The 4-letter word people need to do the Most !!!

Throughout my Low-carb journey, people will tell me what activities they have done, how often and on which days.  More often than not, the days are consecutive.  This astounds me !  As much thought that is given to planning your exercise -- how much thought is given for your REST ?? Yes ! REST, that dirty four letter word that people leave on the shelf and forget to dust off.  Do you know that for people who are active, it is much harder to rest than to exercise ?

If you've hit a wall in your training, maybe it’s because you aren't giving the gains enough time to take hold. Hard workouts tear down the body, but rest allows the body to repair and come back stronger than before.

What's also important is how your measure fatigue. Is it at the first sign of sweat ? If that is the case then I suppose I'm fatigued the first five minutes I do an RPM (spin) class !! We sweat till it's in our
ears, down our elbows and on the floor.  (OK, essentially we make our own splash zone.)

There are many forms of recovery. The one you are probably most familiar with is active recovery. Active recovery refers to engaging in low-intensity exercise during or after workouts. There are two forms of active recovery. One is during the cool-down phase immediately after a hard effort or workout. Active recovery immediately after the event encourages recovery and reduces muscle lactate levels faster than complete rest.

The second form of active recovery includes the day(s) following a competition or other intense workout. For example, I will Bodyflow on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday,  RPM (Spin), and Bodypump (weightlifting). Wednesday is my REST day.  Thursday is Bodypump.  Friday or Saturday will be my REST day. 

Other forms of recovery include stress reduction, sleep, nutrition and hydration, supplements, cold and heat, home remedies, massage, self-massage, restorative yoga, and meditation and breathing.

In my Got Independence ? Blog, I encouraged yall to write down when you exercised. Now, I encourage you to write down when you REST.  Doing nothing, Nada.   Don't even think about the dirty laundry, putting out the trash or watching TV.  Find a comfy spot, close your eyes and connect with your inner self.  GOT REST ?

Got Independence ?

Happy July 4th !

Are you staying inside to avoid the heat today ? I certainly am.  Are you moving, sitting, wondering or exercising ?  What are you waiting for? What do you need Independence from ? Need motivation to get moving ?  Turn off your computer, put on your headset, get up and GO.

Do we realize what weighs us down ?  I used to be in this quandary. How many situation/things in our life control US ? If you really think about it : are we centering our lives around things that could REALLY wait an hour while we exercised ?

I would like you to try something NEW ! Instead of writing down what you EAT every day, write down each Activity  you engage in, and how many minutes/hours you are doing it.  It could be as simple as household activities, or watching the kids.  Do this for a few days.  Next take a look how you are spending your time. 

When I first started Low Carbing, I decided to exercise the last ten minutes of every hour. It could be as simple as a brisk walk, or a simple household activity.  This time added up.  My goal was to exercise an hour each every day !  

Leslie Sansone Walking Dvd's

Leslie Sansone  was one of the first exercise tapes I found that was very simple and easy to do.  You are able to walk a mile in 15 minutes from the convenience of your home !

Find what sets you free and give you the time to MOVE. 

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Fourth of July. Remember to stay Hydrated !!

Back in the Low Carb Saddle Again !

Back in the Saddle Again !!

Hi ! I'm home, well-rested. Back and ready to attack the low-carb world out there.

Vacation was really nice. I went to the height of 14,000 ft. on Mt. Evans and got stuck at NASA Space Center in Houston because our tram was run on propane. Guess we NEVER know where we'll end up sometimes ??

Which brings me back to low-carbin and exercise. I exercised ever day while I was on vacation. The Hampton Inn has slogans in the gyms, to brighten up your workout :



One thing I found out while traveling is that you need to be prepared. Not every hotel gym comes with free weights. Out in the middle of nowhere (like I was when traveling half of the time) .. Les Mills programs were not offered at the local gyms, or the Anytime Fitness gyms. It makes me REALLY appreciate the programs my Anytime Fitness offers !

I only had two cheat days. One for pasta, and the other for chicken cheese quesadillas. My workout and persistence in eating low carb paid off ! I did not gain any weight !! Yeah for me !

