E Doesn't Blog

Happy New Year!

2012-01-06T10:58:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is a Happy New Year. We are alive and kicking and some of us are fat and happy; or maybe not so happy about the weight, but happy about being alive. I am trying to get back on track following the holidays. By all of the chatter on Twitter and Facebook, a lot of others are having the same idea. I have my goals for the year, some of them diet and exercise and some of them for other aspects of my life. No, they are NOT resolutions. I know that I won't immediately achieve them, but I am making a conscious effort to continue to work on them all year in an effort to achieve my goals by the end of the year. So often, we make the huge resolutions or unattainable goals and then become frustrated and give up when we can't achieve the goal or fail early in the journey. We have to realize that we didn't gain the weight (or whatever the problem is) overnight and we sure won't solve the problem overnight. It just doesn't work that way.

Now that that's off my chest, here are some of the things that I am doing to get back on track.

1. Reconnect with The Sisterhood . I love this website and their community page aka The Hood. They have great challenges and everyone supports each other. We get together and chat, workout, discuss all of our diet and exercise issue and victories. And, it's FREE!

2. Spend more time on Jillian Michaels.com . After all, I am paying for my membership. I am working on my daily exercise plan, but I do need to ramp it up. I don't eat all of the recipes that she suggests, but I use her plan as a base. It's another good site. Recently, there was another special offer for the site, but I'm not sure if it's still in effect. Also her podcasts are FREE99! Just search for them in iTunes.

3. Keep using My Fitness Pal . This is a great tool to track your diet/calories, and exercise. You can also connect with your friends that are using the site. Talk about accountability. There is a little statement that pops up if you haven't logged in for several days and they can also view your diet and exercise dairy. There is also a place to blog and a forum section. I have my account set to post on Twitter and FB when I complete a day and whether I was below my daily calories. They also have apps for iPhone and Android. There is no excuse for not keeping track.

4. Go back to Zumba. When I moved, I moved closer to a different gym (same company, different location). Between the move and my sporadic back pain, I haven't been doing one of my favorite activities. Zumba is a blast. Check out your gym schedule or one of the games for a fun workout. That brings me to one more.

5. Get back in the gym. I don't like doing weight training at the gym. The gym regulars are just too intimidating, but the classes are what I really enjoy. I need to try some different classes, so that's on my agenda. Also, I need to get back in the habit of going to the gym at lunch to get in a little extra cardio. That means I MUST KEEP MY BAG READY. When you're running out of the house in the morning, is no time to try to put your clothes and shoes in the gym bag.

6. Plan my meals. If you want to fail in the eating healthy department, fail to plan your meals. There is nothing worse than being hungry and just grabbing a bite somewhere or foraging in a poorly stocked pantry or fridge. You must plan your meals and shop. Figure out what you will eat for the week and stock your house. If you have a trigger food, DO NOT BUY IT! I love Popchips. They are "not bad", but I eat a whole bag every time I buy them. NO! NO! NO!

I think I'm done. Besides, one of my new challenges is based on the Brett Blumenthal book 52 Small Changes to a Happier, Healthier You The first week is water and I need a break now..........

The Terror of Halloween

2011-11-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

I had intended to post before now, but I've done everything but that. I've been journaling my food and trying to squeeze in my exercise and get in bed a little earlier. Some days are more successful than others, but that's life.

Last week was a challenge. Halloween was full of sweet treats. By the end of the evening, I only had ten pieces of candy that had not been given out to the little gremlins. Even though most of my candy was chocolate, I did NOT eat any! The remnants were consumed by my little neighborhood girls when they came to visit my dog the next day. (Yes, my dog gets visitors; but that's another post.)

The bigger challenge was the potluck at the office. I had a plan. I took my own breakfast and snacks and I would eat the meat, fruit and veggies from the potluck. The dish that I prepared was a low fat pumpkin bread recipe from Skinnytaste.

Things went well until the slow-cookers arrived bringing meatballs and little smokies to simmer all day, filling the office with the aroma of sweet, yummy barbecue sauce. Can you tell that I was just about to lose my mind? I had a healthy snack, but I was drooling like a dog waiting for a treat. I even put my goal weight on a sticky note. It is still on my monitor. Finally, I gave in and made a plate with a few meatballs and some fruit. I knew that I had to run an errand at lunch and I had wisely packed my gym bag; so off to the gym I went.

I made a list of the things at the potluck. More than willpower enabled me to navigate this:

Meat and cheese tray
2 creamy dips
BBQ meatballs
Lil smokies
Chips,Chips, Chips (So many chips that there is still an unopened bag)
Cookies--those soft iced ones.......
Fudge (There are still a few pieces lurking around)
Cupcakes
My pumpkin bread
Fruit tray with some dip in the middle
Veggie tray with of course, ranch in the middle

Can you imagine?

Even with all of this, I'm down nine pounds. Yippee!!!

My Fight Against the Michelin Man

2011-10-25T10:58:00.000-07:00

The Michelin man look is not a good look on me. I know it's all about what's inside, but the outside is adversely affecting the inside. I saw a great deal for J illian Michaels ' online program. My husband saw the same deal several weeks later and mentioned it to me. Of course, my link had expired, but he found his link and it worked. So now I've signed up for Jillian Michaels' website for SIX MONTHS!!! Since I've been neglecting my blog, I have decided to blog about my experience, lessons, etc.

I have been listening to Jillian's podcasts on iTunes. If you haven't listened to one, you're missing out. She and Janice have a blast and with her expertise and that of here guests, one can definitely learn a lot. You also get to see more than one side of her--some of her callers can definitely attest to that.

I also have Mastering Your Metabolism so I know her angle. Eat whole organic foods.( No High Fructose Corn Syrup, No pesticides, No genetically modified anything, Avoid processed food whenever possible) If it doesn't have a momma or grow out of the ground, DON'T EAT IT!! That sounds great, but it is easier said than done. We eat so much junk that we crave it. That combined with the emotional factor that a lot of us have and our sedentary lifestyles is a recipe for disaster.

Most of the problems that I have experienced since I started the program are self-made:

I haven't religiously kept track of my calories in and calories out. In a past life, I was religious about that, but I am struggling to get back in the habit. The website has an online journal, but the database on myfitnesspal.com is larger. If I will just do this, I can use myfitnesspal.com for my food and exercise journal. It's available on PC or smartphone.
I have made some poor food choices since I started. Let's talk about fried catfish. You know I'm a Southern girl and that is a major weakness for me. Next was pizza even though I did manage to limit it to two small pieces with fruit and later popcorn. Finally a trip to In-N-Out. Animal Protein style (lettuce instead of bread with grilled onions) I forgot and got the sauce instead of mustard, but only a couple of my husband's fries and NO SHAKE!! The days that I did well, I planned my meals and made sure there were healthy choices in my fridge and pantry.
I am fighting the expense vs organic issue. I know very well what I should buy, but I am also about the deals and using my coupons. Let's face it, it is more expensive to eat healthy--what a shame. I know I will make it work. I'm too stubborn and cheap to not get a deal, so here's the plan. Check all of the circulars, websites for coupons, deals, sales, freebies. Make sure an item really has to be organic. Foods that will be peeled don't have to be organic. I shop at Sprouts frequently and they have the best sales on produce, frozen organic foods, dairy, and meat. I'll use the money saved from other deals to fund the healthy stuff.
I stay up too late. I know about hormones and sleep, and getting hungry because I'm up too late. I have always been a night owl. I worked second shift forever, but I have to get my rest. No amount of nagging will change my internal clock. Some days I won't make it to bed when I should, but if I make that effort, I will eventually get there earlier.
My fitness level is not what it used to be. I have really lost ground in this area. Even before I started gaining weight, I was struggling. At that time it was heat and asthma. Now it's conditioning and the added pounds. If anyone knows how to get past the pain when you're overweight and trying to exercise, please let me know. I have been going to they gym, but between my knees, and back, I've been relegated to the bike with an occasional session on the elliptical. I am trying to do the workouts on my program and I have to remember that I won't be able to do the full number of sets, but eventually I will. Back in the day, I could easily do 30 Day Shred, but now that's just not possible. If I keep working, I'll be back there.

Now for the good news. I have lost five pounds in the last couple of weeks. I know that's not monumental, but it's a start and a little much needed momentum. Until next time.....

Heart Walk

2011-10-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

I have several posts coming up, but this one is overdue.

One of the main reasons that I keep fighting the health and fitness battle is because I have a family history of stroke and hypertension. This makes my participation in the American Heart Association Heart Walk personal. It's not only about the patients that I have encountered over the years, it's about my health, and the health of my family and my extended family.

I received an email today that gave examples of what your contribution means...

Did you know…1 in 3 Americans suffer from heart and blood vessel diseases – our nation’s leading cause of death?

What the donations mean…

For a $25 contribution to the American Heart Association, you can teach up to 50 people how to assess their risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and provide the steps for them to identify and reduce their risk.

A $50 donation can provide an early career scientist with the opportunity to participate with peers in the latest cardiovascular and stroke research through a one year professional membership with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

For only $100, you can equip one hospital or health department with American Stroke Association resources to educate patients, the public, and health professionals on stroke prevention and life after a stroke – the #3 cause of death and leading cause of disability.

The Denton Heart Walk is Saturday, October 15. If you would like to contribute, please click here It will take you to my donation page.

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!

Oh My Aching Back

2011-08-24T20:25:00.000-07:00

I am so frustrated with my attempts to workout. Last week I only squeezed in one day, so this week was going to be better. Well, "what happened was" I jumped in with both feet Monday. I went to the gym even though the rest of my crew couldn't make it. I did 32 minutes on the bike and 100 crunches. Tuesday, I didn't make it. Wednesday, my back did not like the fact that I worked out Monday after slacking off for a week. Now, several Aleve and several rounds of ice and heat later (and Biofreeze), I'll probably be out tomorrow also. I didn't even get to do Zumba this week before my old body wore out on me. I'll never get the belly off with this back pain, but the back pain won't get better with the belly weight. Good grief!

There were some good things that happened. I did avoid the birthday cake this week. I substituted low-fat cinnamon graham crackers. I am trying to cut the sugar as much as possible, so the graham crackers are better than regular cookies or cake. Sunday, we fired up the grill and I scored "moneymaker" deals on salad, so it made dinners a "no-brainer". (I won't talk about Saturday's anniversary lunch at Abuelos.)

