Wood, wood and more wood…but….

Done, I am finally done putting up 12 cords of wood. Yes, I do 99% of it alone, no it doesn’t matter. I work from home and keep our house warm is my job. Keeping it cool in the summer is Jim’s, the $300.00 electric bill. I use to be the one to go out and cut it, split it and stack it. Now I’m lucky enough that people owe us money so they cut it, split it and deliver it by dump truck so all I have to do is stack it, cover it and then burn it up. It’s still tons of work stacking up 12 cords of wood. It is in four different huge piles.

Here…..

 

Here…..

here….

and here…

Here was today’s pile…going…going…stacked….

Now for all my married life except for 8 years of driving truck I have done this wood, not a problem just my job. Today I had fun doing it, you know why? I listened to my itouch with my work out music and it went by much easier then ever plus I jigged, I jumped, I danced and sang at the top of my lungs. Think of the calories I burned off. Why have I never done that before? I usually just count the pieces of wood I put away. 1,2,3,4…..199,200,201…300,301,302…500…well you get the idea.

There is no way for me to figure out the calories I burned but I know I put on my pedometer and walked 3.57 miles while stacking the wood, I worked at it for 1.5 hours today, 1.75 yesterday….30 minutes the day before that. I know that tonight I am sore, even my stomach muscles are sore and I did hurt my left shoulder stacking the wood way above my head but it’ll heal now that there’s no more wood left. Now it can snow, sleet or whatever the Lord has in store for us and we’ll be warm. I’ll have unlimited hot water, a heated garage and a heated workshop and a house that is a constant 70* no matter if it’s 30 above or 30 below.

Okay, enough for now. I hope that you have a warm safe house, a place to go in all types of weather, a place you can call your own. I am truly blessed to call my house a home.

Take care my friends. Have a blessed weekend.

Hot 100 update..

That means I need to weigh myself. I’m sorta scared to do that. For two weeks the scale has moved, and in a good direction too but will it for week three? So the score is …..191. Down 2 lbs. That means if all goes well and I stick to what I know I’m suppose to do I could be in the 180’s. The high side but hey I haven’t seen the 180’s since the 80’s.

Goals:

Exercising, well not the days or kind that I had planned but I did exercise, I did walk/jog, I did do the exercises each time I went pee. I didn’t work out with Jillian or Bob. I did do the squats, planks and crunches and I did play on the wii. So that was good. Plus I have been stacking wood every afternoon for about 45 minutes. I counted today how many pieces of wood, how many bend over's and how many reaches. I picked up and moved 325 pieces of wood. That’s got to count for something.

For my menu, again it’s not on paper but it’s planned out with the groceries I have here. I have made 3 dinners ahead, soup for at least 6 servings and there’s fresh squash to bake up, apples to make into muffins and bars. There’s salad goodies galore so we are set for next week.

So this is for Steve's Hot 100 We started this when there was 100 days left of this year. There is now 49 days left this year. Time is flying by way to fast.

Now it’s onwards and upwards to another wonderful, beautiful glorious week. I wish you all well. Take care and have a blessed, relaxing, rejuvenating weekend.

Thank you…

In just over two hours I had at least 13 of your comments with terrific advice. So I will be joining the gym the end of this month. I have to do it by the end of this month, they pro-rate and it’s already 1/3 of the way through this month and I still can get out and walk and exercise so I figured December is a great time to join. So to cut corners even more on a budget that is tight I’m thinking of disconnecting the house phone. We mainly use the cell phones anyway and those are paid for through my husbands business. Only thing is I don’t think my grandma will like that. I do have an 800 number on my cell so she can still use the house phone but when I sorta suggested it a while back it wasn’t taken kindly too. My mama’s another one that’s not thrilled but we’ll just see. Mike did say he’d help too. So it will work out and that means I will work out.

Today I was figuring out the next weeks menu and the more I follow along with everyone I find out that what I thought was great is just good. I have a long ways to go figuring out what really is good for a person and what’s not. It’s a struggle to make sure the calories are there and the carbs, fats and sugars aren’t. I know that once I get it, I’ll have it for a life time. I am far from the beginning like in January this year but it’s going to be a never ending process of figuring it all out. But then again, if I were to figure it all out then what fun would it be learning. So learning it is.

I got a bunch of purple tators the other day. I was talking about putting it into a soup and Allan told me to not waste them in there, to roast them in the oven for 30 minutes with olive oil and seasonings. Well that’s what they are doing right now and the smell, WOW the smell. It’s wonderful!! I am also making my batch of veggie beef soup for the next 6-10 meals. I love having a huge jar to scoop out of and I used just a small 6 oz steak in this huge batch so even though red meat is not suppose to be your friend, it’ll be less then an ounce in each bowl and the protein will be good for me. I just tasted it and it’s prefect. Want to see….?….

Here’s the the tators before and after baking….

 

Here’s my soup…it’s still hot…

So thank you everyone for answering my question this morning. I will just give it a shoot and see how it all works out. It sure can’t hurt me and since I’m just about 40 lbs lighter and I’m feeling better about myself just maybe it won’t bother me that there’s people there. I am wondering what it’s like at 5 am when they open up. I might have to give that a shot on days I don’t start daycare until 8:00. Just an idea.

Take care you all and have the most blessed afternoon!

Help….