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Back into the workout regimen. Had two great Bodypump classes and one RPM class this week. Since I kept up the strength training while traveling, I felt comfortable with that. What kicked my butt was the RPM (spinning) class. WOW, muscles I had not used suddenly and slowly started working again... and again...

I woke up Thursday morning feeling every muscle in my body aching... like I had the flu...took some Ibuprofen ... hours later only to realize that is HOW I am supposed to feel after a workout.. lol.

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Now, it's time to get back into the swing of things ! Eating correctly, exercising, and RECOVERING... (thanks Darrell for reminding me of that !).

Blast off fat (way) faster !

The healthy living section of Yahoo 'Shine has some great advice on how to Blast off fat (way) faster. ENJOY !


Blast off Fat (way) Faster !!



By Myatt Murphy

Tired of plugging away at the gym without seeing the pounds disappear? We found simple tricks that will transform your usual regimen into the ultimate fat-blasting routine. Whether you use just two of these strategies or all seven, our insider tips will help you get the calorie-burn you deserve.

1. Know this: “You’ll be able to comfortably work out longer and harder if you’re cool,” says Len Kravitz, PhD, coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. “Being too hot stresses your body out, so you don’t perform as well.” Translation: You burn less fat.

Do this: When exercising at home, put a fan in front of your workout area. Hitting the gym? Wait to use the treadmill that has a fan built into the console.


2. Know this: “Wearing a heart-rate monitor makes it easier to burn more body fat by showing just how hard you’re really working,” Kravitz says. “Keeping your heart rate in the right zone prevents you from slacking off, so you make the most of every minute.”

Do this: Invest in a heart-rate monitor and wear it every time you exercise. We love Life Fitness’s new Dual Watch and Heart Rate Monitor ($60; at CVS stores nationwide). It’s simple to program and use. It doesn’t require an uncomfortable chest strap—just touch the face with your fingertips. And it comes in a variety of sizes too.

3. Know this: “Warming up for five minutes before each workout helps you lose more weight,” says Heather Dillinger, an IDEA Health and Fitness Association elite-level personal-fitness trainer. “It not only makes your muscles more pliable but also increases their range of motion, so you end up using more muscle fibers as you exercise.”

Do this: Choose a warm-up routine that hits all of your muscles, not just your legs. The easiest option: Do three to five minutes of low-intensity walking while pumping your arms back and forth.



4. Know this: “Saving your energy for the end of your cardio workout may prevent you from losing as much weight as you can,” says metabolism expert Dixie Stanforth, of the department of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas at Austin.

Do this: Instead of starting out slow and then finishing up strong, do your high-intensity cardio early in your workout. After doing your warm-up, try exercising at a high intensity for 15 minutes before slowing down to a more moderate pace for the last 15 minutes.



5. Know this: “Two smaller workouts can be more effective than one,” Stanforth reveals. That’s because every time you do high-intensity exercise, your metabolism stays revved for an hour or more afterward. Splitting up your workout boosts your metabolism twice, giving you additional calorie-burning time from the exact same routine.

Do this: Divide your workout into two smaller, high-intensity sessions—preferably, doing one in the morning and one at night.


6. Know this: If you’re convinced that you’re melting fat while exercising, you’ll make a mind-body connection that will actually help you lose fat faster, Dillinger explains. In a 2007 Harvard study, participants who believed they were getting a good workout showed greater reductions in body fat than subjects who performed the same activities but didn’t feel like they were really exercising.

Do this: The next time you do anything active, remind yourself every few minutes that you’re giving it your all. This little mental move may motivate you to push yourself harder, leading to even greater fat loss.


7. Know this: “The less time you rest between sets when strength training, the more calories you’re likely to burn,” Dillinger notes. “Keeping rest periods short keeps your heart rate at a higher rate, which naturally increases the number of calories you’re using.”

Do this: The best rule of thumb is to take only a 30-second break between sets (meaning you’ll need a watch with a second hand). .
.

Low Carbin' through Colorado !!

