Ms. Thunderbumper Challenge #1

I don't know about the rest of you but time if flying by. I wish I had a week that all I could do was finish projects and time stopped on everything else...but that's not realistic now is it.

As many of you noticed when we started in December, Chelsea had made some wonderful changes to our blog. After several months of being behind I'm trying to get the recipe list up to date. I'm working backwards and think it won't take me to long to get it done.

So, this is my challenge for the weekend. Under top post there are a few important blog post mainly by myself that talk about what I think is important to getting healthy. Today I added two I came across while I was looking for recipes that I've linked. One is from Cammy, the other from Jill.

What I want to know are which are your favorite? Which ones had an impact on you? Which ones made you laugh? Cry? Whatever. Although I have many important things I'd like to share it's not just about what I say. You all have valuable input.

NEWBIES! Look through current post and also look at the top post list. Make a comment about something you read and you'll get the points too!

This is worth 10 points. You can either post about it or just leave a comment. You have until Monday night!

Broccoli for lunch

Hi Ladies!

For some strange reason, I often have a left over stalk or two of uncooked broccoli in the fridge that's on the verge of going bad. And for some other strange reason, in my mind, I typically think of broccoli only as a dinner side or a stir fry ingredient. I decided to change all that today with this broccoli salad... from one of my favorite salad guys: Jamie Oliver {click on "this broccoli salad" for the recipe link}.

Outside of the dressing (olive oil, white wine vinegar, grainy mustard, salt, pepper), the recipe consists of chopped broccoli, seeded tomato and bacon. I substituted lunch meat ham to go a bit healthier, but I imagine the salad is out of this world with bacon. It was super tasty and at one cup, a mere 163 calories. I could also have a whole wheat sandwich round with some laughing cow light spreadable cheese too.



Also, on a random veggie note, how you all of you prepare your standard green beans. Just wonderin'.

Carrying extra weight

Some days I can't decided which is more difficult:
motivating myself or motivating others.
Some days I wish I could control what goes into other people's mouths,
not just mine.
Some days I wish I could make other people move, jump, run and sweat.
Some days I'm not a very good example of eating and drinking healthfully...
or of moving my own body....
and it weighs on me...
and I wonder: can I only motivate others to do what I already do perfectly?
Which I don't.
Am I the kettle calling the pot black?
Why do I take on the yoke of Chief Motivator anyway?

Then I think, what would our Savior do?
He did not judge others.
He did not weigh their character by their calorie count
or measure their walk with a pedometer.
He basically said "Love."
And we all know that Love starts with "patient and kind."
Today, I am striving for patient and kind.

Inspiration

This scripture hangs on the wall in the guest bedroom at my Mom's house. I happened to walk in and glanced at it yesterday and really appreciated the hope and inspiration it gave me.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Love you all and hope you have a fantastic weekend.

The Winner!

Congratulations Marci for kicking off the year right! You are a rock star and will keep us all on our toes as you train for your race in March!

There may have been a bump in the road for many of us as the year started but keep moving forward. There is no time like the present to make good choices.

Becky, I'll try to get a link up with the past winners! That's a great idea. The actual duration of each challenge may be a little harder.

I also plan on updating the recipe site. I'll let you know when I get that done.

Welcome Elle! We're glad to have you on board.

As you can see from Melissa's post I had a wonderful weekend in Ohio. I even ate well on our drive home thanks to Panera and their wonderful salads!

Keep working hard!!

Free print advice

Hi Ladies!

Posting twice in one day. Call me crazy.

Just thought I'd make a quick recommend. If you have a good library nearby, you can usually check out some pretty good magazines for a week or so. Makes for inspirational reading...if you still read magazines.

Out Of Commission

I'm sorry all, but I was hoping to go in strong through this next challenge, but a family tragedy has taken my mind other places:

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=14055644

This was my cousins little girl. Since we are a close family, I will be spending my time mourning with them, and not focusing on the calorie counting and blogging. I will come in strong next challenge. As for now, I need to get rid of the feeling of being run over by a dump truck!

The long haul

This stretch of winter (mid January through mid March) is always the toughest for me. The cold gray light and the cold are like a one/two sucker punch that leaves me feeling bluer than the normal amount of blue.

But this year, I'm better prepared. I've got my Happy Light, a mid-February pick-me-up visit with family and new recipes on the horizon. What those new recipes are, I've yet to figure out. But this, I know. I am bound and determined to try 10 new recipes in the next 2 months. I find that for every 10 recipes I try, on average, only 2 or 3 are keepers. Hence the number 10. I also find that 5 new recipes a month is a reachable goal for me. Sometimes, I can do much better than that, but if I do, then I will have exceeded my goal.

