Swine Safety

Right now, anyone who lives in Texas has been hearing major concerns over th Swine Flu. Although it is a rare, and completely freaky thing going on, I received this email from a friend today and wanted to share.

In a nutshell, to help protect yourself from the Swine Flu,

• Wash your hands with soap and water
• Don't touch your mouth
• Go to the doctor if you have any symptoms of the flu
• oh......and don't do this!!!

I Love Polar!

When Brant and I started working out, he told me that he wanted a heart rate monitor. Well I thought that was ridiculous because they have those on the machines. But nonetheless, the convinced me that we needed to get them...so we did.

So without further ado, I now apologize to my hubs because I LOVE MY POLAR HEART MONITOR!!!!

This thing is AWESOME! It's even pink!!! There is a band that you wear across your chest (its very small and I don't really notice that its even there), then you have the watch. I have the Polar F6 and it acts as a stop watch, as a time tracker, a heart rate monitor, a calorie calculator...just about everything I could possibly want to help me succeed in my weight loss.

After each work out, it tell you the length, calories burned, your resting heart rate, maximum heart rate and average heart rate. If you get real technical, it will even tell you how long you were in the different heart zones!

So after today's workout, here are my stats:

60 Minute workout
15 minutes in dry sauna
Calories burned: 673
Max heart rate: 179
Aver. heart rate: 137


I Love my Polar!!!!

Pray

Also be in prayer for Stellan today. He was taken into surgery this morning.

Wonderful Weekend

Many of you know that Brant works for Dallas Baptist University as the Athletic Facilities Manager. Now Brant loves his job, and this is his pride and joy...


...but, since it is also his main responsibility, he is required to attend all events at this field. So, yes, during baseball season, I become widowed...to the game! Brant is typically gone 2-3 nights of the week, then most Saturdays as well. I have gotten used to only spending time with him on Saturday night and Sundays.

But this past weekend, there were NO GAMES!!! WHOOOHOOOO!!!! Brant and I spent the entire weekend together (except while he was napping Sunday afternoon I made a quick appearance at a wedding shower) and it was fantastic!

Friday, Brant grilled some steaks and we enjoyed a delicious dinner and watch a movie at home. Then got up Saturday, cleaned the house, then went to the gym for a great workout. Saturday night, I surprised him and took him on a date to RaFain in Dallas. It is a Brazilian steakhouse like Texas De Brazil, but the food is absolutely divine! We had such a great experience and will definitely be going back.

Sunday, we went to church, I had the wedding shower, then we took Dax out to Pets Mart - that's a fun place for him. We had dinner, watched Amazing Race, then just relaxed the rest of the evening. It was so wonderful, mainly because I don't typically get to spend alot of my time on the weekends with him.

I know my hubs loves baseball, but sometimes, I look forward to the season coming to a close!

Weigh In Day!!!

I was a little worried about my weight-loss this week because of Easter... I ate A LOT! But, never fear.....

Week 3 Weight Loss...
.6 LBS!!!!

Total Weight Loss...
5.4 lbs!!!!!!

Yes, I wish the number had been higher, but as long as I am going forward and not backward, I am a happy girl!!!

Defeated...

...that's how I feel today. I have felt this way for some time today, but was never able to put a word to the feeling until a few minutes ago.

It was five minutes ago that I had to stop working, put my head down, clothes my eyes, and whisper "Lord, why do I feel so ..... defeated today?" But you want to know the great thing about our God...he quietly whispered back... and I am not defeated because HE IS ALIVE!

Yes, Easter has already come and gone, but my God is ALIVE...He ALWAYS has been and He FOREVER will be! Therefore, I am never defeated and never alone.

But there are those days, like today, where I just feel sad, mellow, indifferent...defeated.

The day seemed to start off fine...I got up at 5:30, had a great workout and headed to work. This morning work was even fine...I have plenty to do and got busy as soon as I walked in the door. But late in the morning, some of my co-workers came around to tease me. Now, I don't mine a little teasing, and it actually all started on Monday. "A" said a word that I hate and I made an ugly face at him - teasing him that is. Then he asked me why I made that face and I told him that I hated that word. So then everyone else started to say that word just because I said that I hated it - to get my goat (as we say down here in Texas). Now all of this was fine with me because it lasted a few minutes, then it was dropped.

