Just as I had hoped when I originally started this blog, writing my post about the Nordic Track yesterday spurred me into action -- I made it ten minutes last night without a hitch! I guess I need to try for fifteen beginning this weekend.
Also, why is my cat not afraid of this machine? I'm seriously afraid she's going to be decapitated by a wooden ski. I can't decide if she's really brave or just plain dumb.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Nordic Track
Hi to anyone who's out there.
Here's the deal: I hate the outdoors unless I'm sitting on a beach or frolicking in the ocean. I hate exercising outdoors even more. I always feel self-conscious walking around the neighborhood while I'm huffing, puffing, and sweating. I don't want to run into other people while I'm exercising. Also I can't wear shorts in public because my inner thighs always catch one leg of them and drive it up toward my crotch, forcing me to shake my leg to straighten it out.
I had been thinking about buying a used treadmill from someone and mentioned it to a co-worker. He asked me if I would be interested in a Nordic Track, and then he proceeded to give it to me for free! How awesome is that?
So I cart this thing home, though not up the stairs because that's the hubby's job. My husband unloaded it and set it up for me. The Nordic Track is very bare bones looking and is all manual -- no electricity powering this baby. For anyone who has ever thought about owning one and has never actually climbed onto it, it is truly one of the most death defying machines I've encountered. And there's no emergency stop like on a treadmill. The skis don't lock into place, so you have to mount it carefully. Once you're on you have to be extremely careful lest the skis fly out from under you. I read a ton about this thing on the Internet before I actually brought it home, thank goodness. The consensus among the active folk was that if you are just starting your Nordic Track career you should definitely get the leg movement down pat before incorporating the arm thingie. Then to confuse me further, the doctor who gave me the machine specified on numerous occasions that proper form includes opposite feet and arms being in the same position, meaning when your right foot is forward, your left arm should be, too. This is a movement that should come naturally as most people tend to walk this way, but let me tell you that it's not so easy when you start having to think about the motion. I can start out OK, but inevitably I lose my footing and have to consciously start again, making sure that my feet and hands are properly placed.
This thing is great exercise! It's working your arms and legs and giving you a cardio workout all at once! How do I know? Because I've made it up to ten minutes on it...twice. I've challenged my husband to do ten minutes a day with me for a week, after which we'd work our way up. I haven't exactly kept up my part of the bargain for the week, but then again neither has he, although he has been on the Nordic Track more times than I have at this point. Hopefully I can start dragging myself out of my afterwork funk and climb aboard again sometime soon.
So now I can exercise in the privacy of my own space, blasting my iTunes on the computer, shorts riding up toward my nether regions all I want without the need for a leg shake. Which is awesome, because when I'm done the couch is just a few feet away and ready for me to drop onto it for the remainder of my daily free time.
Wish me luck!
Here's the deal: I hate the outdoors unless I'm sitting on a beach or frolicking in the ocean. I hate exercising outdoors even more. I always feel self-conscious walking around the neighborhood while I'm huffing, puffing, and sweating. I don't want to run into other people while I'm exercising. Also I can't wear shorts in public because my inner thighs always catch one leg of them and drive it up toward my crotch, forcing me to shake my leg to straighten it out.
I had been thinking about buying a used treadmill from someone and mentioned it to a co-worker. He asked me if I would be interested in a Nordic Track, and then he proceeded to give it to me for free! How awesome is that?
So I cart this thing home, though not up the stairs because that's the hubby's job. My husband unloaded it and set it up for me. The Nordic Track is very bare bones looking and is all manual -- no electricity powering this baby. For anyone who has ever thought about owning one and has never actually climbed onto it, it is truly one of the most death defying machines I've encountered. And there's no emergency stop like on a treadmill. The skis don't lock into place, so you have to mount it carefully. Once you're on you have to be extremely careful lest the skis fly out from under you. I read a ton about this thing on the Internet before I actually brought it home, thank goodness. The consensus among the active folk was that if you are just starting your Nordic Track career you should definitely get the leg movement down pat before incorporating the arm thingie. Then to confuse me further, the doctor who gave me the machine specified on numerous occasions that proper form includes opposite feet and arms being in the same position, meaning when your right foot is forward, your left arm should be, too. This is a movement that should come naturally as most people tend to walk this way, but let me tell you that it's not so easy when you start having to think about the motion. I can start out OK, but inevitably I lose my footing and have to consciously start again, making sure that my feet and hands are properly placed.
This thing is great exercise! It's working your arms and legs and giving you a cardio workout all at once! How do I know? Because I've made it up to ten minutes on it...twice. I've challenged my husband to do ten minutes a day with me for a week, after which we'd work our way up. I haven't exactly kept up my part of the bargain for the week, but then again neither has he, although he has been on the Nordic Track more times than I have at this point. Hopefully I can start dragging myself out of my afterwork funk and climb aboard again sometime soon.