Yesterday I went to our local health club. I wanted to check in and see if there was any possible way I could afford to join. To see our health club click here. You see with winter coming I have become a tad bit worried about not getting out and about to work out. Oh I know I can do the same as I did last winter and work out at home. I know it’s possible because I did but I don’t know if I can challenge myself as much with DVD’s and the Wii. So I went and talked to the ladies there and they have a plan that I think I can make happen. Possibly. They have a month by month plan so I don’t have to sign up for a full year especially when I know once it’s nice I’ll be outside again. There is a monthly charge of about $45.00 and a sign up fee of $12.00 that is usually $50.00 but they have a deal right now. Mike can also join me each time I go for $2.50 a visit until he’s 19 and then it’s $5.00 a visit.

What I need help with is, do you think I can challenge myself enough at home or is it better to join a health club for about 5 months. How do you guys do it? I work from 5am-6:30pm most days so the only time I’ll be able to go is 7:00-9:00 in the evenings. Can a person sleep after working out? I do have a few days off here and there that I can go during the day so will be sure I do that.

I don’t need to decide until after Thanksgiving so if you could give me tips, ideas, thoughts I would really appreciate it. Thank you!

Have a great day everyone. God Bless!!!

Cool, an award for losing 3.5% of me…

Yep, you got that right. Before starting Phase Two of the Double Dog Dare Challenge I lost 3.5% of my body fat and Allan has awarded me (and others) this cool award. I did that in two weeks. Can you imagine what the next two weeks can bring? I’m excited, really excited.

Now I wasn’t the only loser. Check out this chart and see who else did like I did and better.

Isn’t this cool? I love it and just think if we keep working with Allan and his challenge we all will achieve our goals or at least get somewhere we either haven’t ever been in our lives or something place we haven’t seen for years.

For my part of the 2nd phase I need to keep my calories below 1800 and drink 90-120 oz of water. So far so good there. I’ll be weighing in on Friday because I’m out of town both Saturday and Sunday. I would of liked the extra two days for my weekly weigh in but it’ll be okay.

So with all of that said and done, I want to thank Allan for taking us all by the hand, teaching us what it’s like to learn to think like a regular size person and to become the best person we can. THANK YOU ALLAN!!!

Take care you all. God Bless!!!

I have been…

Tracking my food and exercise intake for months now using www.myfitnesspal.com. This is an excellent way to keep track of stuff and it sure helps to plan ahead.

Today I was looking back today on the past 30 days and I have an average of 1200 calories a day. An average of 50 grams of sugar a day, I’m suppose to be at 20-40 so gotta work on getting this down. My carbs at 150 grams, my fats at 30 grams and my fiber about 23 grams. Everything is looking good except the sugar. My water was about 64- 70 oz a day, it’s now up to 128-130 oz.

Now my sugar. I do not add regular sugar to my eats. It is in my grape nuts, cream of wheat, dried fruit, milk, cucumber, tomato, my cottage cheese, salad dressing.  It’s in my apple, banana and orange. Juice too. I did have a piece of homemade candy today which worked out to an extra bunch but I don’t normal have candy. I hate the thought of eating grape nuts or my multi grain cream of wheat without dried fruit unless I can use fresh but I’m in Minnesota and that fresh fruit is not as fresh as I’d like. I’ll work on this though. I think I need to look at my milk too. It’ll be hard to bring all of that down to less then 1/2 of what it is now. But what good is watching my calories, drinking the water and exercise if I’m not in line all the way. I’ll re-evaluate my menu and work hard on this.

My average calories burn is about 350 a day but this site only gives you calories burned in cardio, not in strength training so I’m not to impressed with that part. I don’t exercise 7 days a week, just 4-5 days so that is why it’s an average for 30 total days.

How’s your menu? Do you calculate your grams each day? How’s your water intake? How’s your calories burned?

Well my friends, today is done, tomorrows a new day, a new challenge. Good luck to you all. God Bless!!

Phase two and a confession…

So what do you want to hear about first? My screw up or the fact it doesn’t matter because today starts Phase Two of Allan's Double Dog Dare Weight Loss Challenge.

Well to get it off my chest I’ll tell you just how bad I screwed up yesterday. Well does it matter, really? Nope because yep I fell off the train in Charlie's Train to Onderland. And if I were to eat like that on a regular basis I’d never be one of Steve's Hotties. But the way I felt last night and the headache I have this morning I can tell you that there is no way that pizza, Doritos's, chocolate covered pretzels and huge glasses of milk are going to enter this mouth for a long time. So one day’s screw up will take a few days to work off and out but I will do this.

So upwards and onwards to Allan's second phase. I am to eat 1815 calories a day at the max. Drink no less the 89 oz of water and up to 105 oz of water in order to hit 180 by December 8th. Now 180 is my goal weigh for the year 2010. Is it possible to make my goal before the year ends? Is it possible to be one of Steve's Hotties before the year ends? Will I forever be on Charlies's Train to Onderland? You know what? I have faith in me. I know that I can do this because of all of you. I can do this because I finally have figured out that this new life style change is possible, it is doable, it is something I want!!

I so want this for me. This would be the perfect Christmas present to give me. How about you? Would you settle for a great goal like that for Christmas? I know you would. So get on with all three of these wonderful life style change blogs. Allan, Steve and Charlie are all there with all their followers to help you reach the great potential that you know deep down in your heart that you can do.

Today is day one of Phase Two, I’m going to eat healthy, get some exercise (I don’t think as much as I should with the headache I have but maybe drinking all the water I need will help flush that darn thing away) and take care of myself.

Tomorrow is Watch Me Weight Wednesday with Angie I haven’t stopped by and entered her blog hop in a few weeks. I think tomorrow is the day to do this. To maybe get to introduce some of her blog hoppers to all of you. When you have a moment everyone, stop by and see all the great foods, ideas and people that Angie help out too.

Take care everyone. Have a super, terrific, wonderful and mostly blessed day.

