Top 8

eight things I am looking forward to

1. my 5K this weekend
2. seeing my sister, niece, nephew, and bil this weekend
3. starting the new Frank Peretti/Ted Dekker book
4. Mr. Right’s next commission check
5. starting a Roth IRA
6. getting life insurance (which will probably happen next month)
7. snuggling with Mr. Right
8. lunch!

eight things I did yesterday

1. got poked at the health fair
2. had a bone density screening
3. weighed myself
4. worked
5. biking at lunch
6.watched TV
7. blogged
8. read all your wonderful blogs!

eight things I wish I could do

1. a 10 minute mile
2. get down into the 120s
3. love my body
4. be a great wife
5.play the piano
6.be less moody
7. read more
8.grow my blog readership

eight shows I watch on TV

1. LOST
2. Chuck
3. Heroes
4. American Idol
5.Biggest Loser
6. My Name is Earl
7. Family Guy
8. ???

eight people I tag
Anyone who’d like to play along (x8)

Weigh-In Wednesday: 5K in 3 days

This morning is filled with good news and bad news.

The bad news first to get it out of the way.

Last week’s weight: 133.8
This week’s weight: 134.4

I’m up a little over a half pound, and I know why. I spent all day Friday and Saturday at a charity event and I was pretty much at their mercy for my meals. I did bring along my low cal salad dressing and fat free sour cream for my salad and potato at lunch, but I did way to much snacking and there were few healthy options available. 0.6 pounds really isn’t that big of a deal though so I’m not stressing too badly.

My plan of action to fix it – be careful to stay on the wagon this weekend, even though I’ll be attending a birthday party.

Also, at today’s health fair I did a bone density screening. I’m at -0.1, which is in the normal range (normal goes from -1.0 to +1.0), but the lady said that for someone my age she’d like to see me higher. She suggested weight bearing exercise (been there done that, lady! I do weights twice a week and run at least 3 times a week) and consume more calcium.

Plan of action to fix it – join the sisterhood in the 3 dairy a day challenge. I typically get 1-2 servings without trying. April will be happy to know that I’ve resolved to drink a glass of milk on days I have extra calories, instead of a doctor pepper.

The main purpose of the health fair is the blood screening, which tests cholesterol, blood sugar, and all the usuals. Last year at the fair my blood sugar was around 40, I anticipate about the same this year. I’ve discussed it with my doctor and as long as I don’t get light headed she’s cool with it. I won’t get my official results for another few weeks. The bad news? They couldn’t find a vein in my arm and had take it out of my hand.

Plan of action – whine and complain all day today about how badly it hurts, then show off my bruise tomorrow.

On to the good news – last night I ran 3 miles in 32 minutes. That’s a 10.67 minute mile! Very much an improvement from my 12 minute miles I’ve been running. Let me tell you 85 degrees is hot for a run! When it starts warming up more I’m either going to have to delay my runs till around dusk or else head inside to the treadmill.

The fact that I ran 3 miles in the afternoon heat means I’ll have no probably running 3.1 miles this coming Saturday morning!!! 

My other piece of good news is my body fat composition. Its gone down 2% in the past month!!! Which tells me that all the people who say that they can tell a difference in my body – even when I can’t – really aren’t full of crap.

I may not be losing the weight as quickly as I would like, but I’m losing the fat which is the icky, gross and unsexy part!!

I’m currently in the “Average” category, but if I keep this up I’ll be in the “Fitness” category by my next assessment in two months!

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Quite sad really, how I could have started yesterday off feeling so thankful for my life, and ended wallowing in self pity.

After a doctor's appointment yesterday (a checkup with my allergist), I went shopping. First stop was to the used bookstore. I didn't find as much as normal, and didn't get a whole lot of trade credit for the books I turned in.

Then it was on to the Ross/Marshall/Old Navy/Target complex to shop for workout clothing. Only I couldn't find anything good. The ON store had some tops, but a friend of mine that I work out with already has every color. I certainly don't want to spend $10 on a tank top that it looks like I borrowed.

The other stores didn't have much variety, so I headed to Kohls. They had even less, and it was more expensive. Then it was off to Wal-mart - they had a few things that I liked, but I got disgusted with my body and ended up not buying anything.

Do you know how hard it is to find a XS workout top? And a size 32 sports bra? As a friend of mine pointed out, they assume that if you're an XS or a 32 that you don't need to work out. Surely I'm not the only XS up top that's a M/L downstairs??

After shopping it was time for dinner out - a friend of mine is a D.A.R.E./School resource officer and was waiting tables to raise money for her D.A.R.E. program. Over dinner I found out that my 100 calorie popcorn that I had for lunch (in an effort to save calories to have pizza for dinner) wasn't 100 calories after all.

Let me take this moment to say that I realize how completely stupid all these complaints are. Like when I feel sorry for myself because my closet is so big I have to dust/vacuum it.

My wonderful husband tried to make me feel better to no avail. One thing I don't understand is how he puts up with my foolishness!

My blessings - lest I forget them again:

*a God who loves me even when I'm ungrateful
*a God who forgives me for being ungrateful
*a God who loves me enough to send His Son to die for my ungrateful attitude
*a God who blessed me with a wonderful husband
*a wonderful husband who loves my body
*a wonderful husband who loves me even though I'm messed up in the head
*a wonderful husband who is patient
*a wonderful husband who is hard working

Blessed to be a blessing

While I was excited about Dave Ramsey’s Town Hall for Hope, I assumed I would know most of everything he was going to say. After all I’ve been through Financial Peace University, read the book, and listen to him practically every day on the radio.

