So, the girls and I went to Disney in Jan of last year for the Disney Half Marathon, and we had a really great time. I did not finish, but I felt good just having gotten there. I started to continue with the walking, but then my knees started hurting, so I switched over to swimming. Luckily, I am a member of a gym with an indoor pool. I thank my lucky stars for that one!
I think that, while I started out 2011 with the intent of it being a physically healthier year, I wound up veering into financial health, and lesser to physical health. I am going to start 2012 only 15 lbs lighter than I started 2011, when the intent was to lose so much more than that, like 100 lbs more. That is not necessarily a bad thing, though. I will say that the peace of mind bought by paying things off is a wonderful thing. My stress levels are down. Also, the frugal tendency to eat at home has added to my culinary skills. Previously, I tended to make lots of casseroles. Not necessarily the healthiest of meals.
Along the way, I found Melissa D'Arabian's "10 Dollar Dinners". I like her cooking show, and I like her budget! I have learned a lot of skills from watching her. In addition, the author of my favorite cookbooks (The Hungry Girls series) got her own show on Food Network - YAY!!
I still have all of the exercise DVD's, but for the longest time, did not have a DVD player. Ours broke, and I did not replace it in exactly what you would call a timely manner. It made for a convenient, self-sabotaging excuse. But, now that I have a new DVD player (yay!) I can do the exercise DVD's.
I would like to get my home in order, and my weight more along healthful lines in 2012. Those are hopefully going to be the focuses of my new year. Also, I will try to make some effort to do this blog at least once a month in the coming year. Here's to hoping! :-)
Friday, December 30, 2011
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
to the female at McDonald's today.... I forgive you
So, both of my daughters are in dance class. There is a gap of 2 hours between their classes, during which we normally all go swimming at the gym where their dance classes are. Today, I shook up the normal schedule and decided to go to McDonalds for an hour. It has been a very long time since I splurged, we were already in town, and it was a fun and easy way to kill time between classes. That being said, I know that I am a fat lady sitting at McDonalds. Not the prettiest picture. I get that. If I could morph into the person that I am trying to become, I would be tempted to do it, but I am not sure that I would actually do it. If I magically became slender, physically strong, and healthy, I would not know what maintenance was necessary to keep the body - so I do not think I would do it.
But, today. Today it would have been so nice to already have that slender body. It would have made it less easy for a total stranger to vent her vitriol on me. She would have had to look so much harder for something to pick on me for.
Setup: My kids are playing in the play area, and another mother comes over, telling her child to put her socks on, saying that the floor is "disgusting" and that "kids shouldn't be barefoot on this muck". Then she pointed to my child, my amazingly beautiful little girl, and said "I don't want you to get dirty like that." I stood up and asked her not to call my child dirty, even though she meant only in the physical sense.
She turned on me. "How dare you tell me what I can or cannot say to my own child! You are probably just here wasting the money you saved because my money pays for the foodstamps to feed your fat ass."
I thank God that my children totally missed out on the exchange and were busily playing out of earshot, otherwise, I do not think I could have remained calm, and my husband would be bailing me out of jail for assault. In total shock, I went and sat my "fat ass" down. I must have sat there for about 10 minutes - not seeing anything or hearing anything really - before one of my kids came over to take a sip of her drink, smiled at me, and ran off to play some more. Suddenly, the tilt of my axis that had occurred righted itself. I looked at my children, though about my life, and realized that everything else was minuscule in comparison. I quietly said "I forgive you." It was like a weight had been lifted, pardon the pun, from me. I watched my girls climb and laugh and have a generally good time in the play area. I laughed and waved and generally moved on emotionally.
Then, from the other side of the play area, I began to hear the voice of the woman that thinks I receive food stamps. I listened to this person proceed to berate her children and her husband for everything from the fact that she could hear them chew their food to the fact that they did not use their napkin quickly enough when she told them they had ketchup on their face. I began to truly pity her. She is miserable, and I am not sure that she knows the depth to which she is unhappy. That is sad. I sent up a quick prayer of thanks to God that I am so blessed. I have an amazing husband who loves me and literally supports me and the rest of our family by going to work every day while I stay home and take care of things. I live a fairly cush life which I love with my husband and children, whom I am absolutely crazy about.
So, female from McDonalds - wherever you are - "I forgive you. I hope that whatever is eating at you dissipates and you become a happy and healthy person. I wish happiness upon you."
But, today. Today it would have been so nice to already have that slender body. It would have made it less easy for a total stranger to vent her vitriol on me. She would have had to look so much harder for something to pick on me for.
Setup: My kids are playing in the play area, and another mother comes over, telling her child to put her socks on, saying that the floor is "disgusting" and that "kids shouldn't be barefoot on this muck". Then she pointed to my child, my amazingly beautiful little girl, and said "I don't want you to get dirty like that." I stood up and asked her not to call my child dirty, even though she meant only in the physical sense.
She turned on me. "How dare you tell me what I can or cannot say to my own child! You are probably just here wasting the money you saved because my money pays for the foodstamps to feed your fat ass."