I also definitely know that things are so much easier to deal with when I've had my quiet time aka prayer and meditation. Things just don't bug me quite as much. I'm also leaning on the serenity prayer. I am a control freak and I have got to learn to let go of the stuff that I really have no control over and fix the things that I do have control over. This will also be a baby steps process, but I'll eventually make it.

Oh yeah, I finally took down that Easter wallpaper. Now if I can figure out how to move my header so that the logo from the freebie wallpaper doesn't cover it up....

I'm Baaack!

2011-08-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

I've been gone too long. I've let everything get in the way of my health. I kept saying that I would get back on track, but it didn't happen. Now the move has been completed for a couple of months; so it's time to get the routine back. I don't think I ever recovered from working a second job. I just never managed to get my mojo back. One thing after another happened and I am more overweight and less fit than I was six months ago and definitely a year ago.

I have been going to the gym at lunch with my co-workers, but I have not been making it to my classes or walking a trail. I've moved away from my favorite trail, so I need to check out the ones closer to my home, but with the 100+ degree temperatures, that really has not been an option. Last week I went to Zumba at the gym that is closer to home and work. I made it through the entire class. I felt so out of shape that I really wondered if I would last. I do a lot better in a class that doing weights or cardio using the machines. I did try a spin bike, but I've gone back to the regular exercise bike. It easier on my rear, I feel that I need to increase my endurance before I tackle a spin class.

No matter how much I exercise, my main problem is and has always been THE FOOD. It just doesn't work if you eat your workout. In other words, I can't burn what I eat. There are too many calories. I've been trying an online journal, but once I get home, it's done. I know I'm a food addict. All of the signs are there. The more stress I feel, the more I eat. It's just insane. I found some Overeaters Anonymous podcasts and I could really relate. I've known for a while that alone I really am not in control. I am also understanding why some people attain lifetime in Weight Watchers, but keep that yo-yo cycle and keep returning. Everytime I return I hear those same stories from people who didn't quite make it to lifetime or are lifetime members and have re-gained most or all of their weight. We are doing the best that we can, but we are trying to control something that we have cannot control. I'm not ready for the OA meetings yet, but I know I'll have to do it. If you like the show Intervention, stay tuned....

My Own Episode of Hoarders

2011-05-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break. I'm blogging instead of finding something else to eat. We're moving and I'm trying to pack. Tonight my insanity stems from my hoarding and procrastination. Actually, this time it was my mother's hoarding. I simply continued the tradition.

My parents were forced to move when my mother could no longer care for my dad. If your parents are aging and you think that you have a plan, or you choose to stick your head in the sand, you'd better pull your head out with both hands. (I could teach a class on that.) My parents knew that at some point they would need to move out of the house where they had lived for over 50 years. My mother was the most able-bodied of the two and they were supposedly going through and purging things in preparation for an eventual move. I do realize that she had her hands full taking care of my father, but I also realize that this was something that she did not want to face.

When the move occurred, I was shocked at the amount of "stuff" that they had kept throughout the years. They collected antiques and vintage items. Furniture, pottery, glassware--you name it. Some trinkets were purchased and some were gifts or family mementos. There were old receipts, even for a appliances purchased many years before my birth. At one point, my mother's cabinets were so full of stuff that the mounting began to fail and the cabinets had to be emptied and reinforced. I did not realize that she filled them up again. Most of those things were moved to my house. We managed to incorporate some items into our home decor, but some things still remained boxed up We tried to start the process, but either Mother's sleep disorder would kick in or we would spend too much time reading every piece of paper, looking at every picture, reminiscing too much, and laughing too hard.

Fast forward to the present. My dad passed away in 2005 and my mother passed away in 2008. Guess which only child has been too overwhelmed to deal with it all? Guess who left her mother's room mostly as it was when she had to go to a nursing home at least a year before her death? Guess who has also inherited the hoarding gene?

This weekend, I realized that we never opened my dad's briefcase after we moved him to the nursing home. It was just as he had left it the last time he went to church with it. A Bible, pens, and sermons were still neatly in place. There was even a card that he had received from one of the families of one of his churches. Last night I finally went through the chest of drawers and discarded old unusable stuff and organized probably 20 handkerchiefs. I even found gloves that I could have loaned to Queen Elizabeth for the Royal Wedding. Tonight it was a box of papers--sermons, class notes, and cute inspirational sayings, poems, whatever. Being a hoarder myself, I am actually struggling. Even though I know that most of this stuff I will never need, I feel guilty every time I toss a piece of paper in the trash pile. This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are boxes of cookbooks and recipes. Handwritten recipes, recipes torn our of magazines and/or newspapers. There are probably thousands of pieces of paper. Here's one more guess who. Guess who now does the same thing?????

I have come to realize that I won't be able to go through every single thing before we move. (I need Peter Walsh or Hoarders, but I don't live in California, and I can't wait.) I will go through at least one box/bin every day. I am trying my best to not move some of this stuff' again. I also must start Fly Lady again. That will keep me organized and keep this hoarding under control. Wish me luck!

The card

Windsor, Canada from the 1960's

True Confession

2011-04-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

I am Rulon. (He is The Biggest Loser contestant that was busted this week for eating chips, candy, whatever in his room late at night.) I am the late night binge eater. It can be any food. Tuesday night (yes, after watching The Biggest Loser) it was tortilla chips. It can be fruit, ice cream, crackers--anything.

I have done this since I was a child. My parents would fall asleep before bedtime and their night-owl child would rummage through the house for anything to binge on. My mother, the cook from heaven, always had something stashed, even if it was frozen. Frozen homemade cookies are wonderful! Once it was even a bag of prunes--with no ill effects afterwards. I was busted when my dad found the empty bag and pits. Now, like a true addict a get a "hangover". I had might as well have had a drinking binge; after all, it feels the same--queasy stomach, headache and the guilt and total feeling of stupidity.

Why do I do this? I don't even know. I always have had portion control issues. Everyday stress, fear, etc are probably the root cause. Now I want to lose these pounds that I have gained and I keep sabotaging the process. For goodness sake, I know what to eat, how to exercise, but I keep doing this to myself.

In a recent Shape magazine article Jennipher Walters (FitBottomedGirls.com and FitBottomedMamas.com) outlined five symptoms of food addiction. I can check them off:

1.Food is all you think about--Not all but a lot
2.You want to stop but you can't--That's what this post is about...

3. You eat in secret or lie about how much you've eaten--Late night, alone seems to be a favorite M.O., but it isn't always in secret.
4.You eat beyond the point of fullness--I've ignored full so much that I don't even know what full really is anymore.
5.You are compelled to eat when you're not hungry or are feeling low. And I'll add or feeling great or just any excuse.

Also here's the link to a quiz from Eating Well Are You Addicted to Food Quiz. It called me food dependent which means I still need help...." Your results indicate that you might be "food dependent." For information and referrals to treatment providers and support groups, call the National Eating Disorder Association's helpline, 800-931-2237, or visit NationalEatingDisorders.org. You can also find a clinical psychologist or clinical health psychologist (PhD or PsyD) who specializes in disordered eating or weight management through the American Psychological Association’s Psychologist Locator (locator.apa.org) or seek support through Overeaters Anonymous (oa.org)." OK tell me something I didn't know.

I won't bore you with all of the scientific stuff about dopamine receptors vs environment and this study and that study. I'll just say from first hand experience, this is just like being a drug or alcohol addict. Same feelings, same urges, same, same, same.

Since I can't afford therapy for this, I'll have to work with it like I have in the past. Normally my Weight Watchers routines help, but this time it's not working. Really, I'm not working. I have to buckle down and remember Eating Well's list which does remind me of some other tools I have. After all I do have that gold key.....

Here are Eating Well's tips:
1. Write it down---if I would only consistently do this.....
2. Plan an occasional treat.. Have it in a restaurant instead of home. Don't bring that cheesecake or chips into the house. Order it out in the open where you can manage your portion size.
3. No grazing...3 meals and an afternoon snack. Have a little protein at each one and don't get too hungry.
4. No eating in front of the tv... or desk, or computer, or in the car. This stops the mindless eating.
5. Be prepared for surprise temptations...Have your script ready. (Isn't this a Weight Watchers tool too?) I'll add don't be sabotaged by anything anyone offers you or buys for you or is on sale. (On sale--my favorite.)
6. Have healthy options for emotions--meditation,exercise, etc
7. Hide tempting foods...I am less likely to eat them if I put them in the back of the cabinet as soon as I get home from the store. If it's out on the kitchen table or counter its gone!
8. Make it a hassle to overeat.......Bag up your portions when you get home from the store; use smaller plates, and my restaurant favorite is order a to-go container when the waiter brings the meal. Place half of the meal into the container and close it. And always share dessert.

OK. We're starting over...again on Monday. (Dr. Phil isn't here so I don't have to start right here, right now.) Some of my friends/co-workers/weight-loss challenge buddies are heading to the gym at lunch time starting next week so it will be a good time to re-new. Wish me luck, think positive thoughts, say a little prayer for me. I'll need it.

I Remember

2011-01-17T13:15:00.000-08:00

"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today is the day that we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I remember his life and I hope that I can preserve his legacy.

Every day there is something that reminds me of the Civil Rights era. Whether it's simply the cultural differences in my own household or whether I see President Barack Obama on television. It might be something so simple as eating at a restaurant where I would not have been welcome during that era, or even noting my educational background which would have been difficult if not impossible prior to this era. I remember the ugly words, dogs commanded to attack, water hoses, firebombs, and assassinations. (No I didn't forget the white hoods and rebel flags either.) It makes me thankful for the progress that has been made, but also painfully aware of how far we still have to go.

There is still a lot of hate and anger in this world. Some are aware and strive to do better, some know and try to cover it up in the presence of those who would object, and some are still very blatant with it. There are also those who use the weaker ones to push their agenda. They whisper in an ear and sit back and watch the fight. Just remember if you must apologize before you make the statement, do damage control after a statement, or if it has to be said behind closed doors it is not appropriate and it is hateful. If we stop the yelling and actually stop and calmly and rationally talk to each other and truly listen, maybe we can all co-exist, accomplish something and learn to love one another.

