Wow.

If you haven't watched Knifes over Forks - do it now.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005K23RS0/ref=atv_purch_to_dp?ie=UTF8&ASINS=B005K23RS0&a=B005K23RS0&h=13e426895518145e5bc814916768180f&o=B005K23RS0&orderID=D01-7058528-6548320&t=1383881182000

Shakey, Suckie, and exhausted

It's been a week.  It's been a morning.
I didn't even feel like eating this morning, but I had coffee and a hardboiled egg just to have something in my tummy.
I'm running on E this week between work, prayer revival (which I loved), Halloween costumes and my upcoming weekend workshop for my job.  So I've been up til midnight and up at 4:30am almost all week. 
Just as we're leaving for school today, my daughter feeds the fish and accidentally dumps the entire container of fish food into our 30 gallon tank.  Disaster.  The clean up was stressful and at some point had to stop so we could get going.  I had Bible study before coming home.  They had raisin, zucchini, carrot muffins.  I had one since she said they were only 125 calories and then I started getting shaky.  This happened yesterday too.  Blood sugar drop?  I don't know but I can't concentrate and my head is swoony.   After the study, I still had to stop at the aquarium shop.  $23 later it's no doubt I have to clean the entire tank which means lifting the 13 gallon trash container full of dirty water three times from the tank to the bathroom and then replacing all that water with fresh water three times.  In this process the aquarium heater broke, I had to get all fish out - including the slimy thick creepy sucker fish we call Suckie.  Not having another tank, I had to put them in my beloved TRUFFLE DISH!   I got the aquarium shop on the phone trying to tell me what to do. I got the all clear, when to put the sucker fish back in the tank and it jumped out and (I think) at me and landed on the floor.  I took off screaming to the back bedrooms, the dog high tailed it off the other direction to his house, and I had to get myself together.  Eventually I went back out got the fish in the net and back into the tank.  I was shaky again.  Not sure what's going on.  I'm sure lack of sleep.  I remembered being pregnant with my daughter the same think happened.  My doctor told me I needed more protein.  So today I made an egg (what is it with me and eggs lately?) on toast with 2 thin slices of ham and some onion.  I don't really feel that much better, but I'm not shaky.  
I sent an email to my boss I was leaving for the day until further notice. 
I'm just exhausted.

Hump Day

Day Two Outlook: 

Hump Day Video!

It's a little long and dark - I was tired of being pink/orange/red from my multicolored desk lamp in my videos.

  

My disappointing oatmeal

To keep me on track, I had to take the fitness evaluation for our health insurance.  For those that remember, I did this last year too and came up short.    When I was finished, it said Congratulations and my score of 73.  I was all excited - I passed this time.  WRONG!!!  You had to scroll down and click several other links to find out.....

 

Yep, I have to drop one bmi point to get my insurance discount.  I'm not complaining, with all the healthcare costs etc, I should have to own up to my part for a discount.  I'm lucky to even have coverage (even though we pay WELL for it!). 

 

 So I'm pretty sure, I'm doing the right thing in self evaluation and getting back on track.

Starting Over...Again

I stared at that picture a lot last night.

I even put it on my iphone so I could stare at it whenever I wanted to.

I've not made any big decisions. 

I got out of bed and put my pedometer on.  I walked to the bathroom and then weighed myself.  Same weight I've been for about 2 weeks now.  So I guess no major change there.  But it's noted and it's another starting point. 

So I come out of the bedroom this morning, stumble to the Keurig and I see this...

The last of the wonderful blueberry muffins I made yesterday.  Now yesterday, I would have popped this in my mouth before the Keurig even spit out my cup of coffee.  Today I pushed it aside and made the coffee.

I guess my first decision I'm going to have to make with nutrition is my coffee.  I need my coffee.  I've come way down on my coffee intake since purchasing this Keurig.  2 cups a day.  I use Coffeemate's liquid creamers - usually Fat Free, but with Pumpkin Spice out for fall, I've switched over to it and there isn't a fat free version.  Guess maybe I just need to have it as a Friday Treat?  For today though I pour in about 3 tbsps. 

