Personal Boot Camp: The View From the Plateau....

Personal Boot Camp: The View From the Plateau....: Hey hey hey....Yes, I am still among the living....but have been busy the last couple of weeks!!  I apologize for those who have been ...

The View From the Plateau....

Hey hey hey....Yes, I am still among the living....but have been busy the last couple of weeks!!  I apologize for those who have been anxiously awaiting the latest blog installment!  Ha!  I had several appointments and then I took a week to spend with my Mom in Kansas and delivered many flowers from my backyard!  On my way to deliver I started on the 2016 Red Nose Tour.  Walgreen Stores have these red noses for sale to help fight childhood poverty.  You wear the nose and take pictures and post on their website.  This picture by the miniature Statue of Liberty is between Portis and Smith Center, Kansas.  

World famous Big Ball of Twine!

And of course, I had to take one with the famous Ball of Twine in Cawker City!  I'm kind of getting used to the red nose and even think it is flattering---it makes my face look thinner.  Right??  So....back to the fitness part of the blog.  I did take measurements yesterday and although I have not had the time to do the 30 Day Challenge workouts lately due to yard work, I still had lost half an inch.  That is just amazing considering that I had not been able to focus as much on the fitness and healthy eating part as much as I did when I started out.  And then there is my Mom who does this to me....

Coconut Cream Pie....mmmmm!!

Yeah....that was a freshly baked Coconut Cream pie...my worse weakness (not going to call it enemy because something that amazing just isn't), plus she also made a Lemon Meringue one.  Did I mention the part about it just being for the two of us?? Thanks, Mom!!!  It was not even going to be possible for me to resist those....no way.  On a positive note, Mom and I did decide to have salads so that we could allow for the pie!!

Aunt Corine's Italian Stuffed Artichokes.

My husband also got into the act by making a childhood dish that his grandmother, aunts and mom used to make....stuffed artichokes, otherwise known as some Italian name that I can't pronounce correctly....Cacocciula.  Thanks Aunt Corine!!  After reading about all of the health benefits of artichokes, I think it would be a good one to add to the weekly list.  Plus it's a good workout while eating them, and you can't eat them fast!! Full of fiber and vitamins, it also packs a good antioxidant punch---it is #7 on the USDA top 20 anti-oxidant list!!  Who knew??

Chloe is so cute!

Not Chloe...that's for sure!!  This is the famous (well maybe now famous) goat that lives near the Big Ball of Twine.  She belongs to a friend of mine.  My guess is that she would love artichokes, even though her favorite foods are Smartie candies, Sweet tarts, chips and cereal.  She may need to join me on this healthy lifestyle or at least add some artichokes to off-set that sugar rush!!

Very cool magazine.

I had the job of cleaning out in the basement of my childhood home last week as well.  That gave me a great workout going up and down the steps and sweeping and hauling bags out.  There were some treasures, such as this Saturday Evening Post magazine from 1942----price was one dime!  Very cool to look through it and see how things have changed....OH HOW MUCH they have changed!!

Crazy clowns!

Did I mention that I brought home about a dozen of the noses??  These are classmates from high school (and honorary spousal classmates) when we gathered to eat some Fajitas cooked on a farm implement disc. An awesome way to cook meats, veggies, eggs, and other things PLUS it is healthy food. 

This is Lefty smiling for the camera at mammogram!

Did you ever feel as if your body (and/or organs) are trying to declare mutiny on you??  In the last couple of weeks I have had my dental checkup...no cavities (yay); then I had my yearly checkup (the dreaded Pap)....no issues there (yay); had fasting blood work to check my thyroid and also my cholesterol.....not so good.  The T-4 was normal in my thyroid, but the TSH level was high---which means that the Adrenal Glands are producing TSH but my thyroid gland isn't responding.  Also, my cholesterol was 225--with the bad one (I get them all confused) in the normal range, but since the overall number is high....I have to go back in three months to have them both checked.  Then I had a mammogram because I had accidentally skipped it last year (oops!!)....and of course there was a problem with Lefty.  So I had to go back for more pictures.  Talk about a fun time!!  But after multiple views and also an ultrasound on Lefty....she was deemed okay for now and I go back in six months to have it rechecked!!  Come on kids....we need to all work together and be healthy in order for my body to function!!!  

Grilled burger with onions and garlic topped with guacamole!

So when that all happens, I turn to one of my favorite meals.....a grilled burger topped with homemade guacamole!!  Sometimes you just need to reward yourself for making it through all of the yearly checkups!!!  Hope you are doing well on your own healthy journey!!  I still have about two and a half months before my deadline.  Keep working and keep smiling!!!!

