Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Sweet Potato

The sweet potato. I love and adore them. I love them baked. I love them in casseroles. I love them in pies. I don't understand how people can't love the sweet potato. Is it a southern thing? I know I grew up eating sweet potatos. Of course, I've always been adventurous with eating. I'll try anything once. But if I don't like something, you can't force me to eat it.

But back to the sweet potato....it's been told it's actually good for you. As for me I'm not sure it is. For, when I eat a baked sweet potato, I slather it with butter and cinnamon. Mmmmmmmm.....just writing that makes me want to eat one. I can eat one plain..but I'd much rather have the butter and cinnamon.

With that we get to cinnamon. It too is supposed to be a healthier spice. It's also supposed to make you not as hungry. But again, I find that it doesn't do that for me. I could eat cinnamon all day long and be as hungry....if not more so. I love cinnamon. Cinnamon toast, cinnamon toast crunch, scotch cake (which has cinnoman in it) cinnamon buns, brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal....yummmmmmmmmmm.

I'm fighting with nutrition, as always, and just trying to figure out the foods that I can eat. The hunt continues.....

Oh, and sweet potatos give me some of the WORSE gas ever. That is all. :)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Headache

Didn't get in a workout yesterday. Got up, did a lot of things around the house, played with the dog, played with the kids, tried to take a nap (that didn't workout very well), got up and decided I'd try my hand at cooking some chicken. If you know me at all, you know that I do NOT cook. But I realize that with that being the case, my family isn't eating the stuff we need to be.

So, I got up from the "nap" and got on my computer. I looked up "oven baked chicken" and found a recipe that said EASY! I just knew that would be the one. Thankfully we had everything that was required. Chicken, melted butter, and Saltines. And I made "Saltine encrusted baked chicken". And it turned out WONDERFUL. I also made a side of whole grain spaghetti with Ragu sauce. Not the healthiest thing ever, but better then pizza that's for sure.

We then took the kids to the park, and that was where it started. The HEADACHE. I'm not one that can just sit and watch my kids play. I love to play with them. And they enjoy that too. But in the middle of doing that my head started pounding. Got home about an hour later and took some Excedrin. Yeah...that didn't touch it. I laid down in my bed with all the lights off in agony. Decided to take something else. So I took some medical grade Motrin. That too didn't have much effect. But I was able to finally go to sleep. Had a horrid night of sleeping for short periods of time, then waking up and just hurting. Almost decided to head to the ER, but honestly didn't want to have to pay that kind of bill. If I don't feel any better tomorrow, I'll be going to the doctor. I can't function with this kind of headache.

So, no workout. But I'll still list my foods of yesterday...as I remember them. lol

1 bowl of splenda brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal (see, I did it!)
I have no recolection what I ate for lunch
1 Saltine encrusted split chicken breast
2 12oz 1/2 fruit punch 1/2 diet 7up drinks
1 23.7oz water
5 pieces of strawberry twizzlers (this was when my head was pounding and I needed something to make me feel better)

so....some better...not great...but better. :)

Friday, February 18, 2011

Once More With Feeling

Once again I start on this grand journey of fitness. After much sickness (again) I'm back to the grind. I won't be doing P90X at this time. My immune system just can't stay up with the pounding that takes on my body right now. Sad but true. This time around I'll be doing a sort of jumble of stuff. Trying new stuff....revisiting old stuff...yeah....lots of stuff.

Today I started the 100 Pushup Challenge.
Initial test = 17

Day 1 - Column 3 (D1-C3)
10 - 10
12 - 12
7 - 7
7 - 7
9(max) - 13
total = 49

Not bad for not having done a pushup in over a month. :)

I also started the 200 Situp Challenge.
Initial test = 27

Day 1 - Column 3 (D1-C3)
15 - 15
18 - 20 oops lol
10 - 10
10 - 10
14(max) - 30
total = 85

I'll be doing these as standing situps from now on. I have back issues that standard situps just KILL. OWIE!!!