 

That lead me to the computer to log on and start back with Myfitnesspal.com so I can track everything.  I see ladies on there checking in for the 140th day and even my friend, Shelley, over 400 days in A ROW checking in.  That's accountability.  I'm  not sure I've ever done something every day for over a year other than breathing.

 

My plan for today is basic foods.  No snacks.  No soda (argh - can't believe that might even bother me, I used to never have soda).  More water.  Those are the only nutritional decisions I've made.  Oh and no cheese.  I think this is do-able.

Further in the photo album from that party, I came across this picture.  And I recognize this lady. 
The horror picture of the last post I won't forget, I will view that daily.  But it's nice to see a picture from the same day, from the save event, in the same outfit that I DO see and like myself.

 

So with coffee starting to flow into my veins, I'm off to start the day.  We are in the middle of a Prayer Revival at church and I think I'm at the point I need to pray for my health and fitness and that I make wise decisions.  Why not ask God for help - he's moved mountains, surely he can help me move the scale!

 

That moment

Wow! 
We had a 50th birthday surprise party for our pastor a little over a week ago.  It had been a hectic day prior to the party, I was stressed and about in tears once or twice (none of this over the party whatsoever). We had like 5 minutes to get ready and head out the door.
Tonight, sitting in my very lose elastic fleece Halloween pajama pants,  I was flipping thru Facebook and came across the pictures from the party.  When I came across this picture, I recognized Pastor and a friend (I cropped them out) but I did not recognize myself.  Wow!
Right now, typing this only my feet and legs appear cuz I'm scrolled down.  I don't look heavy or anything.  But as I scroll up, I am large. 
I see this picture and see an old friend of mine who was very large.  I see older ladies at the school out of shape and top heavy. 
This is bad.
The first thing I did was get up and get a glass of water.
The 2nd thing I did was my usual cut and dry, I'm gonna do this and this and no more of that.  Yeah, that doesn't work for me.
Next I searched You Tube Videos for Tosca Reno, and after listening to one or two, she annoyed me and I shut it off.
Now, I'm just staring at this picture.  Trying to figure out who this person is.
I'm gonna need some time to think about this.  Ive definitely taken a bad turn on My Path. 

Video Wednesday and Walktober

Someone sent me this today and it cracked me up big time!

 

 

And here is Video Wednesday's Video Blog......Enjoy

Please ignore the annoying slop of the ipad, nice shot up my nose. 

But I think my eye contact is much better. 

 

HUMP DAY and an old tip I'd forgotten....

 

Wednesday ~ Hump Daaaaaaaay! Yeah!

 

 

Maybe I'll start making Wednesday, video Wednesdays!

Today, without make up or my hair fixed, I did this short clip.  I'm not used to making videos so I feel odd staring at the camera the whole time.  However, after watching the video, looking all around instead of at the camera, is uncomfortable to watch!  So I'll work on these things.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

The best made plans can go astray...

