Tuesday, March 31, 2009

H2O luva!!



     I bought a new water bottle at Grandma's Attic, and I LOVE it!!!
     It has the Ghandi quotation, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Of course, I like the double entendre.
      Use an aluminum water bottle (or any reusable) instead of using the plastic disposable ones. Be that change, right?
     The water bottle holds 20 ounces, which for me is the perfect size for when I am exercising.
     Love it!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Recent Reflections...

     I've really enjoyed jumping back on my recumbent bike. I started that on Saturday morning, and today was the third morning in a row of riding, and today I rode for 45 minutes!
     I have begun reading Twilight again, because I am back on the bike, and I have read 80 pages! It's definitely getting more interesting.
     I am thinking about allowing myself to read it for how many minutes I exercise a day! LOL! Not just riding the bike, however, I guess if I don't give myself that little leeway, then I guess I will be more motivated to also ride the bike, right?
     Some other things I have noticed. Well, first off, I don't do nearly as well on the weekends tracking as I should. I don't know why! Other than because I am not so scheduled. I start out tracking, and then I just quit part way through the day.
     One plus this past weekend is that we did go out to an exceptional dinner (see my review HERE), and I brought home HALF of my dinner!!!
     I also notice that I eat more, when I do that!!! GOTTA TRACK!!!!! But, I also notice that I am WAY more active on the weekends, too, so maybe it balances, but my new goal this week (because it's like an extended weekend!!! since we are on Spring Break) it to track all day, every day, and ESPECIALLY this weekend!!! I will do it!
     Something else I noticed...Well, treading water for 10 minutes is a LOT harder than I thought it would be, LOL!! That's good, though!
     That's something else we are doing this week, a variety of working out. I still plan on squeezing in my weights, too!
     There ya have it, some things I have recently observed!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Good first day of Spring Break!

     Good thing I rode the bike this morning for thirty minutes...why? Because I ate out tonight, and I am SURE I used most of my "extra" points for the week! I need to tally everything up!
     I did bring home half my dinner, so that's good! BUT, HOLY COW!!! I almost feel like riding the bike right now, and it's late at night!
     You can check out my other blog to find out about the dinner!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

3 more pounds GONE!

     Good news! I lost three pounds this last week! Yup! Now, I am down to 233.4, still pounds away from where I was last summer...but I am going in the right direction :)
     This was quite surprising to me because I felt FAT all day today!
     I had a SUPER workout today! I have been walking (a fast walk) and jogging on the treadmill, and I was able to up the jogging time to three minutes alternating with one minute walking. I felt good, too!
     After that "warm-up" I then lifted weights for thirty more minutes!
     I will also be working out tomorrow after school, too! I feel strong!

Feeling heavy

I am not looking forward to the Weigh-In today. I feel fat, and it’s not because I am wearing a striped shirt, LOL!

I don't know why I feel that way today, but I do. Maybe I am holding water. At any rate, I will go to Weight Watchers, and I will blog the results.

I have been working out, only not Monday or Tuesday, but we are back on track this afternoon! YEAH! I am looking forward to some working out opportunities this upcoming Spring Break! We have some big plans ;)

I have mostly been eating well, although I did eat kinda crazy on Monday, but I am still OK with that because I marked down ALL my points, and thankfully we have the extra points each week. I ended up using up most of those, and I did still have quite a few exercise points banked that I did not touch!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Ride baby ride, burn baby burn!


My Smokin' Joe just before we headed out for a ride!



I took this picture from atop Joe :) This is Rick on Jake, and we are out on a trail near Hess Lake heading back to Fish Lake.



     Yesterday we headed out to ride trail with our horses for the first time this year. The weather was perfect! We had such a blast!!
     The ride was a little over four hours long, but we did stop twice for a quick break, so in all, we were mounted for 240 minutes!!
     Rick kept telling me that riding a horse was just like walking, and that you use the same muscles and burn a tremendous amount of calories. I, of course, did not believe him because I figured the horse was doing all the work!
I do know that a person who rides can feel sore the next day, but not so much from working out, more from sitting for so long (saddle sore). I thankfully have a new saddle ( best Christmas present ever), so I am just a tiny bit sore today, but not bad at all!
     I decided to do a bit of research and LOW AND BEHOLD, as much as I hate to admit it, Ricky was right!!!!! All of the info out there says that riding a horse is just like walking! You use the same muscles, and even use your core muscles more because you are keeping your balance.
     I entered my weight in several calorie calculators and found that I burnt 1080 calories yesterday!! WOW! How amazingly cool is that?!!
     I knew that I was reaping lots of emotional and mental benefits, but when you add on the physical, WELL…I am ready to ride every day!
     Really if you think about it, consider what cowboys looked like in the days of riding horses all the time! You really didn’t see a fat cowboy!
     I love riding! I love the fresh air, the being outside, the birds, the deer, the EVERYTHING! I love being with my horse and feeling the trust and confidence we have in one another. He is just an incredible animal, and yes, my friend.
     It is also wonderful to be able to share this passion with my best friend and PIC (partner in crime), Ricky and our kiddos!
     You can read a really great article HERE about riding horses! Enjoy!