Personal Boot Camp: 12 Weeks In....Keeping On!!

Personal Boot Camp: 12 Weeks In....Keeping On!!: Added red mulch to the side of our house...and some in the front as well. Wow....hard to believe that for three months now I have be...

Personal Boot Camp: 12 Weeks In....Keeping On!!

Personal Boot Camp: 12 Weeks In....Keeping On!!: Added red mulch to the side of our house...and some in the front as well. Wow....hard to believe that for three months now I have be...

12 Weeks In....Keeping On!!

Added red mulch to the side of our house...and some in the front as well.

Wow....hard to believe that for three months now I have been on this healthy journey!!  Let me just say that my body and my spirit both feel SO much better....even if the outside hasn't made a drastic and noticeable change.  I know that I have toned areas and that I feel better!  

Here we go again.....donating blood.

I did my civic duty and gave blood AGAIN.  Every six weeks you are allowed to donate again.  My biggest issue is usually the iron level in my blood being too low, so I do take a supplement for that. I have been donating since I was a freshman in college.  Although I don't like needles per se---I do not mind giving blood....I know it doesn't make sense.

This is the workout that I have been doing for over 30 days now.

This is the workout that have I used for the past 30+ days.  I started it over because I felt like it was giving me good results in my stomach area.  I did alter it some.....because I am not a Burpee lover (not sure if anyone is), and they really bother my knees.  After about three Burpees I am thinking I am going to "puke-ee"!!!  When your body is protesting that much then you need to listen to it.  I replaced the Burpees with Planks.  

This made me laugh...hope you enjoy!!

This made me laugh....so thought it would make some of you all laugh as well!!!  Why is it that the food that tastes the best always has the most calories??  Why can't celery taste better and still only have six calories per stalk??  Seriously!!  And pie or cookies or cinnamon rolls should only have about six calories per piece as well!!  Who is with me on this???  

A couple of the many bags of leaves and debris I have bagged from our yard!

A big part of my workout for the past three weeks has been the yard work I have been doing to tame the jungle that is our back yard!  Each week the trash men carry away about eight bags of leaves and debris!  If you think that isn't work....come over and join me for a day!  What this reminded me of is that I can make my every day activities into a good workout.  For example, when I went to Lowe's and picked up 22 bags of mulch....I didn't used the wheelbarrow to haul them to the back, I took each bag separately to give myself more of a challenge.  

More pictures of my yard work....

Well last week we went to Lowe's and brought home 25 bags of mulch, and this week we purchased another 30 bags since they were on sale!  The top picture shows one area of our house I worked on.  I have been averaging about 15-16,000 steps a day thanks to the yard work I have been doing!  

You should see  my dogs watch me while I attempt to Hula....haha!

Okay....so I just read an article this week about how you need to focus on the "problem areas" on your body....well that's not really a new revelation to any of us out there!  Can we all say DUH?? However, it did remind me that my biggest target areas need to be my stomach, hips and thighs (as well as many other women out there!!).  So what I plan to do is make up my own "personalized" 30 Day workout plan with exercise that will target those areas.  I also want to incorporate some "old school" exercises....such as the good ole Hula Hoop!!  I also remember doing exercises when I was younger that always seemed to bring results. Next time I will tell you what the exercises I have chosen are!

Still working on this yoga deal....I do like the pants!!

This is just for a good laugh....and no, I'm not making fun of people who actually do yoga!  I really wish that I could get into yoga...and I'm still going to try it before this journey is over in July!  I watched a video by a gal named Tara Stiles doing Slim Waist Yoga.  I saved it and will go back to it....while wearing my yoga pants...maybe with wine.  I'll keep you posted!!

Thank you, Jesus!

Had to include a picture that honors the spiritual side of my journey.  We attend the Life.Church in Stillwater and always enjoy the worship and messages by Pastor Craig.  I am a believer in the blood shed by Jesus Christ.  I am a sinner that needs Him as my Savior.  

Yes...we must remember to live and stay balanced!

This is just my final reminder to us all....it's all about balance in everything.  I'm not trying to be morbid...but it is a reminder that we do need to enjoy life and not take the healthy lifestyle to the extreme so much that we don't let ourselves have cheat days once in awhile, or stop to smell the flowers, or notice the little things in life...such as this....

Swallowtail Butterfly....so gorgeous!

Butterflies represent transformation.  This is what I am aiming for!!  OH YEAH....I did not lose pounds but I did lose another half an inch in my measurements!! Until next time.....keep smiling and working out everyone!!!