It is an exciting day for me on weigh in Wednesday! I was bummed last week because I missed the first goal I set for myself by .5 lb. This week, I am excited to say that I have made my first goal of 10 lbs lost. -1 lb this week. To congratulate myself, I am buying 2 Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks for my collection. Yay me!!
Last week, I also set a goal to add some weights into my workout. I did get a couple of workouts in this past week. I can't believe how sore my arm muscles were from doing 2 sets of lifts with a measly 2 lb weight. That just goes to show how out of shape I'm in. I used to lift weights all the time in college, now I'm lucky to lift 2 lbs over my head 15 times. Sad, but...it's a start with the weights and I am pleased that I followed through. I even had a little personal trainer helping me along the way. The book that I am reading said that when you hit your 30's because of hormones and lifestyle changes, you start losing 1/2 to 1 lb of muscle a year. Because of this, your metabolism slows down 1% for every lb of muscle lost. Then, your percentage of body fat increases. That doesn't sound very promising for me as I push very close to 40. The book goes on to say that if you work every major muscle group just twice a week, you can replace 2 lbs of lost muscle in 8 weeks, therefore increasing your metabolism and dropping more wieght.
I am really pleased with my eating habits. They have changed tremendously in the last 8 weeks definitely for the better. I don't feel full all the time because I'm not snacking all the time and the snacks that I am eating are low fat, low cal. My focus this week, is to increase the strength training to 5 days a week.
My new overall goal to achieve is to lose 31 lbs. 31 lbs will take me into the 100's which I haven't seen in a very long time. I know it's a long and tougher goal but I am hoping that will make me work harder. As a side goal there is a pair of jeans that I have that I would like to get into before the cold weather hits. Here's hoping for a good week.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Wednesday Weigh In - Week 7
Good morning! A week has come and gone and it's time to weigh in again! Those weeks sure do seems to fly by. Hoping to meet my first goal this week. Here we go....-2.5lbs. Missed my goal by half a lb!!! Well that's a bummer. But the good news is that I will have it next week so I better start thinking of a reward for myself.
Once again, exercise has been an important part in my weight loss. I have gone for a walk every day this week. Sometimes it was very early morning before the girls went to school, sometimes after dinner when Harry got home from work. I am really enjoying it!!! One of the books I am reading says that "walking just 1 hour a week slices your risk of having a heart attack in half". I think my heart might love me for all the walking that I am doing. I did fail in one aspect. I was going to start some weight training this week and I didn't. So, that is my goal for the week. My cousin Becky let me borrow a book that has easy 10 minute workouts using weights. Stayed tuned to see how it turns out.
Making sure I ate healthy lunches was helpful in my weight loss this week, too. Lean ham sandwiches on one slice of bread, turkey bacon sandwich, a salad with oven roasted chicken pieces (Schwann's has oven roasted chicken bites that are fully cooked and only 90 calories for 6 pieces), and tuna fish salad with Miracle Whip light on toasted English muffin. Pretzels, pickles, and fruit have been used in the place of chips. Need to pick up some celery and carrots the next time I'm at the store to add to my lunches.
Thanks to my husband for watching the kids so I can go for my walks this week and thanks for saying we're broke so that I have to stay home and cook instead of going out to eat. :) A big thank you to all of you for giving me postive reinforcement to keep going. It helps tremendously to know that you are being supported by friends and family. Looking forward to next week when I reach my first goal and making plans for my second goal in weight loss.
Once again, exercise has been an important part in my weight loss. I have gone for a walk every day this week. Sometimes it was very early morning before the girls went to school, sometimes after dinner when Harry got home from work. I am really enjoying it!!! One of the books I am reading says that "walking just 1 hour a week slices your risk of having a heart attack in half". I think my heart might love me for all the walking that I am doing. I did fail in one aspect. I was going to start some weight training this week and I didn't. So, that is my goal for the week. My cousin Becky let me borrow a book that has easy 10 minute workouts using weights. Stayed tuned to see how it turns out.
