Better Now!

If you read yesterday’s blog, first let me apologize, ( Ooowee, was I feeling sorry for myself! ) and second I’m happy to report, I’m better now.

This week just started out bad for me. Monday, I had an early morning appointment with my orthopaedic surgeon that was a good two-hour drive from where I live. Long story short, I couldn’t find the tennis shoes I wanted to wear, wore old ugly tennis shoes instead, missed breakfast, ran late, fought rush hour, got lost, got lost again, all to get there and realize I had forgotten to bring the MRI film that the doctor was to check.

I continued to spiral down through the week, not exercising and not eating right. By Thursday which was yesterday, I called in sick. I desperately needed a mental health day.

For my day off, I didn’t do one single thing that needed to be done. I didn’t cook, clean or do laundry. I didn’t run errands or catch up on paperwork. I gave my self one guilt-free day to do whatever I wanted to do at the moment. These were my moments:

1. Caught up on Pinterest.com. My friend Brenda introduced me to this site a few weeks ago and I love it. It’s a great place to collect new recipes and dream of future vacations.

2. “Played” on Polyvore.com. Okay if you’re wanting to kill time, or just relax in the evening and do something different from watching TV, this is a fun site. It reminds me of playing paper dolls when I was a kid. It’s a place to put together outfits, complete with purse, jewelry and sunglasses and not worry about how much the pieces cost. Pare up a $20 skirt with $25,000 earrings. Who cares? I’m new to the site, so I don’t really understand it, but I’m having fun.

3. Printed out a coloring sheet for my grandchildren to color, then went ahead and colored it. Coloring is so therapeutic!

4. Colored my roots. Any kind of coloring is therapeutic.

5. Helped teach local ESL classes.

6. Met a dear friend for a late night dinner and talked for hours. Told her of my terrible Monday and realized how silly I had been, to sink so low over not finding a pair of tennis shoes.

7. Came home to smell today’s meal, pulled pork cooking in the crock pot, thanks to my wonderful husband. (Recipe from Kitchenmeetsgirl.com)

I’m not sure at what point I climbed out of my doom and gloom yesterday, but today I woke up feeling great. For breakfast, I first turned on some B.B. King blues, and then made a pulled pork sandwich complete with coleslaw and let myself be transported back to Beale Street in Memphis.

The icing on the cake for adjusting my attitude came from a quote my cousin Paula posted on Facebook. “As we go through life, we may encounter some tough obstacles, some more than others, but it’s how we overcome these obstacles that truly makes us who we are.”

This week I’ve acted like a very big spoiled baby. Paula’s quote started me thinking about my own personal obstacles I’ve survived thus far – infertility, a marriage ending, getting hit by a truck. Am I really going to make it past these big ones just to trip up over not being able to find a pair of tennis shoes? Or get bummed because my knee hurts a little?

Another favorite quote is “Only exercise on the days you want to be happy.” So I end this blog now to go jump on my bike because I definitely want to be happy!

Have a great day y’all!

What Do You Do When Life Gets in the Way?

If only I had more time…..  If only I had more money…..  If I didn’t have to work, I’d exercise hours a day and be in the best shape of my life.  If I had the money, I would hire a personal chef who would only cook the healthiest of meals.

This is how I’ve been feeling lately and I desperately need to change this way of thinking.  This is not just wishful thinking.  These are excuses.  I don’t have unlimited time or money and more than likely never will.  I need to use what I’ve got and get going.

Besides these excuses, I’ve got a million more:  injured knee, older parents, busy season at work…..  But don’t we all have things, that can if we let them, keep us from exercising and eating right?

How do you stay disciplined, especially during those times when life gets a little rough?

 

 

Move Those Beautiful Legs Honey, Move Them!

Blogging While Exercising

I went to the post office to pick up my new mp3 player.  You know, the one I ordered from Prevention Magazine, that comes with a personal trainer installed?  Well I came home with a book instead.  I had ordered the wrong thing!  I never was good at paying attention to detail.

I flipped through the book and discovered that there is a Prevention Walking Podcast.  You don’t need to order the special mp3 player,  just download this free podcast.

I recently injured my knee and cannot go for walks, but I can exercise on my recumbent bike.  I happily downloaded the podcast, hopped on my bike and got ready to meet my trainer.

The podcast starts off with some great and snappy music.  Perfect to set the mood for an upbeat walk, or in my case bike ride.  The trainer does not say anything for the first couple of minutes, then she says, “walk faster”.  That and “walk slower”  is about all she says.  She has a nice voice, but I have to say I was disappointed.  I was hoping for a personal trainer that would call me “Honey” and make me feel beautiful as I walked.  I imagined her saying “Woo, you go girl!  Your butt is getting tighter by the second……and that stomach!  It’s all but disappeared.”  You know, something like that.   And if she wanted me to speed up, maybe she could politely say “Be a darling and walk a little faster now.”

