I know I have not been a very good blogger for awhile...lost most of my readers...so sad...but, I have also stopped reading a lot of my blogs on my blogroll...I am like..almost a year behind on all of them, except for a select few...Hi, Sicilian....loves ya girl! Lol....for a fact though..I am so loserville when it comes to blogging. Definitely going to be one of my New Years Resolution's....Two years ago..my resolution was too lose weight, exercise more...that mission..ACCOMPLISHED!!!! This upcoming year, blog more, catch up on all my bloggy loves on my blogroll and add all the new food blogs/exercise blogs I have found..and, um...start commenting more/replying to the few comments I do get....
I also think I am going to give this blog a total makeover...I am still Dixiechick...but, I would like to change things over to a more "health/fitness" type blog..I mean, I will still blog about my family, work exploits, etc..but, my main focus will be about health and fitness...along with healthy eating and exercise. I just don't know where to start...there are so many great healthy fitness/food bloggers out there...I am sure I will fall into the one in a million category....some of my most favorite fitness blogs are Caitlin..from healthytippingpoint.....she is awesome...I am secretly blog stalking her... here is her website link...
http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/2009/12....do check her out....she started this "operation beautiful" thing, it rocks...I totally posted my first note at the gym, because of her...if you don't know what Operation Beautiful is...go over to Caitlin's blog and check her out. One of these days, I will get brave enough to leave her a comment...lol... and Fitnessista....
http://fitnessista.com/....she posts such awesome pictures of her food choices/eats/recipes and her work outs...she is a fitness diva for sure...I also blog stalk her...love to read her everyday, but not once have I got up the nerve to leave a comment....in due time....
I have never been healthier..minus the sinus infection I just got over....I love, love, love running/working out...I love lifting weights....and I am starting to get noticed as the "go to girl" at the gym, for newbies that have questions, or just random women that stop me and compliment me with "how good I am"....they all just about die when they find out I have four kids....Two years ago, I was at 146 lbs, flabby and just basically looked and felt like shit...now, I am around 108 lbs, give or take a couple and I have some serious muscle tone...my guns are loaded...no kidding, my boss has actually stopped me and complimented me on how big my biceps are...lol....Definitely motivation....I doubt I will ever be "competition ready"....nor, do I want to be....I just like how it looks and most important of all, how it makes me feel.
And I am trying to eat healthier as well....More Organic, more all natural...I will never ever in a trillion years be a vegetarian....I love meat too much....chicken breast is a huge staple in my life....once or twice a month..I will have a nice steak with hubby, when we go out to eat....but, that is about it.....
I find myself, more and more lately, going through the Health food section at our local Payless...sigh, wishing it were a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods...but, alas..we do not have those..they are an hours drive away in Indianapolis....I keep trying to convince hubby to take me up there on a Saturday...so that I can stock up....
Some of my favorite new finds in the health section is Oikos Greek Yogurt
...OMG...So very very good...so creamy....I have never had the strawberry flavor, just vanilla and honey....it is kind of pricey, so I treat myself to one or two containers a week....I honestly could eat it every day....If you have never tried it and have the opportunity...please do. I like to get some organic granola, stir in a couple spoonfuls and eat that with some fruit and a boiled egg for breakfast...the breakfast of champions, I'm a telling' ya.....If you skip breakfast...you really, really shouldn't...It is truly the most important meal of the day.
Another find of mine..are lara bars...
I have seen them boasted about all over the health food blogs....so, I bought my first one a while back, and I will never ever look back....I eat several a week...again they are a little expensive, a little more than the cost of a candy bar..but, totally worth it. They are totally organic/gluten free....my fav's are the pecan pie and coconut ones...
I have also been eating Amy's Organic frozen meals...
These too are very tasty....I have not tried her breakfast burritos yet, but they are on the list....for when money is not so tight...
My lunches usually consist of some sort of salad, fruit for snacks/almonds, that sort of thing....
Now, don't get me wrong, I will occasionally throw caution to the wind on occasion...I work out hard, so I allow myself some treats...wine and chocolate are always at the top of my list...would love to find some organic wines...guess that would be on my future trip to Trader Joes or Whole Foods, can't find that around here...but, it too, is on the list...lol...
I will splurge, have a dessert or treat occasionally with my boys....for instance, last Saturday, I made them brownie/ice cream sundaes...fixed their portions, then fixed mine, which was less than half of what I gave them...just enough to satisfy that sweet tooth/carb loaded, bad for you craving, but not enough to totally screw up my eating plan. If I have a treat I just don't have one the next couple of days.
So, anyway...just wanted to share with you some yummy foods, that are healthy and don't taste that way.
Another goal I plan to aim for in 2010 is to run several 5 k's, a 10 k and even a half marathon....I now I can do that....my p.r. (on the treadmill) for a a5 k is 28 min 40 sec...and I have ran 12 miles (the furthest I have run) on the tread mill in 2 hrs 4 min...not too shabby....
I remember when I first started...I couldn't run .25 of a mile without having to stop and walk...now, I can run for 3 + miles and not have to stop for a walk break...yes, I do stop and walk on occasion...but only for 30 or so seconds...just long enough to iron out any cramps, etc...take a drink of water and then I start back up again. During the summer, I was pumping out about 25 miles a week..then I got shin splints and had to take almost two months off...I hated that!!! So, I lost some of my endurance...and duration/mileage..before I injured myself...I was pumping out 8 1/2 min to 9 min miles....now, I am averaging about 10 min miles.....I will get it back...I ran 4 miles last night, and my splits were 9:40, 9:22, 10:10 and 10:40...yeah, I started out faster and ended up slowing down..but, there were a few walk breaks in there...including my cool down in the last mile.....so, not too bad, after being sick and not running for an entire week.
Then after my run..I did five or so minutes of stretching and then some ab/leg work....another hour there..so, all in all, last night was a two hour gym session....
I went back on my lunch break today, for a half hour of cross training on the elliptical.....then I will head back tomorrow night for hopefully a six mile run and another ab session with back/shoulders and arms.....
I am so looking forward to the weekend....Date night with hubby Friday night, Saturday is Christmas at the in-laws, Sunday..finishing up Christmas shopping with the hubby...I still have the littlest young un' to buy for...and then next week is only a three day work week. Yay!
Looking forward to that and looking forward to finally getting this Christmas nonsense over with...yeah, I am the Grinch...
I haven't always been...just seems like it puts way too much stress on me financially....and it makes me cry...but, I will solider on...do the best I can for my kiddos, spend some quality and hopefully fun time with them...bake some cookies and hopefully make some special, non money oriented memories with them...
What are some of your holiday traditions?
Dixiechick
