So last week passed as a total blur for me. On Tuesday I went and had my hair trimmed, followed by lunch with my favorite stylist ever. No workout on Tuesday - bad me! I made up for it on Wednesday though. Wednesday morning I went to a spin class, and got in 23.5 miles in 68 minutes (warm up and cool down included). This is an improvement over last week, so I'll take it!
Thursday I had a dentist appointment, and then had shopping to do (Costco the week before Christmas - ugh!). Hubby called me at 2:30 wanting a new battery and charger for his phone. I spent about an hour searching for that (thank you Heidi at the San Ysidro Sprint store!). Another no workout day (boo)! And to top it off, we went out to dinner with friends, but I didn't eat too poorly (just some chips and salsa) and no alcohol. The no alcohol was difficult (but not really) because the restaurant that we went to makes excellent margaritas! Made it home way after (9:00 pm) our normal bedtime (8:00 pm).
Friday was a mess! The dogs had to go to the groomer. I had to pick up the new battery and charger for Hubby's phone at the border. I raced back to the groomer to get the dogs and have them home before 2:00 pm. Then I went back out at 6:45 to meet Miss V about my very temp job on Monday. Made it home and in bed by 9:40 pm. Two late nights in a row - ugh!
I slept in really late today (7:45 am!) and it threw off my whole day! So did the fact that Hubby is on call this weekend. He went out once last night, and has gone out twice today (the second time as I type this!). But today I got my butt back into exercise gear, and did a 12 minute BodyRock workout. I did both of the Dragon Abs workouts + a round of burpees + the bonus abs workout for that series. My scores were:
2 Squat Jumps/2 Push Ups (done w/10# of dumbbells): 4
Side Pick Up/Squat/2 Push Ups (done w/5# of dumbbells): 4
10 High Knees/10 Mountain Climbs: 4
Push Ups: 11
Tuck Jump/2 Push Ups: 5
Drunk Turkey Jump: 20
Surfer Jump/Push Up: 5
Alt 1 Leg Push Ups: 10
Burpees: 5
Bike Abs: 35
Bench Tucks: 31
Sit Up & Press: 8
+ 1 Burpee for Erin (done with love and to the best of my abilities!)
Total time was 12 minutes. All of my push ups were from my knees, but I am seeing improvement here. The burpees are still my nemesis, but my form was really good which is why the numbers are so low. If I haven't said it before, I hate burpees! Tomorrow's workout is already planned, as I am playing catch up on the 12 workouts of Christmas. But I will catch up and workout through this holiday season!
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
It Never Rains In Southern California
Whoever wrote that song lied! It's been raining all day here at the beach. Every time I think it's going to clear up a bit so I can go outside - more rain! Oh well! I know we need it, but I just hate the way it makes me feel. I woke up feeling icky, and I don't know if it's just the weather or if I'm trying to get sick. I hope it's just the weather, but I'm not convinced right now. I can't seem to get warm, which is never a good sign. It took me forever this morning to find the motivation to get in a quick workout. I did 18 rounds of a 30-10 interval, for a total of 12 minutes. It was hard, but I feel better for it. Now if the sun would only come out for a little bit! My reps were:
Side Lunge Jack: 25, 25, 25, 24, 25, 24 (I did this with no Ugi ball, just body weight!)
Passing Ball: 7, 9, 11, 12, 15, 14 (Again, no Ugi ball, just body weight.)
Push Ups: 10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8 (I did knee push ups. No Ugi ball - and not strong enough yet!)
Also, I weighed in this morning and found that I had gained 0.4 pounds. Not a lot, but not good either. I need to watch my eating on the weekends a bit closer. I didn't eat well this weekend, so I'm sure that's what did me in!
Side Lunge Jack: 25, 25, 25, 24, 25, 24 (I did this with no Ugi ball, just body weight!)
Passing Ball: 7, 9, 11, 12, 15, 14 (Again, no Ugi ball, just body weight.)
Push Ups: 10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8 (I did knee push ups. No Ugi ball - and not strong enough yet!)
Also, I weighed in this morning and found that I had gained 0.4 pounds. Not a lot, but not good either. I need to watch my eating on the weekends a bit closer. I didn't eat well this weekend, so I'm sure that's what did me in!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Finally Friday!