I thank God that my children totally missed out on the exchange and were busily playing out of earshot, otherwise, I do not think I could have remained calm, and my husband would be bailing me out of jail for assault. In total shock, I went and sat my "fat ass" down. I must have sat there for about 10 minutes - not seeing anything or hearing anything really - before one of my kids came over to take a sip of her drink, smiled at me, and ran off to play some more. Suddenly, the tilt of my axis that had occurred righted itself. I looked at my children, though about my life, and realized that everything else was minuscule in comparison. I quietly said "I forgive you." It was like a weight had been lifted, pardon the pun, from me. I watched my girls climb and laugh and have a generally good time in the play area. I laughed and waved and generally moved on emotionally.
Then, from the other side of the play area, I began to hear the voice of the woman that thinks I receive food stamps. I listened to this person proceed to berate her children and her husband for everything from the fact that she could hear them chew their food to the fact that they did not use their napkin quickly enough when she told them they had ketchup on their face. I began to truly pity her. She is miserable, and I am not sure that she knows the depth to which she is unhappy. That is sad. I sent up a quick prayer of thanks to God that I am so blessed. I have an amazing husband who loves me and literally supports me and the rest of our family by going to work every day while I stay home and take care of things. I live a fairly cush life which I love with my husband and children, whom I am absolutely crazy about.
So, female from McDonalds - wherever you are - "I forgive you. I hope that whatever is eating at you dissipates and you become a happy and healthy person. I wish happiness upon you."
Wow, time flies...
I never meant for it to be this long between posts, and when I logged back on I was shocked (shocked I tell you!) to find that I did not post anything in the entire month of September or most of October. It is a theme in my life that I let time get away from me. I HAVE become better since the girls came along, but it is still a struggle.
So, to update you... I had grand visions of getting on the treadmill for an hour each morning and an hour each evening and doing an exercise video in between. Yeah... that didn't happen.
I have, however, broken down the walking into something that I CAN do. I walk for 30 minutes at a time @ 2.5 mph. I know that 1.25 miles at a time does not seem like much, but I am working on sprints eventually building up to marathons. Right now, I do it 4 times a day for a total of 5 miles. I know that technically, I am walking 2 hours a day, but it is in much more manageable bites.
Oh!! Speaking of manageable bites, I have also been eating more healthy meals. The whole eating thing has been the side effect of another project I have going. Don't ask how, but I somehow morphed into this whole self-improvement mode. Maybe it is the knowledge that I am at some point going to put it all down in a blog, but I seem to have found more motivation than I normally have. I moving my body more, and in addition to that; I am working on becoming more frugal. Not to say that I have not historically lived within, or at least very near, my means, but now I am making a more conscious effort to deal directly and in better ways with money.
I was watching clips on msn.com, and the Today Show stuff came on. I wound up seeing a clip for "The Cheapest Family In America". I was so intrigued by what they had to say, that I started actively searching for other clips that they might be on. Eventually, I found a clip in which they were talking about the book they wrote on how to cut your monthly grocery bill in half. Then, I went to Amazon.com and found out that the Economides family (no kidding, they are named Economides - how is that for destiny?) have written 2 books. So, I wound up buying both books for a deeply discounted price, and with shipping, paid less than the price of one book at a traditional retailer. See... the savings have already begun :-)
I had thought I was doing well to only spend $150.00 to $180.00 per week on groceries for our family of 4, but after reading the Econimide's books - in half hour intervals on the treadmill :-) - I re-vamped my shopping, and have found that I can do $100.00 per week with ease. An extra $250.00 to $300.00 per month in my pocket has helped me pay down some bills that have been lingering and lingering. In addition, I tend to "graze" less during the day, since part of the "plan" is to make out a 30 day meal plan. I personally do 3 weeks of meal plans, but may build up to a whole month one day. The upside of this is that my snacking during the day is much reduced since just about everything in the pantry is spoken for to make one dinner or another, and if i use anything, it throws me off on my dinner rotations.
Oh, have I mentioned that I stay at home with our pre-scooler? Yep, I am a stay at home Mom. Part of my "job" is to make sure that I am spending the family income wisely, and I have seen "the light" about the whole grocery thing, thanks to this family that I will never meet. And, shucking and jiving along with this whole grocery plan helps me to have more time during the day too. Since I do not have to spend time thinking every day about what I am going to make for dinner - just check the calendar and mark off a meal that I know I have the ingredients for - and I do not have to go to the store for any "last minute" or "lost" ingredients, I find that I have more time for walking, coloring, and talking with my children.
Hopefully, I will remember to post more often in the future. I know that nobody will read this, but it sure is nice to be able to write it. :-)
So, to update you... I had grand visions of getting on the treadmill for an hour each morning and an hour each evening and doing an exercise video in between. Yeah... that didn't happen.
I have, however, broken down the walking into something that I CAN do. I walk for 30 minutes at a time @ 2.5 mph. I know that 1.25 miles at a time does not seem like much, but I am working on sprints eventually building up to marathons. Right now, I do it 4 times a day for a total of 5 miles. I know that technically, I am walking 2 hours a day, but it is in much more manageable bites.