Weekends..

You know something? I use to worry about weekends. I use to eat my way through the weekend. I use to have headaches you wouldn’t believe. I use to sleep 12 hours each day and also take a nap. I loved them but they were not good for me. Now they are different. I no longer get the headaches, I eat like a normal person, I sleep 7-8 hours and oh once in awhile I’ll take a nap but not all the time. I feel great. I really do. I even have my time of the month and it’s not a pleasant one but I’m not dying. You know what I think is doing all of this, oh it’s the weight I’ve lost, it’s the fact I know what to eat and not to eat but the big thing is the water. I have always been a water drinker but the past two weeks I have been drinking a gallon a day. I measure each day, I have a half gallon pitcher I fill up twice a day, sometimes even more and I think it’s all because of that. And just think, starting Tuesday we up our intake even more. I wonder how that will be? It can only be good.

I am finding each week to be exciting. To exercise just a bit harder, to eat a bit better, to drink a bit more, to take care of myself and love myself a bit more. It is amazing learning to love yourself again. To believe in yourself again. Today is day 309 for me, I did not know that 309 days of learning to take care of myself could feel this good.

I hope that no matter where you are in your journey to a better you that you know you too can do it. I have faith in you, I am proud of all that you’ve become and all that you’re going to become.

Take care my friends, have a great and exciting week. God Bless you all!!

Hot 100 update

It’s been a good week for me. I lost 2 lbs this week. I’m now at 193. Between Steve, Allan and Charlie. Can’t forget Ron too. I have gotten back on track and have learned that this is possible with a bit more dedication.

Part 1, the weight…good, it’s moving.

Part 2, the exercise…it was good but not on the schedule I figured out. I never looked at Jillian or Bob. I did crunch and planks twice this week. I did squats, stretching, counter top push ups and bend-over’s every day. I did the Wii twice and walk/jogging three times. I don’t keep track of time but adding it up in my head it’s about 180 minutes or so in exercise. So this is good.

Part 3, the menu…well it’s not on paper but I did figure out with what was in the cupboards what we are having for the week, just not what days. So this is so-so.

Well there you have it, my update. There’s 56 days left in this year. Still plenty of time to achieve what you have planned. Oh I may not get to my goal but it sure won’t be because I haven’t given it my all.

Thank you Steve for hosting this great challenge.

Tag your it…

Well first I’m it. Margene has tagged me with 4 questions I must answer and then I’m suppose to tag 4 others. So first my answers to her questions.

1. What was a single act of kindness you received that had a big impact on you? I once backed into a co-works car and I was so afraid she’d hate me for busting up her new Cherokee Wagon. She smiled, hugged me, let me cry and then didn’t say another word about the accident except to have me give her a ride to the repair shop. There’s been many others but this one stuck for 15 years.

2. If you could give someone some wisdom in just 5 words or less, what would it be? Love yourself!

3. What did you eat for breakfast this morning? 1 cup Grape nuts, `/2 cup raspberries, 1/2 cup milk and 1 tsp honey. My biggest meal of the day at 540 calories.

4. What is the current book you are reading or have read? Not a book reader right now, magazines hold my interested much better, especially since I read before bed and can only stay awake 15 minutes or so. Wood magazine, Eaglette, Woman’s Healthy, Healthy Cooking.

Now I get to ask 4 questions of my choice and they are ….

1. Why did you start blogging?

2. Is it hard to have many women as followers?

3. Do your wives help you write posts now and then?

4. Do your wives read your blogs?

And who gets to answer them…all guys…I know it’s suppose to be 4 but I have these 6 guys that actually think I’m worth reading on a regular basis.

1. Allan

2. Charlie

3. Steve

4. Cheeseboy

5. Ron

6. Jeff

This was fun. I hope you enjoyed my answers and then you have to go and see what the guys write. This I’ve got to read.

Take care everyone and have a blessed evening.

Double Dog Dare You Badge…

See what Allan awarded me for the first Phase of our Double Dog Dare Challenge.

Ain’t that cool!!??!! I thought is was. It means I actually did something I signed up to do. I learned something and completed it. Yea I know, only the first week but I did it.

There are 4 others that got this Badge of Challenge too…

PENNY
SUEELLEN
JESS
REBECKA

There will be more badges as the challenge goes one. This is so awesome guys. We are all doing wonderfully and I so love that I’ve gotten to meet and greet a bunch of you. Let’s keep it up, let’s keep this great friendship going.

Now it’s week two and I’m still working at it, working hard too. My calories are following along like they are suppose to, the water going in is coming out about as fast so there’s no oglies in my liver or bladder. I’m exercise like my goals says plus I’ve added some exercise while in the bathroom. Since I’m spending time in there much more then I use to I do 10 squats or 10 table top push ups or 10 bend over's or even 10 leg stretches when I’m doing doing my deed. So far it has added at least 50 of each a day. That’s gotta help some too.

Now Allan is talking about part two of our Challenge. It is a good thing that man is smart and does all the work of figuring things out. All we have to do it follow along and try to understand what he’s telling us. It’s also a great thing Allan is patient because I am sure at times I try those patience because I’m not the fastest learner.

Good luck everyone. Keep up the great work. And Thank you Allan for everything you have done to teach me, to help me, to get me to the place in life I want to be.

Have a great afternoon. God Bless you all!!!

Monthly update…

Well I didn’t do fantastic but I didn’t stand still either. Just things are going slower. But I will take it, maybe now that I’m starting back up on the strength exercising and a little less cardio the measurements will change more. Anyways….