We should stop today and every day and take a good look in the mirror. Do we see hate or love?

Sunset

2011-01-08T07:07:00.000-08:00

If I kept a favorite things list like Oprah does, sunrises and sunsets would be at the at the top of my list. I can never capture the beauty, the colors. Texas is blessed with some of the most spectacular skies from the cloudless beautiful blues to the cloud-streaked sunrises and sunsets with their brilliant blues, purples, oranges and reds. Don't forget the building thunderstorms that you can see for miles.

If I could only paint.........One of these days I'll learn to keep my Nikon with me at all times. My Droid camera just doesn't do this sunset justice.

Caching Up

2011-01-05T17:48:00.000-08:00

I am so far behind on everything. Working a second job took a definite toll on me and my home. I haven't been able to adequately plan and cook meals and I have been too exhausted to exercise. We won't even discuss the house. My husband tried to help, but women can see all of the dust and lack of order. (He even learned to clean toilets and run a Swiffer!) My bank account is no fatter either. Working late nights and rushing from one job to the next encouraged the awful fast food habit and there was no time to do any of the things that I always did to save money. I no longer clipped coupons or even loaded my Kroger card online. I hardly ever cooked so there was always a need to stop and pick up a burger or Chick-fil-a. I won't even talk about how many times I had to "hop on the tollway". Now that we have two full-time employed adults here, I realized that I was ripping, running, and exhausted for nothing. So the second job is done, finished, I quit.

Now I have to get a routine going again. I have to plan meals and get this house in shape. I have a huge job ahead of me. Guess it's time to read my Fly-Lady e-mails and try out more of Rocco's recipes. I'll keep y'all posted. (Yes, I'm behind on blogging too!)

Off course, of course

2010-11-15T23:16:00.000-08:00

I am off track--again!! My weight went up a little a couple of weeks ago and is slowly going down, but I still know I'm off-track and "out of sorts". I haven't adjusted to working two jobs. Part (probably MOST) of my issue is stress, anger, frustration, anxiety, all of the above. Job #2 involves physical labor and I'm on my feet the entire time so when I'm not working I just sit. I am tired--yes I know I should go to bed earlier, but by the time my head hits the pillow I am asleep. Last week I couldn't even make myself do my T-workout. I never miss that unless I'm at work! I did walk my 5K Sunday. (See gorgeous sunset shown above!) Tomorrow I have to do my T-workout or walk some at lunch. I really miss Zumba!

I also don't have the food thing down yet. I eat on the way to the second job. I'm getting tired of the PB on Ezekiel bread and an apple or banana so I need to re-group on that also. Then, of course, I eat when I get home. The past week it has been a heavier meal than usual. Then I didn't prepare my meals ahead and ate lunch out several days last week. Then we ate out both Saturday and Sunday. It was the fabulous Gazeebo burger turkey burger (with avocado, mushrooms--no mayo) and (bad-girl) french fries on Saturday and Sunday it was Cantina Laredo with the warm salsa and chips. I ordered the Enchilada Veracruz stuffed with chicken, spinach and monterey jack cheese topped with tomatillo sauce, vinaigrette marinated vegetables, and cotija cheese--yummy.

So the shopping is done and there are healthy choices in the house. Wednesday is a holiday potluck so I'm working on my plan for the week. I'm taking the Sweet Pumpkin Polenta to the potluck!

Breakfast with Cheryl Forberg, RD

2010-11-07T21:40:00.001-08:00

I had a fantastic opportunity last week. I attended a breakfast event featuring Cheryl Forberg, RD. Cheryl is a chef and a Registered Dietitian and is the nutritionist for NBC's The Biggest Loser. The event benefited Days of Taste. Days of Taste is a program that teaches 4th and 5th graders where their food comes from so it is a very worthy cause. This event was a short distance from my home so there was no way I was going to pass it up.

Cheryl was very nice and it was great to be able to ask her questions and get a lot a valuable information. I also had a chance to thank her for the Hershey Moderation Nation promotion that enabled me to have a free consultation with a registered dietitian. Stasha helped me so much. Cheryl is one of a group of RD's who use successfully use social media. It's great to follow them on Twitter and Facebook. I learn so much on a daily basis.

Since I'm not a dietitian, I took notes because I knew there was no way I would remember everything. Some points re-emphasized things I knew and some were things I didn't know. I am putting my notes in the weekly newsletter that I write for our weight-loss challenge at the office. I am considering just blogging about one tip per day until I go through my list.

We also had a chance to ask "behind the scenes" questions about The Biggest Loser. I feel that there is just not enough shown about the nutrition of the contestants. They don't seem to show the nutrition portion unless a celebrity chef shows up or they're plugging a sponsor. This is very important. We can all move more, but unless we have the proper nutrition and know how many calories we need it just doesn't work. I know this from my own experience! We have to have the full picture. (OK, I'm off my soapbox now.)

Now for the food. Chef Whitey Hershorn at Sysco foods (our location for the event) prepared the food. He prepared egg whites with brown rice and caramelized onions and Cheryl's recipe Sweet Pumpkin Polenta. (Cheryl demonstrated the preparation of the polenta dish.) The food was awesome! We also had yogurt and berries (which is a great side for the polenta), turkey bacon, english muffins, peanut butter, granola......I probably forgot something, but you get the idea.

Here's the recipe for the polenta. I made it this weekend. It didn't taste exactly like Chef Whitey's but it was good. Really, it would have been better but I didn't have the full amount of agave and I was didn't want to wait until I could go to the store for more. Also note that a can of pumpkin is not quite 2 cups. This dish works for breakfast or a desert.

Sweet Pumpkin Polenta

from Positively Ageless: A 28-Day Plan for a Younger, Slimmer, Sexier You
Cheryl Forberg, RD

MAKES 8 SERVINGS
The smell of sweet spices will fill the air while this creamy dessert is baking. It’s divine straight from the oven but tastes heavenly the next day when it’s cold—if there’s any left the next day.

2 cups pumpkin puree, fresh or canned
1 large omega-3 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup stone-ground cornmeal or polenta
2 cups water
1 cup low-fat, or fat-free milk
½ teaspoon salt
toasted pecans (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 2-quart soufflé dish or casserole with olive oil cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, egg, agave, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and vanilla extract. Stir well to combine. Set aside.
In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the cornmeal, water, milk, and salt; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, 10 minutes or longer until thick and smooth. Remove from the heat. Carefully pour in the reserved pumpkin mixture and stir to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 50 minutes, stirring well once, halfway through.
The mixture will be thick and bubbly. Serve warm, sprinkled with toasted pecans, if desired.

PUMPKIN FACTOID: Pumpkin’s high concentration of antioxidants and beta-carotene make it a favorite antiaging ingredient for skin-care products.

NUTRIENT ANALYSIS PER SERVING
127 calories, 3 g protein, 26 g carbohydrates, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 30 mg omega-3s, 2 g fiber, 17 g sugar, 254 mg sodium

The Muffins

2010-11-05T20:58:00.001-07:00

Here's the recipe for the mini muffins that I made (and ate) last night. I took them to work this morning.
I substituted Splenda Sugar Blend for the sugar. It actually made 48 mini muffins. I can't remember which blog/website posted this recipe.

My next recipe will be Cheryl Forberg's pumpkin polenta!!!

WHOLE WHEAT PUMPKIN MINI MUFFINS
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. water
1 c. canned or homemade pumpkin puree
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°F
Combine eggs, oil, water and pumpkin puree (use straight pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix).
Sift dry ingredients together and gradually beat into first mixture.
Pour into greased mini muffin pans (I actually use a cookie scoop to get it in the pan…it's the perfect size for mini muffins).
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Makes about 36 mini muffins

Eating Again

2010-11-04T22:51:00.001-07:00

I'm eating again. Why?? Tonight it's the pumpkin mini-muffins that I made. (At least they're made with Splenda blend.) Earlier this week I ate chicken and dumplings. They were good and comforting.I hadn't had them in years. At lunch and the afternoon slump today I ate some sweet truffle looking dessert and a roll that was the consitency of a biscuit. The other food that I ate was very reasonable. I 'm too tired and stressed to do anything else.Tomorrow is another day........

The Trail

2010-10-31T12:48:00.000-07:00

I don't consider myself a "nature" person. I don't go camping because I don't have an equipped travel-trailer. No tent for me. No outdoor potty--been there, done that. I must have electricity. I guess I'm a princess. I don't rough it.

That being said, I do enjoy my walks on the trail. When I round that little corner and I see the sun glistening on the lake, I'm in a different world. Even at mile 1.50-1.75 when I can see and hear the traffic, it seems so far away.

My sunflowers are gone. There are a few dead drying stalks left amid the prairie grasses and ragweed. It's a sure sign that fall is here and the trail is changing with the seasons.

I don't own an i-pod. I'll eventually buy one, but I can't imagine walking on this trail with music blasting in my ear, drowning out the natural sounds of the trail. The crickets and other insects that I can't see sing and chirp along the trail until I realize that their chorus has been replaced by the dancing song of the birds. I look up and they are dancing from tree to tree; some with their wings extended, soaring for longer distances. Then there was the rusting in the weeds. Is it a snake? A coyote? A fox? More than likely it's an insect or a squirrel getting ready for winter.

I never feel alone on this trail. The butterflies were my escort today. One would had me off to another. I tried in vain to capture a picture of my escorts, but they were too nimble for me. When they weren't there, the grasshoppers were stationed along my walk; still, like soldiers waiting for me to pass.

I didn't want to time my walk today. I spent a lot of time just messing around. I stopped to take these pictures, helped a couple of kids round up their dogs who were really enjoying the trail, and just enjoyed the walk myself. Now I'm back to the hustle and bustle of reality. Maybe I should look at these pictures when I can't make it to the trail; and just for a few minutes be taken to a more peaceful place.

Monster Mash

2010-10-30T10:28:00.001-07:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Heart Walk

2010-10-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day! The Denton Heart Walk is tomorrow. We'll be walking to raise money to fight Heart Disease. Women and African-Americans often do not get the care and education needed to fight heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. These diseases are prevalent in our communities. Please donate to the American Heart Association. Click on the subject line of this post or my gadget on this page or contact the American Heart Association or Go Red for Women .
Thank You!!