Making sure I ate healthy lunches was helpful in my weight loss this week, too. Lean ham sandwiches on one slice of bread, turkey bacon sandwich, a salad with oven roasted chicken pieces (Schwann's has oven roasted chicken bites that are fully cooked and only 90 calories for 6 pieces), and tuna fish salad with Miracle Whip light on toasted English muffin. Pretzels, pickles, and fruit have been used in the place of chips. Need to pick up some celery and carrots the next time I'm at the store to add to my lunches.
Thanks to my husband for watching the kids so I can go for my walks this week and thanks for saying we're broke so that I have to stay home and cook instead of going out to eat. :) A big thank you to all of you for giving me postive reinforcement to keep going. It helps tremendously to know that you are being supported by friends and family. Looking forward to next week when I reach my first goal and making plans for my second goal in weight loss.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Back to School Time
It's that time of year again! Bedtimes are once again 8 p.m., Hello Kitty alarm clock blasting out Radio Disney at 7:00 a.m., lunches being packed, one crying because she doesn't like what I made her for lunch, the other one crying because she doesn't want to wear those clothes, the third one crying because the other two don't want her to walk to school with them. Yes, it's back to school time!
I love back to school time! Of course, I kid the girls and tell them it is mommy's most favorite holiday in the whole year. I start the first day of school count down with weeks to go. Every time we pass by the school, I wave and say "see you soon". They think it's because mommy needs a 10 month vacation (which I do) but the real reason is I am so excited to be starting the year right there with them.
When I was a kid, I enjoyed going to Wal-mart to purchase my back to school supplies. I would put my own name on them and have them just so. I'm still going to Wal-mart to purchase back to school supplies and putting names on them and having them just so, except this time I have to pay for them with my own money. The girls love it too. They have fun picking out the color/design of a folder or notebook they want, putting crayons, markers, pencils, and glue sticks, and glue sticks, and glue sticks in the cart. Then you have to go clothes shopping. Deciding what to wear on that first day of school can wear you out alone. My girls are still young enough that I can say "Hey, how about this cute outfit?" in an upbeat sing songing tone and they are like "Yeah!". At this point it doesn't matter if it came from Target rather than Abercrombie & Fitch just as long as it's new. I'm sure that won't last too much longer, since the pre-teen years loom very close in my future.
Another thing I loved about the first day of school was seeing who your teacher was and who was in your homeroom class that year. Especially the boys. I won't put the boys names on here since many of them are my facebook friends. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by making known my 5th grade crush from some 30 years ago. It was great seeing all your friends that you didn't get to see over the summer. Everyone talking at once, jumping up and down, admiring clothes, shoes, and boys together.
I love when the girls come home from school and are excited about what they did or the happenings that took place at school that day. I love seeing the art projects they made and their ecstatic faces when I oohh and aahh over it and then hang it up on our special wall in the kitchen for all to admire. I love spelling words!!!!! I love listening to them read their homework to me while I'm cooking dinner. Not too fond of the math, but I survive it by putting on a fake happy smile that says "Math is cool" and then pass it off quickly to daddy. (Sorry Mr. Derwort, Mrs. Danford, and Mr. Lewis, I still don't get it). I love when they get excited about incentives they can earn from the treasure box, or parties they are having, or family reading nights, fall festival nights, grandparents day, parents day, and book fairs. Ah, the book fairs.
From starting out in the little kindergarten building in Marissa with a half day of class and Mrs. Kuhnert as my first teacher, all the way through college to my senior year at Blackburn with my favorite college professor Dr. Singh right there along side of me, I always loved the first day of school. I see the excitement in the girl's eyes as they start their 2nd and 3rd grade years and I just hope and pray that excitement carries them all the way through their senior year in whatever college they choose (as long as it's close to home, sniff, sniff, tear, tear).
I love back to school time! Of course, I kid the girls and tell them it is mommy's most favorite holiday in the whole year. I start the first day of school count down with weeks to go. Every time we pass by the school, I wave and say "see you soon". They think it's because mommy needs a 10 month vacation (which I do) but the real reason is I am so excited to be starting the year right there with them.