But today, the teasing was them trying to get me to say this word...a word that I hate with all of my being...a word that I cringe at when I hear...a word that literally hurts my ears. My co-workers literally had me red in the face because they were doing anything they could to make me say this word.

Now if you are wondering...No, I never said this word, and I actually voiced my thoughts on the word and told them why I hate the word; but nevertheless, the teasing went on.

Although this may not sound like a big deal to you, I simply cannot describe to you in words how I felt after this. I felt like screaming at each one of them because they claim to Christians but talk about sleeping around (only one of them is married), and they cuss like sailors; drink until they can't remember what they were doing; yet sing in the church choir on Sunday morning.

So I defeated because I am a minority in the workplace. I am one who *tries* not to let the secular world get to me, and *tries* not to be a party to it. Yet, I wonder if I am being a hypocrite because yes, I have been in their shoes before.

Satan has attacked me today. He has pushed every button he knows of, and I feel like it is beginning to work...I am feeling defeated.

Defeated because we desperately want to start our family.

Defeated because life just isn't what I want it to be right now.

But I stand the Word that says my God is ALIVE and I will never be defeated because

"He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. "

Psalm 91:4

Tasty Foods on a Thin Budge!

So in this post I told you all about SparkPeople! Well today I read a great article on making tasty, healthy foods, but keeping within your budget! So, I thought I would share!

You can save money and still have quality. If you’ve been using cost as an excuse to eat junk, you can kiss that excuse goodbye! With a little organization and creativity, you can have the proverbial champagne when cooking on a beer budget. To start, here’s a quick review of basic tips of healthy eating:

• Limit your intake of junk food and alcohol
• Drink lots of water (at least 8 cups a day)
• Limit salty and sugary foods
• Avoid eating many foods that are high in saturated fats
• Make “variety” the watchword of your eating

Next, set aside regular blocks of time for planning meals, making your grocery list, and shopping—tasks that are most often shortchanged in food prep. Include healthy snack ideas, as well as main menu items.

Don’t be afraid to surf the internet for recipes that use specific ingredients (plug the ingredient in as a keyword of your search), since you can often get good buys on breads, meats, and other items marked for quick sale before they go bad.

Stock your fridge and cupboards with items that are quick and easy to cook (yet kind to your wallet):

• Beans and lentils, whether canned or dried, make nutritious, hearty soups, and can be a main course with the addition of fresh vegetables or rice.
• Brown Rice is a great addition to leftover meat and veggies. Although brown rice is slightly more expensive than white, the nutritional payoff is well worth it. Another inexpensive, easy-to-fix grain, millet, is best when bought fresh. Simply rinse and toast before using it in recipes.
• Pasta, likewise, is quick and easy to prepare, and can be paired with veggies, meat, or a fresh salad. Have fun adding your own embellishments (mushrooms, spices, and herbs.) Choose whole-wheat pasta whenever available.
• Soups can’t be beat for nutrition and convenience, especially since you can use canned or packet soups as your base, then add your own veggies and leftover meat. Again, try to experiment, adding your own herbs and spices.
• Fresh vegetables and fruit should be bought at least once or twice each week, preferably in season, to ensure optimal taste and nutrition. You can also rely on canned/frozen varieties as handy additions to last-minute meals. Veggies make great stir-fries and vegetable patties, while fruit is good for a quick nutritious snack.
• Meat and fish can be kept on hand also for last-minute meals— try the newer tuna and salmon pouches, and shop for inexpensive cuts of meat that work well in stews and casseroles.
• Condiments add flavor and interest to your dishes. Keep a selection of dried herbs, spices, curry powder, marinades, vinegars, tomato and soy sauces, along with stock cubes, in your cupboard. Experiment with the new, such as Japanese miso, an aged salty condiment made from soybeans and various other ingredients (found in the natural foods section, usually refrigerated).

