Fat, Flat and Red, White and Blue

Shin splints...OUCH!!!  I have them and I don't like them.  Period...

All my bravado about working harder than ever and doing as much exercising as I can to lose three pounds this week...yea...well...that went out the window this past weekend.  I talked with the Hubs and since he is a former runner (knee surgery took care of that ridiculous behavior!) he suggested I go to the running shop and purchase a pair of good running shoes. 

I thought my nice sneakers from Wal Mart were good.  They have been doing the job of supporting (so I thought) my feet just fine.  After several weeks of doing a lot of running for my workouts, I found out they are the reason I have the dreaded shin splints.

So I head out this morning to the running store.  I walked in and I am sure the young guy at the register thought "what is this fat old lady doing in my young running store"?  He was way too kind to actually say that to my face and instead asked if he could help me.  I felt I needed to justify why I was there, why do I do that???  I began telling him about how I have lost 26 lbs. in three months and now I am running and have shin splints and need new shoes but don't know how to find a pair that would help me with the running I am now doing because I am working hard at losing weight and feeling better and did I tell you I lost 26 lbs. so far and now I am running to continue to lose more to feel healthy and make a cha...yea, it was really sad.   He was so sweet and told me to take off my horrible shoes (yes, he really did call them horrible) and walk the length of the store and back.  He then asked me to step onto this computer pad which analyzed my feet.   From that information I started trying on many different kinds of running shoes, ones that have lots of support because these fat flat feet need lots of support. (He didn't say fat flat feet, he just said flat feet, but I knew what he was thinking!!)  Finally after six pair, we found the ones that are going to make a difference for me.

These are my brand new and expensive New Balance running shoes and they feel really good on.  Look, they are red, white and blue, very patriotic.  In fact, they are made in the good ole US of A and here's proof!

So now I won't have an excuse to lay around the house anymore.  I am going to go out and begin my workout with the running because I lost 26 lbs so far and I am not going to let shin splints get in the way of running because I want to lose more weight and get healthy and feel better and.......

Plugging Along

It has been three months since starting the Biggest Loser program and I have lost 26 lbs and 25 inches.  Last night we had the workout from hell.  We ran back and forth, frontwards and backwards, as well as sideways for half an hour.  From there we went on to combination strengthening exercises for another half hour.  We do jumping jack squats into front planks into up up down downs (a variation of push ups).  We do toe touch crunches into pyramid squats into six inches (our ab work).  From there some lunges and then walk/run surges.  And once again I was dripping sweat. 

I don't know what came over me, but I am determined more than ever to lose three pounds this week.  So I am pulling out all the stops.  I did some surges today on the elliptical machine and tonight I will be doing some Jillian Michael's metabolism boost workouts.  I found out I was not eating enough to keep my metabolism high, so now I am making myself eat more.  More veggies, fruit, protein and good fats.   Tonight I am making a Kale and Chickpea soup, a soup loaded with veggies!  Update: The Kale, Chickpea Soup is amazing!  I will post this recipe soon.

Every day I will post how I am doing to try to hold myself accountable to you all.

Changes

I am changing in many ways.  There is so much happening in my life, I felt it was time to change my blog(s).  I will be combining my Heathly Dreams blog with this blog and it will be titled "Life Changes".

You will read about the changes taking place in my life spiritually, physically, emotionally, with my family, etc...   You will see some of my journal about the Biggest Loser program, as well as, my life being a mom with an adult son with disabilities.  I will post healthy recipes I find I really like and want to share.  Some exercises or tidbits about a healthy life style.  There will be some things about the midlife changes I am experiencing now that I am in my fifties.  And then again, there may be little nothings about what is currently going on. 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Ahhh...the economy. We have been hit hard here in the Midwest. The Hubs hasn't been working his full 40 hours a week in over a year. Things have gotten very tight financially, but I can say our God has met all our needs. I don't do any extra driving or visiting and nothing has been done in the house for a very long time. Because of my new way of eating and working out we are spending more on healthy and organic food, so there usually isn't any money left at the end of the week.

Well, since the Government is doing it's ten year census, my daughter and I applied and took the test. Yesterday I was called to be an enumerator. I am not too excited about this temporary job, but it is a job and pays well. We could really use the extra money to do some necessary repairs around the house and yard. I also want to get away with my man, just the two of us, for a little vacation. It has been years since we have taken time away by ourselves.

Now, if you haven't sent in your 2010 census form, start looking for me to phone you or knock on your door. (Well it may not be me, but start looking for someone soon.)

Quiet

I am sitting here with the sun shinning through the window listening to the quiet. It has been a very long time since quiet permeated our home. Brigette and Lance are out and about, Kevin is sleeping because he worked the night shift last night and the dogs are basking in the beautiful warmth of the sun.

silence...

Awww...wonderful silence...

Our home has turned upside down with the start of the Biggest Loser program and the arrival of Brig and Pippin. I am constantly in the kitchen preparing healthy food, or working out, or listening and getting out of the way of dogs running and playing and barking, or spending time with Brigette as she is planning and preparing for the next phase of her life, or having staff and therapists over at different times during the week for Lance.

Stop...

Breath...

Listen to the quiet...

Thank you Lord...

I love the Olympics! No, really, really love the Olympics. I have been an Olympic nut for many, many years. It doesn't matter if it is the summer or the winter Olympics, just as long as it's the Olympics.

My family all know that they cannot watch TV during this time every couple of years. The nice thing is that they all have come to love them too.

So many great stories, so many magical moments take place during these two weeks. Like the Canadian mogul skier that took the gold last night. He is the very first Canadian to win gold on their own soil. Also, he has a brother with cerebral palsy and loves him so much that he said he was skiing for him. That touches me even more, because of our son who also has CP.

Brigette summed up the Olympics in a few words. "Somebody always wins" and "the national anthem always gets played whether it is our country or an other's".

So go USA and go Olympics!!!

Busy, Busy, Busy

Once again, I have to say I am soooo busy. I hate starting my blog this way, but I am, so there.

Brigette moved home a week ago and we have been extremely busy moving her in, trying to finish the basement where she will be living and also trying to find her a job. She did get hired in at a local Starbucks, which we are very excited about.

Oliver finally has a playmate, Pippen. Pippen is taking her time transitioning to another new environment and has been a little bit crabby and Oliver is so excited that he is not giving her the time she needs transition. Well, you can image the growls of joy and the growls of complaints going on around the house.

I have been working very hard on the BL contest and working out a lot. Also, I am spending time recording my eating, exercising and journaling. This takes quite a bit of time out of my day.

My time spent on the computer for fun is very limited at the moment. My prayer is that I can organize my time management much better than I have been and begin to enjoy my love of blogging again, as well as, visiting the blogs I love to read.

BTW, once in while there may be a guest blogger, so look for them and hopefully you will enjoy a new perspective on my blog.