When I was a kid, I enjoyed going to Wal-mart to purchase my back to school supplies. I would put my own name on them and have them just so. I'm still going to Wal-mart to purchase back to school supplies and putting names on them and having them just so, except this time I have to pay for them with my own money. The girls love it too. They have fun picking out the color/design of a folder or notebook they want, putting crayons, markers, pencils, and glue sticks, and glue sticks, and glue sticks in the cart. Then you have to go clothes shopping. Deciding what to wear on that first day of school can wear you out alone. My girls are still young enough that I can say "Hey, how about this cute outfit?" in an upbeat sing songing tone and they are like "Yeah!". At this point it doesn't matter if it came from Target rather than Abercrombie & Fitch just as long as it's new. I'm sure that won't last too much longer, since the pre-teen years loom very close in my future.
Another thing I loved about the first day of school was seeing who your teacher was and who was in your homeroom class that year. Especially the boys. I won't put the boys names on here since many of them are my facebook friends. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself by making known my 5th grade crush from some 30 years ago. It was great seeing all your friends that you didn't get to see over the summer. Everyone talking at once, jumping up and down, admiring clothes, shoes, and boys together.
I love when the girls come home from school and are excited about what they did or the happenings that took place at school that day. I love seeing the art projects they made and their ecstatic faces when I oohh and aahh over it and then hang it up on our special wall in the kitchen for all to admire. I love spelling words!!!!! I love listening to them read their homework to me while I'm cooking dinner. Not too fond of the math, but I survive it by putting on a fake happy smile that says "Math is cool" and then pass it off quickly to daddy. (Sorry Mr. Derwort, Mrs. Danford, and Mr. Lewis, I still don't get it). I love when they get excited about incentives they can earn from the treasure box, or parties they are having, or family reading nights, fall festival nights, grandparents day, parents day, and book fairs. Ah, the book fairs.
From starting out in the little kindergarten building in Marissa with a half day of class and Mrs. Kuhnert as my first teacher, all the way through college to my senior year at Blackburn with my favorite college professor Dr. Singh right there along side of me, I always loved the first day of school. I see the excitement in the girl's eyes as they start their 2nd and 3rd grade years and I just hope and pray that excitement carries them all the way through their senior year in whatever college they choose (as long as it's close to home, sniff, sniff, tear, tear).
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Wednesday Weigh In - Week 6
Good morning! Wednesday weigh-in is here again. Was a little worried about this week. We went up to the state fair this past weekend and you know there is really not anything good to eat at a fair. I didn't do too bad though. I had a grilled pork chop sandwich, a few bites of the girls funnel cake, and a slushie. Today the results showed that all is good. Down 2 lbs this week! Proud to say that I am 3 lbs away from my first goal.
I am feeling better than I have been in awhile. The last couple of days Harry has had to work late so I actually got up in the morning to walk before he left for work. The most I have hit the snooze is twice, which is really good for me. I can go a half hour or more just hitting that snooze button.
I am still soda free. Been drinking alot of tea and water. I am actually craving water probably because I am trying to be more active. I have exercised everyday this week! Walking around 2 days of the state fair was definitely considered exercise! I have gone out to eat at restaurants a couple of times this week and made good choices even though those onion rings smelled so good! Can't give into temptation now.
Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat. My favorite things to eat for breakfast are: Kelloggs Nutra-grain waffles, chocolate Cheerios, Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Toast, and I have made my own egg and cheese biscuits by using 100 cal English muffins, fat free cheese, and a scrambled egg. I also have a great recipe for French toast using hot dog buns. They are delicious and really low in calories and fat. Of course, fruit has continued to be present as much as possible. Throw in some turkey bacon that we occasionally have and I could eat breakfast for lunch and dinner too. I know some people usually skip a meal to try to lose weight but that is not helpful at all. Especially breakfast. Breakfast should be the biggest meal you eat while dinner should be the smallest. What do you have for a low-cal breakfast? Would love to get some new ideas to change it up.