After a wonderful day off of work yesterday, I felt rested and ready for a short work week.
I had a good mind set.  I had my shiny new blue pedometer.  I had a succulent Honeycrisp Apple!  I was ready to go!
So I got up, more tired than expected but sex is late night exercise that burns calories, right?  ;)  So clipped on my pedometer, then "Tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen poured myself a cup of ambition, yawnin', stretchin, trying to come to life...." and then things started going well (Thanx, Dolly).
Once I started working I got hungry, 5am is early, so I had a hard boiled egg sprinkled with salt.  Mmmm.  Protein.  I was proud of myself - better than 2 eggs on toast with butter, right?  I worked more, was booking along, then it was 7am, kids getting up.  Time for breakfast.  I'll have oatmeal.  Well I wasn't hungry.  So I just got things going.  and kept thinking, I'll make a salad for lunch and take my Honecrisp apple and my water.  Today will be great.  I will be awesome and probably skinnier by 5pm.  I looked down at my pedometer....56.  What in the heck?  I've been all over this house at least 100 times already.  Stupid thing reset.  Okay, 56 and we'll just go from there.  
Kids were taking forever, I was getting ticky cuz the trash wasn't out yet and Owen was mismatched and his hair was....well, it was as crazy as my own!  Forget the salad, I won't have time.  That HoneyCrisp apple is pretty big, I'll just eat that and be fine.  Dog fed, beds made, attempt at hairdo without flat iron (thank you Chi for once again just up and stopping working out of the blue), kids collected, work gear packed up and out the door we go.  I get to the car, take OFF my pedometer so it won't calculate false steps with each bump in the road, I decide to check my awesome progress....89.  You gotta be kidding me.  It reset again.  Grrrrrr.  Fine.  Drop the kids off at school, kiss, kiss, hug, hug, I love you's, and I'm off.  Music is blaring, sun is shining and the sky is a gorgeous blue.  Where's my Honeycrisp apple?  CRAP - I left it on the counter.  No biggie, text hubby, we work close together we can just have a lunch date.  His reply, "Man I'm so tired, I'm just gonna nap during my hour lunch break."  Is that a McDonald's I see up ahead?!  Better to have an Egg McMuffin with egg and Canadian bacon on a Thomas English muffin than a greasy fatty burger later and fries.  Way to dodge that diet bullet, Sheri.  Feeling proud of myself.  Talking to coworker on phone as I go thru drive thru, and certainly it'd be rude to blab my order so I take the polite easy route, "#1, Diet coke please"  so efficient.    I munch down the hashbrown before the guilt can realize what is going on, but the Diet Coke lingers on my mind for a moment.  That's okay, it was easier to order, I'll chuck it when I get to the office and just drink he 64 oz water I actually did remember to bring with me! 
I get to work full and sassy and know since I'm not having lunch that breakfast wasn't a bad option.  Tonight salad for dinner for sure!  About 10am rolls around and hubby texts me, "Going to lunch?"  OH NO!!!!  "Absolutely - call when you're out front"  He picks me up and asks where I want to go, "I'm not very hungry, so any where you'd like."  Subway?  Oooh yes, that's healthy - let's go to Subway.  I get us a very healthy cold cut combo (all turkey based) on whole wheat bread, NO cheese, and stacked to the hilt with fresh green beautiful veggies!  LIGHT vinegar and oil and a dash of salt and pepper.  Mmmm, so healthy.  Salad for dinner still, though! 
I get back to work check my pedometer.....2.  Son of $%#%$@%$#$%&^!!!!
Work is going great, I'm slurping on my 96 ounces of Diet coke and I see my water bottle.  Oooh better get chugging that water!  It goes down easily.    I'll be working til 5pm and Cory is getting the kids.  I see an email come in, PaPa John's pizza 50% this Tuesday!    Oooh that'll be perfect for Cory and the kids since I won't be there. 
2pm, getting hungry.  I logged all my food on Myfitnesspal.com and I have 298 calories left for the day.  Hmmm, that Honeycrisp apple will round off my day just perfectly.  But I'm craving something sweet now.  Hmmm, soda is gross.  Ooh computer locked up, perfect time to check out the vending machines......Raisinettes!  Raisins are fruit and chocolate is an antioxidant - another great healthy choice!
I get back to my desk and.....
Sheri - come on!  "Where are we going?"  Just come on!  Next thing I know I'm standing with 4 other ladies singing Happy Birthday to an Indian woman I don't even know in our office.  Oh the cake is beautiful!  Let's cut the cake.  OH NO!!!!!  I'm not having any.  Nope, not gonna have any. 
A few minutes later I can actually taste the sugar grits on my teeth and tongue in every bite.  WATER - I need WATER!!!!
My pedometer is jabbing me in the side so I take it off, 15 steps, and throw it in my purse.  Piece of junk. 
Driving home I'm enjoying the cool air the sun shine and my phone rings....Did you order that pizza?  Uhm, no, you were going to order the pizza and already be eating it before I ever got home. 
Sure enough when I got home, pizza not ordered by the IT man in my life who couldn't figure it out.  GRRRRRR.
He pours a glass of wine.  Even I have the great restrain to have water.  Amazing.
Pizza comes and at this point I've given up, I have 4 cheese stick slices (not cheese pizza slices).  And then, a slice of pepperoni to round it all off.
I'm stuffed, I'm bloated, my pedometer is heinous, and my healthy eating a disaster.
My fit slender kids are enjoying tall glasses of rootbeer floats here at the table with me, as I type this.
My daughter drank all my water and the Honeycrisp apple is still on the counter.....
But tomorrow is another day!

