Up to 20...

Once again with the small goals. I'm up to 20 jumps with my little purple jump rope. I found that I can jump easier if I do a "fast jump" without a little skip/slide between jumps. So for now I'm doing a really fast boxer type jump. It doesn't sound like much, but I leave the rope where I can see it in the family room downstairs and I have been doing jumps several times a day, most days.

We still have snow on the ground, so there isn't much incentive to be outside. Until I see some dry grass and warmer weather, I'll be staying in doing art and making jewelry...and jumping rope.

That's it from the Star City. We'll talk soon. TTFN.

Small Goals

Just because my treadmill is discombobulated and I'm not ready to tackle the fitness center, doesn't mean I can't do something....so I decided to try jumping rope. Until the weather is better, I am going to use the laundry room. My longest streak so far is...TA DA...7 jumps. Gotta start somewhere. I'll be doing that fast boxer's training jump before you know it.

That's it for today. Remember to hang in there, we didn't get here overnight, so let's be reasonable in our expectations and not so hard on ourselves.

Old dog learns new tricks...

That would be my headline for today. For years I have heard that spaghetti squash is a great alternative to pasta. Since I realize that angle hair pasta is one of my trigger foods (as in it triggers me to eat until I'm miserable), I decided to go ahead and buy a squash. I saw an excellent recipe in a magazine and went for it. The only type of squash I have ever prepared is crook neck summer squash and I really do like it and it's easy to slice and cook. I was totally prepared to follow the cooking instructions, and I knew I had to cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Sound easy, huh? Well, you better have what my family call a "butcher knife" and a lot of elbow grease. It took a few minutes, but I got it sliced and cleaned and didn't need any first aid . The cleaning of the seeds took longer than it might for you, because I had to stop and decide if I wanted to clean and keep the seeds to make jewelry from. But, I digress...

Okay, so the squash is cooked and cooled just a bit so I can handle it. For some reason I really didn't understand how it would come out in strands, but it does.

This bad boy yields quite a lot, about five cups. I took the contents of the first half and showed the hubby. I had mentioned a new recipe, which he already knew he wouldn't be eating, because he thought I was making spaghetti with squash in it.

Imagine his surprise when I showed it to him. Totally confused, he didn't know what it was, and said "what, does it come in a pod?" so I brought him into the kitchen to see what it look liked. He was completely aghast, ready to run. It apparently conjured up frightening images of scary things in pods and he was not impressed with my newly found food or the attack like method of using the fork to make the strands. He shivered visibly and retreated to the safety of the living room.

There was so much that I froze half, leaving plenty to use for the recipe I'll try later this evening. It's simple: reheat, add a bit of chicken broth, a table spoon of olive oil and some Parmesan cheese. It could be served chilled, like a standard pasta salad.

Well, that's it for today. Hope everyone is having a great week. Remember you're never too old to learn something new. For me it was cooking a squash, what will it be for you?

Take care and stay healthy.

I did something today...

I did something today that is such a big step for me I just have to share it. Before you get all excited, and then feel the let down of "is that all?", I must say that it really is one of my stumbling blocks. My husband and I eat large healthy fruit and veggie salads almost daily. I use the bagged salad greens and add grapes, strawberries, and walnuts. For some protein, I add baked chicken breast, cut in to bite size pieces and sometimes a hard cooked egg. Just a tiny bit of shredded cheese tops my salad. Today I splurged and cooked some turkey bacon. Really sounds good doesn't it? All in all, the salad "as is" has a calorie count that is reasonable, maybe even low, but as you know, the main way to turn a healthy raw salad into a calorie ladened monster, is to dump dressing onto it. For me I have always used a salad as a reason to eat buttermilk/ranch dressing. I love the stuff. So now with that background, you will be happy when I tell you that not only did I put my dressing on the side today, I actually found out how tasty the salad was without dressing. I had assumed that it would be dry and crumbly, but it was yummy. I dipped my fork into the dressing several times, but it actually was taking away from the taste of the salad.