Today : we ventured to Rocky Mountain National Park - the road was blocked because of the snow in the higher elevation. Not to be thwarted by this onset of road conditions, we ventured to :

Idaho Springs - Mount Evans - the highest paved road in North America ! Mount Evans is the road into the sky. Drive from 8,700 feet at Idaho Spring where you turn off Interstate 70 to 14,240 feet to the summit, and you will pass through 3 life zones, passing ancient trees, lakes and forest to the land above timberline. It can be 90 degrees in Denver and 40 degrees at the top of Mount Evans. Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep will greet you as you climb to the top of the world.

Driving this stretch of road is like a scene from Ice Road Truckers in India ! It cost $10 to go up this road, (or as my 12 year old puts it : "The side of cliffs !). My husband said it was like $10 worth of pure hell. I saw his knuckles turn white as we ventured up the winding roads to the summit. It was breathtaking, beautiful and bewildering all at the same time. Like some insane joyride. Venture if you dare :)

I was a very hungry gal today ! I ate pasta at one of the roadside grills.. and in the evening we ended up driving to Colorado Springs, CO. We ate ate Buffalo Wild Wings. I ate the Chicken Quesadillas..

We are at a very nice hotel.. Weight room is great. I worked out for an hour lifting weights, and did cardio on the cross country elliptical.. for about 40 minutes.

I concluded the evening with a little down time for myself. I sat out on the veranda by the pool, noticing the ever changing colors of the sky and the landscape and just breathing the mountain air makes it ALL worthwhile !!

Low Carbin' through KS and Colorado !

Hi ! My hat lands in Firestone, Colorado, just outside of Pikes Peak. We plan to head up the mountain in our truck tomorrow.

Today was a much better day for me. I found out something very important.. I NEED and MUST exercise in order to burn off all of the extra sugars I consume. I was SO lazy yesterday, I did sleep in the truck part of the way.. I know I was not feeling well, but it hit me today just how important exercise is when low carbin it on the road.

I had a very nutritious breakfast at our hotel in Liberal, KS. Cheese omelet, and sausage. Quite delicious! Also had a very nice gym with free weights. I made use of it, worked out for an hour, and noticed how GREAT I felt after exercising. I keep wondering why nobody else exercises at 6 in the morning like I do LOL... I'm still on the 'mom' school time when getting the kid off to school. I have to keep MYSELF in shape, especially when on the road.

We journeyed through Kansas today. As my earlier post stated.. I was actually blogging it from my phone with an 'update'.. something I had never done before.. Expansive cattle everywhere as far the eyes could see. They fatten them up just to sell them... made a wonderful brownish color on the landscape. Kansas is a lot of wind, dust and well a lot of nothing lol.. The Liberal Air Museum was the highlight of the morning.

We traveled onward to Colorado. You kinda have to sneak into the Denver area to get the real feel of the Rockies, they poke out of the earth magnificently. From my hotel room, I could see the snow on top of the mountain ! Hope to have pictures tomorrow.

For supper tonite... I had grilled chicken AND some chili with beans.. hmm weird combination, I gather. The pork and beans in the chili was kinda on a downside as I was expecting red beans.. lol.

I think the weather will be cooler tomorrow. Will keep you posted !

Low Carbin' through TX, OK, and KS

Hi ~ I'm located in a region of the country that is over 2800 feet in elevation ! and Dorothy doesn't live here anymore ! Yep, you guessed it, Liberal Kansas. We are here to visit the Mid America Air Museum... The largest helium plant in the world is here - National Helium is also located here. Temperatures have been hot.. throughout Texas and OK.. nothing has changed since we arrived in Kansas !

This morning I awoke early, ready to go downstairs to the 'hotel breakfast' to see what they had.. The usual high carb, stuff. So, I settled on some fresh fruit and a slice of wheat toast with grape jelly.

We started the day 'antiquin' in Forney, TX. We visited the antique shops there. Deridder Antiques will take you an entire day to visit it. It's hard to miss from Hwy 80. The Blues Brothers life-sized statues greet you at the front door. This place is like a movie lot / antique store gone WILD.. There is over 40,000 square footage to devour. Once you are there for a while you eyes start to get criss crossed... There is THAT much stuff.

