Happy New Years Eve!!!

10, 9, 8, 7....just getting ready for 2008!!!! We've had a heck of a 2007 and are welcoming 2008 with open arms. I've already done my exercise for the day...a fantastic PNP cardio workout called the Rump Buster and boy does it live up to its name. The kids are spending the night with grandpa and I am going deer hunting with my dear husband. We'll top the evening off with friends enjoying a little pizza, a little beer (lite), and a lot of Wii playing. I figure bowling and boxing on the Wii offers a little exercise!

So, good bye 2007. I can't wait to see what 2008 offers. I know one thing, we will be healthier and fitter. We've already started down that road!

Happy New Years Eve!!! Enjoy and be safe!

Exercise:
12/30/2007--20 minutes of strength training followed by 20 minutes on the treadmill.
12/31/2007--35 minutes on the treadmill doing the PNP Rump Buster workout

It's that time of year again....Resolutions!

It is nearing another New Years Eve. What does that mean? Resolutions. Turn on the tv, open a newspaper, log onto the Internet....everywhere you look you will find things to help you with your New Years resolution. And due to past history of mankind, most of those resolutions have to do with diet, exercise, lifestyle changes, etc. As I thought about resolutions today it dawned on me that we are all focused on a specific date we are going to change our ways. Maybe it is Monday because it is the beginning of the week, maybe it is the 1st of the month, or as most people do it...it is January 1st since the slate is clean for the next year. I actually started on December 20th. Yup, a Thursday. Not just any Thursday but the Thursday before the holiday week began. Why did I choose this day? Well, I knew I was going to be home for the next two weeks and I could exercise each day at a time that was convenient for me. Also, if I could succeed during these two hectic weeks of no schedule, I would have the start of a pretty good habit going by the time our "normal" schedule was back. I've vowed to not do a New Years resolution this year. Instead I am going to exercise everyday until January 31st (which is the day I leave for Vegas). When I get back from Vegas, I'll set another short term goal. I received my Weight Watchers and Health magazines in the mail today. Both are focused on exercise, diet, lifestyle, etc. and both talk about short term goals and the reality of making resolutions. Success is measured different for everyone. However, short term goals are easier to measure and are stepping stones to long term goals. So I am making my short term goal to exercise every day for the next 33 days. After that goal is achieved (and it will be achieved), I will make another goal.

Exercise: 36 minute high intensity butt and quad workout on the treadmill.

Now that is MOTIVATION!!!!!

I just booked tickets to Las Vegas for my husband and I! I am so excited! We really need to have some fun and get away. We will be staying with good friends and enjoying some good times!!! Merry Christmas to us!!!!

Nothing makes me want to work out and eat clean more than a fabulous trip. I will bust my butt from now until then. I want to be smokin' hot! Granted I only have 6 or so weeks until the trip but...motivation!!!! I want to make this trip really special.

So....I'm off to the treadmill! I've mapped out my week with my workouts and my food. Oh, I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

Hello. My name is Cori and I am....

Starting all over. I'm going back to day one (with PNP) as my last month as not been what I needed it to be. To no ones fault but mine. My father-in-law passed away last Wednesday. He lived a long, wonderful life. But you see his death was the icing on the cake, the dozen cookies I made on Thursday, and the sweats I stayed in on Friday. I know it is all excuses but.....this year has really sucked. My mom died on Christmas Day last year, my mom's sister on January 3rd, my mother-in-law on April 20th and now my father-in-law. They each were very special people in my life and each died due to health conditions that could have been avoided (except my father-in-law...he just went real peacefully). So....as I mourn and grieve my father-in-law, I grieved all over again for the rest of our losses. However, my husband and I have realized that we have a chance to change our lives and hopefully not suffer from the diseases they had (or push them out further). We've made meal plans and healthy snack lists. I've started my journal (again) and maybe he'll think about starting one. So....my tennis shoes are laced, my iPod is charged, and.....

My name is Cori and I am a Phit-N-Phater!!!