I also did some random Dance workout vids off Netflix. BLAH!!!!! I must be very uncoordinated. I was all over the place. I miss my Hip Hop Abs...I could actually do that. Pam, you do what I told you too and give me back my dvds....hehehehe

I'll also TRY and I do mean TRY to write down what I eat. I'm very poor with my nutrition. There...I admit it. You'll see....I eat what is on hand. Maybe if I write down all the crap I eat so I can look at it...it'll make me stop and make some changes.

1 24oz (with about 1/3 of that spilled on me and the couch) french vanilla cappaccino
1 package chocolate fudge Poptarts
1 wendy's double stack w/ ketchup only
1 small wendy's fry
2 12oz cups of 1/2 fruit punch 1/2 diet 7up
1 23.7oz bottle water

that's it so far....no idea about supper. It's Friday...maybe pizza.

Yes I know my nutrition is my weakest point. But I've already planned on one thing that will be headed out of my diet. I'll be eating Splenda brown sugar and cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast from now on, instead of the Poptarts. I love Poptarts. When I was so sick, they were the only thing I could eat without feeling like I was going to throw up. But I know they're not good for me. *sigh*

Onward and upward from here. The Truth is Out There. ;)

Friday, October 1, 2010

P90X Doubles

I'd like to share my now COMPLETED journey of P90X Doubles.

It was, for lack of a better word, INCREDIABLE. I have never worked as hard as I have the last 3 1/2 months. The sweat, the injuries, the tears....every bit was worth it. I'm well on my way back to the body I want.

After being sick for most of 6mths, I got it in my head that positive thinking can be a real boost to getting better. Not just mentally, but health wise as well. So that's what I started doing. Trying to find the postivie in every negative. As I started to do that, I noticed that my energy levels rose, and that my love for working out was also coming back. I changed what I was eating, and then my biggest decision, I threw caution to the wind and started a round of Doubles.

Doubles (if you don't know) is when you do 2 P90X workouts 4 days out of the week and 1 workout the other 2 days. I was in love from the first day. I had to start by doing all the pushups on my knees. That's how bad I'd become. And even those were hard. The heaviest weight I was using was 5 pounders. I was weak, weak, weak....but knew if I could just keep going, I'd make it.

That first month was HARD. And ugly. I had ended up with two huge pockets of fat on my back/love handle area. I applty named them Chips Ahoy and Oreo. I'm sure you can guess why. I had not strength in my abs or my arms....and my legs were covered in cottage cheese. I was a sad sight. The pushup were murder, the pullup were practically undoable, and the squats were tearing up my knee. But I was undeterred. I needed to do this to prove to myself and others that I could/can rank up there with the big boys.

My knee felt horrible the entire first month. But I didn't let it stop me this time. I now know it wasn't from the injury I had, but from not working it and losing the strength in it that i'd built up. *facepalm* I should have know that.

Second month was ugly too.....but by the end of that phase I was doing soo much better. I'd also gotten Hip Hop Abs in the mail.....that would come into play in Phase 3.

Phase 3 was ugly yet awesome. I subbed in Hip Hop Abs for my second workout a lot. There was only so much Cardio X that I could before I went crazy bored. I loved/love how much fun HHA is. It helped get me over the hump of this last phase.

Went to DragonCon and had a BLAST!!! Saw some of you (Peter/Mark/DaVe/JP/Daniel) and marched in the parade with the TCF as Six. Did I look as good as last year?? Frak no. Did I look a hundred times better then I did 3 months before....HELL YES!!!! Wore my Spartan costume on Sunday, and enjoyed hanging with LegionCub. Have booked my room for next year.

Came home and have finished up the last two weeks. I ended up getting sick, but I didn't let it get me down, I just rode it out and when I got better got right back to it

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Wil Wheaton



Ok, so I watched Season 3 of The Guild yesterday, and finally realized something. I've had this thought in the back of mind that my old college friend Lee looked like someone famous. And yesterday I FINALLY realized who. He looks like Wil Wheaton!!!! But, I'll let you decide for yourself.

This is Lee and his wife Rayne.

Not the best picture, but I see it.....anybody else? Or am I losing my mind here???

Friday, August 6, 2010

Been quite awhile....