This week, I will be pushing on to reach my first goal. I will continue to exercise everyday and watch what I am eating. I also may try to add in some weights this week. I leave you with this quote that I found in a book I was reading. Albert Einstein once said, "nothing happens until something moves". He was probably talking about science but it works just as well with shedding lbs. and exercising.
I am feeling better than I have been in awhile. The last couple of days Harry has had to work late so I actually got up in the morning to walk before he left for work. The most I have hit the snooze is twice, which is really good for me. I can go a half hour or more just hitting that snooze button.
I am still soda free. Been drinking alot of tea and water. I am actually craving water probably because I am trying to be more active. I have exercised everyday this week! Walking around 2 days of the state fair was definitely considered exercise! I have gone out to eat at restaurants a couple of times this week and made good choices even though those onion rings smelled so good! Can't give into temptation now.
Breakfast is my favorite meal to eat. My favorite things to eat for breakfast are: Kelloggs Nutra-grain waffles, chocolate Cheerios, Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Toast, and I have made my own egg and cheese biscuits by using 100 cal English muffins, fat free cheese, and a scrambled egg. I also have a great recipe for French toast using hot dog buns. They are delicious and really low in calories and fat. Of course, fruit has continued to be present as much as possible. Throw in some turkey bacon that we occasionally have and I could eat breakfast for lunch and dinner too. I know some people usually skip a meal to try to lose weight but that is not helpful at all. Especially breakfast. Breakfast should be the biggest meal you eat while dinner should be the smallest. What do you have for a low-cal breakfast? Would love to get some new ideas to change it up.
This week, I will be pushing on to reach my first goal. I will continue to exercise everyday and watch what I am eating. I also may try to add in some weights this week. I leave you with this quote that I found in a book I was reading. Albert Einstein once said, "nothing happens until something moves". He was probably talking about science but it works just as well with shedding lbs. and exercising.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
My Granny's Birthday
Today would have been my Granny's 86th birthday. This is the first time in 38 years that I'm not sharing her special day with her. Instead, she is celebrating her birthday with my Gramps and Jesus. I guess I shouldn't be too jealous. She hasn't celebrated a birthday with my Gramps in 26 years. I hope he has been saving up those presents for her all of those years or he is sure to hear about it. And to be celebrating with Jesus! I can't even imagine what kind of a bash that would be!
Granny never really did make a big deal out of her birthday. We usually got together to celebrate her birthday, mom and Jayme's birthday, and the Coal Fest (hometown picnic) all in August. She loved getting cards. She read every single one of them word for word. She loved sending them as much as receiving them. I've already missed several special moments this year where I was expecting a card to show up from her. I still remember the present I gave her last year for her birthday. It was pictures of the girls, some hair gel she ordered from Avon, and three wooden birds to hang on her Christmas tree. Those three birds now hang in my girls bedrooms to remind them of Granny.
I finally got up enough nerve to go out to the cemetary for the first time since she passed away. My problem with going out there may seem silly to some. For years, I had taken Granny out to the cemetary to put flowers on my Gramps grave. Her name was already on the tombstone but not the date of death. I just didn't want to go out there and see those four numbers next to her name...2011. But...I knew I had to go out there because I had vowed to make sure that Granny had pretty flowers on her grave. She always had flowers on my Gramps grave for every birthday/holiday since he passed away in 1985. Mom, my girls, my nephews, and I went out there yesterday to put flowers on her grave. Mom got some pretty pink and purple flowers to put on there and my sister and I got 2 balloons to put on there from the kids. The kids sang Happy Birthday to her and that's when I proceeded to lose it.
I still miss her very much every day. There are times when I want to just pick up the phone and call her to see if she wants to come over for dinner or if she needs to go to the store. Somedays I am lost without her but I am coping. I have wonderful memories that I look back on that always make me smile or laugh. I have something in every room of my house that reminds me of Granny. There is not a restaurant or store in the three city area that I don't have some kind of memory with Granny over the years. We had a wonderful relationship. Of course, there were times when she got on my nerves but they were few and far between. She was my rock to lean on, my sounding board when I needed to vent, and my helper whenever I needed it.