I’ll keep using the podcast though until a sweeter version comes out.  I think it’s going to help.  Is there a fitness podcast you use?

Lose Weight by Babysitting and Eating Spinach

 

I’ve lost two pounds!  Eating spinach and kale every day must be working!  That and keeping up with my grandchildren.

Over Memorial Day weekend, we met our son, daughter-in-law and 6-year old twin grandchildren in South Padre.  I caught up to my grandchildren the first morning at the pool where we played tag, then we walked the beach, looked for sea shells, played in the waves and built sand castles.  That was the first twenty minutes.  I had forgotten what it was like to run after 6-year olds!  Dazed, I laid down under an umbrella and stared at the waves for a few hours.

Maybe that’s why most of us gain weight as we get older.  Nothing to do with age, but rather everything to do with not having little ones to chase around.

Now I’m back home, sans grandchildren, but determined to keep going with the weight loss.  I’m adding two more goals this week:  1.  Don’t eat anything after 7:00 at night (tip from my daughter-in-law) and 2.  Don’t be perfect.  Eat well 80% of the time.  I like this second goal.  I think I can manage it.  It means if I eat two servings of leafy greens five days in a row and miss the next day, that’s okay.  I won’t beat myself up over it.

I’ve ordered my Prevention Magazine MP3 player loaded with a walking coach.   I hope to go grocery shopping later today so I can start The Birmingham Diet tomorrow.  These are two ideas that I probably wouldn’t have done had it not been for your suggestions.  Remember I’m open to anything, so keep the tips coming and don’t forget to eat your spinach!

Oh, and speaking of spinach, try this spinach salad from my dear friend, Brenda.  It’s toothsome!  (That’s my new word for the day.)  I’ve eaten this salad at least three times in the past week.  It’s that toothsome!  Brenda says use  spinach, a bit of crumbled bacon, mandarin orange segments (small can, save juice), slivered almonds, hearts of palm sliced. Use Newman’s Own oil and vinegar mixed with a bit of the juice from mandarin oranges for dressing.  Thanks Brenda!

Related articles

• My First Post (wowareyoukiddingme.wordpress.com)
• New Goal (wowareyoukiddingme.wordpress.com)

Moving on to More Goals

Guinea Pig baby. About 8 hours old. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Tips are starting to flow in and I love it!  I promise to try almost anything while on my journey to become a better person, fitter, healthier and happier.  What has helped you?  Is there something you are thinking about trying but would rather I go first as your guinea pig?  I’m game.

Candace suggested a MP3 player from the magazine Prevention that comes loaded with music and a personal trainer talking in your ear.  Rose mentioned The Birmingham Diet.  I’ll order the MP3 player and I’ll start The Birmingham Diet after Memorial Day.  Promise.

Meanwhile this is Day  7 of eating two servings of leafy green vegetables each day.  I find I’m eating two to FOUR servings each day.  It’s coming easy to me.  I enjoy my meals much more and love the great recipes followers have sent.  Take a look at my new favorite salad from emmycooks:  http://emmycooks.com/2012/04/20/kale-salad-with-apples-currants-and-gorgonzola/.

This is also Day 7 of not eating meals in front of the television.  I’m not doing so well with this one.  Twice I’ve just totally forgotten.  Must remember.  Must try harder.

So let’s be having your tips!

Goldilocks and the Three Swimsuits

After swimsuit shopping last night, I realize I need another goal and fast. I have got to lose weight. So I’m appealing to you, my dear followers, to please offer suggestions. What would you like to see me do next?

Last night after deciding I needed a new swimsuit for the summer, I spent the evening in what I knew could be a fruitless search. I entered the swimsuit portion of a large department store, and wondered if I was in the teenager section. Everything looked so tiny, but as I made my way across the floor, the swimsuits did become larger. Someone had thoughtfully separated the size 18 and larger swimsuit dresses from the size zero bikinis. I grabbed about twenty different styles and sizes of swimsuits and headed to the dressing room, quickly passing the “Limit your selections to 6” sign.

What followed was very much like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The first swimsuit I tried on was too small. The next one I tried on was too big and the third one was just right. Then something happened that still gives me shivers.

The first swimsuit I put on was a sexy little number. Emphasis on little. Not that it was a bikini. We are way past that era. This was a red and orange and purple diagonally striped halter top that showed a lot of cleavage, combined with tight, red, short-shorts. The swimsuit clung to my curves, which according to my husband are in all the right places. I couldn’t decide if I looked very hot, or because of my large size, very awful!

I moved on to something more grandmotherly. I put on the swimsuit dress and pictured myself playing in the pool with my grandchildren. I then tried on a cover up but it covered the same amount of skin as the swimsuit dress. With a swimsuit dress do you need a cover up?