So if you find a keeper recipe in the next two months, hope you'll share here and help spread the foodie joy!

When You Pry It Out of My Cold Dead Hands

I'm in one of my weird moods again. This weekend I did exactly what I said I shouldn't do - I ate whatever I darn well felt like, even to the point where I think I was eating just because I could, not because it was particularly pleasurable. And yep, I gained nearly 3 pounds. Sigh...

Today, I'm still lusting after a variety of foods, and even though I'm being "good", the fantasies continue:

1. Chips and salsa
2. Chocolate orange (the kind you whack and unwrap). I was dumb and bought some yesterday on clearance. Now they are just sitting there, mocking me.
3. Cookies and cream ice cream in my freezer, also mocking me.
4. Green enchiladas - does anyone else put a few fried eggs on top of their enchiladas or is that just a Texas thing my sibs and I inherited from my Dad?
5. Indoor S'Mores (graham cracker cereal & mini marshmallows, all covered in melted chocolate). You can also refer to it as "crack".

There should be a bigger list, but there's enough damage there.

I've got bookclub tonight, and I hope no one brings anything seriously yummy, because I probably don't have the self-control to abstain.

I just read the funniest blog I've seen in a loooooong time. I just about fell out of my chair reading it. Deep, donkey belly laughs. It's called www.crankyfitness and written by a 50-yr-old woman who calls herself Crabby McSlacker. So if you need a good laugh, and are not too offended by the occasional swear word, go get some good belly laughs. They're therapeutic.

Update 4:04 pm MST (6:04 pm EST) -

This is what I've had to eat today so far - 10 slices Land Frost thinly sliced deli ham, 1 apple, 1 bite cookies 'n cream ice cream (it was only one small bite, I swear), 3 cups romaine heart lettuce & roma tomatoes, 2 Tbsp. light ranch dressing, 3-3/4 oz. small shrimp, my Spinach Smoothie, 3 oz. baby carrots, and 2 Ritz crackers. So that's 579 calories. I also took my vitamin pack, did my 30 min workout, so I guess I'm not doing too badly. Maybe I will go have a couple spoonsful of ice cream. But I'm hoarding calories in case bookclub tonight is more than I can bear...

Another thought - I am in such a "who cares?" frame of mind, maybe my 30 point goal is to find fitness humor and post it everyday for this session, because goodness knows, I'm about to ravage that box with the chocolate orange inside...

This could turn out to be when I use my one "free day". I'm not off to a good start this week, am I? It's a bad omen.

Howdy Howdy Howdy!!

I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Elle and I have been married to my husband Toby for 6 1/2 years. I am a SAHM to our 2 little boys, Gavin (3) & Garren (2). I have struggled with my weight my entire life. I had gastric bypass five years ago and had lost 150lbs before I got pregnant with our first child. Over the past three years I have maintained my current weight and am aiming to get back down to my pre-pregnancy weight of 190. That is my first goal, only 20lbs until I make it!

Wintervention

"Don't even try to figure out the calories on fondue."

Those were Audrey's words of wisdom this past week-end.

If you don't know Audrey in person, I'm here to tell you that she does not radiate "calorie counting freak" or "joyless health nut." Just the opposite, in fact. She is joyfully appreciative of and relaxed about good food (which, by the way, makes her a pleasure to be around.)

Being with Audrey and her family is my family's wintervention. They arrive and pull us out of our daily grind. Suddenly, everything is more fun and festive. For a few days, we eat, sled, Kinect, eat some more, swim, slide and eat some more. The tastiest food award is a toss-up between a steaming hot pot of homemade cheese fondue with crusty bread, on the one hand, and the Habachi heaven at the local Japanese Steak House on the other.

Tomorrow, I'm back to just plain winter with water, workouts, well-slept body and wegtables, uh, vegetables.

Chick-fil-a Addict

Okay, if you know me well, you now I love Chick-fil-a, a DELICIOUS fast food chain out of Georgia.  I love their food and the healthy options they offer those who care.  Only a true addict would go to their website and look at the merchandise...but look what I found!  A super cool 'Exercise and Nutrtion Journal'.  I think I'm going to order me one to help me keep track of my points for our challenges.  (My husband is getting tired of Post-it notes stuck to the fridge.)  I just thought it was cute, so I thought I would share it with you.  Audrey will laugh at me, because she shares my love for Chick-fil-a.

Note:  I have not had Chick-fil-a since November because there is not one near my new home.  (sigh) :(
Here's the link if you want it:

http://shopchick-fil-a.com/default.aspx/act/Catalog.aspx/catalogid/354/category/Gear+and+Gadgets/browse//MenuGroup/Products/desc/White+Exercise%2fNutrition+Journal.htm