Another fad diet, buckle up!

I like soup and we are into the BRRRRR months - SeptemBER, NovemBER, DecemBER.  On my own I've veered towards my Progresso soups in the pantry.  Then I saw this Progress OH! commercial and thought, well I'm already enjoying the soup, might as well had it for another meal and be happy.

My favorite is Chicken and Wild Rice, but I don't think it's one of their light soups.

So I plan to hit the soup isle today and stock up.  Also, I'm making my INFAMOUS Homemade Minestrone soup this weekend.  I could LIVE on this soup alone!  All veggies and tomato based.  Being good, I've even swapped out the white wine for low sodium chicken broth!  WHOOT WHOOT

Okay, had to make an addendum to this post.....

Soup shopping successful.  Check out line, not so successful, darn Doritos.
Anyway.....
This soup - looked awesome~ warm, thick, creamy~it spoke to me.  It said, I will warm your tummy, you will love me!

It lied.  It tasted fish, tart, and I didn't even eat half the bowl.

 

Soup #1 - Progresso Light New England Clam Chowder....

You get a thumbs down...

With a yucky gag....

 

Very disappointing.

Oatmeal....

Step One -
Oatmeal for breakfast today.

If you follow my blog at all you already know I'm an out of control healthist (Is that a word?!?!!  It is now).  I'm good then bad, start over, fall off the wagon, run then hurt, start dvd's then lose/scratch them.

So rather than try to fit into the fitness box - which clearly doesn't work for me - I'll just blog about what I DO do.  (I just said doo doo). 

So after a carb fest in the office yesterday that kicked off with a FREE Chick-Fil-A breakfast sandwich, I'm gonna try to keep it in check today.  Fridge is about empty and all of the string cheese is gone.  I should be safe today.

My back, the cat, the dog, and my stomach. Oooooof!

I've done nothing productive/healthy today.  After feeling great yesterday, I feel horrible again today.  My back and my neck and my head hurt and then to troll it up nice and neat, my stomach is nauseous.  I tried some pasta salad, a whole whopping 1/2 cup and THEN discovered a half cup has 4420 calories.  I was so mad!!!!!
After talking with a friend on chat today, I put it all together that this back/stomach thing all started Tuesday.  Walking around downtown in my wedges, the sidewalk was unevenly angular (does that make sense?) in one part.  I stepped and with a jar to my back, my foot dropped to the sidewalk.  It was lower than the previous chunk of sidewalk, but instead of a straight drop, it was angled down.  That's when my stomach pains started.   All weeks it's been bothering me, then getting hit in the lower head/neck with the shower curtain rod it got worse.  Yesterday was the first day I've felt great!  I thought, oh good it was just a bug or something.  This morning, I woke up stiff but after sitting in church, although we have padded bottom pews, my back started hurting and then, sure enough, my stomach.  Honestly it feels like the nausea of early pregnancy, which I am not!  Nothing seems to help except taking things slowly - which is near impossible around here.  Max chased a dog out of our yard and down the street.  Then our neighbor brought her 7 week kitten over and Max went crazy, the kitten went crazy and then bit her owner, she was bleeding and crying, Max was growling and me, Cory and the kids were trying to get a hold of Max.  Just crazy.  I'm ready for bed and already contemplating calling into work tomorrow.

