Lost in Life

I hate when my life takes over my life. The beginning of the school year is always crazy for a teacher; throw in a high schooler who plays sports, football season ( JFK, OSU, and the Browns), and a husband who will not listen to anything the doctor says and ends up in the hospital twice (July and October), and once again I fall into the habit of everybody and everything comes before me. And I said I wouldn't let that happen ever again. The best laid plans of mice and men.......

So, here it is, October 28th, and I am trying to regroup. Thankfully, I managed to partially control my eating habits and semi daily continue to get to the gym. Going to the gym helped balance out the fact that I wasn't eating as cleanly as I should have been. My clothes still fit fine even though the scale went up 12 pounds. I've been back on track for eight days now and the scale as gone down 6 pounds. Seems impossible, right? Not really. I simply went back to drinking water, and lots of it.

The eating is actually the easy part. Never in all my life did I think I would be able to say that. I craved food. I needed chocolate. Now, I just fill my plate with vegetables; any and all kinds. (Well, no mushrooms. I'm not eating fungus that grows in the dark.) I can live without pasta. I don't miss it. When I crave carbs its the bread I want.

The hard part is getting to the gym. Now that I can no longer start my day at the gym I find it terribly difficult to get there. I was going at 8:30 at night which I really enjoyed. I would get home by 10:15, take a shower, and go to bed and sleep like a baby, while my metabolism worked all night. However, schedules have changed and that time isn't as convenient as it was.

I love autumn. The colors, the smells, football, etc. I need to embracr the changes in my life the way I embrace the change in season. I can, and I will, continue this journey.

                                                                             

Back to Reality

Summer is officially over. The farther into August the calendar showed the crazier the days became. Back to school shopping, doctor appointments, sports physicals, fundraisers, scrimmages, putting my classroom back together, etc. It became harder and harder to get all my meals in. And harder and harder to eat at home. Thankfully, I never missed a day at the gym.

Today was the first day back to school. Sat at the computer half the day and sat in the auditorium the other half. Neither was good for my back or neck. And so it begins. Went to the chirpractor after work and then got to the gym. Spent 45 minutes on the treadmill, 20 on the bike, and 25 on the machines. I have to create a new routine.

I need to re-read The Little Engine That Could...."I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.....I know I can!

Nature's Bounty

Fall will always be my favorite season....the crisp in the air, changing leaves, jeans and hoodies, high school football, but summer comes in a close second with the bounty of Mother Nature. Today my husband and I went to the local Farm Market. There is an Amish family that comes in every Saturday with organic produce. The grape tomatoes in the above picture taste like summer itself. They're like Mother Nature's version of candy!

A friend drove out to Amish country and actually went to a farmstand. I'm going with her next Saturday. She gave me the green peppers and hotpeppers pictured above. She said they have purple peppers as well. I can't wait to get those next week.

The goal is to make stuffed peppers and strip peppers and onions to freeze for this winter. I need to fill my freezer in the garage with easy single servings so my husband and son can have quick, but delicious and nutritional meals while I hit the gym right after work. If they're schedules don't allow them to wait for me to get home they can still get good dinners while I'm trying to sweat off the pounds!

Words to Live By

I stepped on the scale today after a two week period. I have been at the gym every day for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I watch what I eat. I drink water by the gallons. The scale says exactly the same thing it did two weeks ago. So....I needed to spend some time finding inspiration. Here's what I found:

I CAN DO THIS!

Water, Water, and More Water

When you're trying to avoid Pepsi and other carbonated beverages, and you don't like coffee or tea, plain water gets old after awhile. So I went looking on Pinterest and found two really great recipes posted by http://tonetiki.com/

Lemon Cucumber Water

Makes a Pitcher

1/2 Lemon thinly sliced

1/4 Cucumber thinly sliced

Ice

Water

In a large pitcher add the lemon and cucumber, then the ice and then water. Let sit in the fridge for a few minutes before serving. Once the water is down to only 1/4 full refill with water. You can do this several times, keep in the fridge.

The cucumber acts as an anti-inflammatory and the lemons boost immunity.


Apple Cinnamon Water

Makes one big pitcher, re-fill water 3-4 times before replacing apples and cinnamon

1 Apple thinly sliced

1 Cinnamon Stick

Drop apple slices in the bottom of the pitcher (save a few to drop in your glass later) and then the cinnamon stick, cover with ice about 1/2 way through then with water.