So now I can exercise in the privacy of my own space, blasting my iTunes on the computer, shorts riding up toward my nether regions all I want without the need for a leg shake. Which is awesome, because when I'm done the couch is just a few feet away and ready for me to drop onto it for the remainder of my daily free time.
Wish me luck!
Friday, March 7, 2008
Long Time No Write!
It's been a while since my last post. But I've been off discovering some very interesting things. I met up with my high school friends for a mini-reunion back in February and it was wonderful. And I'll tell you something...I didn't crave food once. I didn't want junk food, I didn't eat a lot and I actually lost weight! When I finally sat down to think about it, I realized that with those people I didn't feel like anything was missing. These people are true friends. After all, we lived overseas together during our formative years which brings us close together now, even if we weren't necessarily friends in high school. We are what people call "Global Nomads." (Trust me, this is going to tie in with the general weight loss and healthy choices theme of my blog later. Please just keep reading.)
Here is some information from http://www.globalnomads-dc.org/ :
"A global nomad is anyone of any nationality who has lived outside their parents’ country of origin (or their “passport country”) before adulthood because of a parent’s occupation.
"Where am I from? and Where do I belong? are basic questions of human identity. Because global nomads have been crossing boundaries and borders of personal, social, national and cultural identity since childhood, it is no wonder many of us have felt and may still feel a sense of restlessness, conflicting loyalties, and the sense that we never completely fit in anywhere. As each of us defines, and redefines at various stages of our lives, the answers to such questions of identity in the context of the societal norms we function in, we can draw from the experiences of other GNs.
"According to David Pollock, founding director of Interaction and one of the foremost educators and advocates for this population, a Third-Culture Kid (TCK)--a term used synonymously with global nomad--is:
'an individual who, having spent a significant part of the developmental years in a culture other
than the parents' culture, develops a sense of relationship to all of the cultures while not having full ownership in any. Elements from each culture are incorporated into the life experience, but the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar experience.'
"In other words, our roots are not in a place but in each other. "
This last line is perhaps the most important. Most of my high school friends and I feel this way. So much so, that when we go back to our "normal lives" we feel a huge disconnect and have a hard time adapting for a significant period.
Realizing that I find my roots in these other people has been huge for me. That feeling I had when I was at the reunion...I've tried to carry it over. The feeling has filled a hole in me that I had previously been filling with cake, cookies, chips, grease, fat, sugar, salt. If I can hold onto these people, and reach out to them when I need them, I believe I can break this cycle. The challenge is not letting go, because, you see, letting go is a specialty of the Global Nomad. It's something we had to do constantly in our lives, changing countries, changing schools, saying goodbye to friends we would never let get too close. So, it's the letting go I actually have to overcome, not the food. Food's easy compared to that!
Here is some information from http://www.globalnomads-dc.org/ :
"A global nomad is anyone of any nationality who has lived outside their parents’ country of origin (or their “passport country”) before adulthood because of a parent’s occupation.
"Where am I from? and Where do I belong? are basic questions of human identity. Because global nomads have been crossing boundaries and borders of personal, social, national and cultural identity since childhood, it is no wonder many of us have felt and may still feel a sense of restlessness, conflicting loyalties, and the sense that we never completely fit in anywhere. As each of us defines, and redefines at various stages of our lives, the answers to such questions of identity in the context of the societal norms we function in, we can draw from the experiences of other GNs.
"According to David Pollock, founding director of Interaction and one of the foremost educators and advocates for this population, a Third-Culture Kid (TCK)--a term used synonymously with global nomad--is:
'an individual who, having spent a significant part of the developmental years in a culture other
than the parents' culture, develops a sense of relationship to all of the cultures while not having full ownership in any. Elements from each culture are incorporated into the life experience, but the sense of belonging is in relationship to others of similar experience.'
"In other words, our roots are not in a place but in each other. "
This last line is perhaps the most important. Most of my high school friends and I feel this way. So much so, that when we go back to our "normal lives" we feel a huge disconnect and have a hard time adapting for a significant period.
Realizing that I find my roots in these other people has been huge for me. That feeling I had when I was at the reunion...I've tried to carry it over. The feeling has filled a hole in me that I had previously been filling with cake, cookies, chips, grease, fat, sugar, salt. If I can hold onto these people, and reach out to them when I need them, I believe I can break this cycle. The challenge is not letting go, because, you see, letting go is a specialty of the Global Nomad. It's something we had to do constantly in our lives, changing countries, changing schools, saying goodbye to friends we would never let get too close. So, it's the letting go I actually have to overcome, not the food. Food's easy compared to that!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Staples, Cinq
Pardon my French, folks. :)
Another of my favorites: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray.