The lunch war

I packed the oddest lunch today....my cooler included a banana for mid-morning, an apple and string cheese for afternoon snack and lunch was a baked sweet potato with cinnamon, a hard boiled egg and an orange. Anyway, my co-workers decided to order Jimmy Johns...which just happens to have the greatest sandwiches in the world and the delivery is freaky fast. I love, I mean LOVE, the gourmet veggie on 7 grain bread. However, it is most certainly not healthy. The gourmet veggie has 898.45 calories, 50.78 g. of fat and 15.37 g. of saturated fat. Without cheese and mayo it weighs in with 426.99 calories, 6.21 g. of fat, and 1.01 g. of saturated fat. So obviously it can be made "healthier" but still is a pretty large sandwich for lunch. All of the will power I had in me came screaming out as I went back and forth on if I should eat the lunch I brought or go for the Jimmy Johns. Well, I am proud to say that my baked sweet potato, hard boiled egg and orange were very good. I was very satisfied both in my tummy and in myself! Yeah!!!

The Journey

A friend of mine is going through a trying time in her marriage that will probably end in divorce. As I sympathized with her and offered a listening ear it dawned on me that sometimes weight loss or lifestyle change can be a form of "divorce" or loss. Each time we go through a loss, we need to mourn. The person I was 50 lbs. ago is different than the person I am today. But I never ever want to forget that person because she is the one that showed strength in the time of life changing events that led to my weight loss. Whether we are leaving an unhealthy relationship or changing our lifestyle to be healthier, we are experiencing a loss or significant change. We go through all the same stages: anger, denial, sadness, and hopefully, peace. I was almost married to that 50 lbs. I lost. Heck, I ate through happiness, sadness, celebrations, during times of great joy and great mourning….and all of that defined me. So when the time came to take care of myself, I had to acknowledge the loss of my unhealthy relationship with food and inactivity. It didn’t happen overnight just like I didn’t gain the weight over night. Sometimes I think I am still working on it and will forever. But, I have come to love the healthy person I am and respect the journey I am on. So as I told my friend, we have to look at this time of change as one where we acknowledge where we were, mourn if needed, and look forward to our next journey! It reminds me of the holly berries that grow out of a branch that is covered with heavy snow. We all have our "heavy snow" that has helped to define who we are and where we came from. But the bright red berries show us that growth is possible and will happen no matter how heavy the snow gets.

Exercise: 20 minutes on the treadmill- 113 calories burned

The scale is taking a much needed break

Today I got a much needed push to remove the scale from my bathroom. The first sign came when I read this post on http://www.sisterskinny.com/. The second came from a high school friend that I haven't seen in years (who has successfully lost weight and gained the fitness bug) writing to me about her weight loss and her use of measurement as a determinant of success. Both brought me back to the importance of this journey I'm on. It isn't about the number of pounds I lost or gained last week. It's about the way I feel, my hip-to-waist ratio that helps determine my cardiovascular risk factors.....it's about how clothes fit. Heck, it's about looking smokin' hot in my goal jeans!

Exercise:
20 minutes on the treadmill-101 calories burned

What to do with leftover turkey???

Today makes day 4 of Thanksgiving turkey leftovers.....so what did I do??? Turkey tacos and they were great!!!! What a great source of protein and nice change from taco meat. But....I'm saying good bye to the rest of our turkey. The food safety person in me says it's time to quit with the leftovers. So tomorrow will be a turkey free day. I'm sure my husband will be thrilled!!!

And Just Where Have You Been Young Lady!?!

Wow...has over a month passed since I wrote??? I love the John Lennon line from the song Beautiful Boy, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans." This has certainly been my life lately. Though excuses are like....belly buttons, everyone has one. Therefore, I am not going to give any excuses other than that time has gotten away from me.

So what has been happening? I have joined the PHP crew and love it! I am almost a month in and have learned so much from just the forum posts not to mention the exercise routines Corinne has developed. I have not been as dedicated as I need to be...but that is coming. I am going to start the Couch to 5K program. A co-worker wants to run a 1/2 marathon eventually and asked me to join her. At this point we are focusing on training for a 5k in the spring.