So it's finally Friday! I took Tuesday off from exercise because I wasn't feeling good. I made it up for it on Wednesday though - spin class and a BodyRock workout! I put in 20 miles in the spin class, and then did the Sumo Squat challenge in 25:54:50. It was the first time I have done the Sumo Squat challenge, and it was HARD! I am still feeling it in my legs as of this morning. Yesterday, I did the One That Got Away workout. Again, first time doing the workout and it was HARD too! But I did it anyway, but I didn't track my numbers. For today's workout, I did the Pound Melting Workout for the first time. My reps were:
Modified Reptile (no push up): 14, 11
Left Lunge: 19, 17
Right Lunge: 18, 18
Left Crab: 3/8, 1/8
Right Crab: 1/9, 1/10
Squats: 17, 19
So I had to do a bit of modifying to this workout. For the reptile, I did the movement without the pushup. I did the lunges with two 5-lb weights. For the crab things, I tried! Much harder than it looks! So I did what I could, then finished with push ups on my knees. I'm actually seeing improvement there. Not much, but some - so I'll take it! For the squats, I did those with the 10-lbs of weight. Then to top that off, I grabbed my new jump rope, and did 12 minutes of HIIT. It works out to 10 minutes of jumping and two minutes of rest. I did a minimum of 43 jumps in 50 seconds (once, about half way through and I kept getting my feet caught in the rope!), and a max of 63 jumps in 50 seconds. I think my jumps were: 61, 50, 63, 50, 63, 43, 60, 50, 60, 45, 58, 50. I was bushed after that! But I'm going to keep it up everyday. That's it for today! Have a great weekend!
Modified Reptile (no push up): 14, 11
Left Lunge: 19, 17
Right Lunge: 18, 18
Left Crab: 3/8, 1/8
Right Crab: 1/9, 1/10
Squats: 17, 19
So I had to do a bit of modifying to this workout. For the reptile, I did the movement without the pushup. I did the lunges with two 5-lb weights. For the crab things, I tried! Much harder than it looks! So I did what I could, then finished with push ups on my knees. I'm actually seeing improvement there. Not much, but some - so I'll take it! For the squats, I did those with the 10-lbs of weight. Then to top that off, I grabbed my new jump rope, and did 12 minutes of HIIT. It works out to 10 minutes of jumping and two minutes of rest. I did a minimum of 43 jumps in 50 seconds (once, about half way through and I kept getting my feet caught in the rope!), and a max of 63 jumps in 50 seconds. I think my jumps were: 61, 50, 63, 50, 63, 43, 60, 50, 60, 45, 58, 50. I was bushed after that! But I'm going to keep it up everyday. That's it for today! Have a great weekend!
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Happy Tuesday!!
Taking Friday off from exercise was the best idea I've ever had! I was back to moving like a normal person by Saturday afternoon, which was awesome! I even got in a nice bike ride and some gardening on Saturday, which was great. Sunday was a pretty relaxed day. My biggest accomplishment for the day was completing a load of laundry!
No post yesterday because I was busy! I did my weekly weigh in, and lost 2.8 pounds. I was very excited by this. I did change my daily points because I thought they were too low. When I first started WeightWatchers, I was at 29 daily points, and 49 weekly points. Last week, WeightWatchers dropped me down to 27 daily points for some reason. I really had a hard time last week staying with that number, so I raised it back up to 29. Not sure why WeightWatchers made that change, but I really didn't like it - so back I go to my normal 29 points. I think I deserve the extra two points a day with these BodyRock workouts!
I took advantage of the housekeeper being here yesterday to distract the dogs, and did some serious organizing and purging in my office. I feel so much better now that most of it is done! I still have some things to finish, but they are much more manageable now. I spent a good six hours going through old receipts and miscellaneous stacks of paper that I had lying everywhere. I have all of it contained to the appropriate files now, and only a year's worth of bank statements to enter into Quicken. At least I can find everything now!
Since the housekeeper was here yesterday morning, I didn't get my workout in until late evening. I was waiting to see if a new workout would be posted, and couldn't wait any longer. I did 500 reps of the 1000 rep challenge on BodyRock in 45:03. That was hard! I had a really hard time completing the burpees and squat thrusts. My core just isn't strong enough yet to push and pull my lower body yet. Key word: yet! It gives me something else to work on. My arms aren't sore this morning, but I know that I used them yesterday.
Today's workout is the 200 rep Sumo Squat Step Up. I will be tackling that in about an hour. I had a late breakfast, and need to give my body a chance to digest my food. I'll post my time later today!
No post yesterday because I was busy! I did my weekly weigh in, and lost 2.8 pounds. I was very excited by this. I did change my daily points because I thought they were too low. When I first started WeightWatchers, I was at 29 daily points, and 49 weekly points. Last week, WeightWatchers dropped me down to 27 daily points for some reason. I really had a hard time last week staying with that number, so I raised it back up to 29. Not sure why WeightWatchers made that change, but I really didn't like it - so back I go to my normal 29 points. I think I deserve the extra two points a day with these BodyRock workouts!