One word of warning though.. : If you are prone to nasal allergies, dust, allergens, etc.. I HIGHLY recommend you takin a Zyrtec BEORE going inside ! The place is NOT air conditioned, and the last time they probably dusted was well, what year was that ?? I suffered from allergies after we got out late in the afternoon... and suffered miserably for the reminder of the day. Good thing we were travelin a lot today... I got to sleep some of it off.

We visited Burns Flat and Altus, OK. My husband was born in Altus (Air Force Base), and raised in the area until he was in the 4th grade before moving to Louisiana. Lake Lugert was also nice...

We stopped to eat at a local Dairy Queen along the way out. I was searching for the chicken in my chicken salad. Highly over priced. Good thing I brought an extra hamburger patty to supplement the meal.

We drove and drove and drove... until just rolling into Liberal an hour or so ago. Made lots of tracks because along the route, No Where to stay.. Hotels are only in the BIG cities, excuse me ? lol.. Not much to see but the land was different... the winds are strong here. 80% chance of rain tonight.. BIG temp change as we rolled in. Kansas is flat... and breezy and HOT.. I'll let you know how things turn out tomorrow.

As far as exercise goes, I was only able to workout by riding on the stationary bike for 20 minutes before we headed out this morn.

Bodypump -- Pay CLOSER attention next time !!

It has been a great evening !! I rode with the pack for RPM (spinning ) class. Survived Darrell's class... Two bottles of water and a protein bar later, Bodypump (weightlifting class began)... I was doing FINE until the Cowboy Casanova song came on... then all hell broke loose.

If yall are regular readers of my blog, you'll know about five years ago I had a flu shot that went bad. I had an adverse reaction to the vaccine, and was injected into the nerve. Anywho.. to make a long story short, the result of this was 18 months of physical therapy, as my left arm hung like a stroke victim and refused to budge..

Well, I changed weights.. was casually talking to my workout partner and all of the sudden the song began... I was off centered when lifting the bar, like a drunk person ! I could not understand why the bar was leaning to one side more than the other, and apparently my left arm could not bare the load of the weight. My first thought was perhaps I came up TOO much on the weight for this set.. but then as I glazed in the mirror, I wondered what the heck was goin on ?

I was off centered.. the bar would not cooperate, nor would my left arm... so I stopped, readjusted myself.. tried to lift the bar and the same thing happened ! I thought perhaps my left arm was having spasms, reminscient of the old days when I could barely lift if past my navel...

Upon CLOSER INSPECTION.. I found out the culprit ! I had put different amounts of weights on the end of each bar. My LOAD WAS INCORRECT.. DOH !!! I was humiliated.. lol. I can laugh at it now .. but during the time it was happening, I thought I had lost all strength in that left arm. LESSON LEARNED : PAY ATTENTION ! LOL

VIDEOS : Bicycle Ride & views along the Mississippi

Mama said they'd be days like this... those days where you take a break from work to take in the scenery.  Part of a low carb diet is exercising.   We are fortunate here in New Orleans, to have paved bike paths along the levees. One can appreciate the views of the mighty Mississippi by enjoying a nice long bike ride or liesurely strolling along the levee. Its a great way to meet new people. Most of all the benefits from exercising is quite the 'bonus'.

I'm heading out tomorrow to get my bicycle tuned. I'll determine then if I will get a new one, or keep what I have.  I'm So excited to get out and ride my bike.  I hope you enjoy the brief videos. If you do , please drop me a line.. perhaps I can some more scenic ones. Along my ride, I see ships bigger than football fields, baby egrets following under their mama's wings, and baby ducks waddling. Springtime is awesome along the river. I hope you will come along with me ride....

Click on the underlined links below :



Bicycle Ride Along the Mississippi



Going down the levee




Goodbye !

Exercise and Me: A Love Story

I thought I'd kick off today's blog by telling you what's been incredibly GOOD for me over the last couple of months.  For most of my adult life, I thought a hard day's work was a substitute for exercise.  If I felt mentally and physically exhausted at the end of the day, I thought it meant I was keeping myself fit enough.

