What I Do...

This is a quick blog post for those that have been asking about what I do, exercise-wise.

First - I lost 30 lbs doing nothing but walking.  Lots and lots of walking.  I wear this pedometer everyday:
Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer  and I currently log between 7 - 10 miles most days.  When I started, I was happy to walk 2 miles.

I walk every chance I get.  Kids to the park, Farmer's Market, to the store for coffee. When the kids were in school I would leave an hour early to pick them up and take the long way (4 miles).  My favorite is to walk and talk with friends! (and then get coffee!)

I hit a plateau after 30 lbs and decided to join a gym.  I signed up for the least expensive place around ($12/month) and it works fine for me.

My normal schedule is:
4am -  I get up and do things (facebook) around the house like laundry (facebook) or dishes (facebook) or catch-up on work email. (facebook)

5am - gym every single weekday. (7am on Saturday and 8am on Sunday.) I walk on the treadmill for 60 minutes at a 3.3 speed and the hill setting level 14.  It goes up and down.
Every other day I add circuit weights.
I would like to say that I do crunches on the ball every day...I try!

I get about 3 miles on the treadmill so the other 4 - 6 is coming from walking outside.

I take Yoga on Wednesday nights and I just started Zumba on Monday nights.

For the past 2 weeks, I changed my routine and took a boot camp on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 6am.  (skipped gym those days)

That's it.  It's not difficult.  I just do it.  everyday.  and I love it.  It's my therapy and my escape.

I'm happy to answer any questions and I am always happy to walk - just ask!

Laura

What I eat...

A few people have asked me what diet I am following, do I count points, do I count calories?  Just what in the heck do you eat?

So I thought that I would write a quick blog.  I wish that I had a better report.  If you want to see really healthy eating read my sister's blog.  But here is my typical day. 

First - I use a site called www.sparkpeople.com to track my calories and exercise.  If you join look for me
laurajg1 and we can connect.


Breakfast - a small bowl of Kashi GoLean. (for the protein and the fiber)  I don't measure.  I should, I know..but I just use a really small bowl.  and skim milk.  If I wake up early enough I eat before the gym so that is about 4am.  If not, I eat after at about 7am.  I, also drink a large glass of water and take a Glucosamine pill.  Sometimes I don't feel like cereal so I just have a banana.

Treat - I walk to the store and buy 1 cup of coffee with vanilla flavored no-fat cream.  This is my sugar for the day and I love it!  The first sip of that coffee is better than sex. no lie. This is at about 8am.
 
Snacks - I eat cheese sticks.  (I know..so high in fat.  But I don't eat meat and need the protein.) or carrots or both. this is about 10am.

Lunch - sometimes homemade veggie soup. sometimes (I admit) salt-free chips and homemade salsa. (YUM!) sometimes salad.  sometimes leftover whatever was for dinner.  sometimes just cheese if I didn't have it for snack.

Dinner - this is tricky because no one in my house eats the same thing.  Patrick eats meat, none of the rest of us do.  I will eat any kind of funky vegetarian thing and any kind of veggie.  The kids will not.  Mekiah and Morgan like tofu..Madeline doesn't.

I have cut WAY back on carbs but we make pasta a lot.  and lasagna.  Neither of which I will eat...so I eat salad.  lots of salad.  My favorite is Mexican salad.  with brown rice, black bean and (yes) chips.  Sometimes (tonight) I just eat carrots.  I would really love to be eating more fun veg dishes but it's exhausting to think about making something that no one else will eat.  That's bad.  I should be making those dishes for myself.

Another favorite is roast veggies!  Love this!  I try all kinds of veggies and different fresh herbs.  Protein is a problem.  I don't want to eat cheese as much as I do but I don't like peanut butter.  It's on my list to research recipes and options for protein.

I am so jealous of my sister!  Her wife has been researching nutrition and making all kinds of great recipes.  I may move to the Virgin Islands and live with them!

So in general.  I have cut out all sweets.  Not even one GS cookie.  have cut way back on carbs.  No bread. and I have cut portions way down.

I drink water all day.  Nothing but water.  No diet coke.  (I miss you diet coke!)

and I take a multitude of vitamins.