I took advantage of the housekeeper being here yesterday to distract the dogs, and did some serious organizing and purging in my office. I feel so much better now that most of it is done! I still have some things to finish, but they are much more manageable now. I spent a good six hours going through old receipts and miscellaneous stacks of paper that I had lying everywhere. I have all of it contained to the appropriate files now, and only a year's worth of bank statements to enter into Quicken. At least I can find everything now!
Since the housekeeper was here yesterday morning, I didn't get my workout in until late evening. I was waiting to see if a new workout would be posted, and couldn't wait any longer. I did 500 reps of the 1000 rep challenge on BodyRock in 45:03. That was hard! I had a really hard time completing the burpees and squat thrusts. My core just isn't strong enough yet to push and pull my lower body yet. Key word: yet! It gives me something else to work on. My arms aren't sore this morning, but I know that I used them yesterday.
Today's workout is the 200 rep Sumo Squat Step Up. I will be tackling that in about an hour. I had a late breakfast, and need to give my body a chance to digest my food. I'll post my time later today!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Taking the Day Off!
I have opted to make today a no workout down. I'm still shuffling around like Frankenstein, so I'm pretty sure that a rest day is in order. Tomorrow Hubby and I are going for a long bike ride with the dogs in tow, and I know my legs need to rest up for that adventure. So today's goals are stretching and using the foam roller. I am also feeling my triceps from yesterday. I wasn't sure if those tricep push ups were doing anything yesterday, but I'm feeling them today. I definitely have to do them more often - they work! I feel my lower back and oblique muscles this morning too, so I know that I did something right yesterday.
The puppies had their flea and heartworm medicines this morning, so they are using me as a pillow as we speak. Hopefully, they will be feeling better for the bike ride tomorrow!
Not much to report today, but it's Friday. My biggest goals are getting ready for the weekend. Hopefully I have better news to report on Monday!
The puppies had their flea and heartworm medicines this morning, so they are using me as a pillow as we speak. Hopefully, they will be feeling better for the bike ride tomorrow!
Not much to report today, but it's Friday. My biggest goals are getting ready for the weekend. Hopefully I have better news to report on Monday!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Barely Walking Today
If I thought I was sore yesterday, I was seriously mistaken! I woke up this morning, and could barely walk. My calves were killing me! I slowly shuffled my way to the kitchen to make the Hubby lunch and get him out the door for work. I managed to get myself some coffee and oatmeal, and make it to the couch. I seriously considered not working out today, but decided that the only person I would be cheating is myself. I did the scheduled BodyRock workout, which was very hard for me. I completed all eleven exercises in 41:19. I did have to make modifications, but I got through it!
During the middle of my workout, Hubby called to let me know that he was sick and coming home. I had to spend about five minutes talking to him and getting him an appointment at with the doctor. So my time may have been a bit better (but not much), and I'm going to call it 41:19 for the record. For the walk over push up, I ended up doing push ups on my knees. My arms were burning by the time I hit 50 reps, so I think I did good. I did the one arm tricep push ups, but I don't think I did them right because I barely felt anything. Next time, I think I'll just do another round of push ups. For the star crunches, I did about 10 correctly, and then found my form really sucking, so I switched to regular crunches. The side plank lifts just about killed me, but I did them. The one leg wall sit was really hard too, especially since my quads and hamstrings were burning.
I had to break down and buy a foam roller this afternoon because my calves are so sore. I also bought a jump rope, because I need to work on my endurance and get more cardio into my routine. I also played the Burpee game this morning, but didn't get my afternoon round in. Hubby's been home!
During the middle of my workout, Hubby called to let me know that he was sick and coming home. I had to spend about five minutes talking to him and getting him an appointment at with the doctor. So my time may have been a bit better (but not much), and I'm going to call it 41:19 for the record. For the walk over push up, I ended up doing push ups on my knees. My arms were burning by the time I hit 50 reps, so I think I did good. I did the one arm tricep push ups, but I don't think I did them right because I barely felt anything. Next time, I think I'll just do another round of push ups. For the star crunches, I did about 10 correctly, and then found my form really sucking, so I switched to regular crunches. The side plank lifts just about killed me, but I did them. The one leg wall sit was really hard too, especially since my quads and hamstrings were burning.
I had to break down and buy a foam roller this afternoon because my calves are so sore. I also bought a jump rope, because I need to work on my endurance and get more cardio into my routine. I also played the Burpee game this morning, but didn't get my afternoon round in. Hubby's been home!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
I Kill Me!