Some start.  I'm worse off today than I was yesterday. 

July 27th

Oh back at it again. 
I passed my Well At Dell Health Assessment finally, so we get $874 discount on my insurance and Cory already got his $900 for his assessment.  It was my mowing that did it. 
With work it's been busy and not a whole lot of free time after work and after spending time with the kids.  We did run around all over downtown Nashville the other day and that was definite exercise!
So, here I go.....

Detox

So yesterday my husband calls me on the way home from his hot yoga class.  He says he feels he has reached a plateau.  He talked to his yoga instructor and they suggested a detox/cleanse.
"So let's do that, okay?"
Sometimes his simplicity is humorous.  When asked if he questioned his yoga instruction on advice for this, she told him a 5 day herbal drink detox was horrible but worked.  Great, I'll just Google 5 day horrible detox that works.
When I did Google 5 day detoxes almost all of them referred to a specific name brand detox system that was $95 - for the drink alone.  Then $39 for the bubble therapy drink and $34 for the probiotic supplements.  Yeah....we're not doing that.  So some more research on detox and cleansing brought me to a few other much cheaper program but they also got negative reviews of simply - not working,  "didn't do a thing"  I can't be wasting money for no results.
Finally I found good old Dr Oz and his 3 day Detox Cleanse.   I decided this sounds good, seems almost all natural and I was pleasantly surprised that I had some of the ingredients on hand.  Yeay me!!!!  I had to go to two stores for the other items, but the total cost was approximately $123 including the 2 to go tumblers my husband will need to take his breakfast and lunch drink to work - but remember that is for 2 of us.  This is  considerably less than the $328 it would have cost for both of us to do the all in one boxed up kit of drugs and chemicals.

Here are the links if you're interested, I'll try to post daily to let you know how we're doing. 

Basic plan and shopping list -
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-3-day-detox-cleanse-one-sheet

I recommend watching these 4-5 minute video clips about the cleanse.  They make some good points.

Video Part 1 of the Detox from The Dr Oz Show
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-detox-cleanse-pt-1

Video Part 2 of the Dexot from The Dr Oz Show
http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-detox-cleanse-pt-2

Day 8 Strawberry Spinach Salad

This is my newest obsession!  And let me just say, if ONE PERSON says Oh you know (___) is high in (___)" or anything, I'll pound them!!!  I LOVE THIS SALAD!
I bought a big contained of organic spinach, a small container of crumbled feta cheese, 3 containers of juicy red explode in your mouth strawberries, some green onions, chopped walnuts, and raspberry red wine vinegarette dressing.  This salad is to die for!!!!!!  And wanna know how many calories??? 316 calories.  The majority of the calories were the walnuts (HEALTHY) and then 90 for the dressing and 90 for the feta.  But I love it!

I did Just Dance 4 yesterday and burned 513 calories in 35 minutes!!! And I so enjoy doing that!  I never get to go dancing and I certainly never get to do a dance routine!  I crank that volume.
Wanna know my Songs list?
Call Me Baby, Mr Saxaphone, You Don't You're Beautiful (twice, cuz I love it), Living La Vida Loca, Hot For Me and then Umbrella. 
And I am literally dripping with sweat when I'm done!  So if you wanna give it a try, there you go!

The scale moved today 1.4 pounds, but I'll be honest, it's just the same 2 pounds that keep coming and going.  I won't be excited for about 3 more pounds!!!!!