I lost 5 lbs and 4.25” of fat. Not as great as the past few months. A total since I began January 2nd is 30 lbs gone and 47.50” of fat.

Everything is going in the right direction but it’s slow but for me this has been a life style change, not a diet so it’s something I will be able to life with for the rest of my life.

I have 15 more lbs to go and though I’d really like it by Jan 2, 2011 I am not going to flip out if it doesn’t happen. I may flip out if it does though. I am in the size I wanted to be except I want to be able to wear all 16’s not just the stretchy ones so will keep working on that.

With everyone’s help I know that I can do this. I want to thank everyone for their comments yesterday on my question. So I need to learn to breath through my nose. I don’t know about that, oh I know I will learn but that’s if I don’t die from lack of oxygen trying. How can my nose breath in as much as my mouth and make me be able to breath? I don’t know but you guys say it’s possible and you haven’t lead me wrong yet.

So I have new exercise plans. It’s winter here (or will be very soon) and that will mean no more 4-5 miles walks after work. I’m not to sure about the C25K thing because with winter coming unless I walk and jog in place I don’t know about that but I do plan on walking even in the snow just not anywhere near the mileage I was. So….

I am going to work out a plan where each type of exercise is done 3 days a week like ….Jillian or Bob Tuesdays, Thursday and Saturday. Crunches, squats and planks Monday, Wednesday and Friday and my stretches on the days I walk/jog. I also have my Wii but it’s hard for me to see that as a work out, I know it is but it’s more playing so I’ll keep up with that before I exercise, sorta like a warm up. I am going to make me out a schedule. If I see it each day I think it’ll be easier to do. I’m a visual person and anything to make remembering easier is good. Thank goodness for nap time because if I had to get up earlier then 5 in the morning or work out after 7 at night I don’t think any of this would happen. Just time for that routine to start back up.

Enough words, I know they get boring. I just have to write it down because it makes me feel more accountable, more put together, more ready to keep this happening.

Our holiday season is now upon us. Are you planning ahead so these family get togethers don’t send you into food coma’s, you don’t make is so the scale says tilt? I haven’t seen my mother-in-law for months, she hasn’t a clue I’m losing any weight. They always take us out for either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner to the casino. I am hoping to be a hottie for that dinner. I want her to look at me and even though that woman wouldn’t say anything positive or nice I want to see the wheels turning in her head. I won’t set myself up though, I know better but it would still be cool if she noticed.

Take care my friends and you’ll get another total update on December 2nd, just one more before the yearly one. Here’s hoping and praying I can continue to use what I’ve learned and become the healthy hottie person I want to be.

God Bless you all!!

I have a question….

Last week I started the C25K program on my iTouch. Now before I go any further, I don’t run, I don’t sprint, I jog but I felt this was a good start to all of this. Also I have repeated day 1 twice and day 2 twice only because I can’t catch my breath after each 1 minute jogging. It does get easier about the 1/2 way point but it’s hard. It is extremely hard. I am trying really hard to do this but for me jogging is new, hard and a bit discouraging. Now that doesn’t mean I’m going to quit because I’m not. I am going to work at this for a long time, if that means week 1 for a month then that’s what it will be.

Now my question is, is there a secret when it comes to breathing?  Also after two days in a row of doing this my calves hurt. I do stretch before and after, is there another secret I need to know? Please help me. I really want to do this. Also with winter coming I can no longer get in 4-5 miles a night of walking for an hour so I had to do something so figured a 30 minute walk/jog would be an excellent way to go. I don’t have a treadmill so that means walking outside at 20* or so and sucking in that chilly air is a bit sharp too.

I need ideas, comments, help. Please.

Okay off to work on snack for the kids. Take care and God Bless!!!

Happy Dance….

I am so happy, so thrilled, so elated, so….well you get the point. I lost weight last week, I lost 5 lbs. I am now….are you ready for this…??…195

The scale, well really the Wii, had finally moved. Now is it possible to have two weeks in a row with a loss? Well I’m going to give it my best shot.

I will keep track of my calories, I will drink at least 1/2 gallon of water a day, I will exercise at least 4 days and I will do day 2, 3 and  hopefully 4 of the C25K.

By my weigh in this Tuesday (it will be my month weighly in and measuring time) I hope that I can declare another pound gone.

Need a friend to help encourage you, need someone to help you over the hump, need someone that’s been there done that? Check out all of Steve and his 100 Hotties, Charlie on the Train to Onderland and Allan there are so many wonderful people that will do just that.

I hope you all have the most exciting, fantastic, challenge meeting week possible. Take care and God Bless you all.

Friday Follow 40 and Over..

Welcome to the 23rd edition of the  
Follow Friday 40 and Over!!

Want to meet someone in your age bracket. Someone that has been there and done that? Someone that understand some of the things you post about, think about, do? Well stop by at JAVA'S and give it a whirl. The rules are super simple and you have a whole week to meet and greet before it starts all over again.

I hope that you all have a great Friday and a very blessed weekend. Take care my friends.

Don’t forget my give away….

It ends the 31st of October and it’s for CSN $35.00 gift code. All you have to do is check out the CSN stores, follow me, leave a comment with your e-mail address. Easy pease.

So go here….CSN Give away...and enter.

Hot 100 update, Train to Onederland, Allan’s Double Dog Dare Calorie Challenge…..

I’m going to cheat and do everything in one post this week. Really I think I cheat and do this all the time but just never said it.

Allan is the host for Allan's Double Dare Challenge. I am still struggling eating the 1975 calories a day I'm suppose to. It's hard when I'm use to 300-500 less. I wonder what Allan has in store for us next week.