My HSA Rant

2010-10-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

I am now ready to scream. We just received notification that effective January 1, 2011, OTC (over-the-counter) medications and products will no longer be an eligible HSA (Health Savings Account) expense unless they are prescribed by a physician. This means I will now have to go to my physician and ask for a prescription for something that she has recommended and that I can buy over-the-counter. Does that make any sense? This also means that now I have the added expense of a doctor's visit for this. Never mind the insanity that will create for the physicians. I also will not be able to use my HSA Debit card for those purchases. Was this someone's warped idea of health care reform? Once again someone is so out of the loop that they really did not care about the ramifications that their decision would have on the masses. All for my little two cents in tax money because my HSA funds are deducted pre-tax. Looks like I'll need a proctologist after this one. Oh, the glory of being middle class....

Monster Mash

2010-10-14T07:17:00.000-07:00

Check out The Monster Mash

This Week's Challenge

2010-10-13T21:40:00.000-07:00

I just watched Christy's post for our Shrinkvivor Challenges this week. I am just not ready for the exposed movement, but I will make an effort to be more satisfied with my body.( I will post a picture, just not in the undies and no I don't and have never owned a bikini!) Once again the perfectionist demon from my earlier post raises his (yes, his) ugly little head, but I vow to press on! So, no more negative self-talk about my body. If I receive a compliment, I will graciously say "Thank You". The last time anyone said anything flattering to me, I didn't say, "Thank You" and I really don't even think that I even acknowledged it. That was so incredibly rude and I apologize. I can't believe that I was so caught up in my "issues" that I didn't even say thank you. Aaargh!

Two more things. First, I lost two pounds this week! The exchange thing is getting easier. My challenge now is working out my meals now that I also have a part-time job.

Next, I survived my first day on the part-time job! I'll like it. We have classroom training before we go out on the floor. YEA!!

Wow, did I post twice in the same day. It must have been the earthquake or the Chilean miners being rescued or the Rangers winning. Take your pick!

New Endeavor

2010-10-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was engrossed in my usual Tuesday night television viewing of The Biggest Loser. Once again, I saw myself. One contestant was not happy even though she lost seven pounds. Someone, probably Jillian, made the comment, "Nothing is ever good enough for her." That wasn't me that she was talking about, was it? Maybe it was.

Today I start a new endeavor. Today will be the first day of my new part-time job. I am both excited and apprehensive. I am a true perfectionist and I always worry that I won't live up to my own warped standard--nothing less than perfect. Every day it is a struggle to not let my perfectionist tendencies rule. They often derail me because of the fear of failure and not living up to expectations. They are my expectations. I might say that I'm afraid of not living up to everyone's expectations but really it's just my warped standard of nothing less than perfect. It goes much deeper than the new job. It has permeated every moment of my life. I truly believe that this has often kept me from living the best life possible.

So send up a prayer, wish me luck today. I am determined to start living a truly full and satisfying life!

A Year Later: The real post

2010-10-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

In the year since our trip, I have really done a lot of soul-searching. I enjoyed the trip but there is a whole world that for various reasons I just haven't explored. While I was in California, there were several things that I didn't get a chance to do and that frustrated me. I did have a great time but I still felt very sad about it. Then, I didn't get a chance to go back for my family reunion and that frustrated me. There are just so many things that I want to do before I leave this world. I can't wait for anyone. I can't depend on anyone. I just need to press on and accomplish something.

A year ago

2010-10-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

This time last year we were heading for California. If you have never taken a road trip like this one, you should consider it. Our country is so beautiful! We took the southern route (I-20-I-10). For us Texans, we're halfway there without leaving our state. El Paso is the halfway point! The next city after the El Paso/Las Cruces area is Tucson. There is nothing but little ghost town/truck stops and the beautiful desert and mountains. I realized that I really do like the Southwest!

We only spent a short time in California before heading back via I-15 to I-40. There really is a sign at the beginning of I-40 that reads, "Wilmington, NC 2,554 mi.". One of these days I'll get to go back and one of the things on my list is to get a picture of that sign! ( I have a sizable list of things that I didn't get to see and do.)

My favorite stop was the trip to the Grand Canyon. Add one more item to that list. I would love to hike down to the bottom and back up. That place amazes me. Everyone should take a vacation there at least once in their lifetime. Yes, I know it's a big hole in the ground and it's still there every time that I pull up the picture, but I am in awe. How can you see this wonder and not believe in God? I just will never understand that one.

Next we headed back to Big D. After passing through the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert, we stopped and stood on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. That was a blast. I love the way the towns on Route 66 have embraced the nostalgia of the road. I-40 and Route 66 are the same for some stretches of road and others they run parallel. It's easy to exit and ride Route 66 through some of the small towns along the way.

We crossed the Continental Divide and passed through Albuquerque and the Sandia Mountains. We stopped in Santa Rosa, New Mexico and ate the the Lake City Diner. It was great! I"ll have to see the Blue Hole the next time.

Next stop Amarillo and The Big Texan. That was fun but I didn't get to try the steak!

Here's something silly. We have been "eating out" for a week and we stop at Lindsay, TX to get barbecue! Now you know how I started my last weight spiral that I am now paying for!!

Fall Is In the Air

2010-10-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

It is a beautiful day here in Texas. Fall has finally arrived! I managed to get my walk in today. I felt so blessed to be able to walk and have a beautiful trail and a beautiful day to enjoy. The water on the lake glistened with the fall sunlight. The cool air was like a crisp fall apple. I even saw a beautiful yellow and black butterfly that danced around me for a few feet. For some reason it reminded me of my mother. It was so graceful and beautiful. I tried to get a picture of it but it was gone!

I Saw a Dietitian

2010-09-29T21:06:00.000-07:00

I had my dietitian consult on Monday. I strongly recommend that anyone trying to lose weight or anyone with a medical condition such as heart disease or diabetes consult with a dietitian. I got a free consultation through Hershey's Moderation Nation website. I follow Cheryl Forberg RD on twitter. She is the Registered Dietitian on The Biggest Loser and she tweeted the link for the free consults. FREE. YES, FREE!! How could I miss out on a free consult with a dietitian? There was no way that I was not going to do this. I have been struggling for months now and this was an opportunity for me to get professional nutritional recommendations. I saw Stasha Kucel, RD in Lewisville. She was great and took all of my yo-yo weight history and eating insanity and came up with a plan for me. I'm doing the diabetic exchanges. I get 1400 calories and here are my daily guidelines:

6 starches
3 fruits
3 fat-free dairy
3 veggies (at least)
6 oz very-lean or lean meat
3 fats
Continue my 165 minutes or aerobic exercise per week
This is 53% carb/26%protein/21%fat

This increased my dairy, veggies, and meat and decreased my fruit. I am weighing and measuring because I need structure or I will over-estimate my portions.(One of my best kitchen tools is my digital food scale.) The biggest change for me is the dairy. I normally only got in one fat-free dairy serving a day, usually fat-free Greek yogurt, so drinking milk is weird to me. In a past life I drank skim milk but I had eliminated that from my diet even though I enjoyed it.

My first obstacle was the fact that it would be Saturday before I could have a major shopping trip. I had just picked up a few items over the weekend. I was drinking my husband's milk before I remembered that he refuses to drink fat-free milk so he has 2%. With milk prices so low, I stopped today and picked up a gallon of fat-free milk. I am also eating more yogurt so I had to get more yogurt too.

I also had planned to use a frozen dinner for my lunch on Tuesday but when I looked them there was no exchange information on the box. I have not been doing this long enough to calculate the exchanges by looking at the package and I knew that a couple of them just wouldn't work, so I was off to Wally-World. That was a trying experience. I knew what I wanted for dinner so there were only certain things that I needed for lunch. I finally found a Healthy Choice dinner that would do. I am realizing that I'll have to plan a frozen dinner as if I were eating out. They always have more starch than I want and never enough veggies. That is really no surprise, but it's really hitting home now.

My next problem was September birthdays. One of my friends who is also a co-worker is celebrating her birthday. Since she is participating in our office weight loss challenge she asked me to make a Healthified Tres-Leches Cake. Since it's a healthified version the exchange info was listed on the recipe. It was easy to plan ahead so that I could have a small piece.

Overall, this will work. I just have to get adjusted to it.

Here is the link for the Moderation Nation website. Isn't it funny that Hershey's is sponsoring this? http://www.hersheys.com/moderationnation/

Here's the cake
http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/special-occasions/healthified-tres-leches-cake.aspx

Lesson

2010-09-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

I ran into a friend on the jogging trail last weekend. She was riding her bike. The trail is 3.5miles long. After I finished my walk, she passed me exiting the trail. That's when I realized that she had passed me twice on that trail and she had probably ridden 10.5 miles that morning. Every time I see her around town, it involves exercise. I see her at the gym or walking or biking on one of our trails. (Yes, our little 'burb is blessed with both a nature trail and a trail around the sports complex.) Before, I thought of her as naturally petite. Now I realize that she puts in the time and effort that it takes to be fit, healthy and look great. Lesson learned!

Weigh-In Wednesday

2010-09-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

I have lost 2.2 lbs since Monday! I really got with it. I am journaling religiously, making sure that I get in my workouts and drinking the water. I am really hitting the water. Our new Shrinkvivor challenges continue the water, log the time spent on workouts (works better for me than miles), and no fast food. This will be easy for me. I don't "run through the drive-thru" very often.

I am struggling with the "eat clean" vs convenience foods (Lean Cuisine, Smart Ones, etc.). I can control the portions if I use the frozen meals for some of my breakfasts and lunches. They do have to be supplemented with extra veggies or fruit. I will still opt for whole grains, no HCFS or "corn sugar or whatever they have decided to call it these days. My other problem is artificial sweeteners. I am trying to limit them but I do have a sweet tooth. If I want to share baked goodies with my family I use Splenda Sugar Blend or Splenda Brown Sugar Blend.