So while trying to decide if I wanted to go sexy or grandmotherly, I tried on another suit. The next one was a conservative navy suit with a cute top that covered what I wanted covered and a little skirt to match. The skirt wasn’t as long as the grandmother dress and not as tight as the sexy number. Perfect. I should have stopped there.

But no. I had my eye on a stunning orange-red suit. It was a two piece, like a tankini and had a tag that said “Lose Inches”. It hung so beautifully on the hanger. I just knew this was the miracle suit that would make me look like a model when I wore it. I put on the bottoms and they fit. I pulled the top off the hanger and double checked the size, 38D. Good to go. I slipped it on. Well, not really. I guess we’re past the “slipping it on” era too. I pulled and tugged and the more difficult it became the more determined I became. I was going to get into this miracle suit doggone it! Just like the tag told me, the cup size fit perfectly, but everything below that felt like a size two! I was “losing inches” by the minute, as well as air. It was terribly constricting and I started to panic. I would have screamed if I physically could have. To save my life, I had to get this suit off quick. I crossed my arms, grabbed the bottom of the top and pulled up. It came up two inches and became stuck just under my 38Ds. I wiggled and writhed until I was able to get one side of the suit, up and over one breast, but now my left arm was stuck under the suit. I couldn’t move at all!

“Oh my goodness, I’m going to have to call EMS.” I blurted out.

A young girl in the next dressing room asked, “Mam? Are you okay?

I couldn’t answer. I had inched the suit up and it was still stuck on one breast but was now also strapped around my face. In a true panic now, I thrashed about wildly, bouncing from one wall to the other and finally landed on the floor. I was laid out across the floor with my legs stretched under the wall into the young girl’s dressing room. I think this must have scared her. She ran out to get a sales clerk.

I finally managed to remove myself from the suit and was beginning to get dressed when the sales clerk ran up excitedly and knocked on my door.

“Can I help you?”

I opened the door, stuck my arm out with my hand clinching the conservative navy suit. “Yes. I’ll take this one!”

New Goal

I successfully completed day one of goal one (eat two servings of leafy green vegetables) and I feel pretty confident that I’ll be able to keep it up.  My plan is to have a green smoothie for breakfast and then spinach on my sandwich at lunch.  If I miss either one of those, I can always have a salad for dinner.

I am now ready to add another challenge.  

My second goal is to not eat a single meal in front of the television for six weeks.  This may be difficult.  There are times after work, when I can’t wait to grab a meal and chow down while watching The Bachelorette.

Studies have shown that eating in front of the TV makes you snack more later.  By not eating in front of the television I hope to eat dinner earlier, pay attention to what I eat, snack less later and LOSE WEIGHT.

So Far So Great!

Day 1

Goal: Eat two servings of leafy green vegetables today and every day for six weeks.

Check!

It feels good to have easily completed this goal today.  I have to say I was worried this morning when I sat down to plan out my meals for the week.  My week of menus looks VERY green!  I’ll be having salads, sandwiches, smoothies, quesadillas and appetizers made mostly of spinach, broccoli or kale.  As of this morning I wasn’t even sure if I liked kale.

After enjoying emmycooks wonderful Kale salad (see comment on My First Post) for dinner tonight, I can now say I really like kale!  I encourage you to check out Emmy’s blog.  I’ll be exploring it more myself in search of delicious recipes

Besides the Kale salad we also had a Lemony chicken and broccoli dish over brown rice.  I feel healthier already!

I found a list of leafy green vegetables on WebMD.  They are ranked in order of nutritional value.

1.  Kale

2.  Collards

3.  Turnip Greens

4.  Swiss Chard

5.  Spinach

6.  Mustard Greens

7.  Broccoli

8.  Red and Green Leaf and Romaine Lettuce

9.  Cabbage

10. Iceberg Lettuce

I’m hesitant to eat collards, turnip greens and mustard greens.  I remember then from my childhood being bitter-tasting.  Please correct me if I’m wrong.  Send me your best recipe.  I’ll keep an open mind.

 

 

This week’s leafy green vegetables

My Second Post

Up this morning and ready to start my journey to becoming a better person by eating more spinach.  I have high hopes that this one small change will help me lose weight, gain energy and start me on the road to becoming a fitter, happier, healthier and richer me.

This is Day 1 of eating two servings of leafy green vegetables.

First I will print out a calendar of the week so I can write down my meals.  For today’s lunch I want Kale Salad with Apples, Currants, and Gorgonzola.  This recipe came in yesterday from emmycooks.  It sounds delicious and I’m excited about trying it.  I also can’t wait to explore her blog for more delicious recipes.

For tonight’s dinner I would like to make Lemon Chicken with Broccoli.  Perhaps because it is so early in the morning or maybe because I’m very nutritionally challenged, I can’t remember if broccoli is considered a “leafy” green vegetable.  Surely it is.  It has leaves…… but I don’t eat the leaves.  Mental note:  Research leafy green vegetables.  Meanwhile, I’m going back to bed.