Following in Mommy's Footsteps?

Lesson One:

You must remember not to put your fingers over the lens.



Lesson Two:

Sturdy your arms against your sides to avoid camera shake.



That's the ticket, baby!


I swear, 14 years from now she is hired!

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Crazy Sexy Running (Thanks to Kris and Cathy!)

So, ya, Fitness Friday is a little bit late, huh? Well...here's the story...I got all my gear on and by the time I made it out to the living room (with the DVD player), the kids had already taken over the t.v. to watch a movie. So, I couldn't work out! Yep. There were a lot of lame-o excuses like that one last week. Sigh. But, you know, whatevs! No use pouting. I'm back on track.

I got Kris Carr's cool new book on the weekend. Have you heard about it, yet? I mean, it's everywhere! It isn't really a cookbook. Or a diet plan. It's more like a "life plan". Lots of interesting stuff in there. I'm about 1/3 the way through (because I keep skipping all around it--reading different parts here and there) and I think it's pretty darn cool. Kris was diagnosed with inoperable cancer about 7 years ago and made a complete over-hall of her life. Those healthy changes have kept her going with the grace and gumption of a goddess ever since. Just think of what those changes could do for a person who isn't even battling a life-changing disease. But, then again, aren't we all? I mean, 1 in 2 men get cancer. 1 in 3 women. I have got to think our SAD (Standard American Diet) diet has a lot to do with that SAD statistic. It's time to make some changes and I'm back on track for the challenge!



I even went out and bought a juicer yesterday. I love a kitchen appliance -- oh, yes i do. I wanted to be Jennifer Marlowe when I was a kid. All those kitchen appliances! Shiny and New and Never Used.  But, that's another story.


I actually used my juicer this morning and made Kris's "Make Love, Not War Green Juice". It is full of kale, and broccoli stems, celery, cucumbers, ginger root and pear.

Then I drank it.

For real life.

It wasn't so bad actually and I felt so flipping healthy after drinking it! Then I shared a bit of the left-overs with Bun-Bun and Chum-Chum (they thought it was the best thing ever). Side note: the recipe and my juicer make more juice than i really need. I'll have to cut it in half next time. 

Then, all high on life and kale, I hit the treadmill.




I started up my Couch to 5K app. again. I jumped in at week 2 this time since I remember week 1 being very easy last time around (for those of you just catching up...I don't think I ever got past about week 4 last time I tried this. I got a cold and missed a couple of days. Then something else, I can't even remember what, came up and I missed a couple more days. Then I felt like I was too out of it to continue on and I sure didn't want to have to start all over again...so, ya, that was that).

Here's the deal.
I love my running shoes (they are super adorable "Newton's", ordered from The States).
I hate running.
Hate is a strong word.

I can "speed walk" at a pace of 6.4km/hr. I could probably walk at that pace all day long. But, kick it up to 7.0 km/hr, or even 6.8, or 6.6...just to the point where I have to shift from walking to jogging, and I suck! I get all tense and seize up. It's like I'm afraid I'm going to fall or something. I don't know. I'm just keenly aware of how uncomfortable I am, how all my innards are just thrashing up and down, how this can't be good for my knee, how i'm going to hurt something, how I have no flipping idea how other people do this...let alone enjoy it...are you kidding me?!

This is what goes through my head for the entire 90 seconds that my app. is telling me to run.

Then I get to walk again.

So, I got through it and, as usual, I felt great after...but I have to get over my mental negativity! I have to try and think of something pleasant during my running time. Something better than, "This sucks! This sucks! I suck! I can't do this! How many more seconds?! I'll never make it! This sucks! This sucks".

I sent a little Tweet out to the beautiful and talented (and able to run 5ks like nobody's business) Cathy Zielske to see how she does it. Cathy is my (and everyone else's) scrapbooking hero, but she also happens to be my running hero. She took up running last year and hasn't looked back. I figured she must have run when she was a kid. Nope. She literally just started last year. She said it was also very foreign to her and took her about 4 months to really hit her stride and start enjoying it. So, I'm not going to give up. I'll keep going and try to reach that 4 month mark and hope to Cathy Zielske that by the time I get there I'm not thinking, "I suck! I can't do this!!" for every single stride, but "You Rock! You CAN do this!" instead. :)

Thank-you Cathy Zielske.
You're my hero.
And, thanks to Kris Carr, too. I feel the unicorns are a-coming!
{you'll just have to read her book...}
;-)


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Mommy Fail, January/11.

We kept the girls home from school today. Their school was having another trip to the ice rink and I don't really want them going on the ice without Dave and I there to help them (which we would, but we also have a baby Coco at home and only so many hands). So, we decided to have a fun family day, instead!

Despite the fact that The Hubs got no sleep last night, we got ourselves all ready today -showers, dressed up, camera charged, snacks and water ready, and packed ourselves into the truck for the trip out to The Butterfly Conservatory!!

We haven't been to see the butterflies since Jamie was Colie's age so the photo ops were going to be fabulous. It's a long drive, and a Freezing Cold trip from the parking lot to the front doors...but once you are in there it is fabulous. So warm and tropical with all the beautiful plants and gorgeous butterflies landing on everyone. Ahhhh. Love it.

Unfortunately,we never even ~thought~ to call first. I mean, of course they're open. Right?



Yaaa...
Not so much.
"oh, maaaaan"
-Swiper.

The girls still had a good laugh, though. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what has given them this mad case of the giggles...and caused them to start snapping photos like wild paparazzi.



It was a funny moment, though. You'll just have to take my word for that one.

And, me? Well, I had my new Vegan cookbook along, so I spent the better part of the trip trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight. So, it really wasn't a total loss.