Place in the fridge for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 0
Fat: 0
Fiber: 0
Protein: 0
Carbs: 0

Quinoa Cookie Balls

I found this recipe on a Dr. Oz link a few weeks ago. It credited Danielle Omar for the recipe. I bought the ingredients weeks ago and finally got around to making it this afternoon. They're healthy, and yet sweet enough to satisfy the craving for dessert.

1 cup cooked quinoa
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup oats
1/3 cup dried cherries ( I used cranberries)
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl.

Add

1/3 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. almond butter (I used low fat peanut butter)

Mix well.

Add

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used carob chips)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix well.

Using wet hands, gently roll mixture into golf ball-sized balls. Let chill for 2 hours before eating!

                                                              

                                                                               

Happy Dance, Broken Toe and All

So...the toe is no longer purple and I am back in the gym. I feel so much better when I am able to start my day with a workout. I have to admit I am really worried about my schedule when school starts. I just don't see myself getting up at 4:30 to be at the gym by 5:00 to be at work by 7:45. I'm going to have to figure out how to get the workout in the end of the day.

However, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Right now, I am wallowing in "Feel Good" mode. I bought two pair of Levi shorts, size 14! SHORTS! LEVIS! It has been years since I owned Levi's and I can't remember when I last wore shorts. My legs actually have shape!

Last week we went to Cedar Pointe's Soak City. We spent the day sunning and lazing in an innertube on the Lazy River and I was in a swimsuit. That's another first in a long long time.I actually had to use sunscreen to prevent sunburn because I was actually showing skin!

Life is good!

The following are copied from Chris Powell's FB page!

You've only got three choices in life... give up, give in, or give it all you've got. ~Unknown~

Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken. ~Frank Herbert~

A Bump in the Road...or Toe

I haven't worked out in 3 days. I broke my little toe on Friday. Who would think a broken little toe on the left foot could be such a train wreck? I can't put my foot in a shoe. It's a lovely shade of purple. I wonder if I can walk on the treadmill in flipflops? Gonna give it a try tomorrow morning.

I was carrying laundry upstairs on Friday morning. We were getting ready to leave for Cedar Pointe and I wanted to fold the last load before we left. I caught my toe on the corner of our oak post at the top of the stairs. It hurt, but I thought it was ok. I put my shoes on and we left.

Two hours later I got out of the car to walk into the park and told my husband I was sure it was broke. I got into the park and took my shoe and sock off and viola......a puffy grape was attached to my foot where the toe should have been! So, instead of Cedar Point I spent the day at Soak City in a raft on the lazy river with my foot in the cold water. Bought a ridiculously expensive pair of flipflops so I could walk to the cafeteria and later to the car.

So...today is Sunday. The color is better, but it is still swollen and painful. I've tried to tape it to the next toe, but it hasn't worked out so well. Even if it won't go in a shoe tomorrow I'm back at the gym. I can ride the bike and do the weight machines. I'll hit the Y in the afternoon and get in the pool and tread water.

A broken toe cannot stop forward progress! Right?

TGIF

Thank God this week is over! The intense heat coupled with the stress of a husband in the hospital really wiped me out. Then there were two cookouts that turned into cook-ins due to the incredible heat index. On top of that my sister was suppose to be here for the 4th, but her plans changed.

I managed to get to the gym three days out of the five and I really needed that time on the treadmill! I feel so much better after I exercise. I tried some new recipes that I really liked. The first one comes from Skinnytaste.com. I really love her site. Great recipes that are easy and quick.

Summer Potato Salad with Apples and Chives
Servings: 7 • Size: about 3/4 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 101.6 • Fat: 2.6 g • Protein: 1.8 g • Carb: 18.1 g • Fiber: 2.2 g • Sugar: 3
Sodium: 43.1 mg

Ingredients:

• 4 cups (22 oz) baby red or yukon gold potatoes, cut in quarters
• 2 tbsp minced celery
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 gala apples, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch chunks 
• 2 tbsp chives, minced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
• salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 - 14 minutes, or until soft if pierced with a fork. Drain and let cool.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, celery, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add chives and apples, additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 

 

 

I didn't have chives, so my version wasn't as colorful, but it was very good and much lighter than regular potato salad.

 

Frustrating

June is almost over and I'm still pretty much stuck on this plateau. I've been in the gym every day and I'm working hard. I was really hoping to see a significant movement on the scale.