I made an appointment with a Registered Dietitian. I am so excited. I am fairly knowledgeable about nutrition but there is always more to learn, especially when you can have a free consultation with a professional. In the past it has been easier to drop the weight, but this time I am really struggling so her input will be invaluable. Here's the link to the website where you can locate a dietitian and print a certificate for a free consultation. http://www.hersheys.com/moderationnation/

I didn't wait until Thursday to start my challenge. Tonight was 15min of circuits to get warmed up then 30min on the dreadmill. That's it! I'm off to the showers and bed.

Weigh-In

2010-09-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

Today was weigh-in day for my office challenge. Guess what? I didn't lose any weight. The good news is that I didn't gain any weight. I have not done well this week. I haven't had any terrible binges, but I can just eat too much "healthy food".

My game plan for this week

Journal--even after I get home and all weekend
Workout--daily. I cannot let life interfere. The treadmill at home helps but I can't walk as many miles as I can on the trail.
Continue the water from the Shrinvivor challenge
Keep the faith--Do not get discouraged. I have all of the tools if I will just use them.

Let's see how well I can do before the Shrinkvivor weigh-in on Wednesday.

2010 Heart Walk

2010-09-17T16:22:00.000-07:00

It's that time again! On October 30, I will be participating in the Denton Heart Walk. This is a cause that is very dear to my heart on both a personal and a professional level. Unfortunately, too many of us have a loved one affected by heart disease or stroke. An estimated 81,100,000 American adults (more than one in three) have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. Among blacks or African Americans, 10.2 percent have heart disease, 31.8 percent have hypertension and 3.6 percent have had a stroke. To help stop this, I will be walking in this year's Start! Heart Walk benefiting the American Heart Association. I have set a personal goal to raise funds that are needed for critical heart disease and stroke research and education.

You can help me raise funds and protect those you love by making a donation online. Click on the link below to visit my personal donation page where you can make a secure online credit card donation. The American Heart Association's online fundraising website has a minimum donation amount of $25.00. If you prefer a smaller amount, you can do so by sending a check directly to me.

Your donation will make a difference in the fight against our nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers-heart disease and stroke. Thank you for your support.

http://heartwalk.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=4&i=439441&u=439441-267525136

I Have Become My Mother

2010-09-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

There is usually at least on thing every day that makes me say, "I have become my mother." Usually it's cooking late at night or just staying up late, or making a song out of any sentence or even, or asking my hubby if he's going to eat veggies today. This time it was the phrase, "They have just run out." In other words, they have just run out of something to do. Lady Gaga caused me to say it this time.

First there was the meat outfit. OK. I get it. You're an artist. You want to wow us with your insane creativity, even though most of us are repulsed by the thought of your wearing flank steak on your head. If I close my eyes and listen to your voice maybe I can get rid of the meat-dress visual and let that gross moment slide.

The straw that broke the camel's back (there she goes again...) was this outfit she wore to LAX. Yes, LAX, the airport. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1312143/Lady-Gaga-allowed-airport-security-handcuffs.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Is she totally insane? A bra and panties with fishnets over them and a belt with handcuffs. Finish it off with a tiny jacket half-on and insane shoes and voila! you're ready to go. Can you imagine traveling with your child and having to explain that outfit? I also cannot imagine dressing that scantily and sitting on a seat where thousands of others have sat or sitting in that seat after her. OMG!!!!! That is just gross.

A lot of parents are exposing (seriously) their children to any artist, music, or movie. Are you ready to see your daughter stroll around in that outfit? Think about it. Take the time to screen your children's music, videos, games, movies, and internet. Then screen your own. As adults, what influences are we inadvertently exposing children to? Our children, teenagers included, are sponges and we are responsible for whatever they absorb.

OK. I'm done. Should I break into song now or send that girl a pound cake? She could gain a couple of pounds.

Week 2 Newsletter

2010-09-14T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is the newsletter for our second week.....

Fall 2010 Weight Loss Challenge

Issue 3

Good morning everyone!

Today is our second weigh-in. I hope we're seeing less of each other this week!

If anyone is interested in joining 24Hour Fitness remember to join through BCBS. The fee is only $29 per month—no contract! This includes Super Sport clubs. (Lewisville Main Street is a Sport club; Castle Hills at 121 and Main/Josey is a Super Sport club.) You can also go to the 24Hour Fitness website and check-out the class schedule, take a tour of the gym, and get a free 7-day pass to see if you like the gym before signing up.

Also, Weight Watchers is running a special for a free month if you use the monthly pass option.

Cooking Shortcuts

To save time, buy frozen chopped onions and/or frozen seasoning mixes (onion,celery, bell pepper). If you are making a large pot of soup, beans or stew just dump the bag into the pot!

Keep frozen vegetables and frozen stir-fry on hand for quick meals or for another version of last night's meal.

Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saver and it is already seasoned. To use in a dish, remove the meat from the bone while the chicken is warm or re-heat in the microwave then remove the meat from the bone.

Make soups in large batches (use that slow-cooker) and freeze individual portions.

Casseroles can be assembled and frozen before baking. Just thaw in the fridge for 24hrs before cooking.

Peel and freeze overripe bananas and use in smoothies and muffins.

Muffins and pancakes can also be frozen for quick breakfasts.

Today's Recipes

Zero POINTS® Value Slow Cooker Soup

Course: soups
POINTS® Value: 0
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 300 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Works with Simply Filling

Here's an Italian-spin on our famous zero POINTS® value soup. We made it in a slow cooker but it can be simmered on the stove top just as well.

Ingredients

10 oz spinach, baby leaves

2 medium carrot(s), chopped

2 medium celery, ribs, chopped

1 large onion(s), chopped

1 medium garlic clove(s), minced

4 cup(s) vegetable broth

28 oz canned diced tomatoes

2 piece(s) bay leaf

1 Tbsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker; cover and cook on high power for 5 hours. Remove bay leaves, stir and serve. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

© 2010 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2010 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
WEIGHT WATCHERS and POINTS are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.

Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

Serves: 12

3 medium very ripe bananas

1 eggs

1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk or 1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup granulated sugar (or 1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend)

1/2 cup brown sugar (or 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)

1/2 cup quick oats

1 1/2 cups flour (or equal amounts white flour and whole wheat pastry flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 -3 tablespoons chocolate chips (may use more)

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (optional—if you like nuts, add more)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly coat 12 muffin tin liners with cooking spray and place in muffin tin.
In large bowl, mash bananas with fork.
Whisk in egg, milk, applesauce, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
In separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture to banana mixture and combine well.
Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Spoon equal amounts of batter into 12 muffin cups.
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly in pan, then remove to wire rack.

Nutrition: Calories 167.1 , Total Fat 1.2g , Dietary Fiber 1.2g ,Sodium 316.0mg, Protein 2.7gm

My First Newsletter

2010-09-14T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a copy of the initial newsletter that I wrote for our office weight-loss challenge.

Fall 2010 Weight-Loss Challenge Newsletter
Number 1

Welcome

Hello all!
Welcome to the 2010 Weight-Loss Challenge. Hopefully we'll all accomplish our weight-loss goals for the challenge and one of us will get a nice monetary reward at the end of the challenge.

First, most of our group would like to begin our challenge on Tuesday, September 7 instead of today so that we could enjoy the Happy Hour and Labor Day weekend with no restrictions. If you have already started watching your food intake and ramping up the exercise, keep up the good work!
We also discussed making our weigh-in fees every payday. Five dollars was discussed and hopefully that will be feasible for all of us and give us enough winnings to be motivational. The first person to lose 10% of their starting weight will get a prize and the top two “biggest losers” will share the final winnings. If we need to make any changes please let me know.

Weight Loss Tip of the Week

Don't drink your calories!

Watch out for sugar sweetened sodas and bottled teas. The extra calories can add up. When choosing a drink always check the nutrition label. Some drinks are actually more than one serving! Water is always best! Check out the recipe of the week for a refreshing water idea!

Recipe of the Week

Flat Belly Diet Sassy Water

2 liters water (8.5 cups)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (buy in the produce dept and peel before grating)
1 medium cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium lemon thinly sliced
12 small spearmint leaves (wrap in paper towel and store un-washed in baggie in fridge)
Let flavors blend overnight. If the flavors are too strong, don't make it the night before and/or reduce the
ingredients (except water) by half. If there is an ingredient that you don't like, just omit it.
Have a great week!

First Weigh-in Newsletter

2010-09-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a copy of the newsletter for our first weigh-in.

Fall 2010 Weight Loss Challenge Newsletter

Issue 2

Today’s the Day!

Today is weigh-in day. Hopefully everyone had fun over Labor Day weekend. See Christy to weigh-in—Let’s get started!

Housekeeping Items

We will contribute five dollars each payday to the jackpot

Our prizes will be:

Grand Prize Winner (Highest percentage of weight loss) will receive 80% of total jackpot

Runner-up (Second highest percentage of weight loss) will receive 20% of total jackpot

First 10 (First person to lose 10% of their body weight) will receive a special gift

Quick Weight Loss Tips

When it comes to finding quick weight loss diet tips that work, selecting your foods for your diet can be a real balancing act. You have to lose some of what you’ve grown accustomed to and add some items that may be new to you. Here are some quick weight loss tips that experts recommend to promote weight loss.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #1 – Reduce fat.

With regard to fat, the research is clear: Diets too high in fat promote overweight and obesity. You should strive to consume no more than 25 percent of your calories from fat – and that fat should the “non-saturated” type.

Quick Weight Loss Tips # 2 – Don’t be so sweet.

Numerous studies have linked table sugar to increased calorie consumption. While sugar doesn’t do as much dietary damage as fat, you’ll find that when you eat sweets, you simply want to eat more… of everything. Not only that, but sugar also makes your body excrete chromium, and chromium is a mineral that helps your body build calorie-burning lean tissue – so you want to keep your chromium levels up.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #3 – Drink up.

“If people want to keep their nutrients in balance, they need to drink plenty of plain, unflavored water every day,” says Judy Dodd, R.D., past president of the American Dietetic Association. Water not only acts as a solvent for many vitamins and minerals but also is responsible for carrying nutrients into and wastes out of cells, so the body functions properly. As a rule of thumb, you should drink a half-ounce of water for every pound of body weight daily, unless you’re very active, in which case you should increase your water intake to two-thirds of an ounce per pound of body weight daily. So if you weigh 100 pounds, you should drink 50 ounces of water a day as a minimum

Quick Weight Loss Tips #4 – Fill up on fiber.

