Summer Challenge Week 1

First Day of the Ready For Summer Challenge was yesterday and wouldn't you know it, It's "Shark Week" 'round these parts.(IE that time of the month)  Needless to say,  I'm bloated and crampy and eating everything  in sight.....( well not really everything) but things that I shouldn't have eaten like Birthday Cake, Pad Thai, and a Philly cheesesteak.

Hmmph!!!  I'm off to a raring start and to top that off I didn't do shyt yesterday as far as exercise is concerned.   Oh well, today is another day and I did do much better today, at least on the exercise front.

 I did manage to get in some Spring cleaning, and quite a few hours of cleaning I might add ,and finished it off with a Latin dance class at the gym.  I went  in expecting it to be like Zumba but it was much more difficult. It focused on Latin dances with some added kicks, punches and squats thrown in.  We did a bit of salsa, African dance, Merengue, Salsa and the instructor..( the same who  taught the cardio kick box class from hell) was full of energy and very motivating.  I think I'm going to add her class in to my rotation on Tuesday evenings.  Now on to the important  challenge related stuff....;)

1.This week I will shoot for a pound and a half weight loss goal.( although with "Shark Week" in full effect, I don't see how its possible)

2. Let's see NSV..mini goal..I have to get back to you on this one
 
3. Nutrition wise, let's see...I will incorporate a vegetable with every meal.  It seems simple enough for some but it is so  hard for me considering the only vegetable I usually eat is spinach in my morning omelet.

4. I will stick with my exercise at least 4 times this week.  I missed Monday but It's still very ;ossible for me to meet this goal.


I hope everyone who is is participating in the challenge is doing well.

Getting it right,

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Friend Makin' Monday: Current Favorites

 Current Favorites

1. Song -Too many to count but what comes to mind is "Lady In MY Life" by Michael Jackson

2. Drink –Iced Tea and Mojitos( alcoholic beverage of choice)

3. Physical feature of the opposite sex (or the sex that you find attractive) – a man with a sexy back with just the right amount of muscles...will do it for me every time...add in a nice chest and some abs and I'm done!

4. TV Show(s) –Currently, I'm loving "Revenge", "Nikita", and "Once Upon a Time" in that order.  True Must See TV!! I also Love True Blood but haven't watched since season 2.

5. Actor/Actress – No favorite at the moment.but Blair Underwood is sexy as hell!  lol

6. Book –I really loved 'The Shack".... I tend to love nearly every book I read though so If I were totally honest, this list would be entirely too long.  Just finished "The Hunger Games and loved it as well. Currently reading Catching Fire( the second in the trilogy) and I probably will feel the same about it too.

7. Form of communication –I'm such an "emailer" or "texter". I'd much rather "talk" over the computer than face to face...sometimes that holds true...even if I like you!

8. Exercise – I have currently fallen in love with Zumba.  This is really something that I can stick too forever.  It's a great workout and so much fun!

9. Food –Lasagna, whole crabs and Philly cheese steaks are my favs.  Oh  the things I would do for a good cheese steak and some crabs right about now!

10. Quote – "What one compromises to gain, One must also compromise to keep" My pastor said it a few years back and I always assumed that he was the originator of the quote.  It's something that has always stuck with me throughout the years and it is so very true!


Your turn!   Head on over to Kenlie's and don't forget to link your blog!



Getting it right,

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Ready For Summer Challenge

So I have joined a challenge.  It's not really the first challenge that I have participated in but this will be the first one that I am determined to complete.   Summer has always been my motivation in terms of losing weight. I mean who doesn't want to look good in their summer clothes?  I've never been one to NOT wear  shorts, tank tops, swim suits and other comfortable summer clothing just because I am over weight.  It amazes me how some would rather be hot and miserable because  of the way they believe they look in certain  things.  That is so not me.   My comfort comes first!!!

Anyway this is a 69 day challenge I believe ( March 26-Jun 3) and this is what I hope to accomplish during that time:

1. Weight loss- I usually tend to jump in head first with my weight loss expectations but this time I will be reasonable with my goals.  Since a reasonable  rate of loss ( according to experts is 1 to 2 pounds per week, I think I will set a 15 lb weight loss goal or this challenge.
 
2. NSV (Non-Scale Victory)- My non-scale victory would be to lose a pant size or 2.
 
3. Exercise- During this challenge I will work out at least 4 times per week.
 
4. Nutrition-This will be the hard part for me. I have just skimmed through the book Eat To Live and have decided to include some of the principles in my nutritional goals. I will eat at least 16 oz of raw, cooked green and non green vegetables at least 3 times per week ..and drink at least 64 oz. of water a day.

Anyway, that's it for now...Wish me Luck!


Getting it right,
 

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Whew....Finally!

Things are finally getting back to normal after my 3 week hiatus. These past few weeks I have been involved in a work project that threw me totally off track.

The early morning to late evening hours left me without a plan or the ability to fit in workouts so although my mind told me that I could do a little something when I returned home, my body said take your azz to bed which is what I ended up doing every single evening lol.