What I got was an unexpected message of hope for me. Mr. Right and I are doing well right now – his main business is selling foreclosure cabins. And to be honest, I felt a little guilty about it.

I knew my guilty wasn’t a Godly conviction. Mr. Right is refreshingly honest with his clients and he works very hard for every sale, but the twinge of guilt was still there.

So I very much welcomed Dave’s perspective on wealth. Its not a pie – a common believe that there is only so much money and in order to increase your wealth, someone else’s has to decrease.

Instead it’s a candle – when I light my candle, it frees me to light the candles of those around me.

And that’s exactly what my husband is doing. He’s finding a rental cabin at a great price for his clients, thus lighting his candle. As they rent out the cabin for a profit (Mr. Right runs the numbers before the sale to make sure it will cash flow), the owner’s candle is lit. The owner goes on to light the candle of the rental management company, who in turn lights the candles of the maintenance and housekeeping crews that keep the property rentable. When a tourist rents out the cabin, they bring their vacation dollars to the area to light the candles of restaurant owners, servers, outlet shops, and attractions all over town.

Not to mention when I take a portion of the candle to TJ Maxx for a new outfit.

As long as I bless others while I’m being blessed by God, I have nothing to feel guilty about. That was a message of hope this lady really needed to hear.

If I may brag a moment – Mr. Right and I got our electric bill in the mail this weekend. It was only $27!!! Talk about a financial blessing! That’s about $50 under what the bill normally is. Our weather has been so nice that we haven’t had to run our HVAC unit very much at all.

What way has God blessed you recently?

Hope

Edited to add - I used 10 lb weights in toning class today!!!!

*I'm really excited about tuning in tonight for Dave Ramsey's Townhall for Hope. My local Christian station is playing it on the radio tonight, but to find a location for the townhall in your area just follow the link. I listen to Dave every afternoon on the drive home from work and look forward to hearing his message tonight.


*Also - my HR lady told me my pants were too big for me this morning! Okay so she's also my friend and a very incouraging person, but I'm going to retire these pants any way.

I'm planning on going shopping the week before the 5K to buy a new workout outfit. Normally I can't justfiy spending money on workout clothing, when I have plenty of t-shirts and old shorts that use to belong to Mr. Right at the house. I figure for running the 5K I can splurge a little.

While I'm at TJ Maxx looking for my 5K ensemble, I think I'm going to venture into the size 6 pants and see what happens!!

(Did I mention the 5K is next weekend and I'm getting a little freaked out?)

*Today is my Friday - I'm working an all day charity event tomorrow - so have a great weekend!!

Weigh-In Wednesday: Do These Jeans Make Me Look Fat?

Edited to add that a friend saw the picture and told me yes indeed the jeans aren't flattering and to burn them immediately. How's that for honestly! Although I prefer that to "no Brooke, your legs really are that big."

I'm finally shrinking!!

Starting weight: 134.6
Goal: 129
Last Week: 136.4

This week: 133.8!!!!

I attribute a little of that to Aunt Flow packing up and leaving late last week, but part of it has to be real!!!

I'm very excited - and very thankful to the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, especially April. (And thanks Christy for pointing me her direction.)

After talking with April at length (once I get going, its hard for me to shut up - even via email), we figured out that I probably wasn't getting enough calories. April helped me figure out where I needed to be calorie-wise on lazy days and on workout days.

I'm still gonna have to work a little harder though. Because I got so use to eating 1200 calories, it was actually hard to eat 1700 on a heavy workout day (running and weight training). I'll even admit to adding a Dr. Pepper for dinner because I didn't have enough calories and I was too full to eat anything else.

Please know that I understand that's not exactly what April had in mind, and I'm working to get my calories more evenly distributed. But the point is it worked. After several weeks of not seeing any results, I up my calories and bam - 2.6 pounds lost!

If any of you are Biggest Loser fans, I'm sure you saw the food diary that Ron, Fillipe, and Kristin made. I understood their frustration when Bob told them all that they hadn't done a good job. Calories are not necessarily the enemy.

(As a side note - anyone else annoyed with Kristin's attitude when she was voted off? She was in the bottom two for two weeks in a row, she deserved to go home!)

This weekend my family went out to eat, as per our usual every month or so. When my great-aunt saw me she said "you've lost weight!"

"No, but I'm trying."

"You have, you're skinny!"

You can tell she never had daughters, she set herself up for this one...

"And I was fat before?"

Taking a look at the pictures, I have to wonder if this was just my bad angle. I think this picture isn't flattering. I promise, my legs are not bigger than Mr.
Right's. They are the same - we measured.

Depression Bread - Cooking with Clara...and Tiffany...and Brooke

A few weeks ago I found Tiffany's blog about making depression era bread. She had taken one of Clara's (a 90+ year old woman who lived through the great depression) recipes and made it her own.

I bake it last night and it was great. I think I used only about 6-7 tsp of dry active yeast, and 4 tsp salt.

Now you see why I'm not good at baking cookies and things like that - I'm not an exact cook. I love things that you can just throw the ingredients in and eyeball it.

I made the bread last night, but at the advice of my grandmother left it sitting out (covered with a towel) to rise overnight. This morning I divided it into 6 loaves - baking one and putting the other 5 in the freezer.

I brought a piece with me to work, and its delicious! :)

And at $0.50 a loaf, you can't beat that!