Grad school started last month also. Two more weeks and my first class is done! It hasn't been too painful other than cutting into my exercise a little.

We had our first Thanksgiving without my mom. My aunt and uncle came to help us make new traditions and memories. My first turkey came out awesome! We had a relatively healthy meal and great conversations. Now we focus on the Christmas holiday. This will be a difficult month...we lost my mom last Christmas Day. But she would have wanted us to move on and celebrate the day Jesus was born and the day she went to be with our creator. So we will do so.

I am going to make a new commitment to posting every single day between now and January 1st. They may be short posts but by January 1st it should also be a habit!!!!

Holy Batman and Robin...How did this happen!?!

I went to Weight Watchers this morning.....and I am not happy! I was 4 lbs heavier than at home and according to that....I gained 5 lbs this week. I didn't drink a drop of liquid, went the bathroom at least 3 times to make sure any liquid that was in me was gone and wore light weight clothing. I know my scale probably isn't the best but...5 lbs!?! You know what was the hardest? I had to change my weight tracker on the top of this blog. And it sucks! So am I now motivated???? You bet your butt! I will not be disappointed again. There was one gal there that hit goal today. She said she had lost 33 lbs....but it took her 5 months to loose the last 2 lbs. Now that would be frustration. But she kept coming each and every week. Now that is determination. The only good thing is that I had to take a weigh in book from June of 2006 since I couldn't find my lifetime card....I am only up 1 lb since that weigh in. I guess I have done pretty darn good a maintaining or sitting on a plateau or being lazy. Darn scale....I am still so tied to it.

I did enjoy the meeting itself. Laura, the leader, talked about eating out. It all comes down to planning and being prepared. I have been going to WW for so long it feels that I should know everything. But Laura does a great job of having new ideas, info and a way of wording it that is real. It felt good to go back. I have already looked for Friday morning classes in case I think I might want to sleep in on a Saturday. I have realized that when I had to pay each week, I was a good Weight Watcher. However, lifetime/maintenance hasn't been good for me. If I don't go, I don't have to pay or be accountable. That has to stop. I Will Be Accountable!!!!!!

And now I am motivated!

Weigh In Day.....Tomorrow

I've decided to attend and weigh in at my old Weight Watcher meeting tomorrow with a friend. My Saturday mornings are now free from soccer games so I have no more excuses. I got my Weight Watchers magazine in the mail yesterday and it was for November/December. How can that be already!?! I don't want to gain...actually I want to loose. I know that I can be an emotional eater. Saying that, this holiday season will be very different and difficult. It is our first without my mom. My first Thanksgiving to cook as the woman of the family. And, since my mom passed away on Christmas day, it will be a very hard Christmas season for me and my family. Those things said, I think I might need the support of the actual meetings to get me through. I always had my mom at those meetings, expecting me to be there. Now my friend says she will do that for me. It will be different but I think it will be good. Heck, I attended meetings with the leader for over 5 years. I know she is good and the class has over 100 people who are incredibly supportive (a number of them actually came to my mom's funeral including the WW receptionist). So these darn last 10 lbs to get back to my WW goal weight might as well start crying....the 20 lbs I'd like to loose in addition better get scared. Because I am in a fighting mood. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are not going to add to my thighs. No way! Not this year!

Enjoy your Friday!!!! It is time to celebrate the Autumn...go on a hike or a color tour! Fall is by far my favorite season here in Michigan followed closely by spring, summer and even winter. Stop by www.puremichigan.org. It'll help you understand why I love the beauty of Michigan!

Germs, Hospitals and Funerals....

Today was one of those days....I woke up the same sore throat which has now more than taken my voice over (not sure my husband is complaining about that), spent the afternoon in the Emergency Department with the gal I supervise, and found out my great Aunt Betty passed away....the last of my Grandma Taylor's siblings. Tomorrow we are supposed to have severe storms. Don't know how that fits in but is seems like the week has been stormy; now we are really going to have storms.