Saturday was my first day back to working out and I rejoined my 8:30 AM Zumba class. I thought my absence would make a huge difference but I was okay, still able to keep up and not overly winded or anything like that. Feeling good about being able to work out again, I decided to take a cardio kick boxing class Monday evening.

I wasn't sure what cardio kickboxing was but I assumed that it would be similar to Billy Blank's Tae-Bo or Chalene Johnson's Turbo Jam...I had no clue what I had gotten myself in to.

The instructor walked in and asked how many of us were new, myself and several others raised our hands and she went on to say that she tends to tailor her classes to all levels so no matter if you are a beginner or advanced, you would be able to fare well in her class.

During the warm-up she had us doing a bajillion squats from regular to 10-count and then she had us doing push-ups as well, also regular and 10 count! Have you ever tried to do a push-up, raising -up to a count of 10 and then lowering yourself to a count of 10? Murder! True to her word, she did modify some moves such as jumping jacks, and jumps and things but this class, in my opinion was in no way geared to a beginner such as myself(even with modifications) because that was just the warm-up.

The real workout consisted of various punches and kicks, which I was expecting, but also a good deal of jumping as well. When she added in an excessive amount of one hand push-ups, burpees, and something called the Chinese fire walk, all I could do was watch and count in unison because there was no way in hell I was even attempting to do that. While torturing us mercilessly, she proceeded to walk around the room watching and correcting forms, yelling in some instances and taunting us with how we know, now that the weather is warm, that we want to fit into our shorts and tank tops which will not look good with extra arm and leg jiggle. lol

Love her as an instructor and she had a very nice fit body, but I told the girl next to me( who didn't appear able to do much in the class either) that I had no plans to come back having resolved in my mind that this is something that I would need to work my way up to. She told me to just stick with it and keep coming back and while I haven't totally made up my mind to do that, depending on how I feel, I may try it one more time. Needless to say, I am still feeling that workout TODAY!

Now I just need to work on my eating.


Getting it right,

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Friend Making Mondays: Bookworms (Revisited)

FMM: Bookworms (Revisited)

1.How often do you read for pleasure?  I read fairly often. I love reading....It's a love that has stuck with me ever since I was little.

2.Are you currently reading a book? No, I'm not currently reading anything at the moment.

3.Do you subscribe to any magazines and/or newspapers? The only magazine that I subscribe to is Better Homes and Gardens and Good Housekeeping...but I do purchase quite a few fitness mags which I try to read regularly. I also read our local "free" newpaper but I get the majority of my news from the early A.M.television broadcast or online.


4.Do you prefer reading traditional books or using an e-reader? I don't really have a preference either way.  I do tend to read magazines mostly on my touchpad.  I have a few books on their as well but since I get my books from the library and haven't looked into their e-book check-out system yet, I mostly read traditional books. 

5.How often do you go to the bookstore? Not so much anymore since they closed Borders...we have a little neighborhood bookstore but I haven't visted there in a while. The majority of the books I read, I get from the library unless they are absolutely awesome reads ( ie The Shack) I can't see a reason to purchase them since I rarely, if ever, go back and re-read a book.

6.Do you read at the gym?  I do read only when I'm on the Precor machine or the elliptical. It helps the time go by much more quickly and it also allows me to catch up on my reading. I have also  listened to audio books from time to time.

7.Have you ever been a member of a book club? Only online although I would love to join a local book club.

8.Do you wear glasses when you read? No..don't need glasses.

9.Has anyone read the Hunger Games? No I haven't read it although my kids had to read it for school and loved  it. It  is on my "to read" list although I think I will see the movie before I actully get a chance to read it.

10.What is your favorite thing about reading? I love the storylines mostly.Reading also allows you to escape the real world, you can travel, and basically become one with the characters if the book is well written.


Getting it right,

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What's on your workout Playlist?

There's nothing like the right music to get you through a workout. In my case, that means anything with a thumping, booming bassline.   It's no secret that I don't really like cardio( in the traditional sense) and when I'm on the treadmill or elliptical or whatever machine I'm using, I often find myself counting down the minutes until I'm done.  I need a distraction to keep my mind off of the time and I find that my workout playlist usually does the trick!

When I'm slacking on the treadmill and "Boom Boom Pow" comes on I  find myself picking up the pace and moving with a bit more intensity and let's not even talk about a Michael Jackson song.( The amount of Michael Jackson music on my playlist is ridiculous...so I didn't even bother listing it)

My playlist  helps to keep me happy and energetic during my workout as evidenced by my ear to ear grin when one of my favorite songs come on!( people are probably thiking what's up with her? lol).  It's easy to become so engrossed in the beat, the lyrics, the music that I completely lose track of time and suddenly, that dreaded workout wasn't so bad after all.

I've been using this playlist for a while. I have my staple songs and add to it from time to time but since I'm always on the look out for good, motivational workout music..I'm always curious to see what others are using to power through their routines so what's on your playlist?