(btw! Totally didn't get this book for the "weight loss" aspect, just the "healthy vegan cooking" aspect. I wish it had a different name...but it's a good cookbook, otherwise).

Okay...
off to work-out now before posting "Fitness Friday"
:-/



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Fitness Friday

Check-in time!

I did pretty good this week. Two days of Upper Body Pyramid (Cathe Friedrich) again. I only needed one day of rest in between this time, so I'm probably going to ramp things up a bit next week and add in some lower body work. I also did some ab work on Wednesday and it still feels like I was hit in the lower ribs today (going to try for two days next week). Aaand, i got jiggy with my Wii Just Dance 2 a bunch of times (including last night when I realized I had forgotten to do it, and I really no longer felt like doing it, but I wasn't listening to any of my own excuses. Yay me!).

Nutrition: I'm on day, what? Eleven, I think, of the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart and I'm doing well. I have not had any meat (no big deal. At all), eggs (a bit harder), or dairy (oh my gawd. There is ice cream in my freezer, people! And, I've yet to solve my no yogurt problem. This one is hard for me) for the entire time.

My saving graces so far have been all my homemade hummus recipes (yum!) and espresso with frothed soy milk (yum-mo!). I really need to prep and cook more, though. I've been doing a LOT of grazing...veggies and hummus, whole-grain bread and hummus, multi-grain crackers and hummus.... Eeee! I may be in danger of becoming sick of hummus.

So, plan for next week...
1) 2 day Upper Body (weights)
2) 1 day Lower Body (weights)
3) 4 days Cardio
4) 2 days Abs

And

Cook something good. Vegan good.

So, tell me,
are you doing something to take care of you this year?


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Fitness Friday

Remember those? Well, it is the start of a new year. Time to start taking care of you again, right? So...what are you doing to get healthy this year?

Here's what I've been up to:

Monday: worked. I'll spare you the sad details, but it was a very physically demanding shift. So, I left it at that.

Tuesday: "Intense Program" completed on Wii Just Dance 2. I love that program! Dancing really is so much more fun than running on the treadmill. There. I've said it. I get out of breath and sweat just the same...so it's gotta be just as worthwhile even though it's fun, right?

Also did Cathe Friedrich's Pyramid Upper body. THE best way to get your arms in shape. Period.

Wed: I.P. completed on Wii Just Dance. Upper Body recovery day. Rest of the day spent finishing up my Pet Photography blog (ie., butt on chair, body in front of computer, for hours).

Thursday: I.P. completed on Wii Just Dance. Day 2 of Upper Body recovery (i knew this would happen since I haven't lifted weights in so long. There is just no way my triceps were ready to kickback anything yet). Remainder of day spent on butt, in front of computer, getting pet photography website done. Oh em gee, that took FOR-EVER. Hours!!! My eyes were sore! So glad it's finished now, though. :)

Friday: I.P. completed on Wii Just Dance. Also did Pyramid Upper Body, again. Done with computer today (except for this post). Woo!!

Nutrition: I've eaten a vegan diet all week. No meat, no dairy, no cheese. Not huge sacrifices for me, though, I should admit. Although... I ~am~ really starting to miss my Greek-style plain yogurt. A lot. And soy yogurt is pretty darn expensive!! I may need some help with this one. Although, my Tassimo latte is truly delicious with the soy milk I froth myself! So, hurrah for that.






Plains for next week:
More of the same, but add in some ab work. Also, try to solve lack of yogurt problem.

So tell me...
What did you do
To take care of YOU
This week?


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21-Day Kickstart.

So the hubs and I went to Chapter's last week because, well, the girls were suddenly, surprisingly, being babysat and there's nothing like a trip to Chapter's sans kids! Hubs wanted a magazine and I usually check out tons of stuff: photography books, beading magazines, scrapbooking stuff, general arts and crafty stuff, fitness, pets, cooking, baking...ahhh...I love it all. I ended up picking up another vegetarian cookbook and happened to see "The China Study" there, too. I've heard this book mentioned many times and many people (including "The Biggest Loser" fitness guy, Bob
Harper) have said it changed their lives. I decided to pick it up.






Hubs began reading it, just to see what nonsense I was into now, basically, and he ended up not wanting to give it back! I'm telling you he is a certified carnivorous manly-man who, while he may like animals- that would never be a reason for him to give up meat. Ever. Well, he has now gone about a week with NO MEAT and very little dairy. Amazing!

Of course, this is all flipping fantastic for me since I hate eating meat. Now the veggies are just overflowing our fridge. We have two types of tofu. Our cupboards are stocked with an assortment of beans. There is no shortage of whole wheat pastas and an assortment of grains...we even have veganaisse (vegan mayo), soy cheese, and a bunch of non-dairy milks.

Hubs will never label himself vegan, or even veggie...he is just trying to eat a more healthy, plant-based diet. That sounds good to me, too. I may give up milk, and cheese...but I don't expect to stop putting honey in my tea, or throw out my leather shoes, or pledge some sort of allegiance to the vegan flag. Yet, I have started the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart today and, of course, so far it's going great!






My biggest worry was how i would replace my morning Tassimo latte. But, i picked up this cute little frother at Fortinos and, i'm telling you, the frothed soy milk on top of the Tassimo espresso is even better than the original version! It tastes less, I don't know, oily.

I was planning on posting the recipe for the delicious hummus i'm eating right now, but i've gone on long enough. I'll come back and post that soon. While it is very convenient...creating entire blog posts with one finger on my iPhone is tiring. I think I may need an iPad? ;-)

But that's another post.

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