In keeping myself honest, I must admit that I think I'm killing myself! The aliens/zombies/end of the world better not come anytime soon, because there is no way I could run - I'm so sore! I worked out again this morning with BodyRock and did the Ab Blitz Workout. Let me say it again: I'm killing myself! This workout was HARD! It took me 00:56:23 to complete. However, I did complete all of the workout. Of course, I had to make modifications: I don't own a jump rope, so I jumped in place. It's probably a good thing that I didn't have the jump rope because I'm just not that coordinated! But I think I did make this workout harder than necessary.
I was fine for the high knees - when I hit 500 steps, I was done. I was good for the Jump Rope Jacks - when I had completed 500 jumping jacks, I was done. When I got to the Scissors Jump Rope, all hell broke loose. For some reason, I couldn't find a good way to count! I ended up doing more of a military count (one-two-three-ONE!) for my scissors. I think in reality, I ended up doing closer to 2,000 if my math is right! So exhausting! I also had to modify the last exercise a little bit. I was really struggling with the one leg bridge, so I did a regular bridge, lifted one leg, put that leg down, and did a crunch. That limited the time I was holding the bridge with one leg, because they were shot after those stupid scissor jumps. I'm actually kind of proud of my little modification because I think I still kept to what was intended without causing myself too much pain. What do you think, Zuzana?
I also invented a new game for myself today. I think I'm going to hate it in the short term, and tolerate it in the long term. But, I'm sure that I will appreciate the long term results. So, my new game is simply called the Burpee Game. The idea is to do two burpees for yourself (the first and last), and one for each member of your immediate family. For example, you could do the hubby and kids, or in my case the hubby and each of the dogs. My goal is to play the Burpee Game three times a day: morning, mid-day, and right before my shower at night. This way, I get in 15 burpees a day, and hopefully I will get better at them. Right now, I can only walk out to the plank, do the pushup on my knees, walk back in, stand up, and then do the jump. But that's okay for now!
Here's my motivational thoughts for the day:
(Mom, that's a hint!!)
I was fine for the high knees - when I hit 500 steps, I was done. I was good for the Jump Rope Jacks - when I had completed 500 jumping jacks, I was done. When I got to the Scissors Jump Rope, all hell broke loose. For some reason, I couldn't find a good way to count! I ended up doing more of a military count (one-two-three-ONE!) for my scissors. I think in reality, I ended up doing closer to 2,000 if my math is right! So exhausting! I also had to modify the last exercise a little bit. I was really struggling with the one leg bridge, so I did a regular bridge, lifted one leg, put that leg down, and did a crunch. That limited the time I was holding the bridge with one leg, because they were shot after those stupid scissor jumps. I'm actually kind of proud of my little modification because I think I still kept to what was intended without causing myself too much pain. What do you think, Zuzana?
I also invented a new game for myself today. I think I'm going to hate it in the short term, and tolerate it in the long term. But, I'm sure that I will appreciate the long term results. So, my new game is simply called the Burpee Game. The idea is to do two burpees for yourself (the first and last), and one for each member of your immediate family. For example, you could do the hubby and kids, or in my case the hubby and each of the dogs. My goal is to play the Burpee Game three times a day: morning, mid-day, and right before my shower at night. This way, I get in 15 burpees a day, and hopefully I will get better at them. Right now, I can only walk out to the plank, do the pushup on my knees, walk back in, stand up, and then do the jump. But that's okay for now!
Here's my motivational thoughts for the day:
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Exercise Update
Today's workout was Burpees are Forever on BodyRock. The workout took exactly 12 minutes (50 seconds of exercise, 10 seconds of rest; three exercises; four rounds). Sounds easy, right? WRONG!!! The three exercises were all variations on the Burpee - one of the things I like least because I'm so bad at them. The only good thing is that I can only get better, right?
My numbers (doing full modifications):
1 Leg Burpee w/Side Jump: 3,5,6,5
Side Burpee: 5,5,4,5
Starburst Burpee: 6,5,5,5
This is my starting point. The first round of 1 Leg Burpees was the hardest, because I had to figure out my rhythm, which leg to move first, etc. Once I got past that, my numbers are pretty consistent. As I get stronger, I'm sure my numbers will improve and I won't have to modify as much. I look forward to the point where I don't have to modify as much!
I have stuck to my eating plan for the day fairly well so far. I had my cinnamon raisin oatmeal and a cup of coffee with Splenda this morning for breakfast at about 6:15. It's been 3.5 hours, and I'm still not hungry. Thirsty? Yes!!! Hungry? Not so much.
One of the things that I am learning to do is to tell the difference between hunger, thirst, and boredom. Sounds pretty basic, right? When you think about it, the answer is no. I won't speak for others, but I have found that I eat because I think I'm hungry or because I think I should be eating. I found this reminder on Pinterest:
Another one that I like is this:
I hadn't thought of it this way, but it's very true!
