Week Eight-Eight of REAL...

REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:

http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps (SEALp) consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. I've worked up to 50.

PT ~ Physical therapy using 2-lb weights M/W/F and 1-lb weight T/Th/S.

UB ~ Upper body exercises

BD ~ Belly dancing (my version of it, anyway)

The 22nd: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 23rd: 2-mile walk. PT. BD.

Breakfast: Cheese crisp on one of my sorry tortillas and a piece of chocolate.

Second Breakfast: Peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich and a cup of milk.

Lunch: Carnation Instant Breakfast.

Dinner: My pizza, vegetable juice, and 3 Dove Promises.

Snack: Small cup of Corn Chex (in place of popcorn) and 1 Dove Promise.

The 24th: Rest. Unexpected: Family popped in to visit. I usually munch my way through. Nervous habit. This time, instead of taking a handful of peanut butter filled pretzels and another handful and another handful, I filled a cup about three quarters of the way. Less than half way through the cup I decided I didn't want anymore. I put the rest in a plastic baggy for later. I didn't eat anything more. I was done. I can't remember ever doing that before and meaning it. I've cut myself off from food before, but it was always in a "virtuous" sort of way; see, aren't I being good? This time, I simply didn't want anymore. Go me.

The 25th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 26th: PT. BD.

The 27th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 28th: PT. BD. Well look at that. I've lost two inches. Whoohoo! Go me!

Previous Measurements: Arms: 14 Bust: 45 Waist: 40 Hips: 50 Thighs: 29 Calves: 18.
Today's Measurements: Arms: 14 Bust: 45 Waist: 39 Hips: 50 Thighs: 28 Calves: 18.

The first picture was taken in February 2012. The second picture was taken in June 2012. Inspiration, at least to me:

Deadline day...

My brain is pretty much focused on one thing: Finish the manuscript edits!

Enjoy your day.

Thanks to Funny Cat Photos.

Confession: I remember actually looking for one.

NASCAR is back...

Alas, Carl Edwards, my driver, was taken out early in a crash. Though he was able to come back to the track and finish at #33, he was a more than a few laps down. Next race, Carl. Go, Carl!!

One of my backup drivers, from a small garage, is J.J. Yeley. He's a local. He finished #10! Whoohoo!! Well done, J.J.!!

I'm still editing, so back at it.

Carpe diem... will I?

I love Rabbi Daniel Lapin and his wife. I receive their weekly email, which includes an essay from Rabbi Lapin and a separate blog post from his amazing wife. I'm sharing the links here because I want to always remember what his wife shared this week:

http://susanlapin.typepad.com/susans-musings/

The date on her blog is 02/19/2013. She shared a piece by Robert Avrech.

Reading this changed me.

I want to be more like Susan and Karen.

I'm working on 1st edits for the next book due. Time is precious. Starting with prayer.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday... #143...

~ David Crowder Band's How He Loves Us:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzfPHnoT0-0

~ Blessed rain and cooler weather; summer isn't coming quite yet.

~ Wonderful cover artist Carol Fiorillo.

~ Books I love; they draw a tear and laughter and I come away feeling a little more capable, a little more grateful, a little more hopeful.

~ Learning to create a healthier me, I like myself better.

My Heroes... Lewis Morris...

What an interesting contrast. Lewis Morris should have sided with England. He was a rich landowner, well respected, a first son and heir. It seems he was also blessed with a compassionate heart. He sympathized with his fellow countrymen not as well situated. He also knew that by throwing his lot in with the patriots, his estate would be ruined, his forest destroyed, and his cattle carried off. It was. Even so, three of his sons also served honorably in the American army. When he chose to retire, he returned to his estate and began rebuilding.

He is nothing like the whiner portrayed in 1776. In the movie, he is effacing and apologetic and doesn't make up his mind to sign the Declaration of Independence until the last. In truth, he was a stolid supporter from the first. He did not hesitate or cower or demur.

There is much in my life I allow to slide without comment.

There is also much in my life I am learning to speak up and stand boldly. When I do so, I'm often labeled "rabid." I would rather be "rabid" and stand for right, then accepted for being milquetoast.

Editing madness...

On the same day, I received the final review for the book coming out in March and the first round edits for the book coming out in May. I'm a bit swamped, in a good way.

As seen on FB and my Funny Cat Photos widget:

Week Eighty-Seven of REAL...

REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:

http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps (SEALp) consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. I've worked up to 50.

PT ~ Physical therapy using 2-lb weights M/W/F and 1-lb weight T/Th/S.

