Motivation

Good Fabulous Morning Ladies

Home from an hour of Zumba and had our kick off meeting for Team Survivor.  If you are not familiar with Team Survivor...check it out at www.teamsurvivor.org and see if there is a team near you.  I just started an affiliate here and we are off and running! 

Also wanted to let you all know about a great book I just started reading by my "idol" Jillian Michaels of The Biggest Loser.  It's called "Master Your Metabolism...The 3 Diet Secrets to Balancing Your Hormones.

Just started reading it...but a lot of good information! 

Make it a great day!

Hi, Mandy ~ My pedometer is by Oregon Scientific.  It doesn't have a lot of added features, but it's been working perfectly for at least 2 years, which is considerably longer than others I've owned.  Deanna

Spring...Happy Birthday!  Better late than never.

Lisa...thanks for the new recipe.  I am always looking for new fun things to try.  I always seem to get stuck in a rut.

Kari - Cancun sounds fun.  My hubby would never agree..... he prefers skiing to warm beaches.

I am gearing up for Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society.  It is two weeks from last night.  I met my fund raising goal.  I am trying to juggle the evening/night/AM.  My daughter has a swim meet Friday eve., then I will rush to the Survivors Dinner, then I will walk with my team, then back to a swim meet at 7AM.  I think I will be a bit tired on Sat.

Today I got up at 4:30AM, drove 2 hours to a swim meet, sat on my behind on uncomfortable bleachers for 4 hours, drove 2 hours home, then went to pick up other daughter at a Karate Demo practice, then mowed the grass and helped demolish an old deck as well as doing 3 loads of laundry.  I am now sitting here to catch up with you all with a glass of wine in hand.  I am not sure if I got in any aerobic ex. but I am truly exhausted.

Tomorrow will be a swim meet repeat but we are also doing a Relay for Life Car Wash to help the kids fund raise.  It starts about the time I will be back from the swim meet.

I think I need to go back to work to get a rest!  :-)

I managed to walk 5 days out of 7 this week -- for a total of 20.80 miles.  I can tell that I'm making progress, as 4 or 4.5 miles feels really good to me now, as opposed to the original 2.5 mile loop I started out with, and that was slightly daunting just a few weeks ago.  And, it's no longer the mental effort it was to get out the door either; I really look forward to it!

I've also been starting the day with a glass of water and the juice of half a lemon, which someone (Lisa? vivre?) had mentioned either here or on the natural girls thread.  I thought it would taste yukky first thing, but it's surprisingly refreshing, and it's made me wonder if that morning craving for a cup of tea or coffee (which, even though I only do decaf, I'd like to kick) is very much dehydration, because after the lemon water, I'm not as anxious for the cup of tea.

Lisa ~  Keep those recipes coming!  I am crazy about quinoa now.  I've also been trying to incorporate a lot of mushrooms into our meals.  Do you or does anyone else have any interesting ideas for those?    Deanna

Hi all!

Birthday weekend was the best ever! PT thanks for the wishes! This is my first birthday post diagnosis, and it was especially good! Here another year and kickin! 

Lisa, tried the Mago Black Bean salad, another hit! I think it is the fresh lime / lemon juice in the recipes that make it so fresh tasting. Also, tried the black bean brownies with Agave (exactly 3/4 cup), they came out well at 30 minutes (they really had pulled away from the pan). Couldn't eat right away, needed to set up. But they are very moist and gooey!!! 

Deanna, GOOD FOR YOU!!! I too remember when 2 point something miles was a big deal, and now our 3.7 a day feels pretty good, unless it's too hot/sunny. We typically do 18.5 . You Go Deanna!

Yesterday I gardened, and I mean dug up dirt, mixed in soil, planted, for 4 hours!!! So I didn't walk, but I know that was some good exercise. IT IS SO WONDERFUL to have my herbs and veggies and flowers in the ground! I discovered worms, frogs, and 2 small snakes! Talk about being one with nature! Today I have a blister and some good sore muscles!

Vivre, I love spring! We have new birdfeeders hung outside now. This was my birthday present! The birds (and a squirril!) have been discovering them - so far 2 cardinals, a blue bird, and a finch!

Spring. 

Spring glad you loved the salad....I'm making it this week.  Thanks for the heads up on the brownies...good to know it worked okay!

Yes it sure is......I'm ready to cut it! LOL  I always wore my hair short...but I'm really liking it shorter! LOL  Much easier to deal with when I'm dripping wet with sweat after zumba!

Did my hour of zumba today.  At the end of class one of my students brought me a gift.  She made me a scrapbook ...it was BEAUTIFUL.  Had photos from my Zumba chemo party (my last day of treatment) and then more photos from zumbafest.  As people came into Zumbafest, they had them write a note to me...and they are all in the scrapbook.  Needless to say, I was in major tears!  Leslie, the woman who made the scrapbook, wrote an entire page telling me how I have changed her life...watching me go through through this ordeal.

 You know...the last few months have not been something I ever would have asked for, but I surely have been blessed with the people who have come into my life! You all included!

Make it a great night!

Fun, Fit, and Fab forever! Amen!

Yoga last night. IT was a "gentle" class, and felt so good on my sore muscles from all the gardening and digging of Sunday! Warrior Woman Yoga tonight!

My older daughter is now home from college for a month before her summer internship starts in DC. Nice to have all the "chicks" home.

Lisa, WOW!! Isn't it nice to know you touched Leslie in such a positive way? And how nice to have such a visual reminder! I hate C, period. It's a monster. But people rock! I feel amazed to have such love and support around me. Now I am getting all misty!!!

Spring. 

Lisa, you've inspired me too.

Deanna, kudos to you! Yeah! 

Lisa, remember how we talked about how I couldn't believe you couldn't modify the yoga and keep on going post op?  Well, picked up some yoga blocks and have been modifying and VERY careful about keeping weight off of my arms and how I use my arms and I'm doing fine doing the yoga.  I'm also careful with stretches I know could put pressure on it.  Feels so good to be able to add that in to the walking and feel like I'm staying active.  

Springtime, those are very cute.  You go out there and strut your stuff and show off those beautiful lean legs you've earned!  That is motivation

Sounds like we are all enjoying getting out and digging in the dirt! 

Love the shoes Spring!!!!  Where did you get them?

I'll be out again today...we also have a lot of yard work to do.  We have about three acres and with all the winter storms there are a lot of limbs to be picked up.  But they will make great kindling for all our bonfires! 

I need to paint the area around the pool again this summer too...and probably stain the deck again!  It's never ending!  Good thing I love physical labor! LOL

Zumba tonight and tomorrow morning! 

Just checking in.....spent last week-end tearing down a deck and spent a couple of evenings this week haulling the stuff to the dump.  DH works a lot of hours so I get to be the trash hauler girl.  Although I have to say that there was a very nice guy there on one day and he helped me throw the stuff into the dumpster.  Still doing the gym and kickboxing.  Too wet to do much gardening.  I am not going to even touch my backyard this year until all of the deconstruction/construction is done.  I do have to move a few bushes though but I want to wait until they finish blooming.

I looked in the mirror the other day and was impressed how cut my arms look.  I guess all those push ups and low weight/high reps are making a difference.  I always had muscles but now you can actually even see a little more definition.  I have decided that I will never look thin again so now I am just going for the athletic look. 

Sunshine happening today.  Have to work a few hours this PM but at least I won't be driving around in the pouring rain.

PT:  love the cut look, good for you