BUT...if I have the opportunity to eat really good bread...I will.  I am just not going to waste calories on something that is not really really good.  I have also cut out alcohol for the same reason.  Too many calories and not worth 60 minutes on the treadmill.

Tomorrow I will post what I do!

Being Healthy in the Age of Social Networking (and confessions!)

I love Facebook!  I mean..love like committed to you forever, love Facebook!  I have reconnected with my sister, Beth.  (so happy about that!) and am able to keep in touch with family and have been reunited with old friends. (so happy about that, as well!)  It's great for sharing photos and updates and so much!  It is, also, wonderful for keeping me on track for my health journey.  Posting about walks and boot camps and dates with my lover, Gym, all motivates me to keep going.  I want to come home and let everyone know that I made it through boot camp.  I don't want to post "Skipped the gym this AM..eating donuts"  ugh!  So thank you to everyone that reads and comments on my never-ending posts...you help to motivate me and I could not do it without you!

Social networking has also been great for sharing ideas, remedies (ice those joints!), recipes and inspiration!  I know of 2 people (Beth and Donna!) that are running and/or exercising because of items I have posted.  That is so great!  And it helps me.  If they are exercising because of me, how can I stop??

Confessions!
My own - the scale moved 5 more pounds since I lost Mekiah and then stopped.  Has not budged in 2 weeks.  ugh!  But, surprisingly,  I went down another 2 jean sizes.  Go figure.  Maybe boot camp is adding muscle?  and more importantly I feel great!

Other people - I walk to the store to buy my daily coffee.  Every day.  They know me there.  Every time one cashier sees me...she tells about what exercise she has been doing. "Haven't done anything today but tomorrow I am going to walk!" 
and
at a different store..there is also a cashier that knows me.  She always tells me how much weight she has lost.  and asks me if I have lost any more.  And looks me up and down!  seriously! 

I am the Priest of Diet and Exercise!

Ignore me...no makeup and crazy hair.  But checkout the jeans.  In back, I wore in December.  In front are my new jeans.  and Yes, they fit!  

Compliments

I love them!  I need them!  I appreciate, discuss and mentally catalog every one.  Thank you!

There have been a couple of discussions around compliments in our home recently.  I received a compliment from a local friend "You are looking good" and from a friend that I had not seen since December "Wow!  How much weight have you lost?"  Both of these friends are male.

Patrick's response was that, as a married male, he is not allowed to compliment women.  His example was that if my friend came in and he liked her shirt, it would be creepy if he said so.  I disagreed and said that of course he can compliment women.  Well...if I know them...and if it's not about a body part...and it doesn't sound creepy.  I mean, he can't just go up to some young woman that we don't know and say "nice legs"! :)  What do you all think?

The other discussion was prompted by a visit from my good friend, Mark.  We had not seen each other since November.  About 15 minutes after he arrived, I mentioned my Blog and he confessed that he had never read it.  So I said "Oh, then you don't know about me losing Mekiah!"  and he said that he knew (from facebook) that I was working out and that I looked thinner but he didn't know if he should say anything.  I can understand...you are not sure if people want the attention.  (I do!)  So I assured him that yes, he could say whatever he likes...and he said "Where is your butt?"  ha!  Great compliment!

In conclusion, compliments motivate me.  Maybe they are not for everyone...do you like them?

Temptation!

All of my girls were born in the spring.  March 5th, 31st and April 7th.  Even the dog is an April baby.  You might think that this is cute.  And how fun to have so many birthdays at once.  What it means, in reality, is that my home is filled with cake.  For 2 months. (and then with Easter chocolate!)

We had a little cake for Mekiah's actual birthday on Friday.  Then we had a cake for her little party on Saturday.

So there are currently 2 1/2 eaten cakes in the kitchen.  One of them is chocolate.  (Did I mention the Girl Scout cookies?)

My strategy is to just avoid all sweets.  (and to give away pieces at every chance!)

So far, it's working.  I know that some people can "eat just one".  I can't.  If I try one Thin Mint I can easily eat the entire box. 

So, get back all of you terrible temptations! I will avoid you and keep my eye on the prize!  and my mind on anything else.  and my butt at the gym.  and I will make it through the season of cakes.

