Wednesday, July 30, 2008

A little support

     I have not blogged about this before, but it's a reality that many women like me face.
     I want to share one of the best finds ever! Many years ago when I trained for a sprint-triathlon, my trainer taught me LOTS of things!!
     One thing he helped me discover was the right shoes, and more importantly the right sports bra!
     I have found the BEST sports bra ever, and here eight years later, I only buy this brand and this specific sports bra now.
     You can get it with underwire or not (I prefer not), and the support is incredible.
     Now that I am riding horses more, I realized how important it is that I have a sports bra on when we are trotting and really moving!
     The bra is spendy - $40, but trust me when I say it's totally worth it! I have only purchased two in the past eight years, so they are durable, too!
     That would be my tidbit of support for you today!

Wednesday Weigh-in

     I weighed in at the clinic, which I several weeks ago I calibrated to the WW scales, and I am totally excited because I lost one pound! Woo hoo!!!!!
     I was contemplating taking off the coast to coast trip on the site because I haven't been doing miles walking or riding, but instead I decided I am going to keep it on to inspire me to get back to that kind of exercise.
     I am a bit disappointed in my program this summer. I thought I would be more motivated than I have been.
     I have been quite active, and in different and adventurous ways, but it's not quite what I had envisioned at the beginning of summer.
     Of course, there is still time to set things in motion the way I want them to be, as I have just under a month until school starts.
     All in all though, I have to remind myself that I have still been losing all summer!
     That's still success :)

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Please check out my other blog!!!

      Check out my other blog!!! Important!!!!!!

Monday, July 28, 2008

Back on track!

     Last week was busy, and this weekend was spent recovering and also bonding with our two new horses :)
     I did wake up this morning and do aerboics!! And, my BEST friend in the entire world is going to be up here from Leavenworth for an entire week.
     She is a personal trainer, and she has always been my inspiration in the physical fitness world! Anyhow, we are going to work out at the gym, and I am totally stoked!
     I was just realizing that I have less than one month of summer break left! Yikes! It's going fast!
     And, the last weeks of summer are packed out with vacations and camps!
     And, I have been doing a great job of relaxing and reconnecting with friends!

Friday, July 25, 2008

Miss me, miss me?!

      Hey! We have been off at cheerleading camp, which was a BLAST! Anyhow, I couldn't get access either to a computer or wireless for my laptop, which meant no blogging :(
      But, that's OK, because we were TOTALLY busy the entire time! We had tons of classes (both the girls and coaches), and lots of fun activities, too.
      Thankfully the weather (albeit windy...LOVE E-BURG!) was pretty mellow, only yesterday was hot!
      I did LOTS and LOTS nad LOTS of walking! I didn't drink enough water or at least it didn't feel like it, even though I drank my daily quota.
      Eating was OK. The portions were perfect, but it was cafeteria food, and that was rather bland (the veggies and fruit were not so tasty).
      It's been a week of fitness for sure! I'm very proud of my girls who all came home tired (physically, mentally, and emotionally)!!
      I didn't attend a WW meeting, and this is the first one I have missed since I have been going from the beginning of March.
      I am going to go and weigh though at the clinic, maybe tomorrow, and I will update ya! No worries, as I compared the scale there with the WW scale the last two weeks, and they are spot on!
      Well, more to come later!

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Still a loser!

     I lost .8 of a pound, and I will totally take it because I honestly felt like I had gained. Not because of anything I ate, but I just feel like I am retaining a boat-load of water! Yuck!
     I only heard from one other person, and she lost 2 pounds!! Woo hoo!
     Speaking of water, I have been drinking more, yeah!
     I have been exercising all week, too! Double YEAH!
     That's all for now. I will blog more tonight!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Good day!

Today I did work out on the elliptical, and I tried out a different setting. I did the isometric-strength training, and let's just say it kicked my butt!!

I was interested so I checked out isometrics in general. I like the whole range of motion and resistance; it's a cool concept!

I also worked out my triceps. I want to work on my arms more!

We are having salmon and shrimp for dinner, yummy! I have this delicious chile lime seasoning that I love to use. Need to drink more water, though!

I also reconnected with my friend Missy today, and we talked and talked for hours, but it felt like only minutes. I know that I love having her in my life!