UB ~ Upper body exercises

BD ~ Belly dancing (my version of it, anyway)

The 15th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

I'm trying a new facial treatment: egg white, yogurt, honey, and lemon mask.

The 16th: 3-mile walk. PT. BD. Pruned the apple tree.

The 17th: Rest.

The 18th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 19th: PT. BD.

The 20th: 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

It was wet outside when I woke up this morning. I followed Joel Runyon's advise and went out for my walk anyway. If it rained, it rained. The rain held off until I returned home.

Today is the day for following what I eat.

Breakfast: 7am Two egg yolks, sunny side over, on toast and hot chocolate.

2nd Breakfast: 11am Chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast with whole milk, coconut milk, and half a large frozen banana.

Lunch: 2:30pm Cheese crisp, i.e., cheddar cheese shredded on one of my sorry tortillas and nuked. It's okay. And yogurt.

Dinner: 5:30pm Personal pizza, two Rhodes rolls molded into "pizza" shape -- sort of, a little spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese, and serving of ham lunch meat, i.e., hot ham sandwich, and 3 Dove Promises, carmel, milk, and dark.

Pretty good day.

The 21st: PT. BD. 1-mile walk.

The first picture was taken in February 2012. The second picture was taken in June 2012. Inspiration, at least to me:

While I'm on the food trail...

My niece shared an interesting post, yesterday:

http://www.adventuresofkat.com/step-zero/

She included the link to an article I want to be able to access easily again, so I'm including it here myself:

http://fueledfitness.ca/blogthree-of-the-biggest-diet-myths-exposed/

Anyone who has followed my REAL program knows I'm struggling to create a healthier me.

I've discovered that some days I need only three meals a day and other days I prefer four or five, depending what I'm eating and doing that day.

I cannot eat whole grains of any kind. I'm severely allergic to bran. It's ugly. Trust me. No whole wheat. No brown rice. No oatmeal.

Remove the bran, and I'm fine.

White wheat. White rice.

No oatmeal. Ever.

I had no idea how much damage I was doing when I cheated with oatmeal cookies or granola bars. I finally figured it out and stopped abusing myself.

Note: I do not use bleached white flour. I use unbleached. I'm familiar with the bleaching process, and I'll pass.

I don't do much better with the legume group.

There is a whole, odd group of foods I couldn't tolerate well, like cauliflower and cabbage. I finally did the "right" homework. Serendipity. I was looking up something else. Came across the foods high in sulfur. I don't tolerate any of them well.

Something I'm learning makes a huge difference: Sleep.

Sleep is when your body repairs itself.

Your body shuts down all conscious activity and goes to work.

I am sleeping better.

I am learning to create a healthy me.

Tortilla fail...

I made the flour tortillas, yesterday. Not particularly tasty. One of the problems is that the recipe used baking soda. I'm not a huge fan of baking soda. It often overpowers the other flavors, especially in a simple recipe with so few ingredients. If I can taste it, there's too much for my taste. Dumped the recipe and another that used baking soda. (I had four recipes in all.) Now, I have only two to try, neither of which uses baking soda.

Why, you may ask, do I want to learn to make my own?

Have you read the ingredient list on a package of flour tortillas?

That's why.

I don't want soy or words I can't pronounce or understand without a scientific dictionary.

Additional problem: I can't bear the thought of using lard or even shortening. I don't keep either in the house. It's olive oil, coconut oil, or butter.

No, I don't "fry" food. Ever.

When a recipe calls for even 1/4" of oil in the pan, I'm not making it.

A skiff is about my limit.

I occasionally order fried food out, like once ever other year or two, after which I'm reminded rather unpleasantly why I don't eat fried foods. If I fry something in a pan, like when I make my hamburger, I add maybe a teaspoon of coconut oil/butter for one reason only: Nonstick pans are not meant to be hot with nothing in them. So, I give my pan something to do while it heats. The oil does make it a little easier to clean the pan afterward as well. Not to mention the fact I toast the hamburger bun while the pan is heating.

When I saute mushrooms or zucchini or make easy-over eggs, again, I use a minimal amount of fat, enough to keep the pan nice. I've noticed on other nonstick pans that if I don't use fat or other liquid in the pan, it doesn't last as long.

Then again, I don't cook anything much higher than medium or a little bit higher.

Today's bit of cooking is done. Don't know if anyone else learned anything, but it's helpful for me to sort it all out.

Speaking of which, I wrote out a schedule right before going to bed. I spent a good portion of the day working on Chapter 7, again. However, I've figured out why I'm struggling with it: I'm using all the new things I've learned to make it better. Finding exactly the right word is like wrestling with an octopus.