Finally, a few more hints that can help you save a little green:

• When cooking a big meal, make extra to freeze, or use later in the week for lunches or quick suppers. Double recipes, then freeze half.
• Save your vegetable trimmings to make your own vegetable stock. Not only do you save money, but vegetable stock also makes a nutritious base for casseroles, soups, and Crockpot cooking.
• Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper; you can freeze perishable items (such as meat, milk, and even bread) in smaller portions to use as needed. It’s always a good idea to buy non-perishable items in bulk (canned foods, dried beans and grains, etc.).
• Use less expensive cuts of meat for casseroles that you slow cook; add extra vegetables and beans to make the meal go further.
• Capitalize on one-pot dishes, which generally save prep time, money, and dishwashing, and often make great leftovers.
• Look high and low (literally) to find the less expensive generic or store brands on grocery shelves, often very similar to higher-priced brand names though packaged under different labels. Stores deliberately place the highest-priced brand-name items at eye level, but if you compare the cost per unit, you’ll be able to figure out the most cost-effective purchase. You can even try your own taste tests— blind, of course— to see where you can save money without sacrificing flavor.
• Take advantage of specials on staples—broth, soups, pasta, rice, canned veggies, even bread and meat. Many of these items have a long shelf life or can be frozen for short periods of time.
• Limit your dining out, especially when it comes to fast food, since you’ll find yourself spending unnecessarily on items that are high in fat, salt, and calories, which short-change you in the nutrition department.

There’s no magic formula to cooking on a budget. Like anything else worthwhile in life, it takes a little planning, creativity, and work. But if you think of the rewards—better health and more money—you’ll find it’s worth the effort. No doubt you’ll still have days when you fall back on that quick-fix packaged food or the local burger drive-thru. But if you look at cooking as an adventure, you’ll also have days when you find yourself pleased at what you’ve accomplished—as you serve dinner to rave reviews from family and friends!

Finally Friday

Yes, it is Good Friday, but it is also the last day of the work week, therefore, Finally Friday! The best part for Fridays is that it is my weigh in day and I yes, I look forward to seeing the progress. Today's weight in shows............

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...................







"T" MINUS 4.8 LBS!!!!!!!!!
Meaning, I lost 1.6 this week!

I was pumped! In two weeks, I have managed to lose ALMOST 5 pounds! YEA!!!!!



On another topic, its Good Friday. I had a thought this morning - I remember this exact day last year when I was randomly reading people's blogs. I somehow ran across a lady's (whose blog I had never read before) post and the first line said something like this...

"Today is Good Friday and I'm not really sure what is so good about today...I think it has something to do with Jesus or something....but its great for me because it gave me the day off."

The moment I read that, my heart sank for this woman. Her picture made her look like she was in her late 20's, early 30's, and she looked like someone I could have been friends with...a nice smile, friendly eyes, and a precious baby girl on her hip. But then I thought to myself that if I had been friends with her, then she would definitely know what Good Friday meant because I would have told her...but then I stopped...how would I have known that she didn't know unless I had asked her????

At that very moment, I began making a mental list of how many people that I KNEW understood the meaning of Good Friday, and of my friends, the list was small (at least compared to the amount of friends I have...not saying that I have a ton of friends, but just saying that they weren't all on the list) and it broke my heart.

How many friends do I have that I have never shared the Gospel with, or that I have just assumed they knew the Truth?

As someone who is passionate about her friendships, it makes me sad that I might have never shared with them the great Trust of our salvation.

Last year on that day, I left that lady a comment, though I never heard back from. I told her the meaning of Good Friday and tried my hardest (in a Blogger Comment space) to explain the Love of our Heavenly Father and that on that day, our Lord allowed His one and only Son to die for her...for all of us...to save us.

My good friend of mine sent me an email the other day and was telling me about how the Lord was dealing with her about her friendships and trying to mold her into a better friend to people...she was trying to truly be passionate about her friendships and be a light to the people she loved. It was funny that she sent this email only because I have felt the same may for much of the past year largely because of this lady, whose blog I randomly found.

So today, I remember the sacrifice my Jesus made for me, and I pray that I may have the courage to share it with everyone I know so that I KNOW my friends KNOW!

Spark People

Ask any fitness guru and they will tell you that tracking your goals, foods, workouts and progress is one of th THE MOST important aspects of weight loss.

Back before I got married, a friend introduced me to a website called SparkPeople! This website helps you track EVERYTHING, calculates calories for you, and even provides meal and exercise plans. The trainers on this site are passionate about your health and offer GREAT articles on everything from food, to easy or advanced exercises, to simply enjoying life. There are support groups and teams that you can become involved in. To be honest, I just love this site!

To help you earn their health products, Spark People awards you points., and yes I LOVE to get my points!!! You get points for tracking your food, work outs, for reading articles, for posting on message boards, for meeting friend - you get points for everything!!! Once you have a certain number of points, you can win stuff (I won a t-shirt one time, and a water-bottle).

So, I am telling you all this to encourage you to join if you are currently trying to tone or lose weight as well. Heck, even if you just want to track what you eat...join! Oh, and if you do, PLEASE put that "bawilliams0720" referred you - I get points for that!!!!!

Is it Friday yet?

I had a wonderful, but very busy weekend. I wish it was already Friday so I could sleep late tomorrow...although, truth be told, I slept late this morning because I didn't get up to go work out.

But Saturday, I had to run to sisters to confirm that the cabinets were not turning out as expected...you can read about it here. Then I headed home to work for several hours on work "stuff". Then I had to get ready for Jessica's baby shower on Sunday (I painted the table clothes to coordinate with the shower theme), then got ready for girls night at Mary's house. We had such a great time and I just love playing with the babies. Mary has Mallory, who is almost 8 months old, and Michelle's daughter Emma is just a few weeks older than Mal. These two babies are SOOO precious.

On Sunday, Brant and I went to church, then I had to get to Mom's house to decorate for the shower. Jessica's color scheme for the nursery is browns, yellow, green, cream and white...you can see the bedding she chose here. I made her invitations to coordinate with the bedding, so then the whole shower decor came from the bedding as well.

This was the shower invitation

Here is the mommy-to-be.

And here is a picture of the girls (although we are missing Jill). We have been friends since college, and still try to get together one a month, or so.
From left to right: Sarah, Michelle, Jessica, Me, and Mary.

We are very excited because Sarah is the only one of not married, but that will soon be changing as of May 31st! Soon Ms. Clary will be Mrs. Allen and we are thrilled for her.

Congrats Jason and Sarah!

3.2 POUNDS!!!

YES - THATS RIGHT - I HAVE LOST 3.2 POUNDS!!!!!!!!!!!! WHOOHOOOOOO!!!!!

I am so excited; however, it kind of sucks because my start weight was higher that I originally thought. So, instead of 30 lbs, I have 38 lbs to lose - ouch, that hurts! But regardless, I have still lost 3.2 and I am thrilled.

Here is my new workout schedule - which begins at 5:30 each weekday morning!
Monday - 45 minutes cardio; 15 minutes abs
Tuesday - 30 minutes cardio; 30 minutes upper body
Wednesday - 45 minutes cardio; 15 minutes abs
Thursday - 30 minutes cardio; 30 minutes lower body
Friday - 45 minutes cardio; 15 minutes abs

Usually after I workout, I try to sit in the dry sauna for about 10 minutes or so. I will typically stretch and relax in there - which I love. I have heard that stretching in the heat is great because your muscles relax and they can really get long and lean.

I haven't been to the gym on the weekend yet, but I would like to try and go tomorrow. I would like to actually get in the pool and swim for a good while. I might get on the rock wall as well!

I talked to a good friend of mine, Good ole' Lib, who is a personal trainer and she helped me develop the above mentioned routine, but also gave me some pointers on my calorie intake. I am working on intaking only 1600 calories daily, and drinking 96 oz. of water DAILY!!!

We were discussing how 64 oz. of water used to be the average daily requirement of water; but that has increased significantly to 96 oz. a day, especially when you are working out and exercising on a daily basis. So, I now have a big bottle of water in my car, and one on my desk!

So cheers for success at the gym!!!!