This felt especially true after being on my feet all day -- teaching middle school students and dealing with their roller coaster of emotions and 'I just don't get this' attitude. THEY got it. My students wanted more than anything to be outside, part of the environment. A bench to sit on and relax.  A tree to mellow out and envelop the sun.  It just made sense to them.

A couple of years ago, I underwent a hysterectomy that forced me to be immobile for two months. I learned the hard way, NEVER schedule surgery during the months of June, July and August in Louisiana. These are the prime months for HURRICANES to develop.  I had my surgery in early August. September 1st Hurricane Gustave hit.  The kids and I had to evacuate, as my husband was on emergency call with the chemical plant.  I drove four hours to find a hotel.  When everything was over, I came back to New Orleans. Electricity was out, it was HOT, I was miserable.. my stitches got infected... I need say nothing further.

I was forced into bed rest for two months.  I realized I had all the time in the world to reevaluate things.  Slowly, I started getting back into the world of exercising.  I did not mind getting up earlier. I actually began looking forward to my new found freedom (TIME).. and rehabilitation.  I actually joined a gym.. using the machines inside to help me get back into shape. If you have ever had any type of major abdominal surgery  you KNOW how slow of a process this can be.  (Not to mention the pain).

I reflect on this today, because we all have to start somewhere. We have to work through the pain to GAIN insight.  I exercise and continue to do it because I think clearer and faster. I'm a more patient person, and have more energy. I wonder how much I could have accomplished if I'd discovered all of this sooner ??

When it comes to food, I do not believe in counting calories or fat grams. I count CARBS.   Counting calories and fat grams took the air out of the balloon for me. You have to find out what works for YOU.  Once my brain realized that a carb = sugar. Everything clicked.  I do believe in enjoying all things in moderation.  I even snuck in a slice of carrot cake from the local farmer's market last week !

I hope my story motivates you to get healthy and happy.   I'm going to try to fill my blog chock full of interesting topics, along with my daily diet and exercise routine.  I hope to speak to that little voice in each of you -- the one that tells you to treat yourself better from here on out.

Have a great day !!

Today's Low Carb Diet and Exercise Intake.

I had a really great lunch today.  I cooked up a lemon peppered chicken breast, some mixed veggies (12 carbs = 2/3 cup) and a small lettuce and tomato salad (8 carbs for the ranch dressing).

Before working out this evening, I fried up two eggs, sunny side up , with a slice of toast (8 carbs).

For a before workout snack, I downed one Glucerna protein bar (12 carbs)
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I worked out for two hours tonite.  One Body pump (weightlifting) class , and RPM (bicycle spinning class).

I'm tired now , so OFF to bed for some much needed sleep !!

Your Own Low Carb Spring Training !

I know this time of year rolls around and if you are like I was, we show up out of shape for Spring training. I could blame it on whatever holiday it was, but ultimately, my body was out of shape -- OK, round IS a shape !

Scouting yourself.  Just what does that mean ?  It means to take an overview of your objective. What are you trying to gain ? or Loose ?  Do you want to get physical, or diet alone -- or BOTH ?   Do you have a problem with dieting or hunger ??  Our assessments give us a better understanding of our weak points that need to be addressed.

Your Spring move.  Suck it up and find your current weight and body fat, then see how far you can run and how much you can lift.  Are you out of breath ?  Did you underestimate how much you can lift ? Setting realistic goals will push you toward a good exercise routine. 

I think the best way to find out is to look into joining a gym near you. Most of them offer a certain period of time (7 day pass) or something to let you explore the new territory and make new friends.
ALWAYS challenge yourself.  Say I CAN do something.  You never know what you are most capable of unless you TRY !

Train your whole body. It's a system that works in unison with each other.  It is important to train multiple muscle groups. I learned this first hand in our Body pump weightlifting class.  I found out I had a strong lower core.  So what does that mean exactly ? That means that my upper portion needs more attention.  I have to add more weights and reps to get them fine tuned.  Don't forget to strengthen your weak points and don't focus on the stuff you are already good at !!



When you are working out, it is also important to remember that muscle has MEMORY.  It is important not to follow the same workout routine everyday. Switch it Up. Do it backwards, have a little fun in your workout routine. Add a new class, or walk a little faster, or skip , LOL.   