Carpe diem... creating...

Today's seize the day is about creating a working schedule. With going to bed earlier, I'm cutting into my usual writing time. I've mentally figured out a new writing schedule, but I'm not very good at implementing it. I'm easily distracted. Maybe it will help if I write it out. Every once in a while, I need to gather my notebook and pens and write by hand. I don't know why this works for me, but it does. Today will be it.

I also want to try one of four recipes for flour tortillas. I need bread every day. It's a mental/psychological thing. If I don't have bread, I go into a sort of starvation mode. Not healthy. I'm wondering if I can replace bread with tortillas. If I'm making my own, it doesn't take as long as bread, but I'll also know everything going into them and be able to control those ingredients.

There: A plan for the day.

We'll see how it goes.

Thank Goodness It's Sunday... #142...

~ MercyMe The Hurt and The Healer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxqfDs-64I0

~ Yumminess at P.Croissant. On Valentine's Day, they were sold out of croissants before nine o'clock in the morning. The bear claw was delicious.

~ An opportunity to catch up with friends from the past.

~ When people ask me what I do, now, I state, "I'm a romance writer." I am.

~ NASCAR is back! WHOOHOO! GO CARL!!

My Heroes... Francis Lewis...

Wales is where this Founding Father was born. Orphaned at five, he was taken in by a doting maiden aunt. He learned his native Welsh and then Gaelic when he went to school in Scotland. His uncle sent him to school at Westminster. He apprenticed with a merchant in London and, at 21, sailed to America where he invested with a partner in New York. He lived in Philadelphia, for two years, and returned to New York to set up his business. He fought in the French and Indian war and was captured and taken to Canada and then sent to France. After an exchange, he was returned to America, with compensation from the British government. The Stamp-Act almost ruined commerce, and he retired. He served in Congress, and the British retaliated by destroying his property and imprisoning his wife, for months, without a bed or change of clothes. It ruined her health, and she died a couple years later. He lived to the age of 90.

Interestingly enough, I also learned the difference between Tories and Whigs and the origin of Whigs. I've always had a horrible time trying to remember who was who. "Those are Whigs who would curb the power of the Crown; those are Tories who would curb the power of the people." ~ Sir Richard Phillips Hmmm...

A writer's travails...

I've spent weeks writing a scene. The other night, I spent hours looking for a hackney coach, a picture of one, that is, and found this...

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hackney-coach,_about_1800.png

Exactly what I was looking for. Details are important. Having the correct information makes all the difference between being absorbed in the story and being dragged rudely out of the story by a glaring error.

Granted, I make plenty of mistakes, but I do try to keep them to a minimum, in my writing anyway.

Week Eighty-Six of REAL...

Reminders: REAL - Reduce stress Exercise Adequate sleep Lower caloric intake

What Navy SEALs are required to do to make it into BUD/S:
http://navyseal.s5.com/requirements.html

http://military-fitness.military.com/2013/01/the-spartan-300-workout-and-new-variations.html?ESRC=sm_fit.nl

RIght up front: Never in a million years could I do what is required. However, I needed to start somewhere. Considering how fit the SEALs are, I figured it was a good place to start. So my SEAL puppy reps (SEALp) consist of girls' pushups, crunches, and flutter kicks, a SEAL training basic. I started with doing one of each. I've worked up to 50.

PT ~ Physical therapy, using 2-lb weights on Mon, Wed, and Fri, and 1-lb weights Tue, Thu, and Sat.

UB ~ Upper body exercises

BD ~ Belly dancing (my version of it, anyway)

February:

The 8th: SEALp. 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 9th: 2-mile walk. PT. BD.

The 10th: Rest.

The 11th: SEALp. 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

The 12th: PT. BD.

The 13th: SEALp. 2-mile walk. SEALp. PT. UB. BD.

Breakfast: Lemon, chicken pasta and cake.

Lunch: Two eggs, yolk no whites (I'm trying an experiment. I've never cared for egg whites but always like the yolks. I tested positive for allergies on tests that didn't separate yolks from whites. I wanted to see if I could eat eggs if I only ate the yolk. I did enjoy eating it.) Toast. Cake and milk.

Dinner: A couple of fresh-bakes Rhodes Rolls, with a bit of butter. Carnation Instant Breakfast (yes, it's what's for dinner) and 6 Dove Promises (a serving, according to the package).

My tummy seems to be fine from the eggs. Hmmm... what do you know.

The 14th: PT. BD. Happy Valentine's Day!

The first picture was taken in February 2012. The second picture was taken in June 2012. Inspiration, at least to me: