Tonight was an hour on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the bike ~ I know it seems repetitive, but right now I'm doing the gym maybe twice a week, and the rest of my workouts at home. I thought I'd post my playlist in case anybody was interested:

8th World Wonder ~ Kimberly Locke
500 Miles ~ Proclaimers
Bad Reputation ~ Joan Jett
Ballroom Blitz ~ The Sweet
Bitch ~ Meredith Brooks
Boomerang ~ Cirrus
Bring Me to Life ~ Evanessance
Can I Go Nowhere With You ~ Joel Plaskett
Closer to Fine ~ Indigo Girls
Come on Eileen ~ Dexy's Midnight Runners
Cotton Eyed Joe ~ Rednex
Do You Wanna Touch Me ~ Joan Jett
Don't Be Stupid ~ Shania Twain
Don't Cha ~ Pussycat Dolls
Elevation ~ U2
Everytime We Touch ~ Cascada
Funkytown ~ Lipps Inc
Get Ur Freak On ~ Missy Elliott
Golddigger ~ Kanye West
Hair of the Dog ~ Guns 'n Roses
Head over Heels ~ The GoGos
Heart Shaped Box ~ Nirvana
Heaven ~ Live
Here in Your Arms ~ HelloGoodbye
Here it Goes Again ~ Ok Go
Hey Mama ~ Black Eyed Peas
Higher Ground ~ Red Hot Chili Peppers
Hot, Hot, Hot ~ Buster Poindexter
I Alone ~ Live
I Run for Life ~ Melissa Etheridge
I Want Candy ~ Bow Wow Wow
I'm the Only One ~ Melissa Etheridge
Into the Ocean ~ Blue October
Invincible ~ Pat Benetar
Lady Marmelade ~ Christina Agulara, Missy Elliott, Little Kim, Pink
Laughlin Boy ~ Tracy Grammer, Mary Chapin Carpenter
Leaving Town ~ Dexter Freebish
Love Stinks ~ J Giles Band
Nth Degree ~ Morningwood
Numb Encore ~ Jay-Z, Linkin Park
One Two Step ~ Ciara w/ Missy Elliott
Rockafeller Skank ~ Fat Boy Slim
Ron de Replay (Hey Mr. DJ) ~ Rhianna
Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy ~ Big & Rich
She Talks to Angels ~ Black Crowes
Should I Stay or Should I Go ~ The Clash
Solsbury Hill ~ Peter Gabriel
Strength of a Woman ~ Shaggy
Such Great Heights ~ The Postal Service
Take Me Out ~ Franz Ferdinand
Teenage Wasteland ~ The Who
Temperature ~ Sean Paul
Thunderstruck ~ AC/DC
TNT ~ AC/DC
Turn Up the Radio ~ Autograph
Under Pressure ~ David Bowie
Unwritten ~ Natasha Bedingfield
We are All Made of Stars ~ Moby
We Belong ~ Pat Benatar
We Got the Beat ~ The GoGos
We Live ~ Superchick
Welcome to the Black Parade ~ My Chemical Romance
Where are We Running ~ Lenny Kravitz
You Set Me Free ~ Michelle Branch

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I'm still reading the Jane Goodger book. It really is good, I'm not sure what my holdup is except for I'm just not reading ~ except for cookbooks and healthy magazines. Oh, and HR Journals (riveting stuff). Well, I was being sarcastic. I actually really enjoy it.

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I got my amazon.com order today ~ The new Ellie Krieger cookbook and then the movie Talk of Angels. I was so excited to find them both ~ but I never thought I'd see Talk of Angels again. They used to show it on WE all the time, but then Bresnan took it off of the channel lineup. Thank God I remembered that Frances McDormand was in.

Labels: Healthy Living

Tonight, I did an hour of elliptical, 15 minutes bike, and some strength training for my legs. As I was working out, I realized I had not changed up the songs on my playlist for almost a year. I need some new tunes! What tunes would you recommend? What works for you?

Labels: Healthy Living

So, everyone knows I'm dieting. And my family, God love them, are so supportive. Just one example ~ a few weeks ago, my sister invited me over for dinner but warned me ahead of time that she was making skillet barbecue chicken (a no-no on my eating plan). I said no problem, I'd stop and pick up some lettuce and have a salad. I get to my sister's house and my mom has broiled me a chicken breast w/ veggies and it was absolutely delicious.