P.S. I did post my pics of my bathroom redo on my other blog :)

Good Tuesday Morning!

     Well, yesterday my friend called, and we caught up! When he asked me how my summer was going...well, I said, "Super!"
     I had cheer practice yesterday as we are preparing for cheer camp next week, and afterwards I did interval training on the elliptical!
     Then, I decided to paint one of the bathrooms at Rick's house! That's good exercise!! I was sweating, and I thought how it was using my arm muscles that I want to reshape!
     I will post before and after pics on my other blog later today or tomorrow.
     I am also excited because I am hooking up with two different friends this week that I have not spent much time with lately. That feels good, too.
     On the weight front, well, I haven't drank enough water. I don't know what's the deal with that??!!
     Also, last night while I was painting, Rick made dinner, which was good, EXCEPT...he fried the green tomatoes before I could realize what he was doing since I was painting away in the bathroom and could only smell paint fumes!
     I ate four slices anyway! And, they were good, albeit not the healthy option I was planning.
     We did have those yummy chicken sausages with artichoke and garlic last night, and to help balance out the fried tomoatoes, I decided to eat my sausage sans bun!
     I can't believe it's already the middle of July. I need to squeeze in more workouts and drink more water, if I want to lose some noticeable weight before school starts.
     I also am planning something for when school starts. I have always joked around about how I would love to have a PE class every day as an adult. You know how the kids complain about taking PE??!
     Well, I am thinking that after cheer practice every day, I am going to have a 30 minute workout! That would be perfect for the girls and me!
     Anyhow, for now, I am loving summer! I am accomplishing many things, and I am feeling nutured :)

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Pamper Day

     Yesterday was spent relaxing! We started our morning off with a trip to the Farmers' Market! Of course, after a stop on the way at Roadhouse Rooster (we love you Christina!).
     I love going there and supporting our local farmers, and we always see tons of people we know.
     I bought peaches and green tomatoes! I even found a recipe that makes fried green tomatoes but by baking them! I can't wait to try out this healhty option! I LOVE fried green tomatoes!!!
     Then we headed down to On the Avenue for ice cream! I didn't have ice cream, but instead an old fashioned sugar free strawberry soda with sugar free strawberry ice cream! YUMMY!!! I love Suzanne and Bill (the owners), and she makes a perfect treat (sugar free!).
     We also hit up Gene's for their fruit sale, and we bought plums, grapes, and also lots of other produce to make a huge salad!
     Of course, we had to hit up the dollar store! For little ones that can be quite overwhelming to only choose 4 things! LOL!
     We wandered over to Hi Tek to see if they had time for pedicures, and they did!!
     I almost always get some shade of pink or purple, and this time I decided to go green! I LOVE my toesnails!!!!




     In the end, we went home and watched some movies and just chilled. It was a relazing day for sure!

Friday, July 11, 2008

What have we been up to??

     Lots of playing! We have been swimming every day! We had horseback riding lessons on Wednesday.
     We went to Omak Lake on Wednesday, too! That was a blast, and it was before all of this smoke!
     The water was perfect, and we had a nice little sandy spot to play for hours!
     Jordie jumped off the cliffs several times, and that was fun for us to watch!
     We had haircuts, and of course, we have been bowling, too! Busy, but fun!
     For the weekend, we have a big hike planned, and I am looking forward to that. Where we are headed doesn't look like it's smoke-filled yet. I will post pictures!
     I am also looking forward to next week, as I will be getting the cheerleaders ready for camp. I can't wait :)

Get your drink on!

     OK, yesterday was National Pina Colada Day, just in case you missed it, and Hungry Girl has yummy and lite recipes for those :)
     Be careful because a real Pina Colada can weigh in at over 600 calories, and that's more than a double greasy hamburger under the golden arches.
     Today is...National Slurpee Day! How cool is that! Why? Because it's 7-11!!!
     Did you also know that they make Crystal Light low-cal, sugarfree slurpees?? Only 30 calories, but still enough to give you a lovely ice cream headache and colorful tongue!
     I am actually going to Wenatchee tonight to drop off a friend at the train, and I'm thinking I am going to 7-Eleven for my 7.11 ounces of slurpee!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

YES!!!