You can curb your hunger by increasing your intake of dietary fiber, which is filling, so you feel full but eat less. For these diet tips, experts recommend eating more fruits, vegetables and wholegrain cereals.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #5 – Get treatment for food allergies.

Some researchers believe that being overweight is the result of people craving foods that they are allergic to. For these people, weight loss is extremely difficult until they figure out what those trigger foods are and eliminate them from their diets.

“There are specific food allergies that trigger uncontrollable craving and bingeing,” says Joseph D. Beasley, M.D., director of Comprehensive Medical Care in Amityville, New York. “It’s a common problem in overeaters.”

If you suspect that food allergies might be part of your problem, ask your doctor to help you identify the offending items. Your doctor may recommend that you see an allergy specialist.

Quick Weight Loss Tips#6 - Get fit

Last, but not least...but MOST IMPORTANT! Exercise, Exercise, Exercise. Start out slow and work your way up. Join a gym or buy weights or other equipment for your home. Bike riding and taking long walks are great. Get fit.

Featured Recipe:

MYM Fudge Brownies

From The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook by Jillian Michaels

Nutritional Info

Fat: 2.3g
Carbohydrates: 16.6g
Calories: 85.0
Protein: 1.2g

Ingredients

Olive Oil Spray for pan
2/3 cup mild honey (preferably organic)
1/3 cup natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup white, whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 TBSP olive oil
1 large egg, at room temp
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

Makes 16 (2") brownies

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 8-inch square pan with olive oil. Set aside.

Place the honey in a large glass-measuring cup, Microwave on high power until the honey is runny and just bubbling, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the cocoa and stir with a fork until well combined. Let cool to room temperature.

In a small bowl, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk until well combined.

In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey-cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake until the surface looks dry around the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it; about 25 min. Do not over bake. Place the plan on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing into 16 squares. (Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.)

Number of Servings: 16

Catching Up

2010-09-13T20:23:00.000-07:00

I has been too long since I posted. Let's see what's been happening.

First the weight-loss challenge has begun! The trash can in the break room was full of Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice boxes today! It's the "dash for the cash"!

I am writing a weekly newsletter for the challenge. It contains info about the challenge, health and fitness, tips and recipes. I'll post them here soon.

I did manage to lose a pound the first week. I was so afraid that I would gain or not lose that first week. It's amazing how some people start a new program and lose seven pounds the first week. Not me! Never! Even when I kill myself at the gym. I have done Zumba, Masala Bhangra, 30-Day Shred and my Tworkout with my Twitter pals. Normally I am starving after Zumba, but today I was so exhausted that I wasn't hungry until about 90 minutes after the class.

I went back to Arkansas Labor Day weekend. I had a great visit with my cousin, met some of my cousin's friends, and saw a lot of old friends that I hadn't seen in a long time. I really needed that boost. It really makes you feel good when you go home and everyone is glad to see you and think you look good even when you've put on a few pounds.

I'm still trying out new recipes. This week was Split-Pea Soup. The peas were purchased in the bulk food section of Sprouts and I finally put together the soup. When I decide to make something and I don't have a recipe, I usually "Google" the recipe and take the ingredients that I like from each recipe. The soup is easy. You need dried split-peas (I used the green ones.), chicken broth, water, onions, carrots,celery and some type of meat (I used ham shanks.) I added a packet of Sazon seasoning and threw it all in the Crock-Pot. (I love, love, love my Crock-Pot!). I also threw in a bay leaf and a pinch of fresh thyme. At the end of cooking, puree 3/4 of the soup (or as much as your blender will safely hold) then return it to the pot. It's yummy!

I love muffins. I was one of those people who would eat a large muffin and then scream when I realized how many calories they contained. I have been addicted to Jillian Michaels' Banana Blueberry Muffins from the Master Your Metabolism Cookbook. Now I'm on the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins that I found on food.com. I had a little help eating them so I had to make a second batch!

Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

3 medium very ripe bananas (I freeze overripe bananas and thaw them for baking and smoothies.)
1 eggs (I use All-Whites)
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk or 1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup granulated sugar or 1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
1 1/2 cups flour or 3/4 cup white flour and 3/4 cup white whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 -3 tablespoons chocolate chips (This amount is not nearly enough!)
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts (More is you like nuts; omit if you don't)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly coat 12 muffin tin liners with cooking spray and place in muffin tin.
In large bowl, mash bananas with fork.
Whisk in egg, milk, granulated sugar, and brown sugar and applesauce.
In separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt.
Add flour mixture to banana mixture and combine well.
Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Spoon equal amounts of batter into 12 muffin cups. I use fold muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly in pan, then remove to wire rack.

The original nutrition info was: Calories 167, Fat 1.2, Fiber 1.2mg. I added the applesauce, oats, and extra chocolate chip but I haven't run the recipe through recipe builder for final nutritional info.

It's time to get my rest. That is another challenge!!

Motivation

2010-08-26T20:19:00.001-07:00

Earlier today Tracy and I were discussing our weight loss goals and we realized we need motivation. Not just fitting in our clothes or being healthy but there is one thing that will motivate people to do anything.......MONEY! Hence, the birth of our new 12-week challenge in our office.

So far, we have seven co-workers on board. We will weigh-in weekly. (Weights will be confidential.) We will also pay a small weigh-in fee each payday. At the end of the challenge, the person with the highest percentage of weight loss wins. We are also considering other prizes for the top winners and maybe something for the first person to lose 10% of their starting weight.

We will have a weekly e-mail newsletter and some type of stickers for each weigh-in.

I guess I'll have to make those Banana Blueberry Muffins (from Jillian Michaels' Master Your Metabolism Cookbook.) for everyone. (I'm addicted to them.)

I can't wait!!

I'm Back!

2010-08-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

I'm back OP. That's Weight Watchers lingo for "on program". This is the ONLY way I can be successful in losing this weight and maintaining any weight loss. I can still incorporate other plans ie, more whole grains, organic whenever possible, but I was just lost without the Points. Even journaling with calories did not work for me.

I can't afford the meetings right now. (I opted for a gym membership instead.) Since I'm Lifetime I don't have to re-enroll but I do have to pay when I weigh-in if I am over two pounds over my goal weight. I do have the tools that I need and I have a lot of on-line pals who are going through the same daily food and exercise struggles.

I also need to blog more and journal whenever I need to "get it out". I have so many projects that I would like to do but I get tired and just never get around to it. At least this is the number one project and I'm starting today!

Still Struggling

2010-08-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

I am still struggling. I just can't control the food. This is totally insane. I have all of the tools but I just cannot get the job done.
I reviewed some of my old Weight Watchers journals. I lost weight but I ate too much junk and processed foods. Now I am trying to eat healthier but I am eating too much. Yes, you can get fat on "healthy food". If I can just integrate my healthier approach into my points and not be hungry all of the time, I'll be successful.
Of course, I am also frustrated because I have lost so much ground; not just with my weight but with my endurance. I am not as fit as I was a year ago and it really bugs me. I don't even think I am as fit as I was this past spring. Every time I tried to increase my intensity I either got sick or suffered an injury.
Hopefully, writing more will help and I am keeping a food journal again so wish me luck!

Money

2010-08-05T10:03:00.000-07:00

I am trying to decide whether to sign up for one of the services that pays you to place ads on your blog. I'm not sure it would be worth it and easy to get rid of if I don't like it. Hopefully I could have some input into which ads I would get. I would not be happy to have questionable ads on my blog.

Mini-Update

2010-08-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

I am so far behind with this blog. I've am still fighting the eating demons. I have started a couple of challenges (Awesome August and Down and Dirty with 30 Day Shred) and I think that will help.
I have to get this weight off and get my strength back.

I am still trying new recipes each week so I have a lot of catching up to do.

Starting Over

2010-07-12T05:52:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's Monday again and yes, I'm starting over. Every Monday I start over. I didn't lose any weight last week so I start over every Monday.
It's getting old and I know that until I really get to the bottom of my issues, I'll never be successful again. Welcome to my world of emotional eating. At some point during almost every day, I find some excuse to overeat. It doesn't matter what the food is. It can be something as simple as cherries but I will eat too much of something. I realize it when I'm doing it, but I don't stop. This is total insanity. No, I can't afford a shrink so I have to deal with it. It has always been under the surface but within the last year I just can't get the structure back to beat it. Yes, I am writing in my journal, so at least I can see what I am doing. I am stocking the pantry with healthy foods so that the damage will be minimal but I need to lose these twenty-five pounds.
Maybe this will be the week.....

New Recipe

2010-06-20T11:13:00.000-07:00

I've been trying out at least one new recipe every week. This week it's Jillian's Fudge Brownie recipe from her Master Your Metabolism Cookbook.

Before I get started, I have to confess, I don't have a lot of organic ingredients on hand. I am trying to transition to organic but I don't the money to throw everything out and start fresh. I do buy bulk items (whole wheat flour, steel cut oats, quinoa, etc) and a lot of fresh fruit and veggies at Sprouts so that I can just buy what I need for a lot cheaper price.

While I was making the brownies, I stumbled upon another treat. One of the steps in the recipe calls for cocoa powder added to heated honey. Of course I had to taste it. This was the mistake or the discovery. (They are often the same,right?). Why couldn't I add a drizzle of this to a peanut butter and banana sandwich or wrap? (Great with Ezekiel bread or Ezekiel tortillas) Or even use it in lieu of chocolate syrup to make a banana split? Oh yeah!

The mixture in the brownie recipe is 2/3 cup honey heated in the microwave until it's runny and bubbling, 45-60 seconds. Then 1/3 cup cocoa powder is mixed in with a fork. This is very sweet so you might want to vary the amounts to taste.

For a banana split I will also use Plain Greek yogurt instead if ice cream and fresh or frozen strawberries and pineapple topped with chopped walnuts or almonds. Yes, I did try this with Greek yogurt. It takes it to a Whole Nutha Level!

By the way, the brownies were good. They were very sweet. Be careful not to overcook them. I'll definitely make them again, especially since they are only 86 calories each. I didn't take a picture because there is a great blog with reviews of Jillian's recipes from MYM and pictures of them since they are none in the cookbook. The address is http://www.lvcavephoto.com/blog/?p=172

Summer Part 1

2010-06-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Listening to a friend talk about green beans fresh from her garden took me back. Back to summers long since forgotten.