I worked out on Monday, skipped Tuesday and Wednesday and today started the Couch2K5 fitness program. I didn’t to too bad. I don’t use a treadmill and I live on a hilly road so some of the jogging was up hill but I did it from start to finish. It was a little over 2 miles for me on the Week 1 Day 1. I'm hoping tomorrow and Saturday afternoon to get in the 3 times a week needed to get to Week 2. Next was the exercises I missed Tuesday and Wednesday, weights and planks and today is squats. Did and done. I don’t know if that counts for doing it each day but I didn’t miss the exercises, I got them done. As for a menu, well I haven’t gotten there yet. I am thinking because the groceries in the house are the same as the first week’s menu, I’ll just use that with a bit of tweaking. Allan again has been helping me here. It is so nice knowing a head of time what to fix. Even if I change my mind and use those ingredients for something else, at least I have the idea.

Charlie on the Train to Onderland is doing fantastic. Even he screws up and moves past it. Charlie was the first challenge I joined and I am trying but haven’t moved a bunch on the scale since starting his challenge. I am down the 3 lbs I gained last week, back to my 197 like the past month but maybe the scale will keep moving for Monday’s weigh in. HOPEFULLY!!

Steve and his 100 Hotties, (one day I might be one of those hotties)….has always some great ideas. He found a cool site for 10 Fall Work-outs. I have been doing #3 lately, getting ready for winter, I’m not good at #4 but Mike and I play lots of one on one, I don’t do #6 that’s what the mower is for but we did rake up a bunch to burn for my mama. #7 Mike and I did last weekend and the daycare and I do lots and lots of. Mike did #2 and I hiked.

Oh I read something on Allan's blog this week, a person has to drink 4 lbs of water a day to stay healthy, pass all the bad things and feel full longer. Do you know how much 4 lbs of water is? Most blogs and people put it in oz, 65-100 oz a day. Well 4 lbs is just over a 1/2 gallon. I asked at Answers.com “How much does a gallon of water weight” (I always though 11 lbs, the same as gasoline) the answer…

Weight of 1 US Gallon of water = approx. 8.35 lb

So that means 64 ounces of water, that’s just 8 oz glasses or if you have kids that’s 9 of their colorful cups, you know the ones those sippy lids fit on. That’s only a small glass of water 9 times a day and just think if you could get in an extra 3-4. Just for the fun of it, I put water in a 1/2 gallon pitcher the past few days, each day by 2:00 pm I have drank that pitcher full and have refilled it once more before the end of my day. Yep I pee a lot but just think of all those bad ogolies heading down the pot.

So there is my Friday update guys. I hope I didn’t disappoint anyone. I think I did pretty good, not perfect but then I’m not my hubby :o) . I hope you all had a great week too. Remember to just try your best and you’ll succeed. I KNOW YOU WILL!!! Keep up the great work guys, thanks for all your support, comments and love. I appreciate so very much.

GOD BLESS!!!!

P.S. Got an ideas for you, each time you go potty, do 10 squats or 10 toe touches. After drinking that much water I bet you can get in a good 100 or more of each exercise. Just an idea..

Lunch…

It is so easy fixing soup. So I made a big kettle for lunch, supper and can freeze some for later.

I used tomatoes (the last two from my garden), red pepper, onion, carrots (from the garden I just finished digging), green beans (I hate picking green beans but I keep planting them for this), corn (from the garden), veggie broth I had made when I stew tomatoes, a left over chicken leg and about 4 oz of a round steak we had left over from supper the other evening. Oh and a little salsa I had made last year for taste.

All mixed and and cooking.

Lunch!!!  I did cheat and have 5 more crackers so add 60 more calories.

Now I’m ready to do some more sewing. I made Mike’s bag for his welding helmet and now turning a jumper into a lined tote.

Take care everyone. God Bless!!!

Want to share and meet and greet?

Lucy at Diminishing Lucy has a blog hop called ….

All you’ve got to do is follow Lucy, write a post about this and add your blog to her blog hop. What better way to meet and greet and learn about others working as hard as you.

If your stopping by to meet me, then go read a few of my post and see if I’m someone that can help you in your journey to a better you. If I’m someone that you can rely on support you in your journey. If I’m someone worthily of your time to read. I promise I will come by and read your blog, comment and if I feel we fit I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth.

My life style change has been a struggle from day one but I’m working hard at it. I have lost 28 lbs, 45” of flubber and have become more healthy. I have found out exercise is not a chore to hate, I have found out sugar is not my friend, I have found out that everything is possible if you set your mind to it. And I have found out, I could not of not of done this alone if it wasn’t for all my blog friends, for my real life friends, everyone that has supported me through this all. I have asked questions and you have answered. You have asked questions and I’ve given you my advice. It is amazing the love a person can get when they share and love back.

Take care my friends, new and old. God Bless!!!

Eating healthy…

This is northern caught from my parents lake (just steamed in the microwave with seasoned salt, seasoned pepper and garlic),  fresh broccoli with just 1 tsp Ranch dressing, a roma tomato, apple and ice water. Total calories: 280. Not bad for a supper.

This is 2 duck eggs, scrambled with 1/4 red pepper, 1/2 roma tomato, 1/2 small onion and 2 sausage links (turkey) and my apple. Total calories: 393. Now that was a filling lunch.

I’d like to say all my meals are this planned out this week but I’d be lying but I am working on them.

Last night I had 1/2 grilled cheese and my apple, that came to 228 calories so not bad but a bit fatty.

I’ve been eating grape nuts for breakfast and they are high calorie mixed with my dried fruit but I eat them at 6:00 and don’t need to eat again until after 12:00 so I figure it works out good. They are good for me too along with the fruit. They work out to 540 calories for breakfast.