So with that being said, I'm off to find a large glass of water and a handful of dark chocolate roasted almonds as my post workout snack. And yes, this is part of my eating plan! One ounce of these very sinful almonds is 4 points! Sounds like a lot for a snack, but I need the protein after my workout. I've only used 11 of my 29 points today, which is about one third, so I'm on track!
My numbers (doing full modifications):
1 Leg Burpee w/Side Jump: 3,5,6,5
Side Burpee: 5,5,4,5
Starburst Burpee: 6,5,5,5
This is my starting point. The first round of 1 Leg Burpees was the hardest, because I had to figure out my rhythm, which leg to move first, etc. Once I got past that, my numbers are pretty consistent. As I get stronger, I'm sure my numbers will improve and I won't have to modify as much. I look forward to the point where I don't have to modify as much!
I have stuck to my eating plan for the day fairly well so far. I had my cinnamon raisin oatmeal and a cup of coffee with Splenda this morning for breakfast at about 6:15. It's been 3.5 hours, and I'm still not hungry. Thirsty? Yes!!! Hungry? Not so much.
One of the things that I am learning to do is to tell the difference between hunger, thirst, and boredom. Sounds pretty basic, right? When you think about it, the answer is no. I won't speak for others, but I have found that I eat because I think I'm hungry or because I think I should be eating. I found this reminder on Pinterest:
Another one that I like is this:
I hadn't thought of it this way, but it's very true!
So with that being said, I'm off to find a large glass of water and a handful of dark chocolate roasted almonds as my post workout snack. And yes, this is part of my eating plan! One ounce of these very sinful almonds is 4 points! Sounds like a lot for a snack, but I need the protein after my workout. I've only used 11 of my 29 points today, which is about one third, so I'm on track!
Monday, November 28, 2011
The Weight Yo-Yo
Since I have always struggled with my weight, this is nothing new for me. The hubby and I are in direct competition over who can lose the most weight in about 30 days. We started on Monday, and will weigh in again on Christmas day. I am at my new heaviest weight of 178.6 pounds, which is about one pound heavier than my old previous high. It doesn't seem like much, but it means that I'm gaining again.
To combat this weight insanity, I have recommitted to my Weight Watchers online app, tracking my food, and exercising regularly. Again. My last round started last January, where I lost about 20 pounds before taking a temporary job that threw me off of my exercise regiment. Once I lost the exercise, the food habits took a downhill spiral. So it's time to get back on track. Again!
Yesterday I took stock of where I am, and the results are pretty grim. For the sake of keeping myself honest, and to have a point of reference with the Hubby, I took my measurements. I even had Hubby take some "before" pictures for future reference. Embarrassing as it is, here are my measurements as of 11/28/11:
Waistline: 38.5 (right above belly button)
Weight: 178.6 (yikes!)
Bust: 33.5/41.75
Hips: 43.5/44.5
Bicep (R): 12.5
Bicep (L): 12.75
Forearm (R): 8.75
Forearm (L): 9.5
Thigh (R): 22.75
Thigh (L): 22.5
Calf (R): 14.75
Calf (L): 15.5
BMI: 29.7
Body Fat: 68.4#
% Body Fat: 38.3%
So this is my starting point. I was able to find an app on my phone that uses my weight (5' 5.5"), height, and measurements to calculate BMI, body fat, and body fat percentage.
For my new exercise regiment, I think I've found the most amazing website ever. I found this website through Pinterest, and I'm obsessed! BodyRock is amazing! There is nothing easy about these workouts, but all of the moves require little to no equipment so that it can be done at home or when traveling. The workouts are short and to the point, with very effective, time tested exercises. Between this and the Butt Bible workout, you have a series of short and very effective workouts. I may be out of shape and fat, but I know that there is nothing more effective than hard work. I don't really have the time to spend hours a day exercising, so I know to get the most out of the time that I do spend.
Yesterday, I completed the Wow Booty Workout. This is a three part workout. I completed two of the three parts. I completed all four minutes of Part One with no breaks! I did progress from on my belly, to on all fours, to on one knee/one hand for the five second rests. As I kept going, I couldn’t get up fast enough! Something to progress from. I completed Part Two in 7:12, using only my body weight. I will work up to the sand bag though! I did not do Part Three as I was completely drained from the first two parts. Again, something to work towards.
I am also going to try to work in other "exercising" activities through the day. Yesterday, I went for a bike ride and took the dogs in their carrier. Dragging an extra 35 - 40 pounds behind my bike qualifies as exercise! So I tacked an extra 20 minutes of exercise onto my day. Thank goodness my new bike has gears, because even a small hill is difficult when you are towing the dogs.