Summers in my parents garden. There were fresh green beans, tomatoes , potatoes, peas, corn, and of course GREENS! They owned it but they had this sharing spirit. Anyone could come pick vegetables. All you had to do was ask. Then there were apple trees, pear trees, a plum tree, and a grape vine. Homegrown. That's why none of us can duplicate Mother's cooking. It was fresh and homegrown. Even a lot of the meat came from homegrown cattle and hogs. Now I'm trying to get back to local and organic. I guess I'm going back to my roots.

Every summer my parents would go to the peach orchards of Pope and Johnson counties in Arkansas. I can still smell and taste the freshly picked peaches, peeled with a pocket knife and slipped to me through a lowered car window or baked in huge cobbler. Mother had a huge pan with a lid that probably came from a steam table. It would still be warm when she served it. If you were lucky, she had made a freezer of homemade ice cream! Yes, the three of us fought over the dash. (The dash is the thing in the freezer that mixes the ice cream. It's removed at then end and of course it's covered with ice cream!)

Those were summers of cousins visiting, homecoming celebrations with barbecue and fried fish, and family reunions with family we hadn't seen since the last reunion or funeral. Those were summers full of family, friends, laughter, and food.

Oh and I can't forget the Congress (of Christian Education). The yearly church meeting for Christian instruction. It was so good to see all of your friends. We always got in trouble for something, usually minor. If a certain adult saw you with gum, she would pass one of those funeral home fans around the choir and everyone had to deposit their gum on it. Now that is an appetizing site!

There was church camp and band camp. Church camp at Camp Heart of the Hills. There we were in the middle of the Ouachita National Forest aka the middle of nowhere having a blast, singing, praying, swimming, hiking, eating Now-Laters, and providing laughter and a few headaches for my pastor and my mom's friends who were counselors.

Band camp was close to home but still fun. Once again there were more friends from all over the state. Learning was truly fun. Did you know I was never a majorette but I could still twirl a baton? I don't think I ever broke anything....

There were those dusty roads in "The Bend". The Bend is Happy Bend. My house wasn't there but when you dad pastors a church for longer that you have been on this earth it is home. First, The Bend was a place where you were taught to love the Lord. You weren't taught that from lip service either. We had living examples. It was a place were kids were raised to respect their elders. It was a place where everyone was your parent. It was a place where kids were taught hard work. It was a place were you could sleep at the foot of the bed and enjoy laughing about it as an adult. There people had large families and weren't on TV. It was just life. It was a place where you could chase fireflies, ride horses or just walk "the lane" and fight the wasps for the berries growing along the side of the road. Playing, giggling, dreaming girls enjoying their summer without a care in the world. It was a place where you didn't know you were poor because you weren't!

Part 2 coming soon.......

2010-06-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Never again

I am done with Albertsons. It is a joke. Now I understand why there are only a few Albertsons stores left in DFW.

I decided to “run to Albertsons” on my lunch break. Yes, I know that was my first mistake. They had one the Michelina’s Lean Gourmet frozen dinners on sale. The pepperoni pizza rolls are a great substitution for a couple of slices of pizza. There was an in-store coupon in their sale paper that brought the price to 69 cents each. That’s worth the short trip (maybe a mile).

Problem #1. Of course when I arrived they did not all most of the Lean Gourmet varieties. I should have known better. Albertson stores are smaller and just don’t have the same selection. (Isn’t the definition of insanity to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result?) Of course there was only one of the prized pizza rolls left. Not to be deterred, I grabbed that one and a couple of others that would make a decent lunch.

Problem #2. Why oh why did I decide to not stand in the one open line behind three other people? Oh no, I can check my self out. Don’t do it!!!! In most other stores this works but in Albertsons it just doesn’t cut it. First of all, once they installed the self-check-out stations they would only staff one manned checkout lane.

Problem #3. The coupon. First of all, the coupon has to be scanned multiple times if more than one of the item is purchased. Do you think the computer will appreciate that?

Second the coupon has to be handed to the attendant. Under normal circumstances that works. Today it was a recipe for disaster, which brings us to problem #4.

Problem #4. Since the coupon use was a disaster, the attendant was literally scanning another customer’s groceries and struggling with the whole coupon disaster. I tried to be patient even with the scanner continuously stating that I needed to give my coupon to the attendant. Finally the NCR person that was trying to fix another scanner asked the other loitering employees to help me. Of course, no one could do that. Finally someone re-set it but he could not help me with the coupon issue. That’s when I threatened to just go back to work and leave the groceries there. Yes, right there thawing… Finally someone who could assist me with the coupons arrived but wait…there is yet another problem to deal with.

Problem #5. The coupon only works for “selected varieties”. I accept that except please let someone know which varieties are acceptable! The employee finally said that it worked for two items just pick two and we’ll call it done.

So I left Albertson’s for the last time today. Minus a lunch break and minus $2.72. Yes folks, that’s it. After all of that I only spent $2.72. I have two Michelina Lean Gourmet entrees and a few Pink Lady apples (They were $1.00 per pound). Now I need medication and I didn’t even buy chocolate!

Biggest Loser 5K Slideshow

2010-05-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

Biggest Loser

2010-04-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

The Dallas 5K episode of The Biggest Loser airs tonight at 7pm on NBC. Hopefully everyone will get to see how much fun we had. Maybe I'll be in a camera shot. If I'm not it was still a phenomenal experience. That's all I can say until after the episode airs....No one wants to be the spoiler!

Posterous

2010-04-24T06:27:00.001-07:00

Awesome post about Flavour

http://havencauble.posterous.com/flavour

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New Rules

2010-03-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

This post really hit home.
http://bit.ly/cfsFtn

Cereals

2010-03-23T10:21:00.000-07:00

One more link. All breakfast cereals are NOT alike!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/71059-the-truth-about-cereal/

A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain

2010-03-23T10:18:00.000-07:00

Read about HCFS and obesity

A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain

Fish

2010-03-03T19:06:00.001-08:00

Blogs I Follow

2010-02-22T11:23:00.000-08:00

I've added a list of blogs that i follow. I get so much inspiration and education from others. Hope you'll benefit as much as I do.
I forgot to ask....Is spring ever going to arrive????????????

Biggest Loser

2010-02-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

I had the wonderful opportunity today to participate in a 5K with the Biggest Loser contestants! I can't divulge any real info but it was an awesome experience. EVERYONE associated with the show was nice and made it a point to make it a fun experience. I also met some amazing people who were there to participate.
Now I have no excuse, I can walk/run a 5K in weather below 50 degrees. (The temp was in the low 40's.) I also can jog a little more than I do without a lot of discomfort. I just have to find the right intensity.
I am also starting a trial of 24 hr fitness........Zumba here I come. Maybe even the pool. The aqua stuff is a lot easier on my knees. Hopefully I can also do the bike class.
Now when I think about getting off track I can just think about my experience today. It will make me realize it just isn't worth it. I can definitely make this life change forever!!!!!
Oh yeah one more thing...........WHO DAT?! CONGRATS TO THE SAINTS

The Fast

2010-01-10T07:07:00.000-08:00

OK. I'm going to do the fast. This year I didn't freak out. Does that mean I'm making progress in my obsession/addiction with food? It will be a great chance to re-group and re-focus. It will take a lot of prayer......
http://www.fellowshipchurch.com/fast

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T22:41:00.000-08:00

One more year gone to the history books. I could easily say "good riddance" but I did accomplish a few things in 2009. I managed to re-connect with more family and friends. (The much maligned FB gets a lot of credit for this one.) I have been notoriously lazy about keeping in touch. I believe I treasure my relationships more these days. (I must be getting old--LOL) I actually completed a 5K--walked but did it. I also managed to take a real vacation and see the Grand Canyon and eat my first In-N-Out burger. I also managed to lose some weight. Even though I have gained some of it back (see comment about In-N-Out). I did accomplish it.

I also realized that I got lost somewhere along the line. I've been really just getting by and that's no fun. I'm in the process of finding myself again. I'm going to do a lot of things that I enjoy but no longer do.

Now for 2010. I have actually made goals--not resolutions--actual goals. I refuse to post them here. I probably should but I'm just not ready for that. We'll see how that works.

Now let's see if I can get the Christmas decorations down by Monday. Wish me luck!!!

LOVE

2009-12-23T21:24:00.000-08:00

That says it all. Christmas is LOVE!
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DFW BMW Club

2009-11-28T08:36:00.000-08:00

One more S1000RR picture
http://www.bmwdfw.org/index.html

Black Friday

2009-11-27T07:21:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe I'm not out on Black Friday. I'll have to admit it is fun but is there really anything that I need bad enough to fight the crowd? Besides, I have plenty to do here at home.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T16:21:00.000-08:00

I truly have a lot to be thankful for this year. Just looking at my blog brings to mind my wonderful vacation this year without a glitch! I also have wonderful family and friends who I enjoy and who are always there with love and support. I've really enjoyed re-connecting with so many people. I am notorious for not keeping in touch so I'm now having a blast doing that.

So many people have so little these days it really makes us look at the non-monetary things that have to be thankful for. Things like a beautiful Texas sunset or the gorgeous Arizona desert or that big beautiful hole in the ground in northern Arizona. It may be something as simple as waking up with a home, food, and a job or simply waking up period.

We all need to remember that Thanksgiving is about more than the food, more than the football....

Check out the Texas Pumpkin Pie. What a surprise treat!

NASCAR

2009-11-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

Beautiful fall day at TMS. Love the infield. Missed the TV commentary. Learned to use Twitter for updates.

Mobile pictures

2009-10-24T06:52:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of uploading my mobile phone photos. They might end up either here on the blog or on Picasa (Google's photo site). They just aren't looking good on Snapfish. I think the resolution is too small for Snapfish and they look awful there. We'll see....

California and Grand Canyon (211 photos), by e mullins

2009-10-22T19:29:00.001-07:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.

Not yet

2009-10-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

The pictures will be on Snapfish soon. Considering posting the top ten on the blog. I am in the process of organizing and adding captions. Note to self--next time take a laptop and upload photos daily!