So, since I'm up ten plus pounds since I started my blog, I think I'm really ready to make some changes. I can only imagine how many calories I can save in this way. I'm really excited about this breakthrough and wanted to tell someone that understands.

That's it for me. Have a great week and make a healthy change. If I can do it, I know you can.

xoxo
Susan

...those Bill Cosby records

When I was a kid, my little brother loved Bill Cosby's records about Fat Albert and the Gang. This was before there was the cartoon show. Anyway, he could recite every line about the Chicken Heart and little brother Russell. My mom just didn't get it. She would state repeatedly to little bro, "if you put half as much energy into learning your school work, as you do in those records, you would be on the honor roll". We were extremely smart kids, in a school that had the traditional curriculum , so we sought out stimulation through things other than studies. Ahhh, but I digress. My point in this little story is this. She was right. I find myself putting so much time into art and reading and fun things that I don't spend quality time on getting healthy. I think that I'm one of those folks that thinks because I'm healthy now and always have been, that I always will be.

Don't get me wrong, I have made lots of changes over the years. I don't drink, or smoke and have been married to the same hunky/sweet guy for 22 years. I don't engage in risky behavior, at all unless you count being 40 pounds overweight risky. At my age, I suppose it is. I care about how I look, although not quite as much as when I was younger. I apparently drove my uncle crazy standing in front of the mirror doing my hair.

But, they're all gone and I'm still here and it's time I take responsibility for my weight gain. I have always struggled with my weight. From the time I started to gain as a second grader, until now. It's been and up and down saga with me. I have lost 50 pounds three times. I have lost 25 pounds probably five times. I can't even count the times I have lost 10 pounds. It would be safe to say that I have lost at least 300 pounds in my career as a professional dieter. Well, losing weight and keeping it off is difficult. People will tell you this and that about losing weight and maintenance and blah, blah, blah. I've heard it all and done most of it. I'm guess I'm just tired of thinking about my weight all the time. I can say, "oh, I just want to be healthy or firm up a bit", but it's not true. I want to lose weight because I look good when I don't weigh so much. So, at age 56 (almost 57) with silver hair and a sagging jawline staring back at me in the mirror, I still want to lose weight because I'll look better thin.

Sorry, this is such a rambling post. I want to snap my fingers and zip up a size 12 jeans. I want to wave a magic wand and be worried that my boobies are shrinking too much from so much weight lost. I want, I want, I want...

You know what? I think I want a blueberry bagel and some hot tea. Thanks for letting me vent. I'll do better later, I promise.

xoxo
Susan

Sweet Dreams

For those of you that don't read my art blog, I am re posting this collage...


It shows the conflict that we sometimes experience when dealing with wanting sweets, when we know we should have fruit. The meditating girl was from an ad in Fitness magazine (the one sent to me anonymously), the cake at the top was from Cuisine magazine, and the strawberry sundae is from an old Life magazine. The verbiage at the bottom that is hard to read, says torn between two lovers, which I think says it all.

I do love fruit, but I just don't get the emotional release that something less healthy gives me. It even comes through in my art. Ahh, well.

That's it for today. Have a healthy weekend.

Don't call it lazy...

I used to hate to hear someone even say the word lazy. I'm not lazy at all, but sometimes I am unmotivated. I'm a hard worker, a quick study and an all-around good egg. Just don't call me lazy, "them's fightin' words". Anyway upon reflection, as we are so apt to do at this time of the year, I decided to get this book.

It's written by the founder of SparkPeople.com, a weight loss website that I've been on for about 16 months. I haven't worked the program and I have gained 10 pounds. It's not their fault, at all. I think I need more motivation. The reason that I got the book, is that even though I love the internets and the world wide webs, I love to have a nice hefty book to carry around with me. I need to have something to go to as a guide, when I'm feeling sluggish in my drive to be what I want to be. Sometimes I'd rather go to page whatever, than go to the computer. I'll let you know how it works for me.

How are things going with all you cats? Are you motivated and pumped up? Have you started new programs? Let me know what keeps you motivated. Keep me posted.

That's it for today, talk soon. xoxo