Here are the nutritional values http://www.tasteyoulove.com/product_detail.asp?pid=5 .
I really can't imagine life without butter. Seriously. But this stuff comes really close. You can put it on toast, use it in recipes, spray it on a potato -- anything you want! In fact, I just used it last night to make a grilled cheese sandwich (OK, so the cheese isn't good for me, nor is the white bread, but I saved myself some fat, cholesterol and calories by using the spray, didn't I?).
I sure hope other stuff starts coming out in a spray. I'm sensing a trend here!
Bon appetit.
Another of my favorites: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! Spray.
Here are the nutritional values http://www.tasteyoulove.com/product_detail.asp?pid=5 .
I really can't imagine life without butter. Seriously. But this stuff comes really close. You can put it on toast, use it in recipes, spray it on a potato -- anything you want! In fact, I just used it last night to make a grilled cheese sandwich (OK, so the cheese isn't good for me, nor is the white bread, but I saved myself some fat, cholesterol and calories by using the spray, didn't I?).
I sure hope other stuff starts coming out in a spray. I'm sensing a trend here!
Bon appetit.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Staples, Quatre
If you're anything like me, you love a good salad. Especially when it's dripping with creamy ranch dressing, or any kind of dressing for that matter. If you haven't tried Salad Spritzers I urge you to try them right away. They're amazing! At last, a wonderful alternative for dressing junkies. Here's the main spritzer page on Wishbone's site: http://www.wish-bone.com/Dressings/1807/Balsamic-Breeze-Vinaigrette.aspx .
Also, for added flavor in a salad keep a jar of mild pepperoncini in your fridge. When you make your salad, cut open the pepperoncini and drain it over the lettuce and veggies!
Also, for added flavor in a salad keep a jar of mild pepperoncini in your fridge. When you make your salad, cut open the pepperoncini and drain it over the lettuce and veggies!
Staples, Trois
I found this recipe online and it is unbelievably tasty. Also, because I work and don't necessarily have time to create a lunch in the morning, this can be cut up into a ton of portions and frozen for the grab-and-go experience.
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 pkg.(6oz) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1C water
3/4C barbeque sauce, divided (make sure it's a tasty sauce, not the crappy stuff)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
In a small bowl,beat eggs lightly with a fork.
Place turkey, stuffing mix, water, beaten eggs, and half of the barbeque sauce in a large bowl.
Mix all ingredients by hand.
Shape meat mixture into an oval loaf in a 13x9" baking dish.
Top meatloaf with remaining half of barbeque sauce.
Bake 1 hour or until cooked thru or meat thermometer reaches 160.
I know that bread and BBQ sauce can be deadly to a diet in large portions, however, you can control your calories and fat intake by cutting it up into portions (you can probably get up to 14 portions out of this). Plus, ground turkey is a whole bunch better than ground beef.
Turkey Meatloaf
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 pkg.(6oz) Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
1C water
3/4C barbeque sauce, divided (make sure it's a tasty sauce, not the crappy stuff)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.
In a small bowl,beat eggs lightly with a fork.
Place turkey, stuffing mix, water, beaten eggs, and half of the barbeque sauce in a large bowl.
Mix all ingredients by hand.
Shape meat mixture into an oval loaf in a 13x9" baking dish.
Top meatloaf with remaining half of barbeque sauce.
Bake 1 hour or until cooked thru or meat thermometer reaches 160.
I know that bread and BBQ sauce can be deadly to a diet in large portions, however, you can control your calories and fat intake by cutting it up into portions (you can probably get up to 14 portions out of this). Plus, ground turkey is a whole bunch better than ground beef.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Staples, Deux
Wow! It's been a while since I've written! Anyway...
Around the holidays a co-worker (a skinny, superhealthy co-worker) brought in a salad that her husband had made for her. I tried it, loved it and thought I'd share the recipe. It contains kidney beans, which are super good for you (here's a spot to read up on their nutritional goodies: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=87 ).
Recipe for Corn-Bean Salad
Around the holidays a co-worker (a skinny, superhealthy co-worker) brought in a salad that her husband had made for her. I tried it, loved it and thought I'd share the recipe. It contains kidney beans, which are super good for you (here's a spot to read up on their nutritional goodies: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=87 ).
Recipe for Corn-Bean Salad
- 2 cans (11 oz. each) corn niblets, drained (use "no salt added")
- 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beands, rinsed and drained (rinse them A LOT, until the red sludge disappears)
- 1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion (I used shallots, and put them through the food processor)
- 2 cloves garlic (because I used shallots I cut this down to 1 clove and put it in the food processor with the shallots)
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (I find cilantro a rather strong herb, so I put it in the food processor and probably only used a little over a teaspoon)
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste (I used sea salt)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)