The Road Home

2009-10-18T18:28:00.000-07:00

The last leg of our trip began in Santa Rosa, NM. We stopped in Amarillo at The Big Texan. As a child growing up and traveling on I-40 I always wondered if it really existed. As an adult living in Texas I knew it was there and knew that I had to see it. It's really a funny tourist place. We didn't eat there so we didn't try to eat the huge steak and trimmings but it was a fun photo-op.

We also stopped and picked up barbecue at The Smokehouse in Lindsay. (Good ribs!) DH has customers who live in the area so we'll be back up there to visit and maybe try Deiter's next time.

Now we are home catching up on eight days of laundry and getting ready to re-enter the rat race.
We are so thankful to have had a great trip with some wonderful memories.

Home

2009-10-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

Home safely. Too tired to blog about the final leg. I'll do that tomorrow. We're going to bed.
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More Route 66

2009-10-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

Sorry if these are posted twice but remote locations don't always have consistent data connections.

We left the Canyon today. We chose to take the quick route to Flagstaff instead of the scenic route. The elk would have been cool to see but really didn't want to risk hitting one!

More desert and mountain landscape today. We did see some of the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. We managed to get that shot of the Continental Divide sign.(Do you remember your geography?) Also great mountains in New Mexico.

Most fun stop was "Standing on a corner in Winslow,Arizona." Does everyone know where they've heard that before? You can also"get you kicks on Route 66" in Winslow. All of the towns on remaining portions of Route 66 play it up for tourism dollars. It is fun for us baby-boomers.

We're staying in Santa Rosa instead of Albuquerque or Tucumcari. On the recommendation of our hotel desk clerk,we ate at a cute place called the Lake City Diner. Good, fresh, New Mexican food.

HOME TOMORROW (but we have to stop at The Big Texan first) Hook 'Em Horns!

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THE CANYON

2009-10-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!
The air is clean; the sky was clear. At 7200 ft elevation the air is thin. Asthma sufferers might get a little short of breath with exertion. (I did use my inhaler before leaving the hotel.) When we got up the temp was 31 degrees but warmed up to a high of 71 degrees. Tomorrow it should be 34/74.

You can walk to the edge of the canyon. Some areas of the South Rim (Arizona side)can be only be reached by taking a free shuttle or hiking. Going down to the river would require hiking,mules or one of the jeep tours. Some of it can even be seen from one of the roads. You really don't have to pay for a tour. Unless you're daring and rich and would like a helicopter tour.

The skywalk is closer to Las Vegas and run by one of the Indian tribes. It is on tribal land and is 5 hours from Grand Canyon National Park.

Admission to the park is $25 per car. It would be cool to rent an RV and camp. There are lodges in the park but they are more expensive than staying in Tusayan--only 5 miles to the rim.

We have heard so many different languages--German,French,Japanese,Russian,Korean,Navaho,Spanish, Cajun and Texan LOL. We also met a couple from Alaska. They are Texas snowbirds. Can you believe they came to see The Canyon? They have Denali out their back door :-)

Tomorrow Albuquerque and Santa Rosa via Flagstaff (more Route 66!).
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Trip to the Canyon

2009-10-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

After our breakfast with a couple of Razorbacks (One was even an ATU alumnus!) we headed for the canyon. After realizing our trip to The Canyon would be over 400 miles,we decided to skip the side trip to Vegas. We'll have to do that another time.

Of course it was raining when we left Ontario, but our first clue there would be a problem was the first "limited visibility possible in the pass" sign. To put it mildly it was pea soup. We could not see the mountains until we were right at them. I started to volunteer to drive but it would have bothered my DH even more than driving through it himself. Suddenly it was gone and the scene in front of us was amazing--truly heaven-sent. Another time on this trip that a scene could only be recreated on canvas. The colors of the southwest are truly amazing!

I drove the remainder of the trip to our hotel in Grand Canyon,AZ. For those of us who grew up on I-40, it is a magical moment when you take I-40 where it begins (I-15 goes on to Las Vegas). I-40 reminded me of a wide mountain road.

We saw more of Route 66 and stopped at Seligman,AZ. It's a cute little wide spot in the road and totally plays up the Route 66 history.

From Williams we took Hwy 64 up to the hotel. It's a 2-lane mountain road with occassional passind lanes. The limit is 65 and there aren't a lot of curves just a nice gradual climb to over 6000 ft elevation. The sky looks fake! It is so blue and the puffy clouds just don't look real. It looks close enough to touch. Once again a picture just will not capture this.

By the time we got checked in and settled in it was dinnertime and already dark so we'll start our visit to the South Rim tomorrow.

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Tuesday

2009-10-14T05:48:00.000-07:00

I had a great visit with my cousin Pat. She and her boyfriend drove an hour to get out to Ontario. Quite a feat for someone who gets carsick very easily. I really appreciate it!

After Pat's visit I had a little time before Leo's class would be done so I decided to go out and look for Wal-Mart (of course I would need a Wal-Mart). One of these days I will realize that the rest of the world is not populated by Super Wal-Mart and Super Target. Why are they not all Superstores????

The good part is that my little excursion took me to old Route 66 and a nice shopping area called Victoria Gardens. OK I didn't do more shopping BUT I did eat myself silly. There was a Sees candy store--my favorite. I also found Pinkberry--the Pachugo of frozen yogurt--YUM. (Today's pictures are from that area--Foothills Blvd in Rancho Cucamonga.)

We had a great time visiting with our new friends from Houston and Anchorage. Praying for a safe trip home for everyone.

Today we're heading back east in the rain. Once we leave the area heading east I think we'll be out of the rain. They've had a lot of accidents in LA because of the rain. (See people in Dallas aren't the only people that can't drive in the rain:-)

I have to plan another trip just for fun. There are a lot of things I didn't get a chance to see and do. Guess I'd better start saving my money. We also have to take a trip to Nashville soon.

Anyway on to The Canyon!

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Shopping

2009-10-12T19:24:00.000-07:00

The weather held so far. Nice, cool and cloudy,but late in the day the clouds broke enough to see the bottom of the mountain. I don't have a camera that can get a good shot of it but trust me it was awesome--God is good!

OMG!! The Coach store was packed. There were some great deals (some 50%). People had so many purses they had to use the huge canvas bags that the store gives you to carry everything while you're shopping. They were buying purses to sell in Japan/China where there is no Coach outlet. Too many purses not enough$$$

Ontario Mills is Grapevine Mills with Allen Premium Outlet thrown in there. My feet hurt so bad I had to wear tennis shoes to dinner.

Dinner at Chevy's. I was so busy shopping that I forgot to eat lunch but I made up for it at dinner and I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

We met a guy from Anchorage, Alaska who's here for the BMW classes. He and his wife rode their bikes from Indiana to Alaska 30 years ago and decided to relocate. There is one guy who rode his GS (one of the BMW motorcycles) from Albuquerque. There are two other guys and two girls from Texas so we are well represented.

Tomorrow I get to visit with my cousin Pat!

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Weather

2009-10-12T06:14:00.001-07:00

Great weather until we finally make it to LA. Storms and mudslides in the forecast. At least we sat out by the pool yesterday. Leave it to me to get a few nice weather hours here before the forecast changes to drizzle and then storms--oh joy!
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We made it!

2009-10-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Beverly Hillbillies finally made it to Cali.
We left Phoenix this morning and six hours and 350 miles of desert and mountains later we arrived in Ontario (and I drove most of it including the LA area traffic!) We traveled through some of the most beautiful parts of this country. I think the word in the car was just "WOW". If I were a better photographer I would still be out on that road taking pictures.
We finally got our first In-n-Out burger! Nobody warned me--it is a total zoo in there!!!!
Now we're resting up for tomorrow. Poor Leo has class for the next two days but I get to play! The hotel is adjacent to the mall so tomorrow is shopping for me.
(The pictures are One In-N-Out picture and one picture of the scenery from the hotel here in Ontario with a little smog included.)
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Chandler

2009-10-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

We made it to Chandler,AZ (Phoenix). It took forever because we just played around, made lots of stops and just enjoyed the ride and the views. Love the desert and the mountains. Oh yeah I just gotta say it,"it's a dry heat!" LOL
Tomorrow Ontario (LA)....

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Middle of Nowhere

2009-10-10T11:48:00.001-07:00

We are truly in the middle of nowhere. The last stop we made was the last gas stop for 40 miles. I asked the lady in Dairy Queen what was the next town. The next "big town" is Tucson--180 miles to the west! We truly feel sorry for the big rig that just blew a tire and did some damage to his truck out here in the middle of nowhere.
We have been taking our time this morning. We stopped at the world's largest Harley store--Barnett's in El Paso and a couple of souvenier shops.
We are truly enjoying the dry desert air.
Missed getting a picture at the Continental Divide. Maybe we'll get one on I-40 on the way back. The elevation was over 4000 ft!
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El Paso

2009-10-09T21:18:00.000-07:00

We arrived in El Paso after a nice 11 hour drive. We saw big turbine farms and smelled the black gold (Texas Tea) LOL. There really is NOTHING after you leave Odessa except the beautiful Davis and Guadalupe Mountains. Totally different landscape. I really feel like I'm in the Southwest. I'll have to come back when I can go to Big Bend.
On to Phoenix...

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On the road

2009-10-09T12:51:00.001-07:00

Beautiful weather in Midland--sunny,temp 65 degrees!
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Edit to add I can't reply to comments from my phone--stupid. Anywhoo, yes we're on our way to Ontario.

ROAD TRIP

2009-10-08T15:21:00.000-07:00

Check back for details and updates!

The new BMW 1000 RR

2009-10-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

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Proposed Medicare Cuts for 2010

2009-09-29T10:42:00.000-07:00

Please check out this website regarding proposed Medicare cuts in 2010 and I hope you will contact your Senator and Congressmen. It's very important and very easy to do.

http://guardingheartsalliance.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=20&Itemid=6

Test

2009-09-27T20:28:00.001-07:00

Test
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STOP SCREAMING

2009-08-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

Read and STOP SCREAMING!!!!!!!!!

http://www.factcheck.org/

I am crazy

2009-07-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

I must be crazy to do this. Does anyone really care what I think?