I am doing well as far as food and exercise. My yoga class was today...I'm getting more and more flexible. I didn't get lunch since I was at the hospital so I didn't have my cooler. But I did make Chicken Fajita Soup for dinner. Which was really what I needed to help feed this cold.

My poor girl is now complaining about her throat and head....looks like the germs are sending their friends to my dear daughter. Time for some Tylenol and a cozy couch and much needed cuddling.

Running

Good food choices, exercised....gotta run now, literally!

Rainy Days and Mondays

How does your Monday start? Is it organized due to planning on Sunday or is it fly by the seat of your pants to get out the door? Mine is typically the less organized one. Yesterday was an incredibly rainy day that was spent making chili, beer bread and catching up on TiVo while sitting by the fireplace. It was wonderful....and so very autumn. Then this morning came with more rain...and a sore throat. Of course I wasn't motivated to get moving as I was still being the load from yesterday. I made coffee, sat down, poured a cup of coffee, sat down, watched Brothers & Sisters, ate oatmeal...and then realized I had exactly 35 minutes to shower, get my daughter up and ready for school and still get me ready for a big day of meetings. I hadn't even taken the time to make her lunch on Sunday night. I reflected on my commute about the stress I bring myself in the morning. If only I was more of a morning person...I'm not. And I believe that this isn't going to change anytime soon. I absolutely hate alarm clocks and have been known to hit snooze more than 6 times (which my husband loves!). So what solution do I have..... Nothing, Nada, Zip. But, at least I am aware of my problem and maybe, and I am really stressing the maybe, I can be more "organized" on Sundays (actually every night) so I am not so unpleasant in the morning. It is worth a try and only success can happen right??? As Dr. Suess said, "I'm sure you'll succeed...99 3/4 % guaranteed." Let's just hope I am not that 1/4%!

The one thing I am good at....is preparing my lunch and "cooler purse". I pack a cooler each day thanks to Corinne. I am very rarely stuck without fruits/veggies, protein or whole grain snacks. This is something that is a must for me and I will do no matter how late I am running. Before I planned my lunches and snacks, I was a sucker for drive thru! I can honestly say my only drive thru purchase is now a Diet Coke (which regrettable is probably more than it should be). Right now it is easy to grab portable snacks.....apples are in season and I LOVE Honey crisps!!! I've also always got low fat string cheese, hard boiled eggs, whole grain crackers and veggies. So I guess I do plan a little....because at least these are all in the house ready for me!!!

Tomorrow I am going the the Grand Traverse Pie Company for lunch....wish me luck!!!! We are having dinner at a friend's house. This will be great though because she always prepares low-fat, healthy dishes that taste great!

Here's to a great Tuesday morning....!

A Nike Ad Made Me Think...

I stumbled across this Nike Ad online today:

A WOMAN IS OFTEN MEASURED BY THE THINGS SHE CANNOT CONTROL. SHE IS MEASURED BY THE WAY HER BODY CURVES OR DOESN'T CURVE, BY WHERE SHE IS FLAT OR STRAIGHT OR ROUND. SHE IS MEASURED BY 36-24-36 AND INCHES AND AGES AND NUMBERS, BY ALL THE OUTSIDE THINGS THAT DON'T EVER ADD UP TO WHO SHE IS ON THE INSIDE. AND SO IF A WOMAN IS TO BE MEASURED LET HER BE MEASURED BY THE THINGS SHE CAN CONTROL, BY WHO SHE IS AND WHO SHE IS TRYING TO BECOME. BECAUSE AS EVERY WOMAN KNOWS, MEASUREMENTS ARE ONLY STATISTICS. AND STATISTICS LIE.