Granny was a wonderful person and a perfect grandma. I can only hope that when it is my turn to become a grandma that I will be as wonderful as she was. Happy Birthday, Granny! I love you and miss you so very much!!
Granny never really did make a big deal out of her birthday. We usually got together to celebrate her birthday, mom and Jayme's birthday, and the Coal Fest (hometown picnic) all in August. She loved getting cards. She read every single one of them word for word. She loved sending them as much as receiving them. I've already missed several special moments this year where I was expecting a card to show up from her. I still remember the present I gave her last year for her birthday. It was pictures of the girls, some hair gel she ordered from Avon, and three wooden birds to hang on her Christmas tree. Those three birds now hang in my girls bedrooms to remind them of Granny.
I finally got up enough nerve to go out to the cemetary for the first time since she passed away. My problem with going out there may seem silly to some. For years, I had taken Granny out to the cemetary to put flowers on my Gramps grave. Her name was already on the tombstone but not the date of death. I just didn't want to go out there and see those four numbers next to her name...2011. But...I knew I had to go out there because I had vowed to make sure that Granny had pretty flowers on her grave. She always had flowers on my Gramps grave for every birthday/holiday since he passed away in 1985. Mom, my girls, my nephews, and I went out there yesterday to put flowers on her grave. Mom got some pretty pink and purple flowers to put on there and my sister and I got 2 balloons to put on there from the kids. The kids sang Happy Birthday to her and that's when I proceeded to lose it.
I still miss her very much every day. There are times when I want to just pick up the phone and call her to see if she wants to come over for dinner or if she needs to go to the store. Somedays I am lost without her but I am coping. I have wonderful memories that I look back on that always make me smile or laugh. I have something in every room of my house that reminds me of Granny. There is not a restaurant or store in the three city area that I don't have some kind of memory with Granny over the years. We had a wonderful relationship. Of course, there were times when she got on my nerves but they were few and far between. She was my rock to lean on, my sounding board when I needed to vent, and my helper whenever I needed it.
Granny was a wonderful person and a perfect grandma. I can only hope that when it is my turn to become a grandma that I will be as wonderful as she was. Happy Birthday, Granny! I love you and miss you so very much!!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Wednesday Weigh In - Week 5
Ok, it is Wednesday again and time for the weekly weigh in. Whose with me????
This week I really worked at watching what I ate and exercising. I was completely without soda this week. Nothing but water and tea. I walked outside 4 days, did the elliptical 2 days, and 1 day nothing. So that scale better be kind to me today or out the window it goes. OK, here we go!! This week I am -5 lbs!!! Yay, Me!!!
That makes me feel so much better. Vacation weight is gone plus the 1 lb I lost when I started 5 weeks ago. Now only, well a lot more to go. But I'm not going to focus on that. I am still shooting for my first goal of 10 lbs lost. Halfway there!!! I went to the doctor last Friday just for a yearly check up. She did bloodwork to find out how my cholesterol and glucose were due to my obesity. Everything came back normal. Which I was thrilled. I'm not ready to start popping pills for this and that yet. Just need to shed these lbs.
As I said in an earlier post, the walking outside has actually got me more motivated to exercise. It is a change of pace and scenery. I have something to look at when I walk and fresh air to breathe. I think I will keep it up as long as I can. I have been walking for a half an hour a night at a pretty brisk pace. Still can only do about 20 minutes on the elliptical. I really push myself to hard on that thing. I can't seem to keep it at a slow and steady pace.
Here are some of the fun things I have found to eat that have helped me lose this week. I have to have a snack. If I don't have a snack, I will crave it and then just relapse. My favorite by far is the Kellogg Fruit Crisps. You get 2 crisps for 100 cal. They have strawberry and blueberry flavored. It's like your cheating and eating a pop tart. Of course, I need my chocolate so I get that fix from chocolate animal crackers (13 crackers for 100 cal) or a fat free chocolate pudding which is only 80 calories. I also made myself some sugar free jello that is only 10 calories a serving. I have substitued chips with pickles and kept fruit clean and available at all times. Snacking has always been my downfall. Being a stay at home mom and almost constantly in the kitchen, food is staring at you and calling your name at all hours of the day and night. If the girls want a snack, I usually get them one and then pop a few of the snack in my mouth as I close the bag. That begins to add up when you have 3 kids asking for different snacks at different times.
