Time to Post the Final Points!

It's the end of another great session. Thanks to all of you for your wonderful post these past few days! I truly admire each and everyone of you. Your dedication and vision of a full and purposeful life.

Get ready to start again on Monday!!!!!

Come and run with me!!

Hey you guys! I mean gals. I just signed up for a 5k on October 9th. Come and join me at Reston Town Center if you can. It looks like a lot of fun. It's called the Anthem Great Pumpkin 5k, and there is even a tiny fun run for the kids. They can wear their Halloween costumes while they run. Isn't that cute? Oh ya, and they get a bib, ribbon, and a pumpkin. All 4 of my kids are signed up and excited for race day.

Please, please, please!!!

Come, come, come!!!

Hope you are all doing good.

See You At The Finish Line!

Like I've mentioned lately, the running training for the Wasatch Woman Thanksgiving Point 6K walk/10K run went downhill when school started again. But I still exercise on my Gazelle strider so my muscles, heart and lungs are still on top of things, more or less.

I was curious today how my jogging skills are, what level I'm at one week before the race. So when I found out that Zen wouldn't have to go in to work until 10 am, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill at the gym. It was amazing how easy the first mile was. Then, the real concentration had to kick in. But I did it! That 6k is going to be really hard, I just know it, and not only because it will be closer to 4 miles than 3, but also because the terrain will be harder.

But, you know what? I'm gonna do it, I WILL run that race. Queen Vee is right, I should still challenge myself. It will feel great! So, I'll see you Utah ladies at the finish line a week from Saturday. I'll be slow, but I will finish the race.

Here for each other...

This picture was taken of sisters in the DR Congo doing their visiting teaching! Yes, sisters all over the world visit each other and touch each other's lives.
We live all over the United States yet each day we can come to this blog and know that we have a group of women who care about us. Women who teach, inspire, lift and touch our lives in ways they will never fully comprehend. I want to thank all of you for being the kind of women you are and for striving each day to be your best selves!

If you would like to look at more of these pictures from Africa, I finally got around to posting them from my husbands trip in August. They really are worth looking at (maybe I am just biased but hey, he is my hubby!)
Our family blog is keepmovingahead.blogspot.com You will need to look at yesterdays post first and then todays if you want to go in order...

Have a great day everyone. We are truly blessed :)

The more energy conundrum

It never fails to baffle me how on a day where I wake up at the obscene hour of 5:25 am to get to my class, I have MORE energy than on the days where I get the extra sleep that my body also needs and craves. Yesterday one of my painting tasks took two hours. Today, after my class, it only took one and a half.

I was tooling around on the net trying to find out why. I found this little study confirming that exercise is better than napping for more energy, less lethargy. But here's the answer to the question in one word: OXYGEN! Exercise increases the oxygen to more parts of your body. Also, over time, your body will build more capillaries to help deliver the oxygen to even more areas, which creates more bloodflow, hence more energy. And, go figure, all that oxygen helps you sleep better too.



So go get your oxygen fix today ladies!

Missing You

In my head it feels like tomorrow is Friday. I kind of wish it was because I'm ready for a fresh start on this challenge. It has been a crazy busy week, some fun, some normal routine, some serving others.

I've tried some new recipes this week that were not so great...bummed about that. I haven't had time to post anything important...bummed about that.

I'm grateful for Becky's post about Accountability. It is the whole reason I started this blog in the first place. I need to be accountable.

We need to hear from everyone. Myself included. We can't do it alone.

Being accountable is what keeps me going....it may be an off week but I haven't given up.

Let us know how you're doing.....

Random Thoughts - An Attempt At a Pick-Me-Up

I was researching some stamping products for some ladies from the crop last Saturday night, and I came across these. They were amusing:

This batch come from a line of embroidery kits by Dimensions:



I need a trip to Ben and Jerry's factory. I think I could blow my calories there, you think?
Yes, I think this is exactly what I need - a good night's sleep.

This is a stamp by Inkadinkado:
You know what kind of day it's going to be if you have to start it with chocolate.