I have a beautiful daughter...and as I read this advertisement it dawned on me how many times I say, "I'm fat, my thighs are huge, I wish.....(fill in with whatever body part I am obsessing about at the time) was higher, smaller, tighter, etc." Every time I say that I am comparing myself to an unrealistic vision of what society says women should be. I am enabling my daughter to do the same. And you see, I look at her body and see perfection. I know that even in 1st grade she is starting to say her clothes don't look right, that her missing front tooth makes her look like a dork, that her legs are too long (can you imagine this problem) for these jeans.... I could name many more. But how can I convince her that our bodies are amazing. That the width of my hips are from the birth of two of the most spectacular people. That the lines around my eyes are from laughter and tears and memories. I will do it...she my future and I don't want her to feel that one cell of her body wasn't planned for greatness. Even if that cell isn't perfect, it is just right how it is. After I read that Nike ad, I ran across this one that used to be hung in my office....why isn't it anymore anyway???

I weighted in on Friday...and lost a pound. But after this post, it would have been okay if I hadn't. It was nice though to move my weight loss tracker :-)

Have a great week!

Hidden Veggies???

Did you get a chance to watch Oprah yesterday??? Jessica Seinfeld is so cute....but can this new book Deceptively Delicious really be, well, real? I have two small children. One of which loves and I mean loves veggies and fruits. However, my daughter would starve before she would eat broccoli. So if I can in fact smuggle veggies into say pancakes, cookies, chicken nuggets.....I would be one happy mama. I am going to check out from the library before I pay $24.95 for it. I have many cookbooks that were supposed to be wonderful in my basement. We'll see if the recipes taste as good as Oprah said! And just a decorating note, Oprah's stage did look cute in pink plaid.

I have walked the last two days at lunch for a total of 6 1/2 miles. Just that little bit of a commitment has motivated me. So I came home tonight and looked in my closet aka....the exercise dungeon. I have multiple and I mean multiple videos that haven't been opened. Oh, I watched the infomercial and had to have it. Most of these spontaneous buys were due to late night breastfeeding or snuggling with a cranky baby. But that gives me no excuse not to exercise in the morning. I have videos from 10 minutes to Yoga videos that are 1 hour plus. My agreement with myself is that if I show a commitment to one of them...I can purchase the Zumba videos. But to commend myself I have opted to try those before I buy them by checking them out from the library (there is a waiting list so it will be a week or so before I get them). So what is my new Zumba obsession??? I had a test class last spring during one of my work exercise classes and liked it. However, it was offered this fall at the same time as Yoga/Pilates which I really like. So I opted for the Yoga. But...there is a Zumba certification class coming to Rockford next month. I am thinking that if I like these videos and can feel confident enough, I might go for the 1 day certification. It is $199.00....but if I teach classes for community ed....I could make that up pretty quickly. Our community ed. is not offering any exercise classes at this time which is really disappointing. Zumba seems to be all the craze so why not make a buck off of it. Plus, if I taught 2 times a week, I'd be getting my exercise in too!

Tonight is The Biggest Loser.....another TV obsession of mine. I TiVo it and don't start it until it has run at least 1/2 hour. That way I can zoom right through the commercials (though I have started to notice that more and more shows are featuring name brand items....new marketing since DVRs). I checked out the Body Bugg they have been wearing..... It is $499.99!!!! Now that it an expensive piece of, well, ummm, exercise equipment?!? Any how, I am ready for a Bob fix!!!! If only he lived here in Michigan...now that would be motivating.

This and That

I've decided to go back to attending Weight Watcher meetings. This week we had many discussions about it at work....that's where the desire to start attending began. Then a good friend of mine told me she was joining today. She will be going to the meetings I attended with my mom. Until now I haven't had a reason to go. No one was expecting me.....where as a year ago, I got my dead butt out of bed on Saturday mornings because, well, my mom told me to. I am only 10 lbs over my WW goal (my personal goal is much higher than that). I haven't been able to loose those pounds on my own. I know WW meetings work for me especially the Saturday morning leader. So, I am going to support my friend and get the support for me. I am excited!

The kids and I went to Apple Fest today. They got their faces painted, painted a bird house and had an old fashioned photo taken (proceeds go to our library). It was a fun day for us! It is blistering hot for October so Doug was swamped at the golf course....Money, Money, Money!!!! Love those Indian Summers.