Well, I have to say that was a pretty good week. Looking forward to next week and some more negative numbers. My goal for this week is to continue exercising every day. Next week, I'll also let you in on some of my favorite breakfasts.
This week I really worked at watching what I ate and exercising. I was completely without soda this week. Nothing but water and tea. I walked outside 4 days, did the elliptical 2 days, and 1 day nothing. So that scale better be kind to me today or out the window it goes. OK, here we go!! This week I am -5 lbs!!! Yay, Me!!!
That makes me feel so much better. Vacation weight is gone plus the 1 lb I lost when I started 5 weeks ago. Now only, well a lot more to go. But I'm not going to focus on that. I am still shooting for my first goal of 10 lbs lost. Halfway there!!! I went to the doctor last Friday just for a yearly check up. She did bloodwork to find out how my cholesterol and glucose were due to my obesity. Everything came back normal. Which I was thrilled. I'm not ready to start popping pills for this and that yet. Just need to shed these lbs.
As I said in an earlier post, the walking outside has actually got me more motivated to exercise. It is a change of pace and scenery. I have something to look at when I walk and fresh air to breathe. I think I will keep it up as long as I can. I have been walking for a half an hour a night at a pretty brisk pace. Still can only do about 20 minutes on the elliptical. I really push myself to hard on that thing. I can't seem to keep it at a slow and steady pace.
Here are some of the fun things I have found to eat that have helped me lose this week. I have to have a snack. If I don't have a snack, I will crave it and then just relapse. My favorite by far is the Kellogg Fruit Crisps. You get 2 crisps for 100 cal. They have strawberry and blueberry flavored. It's like your cheating and eating a pop tart. Of course, I need my chocolate so I get that fix from chocolate animal crackers (13 crackers for 100 cal) or a fat free chocolate pudding which is only 80 calories. I also made myself some sugar free jello that is only 10 calories a serving. I have substitued chips with pickles and kept fruit clean and available at all times. Snacking has always been my downfall. Being a stay at home mom and almost constantly in the kitchen, food is staring at you and calling your name at all hours of the day and night. If the girls want a snack, I usually get them one and then pop a few of the snack in my mouth as I close the bag. That begins to add up when you have 3 kids asking for different snacks at different times.
Well, I have to say that was a pretty good week. Looking forward to next week and some more negative numbers. My goal for this week is to continue exercising every day. Next week, I'll also let you in on some of my favorite breakfasts.
Monday, August 8, 2011
A Summer Evening Walk
For the last three nights I have decided to take a walk around my neighborhood. I need the exercise and I read somewhere that walking outside does more for your body because the terrain you are walking on is so irregular that it works various muscle groups at one time. Not to mention it was 30 minutes each day of ME time. No phone ringing, no kids fighting, no t.v. blaring, and no household chores staring me in my face.
The first night I took a walk, I remembered my mom, my siblings, and I going for walks in the summer when I was younger. We would just take a walk around a couple of blocks just to get out of the house for awhile. Of course, we would never really get very far. There was always someone you knew outside of their homes and we would stop and chat and play. We usually only made it a block away. Mom's friend Diane Loyd lived in the next block and mom would stop to talk. Sometimes we would stay there for hours. I loved going to Diane's house because she had a daughter, Peri, who was older than me and she would let me come into her teenage room. I remember playing with her dolls. She had a Darcy doll that I just loved. She also had a group of dolls that were teenagers by day and rock stars at night. I can't remember their title but I know one of the girls was named Starr. Eventually, she gave me those dolls to have as my own when she got too old for them. She used to play cool rock and roll music on her record player. That was the first time I heard Billy Joel. My sister and brothers would play with Diane's younger son Jory. Eventually the playtime would slip across the street to include Stacy and Shea Acton. Or it may have spilled down another block to visit Grandma Teet and her black train engine that we could play in. It even had a working bell that you could ring. It was nice to have friends to play with in the neighborhood. After mom got done visiting we would head back home from our "walk". I guess you should really call it "talk" since there wasn't much walking going on. After awhile people moved away and we got older. Walks at night weren't as prevalent anymore unless Granny was visiting. She always loved to go on a walk. But I'm glad we did that as a family because it is a wonderful memory to me.
