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?