The past two days my totals have been 1420 on Monday and 1230 on Tuesday. I exercised on Monday but not yesterday. Today it snowed and suppose to snow more so not sure about the walking unless it’s not slick but will do some indoor exercise.

So not terrible this week in the calories, gotta work on the exercise and I can’t wait (or can I?) to step on the scale on Monday and hope that my weight has returned to the 197 or less.

I’ll be back on Friday with my Hot 100 update. Maybe a sneak peek at the scale. I am off the next three days, no daycare until the weekend. I am hoping that means I can be extra good because I don’t have to fix any snacks, supper can be thought out just a bit more and I can have extra time to exercise. That is after building a desk at my parents along with installing some new light fixtures in their hallway and landing.

Take care and have a great rest of this week. Stay warm if you live up here, enjoy the sunshine and warmth if you don’t. God Bless you all.

New challenge to add…

Remember I told you about Allan helping me with my life style change? Well Allan is hosting a two week challenge. Want to know about this challenge? Head on over to Allan's blog and see what he has to say. You know something, he’s not all sugar and spice and everything nice but he tells the truth like it is. I have fallen in love with Allan and his words. When I ask for help he’s there to tell me just like it is.

ALLAN'S DOUBLE DOG CALORIE CHALLENGE

So with this challenge with Allan, Charlie's Train to Onederland and Steve's Hot 100 I have got to get my crap together and get this weight off.

Mike is home today and I told him how sad I am and he told me to get the pair of shorts I’ve been holding on to and put them on and then said….”Holy crap mom”….see why…

 

                      

So my scale refuses to move but in 10 months I have lost enough to make my pair of shorts I wore last fall look like this. Oh I can see more fat to lose but I am doing it. I’m just stuck right now so with Allan’s, Steve’s, Charlie’s and all my followers that have been giving me the needed support, advice, love and so much more I can do this.

Thank you Mike for showing me this. I just got so stuck on what that scale was saying and even though I’ve only lost 28 lbs it’s been mostly fat that has left me.

So guys, need a challenge, you have until midnight tonight to join Allan's 2 week challenge. Need support and love, check out the awesome followers I have, stop by their blogs and you’ll be amazed in just how fast they’ll come to your aid with so much love it’ll have your head spinning with happiness.

Take care my friends. And yes, I’m going to get that scale moving. It will!! God Bless you all.

Yuck!!!

That’s how I feel today. I have gained 3 lbs. Why? I haven’t a clue. I did change my diet last week to a bit more protein and fiber, maybe that’s it. My body has to get use to this. Maybe because I’m getting old and my period is coming back again and I’ve gained the 3 lbs I usually do. I just don’t know. Maybe it’s cuz I’m super emotional the past week and that is having an effect. The only think is about that, I’m not eating emotionally, you know eating everything in the house. It’s more just depressed. Ready to cry at the drop of a hat, ready to bite someone’s head off, ready to just sleep until I can’t sleep anymore and then sleep some more. I don’t know and that makes it worse. I was so hoping to see a change because I took some advice and really used it. I’ve even eaten some of Alan’s advice with the menu he’s given me.

Oh I’m not giving up, in fact I think I’m going to add some stuff this week. Remember my exercise routine. Well, I was going to start that next week. I’m one that likes to start things at the beginning of a month but this time I’m going to break that and do this…

Monday crunches, Tuesday weights, Wednesday planks, Thursday squats, Friday crunches and my 4 days a week 3-4 mile walk/sprints. And as soon as I can’t be outside for my walks I’ll get on the Wii and just see what that has to offer.

I am also thinking about intermitted fasting this week. An every other day thing. Monday eat, Tuesday not, Wednesday eat, Thursday not, Friday eat, Saturday not and Sunday eat. I have read some great things from Steve about fasting and since the last time I did it for 3 days I have been thinking about it. But I don’t want to do it like that, maybe the intermitted fasting will work. It’s all worth a try. I’d like to find a way to use fasting on a month basis just to help clean things out, feel more like myself and just keep things working better.

I’m a bit wishy washy today and I’m sorry for that. Maybe by my update for the Hot 100 I’ll be better or even WMWW. I sure can hope so. I don’t make a nice depressed person.

Now I promised a couple of you the recipe for my Zucchini/squash desert. It was suppose to be like a Zucchini bread but it came out a bit flatter and a bit sweeter so my daycare mom said to call it a dessert instead. It’s still good for you so if you want give it a try. Here’s how to make it…

First gather your helpers and have them help shred the zucchini and squash… like this….

          

                 

Then since my mixer is dead I just added all these ingredients to look like this…

2 1/2 cup wheat/white flour

3/4 cup oat bran

1/4 cup wheat germ

1 tsp salt

1 tsp soda

3 tsp cinnamon

3 beaten eggs

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cups sauce ( here’s what my sauce looks like, it’s cranberry/apple/blueberry sauce. I don’t like just plain apple sauce so I add whatever berries I have when making my apples sauce)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple juice – no sugar added

3 cups zucchini/squash mix

Put this into 2 loaf pans and bake at 350* for an hour.

YUMMY!!!

I just took a recipe from our Troop cook book and tweaked it a bit to make this. I may try and add a bit more baking soda or powder to get it to raise a bit more. More bread like but I have to say it was excellent and good for you too.

So there you have it. My update for today. Some good, some bad, some indifference. This week will get better, I know it will.

I hope you all have a great week, an excellent challenging one with lots of results. Take care my friends. God Bless you all.