I've added a Widget to the site The Weigh We Were. This is truly my inspiration site when I am needing a "diet" boost. Check it out! I watched I Want to Look Like a High School Cheerleader Again. I guess it is CMT's version of The Biggest Loser. But....they complained about weighing 134 lbs. Come on! Oh, I'll watch it because I am a weight loss reality show junkie.

Time to go out and enjoy this wonderful evening weather! Gotta love Michigan!

Accountability

I did it....Monday thru Friday...I was accountable to my journal!!! I'm outta flex points for tomorrow but that is okay. It was a good week of eating. I've decided not to weigh myself this weekend (Sunday would have been my weigh in day). I'm going to wait a little bit so I don't get discouraged if there isn't a big loss. I've added a tracker that is going to help me watch my BMI.

Well, we are in the midst of a government shut down here in good ole' Michigan. We've got to run to get my husband's hunting license since opening day of bow is Monday. If the shut down happens, you won't be able to get any licenses. Though, the DNR will be shut down so it will be a wash. A whole lotta poaching will happen! Like we need one more economic problem in this state!!!!!

Following the Plan

I have been faithfully journaling the last two days. Boy, does that make a difference when you go to put something in your mouth! I don't want to write down that I ate a sleeve of Oreos!!! The only problem today was that I made myself and my husband a Kashi Five Cheese and Tomato frozen pizza(which is 6 pts. a serving) and my kids another frozen pizza ("It's not delivery it's.....). Well, I am a sucker for pizza crusts. My daughter was the perfect child and put her crusts in the trash. However, my son brought his to me. I ended up eating 1 1/4 of his crusts! But.....I did write it down and counted it for 5 pts. Anyway, Weight Watchers is easy and successful when you journal!!! And I have to remember that results usually come from it. Speaking of results...check out this success story from theweighwewere.com. I love to go to this website when I need motivation.

I went for a 3 mile walk today. Our department is moving to a new location so a bunch of us walked to the site for the tour rather than drive. It was a hot, record setting day here which was okay on the way there since it was down hill. But the hill coming back was intense, as was the heat. I also wore my pedometer for the first time in months. As of 6:30 p.m. I have 11,183 steps! I'm sure I'll get at least 1,000 more before the night is over.

Well, gotta get lunches packed, laundry done, books read.....The Bachelor starts tonight! It's going to be one of those busy weeks....IT'S PREMIERE WEEK! I am anxiously waiting for Private Practice and Grey's Anatomy. And Tuesdays are The Biggest Loser. What a TV junkie! Great time for the treadmill!

The Aha Moment Hit This Morning....

Does it ever amaze you when you have that AHA moment? Well, I had a significant one this morning. I awoke early for a Saturday (what a great way to start out a weekend...not!) and turned on the tube. Of course most all I could find was weight loss infomericals. Now, I've been known to watch these from time to time (especially during maternity leave). But today it was more of a push that I have needed to get myself back into "thin" thinking. Weight Watchers started at 9 a.m. but I couldn't make it due to my daughter's soccer game. However, I did pull out all of my WW books and refocus on my journey and goals. My last post talked about my white Gap jeans. And yes, they are a physical goal. Next month I have biometric screening at work that is a financial goal. But this morning my AHA moment caused a personal goal. Me....I want to take care of Me! Not in a selfish, I have to run you have to watch the kids way. But more in a way that I look at the strength of my body and soul and know it is the best it can possibly be. I can't deny that most days of the week I have a little voice in my head that says you have hit middle age (my mom died at 58, my aunt at 64, their brother was in his early 50s, and my grandparents at 70) which scares the crap right out of me. I many times play the song 100 Years by Five for Fighting. So I guess my AHA moment made me realize that I want to live for 100 years! I want to be physically ready for the 68 years and I want them to be FANTASTIC!!!! You see, I promised myself when I hit WW lifetime two years ago that I would never go back....and honestly I have only gained 10 lbs. Which isn't too bad considering how stressful these two years have been. But that 10 lbs. really sucks!!!! So....thanks Mom or Aunt Judy or the Oxygen Channel for showing one too many exercise, weight loss, self-help informercials. I finally got the clue or the AHA moment!