Well, I let this slide by didn't I??? Ugh. Let's see, what has been happening with me...... I believe the Dr. and I have finally got my meds figured out. Which is wonderful. The only issue is when I run out or happen to miss a day...then I get all whacked out and suicidal. I've been staying fairly healthy. No major illnesses recently, well...until today. Now I've got a nasty cough.

I'll be headed to Dragon Con in a month. I've spent the last 2 months doing a round of P90X Doubles to try and get back into Spartan shape. Though I won't be with the group this year, I do want to represent, and maybe inspire some other girls to get out there and get healthy too. I love to workout again. And this past week, my sweet friend Becky Smith, sent me the Hip Hop Abs dvds. OMG it is suck fun!!!!! I'm having the best time with it. Who knows...I might even learn to dance. I did do the FREAK yesterday....woohoo!!!! lol

My kids are growing and learning new things everyday. My son has blown me away this summer with all the new things and words he is able to do and say. He now calls me Mommy which makes me the happiest mom in the whole world. My Doodle has found the Lego games on the Wii and has fallen in love with them. She plays them all. I believe she's gonna be my little gamer girl. :)

We have a new addition to our family. A little cat we named Kit-Kat. She was left for dead at our church and we rescued her. Now we just need to get her some Soft Claws and we'll all be happier. LOL

Can't wait to see my friends at D*Con. Though there will be quite a few that won't be going this year, and that saddens me. I still need to lose about 10lbs to fit into my short red Six dress, but I believe in myself that I can do it. :) See....look how my attitude has changed!!! There are a few people I want to thank for helping me start seeing myself in a better light. I'm not all the way there yet, but I'm a damn far long way from what I was!!!!! Let's see....Marc Martinez, Becky Smith, Bryan, Julia Steed, Rich Rosato, Kristian Allen, Rachel Ridley, Kelly Tracey, Keith Lingerfelt, Melanie Lingerfelt, Sherri King, Laura Broadway, Corey Smith, John Brown, Tom Brink, Emily Gaskins, Lee Ann Schwinberg, Brian Zimmer, Joey Eller, Kelly Greco, JD, Kristian Allen again, and last but really first my mom. I'm sure I forgot some names, but these people have really done their best to listen to me, and help me find the light back to the woman I want to be. Thanks you guys/gals. You have NO idea how much you all mean to me.

I'll be doing my best to get back into doing this more regularly. I actually enjoy jotting down my thoughts and feelings on occassion. Specially now that I've got more good thoughts than bad ones. :)

Love life and live strong.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Day something

So I'm sick....again. But this time I'm not depressed about it. I'm not feeling sorry for myself. I'm striving to get better and get back to working out. I really miss my workouts. I can take that hour or so and focus on myself. It helps center my mind. And a centered mind is a good thing. :)

So less than 100 days until D*Con. I'm excited yet sad. This time last year I was so focused on my goal, and excited for costuming with my 300dc friends. But I won't be costuming with them this year. As I was cleaning the other day I came upon my Spartan stuff, and it was sooo bittersweet. I had such a good time, and then it all came crashing down.....it really makes me sad. I miss my friends that I made (even though I try and keep up with them through FB and Twitter) but it's not the same. I miss competing with Peter and Mark on the challenges, and pushing them to be bigger and badder. I feel at loose ends. To be part of a group at DCon for the first time was awesome. I've wondered around the Con alone for so many years, it was really nice to have a "family" to hang with. Now this year I'm not sure what's gonna happen.

But of course good came out of it all too. I wouldn't have met Kristian or JD or Marc without being in the group, and I'm not sure I woulda been goaded into getting fit without it either. Still...bittersweet how it all ended for me. blah

We'll be headed up to Clarkesville on Monday. YAY!!! Gonna get to celebrate my birthday with my mom!!!!! ANd....hopefully get to see some of my friends too. And...maybe some new hair. You know I can't stand to have the same hair for long. :P I'm ready to get outa this town. It sucks the life right outa you. Then....when we get back, I'll looking to try and see a band a friend of mine is in on June 18th. Of course, it'll be a miracle if I actually get to go, but I'm gonna try. I want to be a better friend...and mother. And to be so I've gotta put myself out there and stretch my limits.

So, here's to a summer of growing, getting stronger, and love.