To combat this weight insanity, I have recommitted to my Weight Watchers online app, tracking my food, and exercising regularly. Again. My last round started last January, where I lost about 20 pounds before taking a temporary job that threw me off of my exercise regiment. Once I lost the exercise, the food habits took a downhill spiral. So it's time to get back on track. Again!
Yesterday I took stock of where I am, and the results are pretty grim. For the sake of keeping myself honest, and to have a point of reference with the Hubby, I took my measurements. I even had Hubby take some "before" pictures for future reference. Embarrassing as it is, here are my measurements as of 11/28/11:
Waistline: 38.5 (right above belly button)
Weight: 178.6 (yikes!)
Bust: 33.5/41.75
Hips: 43.5/44.5
Bicep (R): 12.5
Bicep (L): 12.75
Forearm (R): 8.75
Forearm (L): 9.5
Thigh (R): 22.75
Thigh (L): 22.5
Calf (R): 14.75
Calf (L): 15.5
BMI: 29.7
Body Fat: 68.4#
% Body Fat: 38.3%
So this is my starting point. I was able to find an app on my phone that uses my weight (5' 5.5"), height, and measurements to calculate BMI, body fat, and body fat percentage.
For my new exercise regiment, I think I've found the most amazing website ever. I found this website through Pinterest, and I'm obsessed! BodyRock is amazing! There is nothing easy about these workouts, but all of the moves require little to no equipment so that it can be done at home or when traveling. The workouts are short and to the point, with very effective, time tested exercises. Between this and the Butt Bible workout, you have a series of short and very effective workouts. I may be out of shape and fat, but I know that there is nothing more effective than hard work. I don't really have the time to spend hours a day exercising, so I know to get the most out of the time that I do spend.
Yesterday, I completed the Wow Booty Workout. This is a three part workout. I completed two of the three parts. I completed all four minutes of Part One with no breaks! I did progress from on my belly, to on all fours, to on one knee/one hand for the five second rests. As I kept going, I couldn’t get up fast enough! Something to progress from. I completed Part Two in 7:12, using only my body weight. I will work up to the sand bag though! I did not do Part Three as I was completely drained from the first two parts. Again, something to work towards.
I am also going to try to work in other "exercising" activities through the day. Yesterday, I went for a bike ride and took the dogs in their carrier. Dragging an extra 35 - 40 pounds behind my bike qualifies as exercise! So I tacked an extra 20 minutes of exercise onto my day. Thank goodness my new bike has gears, because even a small hill is difficult when you are towing the dogs.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Random Thoughts at the End of the Day
The cinnamon raisin bread was okay, but it needs more cinnamon and brown sugar. It needed to be just a bit sweeter. Also, I want to try using regular yeast and traditional rising methods instead of the bread machine. My loaves of bread just do not bake correctly in that little pan, and come out with very thick, hard crusts. Not so yummy that way!
I was reading an older post from Mrs. Money this afternoon titled Where Have All the Housewives Gone? (BTW, I love your blog! I wish that I had found it sooner!) It was interesting because I have been wondering about this too. One of the things that I liked most about the post is that she provides an example of what her grandmother’s weekly schedule looked like. What a difference technology makes! Thanks to technology, we can accomplish a couple of big chores each day. But this got me thinking about how I should break out my week to handle all of the things that I want to do.
After playing around for a bit, I think I have my ideal rough schedule. I have limited myself to my "must do's" each day, so that I know I get the essentials out of the way, and make sure to work on my "new" essentials too. I am trying to limit how often I leave the house to run errands to twice a week (three times top). I drive a big truck, so I try to run all of my errands at once. (Yes, I know trucks are the bane of the world. However, I only own one vehicle and I actually use it as intended - to tow and haul things.) I think this schedule leaves me enough wiggle room to handle things as they come up, and to work on more as time allows or creativity hits.
Monday: Heavy Cleaning; Long Workout; Paperwork (Weekend Messes, Meal Planning, Bills)
Tuesday: Short Workout; Blogging; Sewing & Crafts
Wednesday: Quick Cleaning; Long Workout; Shopping
Thursday: Short Workout; Sewing & Crafts; Paperwork (Filing, Errands, Misc.)
Friday: Quick Cleaning; Long Workout; Blogging; Laundry
Saturday: Baking & Cooking; Yard Work; Quick Laundry
Sunday: Free Day!
Of course, free days aren’t exactly free. There are still meals to be cooked, lunches to be made, and dishes to wash. But at least I have one day that I can just hang with the hubby and watch football (or whatever sport is on).
Trying this again...
Clearly my last attempt at this didn’t work. But as they say, “try and try again!” I just read through my whooping three posts to see how many changes I have made. Unfortunately, I see myself in a similar position as I was almost two years ago. However, I have many new experiences and have a better idea of what works for me.
