Bah Humbug

Hello everyone. I just hit some button and everything I'd previously typed vanished. This new windows 8 thing has me pulling my hair out sometimes.
Well, moving on, I've sent more people in and out of time out today than should be allowed. I think they're getting anxious, it's still chilly outside but the sun is shining, we're all desperately ready for winter to be over. We're supposed to have some more snow the end of this week I think.
Really quick because people are hanging on me again, I've lost a pound. Hurray! Now I'm back down to the illusive 10 pound mark from where I originally started. My new dance DVD is kicking my rear end. There are still two of them I can't even do. And I won't even get started on the 5 day get fit DVD. There is no way anyone will be able to do that ever. However, at the gym, I jog along on the treadmill and am perfectly happy.
Goals: water(still haven't mastered my last goal), 8 pound weights, hmm... can't think of anymore right now. I'm sure they're there.
Ok, I know it's early but I'd better start getting lunch ready, these people take forever to eat a half of a sandwich and if we want to be to school in two hours they'd better start now. :)
Go team!

Attitude of Gratitude

While eating a delicious bowl of granola with blueberries this morning, I chanced to read from the Church News an article on the back page entitled "Touching heaven" (the viewpoint article on the back). I found it quite interesting and wanted to share a bit of it with you in relation to our health.

In 2003 two psychologists from major university's published a research paper on gratitude and its impact on well being. Three studies were made with varying controls and instructions. "The results from all three studies demonstrated that the gratitude-outlook groups exhibited heightened well being.  The research went on to express some specific effects that were manifest within the groups who cultivated a thankful outlook on life."

Grateful participants:

• Experienced heightened levels of joy and happiness
• Were optimistic about the future
• Felt better about their lives as a whole
• Exercised more regularly
• Were more likely to help others
• Had more energy, enthusiasm, and focus
• Made greater progress toward achieving important personal goals
• Slept better and awoke feeling refreshed
• Felt stronger during trying times
• Enjoyed closer relationships
• Dealt with stress better
• Got sick less often

"With such positive effects on the mind and body, it isn't surprising that the scriptures are filled with multiple references encouraging the children of God to cultivate an attitude of gratitude."

Several scripture references and quotes were then given in the article.

"To possess a deep sense of gratitude requires work.  The power it unlocks in a person's life is tremendous.  A whole range of temporal and spiritual blessings are accessed through sincere appreciation.  Gratitude invigorates the soul.  It overcomes fear, envy and comparison.  It fills the heart with joy for the success of others.  It frees the heart with joy for the success of others.  It frees the heart to love others and be concerned with more than self.  The deeper our appreciation, the clearer we see with the eyes of the Savior and the more our life connects with our Heavenly Father.

"President Monson said, "My brothers and sisters, to express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."

Church News--Week of February 2, 2014

It's raining

Happy Monday everyone! Livi is helping me type so you may see other words in the sentence that don't belong. I have pretty much the same goals as last week.
Water. 2 of the things. I haven't quite made it to a full two of them.
This week I'm going to lose one pound!
Stretch better. Abs 4 days. Keeps arm weights at 5 for the week. Next week up to 8.
Switch my cookie snacks to carrots. :)
New goal. Do my visiting teaching. I struggle with that one. It's too hard to get other people's schedules to match up with mine.
Okay. Obviously me being on the computer is upsetting the small people. They're whining for food.
Go team!

Workout DVD's

Hello! As per requested, I'm putting on here the names of some of the workout DVD's that I like. I like the 10 Minute Solution series. The instructors that I'm familiar with and like are Cindy Whitmarsh (she's my favorite), Jennifer Gilardi (spelling?), Keli Roberts and Suzanne Bowen. I have Target Toning, Kickbox Bootcamp, Blast off the Belly Fat, and I just bought myself two more, Dance off fat, and 5 day fit mix. They both looked interesting to me. The one I sent to Mom I haven't done and I'm not familiar with the instructor so let me know how it goes.
In answer to the weights question. I usually do 3 sets of 10 reps. Sometimes 4 sets of 10. Or 2 sets of 15. It depends on what body part and how much weight. So for arms for example, I lift my arms straight up in front of me ten times, then straight out sideways ten times, then bicep curl ten times, then triceps ten times then put my arms in a square(like you're raising your arm to the square :) on both sides) move in front of me then back ten times. That's one set. If you get to rep number 7 and it's fairly difficult then you're doing the right amount of weight. If you get to number 3 and it's fairly difficult, it's to heavy and you'll hurt yourself, do a smaller amount. If you've gone through one set and it's been a piece of cake, you should probably bump up the weight. And stretch. Oh, and along with weights make sure you're eating enough protein to help your muscles not be so sore, on weight days I have a protein shake along with breakfast.
Good luck team!