Injury update!

Felt Great yesterday!  Walking around feeling like a 30 year old.  Then I tried to jog a few steps and my hip tried to make me feel 80.  ugh.  back to square one.  My plan is to just keep moving.  but walking and biking.  Will hold off on the running, for now.  It's too bad...I was starting to like it.

I've Lost Mekiah!

I wasn't going to post anything about weight loss...until I had a nice round number again.  Like 50!  But the other day I realized that I was 3 pounds away from 50!  47 pounds!  I told Patrick and Brian (one of my very BFFs!) about the loss and Brian asked "Hey, how much does Mekiah weigh?"  I wasn't sure so I stuck her on the scale later that day.  47.5!  ha!  So I have lost Mekiah!  She thought that was very funny.  It makes me very happy.

I haven't blogged for days!  I have an excuse.  We started homeschooling the 2 youngest kids.  We were just not busy enough and so thought "Hey let's start homeschooling!"  Should I write about it here?  Do you want to know more?  I guess that it would help give me content.  It's bumpy but we are figuring it out.  Madeline is doing a lot of reading...which she loves.  Mekiah is doing a lot of math, art and story writing.  We went on a field trip today...tour of city hall.  The Mayor's policy analyst gave the private tour.  It was very nice.  I'll have to think about how much to include about this subject in later blogs.

I am still able to exercise.  I go very early.  I am still going to the gym every other day.  and running at the track every other day.  On Sunday my hip started hurting after my run.  Such a bummer!  I like to walk fast and this having a hip like an old lady is not cutting it!  I actually skipped my run this AM  (sadly!!) and did not go to the gym.  First time since December.  But was able to get a quick 2 mile walk in between dinner and Girl Scouts.  and I could walk!  For 1.5 miles - I walked fast!  yay!  and then hit the last 1/2 mile and OW!  not sure what happened....the hip just woke up, I guess.  So now I am back to limping around.  I will not give up the gym tomorrow.  I wonder if I should try biking for a day?  Steps make it worse.  Patrick wants me to take tomorrow off...he is worried about me having an injury.  I am worried that I will wake up in 2 days 50 pounds heavier.  No..I will not stop.

Last night I made roasted veggies for dinner.  It was great.  Here is the "recipe".  Quotes because I do not really follow one.  I don't really measure.  Just guestimate.  It works for me!

OVEN - ROASTED VEGETABLES

1 lb. new potatoes 1 lb. yams 3 lg. carrots 2 med. onions 1 lg. green pepper 1 med. red pepper 1 bunch radishes 2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 1 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. oregano Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces. Peel yams, cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut carrots into 1 inch pieces. Cut onions into 1/2 inch wedges. Cut peppers into 1 inch pieces. Trim ends from radishes. In roasting pan, toss vegetables with oil and herbs. Roast 1 hour until tender, stirring occasionally.

and this is what I did.  I used white potatoes, sweet potatoes, real carrots, asparagus, red onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms and zucchini. I cut everything into chunks.  Except the potatoes...I sliced those.   I par-boiled the potatoes and the carrots.  I spread the potatoes on a cookie sheet (with sides) and sprinkled with Italian seasoning and garlic.  I drizzled olive oil.  I then added a few branches of fresh Rosemary.

I put the rest of the veggies in a roasting pan and did the same thing. (oil, seasoning and rosemary)

I put them both in the oven for about 45 minutes.  

What I would change for next time.

Not use as many veggies.  Quantity-wise.  There was a lot. (but we did only end up with 1 medium container of leftovers)  I would add yellow squash.  Morgan commented that every color was represented...except yellow.  and I would skip the Rosemary!  Now...I did use WAY too much.  In fact, I pulled it all off after about 15 minutes in the oven.  (my eyes were burning!)  but I really do not think that it adds anything.  at least not anything good.  I would love ideas of other fresh herbs to use.

i have photos of the veggies...will add later!

and now it's 11pm and I get up at 4am tomorrow.  Gym should be fun.  :)  Going to download some new music for the iPod.  Looking forward to it!

Thanks for reading!

Laura