Here’s where I’m at now: I am still an early 30-something woman who lives in Southern California. I am still not blonde, thin, or a tanned goddess. I still don’t surf, roller blade, or skateboard. I was recently laid off from my job, so I am back to being a full-time homemaker. I get to play with my dogs, take care of my home and husband (we finally got married), and manage our day to day lives. I also get to try different things that interest me. Right now, that means a lot of DIY projects including cooking, baking, cleaning, and clothing. I was looking at our budget recently, and was outraged on how much we spend on eating out, cleaning products, different foods at the grocery store, clothing, and where all of this stuff comes from. Needless to say, I was shocked.
I am constantly outraged by prices when I go shopping. I can’t believe that stores charge (and we pay) between $3 - $5 for a loaf of bread! I’m not talking about anything fancy, just plain white bread. I won’t go into the price of bagels ($4 for six), English muffins (about $4), or anything remotely like specialty bread (between $5 - $6 for a small loaf). Ridiculous! I have a bread maker and an oven at home. I guess they are going back to work. (In fact as I type this post, my bread machine is whipping up a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. Hopefully it comes out well – I’ll keep myself posted!) I haven’t even tried to figure out where all this stuff is trucked in from, but I doubt it is local. Paying for transportation costs is really starting to irk me, which brings me to the cost of my next favorite thing.
A gallon of milk is between $3 and $4 at my local Vons. I live in California, home of happy cows and California dairy products. According to the TV ads, I should be swimming in California milk and gorging on California cheese made from happy cows basking in the sunshine. “Look for the ‘Real California’ milk or cheese logo!” Really? Because I’m looking at my local grocery store and I don’t see it! So where are all of my milk and dairy products coming from, if not my home state? The prices for cheese are crazy too! I love to cook Italian food, which means parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta, and asiago cheeses in my house. Let’s talk about their prices: one pound of partially skim milk mozzarella cheese is between $4 and $6. A one pound container of ricotta cheese is $5. A quick Google search tells me that I can get about a pound of mozzarella and six ounces of ricotta from one gallon of milk. Oh, and I will still have leftover water to use in my garden. Waste not, want not! Back to my point - I wrote that right – one gallon of milk yields a lot. So for an investment of $4 and a couple hours of my time, I can make two types of cheeses and save money? I’m so there! Now, I know there are those who are going to tell me that the additional cost is for labor, transportation, etc. That’s okay – just not for me.
The cost of clothing is outrageous too. I have a very hard time justifying $60 for a pair of jeans. I know that sewing clothing is not easy, but come on! These clothes are made in a factory in another country that has efficiency down to wring out the last penny in cost, then shipped back to us in the most economical manner possible, only to be sold for an amazingly high price. And we still buy it! I’m starting to think that I’ve had enough of that too. So my newest project is to teach myself to sew. I’ve borrowed a friend’s sewing machine, bought some nifty tools to make cutting and things easier, some materials and am diving right in. I’ve spent less than $100 on this little experiment.
If I like sewing, and I think I will, then I will break down and invest in a sewing machine. If I really want to splurge, I may even buy a serger. From all of my research, because I research EVERYTHING, a serger is the coolest thing ever and will help me in my quest to sew my own jeans. But more importantly, we can save money and not have to pay more transportation costs. I know, I know! You’re thinking, but you have to actually make all of this stuff you’re not buying. That is true, but since I have all of this time on my hands why not? Maybe our grandparents and great-grandparents had it right. Marriages are about your love for another person, but also about partnership, working together to take care of each other, and a certain amount of independence.
Oh! And I still strongly distrust doctors. I am still on a quest to get rid of all of the quick fix pills. I found that a vegan diet did wonders for me, especially when combined with exercise. However, I really miss cheese! So I have modified my diet accordingly. I still do not eat meat, although I do still have fish or seafood. I love sushi and it is so hard to give up! I still eat cheese or Greek yogurt when the mood strikes me, although I tend to avoid eggs. I would say I am a mostly-vegan vegetarian, because that is what works for me. I still try to avoid refined flour and sugars, but I tend to slip back to old habits with this one. I’m hoping that if I do my own baking, I will have an easier time with this. I have more control over my diet this way. It’s definitely a work in progress!
My new goals: I still want to get rid of the pills and doctors. I want to have pretty skin again. I want to lose weight and feel better. I want to be able to run and feel strong. I want to not rely on others for what my little family needs. I want to not pay for transportation if it’s not necessary. I want to have the knowledge to take care of myself and my family. I want to learn things that my great-grandparents knew, and that have been lost through the generations and in translation. I want my little piece of the world to be a nice place!