The second night of my walk I realized that going for a walk is not only exercise for your body but exercise for your senses as well. Hearing: I was listening to the wind move the leaves of the trees, neighborhood dogs saying hello as I walked by, children playing outside in their backyards, but my favorite sound was that of the cicadas. I LOVE the sound of the cicadas singing in the summer evenings. I don't know why but it always has been a comforting sound to me. I also loved to collect the cicada shells that you would find hanging on the trees. It was neat to hang them on your shirt. Although one time, I was at the bus stop one morning with my friend Paula Decker. It was probably about 1978ish. We found a cicada shell hanging on the tree at our bus stop. I went to pick it up and the cicada was still in it. I was really scared and kind of nervous about picking up another shell after that. Smelling: some of the scents that tickled my nose on my walk were freshly mown grass, rain in the air, spruce and cedar trees, BBQ grilling, but my favorite was the smell of the mimosa tree. That smell will always remind me of my granny and gramps house. They used to have a big mimosa tree out on the side of their house. I loved in the spring/summer when the windows were open and the scent of the mimosa tree blew into the house. Seeing: I hadn't realized how beautiful some of the houses are in my neighborhood. Some of them are really huge. I love to just imagine what they looked like when they were first built, what they had in their homes, and what kind of people lived there. There are some really pretty lawns and landscaping (especially the guy down the road who has a beautiful garden that I have been envious of for years), but the thing that caught my eye the most was butterflies. I saw various colored butterflies on my walk but the prettiest was a yellow and black butterfly that flew next to me for quite awhile. My granny used to love butterflies. I can just imagine her sending the butterfly to walk beside me like we used to do together so many times. I didn't taste anything on the walk (although I would have loved to taste that BBQ grilling) and I didn't touch anything but I did get a good workout of the other senses.
I am looking forward to more walks to come. It is much nicer to exercise outside than being down in the basement with only the t.v. to look at. Soon will be the sights and smells of my favorite season of the year to enjoy....Fall. Crushed leaves under your feet, pretty trees turning various colors, cooler air on your face. Can't wait!!!
The first night I took a walk, I remembered my mom, my siblings, and I going for walks in the summer when I was younger. We would just take a walk around a couple of blocks just to get out of the house for awhile. Of course, we would never really get very far. There was always someone you knew outside of their homes and we would stop and chat and play. We usually only made it a block away. Mom's friend Diane Loyd lived in the next block and mom would stop to talk. Sometimes we would stay there for hours. I loved going to Diane's house because she had a daughter, Peri, who was older than me and she would let me come into her teenage room. I remember playing with her dolls. She had a Darcy doll that I just loved. She also had a group of dolls that were teenagers by day and rock stars at night. I can't remember their title but I know one of the girls was named Starr. Eventually, she gave me those dolls to have as my own when she got too old for them. She used to play cool rock and roll music on her record player. That was the first time I heard Billy Joel. My sister and brothers would play with Diane's younger son Jory. Eventually the playtime would slip across the street to include Stacy and Shea Acton. Or it may have spilled down another block to visit Grandma Teet and her black train engine that we could play in. It even had a working bell that you could ring. It was nice to have friends to play with in the neighborhood. After mom got done visiting we would head back home from our "walk". I guess you should really call it "talk" since there wasn't much walking going on. After awhile people moved away and we got older. Walks at night weren't as prevalent anymore unless Granny was visiting. She always loved to go on a walk. But I'm glad we did that as a family because it is a wonderful memory to me.