I also did what I always do and jumped on the internet to get motivated. I found a great Zucchini Pancake recipe on Roni's Weight Watchen page. I made them for lunch today and they were fantastic! The kids and I to the berry patch where we picked three quarts of fall raspberries. After that we visited the local farmer and bought zucchini, squash, peppers, tomatoes and pumpkins! I do love fall for the veggies!

Sorry this was so long but.....boy do I feel better! So now I am off to the treadmill and I think I'll play a little JT's SexyBack for motivation!!!!

Time is (not) on my side!

Wow! Where did July & August go???? And how did bon fires stop and school start??? This is how much of August was spent.

And this is what September looks like....

We've been busy with soccer, homework, school snacks, etc. And I'm starting my first graduate class next month on top of all of this!

Exercising and dieting have only been happening by chance. The treadmill calls my name daily but is hushed by sleep! I am taking a yoga class once a week, which I love by the way! I've thought about going back to Weight Watchers but when I get out the materials.....well, to be honest I get bored. I think that means I'm burnt out. So right now I am focusing on clean eating. I know my body is a machine that needs to be fueled properly.....and I haven't been doing that so well lately. I have a pair white GAP jeans hanging on my closet door....they are my inspiration! Here is how they fit now...

They will look MUCH better next month, I am sure!

Catch Up

So much for my posting every day! Boy has time gotten away from me lately!!! We've been so busy. Guess that's what happens to families.

Exercise.....it has been going really well! I'm really enjoying the Big Mo strength training schedule from Corinne. It has been really interesting doing this routine while studying for my personal trainer certificate. Corinne designed an awesome program! I haven't been hitting the treadmill as much as I would like. However, I have been taking hour long walks at lunch....at a pretty good pace (fast enough to get in a few miles).

I picked up a copy of the The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. I am just starting it so I'm sure I'll have more to post later.

On Sunday I am heading to Southern California for work. Believe it or not it will actually be colder there than in Michigan! I will only be there for a few days but it will be fun! I am staying at the Hyatt which has a pretty amazing gym and also offers a GPS for outdoor walking/running. The Today Show actually featured Hyatt as one of the best hotel gyms and workouts this week.

So that is it for now.....

Let the week begin....

Well, the vacation officially ended this morning with my alarm clock going off. I was off all of last week and enjoyed every morning waking up to the birds, sunshine, my darling son's feet in the middle of my back! But it did feel good to get back into a routine. I love my job so it wasn't a problem to head back to reality.

I mentioned last week that I was going to make a Chicken, Cashew & Vegetable Stir-Fry that was featured in Self Dishes. It was fantastic!!! Here is the recipe:


1 cup quick-cooking brown rice
2 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp. chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp. peanut (or sesame) oil
1 zucchini, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 yellow squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/3 cup chopped cashews


Cook rice as directed on package (omit added fat). Dissolve cornstarch in broth in a bowl; stir in hoisin and soy sauce; set aside. Toss ginger, garlic and chicken in another bowl. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat; cook chicken until nearly cooked through, 4 minutes. Add zucchini, squash and pepper, cook; stirring, 2 minutes. Add reserved sauce; cook, stirring until sauce is thick, 2 minutes. Add nuts. Serve over rice.


Serves 4. 463 calories per serving, 12.4 g fat (2.4 g saturated), 3.9 g fiber, 53.3 g carbs, 35.1 g protein.
Note: I did not have hoisin sauce so I added a little more soy sauce and cornstarch. I also substituted ground ginger for chopped ginger.



Well, tonight is arms/chest strength training followed by the 20-minute "Baby's Got Back" buster from Phit-N-Phat's Cardio Directory (which is amazing!). It is almost 8 p.m. so I guess I better get crackin'.