Get your GROOVE ON !

Throw in a heavy workout day, like I did today. For example, I took an RPM (spinning) class at 6 pm, followed by a Body Pump (weightlifting class) at 7:15.   Remember to eat lots of protein. It is important to supplement your body with nutrients such as these to replace those calories burned off.

Add more weight or resistance to your workout.  If you need to concentrate in one area to loose weight, add more reps.

Most of all, get yourself tuned into your OWN Successful Spring Training workout that suits YOU. 

Have a great evening !!

60 days -- 13 lbs. Lost !!

I began phase II of this low-carb journey two months ago.  At that point in time, I weighed in at 149 pounds. Today, I am proud to announce my two month mile-marker.  I am weighing in at 136 pounds -- down 13. Who knew the number 13 could be so wonderful ?

I joined Anytime Fitness gym two months ago.  I am NOT a 'dedicated gym rat', -- rather a 'class rat' lol. I have tried every type of fitness class Anytime has to offer. My favorites are Bodypump (weightlifting), RPM (spinning) and Body Flow (combination of yoga, tai-chi, etc).. centered on balance and strengthening your center core.

My journey consisted of finding the RIGHT combination of planning to low-carb in a SAFE manner and finding the exercises that could tone and strengthen my body at the same time.

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 PHASE ONE


October 7, 2008 I was diagnosed with pre-hypertension. My doctor explained that if I did not loose 10% of my body weight, I would have to rely on medication to treat the high blood pressure for the rest of my life. I went online like everyone else searching for that 'miracle' to help me loose weight.  I landed on the doorstep of Jimmy Moore . Jimmy went on his own low-carb journey to loose weight, and blogs about his journey.

I followed his low carb regimen.  Exercised and ate low carb. However, something happened to me that should not have.  I was low carbing WAY to low, and the weight was coming off TOO FAST. I lost 36 pounds in six weeks. Along with the weight loss came hair loss and a vitamin deficiency.   At that point, I thought low carbing was supposed to be a good thing. LESSON LEARNED.

I took Biotin for the hair loss, and a dose of daily women's vitamins.   Things were getting better. I was able to keep the weight off until November of 2010.
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PHASING OUT.. (LITERALLY)

This phase began at the end of November 2010 to Jan 31, 2011. I gained 12 pounds in two months. I blamed it on the Thanksgiving Dinner, then the Christmas dinner and finally the king cake.  I had quit the gym I was at, went through a little depression, and made a decision.  I needed to change my lifestyle, or I would end up in the depths of despair.

PHASE TWO

In February of 2011, many changes happened.  I joined Anytime Fitness. Got a job as a school teacher. Started low carbing.  I was almost 150 pounds.   I picked up blogging everyday. I charted my exercise and food intake on Anytime Health and on my blog here. 

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TODAY

Today, I weigh in at 136 pounds... 13 pounds lost in 8 weeks. Yes, I lost it s-l-o-w-l-y, but carefully.  I've learned from my mistakes. I have learned some good things too ! That along with low carb comes exercise. I've made many friends at Anytime Fitness and on the low carb community here on blogspot.  I thank each and everyone of you for being supportive and commenting when you can.  It means the world to hear how yall are doing, and I read each and every one of your comments and comment back. Life is GOOD.

Today, I measured myself. I have good results. The most astonishing was that I gained a 1/2 inch in my thighs. I know weird huh ? Those once gorgeous gams, looked like bird legs. But after two months of Body pump (weightlifting), dedication, and sweat, and a wonderful instructor named Darrell, I think those thighs getting bigger is muscle building. Yeah  baby :)  Gimme Betty Gable legs any day  !!!

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For lunch today, I had a Mc Donald's Bacon Cheddar Ranch Chicken Salad  (11 carbs)

Handful of blackberries and blueberries (10 carbs)

 

For supper I had two deviled eggs, two slices of ham, and some dirty rice I made (1/3 cup) (29 carbs)

I exercised today by walking for 25 minutes this morn and jogging for 30 minutes this afternoon around my town.