The second night of my walk I realized that going for a walk is not only exercise for your body but exercise for your senses as well. Hearing: I was listening to the wind move the leaves of the trees, neighborhood dogs saying hello as I walked by, children playing outside in their backyards, but my favorite sound was that of the cicadas. I LOVE the sound of the cicadas singing in the summer evenings. I don't know why but it always has been a comforting sound to me. I also loved to collect the cicada shells that you would find hanging on the trees. It was neat to hang them on your shirt. Although one time, I was at the bus stop one morning with my friend Paula Decker. It was probably about 1978ish. We found a cicada shell hanging on the tree at our bus stop. I went to pick it up and the cicada was still in it. I was really scared and kind of nervous about picking up another shell after that. Smelling: some of the scents that tickled my nose on my walk were freshly mown grass, rain in the air, spruce and cedar trees, BBQ grilling, but my favorite was the smell of the mimosa tree. That smell will always remind me of my granny and gramps house. They used to have a big mimosa tree out on the side of their house. I loved in the spring/summer when the windows were open and the scent of the mimosa tree blew into the house. Seeing: I hadn't realized how beautiful some of the houses are in my neighborhood. Some of them are really huge. I love to just imagine what they looked like when they were first built, what they had in their homes, and what kind of people lived there. There are some really pretty lawns and landscaping (especially the guy down the road who has a beautiful garden that I have been envious of for years), but the thing that caught my eye the most was butterflies. I saw various colored butterflies on my walk but the prettiest was a yellow and black butterfly that flew next to me for quite awhile. My granny used to love butterflies. I can just imagine her sending the butterfly to walk beside me like we used to do together so many times. I didn't taste anything on the walk (although I would have loved to taste that BBQ grilling) and I didn't touch anything but I did get a good workout of the other senses.
I am looking forward to more walks to come. It is much nicer to exercise outside than being down in the basement with only the t.v. to look at. Soon will be the sights and smells of my favorite season of the year to enjoy....Fall. Crushed leaves under your feet, pretty trees turning various colors, cooler air on your face. Can't wait!!!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wednesday Weigh in Week 3 and 4
It is nice to be back to blogging. We took our family vacation this past week and I'm finally getting back into the swing of things. I didn't put a post on the week 3 log in, due to the fact, that I didn't have access to a scale while on vacation. It's a good thing I didn't because week 4 is not looking so good.
Week 4 weigh in. Thanks to our wonderful vacation I am now the owner of 4 extra lbs. Just makes me sick. That means I weigh more now than when I started this blog spot a month ago. I truly am tired of the whole thing. While on vacation, I made sure that I wasn't in our vacation pictures. Which will be sad for the girls when they are older and looking back at the memories.
So this morning I decided to get up and get on the elliptical. I fought myself for a couple of hours and then I finally just went downstairs and did it. I made it through 25 minutes. I had trouble breathing and was getting dizzy so I stopped before the 30 minutes was up. I am glad that I got through the 25 minutes. It is a restart again, which I am hoping will be the last restart. I am keeping track of what I eat and I am back to no soda.
My goals for this week are to continue to lay off the soda (which I failed miserably at over vacation), and try to get a workout in everyday this week. Hoping to see some negative numbers when I weigh in again next week.
Week 4 weigh in. Thanks to our wonderful vacation I am now the owner of 4 extra lbs. Just makes me sick. That means I weigh more now than when I started this blog spot a month ago. I truly am tired of the whole thing. While on vacation, I made sure that I wasn't in our vacation pictures. Which will be sad for the girls when they are older and looking back at the memories.
So this morning I decided to get up and get on the elliptical. I fought myself for a couple of hours and then I finally just went downstairs and did it. I made it through 25 minutes. I had trouble breathing and was getting dizzy so I stopped before the 30 minutes was up. I am glad that I got through the 25 minutes. It is a restart again, which I am hoping will be the last restart. I am keeping track of what I eat and I am back to no soda.
My goals for this week are to continue to lay off the soda (which I failed miserably at over vacation), and try to get a workout in everyday this week. Hoping to see some negative numbers when I weigh in again next week.
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