Welcome to the year 2007

Well, I finally took the plunge and purchased a digital camera. I know, I know...where have I been? I've always borrowed my dad's, used the one given to us by my mother-in-law, resorted to "gasp" film. But today I went to the electronics department at the great Meijer store and found a steal on a Kodak EasyShare. It has 5.0 mega pixels, which I am told is great (they could have told me anything). I got the camera for less than $50 bucks on the clearance rack (well, it was behind the counter getting ready to be on the clearance rack, helps to have friends in high places). So I walked out with a camera, great memory card and batteries for under $70.00!!!! And it is so tiny! It will travel easy in my purse and capture all sorts of things. The first place will be the Drake Bell concert tomorrow!!!! What fun!

Let the Learnin' Begin

My ACE Personal Training materials arrived yesterday!!!! I am so excited to get going on this new adventure. I hope to take the test for certification in the fall. I need to get crackin' as I start graduate school in the fall also....need to have one done before I start the other :-)

We spent the 4th of July between the golf course and my dad's. The day ended with fireworks that woke up my dad's rather quiet neighborhood. It seemed like they needed some excitement (we did notice that once we started some of the other neighbors got the guts to let some off too). It was fun. However, I kept thinking my mom should have been there. It has been a little over 6 months since she has been gone....doesn't seem possible. The kids and I took a flag to the cemetery. Zoe said the Pledge of Allegiance and we prayed. It is all so surreal visiting the cemetery. I sure wish I didn't have to do it. Doug stopped on his way up to dad's also. We've had a rough 6 months loosing my mom, aunt and Doug's mom. I think there is a reason....just not sure what it is yet. Anyway, every holiday is like a first for us again....making new traditions and memories. Just what my mom would want.

Yesterday, we ventured to John Ball Park Zoo. The kids had a blast! Of course I forgot my camera and didn't get to capture the excitement on film but it is etched in my memory. Mason is still a little scared of the stingrays and sharks but loved the bears and tigers. They both got their faces painted (which was free and by far the most exciting part of the day).

Tomorrow Zoe and I are going to Muskegon for the Drake Bell concert at the summer celebration. Just a day of girl bonding and loud music! Zoe is soooo excited to see her "dream boat"! We are taking our camera to that!!!!

Because I can easily become a slacker....

I've decided I need to post each day to be accountable to myself as I have started many journals, etc. only to slack off quickly. Today was supposed to be zoo day at our house but it turned into park/laundry day. How often does that happen to you? Our new schedule is the zoo on Friday. The weather looks like it will cooperate and we have nothing to rush home to.

I had hoped my ACE materials would have arrived today but they didn't. I'll look for them on Thursday as tomorrow is the fourth of July so no Fed Ex deliveries! I am so anxious to get started.

Well, off to make cashew chicken. I found this recipe in the summer Self Dishes magazine . I'll post the recipe and my review tomorrow....it sounds wonderful!

First of the month...almost

Well, here it is...my first post on MY blog! I am so guilty of "lurking" on other blogs that I decided it was time to start my own!

Here it is July 2007. How the summer months fly in Michigan while the winter ones drag on and on. So where am I at for the first (or rather second) of July? Well, I have decided to embark on a dream of mine....granted the dream has only been there for a year or so but...I ordered the materials from ACE (American Council on Exercise) to become a personal trainer. Wellness has become such a passion for me and I want to solidify it. Plus..it could lead to other things such as becoming a WellCoach (my BS isn't in the health field so I need to have a certification from ACE or ACSM to pursue this). What will I do with it???? Who knows, but I am determined to find out.

I am off for the week so we are going to have a bon fire tonight. The kids love to hang out in the back yard and burn things. What kid doesn't? Tomorrow we are going to venture to John Ball Park Zoo. What fun for a 3 and 6 year old...plus it is always fun for me to watch them discover and learn new things.

Well, that is it for my first one. Not too painful though not nearly as exciting as the blog's I "lurk" on...we'll see what we can do!