Thnx for checking on me!
Feel free to leave words of encouragement - just don't knock on my salad!!!!!  ;)

Tuesday Day 2

Morning!
I didn't see drastic results from my mowing/biking Sunday - I actually gained a pound.   
Monday after work I hopped on my bike and hit the park, too.  WHOA - I forgot you're usually a little sore in the tooshie area after not riding for awhile.  I almost turned around to give myself a day to heal.  But I didn't.  However, once I hit the park I realized how windy it was!  And after just 1 lap, my legs were like noodles.  I was riding, and actually laughing at how pathetic I was.  I made it 2 laps and burned 250 calories.  Tuesday the scale showed I dropped .9 pound.  Rolling my eyes (rme). 

For dinner, I tried something I have NEVER EVER had before!  The thought of it makes me gringe, as I've never enjoyed.....TUNA!!!  I tried it about 10 years ago when working at hospital and they had tuna salad on a beautiful flaky croissant with a pretty piece of leafy lettuce under it.  Looked great. I ate it and got horrifically sick - must have sat out in the display case too long.  So many years later, my husband has it all the time, I make it for him, but I am so not about tuna.  This week I bought another thing I drastically hate  Helper.  Hamburger helper does about the same thing to me as that spoiled tuna did.  But I thought I'd try Tuna Helper and see if the kids enjoyed it.  Of course, at first no one was thrilled, but then it ended up we LOVED IT!!!!!  I almost ate it all before I remembered to take a pix for proof! 

I had 2 helpings.  That scared me. 

 

So I checked the SIDE of the box....

First of all I didn't use 2 cans of tuna, as it calls for, when making this - thought it'd be too strong for us tuna newbies and we used light water packed tuna and topped eat helping with a squeeze of fresh lemon.  So I'm thinking that 260 per 1 cup serving is actually lower for us. All in all the kids loved it, I appreciated it and funny enough - my tuna loving husband stuck his nose up at it!  LOL

Tuesday is Cougartown Night.

I had told myself I was going to cut the wine down but that I didn't want to say I wouldn't have any at all.  That if I had it once a week, I didn't want to be guilt ridden.  I decided last night, when I remembered Cougartown was on (love that show), that Tuesday night would be a good wine night.  I did struggle with this all afternoon/evening - I won't go get wine, I don't need a glass of a wine, I don't even want a glass of wine, wait Cougartown is on, you can't watch Cougartown and not drink wine, no I don't need wine, yes I'll just have a glass, oooh  I'll buy a small bottle and that way I'll only have a small amount.  So I get to the liquor store and look for Middle Sister wine.  It takes me forever to decide which type I want, turns out I'm Rebellious California Merlot, and then I see it's $9.99 a bottle.  Now in terms of wine that isn't much at all.  So I grab it.  But then I think, well Cory might want some, and he won't like the Merlot as much.  The box of Sangria is $17.99 and then he can have as much as he wants (He, right?  As much as HE wants).  So sure enough, I put back the Middle Sister and grab the old time favorite box of Sangria. 
So a couple glasses of wine later, and 2 slices of Colby jack cheese, while laughing at Jules and Grayson on Naked Day, I really didn't feel guilty.  Could I have passed, though?  Of course, I could have - I'm not an alcoholic.  The problem was association of the wine and entertainment.  So, I have figured out a new way to do this - I'll DVR Cougartown and then have a glass of wine on the weekend after I've worked hard all week.  That way it is a treat, or an award!

Monday Day 1

Good morning!
I started my day as usual saying, "Good Morning, God!"   I greet my creator who allows me to awake each day!  Starting my day off right!!! 
I decided today I'd get up, get dressed fix my hair - right away.  Remember, I work from home, so sometimes, I don't have to do any of this until mid-afternoon when I go to get the kids. Then I had my coffee and, I'll admit, hit Facebook.  But I'm glad I did.  Joyce Meyer's started my day of perfectly, she never ceases to wow me with how her thoughts hit directly to my heart!

What an amazing thought!  I AM saying today, that I' going to turn my life around.  I'm starting a healthy living today and as always, I give my heart to God.  I just thought what great support to start my day!

At my first break, I decided I'll make my yummy yummy favorite Southwest Quinoa Salad. 