Doable!

Dr. Oz has issued a 10 lb weight loss challenge that is straightforward and doable.  The payout for the effort put into these steps will be huge, not just for the waist line, but for overall health and longevity.  As always, Dr. Oz channels his medical expertise into an understandable, life enhancing plan we could all stand to incorporate into our daily routines.

THE RULES (or suggestions, if you don’t like to be told what to do):

• Bye bye to soda – We are talking the high fructose corn syrup kind here, attributed to tooth decay, diabetes and more.
• No food after 3 hours til bed time – Got it?
• 10 minutes of motion a day – This seems low to me, but that is what he says.  Walking, throwing a frisbee, playing with kiddos…
• Portion control – No forbidden foods?  I like that.  His rule of thumb is no snacks larger than your fist… sorry Big Mac.
• Get on that scale everyday – accountability is key; track weight = lose weight (ok, not if it is the only thing you do, but it helps)
• Take Vitamin B complex everyday – B vitamins are essential in metabolizing food, and in energy production to help you keep going.
• Take daily vitamins – This should include Calcium (600 mg, plus 600 mg from food) and Magnesium (400 mg) for bone strength,  Vitamin D3 (1,000 IU taken with DHA) for memory and heart health, DHA (900 mg) for memory, vision, heart and prevention of strokes, Probiotics spore form for decreased inflammation and enhanced immunity and a Multivitamin to cover what your diet misses.
• Healthy recipe planning – Dr. Oz provides a host of healthy recipes to keep your calories low, many with a budget in mind.
• Know serving sizes and how many you can have of each family – There has got to be an app for this, right?  This plan allows 10 servings a day as follows;  Protein and fats 4 servings daily, Complex carbs 3 servings, Fruits 3 servings and Veggies unlimited.  The unlimited veggies help keep you from being hungry (in theory).  The important thing to keep in mind here is how much of whatever you are eating = a serving size.  Did you know that the 1 serving of cheese is the size of 2 dice?  Yikes.  I am at least a 5 dice kind of gal.  Get informed.  There are ample resources available to help you get on the level with serving sizes.
• Don’t get too hungry – If you do, you are more likely to binge.  Make sure your meals have plenty of protein and fiber (complex carbohydrates), so you stay full longer.  Healthy snacks between meals are great too.

Remember holiday and party pitfalls, and take steps to guard against falling off the wagon:  Don’t go to parties or shopping hungry, have accountability partners in your life, no snacks/desserts larger than your fist, etc.  if the food at an event is going to be too tempting, you can opt out of going . Do what you have to do.  Commit.

What has worked for you?  What has not?

Finally made it on Monday

Hello! I finally am posting on Monday, which is my goal. Hurray!!
I'll keep this quick because the laundry is already starting, people need to get dressed, breakfast needs to be cleaned up, etc.
I made it to the gym this morning. Gave it a good effort. I'll be nice to myself again this week. Last week I slept away most of it. I figure I was recovering from an unusually long menstrual cycle. And I'm sure I wasn't eating enough too, because I was sleeping when I should have been eating. By Friday after I'd had several days of two or three naps I was in tears thinking I was dying. Pace said I wasn't and helped me check for lumps in my neck. Long story short I feel much better now. :)
My goals: Water! Two of the water things a day. I haven't quite mastered it yet. Gym, everyday, rotate elliptical/treadmill/cycle, upper body/lower body weights, back to five pounds, eights in two weeks. Abs daily and stretch better. Maybe if I have a really energetic morning use the rowing machine. (I always space out on the rowing machine and think of Dad and all the times he made us row him to the middle of the lake and he would take a nap.Then magically he'd wake up halfway and say "now row me back".)  Protein shake everyday, portion control, more eggs in my diet, healthy snacks if I need a snack. Like grapefruit. YUM!
Scripture reading/prayer daily. The girls are so good to remember at bedtime and mealtimes. We need to work on reading more. I also would like to not be getting my lesson ready at midnight Saturday night for Sunday. So lets go with Thursday or Friday to have my lesson ready.
Today I am also going to make all of my appointments for the beginning of the year. Check on the girls vaccines-make sure they are all good. Make myself an eye appointment, women's appointment, blood draw appointment and full body scan with a new endocrinologist. awesome (that was sarcastic)
Ok. I think I should get going, lots to do, so little time. Go team!