes.  12 small dishes.  12 bowls.  A serving bowl and lid and salt and pepper shaker.  $50.  Except they weren’t.  They were half OFF…..yes, that’s right, $25.  S.C.O.R.E.  Super cute.  AND I saw some fantastic coffee cups that will complement this set from Pier One.  Now when we have company….we’ve got enough dishes!  So come on over!!!rooster
  6. I have the day off Monday to take our youngest athlete to the County wide Fitness Festival.  Little stinker made it to 4 events.  Sit and reach.  Standing long jump.  Shuttle run.  50 yard dash.  Should be great weather.  I’m sure there will be pictures to follow.  And blogging.  Especially since I have the DAY OFF!
  7. We’ve been in the refinancing dance for our house and got a sweet low-interest rate with no closing costs and no re-appraisal.  It takes a while, as you may or may not know, and yesterday we got the call from the title company….because we were late to our closing….that no one ever told us we HAD.  We jockeyed around lunches (fortunately Hubby was working from home that day!) and traffic—-because Bike Week starts this week….but…..it’s done.  We celebrated with a Friday night fire pit and marshmallows after our fish and chips dinner.  ‘Twas a good day, nice end to the week.  fire

Happy Weekend, Y’all!

Sunday rest, weekends are best!

It was a brisk one here this weekend…no snow, but with lows in the 30’s and highs in the 50’s, that’s a little on the cold side here in sunny FLA.  On the bright side, the cooler weather made it positively perfect for a fire in the backyard on Friday night.  Some of us even brought our fish and chips out and ate around the fire; it was  fabulous end to the workweek.

Saturday morning I picked up my girlfriend and we hit the gym I snagged a Groupon for (6 weeks of personal fitness training/group environment–seriously HARD!!!!) and joined in their AMRAP challenge.  As Many Rounds As Possible of:  25 Jumping jacks, 20 Basketball jumps, 15 Pushups, 10 Burpees and run to the stop sign and back (a pretty long block) and repeat for 35 minutes.  y’all.  Holy hurtness.  I did 6 Rounds.  The winner (who I’m sure was like 15) did 9, the woman’s winner did 8.  I was proud of myself, especially considering I can’t run, so the down and back was walking.  It’s going to be an interesting 5 more weeks….Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturday mornings.  These guys are seriously professional, encouraging and motivating, even making sure they know their clients by first name….all 40 of us on Saturday!  It’s refreshing.  The professionalism.

Sunday was full on NOTHING!  Mass was great.  I mean who CAN’T relate to the woman at the well?  We all FAIL.  We all fall short.  We can all receive that everlasting water, that grace, that mercy; we just need to seek Him out.  If we can but take a minute and not judge others, but turn our gaze inward we can see we are ALL the same and we can ALL receive grace and healing in our broken-ness.

Follow that message up with a quick little trip to Target for some essentials and a day of just puttering, relaxing, tackling bills and thank you cards for 1)yummy food and 2) I job I didn’t get, some Downton Abbey (which I purely cried my eyes out on), homemade mac and cheese with ham and ALL the kids home and chilling out all day, was a total home run.  The only downside?  Today is Monday.

Have a great week, y’all!