Mmmmm fresh cilantro, fresh squeezed lemon....

 

I got this from my Clean Eating magazine about 2 years ago and I just love it!!!!  Even some of my fussy butt friends, like it!  I love the fresh ingredients and the crisp bright flavors.  And it looks awesome in my serving bowl from my bestie, Jane!

 

I can't wait to have a bowl of this for lunch! 

Click here for the recipe

 

Yesterday I spent a little time looking at clean eating, healthy cooking blogs!  I'm going to be trying to find some good healthy things to eat and share.  If you know of any please let me know (leave comments below). 

 

I'm not sure if I'll bike again today or pop in Just Dance 4.  Ya know yesterday I eneded up gaining weight.  I knew the Mexican was bad, but I burned 1400 calories!!!  I have such a hard time understanding my body and how it works.

 

One thing I will ask, if you know me or just find me while your scanning blogs on line, please leave me a msg in the comment below!  Let me know what you think, what you're looking for, and/or mature criticism (negative or vicious msg's will not be posted and you will be blocked).

 

Have a Happy Healthy Day!

Spring is in the air

Well it's another beautiful day in Nashville, TN. 
My husband is an outdoors kind of guy and the hint of an early spring we had last Monday put him in Full Head On Spring Gear!!!  The 4 cooler/rainy days disappointed him only until he found out yesterday and today were going to be sunny and 59.  Tomorrow 61!!!!!! 
So once again today, after church we hit Wal-Mart, like everyone else does and came home to get outside!!!  I mowed and burned 924 calories - The back yard must not be as big as the front yard.  And then I went directly to my biked and met the kids and hubby at the park for an additional 376 calorie burn for a total of 1400 calories.  It's days like this, where I thoroughly enjoyed what I was doing burning those calories that I think, Why don't I do this every day?  It's so easy!  It's so fun!
Aside from our grass not growing at warp speed nor my mowing business reality, I'm not sure why I don't get out and burn calories like this every day.
Now, please note, today after church we ALSO went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, La Loma's.  We haven't been there, literally, in months.  We used to go 2-3 times per week at one point!  So it really was a treat. 
But of that 1400 calories, I wonder how much I really pushed into fat burning after knocking off my 2 soft tacos, rice, beans, and basket of chips and salsa.  ***I did have 2 glasses of ice water.
My friend Jenni has been oh so patiently trying to help me find  my own path that actually leads me somewhere besides disappointment and failure.  When I was feeling down and trapped the other day, all the reasons I felt that way, she pointed out to me were merely road blocks.  And I thank her ever so much for not saying, "excuses".  To me, excuses are pathetic reasons - I'm tired, I have nothing to wear, I just showered, blah blah blah.  For me, my reasons are factual and truly cause bumps in my road, i.e.  I don't have $65 to spend at the gym per month, I don't have $12 per day to spend on fancy mixes, I don't have time to join a class somewhere (we're still in mass Over Time at my office), and when I do try things that I really like, then my foot problems kick in.  And that's no, ooh I'm sore, that's literally - to walk hurts!!!    Before I could always walk.  If I didn't have time for anything else, hit the pavement - 15, 30, 45 minutes, it was therapeutic and it was exercise!  I love love love walking.  So to have something so simple taken away from me as an option has really set me for a  loop.  People say - ride your bike or swim.  Swim?  Really?  Shall I jump in the lake?  I'm not joining the YMCA for $80 per month (as we already discussed)?  Our pool won't be up for at least another month and not ready to swim in for at least 3 months.  Biking, well, I can do that weather permitting, so that is an option.
Jenni told me, don't me or yourself what you can't do - that's negative!  Come up with a list of things you CAN DO!  At first I was like Oh blah blah blah Mrs Optimistic, but then later I could clearly see that she was right. 
I can mow, I can ride my bike, I can do Just Dance 4.  All of those burn at least 400 calories per session.
Foods, I said I can't go out right now and buy fancy shakes (though I'd really love to), or special ingredients for special diets, but I CAN limit my wine intake (which I've already been doing), I CAN, not eat out especially at fast food restaurants (which I've already been doing), I can make healthy smoothies for breakfast eat day (which I do sometimes already), have my excellent vitamin filled minestrone for lunch, and good protein and salad/vegetable for dinner each night.  And drink tons and tons of water!!!!
So today, I do feel like there may be some hope on the horizon.  I do feel my situation is unique, especially with my feet, but then again there are people with no feet, no legs, and uusually I hate when people mention that, cuz really?  Come on, duh!  But this time it's true.  What do they do for exercise?  So I'm going to have to quit, ugh, I hate to say this, feeling sorry for myself (I'm so pouting as I type that, maybe even a little huffy, and definitely glaring with a semi eye roll), and figure out new and perhaps even exciting ways to make things work for me.
I don't pretend my blog is going to help anyone, if anything I hope someone will post in the comments and help me!!!  I do think sometimes, though, I'll make someone laugh and maybe one day surprise someone with a good weight loss!
And Jenni sent this to me.  I was to wrapped up in my crabbiness to realize she was making a joke regarding my foot issues at first, but then I got it.  Good ole Jenni!  I just love her!!!!