I think I can see my body changing shape....a little...in my arms and shoulders. I want to see it in my stomach, waist, butt, thighs. I just need to be patient.

I rode 6 miles on the bike and walked 2 on the treadmill today. Spent a half hour on various weight machines. I'm averaging two hours in the gym each day.

One day at a time.....

The Summer of Me Continues

Yesterday was definitely a feel good day! It started with a morning appointment at the chiropractor. I had my doubts when I began there, but I really feel better. While he can't fix the arthritis in my neck and back, he did do something about the way my body feels. I'm moving better, feeling better, and I get out of bed a lot qicker and easier each morning!

Next stop was the massotherapist. I've been treating myself to a once a month trip. She worked out knots and kinks and sore spots. I've been wearing new shoes...New Balance 1050's. They have a lot of support which is good for the feet, legs, and back...however the legs are not happy about being forced into a correct posture. She took care of that, too

And the last stop was the gym. 5 miles on the bike and 2 miles on the treadmill.

Life is good!

Gym Experience and a New Breakfast

This morning I was out the door and on the way to a gym by 6:00 AM. My cousin is a member and got a guest pass for me to try it out. Two and a half hours flew by as we talked and worked out. I walked 2 miles on the treadmill, rode 5 miles on the bike and did 3 repetitions of 15 on three different arm machines and three leg machines. And it felt good!

I love summer when I'm not teaching. I'm up by 7:00 AM each day, work out, do laundry, and by 11:00 all the housework is done , I'm showered and the day is mine!

This morning (actually, last night) I tried the following recipe I found one of my favorite blogs, Skinnytaste.com. It truly was yummy. I substituted my vanilla Greek yogurt for the almond milk and left out the cinnamon and sweetner. I took the jar out of the fridge before I went to the gym as was suggested on the blog. The chill was off by the time I got home. No need to warm up...just refreshing goodness on a hot summer day!


Skinny Overnight Oats in a JarSkinnytaste.com
Servings: 1 • Serving Size: 1 jar • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 244.9 • Fat: 10.8 g • Carbs: 35.4 g • Fiber: 8.5 g • Protein: 6 g • Sugar: 12 g
Sodium: 94.7 mg


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or skim, soy)
• 1/4 medium banana, sliced (freeze the rest for smoothies!)
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 4-5 drops NuNaturals liquid vanilla stevia (or your favorite sweetener)
• pinch cinnamon

optional toppings:

• 1 tbsp chopped pecans (or any nut)

Directions:

Place all the ingredient in a jar, shake, cover and refrigerate overnight. Add your favorite crunchy toppings such as nuts, granola, etc and enjoy the next day!

Choosing What Food to Eat

• Look to Your Ancestors

Trying to figure out what foods are healthy? "Don't eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food," wrote Michael Pollan in a January 2007 New York Times Magazine article.

I love this quote! It simplifies food choices. While not always practical in this day and age, it can be modified somewhat. But the first thing it does is eliminate processed food. I have learned to find time to cook. And I incorporate as many fresh raw foods as I can.

 

Healthy living means becoming a label reader. Take a trip to the grocery store and plan on spending 2 or 3 hours there. Read labels. Compare brands. Better yet, find a Farmer's Market and go fresh. Summer is the best time to visit a local market.

 

My fridge looks like a mini market this morning: blueberries (of course!), blackberries, watermelon, pineapple, cherries, carrots, broccoli (of course!), green peppers, scallions, celery,and  red sweet peppers.

The fruit bowl spills over with bananas, peaches, nectarines, and plums.

 

The grill gets a workout during the summer, also. Truthfully, it gets used a lot when it's snowing here in NE Ohio, too! I have cut way back on my meat intake, but my husband likes salmon and chicken on the grill, and I like veggie kabobs.

 

Eliminate as much white from the diet as possible. Whole grains, wheat, oats, nuts, and seeds would all be recognized by our ancestors. They are so much better for you and they add much needed fiber to the diet.

 

Water, water, water! I've read that often times we think we're hungry, when really our body is telling us that we need hydrated. Drink water all day. It cleanses and flushes toxins from our body

 

It's working. I feel better. I'm losing weight. My blood pressure is down. My cholesterol is down. My smile is up!