     I lost 3 pounds this past week!!! One of the other gals lost 2.2, and another lost 1.2. So, it was a good week for all :)
     I now have officially made my 10% goal which was 25 pounds (I have actually lost 26.2 pounds!
     Also, I received my 25-pound award, too :) And, that's all with going camping.
     I feel amped up for this next week now, too.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Photos, anyone?

Lots of new pics on my other blog...that's my nurturing of my creative spirit :)

Monday, July 7, 2008

Today was happily busy :)

     Today we went to Wal*Mart and picked out tons of fabric. I am in the sewing mode, so I am going to sew a bunch of summer clothes! I will post pics as I finish them :)
     Then we had swim lessons and lap swim. I swam for almost an hour, and today I focused on not stopping and taking a break at all. I did great!
     Finally, we headed off to Chelan to pick up Jordie. We had a blast playing in the lake. I can't wait to go back!
     So, today, I didn't drink as much water as I wanted, but I have eaten really well, and I had good exercise in there :)
     In just a little bit, I am going to go out and ride the horse for a bit again.
     Tomorrow is another BUSY day, but it will be equally as satisfying, I am sure :)

Camping rocked!

     So, we headed out camping on Thursday. We took the horses along, and we camped up at Salmon Meadows above Conconully.
     It was absolutely beautiful up there! The wildflowers were incredible!!!! Everything is green, and the weather was delightful. I will post pics later on my other blog.
     We rode horses, and YES, I rode Jack, our big one (16 hands high), for an hour and half! We went on a cool trail up the mountain and back down.
     I found going down harder because I had to use my muscles much more, at least that's what it felt like. But, I did GREAT!
     For my weight, that's 400 calories melted away! And, that doesn't count all the walking I did for the camp trip.
     There's a great loop up there, and we walked the horses at night, and I also hiked before Rick got up there on Thursday night.
     On Friday we also went out and filled up the truck with firewood. Ricky did all the chainsaw stuff, and I loaded, which felt like a good arm workout!
     Eating was also VERY good! We ate healthy the entire time, and it was yummy and even borderline gourmet.
     The only thing I didn't do was drink enough water. I am not sure what's the deal there, but I am going to work on that, too!
     Overall, the trip was absolutely relaxing. We did a lot, but it was so peaceful. I can't wait to go again. Next time we will definitely take the kids and the dogs.
     The long weekend was a 10 for us!

It's coming!

     I will post a bunch tonight. I had a PERFECT weekend, and I can't wait to share, but for now we have a busy day ahead of us :) Stay tuned tonight!!

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Chelan and cherries!

     I almost forgot! On Tuesday I drove Jordie down to Chelan to meet up with his dad, and we went really early so we could hang out at the lake for a couple of hours.
     We went to the Safeway there to buy some snacks. HOLY TOLEDO!!! They have an AWESOME produce department.
     Actually the entire store is SWEET! I couldn't help but wonder how come ours is so different in selection and set-up??!!
     Anyhoot, I bought some cherries for only $2 a pound, and they were delightful!!!
     We had a great day, eating our cherries, and jumping off the concrete platform into the cool and refreshing lake!

Creative camping!

     We are camping this weekend, and I am totally excited about it. It's just Rick and I, which we have gone on some children-less camp trips in the past, but this time we are taking the horses with us, too.
     I am very excited to go hiking and horseback riding and camping like a fool!
     I packed so many good and healthy things for our camp trip, that I can't imagine what Rick will think as I hand him each meal and snacks in between!! LOL
     It's not all regular camp food, so that will be interesting. I am going to make some delicious tin foil dinners that are sure to attract all the critters in the area.
     I am going to make a salmon one day with portobella mushrooms, and chicken and corn on the cob (with my yummy spread - instead of butter I use fat free sour cream, cilantro, and lime juice to slather the corn) another night.
     Then the best find in my mind (although a little spendy) was the chicken sausage that has artichokes and mozzarella in it!! They are only 100 calories for one!!!
     I packed tons of fruit and veggies, and flat bread for sandwiches, and yogurt for breakfast!
     I know this trip will be a blast! I will update ya when we return :)