My Low Carb BIG Easy Green Salad (PICTURES))

I hit the local farmer's market yesterday. It has been beautiful weather here in the Big Easy lately -- so there were LOTS of vendors with there farm raised crops there.

One person had a HUGE head of lettuce. And I'm talking HUGE. Today I prepared a nice big GREEN SALAD with the leaves from it.

I chopped up some tomato, turkey and ham.  Topped it wih shredded cheese !

THE FINAL RESULT !! MY LOW CARB BIG EASY GREEN SALAD !!  (Ham 3 carbs, Turkey 2 carbs). I topped it with a sprinkle of bacon bits :)

I added a couple of teaspoons of Ranch Dressing (6 carbs).

For desert I had some fresh blueberries and blackberries !! (7 carbs)

For my snack today I had 1/2 banana (8 carbs)

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I took a Body Pump Weightlifting class tonite. It was awesome ! Can't wait until the new launch Party Next Month.

It's been 7 weeks since I started Anytime Fitness AND I'm just now noticing my body is starting to tone from the weight lifting.  It's awesome. Diamonds REALLY ARE a girl's best friend !!

Just Another Manic Low Carb Monday ...

Not much happened today.  I went walking for 40 minutes to see the beautiful spring blossoms in our small town.

Beautiful Blossoms !

  I washed and vacuumed the car.  I am still in the process of painting the bathroom.

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For brunch, I made tuna/egg salad, on two slices of wheat bread.  An assortment of cheese appetizers finished off the plate !

For supper, I had a boneless lemon peppered chicken breast and 1/3 cup of potatoes.

About 48 total carbs for the day.


What did u do today ??



Spring Foods to help you shed your winter weight !!

http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/diet/_spring-foods-shed-winter-weight

It's just a few days away from springtime here in New Orleans. The birds are chirping, the skies are clear. You can feel the breeze of the March winds across your face. Life IS good. 

Eating Well Magazine presents  a column today on certain foods that may help us get that extra 'layer'  of pounds that just do not want to come off.  It's time to shed our winter coats !!

The good news is many springtime foods promote weight loss naturally, and not just because they’re lighter than those hearty winter dishes.
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It was so nice outside today, I decided to walk around our town for 25 minutes. Yes, and in the FOG !!

For brunch today :

I cooked up three scrambled eggs, with cheese.  ( 180 calories, one carb for the eggs) (Cheese, 100 calories, one carb) (Jimmy Dean Sausage (1 carb, 240 calories). 

I could not believe it but I actually took a one hour nap this afternoon ! I was up early, and my allergies made my head weary all day. Guess I needed the rest !


For snack this afternoon, I had a few blueberries and blackerries !
Hope yall have a great weekend !!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood !

So it IS a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Have u gotten outside to take a LOOK lately ?  A slow walk, breathing in the new spring air, or a quick paced walk -- breathing steadily should be on your agenda for this week !  I got out this morning and walked a brisk 25 minutes.  Spring is in the AIR :)

I've been busy painting our bathroom. That's burning calories -- right ?  Up and down the ladder.  Brushing up and down with either hand. (Like in Karate Kid ??) So I'm developing muscles in the arms, AND exercising by going up and down the ladder .. OK I'm game for that. It's better than being the 'couch potato' !!

For lunch today, I had ham on two slices of wheat bread .  (Ham = 150 calories, 1 carb) (Bread = 260 calories, 16 carbs.

For supper tonight, I had a Butterball turkey breast. (120 calories, 1 carb).

I concluded the night with a one hour Body Pump weightlifting class at Anytime Fitness !!

My Low Carb Lenten Mission...

                                                      (Origninal URL :  Lenten Poster Link )

How is everyone today ?  I'm doing great here !   Remember after Mardi Gras when I mentioned that I needed more time to think about what I was 'giving up' for Lent, since Low carbin' was gving up so much already ?  I prayed about it and finally figured it out..

Instead of GIVING UP something, I'm just going to GIVE.

One day I gave Patience.  I played with my son a bit more than usual, and listened to what he had to say.