Friday, March 20, 2009

Great workout yesterday!

     My workout yesterday rocked! I did a "warm-up" on the treadmill and then weights.
     For my treadmill work, I walked at a quick pace for 2 minutes to warm-up. Then I jogged for 2 minutes, walked for 1 minute, jogged for two minutes, and continued this for a total of 18 minutes! I logged 1.25 miles in that time.
     My short-term goal is to get up to jogging straight for a mile, with no walking.
     Then I lifted, and I had legs, biceps, and back. I am so impressed with how quickly my strength has improved.
     I love lifting weights! I feel so strong. I am looking forward to lifting this summer in the morning, so I get the metabolic boost for the day.
     This afternoon, I will get some cardio done on the treadmill, and then I lift chest, triceps, and shoulders, AND I am starting the first day of the hundred push-up program! I am excited :)
     I really feel motivated to workout, which is good! I think it has a lot to do with that there is a small group of us doing this now!! It's inspiring when you have other people along for the ride.
     I also notice myself planning more about my exercise. I am "scheduling" my times. For example, I know next week that on Monday I have a massage, so I am going to ride the bike in the morning NO MATTER WHAT!
     Then on Tuesday, Jordie has a baseball game, so I am planning to walk that afternoon outside before his game.
     I like the planning and scheduling and making sure that exercise is a priority, and that it is no different than if I had an appointment for anything else!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Yummy, quick, cheap and healthy...is it possible?

     YES!
     I have found something that I love at Safeway! In their new Eating Healthy line, they have a shrimp stirfry that is really yummy!
     You get 24 ounces for $5.99, and if you watch you can catch it on sale! It's in the frozen food section.
     The veggies (mushrooms, red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, carrots, water chestnuts, and broccoli) are very yummy!! And, the shrimp is plentiful.
     For one serving (1 3/4 cups), with three in the entire bag, the calories are 130, fat 0, and fiber 4g for each serving! If you are keeping track in the WWers world, that's only 2 points for one serving or 6 points for the entire bag (like who could eat all of that?).
     I always add rice to it, and I have also found a new rice from Kashi that I love, too!



     It's Kashi's Moroccan Curry 7-whole grain pilaf! It's super easy, and in one of those packets that you can just throw into the microwave, but I just add it to my stirfry.
     I liked the taste, both sweet and spicy, but I have always been a fan of curry. Although I must say it's not as curry-tasting as I had expected. I really like the texture.
     One cup of the pilaf is only 4 points! And, I just add two packets to my stirfry.
     This is one YUMMY, cheap, healthy, and super quick (less than 10 minutes), easy (only one pan, dump it all in). That's my kind of meal!

How many points in that Girl Scout cookie?!?

     So, I am the Cookie Mom for our little girl's Daisy Scout troop, and so I have had Girl Scout Cookies on the mind! LOL!
     I decided to figure out how many Weight Watchers points were attached for one cookie in each of the flavors :)
Lemon Chalet Cremes 1 point
Trefoils 1 point
Do-si-dos 1 point
Samoas 2 points
Dulce de Leche 2 points
Sugar Free Chocolate Chips 1 points
Tagalongs 2 points
Thin Mints 1 point

     SO, of course, I have rich taste...my two favorites (Samoas and Tagalongs) are two points for one cookie! That's freaking 15 minutes on the treadmill for ONE cookie! LOL
     I do also like the mints though, and those are only one point for one cookie!


You can click on this pic to see the nutritional info for the cookies :)

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Push-up test!