What a Difference a Day Makes

Yesterday I started walking again. Yesterday I felt better than I have in a week...since the doctor told me to stop walking for awhile. This morning I walked again. I am modifying the steps. He said I shouldn't be lifting my legs so I don't do the knee lifts, but I do the steps and the kicks and the arm work. And I feel good. It took three weeks to build up the endurance and there was no way I was going to let it all go to the wayside and have to start over again.

I was less hungry all day. I felt motivated. Everything you read about exercise becoming an addiction is true. I never would have believed that a 45 minute 3 mile walk could make such a difference in the way I feel. The PT told me that I have to keep moving and that I need to do light lifting....low weight, more reps. I can start to see some definition in my shoulder area and arms.

I have come to believe that attitude makes all the difference. You have to want it and you have to believe it. I can do this. I am a happier person now that I am on the good health track. And I'm really happy that I'm getting my husband to join me. He is taking small steps, but it's already making a difference for him. He has cut way back on his caffiene intake. He is eating way more veggies and fruits, and he's cut way back on his fats and salts. I can see his face slimming down and his stomach starting to shrink. He's been at this for 3 weeks and he's lost about 15 pounds. The biggest plus for him is that he has started going to the Y and working out in the pool.

Another tip that I make sure I stick to religiously is to increase the fiber intake. The more fiber a food item has the better it is for you. You can eat a higher calorie food as long as there is a high fiber percentage. Fiber helps to burn off the calories quicker. It helps rev up the digestion process. I don't waste calories on low fiber foods.

For example, I used to think eating salads was so good for me, but I didn't pay attention to what was in the salad. A bowl full of lettuce really has very little nutritional value, especially if the choice of lettuce is mostly water based. Now, I make my salad out of all the crunchy fiber filled veggies and leave out the lettuce. Tonight's dinner will be grilled talapia, a baked potato with Greek yogurt, and the salad pictured below.

Ingredients:

broccoli
cauliflower
baby carrots
celery tops
red peppers
sunflower seeds
feta cheese
olive oil, red wine vinegar                                                                   

Non-Compliant

Forget this. Today I start walking again. I'm eating more than I should, my routine is off, and I don't feel as good. The tape is in and I'm ready to go!

My Visit to the Chiropractor

So, this morning I had my first appointment with a chiropractor. He came highly recommended, but still I was nervous. I hurt too bad to have someone grabbing, twisting, and making my neck and back crunch. To my surprise there was no twisting, jerking, or loud crunching noises. He used this hand held gadget that had a trigger release which kind of "thunked" against the area he adjusted. I also had electric stimulus...sort of like an instant massage on my neck and back. The end result was that I walked in with a headache and walked out without a headache. Oh happy day!

Now the hard part is being compliant with what the doc says. He told me to stop doing my walking tapes for a week! Is he kidding? I just built up my endurance! Not to mention if I can't excercise I have to cut way back on the calorie intake. I may be living on darkberries and broccoli and Larabars!

Feel the Burn

Why is that the mantra of exercise enthusiasts? Does it intensify the calorie burn to say that? If it does I'll shout it from the rooftops! I am religiously doing the Leslie Sansone 3 Mile Walk Away the Pounds video each morning. I use 2 pound weights during the walk. I know that's nothing to most people, but for my weak arms I need to start somewhere.

I've had x-rays on my back and neck and an EMG test (Who goes to school to torture people? Electric shocks that roll the muscles and make the entire body twitch! Then they stab you with these little thin needles for God only knows what purpose!) Getting out of bed is rough, but once I complete the three miles I really do feel better. Sounds crazy, I know.

The doctor has given me prescription strength Motrin, a muscle relaxer, and Gabapentin (a drug that helps with nerve pain). I hate being a druggie. Excercise and weight loss has to help. I refuse to live on pills the rest of my life.

I think I'm going to incorperate the Wii into my day, also. I walk each morning at high intensity. I'm going to try low to medium intensity in the evening. My hope is to quicken the pace of getting toned. Time will tell.

Summer is the Best

Summer gives us the best fruit choices. Apples and oranges are good, but it is summer fruit that makes you feel healthy just looking at it! Plums, peaches, strawberries, watermelon, blackberries....they all add important vitamins and fiber to the diet. And they taste good, too! They fulfill the craving for sweetness.
Find a Farmer's Market close to you and visit it twice a week...your fruit will always be fresh and at its best.