Today, I gave a compliment to a young lady at Home Depot. She just had a baby four months ago, and we were discussing the Applebee's Weight Watcher Steak and Potato Salad . I told her not to be discouraged, and that at 18, the weight would come off with a combination of good food choices and exercise. I gave her my url address to this blog AND told her about Leslie Sansone Walk Dvd's .

This afternoon, I found someone's cell phone at our post office. The main lobby was closed, and it was getting late. I decided to look to see if there was someone I could call to come retrieve the phone but with no luck. Then I looked at the numbers dialed 'most often.'  It was to a person called "Baby Boy."  LOL So, I dialed the number, and he knew who the phone belonged to. I rode my bicycle down the road to their home and gave the cell phone to their son who was eagerly waiting outside for it.  I did not leave my name or anything, but the expression on the little boy's face, AND he exclaimed... "THIS will make my mom VERY HAPPY !! " was priceless. 

I am glad I was able to give.. :)   You should TOO !!

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It's Monday. I started the day off meeting up with  my Aunt at Applebee's.    After scouring the menu for a while, I decided to eat this :

Applebee's Weight Watchers steak and potatoes salad contains 380 calories, 12 g of total fat, 4 g of saturated fat and 32 g of carbohydrate .

The plate was loaded with spinach, baby potatoes and strips of steak. It was really good !!

I exercised at Anytime Fitness this morning on the cross country elliptical for thirty minutes. Rode my bike around town for 25 minutes !

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How are your low carb choices coming along today ??  Drop me a line and let me know !

Low Carb Couch Concert !! (New Orleans Style)

                                                           

I've been painting today, so I got up a *real* southern appetite ! Red beans and rice, with sausage, oh My !!

I was busy composing this blog, and I saw an icon, I had on my favorites called USTREAM.  It literally shows ANYTHING live, (or recorded) online. So if there is a major crises going on (i.e. Japan) right now, just go to Ustream. I think its one of the hottest links on my favorites bar ! 

And while you are at it, click on the link below to enjoy John Mayer (one of my favorite musicians !).. while your are eating your lunch.. I call it my Low Carb Couch Concert !! I may just do a series of these :)

Let  me know what yall think !!


John Mayer Red Rock Concert !

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage (beans 1/2 cup  - 22 carbs, 130 calories),  1/4 cup of Rice (11 carbs , 51 calories), Wheat bread, ( 130 calories, 8 carbs) Sausage, not sure of calories  , Carbs probably 1

Total Carbs = 47

Time Trouble - How to Spring Ahead without feeling miserable !

Its the weekend ! I feel a bit tired from the great Body Pump class I took this morning. Our fitness instructor, encouraged me to add a little more weight to the bar.  Now I KNOW why they call it a WORK-OUT !! 

Did he NOT read the paper this morn ? I'm going to loose an hour of sleep tonight -- and he wants me to add more WEIGHT ??? Really.

Springing forward is an annoying ritual to me. Why can't the clocks always stay back ?  I suppose springing is a way of conserving energy, or so I'm told.  It's not like anybody sets an alarm to wake up so they can fix the clock just to go back to sleep ?? -- RIght ??

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One way to spring ahead without feeling miserable is to join a gym !

Since I joined Anytime Fitness, in early Feb, and started back on low-carb. I've lost a total of 9 pounds ! I'm excited to see my weight FINALLY coming off. I DO think that the weight lifting was creating muscle, thus slowing down the weight loss process.

Today, I walked outside for a couple of miles... It was SO pretty -- everything is starting to bloom !
Get outside, explore nature, MOVE -- weed the garden, do something !

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Eating can also get us out of a rut. Explore new low carb recipes, or foods. 

I kind of eat the same things so I may try this approach myself !

For brunch I had a few blackberries, Strips of Bacon, on two slices of wheat bread.  and some tiny new potatoes.

We went out to get some ice cream, So, I tried a teeny wee bit in a cup. It was So good. (Bad girl!).

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Hope everyone is having a great weekend.  Get out, get moving, don't forget to set your clocks AHEAD one hour tomorrow !!

 Time for me to go soak this tired body in the jacuzzi !!

( I've been watching the news .. my prayers go out to those affected by the Earthquake in Japan)