Thanksgiving Point 6K Walk/10K Run

Quick question - who is going to do the Wasatch Woman Love Your Body 6K Walk/10K Run? I gotta admit, since school was back in session, my training went downhill because of the baby's sleep schedule and losing my teenage babysitters. Time slipped past me and at this point, I think the most I could do is the 6K Walk. It's kind of disappointing. I don't know, maybe I just feel pretty humdrum tonight. Three weeks ago I lost my MP3 player, and I can't spare the dough to replace it yet, then I lost a few important things at the crop last Saturday (my keys, a computer cord, and my password sheet (yes, I'm having a panic attack, please pray for me!)), and I'm down in the dumps tonight. Frankly, I need some kind of group hug, or something. I will hate myself later for writing this. Sheesh. I hate whining.

So, who's still going?

Why a week off doesn't have to be an off week

You can tell this is an off week for me just by the picture, right?!

It's an off week because there are two projects that are all-consuming in my life: painting a bathroom under contractor deadline and helping organize a local rummage sale that typically makes over $5000. They are sucking up all my time, including my gym time and the time I spend making more elaborate healthy meals. But I am on my feet, engaged in one or the other for about 6 hours a day. So I'm burning lots of calories....just in slower amount over longer periods of time.

I'm also making lunch on the fly and so it has to be just the basics: slap some veggies, laughing cow and ham on a 100 cal sandwich round. Grab a piece of fruit, refill water bottle, and go. Making it work even though I can't work out (in the traditional sense).

Accountability

What has really made the difference for me? What's the linchpin in my success? The thing that keeps me on track every day? I know that my commitment to being healthy is probably the anchor for everything, the real underpinning, but I gotta tell ya, what makes the difference for me in the nitty-gritty of my daily processes is ACCOUNTABILITY.

There is a point in everyday where I have a choice to make about something. Should I just do 30 minutes on my Gazelle strider, or should I do 60 minutes? Can I eat that pack of crackers, or have I blown my calories already? Is there room for dessert? Have I had enough veggies? And now, since Audrey's post, I've started asking, have I had enough protein? Knowing the outcome of these questions, and what effect they are going to have on my calorie total, my fruits and veggies totals, my water intake totals, and ultimately my points for HWHL and Cat's Challenge, is what keeps me making healthy choices on a daily basis.

If I wasn't accountable to someone or something on a daily basis, I would NOT be experiencing the success that I have. NO WAY, not in a million years. How many years have I told myself to be healthier, how many times have I wished I could weigh less, but never actually done anything about it? How many times have I started an exercise program, and then flopped a few weeks later? I don't know if it's shallow, but I live for the points. The numbers do matter to me. They help me stay on track. I KNOW what is really going into my body, instead of guessing or deluding myself that I'm eating healthy if I had a carrot stick that day, when really I've also had a dozen cookies, and not any other fruits and veggies that day. It's all there in black and white, and I know for certain if I'm being healthy or not.

It's like spirituality. What keeps most people on track, I think, is believing deep down that you are accountable to Heavenly Father, that there will be consequences to your thoughts and actions. That you will have to face Him someday for the choices you have made.

So, keep counting those calories, keep participating, involve yourself in the process because it's going to make a big difference in the long run. You can do it!! Forget the past, and start from this day forward!!

P.S. I have not forgotten about my prize for Audrey, last session's winner. Audrey, email me and let me know what kind of cards you like (stamped images, patterned paper, more simple graphic design or lots of embellishments) and what variety you need (birthday, thank-you, christmas, generic, halloween greeting). Also email your address, so I can mail them! Thanks, Becky

Ms. Thunder Bumper's Challenge #1 Plank

OH YES I DID.
I copied this from the first time we did it. We have a ton of new participants and most of us to too long of a hiatus this summer for I think it's time to work on those core muscles. Let's do it.

This challenge if you choose to accept it will carry over to our next session.

You will receive 10 points for each session for completing this task. Make sure you write down where you started so you can see how you improve.

FIRST-
I would like you to do a plank for as long as you can. Try holding it for one minute. If you can do that....try a side plank. If you don't know what that is, ask. After you time yourself on this keep working on it every other day or so until I ask you to test yourself again and see if your time has improved.

Holding the plank is a great core exercise. Here are two types of plank. Do the one that is best for you. If you need to you can always modify it further by putting your knees on the ground. Try working up to a regular plank.




SECOND- Can you do push-ups? How many can you do? You can try regular, bent knee, wall, bench. Just try to do them. Work on this and see how you can improve over the next few weeks. Push-ups are great for your shoulders, arms, back, and core!

Get to it Ladies! Cardio is great but if you're not using those muscles they won't be toned and ready for swimsuit season next season. Can't wait to hear how you do!