Here’s where I’m at now: I am still an early 30-something woman who lives in Southern California. I am still not blonde, thin, or a tanned goddess. I still don’t surf, roller blade, or skateboard. I was recently laid off from my job, so I am back to being a full-time homemaker. I get to play with my dogs, take care of my home and husband (we finally got married), and manage our day to day lives. I also get to try different things that interest me. Right now, that means a lot of DIY projects including cooking, baking, cleaning, and clothing. I was looking at our budget recently, and was outraged on how much we spend on eating out, cleaning products, different foods at the grocery store, clothing, and where all of this stuff comes from. Needless to say, I was shocked.
I am constantly outraged by prices when I go shopping. I can’t believe that stores charge (and we pay) between $3 - $5 for a loaf of bread! I’m not talking about anything fancy, just plain white bread. I won’t go into the price of bagels ($4 for six), English muffins (about $4), or anything remotely like specialty bread (between $5 - $6 for a small loaf). Ridiculous! I have a bread maker and an oven at home. I guess they are going back to work. (In fact as I type this post, my bread machine is whipping up a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. Hopefully it comes out well – I’ll keep myself posted!) I haven’t even tried to figure out where all this stuff is trucked in from, but I doubt it is local. Paying for transportation costs is really starting to irk me, which brings me to the cost of my next favorite thing.
A gallon of milk is between $3 and $4 at my local Vons. I live in California, home of happy cows and California dairy products. According to the TV ads, I should be swimming in California milk and gorging on California cheese made from happy cows basking in the sunshine. “Look for the ‘Real California’ milk or cheese logo!” Really? Because I’m looking at my local grocery store and I don’t see it! So where are all of my milk and dairy products coming from, if not my home state? The prices for cheese are crazy too! I love to cook Italian food, which means parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta, and asiago cheeses in my house. Let’s talk about their prices: one pound of partially skim milk mozzarella cheese is between $4 and $6. A one pound container of ricotta cheese is $5. A quick Google search tells me that I can get about a pound of mozzarella and six ounces of ricotta from one gallon of milk. Oh, and I will still have leftover water to use in my garden. Waste not, want not! Back to my point - I wrote that right – one gallon of milk yields a lot. So for an investment of $4 and a couple hours of my time, I can make two types of cheeses and save money? I’m so there! Now, I know there are those who are going to tell me that the additional cost is for labor, transportation, etc. That’s okay – just not for me.
The cost of clothing is outrageous too. I have a very hard time justifying $60 for a pair of jeans. I know that sewing clothing is not easy, but come on! These clothes are made in a factory in another country that has efficiency down to wring out the last penny in cost, then shipped back to us in the most economical manner possible, only to be sold for an amazingly high price. And we still buy it! I’m starting to think that I’ve had enough of that too. So my newest project is to teach myself to sew. I’ve borrowed a friend’s sewing machine, bought some nifty tools to make cutting and things easier, some materials and am diving right in. I’ve spent less than $100 on this little experiment.
If I like sewing, and I think I will, then I will break down and invest in a sewing machine. If I really want to splurge, I may even buy a serger. From all of my research, because I research EVERYTHING, a serger is the coolest thing ever and will help me in my quest to sew my own jeans. But more importantly, we can save money and not have to pay more transportation costs. I know, I know! You’re thinking, but you have to actually make all of this stuff you’re not buying. That is true, but since I have all of this time on my hands why not? Maybe our grandparents and great-grandparents had it right. Marriages are about your love for another person, but also about partnership, working together to take care of each other, and a certain amount of independence.
Oh! And I still strongly distrust doctors. I am still on a quest to get rid of all of the quick fix pills. I found that a vegan diet did wonders for me, especially when combined with exercise. However, I really miss cheese! So I have modified my diet accordingly. I still do not eat meat, although I do still have fish or seafood. I love sushi and it is so hard to give up! I still eat cheese or Greek yogurt when the mood strikes me, although I tend to avoid eggs. I would say I am a mostly-vegan vegetarian, because that is what works for me. I still try to avoid refined flour and sugars, but I tend to slip back to old habits with this one. I’m hoping that if I do my own baking, I will have an easier time with this. I have more control over my diet this way. It’s definitely a work in progress!
My new goals: I still want to get rid of the pills and doctors. I want to have pretty skin again. I want to lose weight and feel better. I want to be able to run and feel strong. I want to not rely on others for what my little family needs. I want to not pay for transportation if it’s not necessary. I want to have the knowledge to take care of myself and my family. I want to learn things that my great-grandparents knew, and that have been lost through the generations and in translation. I want my little piece of the world to be a nice place!
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