Weigh-in

     I am missing a few people, but one lost 1.2, another lost 2, and I gained .2 of a pound, grrrr.
     I have another friend who goes and she gained this week, too, as did the lady who was weighing in before us.
     The lady weighing us said that it is common for people to retain some weight in this hot weather.
     I have a confession. I ate Chinese food on Monday. BUT, I did eat a small amount because I used a super small plate to curb the portion size. I know there is tons of sodium in Chinese food, but OH WELL!
     This is probably bad, but I didn't feel bad about the gain, but rahter I thought to myself that if I splurge on Chinese food again (first time since January that we have had it for dinner), then I would do it on a Wednesday or Thursday night so all of the sodium has a chance to work itself out of my system.
     To continue with this not GOOD attitude, after I shopped for groceries for two hours tonight, I decided to go grab something to eat. NOW, I was going to get a sub sandwich, but instead I pulled into DQ and got a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie Blizzard. The only saving grace, I suppose, is that I chose to get a small (I admit I was tempted by the large.), and I did get a large water. SIGH.
     I feel RIGHT NOW that I need to re-adjust and make some better progress. I am going to think a lot about it this weekend while we are camping. That's the plan anyhow.
     In talking with one of my best friends, who is out of town taking care of her mom, but who is also doing WW, she feels VERY frustrated and not inspired.
     We were both surprised at how summer is not as easy as we thought it would be in our weight loss efforts.
     Definitely time to jumpstart things!

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Exercise the natural way!

      We have lots to do to be ready for our big camping trip this weekend. We are taking the horses and dogs with us, and I can't wait.
      I LOVE to camp!! I am excited to ride horses and also to go hiking while we are up in the mountains.
      I used to hike tons when I lived up in Leavenworth. We used to camp lots, too. We decided that since everything is so expensive now that we are going to do more camping and closer to home.
      So, getting everything ready definitely feels like a workout. But, in particular, this morning, Jordie and I unloaded all the hay from the horse trailer.
     I had helped Ricky load it all up the other night, but really Rick did most of the work since I had to get in and out of the truck, since i was driving.
     But this morning (before it got too hot) Jordie and I took out all the hay and stacked it next to the barn. My job was to take out all the hay from the trailer, and Jordie took it all and stacked it.
      So, I lifted all 53 bales and hauled them over. I decided that definitely counts as a workout!! Plus we were sweating like crazy, even though it wasn't super hot yet, since we had long pants and long sleeve shirts on.
      Afterwards I felt so good, you know that MAJOR high when you have worked out really hard, when you are sweaty, and your lungs and muscles feel ALIVE??!!
      We came in and drowned ourselves in drinking tons of water. Now, we are ready for the day!
     I like how we can work out the nautral way, whether it be hiking in the mountains or doing chores.
     That's what makes this summer so great! I love having the time to do these things :)

Hey, hey, hey!

     Yesterday was a good day! It was one of those days where I checked off tons of things on my list.
      I did all of the beginning of the month errands, even though it was the last day of June. I paid all the bills, and Jordie graduated from Driver's Ed!
      We went out for a celebration lunch at my favorite place, Wallwebbers!
      I ordered a half of a Tom Terrific sandwich with a cup of soup (tomato garlic). I always ask them to add cranberries, yummy!
      We spent a big part of the afternoon at the clinic with G-ma. What was good about that is that we ran into someone that I know who lost a tremendous amount of weight, and she looks FANTASTIC, and she totally inspires me!!
     I didn't do any specific exercise (riding my bike or walking), but I had a great day tending to what needed to be done and spending it with Jordie!!
      We went to Rick's and watched a movie in the early evening when it was still super hot. After that we went out and caught the mule (this had been an ordeal before, but we borrowed some panels from the neighbor and no problems last night at all).
      I love walking her, and I am going to do so every day. Sometimes I can get her to trot with me, too.
      We sat out in the yard, all three of us, and watched the storm. It was awesome! It so reminds me of Texas.
      Oh, I almost forgot. Yesterday I took the boys down at Rick's work some yummy Orange Creamsicles from Dairy Queen. They are sugar-free and fat free and only 60 calories!
      Not that the boys needed to lose weight (trust me, they are sweating every ounce of fat off of them), but these creamsicles are super yummy, and only 1 point.
      I figured I would tell all of you folks out there looking for a treat to cool you down today, on another day of hot, hot weather! They also have chocolate ones.
      Stay cool and hydrated, and exercise early in the morning or later in the night!