Getting it right,

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FMM: Travel

Friend Makin' Monday: Travel

1. Where did your most recent trip take you?  My  last trip was actually to Pennsylvania but that was for a funeral, my last trip for fun was to California.
2. Is there a place that you’d like to visit that you haven’t yet?  If so, where?  I'd love to go to Greece, Italy and Israel( it would be awesome to walk where Jesus walked). Hopefully, I'll make it there some day!
3. Do you travel lightly, or do you cram as much into your luggage as possible? I am such an over packer and normally use an extremely large suitcase( and when I say large, I mean LARGE...I can probably fit into it if I try) I have also been forced to pay the excess luggage fee quite a few times due to my over-packing. Last year, I bought a luggage scale to help keep me under the  luggage weight limit and still ended up having to pay the $75 over the limit fee on my way back from California.
4. Do your eating and exercise habits change when you travel? If so, how?  Definitely, since no one likes to cook when on the road, I find myself eating out the majority of the time.  Also, I may work out once or twice but find that exercise usually falls by the wayside  rather quickly for me.
5. Tell us about a place you’ve been that you’d like to go back to.  I'd like to go back to every place that I visit and I think that I have done that. Although I have been to Cali, quite a few times, This past year I went to Forest lawn Cemetery and it was an absolutely beautiful and serene place, I would love to visit there again!
6. Do you prefer to travel at a certain time of year?  Any opportunity to get away is a good time for me..I love to travel... but my ideal would be to travel to a tropical place during the winter. Our winters can be brutal and I'm so over the cold!
7. If you had to choose, would you go to the beach or the mountains?  I'd choose the beach in a heart beat. Relaxing in the warm heat, fruity girly drinks, sand and clear blue/green waters...Ahhh that is the life!
8. Have you ever needed a passport to travel?  Not yet..The few times I've been out of the country, one did not need a passport then.( Canada, Bahamas, etc) I did get one for myself and my children before the rate increased and hopefully soon, I'll be getting my first stamp from a European country!
9. Do you collect anything in your travels?  I used to collect the little glass bells you find in gift shops but I stopped years ago. 
10. Where do you plan to go next?  I'll probably be in Pennsylvania(I tend to commute back and forth so I don't really consider that traveling) but my next real trip will  be to Vegas!

Your turn!   Head on over to Kenlie's and don't forget to link your blog!



Getting it right,

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Review: Silicon Steamer From Curves

Last year when I was deciding whether or not to renew my gym membership, a friend who attends Curves suggested I try it out. My mother and myself received a free month long membership which we used three times a week. I really enjoyed my time there and I also enjoyed the camaraderie with the women there but $40 per month was a bit steep for the variety of exercise they provide and we were not able to attend every day  even if we wanted to.  I decided not to join because I am getting more bang for my buck at my current gym.

Anyway, if you are at all familiar with Curves, you know that from time to time they sell Curves products on site. One particular day that I was there, they were offering a silicon steamer.  I immediately became intrigued because I have been wanting some form of silicon bake wear for a while now.  I asked about the steamer and everyone proceeded to tell me how great it was. I could cook scrambled eggs, chicken, fish and it would always turn out delicious!  Really?  You mean I can cook all of these things in the microwave and it wouldn't be dried out? They assured me that I could. The only thing that I could not do was cook things that needed to be in water like rice or pasta. One lady told me her rice horror story in which she tried to steam rice and destroyed her steamer.....so anyway, I pay my $20 dollars and off I go with my steamer.  

Frozen salmon, cleaned and seasoned

I couldn't wait to try it out. I'm big on convenience so I almost always have individually wrapped salmon and chicken breasts on hand.  I decide to cook salmon so I take the salmon out of the freezer and pop it right into the steamer. That's right, no need to thaw it out first!  Just clean it and season it  while it is frozen and pop it into the steamer.  This was a major plus for me.

See the juicy goodness?

The steamer comes with suggested cooking times for certain foods and If I'm not mistaken I believe for seafood it is 3 or 4 minutes.  I cooked mine  in the microwave for about 4 minutes and then It was ready to go. juicy, flavorful, and extremely moist!

I've also cooked various vegetables as well as chicken breast ( also from frozen) and I've found that with the chicken, it is a good idea to cook it for a few minutes on each side.  I didn't do this the first time and found that one side was semi raw after the 4 minutes were up.  Now that I'm cooking both sides, I've had no problems at all.  I've also tried an omelet because I just could not believe that one could cook eggs in the microwave and have them taste okay.   I sprayed the steamer with some olive oil cooking spray, put my egg whites, spinach, onions, and cheese in the steamer and microwaved for a few minutes.  It turned out well.

The steamer is dishwasher safe....not sure whether it is oven safe but normally,  silicone cookware usually is safe to use in a conventional oven.  This has been a lifesaver for me and has quickly become my favorite piece of cookware.


PROS
Dishwasher safe
Can cook  from frozen
easy to store
quick and easy to use

CONS
Not really recommended for use with water, IE cooking rice, pasta, etc ( although some have managed to use it in this manner with no damage to the steamer)

    

Rating

Getting it right,

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