Listen..This Will Change Your Life

Cory shared this with me today.  Yeah, it's long - 30 minutes - but it's so good. 
Will you take a 30 day challenge with yourself?

1400

Oh Monday was a beautiful day here in Nashville!  It was SPRING for sure!!!!  Cory was getting stuff out of the shed for fertilizing and I asked if I could mow!!!

I forgot how much I love mowing.  I love being out getting exercise, I love the head phones on and jamming to my music, I love that I'm all alone while doing this, too.  The fresh air, the smell of cut grass!!!  And when it was all over, I whooped and burned 1400 calories.

Again, I was whooped!  It's been a long winter without much exercise.  I had bought Just Dance 4 and was doing that 45 minutes a night burning 500 calories.  But as work has gotten busy, I've gotten away from that.  Plus the only time I would have is at night with kids home - they don't need to see their mom dancing to Umbrella by Rhianna!  ha ha ha
When I got on the scale Tuesday morning expecting a big drop, I also remembered, when I mow I don't seem to lose weight.  How is this possible?!  Last summer I can sort of understand because I would drink so much water cuz I was dying of heat and then after mowing came Lime-A-Ritas.
But Monday I only had one glass of water and a half of Lime-A-Rita.  (((shrugs shoulders)))
Today I got up, got on the scale, no change.  Ugh, frustration as usual.
I did make a GIANT pot of minestrone soup Monday, too.  And this time, I left out the white wine that usually is in this recipe.  I added more water and extra chicken broth and it turned out great! So Ive been eating that which is low cal and full of vegetables and vitamins.  I've also been drinkings lots of water!!! 
So we'll see....

A new year, a new path?

I was  not happy about my journey last year.
I keep hearing and reading that perhaps I'm just not ready for my change.
I am ready!  I want this!
But life gets in  my way.  Have I lost my great art of multi-tasking?  I work 40+ hours a day, I have 2 kids, I have a husband.  When I say these things, I'm told those are excuses.  Are they?  Or are they facts.  And even when I can bypass the daily routine issues, then my feet start hurting.
I get frustrated because I want to over come these issues, but when I try there seems to just be a bigger hurdle lying in wait behind it.
eat less = lose weight
That seems easy enough, right?  But even when I do, it doesn't happen.
Maybe this journey, this time, needs to be more research?  I hate that, that means sitting around.
I think I'll track more what works and what doesn't work.
Usually I love pictures, but I know that takes a lot of time to post and publish and if I'm looking for more time, then I may have to tone down the pix.  =(

This morning I made a mixed wild berry smootie with Vanilla sugar free almond milk, fat free vanilla yogurt and two HEAPING tablespoons of ground flax seed.