Oh!! Speaking of manageable bites, I have also been eating more healthy meals. The whole eating thing has been the side effect of another project I have going. Don't ask how, but I somehow morphed into this whole self-improvement mode. Maybe it is the knowledge that I am at some point going to put it all down in a blog, but I seem to have found more motivation than I normally have. I moving my body more, and in addition to that; I am working on becoming more frugal. Not to say that I have not historically lived within, or at least very near, my means, but now I am making a more conscious effort to deal directly and in better ways with money.
I was watching clips on msn.com, and the Today Show stuff came on. I wound up seeing a clip for "The Cheapest Family In America". I was so intrigued by what they had to say, that I started actively searching for other clips that they might be on. Eventually, I found a clip in which they were talking about the book they wrote on how to cut your monthly grocery bill in half. Then, I went to Amazon.com and found out that the Economides family (no kidding, they are named Economides - how is that for destiny?) have written 2 books. So, I wound up buying both books for a deeply discounted price, and with shipping, paid less than the price of one book at a traditional retailer. See... the savings have already begun :-)
I had thought I was doing well to only spend $150.00 to $180.00 per week on groceries for our family of 4, but after reading the Econimide's books - in half hour intervals on the treadmill :-) - I re-vamped my shopping, and have found that I can do $100.00 per week with ease. An extra $250.00 to $300.00 per month in my pocket has helped me pay down some bills that have been lingering and lingering. In addition, I tend to "graze" less during the day, since part of the "plan" is to make out a 30 day meal plan. I personally do 3 weeks of meal plans, but may build up to a whole month one day. The upside of this is that my snacking during the day is much reduced since just about everything in the pantry is spoken for to make one dinner or another, and if i use anything, it throws me off on my dinner rotations.
Oh, have I mentioned that I stay at home with our pre-scooler? Yep, I am a stay at home Mom. Part of my "job" is to make sure that I am spending the family income wisely, and I have seen "the light" about the whole grocery thing, thanks to this family that I will never meet. And, shucking and jiving along with this whole grocery plan helps me to have more time during the day too. Since I do not have to spend time thinking every day about what I am going to make for dinner - just check the calendar and mark off a meal that I know I have the ingredients for - and I do not have to go to the store for any "last minute" or "lost" ingredients, I find that I have more time for walking, coloring, and talking with my children.
Hopefully, I will remember to post more often in the future. I know that nobody will read this, but it sure is nice to be able to write it. :-)
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
My intent...
Over the years, I have been lured in by the exermercial time and time again. I own "The Firm", "Tae Bo", "Windsor Pilates", "Yoga Step by Step", "Power90", and a few others that I will be getting out and working with. I can name them later. I also impulse buy exercise videos at Wal-Mart if they are 10 bucks or less, so I have a veritable cornucopia of exercise choices from that venue also.
In the early hours of this morning, as I was being lured in once again by an exermercial (exercise infomercial), I stayed my hand and decided on an audacious plan... actually use the crap I already have!!!! I have decided to do something with all of these DVD's that I have collected over the years.
My plan is this: 2 times a day, I will randomly choose an exercise DVD from the shelf and do it. Then, I will report on it. I think that by keeping this journal in a somewhat open forum like blogging, I will increase my chances of actually completed this stated goal of working out.
I am inspired to begin this journey at this point in time by the fact that I am committed to joining some friends for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon on January 8th, 2011 (143 days from now). I need to be at a place where I can do those 13.1 miles comfortably, and I am nowhere near that right now. I am morbidly obese by definition, but I am grateful to be a fairly high energy obese woman.
I also want to be the kind of woman that I would like my daughters to be, and that means being good to myself. After some introspection, I have decided that "being good" to myself should no longer include indulging my food whims. "Being good" to me is going to mean taking care of me, and keeping me healthy. My weight issue is not the kind of thing that I would like to pass on to my children. They deserve better from me, and I deserve better from me too...
In the early hours of this morning, as I was being lured in once again by an exermercial (exercise infomercial), I stayed my hand and decided on an audacious plan... actually use the crap I already have!!!! I have decided to do something with all of these DVD's that I have collected over the years.
My plan is this: 2 times a day, I will randomly choose an exercise DVD from the shelf and do it. Then, I will report on it. I think that by keeping this journal in a somewhat open forum like blogging, I will increase my chances of actually completed this stated goal of working out.
I am inspired to begin this journey at this point in time by the fact that I am committed to joining some friends for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon on January 8th, 2011 (143 days from now). I need to be at a place where I can do those 13.1 miles comfortably, and I am nowhere near that right now. I am morbidly obese by definition, but I am grateful to be a fairly high energy obese woman.
I also want to be the kind of woman that I would like my daughters to be, and that means being good to myself. After some introspection, I have decided that "being good" to myself should no longer include indulging my food whims. "Being good" to me is going to mean taking care of me, and keeping me healthy. My weight issue is not the kind of thing that I would like to pass on to my children. They deserve better from me, and I deserve better from me too...
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