Tonight, same thing. She was making Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (the really, really good ones with the bread). Again, a no-no on my eating plan. So, again ~ not a problem. I'm thinking ahead and will just bring fixins' for a great salad. Well, my sister calls from the store and asks what kind of lettuce I like (isn't that sweet??) ~ which, I like everything except iceburg. Then she calls again and asks what kind of oil I like. I said it just depended on what I was making ~ she said, "Oh, well you were going to make a dressing last night but I didn't have the right oil. I thought I'd pick some up because you're at the house a lot with the girls." Again, so nice. I don't ask anyone to make any accomodations for me. I choose to live this way and can always plan around things. But the fact that they do these things and are so supportive is just so humbling sometimes. Especially for as independent as I like to think I am.

Sunday, we're going to Mom's for dinner so she can show off her new kitchen. Of course, I've been grilled up one side and down the other on what I can/cannot eat (.....er, choose to eat/choose not to eat, thank you very much). How great are these people?? I really can make anything work, but she's going to make ham (lean cut), fresh veggies, and salad. I tell you, I thank God I have such a great support system with these people.

Labels: Family, Healthy Living

......that's what the weatherman just said on the radio. Only??? I'm freezing my patuty off! Of course, it didn't help that initially I was hot so I guzzled a liter of cold water. Now I can't warm up. But I've got my trusty hot tea. It's only a matter of time.

With the windchill factor ~ it'll be 30 below zero today. Yowza.

~~~~~

In health news, I achieved my second goal this morning. Yeah, me!!! :-)

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I'm halfway through the Jane Goodger book. It's really good ~ if you're looking for a decent time travel, pick this one up. Except, Jane doesn't seem to know the different between "their" and "they're". That's thrown me a few times, but I forgive her.

~~~~~

Last but not least, we wound up in the ER with kiddo again on Sunday. This is how her teenage mind works: She wanted to try snowboarding, so she took an old skateboard and removed the wheels and climbed to the top of the hill (street) in front of my sister's house. She got halfway down the hill before she hit the rock and went flying. Popped out her knee, but it popped back in; now it's filled with fluid/blood/and all sorts of general gooey ickiness. Her knee is 3 times the size of the other one. So, she's on crutches and will be for about 2 more weeks. I told her next time she wanted some quality family time, I vote we go to a movie instead. She replied, "Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time." And then in a quiet voice said, "It was fun while it lasted." She's currently making plans to try to skateboard down the same hill come spring. I told her we'd just go ahead and book the ER now. To quote Holly, *headdesk*.

Labels: Family, Healthy Living, Ramblings, Weather

10 pounds, that is. Gone for good. Which, if I'm honest, is what I gained from my "break" during the holidays. But 'tis okay. I expected it. My goal is to lose another 8.5 pounds before my next doctor's appointment March 5; and then another 10 pounds before vacation on April 23. I think I can do it. Jeez, I better now since I have it in writing.

With that said, I've got to get better at going to the gym. I just hate the New Year's rush and fighting to even get a machine. If I don't get an elliptical, I'll usually do something else, but my heart just isn't in it. Then, of course, there are always other things that come up. Monday, for example, I was all set to go ~ had to my bag packed and everything; then my sister called and needed a ride home (hubby had been working on her car and was now stuck at home with all 4 kids). Well, I ended up bagging the gym for dinner at my sister's and by the time I got home, I didn't want to do aerobics. Tuesday was Walmart and Costco day so hadn't planned on anything. Tonight should have been gym night, but Mom's in town so will go bumming around with her instead. Tomorrow, dinner at my sister's. Friday. Okay, Friday's a go. I can make that happen. Saturday and Sunday should be free and clear also. Then the week starts all over again. See how easily it comes to avoid? So, I need to get better.

And yay, next week I can start having carbs again. It's a sad, sad thing when the only thing you're really excited about is a bowl of oatmeal.

So, where are my fellow dieters out in blogland? How are things going for you? What's keeping you motivated?

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I've discovered a few new favorite tv shows. FitTv and Discovery Health are some of my new must-see-tv stations. The National Body Challenge on Discovery Health is awesome. I love it. I also really like Healthy Decadence on FitTv even if Devin Alexander is a tad annoying ~ she's got some good ideas.