     I decided to try my push-up test, and I TRULY thought I wouldn't be able to do one standard push-up, but I totally surprised myself...as I did 5!!!!
     I feel strong and proud of myself! I know that if I had not been lifting weights since the beginning of February that I would not have been able to do any.
     I am going to start my one hundred push-ups program on Friday, and give my arms a rest tomorrow!

I survived!

     What a ridiculously busy day. But, I did survive, and I made it to Weight Watchers to weigh.
     I lost .8, which I will admit I had conflicted feelings about. I wanted it to be more. I did so good all week with counting points, watching portions, drinking water, exercising, all of that.
     But, I did look when I started last year, and I actually lost ZERO during my second week. And, then when I looked at the time from before that (like 8 years ago), and the same thing, no loss during the second week. So, this was a loss.
     Like Horton...a loss is a loss no matter how small, right?!
     And, also if the pattern holds true, the third week was always a huge loss. SO, maybe next week?! I hope!
     And, if I average my loss, I have lost 3.6 for two weeks.
     To recap, I now weigh 236.4, total of 16.2 pounds lost from the 252.6 that I started out at.
     I am looking forward to tomorrow. WAY less hectic, and I am going to lift and work on the treadmill tomorrow after school!

A tiny discovery


     I am somewhat obsessed with points. So, I just realized that the sugar-free Nips (coffee flavor) are 1 point for two!!
     I have been eating just one a day as a tiny little snack, and I entered in the nutritional info and found out that for one coffee Nips (weird, I know, but they are called Nips even if only talking about one) I use 1 point, but if I choose to eat two of them, well that's only 1 point, too!! LOL!
     It doesn't seem like a big deal, but now I can have two of them for the price of one, and I didn't know that, so I wanted to share!

Animated :)

     I am excited for the weigh-in tonight! I have a super busy day (shocking, I know), but I will make it to visit the scale, and then will have to buzz on out to do the next thing on the list!
     I am bummed that I can't stay for the meeting because I always find that inspiring! But, I have to be in actually two other places!!
     Dinner last night was DELIGHTFUL! It always makes me happy to make that meal (Ranger Cabbage Casserole) because it makes me think of my Grandpa, and also because everyone LOVES it!!!
     I figured out last night that it was only 4 points per serving!!! You can't be that either!
     I didn't end up doing the bike or the push-up initial test last night. I don't know what the deal is...I have been soooo wiped out each night. Really I have felt this way since the time change.
     I won't be able to workout tonight...too many things to do! But, we are back to lifting tomorrow! Yeah!
     And, the plan is to lift tomorrow, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! Then Monday I have a massage, YEAH!
     I will try to get on this evening to update the weight! Have a HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Today's plan!

     Well, since I can't workout on the weights today (or tomorrow, back on Thursday, though!), I decided that tonight besides riding the recumbent bike, I am going to start a new program.
     I have been reading The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl, and so I have also been checking out her website. I have actually been looking at her website for a couple of years now, but more recently I have been a faithful reader!
     I love her book by the way! HYSTERICAL and inspiring :)
     So, I noticed she had a push-up challenge on her blog, and I decided to check it out!
     It's the one hundred push-ups training program. And, considering I don't think I can do ONE regular push-up, I am interested!
     Tonight I plan on doing my initial test! I love how they even have a place to log my push-ups as I go.
     I am excited to try this out! I do have some ultimate strength goals. I would like to be able to do 20 push-ups at one time. I would like to be able to do 5 pull-ups!
     And, I know all of this hard work will equal some nice looking arms...just in time for summer!

Some days...

     Yesterday I had a good workout, but I was REALLY tired. I don't know if it was a Monday thing or what?
     I skipped the elliptical and went for the treadmill, which originally wasn't my first choice...the two elliptical trainers were occupied!
     I warmed up for five minutes and then I alternated jogging for one minute and walking for one minute.
     It felt really good and manageable! It made me want to do that more rather than the elliptical.
     I just worry about shin splints! Every time I try to start jogging, I always get them!
     I know I need to stretch before and after! That will help.
     I lifted yesterday as well, and now we are doing the pyramid method. You know: 15 pounds times 20 reps, 20 pound at 15 reps, and 25 pounds at 10 reps.
     Let me tell you...I can't believe the difference in that workout than when I was just lifting the same weights for 15 reps three different times! WOWSER!
     What I notice most is that I am really feeling a cardio burn at the same time as the muscles are being individually worked out. I guess I am revving up my workout :)
     It is fun because I have a workout partner, and we were able to get our other friend to come, too!
     I don't know what the deal was with yesterday...I was so tired. I even ended up going to bed REALLY early!
     Today I feel better, but we have a hair appointment after school, so I won't have time to work the weights.
     I am going to ride the bike tonight while dinner is cooking. We are having cabbage, ground turkey, and tomatoes, a take on my Grandpa's Texas Ranger Casserole --not the baseball team, but the real RANGERS who would eat this from a Dutch oven!