Hey, an idea…if anyone would like a Troop 52 cookbook Mike is selling them. They are $10.00 a piece and they cost about $1.80 to ship. I’m not pushing them, it was just an idea.

Hot 100 update…

Well it’s week 4 and my weight has not moved an ounce but I know that I’ve lost inches. I won’t measure until November 2nd but I know in my clothes. I am so in love with being able to wear a size 16. From a size 22 to a 16 in 10 months. I won’t complain.

I need to work on an exercise schedule. Something like: Monday crunches, Tuesday weights, Wednesday planks, Thursday squats, Friday crunches and my 4 days a week 3-4 mile walk/sprints. After writing this I think I can do this. It’s not a lot of time invested for each day but enough that I’ll get what I need done. Hummm…..thank you for having me explain and learn.

My menus have worked out perfectly the past two weeks. I haven’t gotten to next weeks yet but will before shopping on Sunday.

So for my challenge for myself, I’m not doing to bad. I still wish my weight would move but we’ll see on Monday if anything has happened. I have taken the advice of adding a bit more fiber, protein and water so just maybe.

I want to say thank you to Steve for hosting this challenge. We have 71 days left in 2010, I hope all you Hotties are doing well. Just remember to “always do your best and let the Lord do the rest.”

Take care my friends and God Bless!!

This Town - Pink Scrubs Video - Cuyuna Riverwood Breast Health Alliance

My towns, my health care professionals....I'm proud!!!



Take care and God Bless you all!!

Better?

Well my mindset is better. Monday I threw to the dogs and gave up. I went to McDonalds and ate a chicken sandwich, french fries and a medium smoothie. Supper I went to the DQ and had a mini blizzard. Yep, I took the day and blew it so totally. Do I feel better? Do I feel like I should crawl under a rock and give up? Do I think I screwed up so bad it can’t be fixed? NOPE!!!!  I’m back to doing what I’m suppose to plus with help from Allan, Sandy, Margene and a few others that have given me tips to get past this 197. More water, more fiber and more protein. All of these I can do. Plus I’m going to track things a bit better and make sure I’m getting them without adding more calories. Allen even sent me suggestions for meals, at least 30 different ideas for all three meals. Now that was something above and beyond and I oh so appreciate it. I printed it out so I can compare, think about and try.

I have read so many blogs that list what they’ve eaten for the day and after awhile, well I get bored so I don’t want to do that to you. I thought about just posting the totals for the day but really you guys don’t care if I had 1300 or 1671 calories or 7 grams of sugar or 27 grams. So I’ll just keep that at my fitness, calorie total place. What I will do is keep doing this. Showing you my ups and downs, asking and receiving and giving help when needed. This is a life style change and it’s not easy at all. I think it’s even harder then be pregnant, it’s harder then living on the road in a truck for 8 years, it’s just plain amazingly hard. But I have learned lots, I have taught a few things, I have become the person I wanted to become. So with a wee bit more tweaking, a few more pounds lost, a new way at looking at things, I can do this.

I want to thank you guys for your help. You have been amazing. And for that I want to share something with you. Something that’s looks as good as it tastes and it not bad for you either. Well mostly anyways.

My Apple Sauce Muffin recipe. Of course like all recipes it starts out with someone else's and then I change it a bit to be more healthy, less fattening and a bit better for you.

2 1/2 cups wheat flour (you could add some white to it if you don’t want your muffins so heavy but I like the heavy because you know your done after just one)

1/2 cup oat bran

1 Tlb Cinnamon

1 Tlb Apple Pie Spice

2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 cup olive oil

1 cup honey (or you could use sugar or sugar substitute)

2 eggs (we raise our own so I know what’s in them but you could use egg whites or an egg substitute if you wanted too)

3 cups apples sauce (for this I use my own and I make my apple sauce a bit different. I just core the apples, put them in the food processor and puree the heck out of them..skins and all…you can’t tell the skins are on in the muffins and think of the fiber you’re getting)

1 Tlb vanilla

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and if you want to top with a crumble top made from flavored oatmeal and a pat of butter melted. Bake for 350* for 20 minutes and you’ll get 30 muffins. I made some little ones too for those quick pick me up snacks.

I tried to figure out the calories, fat, protein, carbs and fiber and the closest I come to is this…

1 muffin, Calories 80, Fat 0.2g, Carbs 16.9g, Protein 1.5g, Fiber 8g

That’s it folks. I hope you know just how much I do appreciate you. Tonight Brenda and I are going to start our sprint up the hill. Daren (her hubby) is going to find out the grade for us and I’ll measure the distant so you’ll all know what we’re trying to do. Maybe my GPS would tell me too. Hummm….might just have to have Mike help with that one.

Take care and God Bless.

Now this is cool…

The people at CSN have offered my US and Canadian followers on my main blog a chance to win a $35.00 gift code to be use anywhere on anything in their 200 stores. This give away will run until Halloween, October 31st. So stop on over, have fun, enter and I hope you win.

For this blog I get to do a review. Me, review something, now this is really cool. So I’m going to get….

Oregon Scientific SmartHeart Heart Rate Monitor with Calorie Burning Feature

and then I’ll tell you all about it. I have been looking at Heart Monitors for some time now and since I know I should have my heart rate in the 170-180 range this will help me so I won’t stand on the side of the road taking my pulse. I think it’s so cool to be able to test something out and tell you guys about it.

Now while playing on their website, you know I found these cool end table and I so love to get one for Mike to have for his computer area by his bed. I love that this one tucks under when in use. I’m thinking Christmas gifts. Just think what you could do with the gift code if you were to win from my main blog.

Hop on over guys, follow the two short rules and get a chance to win. Christmas is coming, every little bit will help.

Take care and God Bless!!!

Why?

Can someone explain to me why if my calorie intake is between 13-1500 a day, I drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, I burn 5-800 calories 5 times a week that I can not get past the 197? For 3 weeks I’ve been sitting here. I’m sad, feeling a bit defeated but….yep I know the but….I know that I can do this, I’ve done it this far. I’ve lost 28 lbs, I lost 45” of flubber…it’s taken me so long to do it though. I have read so many of your blogs and you’ve lost 10,20,50,100 even 200 lbs and you keep at it, you keep working your tails off. So that means I can do. So I need some information….what can I do to kick start this again? What am I doing wrong or right but not perfect? HELP PLEASE!!

It’s two weeks before I really weigh in and measuring for my monthly. November 2nd. And it’s just 11 weeks to go for me to be my goal of 180. Should I start thinking about the what if’s? I don’t want to so please help me. PLEASE!!

Oh there’s lots of good with my weight loss so far. I can walk 6 miles and not die, I can hike in the woods, play on the swings, fit into a size 16. I can look at the candy at Wal-mart and not, repeat not buy any at all. Not even a small candy bar. I can run two telephone pole and still have enough energy to do it again. I can get giddy and dance to music I use to just enjoy and not partake in. I am happy with everything that has happened so far. I just want more!

I won’t say can’t, won’t or anything negative because I know I can get pass this. With your help.

Thanks everyone, the only reason I have made it as far as I have is because of your support, love, comments, blogs, courage and so much more.

Take care my friends and God Bless!!

Challenge #2…

We did it. And we didn’t feel like we had been drug though a knot hole when we were done.

Our next challenge… there’s a huge hill on Vision Drive, it’s not that long of a hill, I’m guessing 1/4 of a mile with a good grade and our challenge is to sprint up it..the full length. We are going to practice this week and then next weekend we’ll give it a whirl.

Good night my friends. Take care and have a blessed Sunday.

Hot 100 update

So since I last updated you all on my challenge I have completed my 5K and came in 19th out of 31. Not bad for my first race. I have walked 11.5 miles and have exercised twice and we played tennis for an hour. I’m happy with that so far this week. This afternoon Mike and I are going to go geo-caching. Friday I’m taking off from the exercise routine except I will do some crunches, I’m trying hard to get back into them, up to 25 so far without dying. I was doing 75 last May so have a ways to go. Saturday is another challenge Brenda and I set for ourselves. We are going to walk from my house to hers and back. A total of 6 miles and hope to do it in 90 minutes or so.

I didn’t weigh myself this week, I’ll do that next Monday so I can’t say if I’m up, down or the same. I’m feeling good though.

My menu is still in the planning stages but I did do this yesterday….

Made apple sauce, whole wheat low fat chicken enchiladas, brown rice with veggies and skinless chicken breasts, a chicken pasta hot dish and a brown rice chicken hot dish. Pumpkin cake with light cream cheese frosting and apple sauce muffins. Not all low fat or low calorie but close. As I was putting this all in the freezer for next week I counted 7 meals taken care of plus there’s pork chops and ribs and an arm roast in the freezer plus a chili and lots of frozen veggies. So I’m set for next week. It’s a good thing to because Monday I paid Mike tuition for college so there won’t be any extra shopping the rest of this month.

                 

So I’m going to say this week was great. I feel good, I can say I look good in some clothes I haven’t been and I’m learning more do’s and don’ts.

I will tell you between my period over the weekend and the stress of money (or lack there of) made the beginning part of this week hard but with lots of advice from friends, lots of prayers with the Lord and just knowing that I have to take care of me so I can take care of others, well I’m back at it all full swing with a good frame of mind and so ready to rock and roll to 180 lbs.

I have been visited by quite a few Hotties and it has been a blast reading your comments and then checking out what’s happening in your world. I have followed when I can and I think always left a comment. I am so proud of all of you for your life style changes. It is a pleasure to get to know you all. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and your encouragements.

Now take care and have a great TGIF and a blessed weekend.

No way….

I’m not weighing myself right now, I’m not measuring myself either. With what I ate this weekend and today and the fact I have my period again. Nope, just not going to happen. This getting older and have more irregular periods, about every 20 days or a bit less makes gaining and losing interesting. Each period I gain 3-4 lbs, one week or so later I’m down that 3-4 lbs. But it’s hard to get past the hunger after I’ve eaten my way from one end of the cow to the other. Some times it’s easy to control the eating other times it’s just not possible, no matter how much restraint I have. I do try, honest I do but I just can’t help myself some times. Like this past weekend. For the race I was good, I knew to much and I’d puke but after that and a nap we had roast, carrots and potatoes then less then 30 minutes later I was eating peanut butter and toast. Then about an hour after that I had 3 chocolate covered graham cracker cookies. Yesterday was a bit better but I still snacked a good chunk of the afternoon. Today was much better but I’m starving, or at least my stomach is saying it’s hungry…my mind is finally telling it to shut up. It’s just not easy sometimes.

Tomorrow will be better, at least I’ll try my best. I do know that Brenda and I are going to go play tennis and on Wednesday and Thursday we are going to walk early morning and Saturday we’ll challenge ourselves to the walk between our homes, about 5 1/2 miles total.

I hope you all have a great week. Keep up the great work with your life style changes, with your diets, with taking care of yourselves.

I’ll be back later on and hopefully able to say I’m eating better, I exercised, I made a menu for the week. HOPEFULLY!!!

Take care my friends, God Bless!!!