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I'm still on the fence about The Biggest Loser. I've never watched it before, but decided to tune in this season for some motivation and maybe some tips. Yeah, not so much. A lot of yelling, a lot of pushing limits, and I'm thinking to myself "this is supposed to be motivating?" I'd probably tell them none-too-politely to kiss off and just up and leave. I'm sorry, but yelling at me does not motivate me to do anything except to yell back. Then there's the whole how-healthy-can-this-really-be factor. The overabundance of excercise and the huge amounts of weight loss within a week's time just doesn't seem healthy to me. How are they going to continue those habits when they leave the house? Are they going to be able to maintain/continue losses? Are they learning to lead a healthy lifestyle? What about a support system? The questions keep coming...... Last night's episode, though, was better than last week's so I'll tune in for another week. I just can't stop myself.

Labels: Healthy Living, On the Tube, Ramblings

A few yays: 1st ~ I finished Once a Rake last night and will post my thoughts tonight when I get home. 2nd ~ I've lost 6 pounds! Woo-hoo! I'm almost rid of my holiday binge weight.

Next up on the reading front will be Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith and Sundial by Carrie Lofty (and I also need to finsh Sea Swept by Nora Roberts and There's No Place Like Here by Cecelia Ahern).

Labels: Book Crazy, Healthy Living, Ramblings

I'm really struggling to try and finish up Once a Rake. The book is good, don't get me wrong. It's just about 100 pages too long. And the conflicts just keep coming. One conflict ends, and instead of the book concluding with the much anticipated HEA, another conflict enters. And so on. And so on.

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I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the bike yesterday. Today, I'll do either the 3 or 4 mile Walking Away the Pounds workout with Leslie Sansone (love her). Maybe 15 minutes pilates also, I haven't decided yet.

Labels: Book Crazy, Healthy Living, Ramblings

Well, I succeeded in getting an elliptical tonight (love the gym on Fridays ~ there's hardly anybody there!). So, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical, 15 minutes on the bike, and then did 35 minutes of strength training. Oh ~ and for the rest of you who are trying to get healthier, have you looked at sparkpeople? I log my food and exercise in there everyday.

I've got a new "add to my list of favorite tv shows". ~~ How to Look Good Naked premiered tonight on Lifetime and I loved it. Will definitely be watching it again. More info can be found here or here.

I've got about 100 pages left of Once a Rake, so should hopefully be posting my thoughts on it this weekend.

Kiddo and I have a date day tomorrow ~ getting our hair cuts, then Costco, Library, and a 1pm matinee of Alvin and the Chipmunks. Then Sunday, my best friend and I are going to PS I Love You. Guess I'm not going to get the book read before I see the movie.

Labels: Healthy Living, Ramblings

I started back on my diet bandwagon yesterday ~ didn't exercise because I wanted to go stock up the kitchen instead. Tonight though, I went to the gym. Didn't exercise as much as I wanted because the ellipticals were all being used so I did 20 minutes on the bike and 10 minutes on the cross trainer, then I did some strength training on the legs. Ugh. I wish I would have gone longer, but I was getting a bad attitude waiting around for the ellipticals.

On the reading front, I'm halfway through "Once a Rake" by Rona Sharon. Has anybody else read this? I love it so far.

Let's see ~ it hit me this morning that my best friend is turning 40 this year. Which means I turn 40 next year ~ which means I turn 50 in 10 years (scary how my mind works sometimes, hm?). Maybe this is the year I'll change my life.

Vacation plans are all firmed up for Savannah ~ we leave April 23 for 10 days. Our plane tickets are bought and we've got our hotel booked. Woo-hoo!!!

And finally a rhetorical question ~ why is it that I feel torn between being healthy and being a bookworm? It's like I can't be one without the other and that's just stupid. I need to find a way to blend these two, because I'm passionate about them both.

Is anyone else plan on watching "How to Look Good Naked" tomorrow night?

Labels: Healthy Living, On the Tube, Ramblings

So, I decided to kick myself into gear and try to shake off this depressing pity party I've been having. So, I went back to the gym last night. First time in awhile ~ almost a month, I think. I've still been walking but that's not nearly what I usually do. I'm one of those marathon exercisers. At least an hour everyday ~~ plus 2+ hours at least twice a week. Yeah, I haven't been doing it. Which, in hindsight, is probably causing the pity party. Really. No endorphins make for a Downer Dev.

I hopped on that elliptical machine. Thought I'd do about 30 minutes. 30 minutes came and went, and I thought why not try for 45? So, 45 minutes came and went, and I thought why not got for an hour? So, that's what I did. An hour on the elliptical. I skipped the weights ~ Will do that tomorrow. But, I didn't think an hour was too bad considering I hadn't done it in so long ~ I really thought I'd have trouble even getting the 30 minutes in.

Go me.

Labels: Healthy Living