I love tortillas!


     I just love tortillas! And, I love the Tortilla Factory tortillas, especially!
     The low-carb, whole wheat tortilla is only 80 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 12 grams of fiber, which equals...ONE WW point!!!
     They have other options with fewer calories, but in the end, you aren't going to get less than one point, so I go with this one!
     I think these also rate up there in TASTE value! You can eat a wrap with anything!!
     Some of my favorite wraps: tuna, lunchmeat, chicken fajita mix, shrimp, and the list goes on and on and on!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

New look!

     Hey!
     I hope you like the new look :) I was just in the mood for change, and I love change when it's my choice, right?!
     Check out the pen at the top of the blog. You can search for ANYTHING you want on my blog! Cool, huh?
     Enjoy!

New shoes!


     I love buying new shoes! I have always loved shoes. LOVE, love, love shoes! LOL
     So, I bought new exercise shoes! I wear Saucony because they are the perfect shoe for my feet.
     I purchased the Saucony Grid Propel Plus this time.
     I over-pronate, and I also have narrow feet, so they are the right ones for me.
     Problem is I can't buy them around here (I would support our local places, if one of them carried the brand), but I bought them down in Wenatchee.
     What is it about new shoes? They make you feel like you have more spring in your step??!!
     I did buy a white pair...first pair of white tennis shoes I have had in probably at least five years!!

March 14, 2009

Observations
     Things that I forgot, but have now returned to me since I have been back on track.
     Food tastes much more flavorful. Not eating the processed crap, brings out the flavors!
     I feel more thirsty and want to drink more water now that I am drinking lots of water again!
     I feel in control when I track my points and exactly what I am eating.
     I feel STRONG when I lift weights and exercise.

Friday, March 13, 2009

March 13, 2009

Happy Friday the 13th, to you!

     Yesterday we had a trip to Wenatchee. I was thinking that we would either eat lunch at Sonic or Applebee's. First I wanted to go to Sonic, you see that has a connection to growing up, since we had Sonic in Texas when I was a little girl! But, when I looked up all of the points for even the so-called lighter choices, I was flabbergasted that a grilled wrap was 500+ calories, NO THANK YOU!
     Then I looked up Applebee's because I knew they had some WWer point meals. Well, come to find out there has been a major lawsuit filed against Applebee's for false advertising related to the points of their meals. I looked up some salads, and they were up in the 700 calorie category!
     Same with Red Robin! I did find that I could have a cup of onion soup and also a small dinner salad for not too many points.
     In the end we decided to go to Wok About Grill. I got all veggies, no meat, no noodles, no rice, and I used water and garlic only as my sauce. They only used water when they cooked it, and I did have them add some cashews for protein. In the end my lunch was 4 points! And, it was DELICIOUS!!!!     My fortune at lunch yesterday said: "Your choices at the moment will be good ones. Trust yourself." How perfect was that??? I decided to keep it :) Oh, and by the way, I didn't eat the cookie, just read my fortune :)
     Last night we went to the show (Benjamin Button, and it was SUPERB), and I took three fruit leathers (1 point each), and bought a package of Junior Mints and only ate sixteen of them (3 points), and then I also bought a huge bottle of water. I was in the movie for three hours, and I didn't feel hungry, and I was OK with Rick eating some popcorn. In the end our bill at the snack counter was cheaper, too!

Thursday, March 12, 2009

March 12th!!