Fruit is the perfect between meal snack to keep your metabolism going. A plum or a peach, or a cup of berries along with a half cup of trail mix is the perfect fuel to keep you going and burning calories. But be careful about your trail mix...it shouldn't include chocolate candies, and sugared fruit bits. I make my own.

The Eat This, Not That No Diet by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding has a phenominal trail mix matrix. It gives several choices of nuts, seeds, crunches, and sweetners. Choose one of each and make the perfect trail mix for you! My current favorite is almonds, raw natural sunflower seeds, General Mills Original Fiber One Cereal, and carob chips.

Breakfast Is the Most Important Meal of the Day

I have learned that you have to eat to activate your metabolism. A simple fact it took me 50 years to understand. You need to add fuel to your body every three hours or so. That doesn't mean eat complete meals, gorge yourself in carbs, or chow down on snacks. It simply means refuel.

For me, I have found that a breakfast of fruit, granola, and yogurt works the best. A simple combination of a small banana, blueberries and blackberries, vanilla greek yogurt, and a sprinkling of granola is my standard breakfast. After reading labels and taste testing, I have settled on Chobani Vanilla Greek Yogurt. It has the lowest cholesterol and fat of all the others. My favorite granola is Cascadian Farms Organic French Vanilla or Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Seed and Flax.

The Last Day of School!!!

I have been waiting for this day...impatiently. Today was the last day of school until Aug.22nd. The end of the year is always stressfull and this year was worse with all the changes in staff, classess, rooms, etc. Throw in my arthritis in this humid muggy NE Ohio weather and it all added up to a pretty crappy week. I haven't been following my routine so my entire system is out of whack....eating, exercising, sleeping...everything is a mess.

Tomorrow, June 1st, I am returning to my schedule. I will be posting daily and sharing recipes, exercises, tips, etc. It's always more fun to journey with someone. I hope I pick up a friend or two as the days go by.
Step one is a three mile walk in the morning....am so looking forward to getting up and walking, rather than rushing around to get daily chores done before flying through a shower and out the door to school.

How Does Your Body Know What the Weather Will Be?

90 degrees plus today. And humid. The combination makes my arthritis go nuts. Arthritis is what started me on this journy to begin with. I decided taking a load off my spine might help and it has. Staying active is key to keeping arthritis at bay, but I am limited to what I can do. I purchased a few of Leslie Sansone's walking tapes and I try to do at least 2 miles a day.

Research says walking is one of the best forms of exercise so I have become a groupie! And I take 2 pound weights with me. Two pounds in each hand is really nothing, but until I build some upper arm strength I need to take it a step at a time...no pun intended.

I have to laugh as she talks you through the walk. She says that "arm muscles shape right up' when you start to work them out. God, I hope so!

The List of Rules

It has been 9 months since this journey began. There are days when I would kill for food from my old life, but I try hard to focus on the here and now. I repeat the rules like a mantra in my head:

1) If it is white, don't eat it!
2) If you can eat it raw, then you should eat it.
3) The more fiber in the food the better.
4) Eat a vegetarian life stylr at least 4 days out of the week.
5) Water is your best friend.
6) Graze instead of eating meals.

These rules may sound too hard to live by, however the tradeoff has been worth it. My blood pressure sits at 106 over 70. My cholesterol levels have dropped. I can go up and down stairs without gasping for breath. I feel better all over. And shopping is fun! There is an entire new world at the mall that has opened up for me.

And the journey continues. I have another 45 pounds to go. I can do this.

The Way to Begin is Just to Take the First Step....

I've been wanting to do this for some time now. I figure it is a way to keep me motivated, and moving forward on this new journey. I chose the name as these two items were my first step to a new life: antioxidants and fiber!


I turned 50 in April of 2011. I had a colonoscopy on August 26, 2011. After drinking all that vile disgusting stuff that cleanses and purifies, being put to sleep, and waking up to be told I had a beautiful colon (is there such a thing?)I decided that nothing fattening, greasy, or in any way, shape, or form, unhealthy was going to pass my lips.


Today is May 21, 2012 and I am 54 pounds lighter and I've managed to keep that promise...pretty much. I decided an occasional piece of licorice won't kill me. There have been other changes in my life, as well. I am a true convert. I am a foodie. I now hunt down recipes that are devoid of fat and salt and processed foods.


This is my story. This is my life-change. And this is my attempt at a blog. It's all a learning process...one step at a time. One day at a time.