     Last Sunday at the end of my workout I went on a geocache adventure! Now, WAY back when (like 8 years ago, maybe), I earned a Teacher Leadership Project grant, and one of our classes included a geocache hunt! It was so much fun!
     But, time, money, and too many other passions were in the way, so I have not gone since. BUT, lucky me, my workout partner is a geocache extraordinaire! Janice has hidden many treasures around our area, and she also loves to go searching for others!
     I am so excited to do this more seriously this summer because I like the idea of hiking and walking to find the geocache! TOO COOL! This is a way to get some extra exercise and feel like you are on an adventure all at the same time.
     So, I found my first cache in our area: Hide ‘N Seek! It’s in a cool place! And, I love the thought put into its description!
     You can check out what’s out there at www.geocaching.com.
     Now, I can’t wait to go out and find more and hide my own!!!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

March 11, 2009

Mad about tracking!
      So, hey there! I had weigh-in tonight, and I lost 2.6 pounds this week!!! I was so glad because I have been doing so many things right :)
      I have been lifting weights, and jogging on the elliptical (if that's what you call it) four times a week!
      I have been drinking ALL of my water, and more.
      My eating is totally on, every day this past week! And, most importantly...I TRACKED!
      Yes, I was CRAZY tracker lady!
      I have decided that in order to be successful, I must track. I must be aware. Ignorance is NOT bliss. Well, it is at the moment, or so you think.
     In reality, not tracking MEANS cheating, pure and simple.
     OK, so now I have a funny tracking story. I was doing great, keeping track of EVERYTHING I ate, exact portions and points.
      Well, Saturday night we had steak because our little one LOVES steak, and I let her choose our menu for dinner.
      T-bones were on sale, so I bought them. They were huge!! I am such a meat eater; that's definitely my Texan upbringing.
      I ate my gi-normous steak, and then I sat down to add my dinner points online. I seriously had NO IDEA how many points steak would be...
      Are you sitting down? My steak was 12 ounces (can anyone say, TOO HUGE?), and it was 26 points!!! For real! That is almost my entire day's allowance of points.
      Thank goodness I have a bonus 35 points for the week, and I had not used a single one of those, so I was OK, and I made it through my week. BUT, HOLY COW (literally and figuratively)!!!
      So, the moral of the story? I must track all of my points! And, it works. I lost.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

March 5, 2009

Tracker!!!
     So, I gained a pound at the weigh-in last night. That makes me at 239. Not good news! But, then I found the meeting to be quite inspiring and informational.
     The week before we had talked about tracking, and how important it is to keep track of what we eat. Our leader asked a bunch of questions that went like this:
How many of you have tracked your points and lost weight? (Everyone raised their hand.)
How many of you have not tracked and gained weight? (Mostly everyone raised their hand.)
How many of you track faithfully? (A few people raised their hands.)
     I finally piped up and asked the following, which seems to be my life question! Why is it that we all know that we need to track our points and that we will lose weight if we track, but then we don’t?
     Our leader then through the question out for discussion. We had a fabulous discussion about how many of us feel so busy, or we don’t make the time, or it’s a hassle, and the list goes on. I asked my good friend later on the phone, and her answer was the best and really summed it all up, I think. She said, “I don’t track thepoints because then I can cheat.”
     We did also talk about how the changes we make have to be for life or we will be back, starting all over again. I felt really re-charged after the meeting!
     Today I signed up for WWers online, as I find it much easier to track everyting online! I was online before for the first few months, and then I quit doing the online program, and I just paid as I went to meetings, which is really about the time I stopped tracking everything, too. (The rest is history, right?)
     I am really happy with my strength training program, and I am feeling stronger! I want to bring my cardio workouts along, too.
     I am drinking lots more water, too! That’s totally a bi-product of tracking!
     I love the book I am reading right now, as I find it quite inspiring! (See my other blog from Saturday!) I think it really helps to keep me focused!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

March 2, 2009

UPDATE

So, I have been working out on the weights, and getting some cardio in, although not as much cardio as I would like. I have been hitting the gym at least three times a week! Woo hoo!

I did go to WWers last Wednesday, along with an old buddy, who is glad to be back, too, and also a new buddy, who is glad to start up!!

I weighed 238 pounds, which means that I gained 6 pounds since the last meeting I attended in the middle of December.

I had also weighed in mid-January on a scale at a friend’s house, and I had weighed 236, which means I have gained 2 pounds since the middle of January.

I am glad it’s not a massive amount, but in the big picture of things, I am only 13.8 pounds down from my original start one year ago. SIGH, double sigh.

But, here I go again. One thing for certain, I am not a quitter, in that I have not given up entirely, and thank goodness I have not gained all the weight back.

I am glad to be back to WWers, and I look forward to going to the meetings again! They are always inspiring.

I feel good today! I am a little sore, but I did go up in ALL of my weights last night!!