P90 Day 4: Bands vs. Weights

  Today's workout is another circuit training session.  In other words, strength training.  As such, the program calls for a choice of either hand weights or resistance bands.  Both are great tools for building muscle and burning fat.  The decision to use one over the other depends on your own preferences and needs.
   Personally, I like hand weights.  You get a range of motion with hand weights that is not possible with resistance bands.  The weight is also consistent throughout each motion unlike resistance bands which add more resistance the farther they are stretched.  If I had to choose, I would prefer hand weights over resistance bands any day.

   With that said, I actually use is resistance bands.  Why?  Because they really do give nearly as good a workout as free weights.  Most importantly they are much cheaper.  With hand weights you must buy each size as you grow stronger and that money adds up.  However,  Go Fit has a set of bands you can buy at once.  I can progress to a higher weight without spending more money.  Finally, resistance bands are very compact.  I live in a modest apartment without room to store various sized weights, but my resistance bands fit neatly in a small bag in the closet.
   Maybe someday money won't be an issue and I'll have a house big enough to store the extra weights but for now I will stick to my bands.  The important thing is that I am still getting the exercise I need.

   Do you prefer weights or bands?  Why?

P90 Day 2: Adapting to Challenges

   Despite a day of working two jobs and dealing with several unexpected twist and turns I managed to squeeze in my P90 workout.  Today was a cardio abs day and that offered a little challenge in my apartment.  You see I live on the second floor of an older apartment complex.  The result is that sound (including footsteps) pass easily down to the apartment below.  Out of respect for my neighbors I have retired my Dance Dance Revolution game and generally attempt to keep the noise down.  But how can I do that while doing a video that includes jumping jacks and run lunges?
   The answer is, I adapt them.  These exercises also work well for beginners who cannot yet do everything on the video.  Live Strong has an excellent article on alternatives to jumping jacks.  The one I've been doing is a combination of the standard low-impact jack and the squat jack.  The running lunge I convert into regular lunges.  There is also a segment in which you are supposed to jump from side to side.  On the video, Tony Horton offers an alternative of doing a step touch instead.  I did the step touch instead today, but I may be googling different exercises to make it more of a challenge.

  Do you know any exercises that would be a good substitution for jumping?

P90 Day 1- What I'm Doing Different

   I started my P90 challenge this morning and I feel great.  Today was a circuit training day and I put my resistance bands to good use (more on resistance bands later).  I am looking forward to doing cardio abs tomorrow.
   For this 90 day round I am focusing on the workout.  The P90 program also includes a nutritional plan and supplements.  I am ignoring these for the moment because I like what I am already doing in these areas.  In a previous article I wrote about 'Forks Over Knives' a documentary which has greatly influenced how I eat.  For the past eight months I have followed a plant based diet and have no intention of changing.  The P90 nutrition program may be worth a try for any omnivores out there.  The recipes I skimmed looked good and I do occasionally use their recipe for homemade fries, but what little I've seen is not catered to us herbivores.   As for supplements, I  take a multivitamin every day and my plant based diet is rich in vitamins and minerals.

   For anyone interested in P90.  I tried to find a clip of the video on you tube.  The only one I found that had the video itself is a short infomercial.   I do not have all of the extra materials they advertise since I got it second hand, but so far I haven't missed them.

Do you have a favorite workout?  If so what is it?

The P90 Project

  Some time ago a family member gave me a used copy of the P90 workout (not to be confused P90X).  For those who have never heard of it, P90 is a carefully planned workout consisting of two alternating workouts; cardio/abs and strength training designed to give a total body workout.  There are even extra videos as you advance to a higher level.
  According to their website, P90 is supposed to transform my body in 90 days.  I have decided to put them to the test.  Starting tomorrow I plan to commit myself to the workouts for 90 days and see what happens.  I will let you know how I am doing along the way.  Hopefully I will end up with a leaner, stronger body at the end.  Wish me luck.
    What workout programs have you tried, and what were the results?

My Meatless Life

      About six months ago, my husband and I made a radical decision.  We decided to give a whole-food plant-based diet a try.  Forksoverknives.com defines a whole-food, plant-based diet as:

     

    "The program is based on whole or minimally processed plants, primarily fruits, vegetables, whole grains, tubers, and legumes. It excludes or minimizes animal-based foods such as meat (including poultry and fish), dairy, and eggs, as well as refined foods like bleached flour, refined sugar, and oil."

     We made this decision after watching the documentary Forks Over Knives which informed us of the various health benefits of a plant-based diet.  With both of us overweight and family histories that included diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and cancer we decided that we needed to take action now to avoid these problems in the future.  So we decided to try it for a week and see how it went.  Now six months later we are still following the diet and plan to be in it for the long haul.

     When I tell people about my diet one of the questions I often get is, "How much does it cost?"  This is a difficult question, because like many eating plans that depends on your choices.  I do not have the exact numbers, but I estimate that at the beginning of this journey I was spending $100-$150 a week on groceries.  As I continued and learned more recipes, I managed to get that down to $50-$100 a week for two people.  There are recipes that include expensive ingredients found only at Earthfare or Whole Foods.  However brown rice and beans are full of protein and fiber.  Throw a few veggies and spices in and you have a delicious meal for a fraction of the price.

This is what most people think of when they hear "plant-based" Diet.
There are so many more choices.

     So how does the food taste?  Many people think that following a plant-based diet means eating salad all the time.  While you can do that if you like, I found many delicious meals from chili and sloppy joes to cookies and cakes.  It took a lot of trial and error to find recipes we like, but with a little research you can find delicious recipes to satisfy even picky eaters.  You can not keep any meal plan going if you do not find food you like.  

    Do I miss my old diet?  Sometimes.  My husband occasionally misses chicken.  For me the hardest thing to give up was dairy.  I didn't realize how much I liked cheese and ice cream until I stopped eating them.  However there are substitutes that while not exactly the same, still help with those cravings.  I found a delicious burger recipe to replace meat.  For cheese I can use cashews or nutritional yeast.  (Warning:  For those suffering from gout, nutritional yeast in high in purines and can lead to an attack)   As for ice cream I make smoothies or blend frozen bananas, berries, almond milk and vanilla in the blender for a fake soft serve.

     Has a plant-based diet improved my health?  Some of this remains to be seen.  It is supposed to help prevent heart trouble, stroke, diabetes, and perhaps some cancers.  I will not know for years to come if this worked.  What I have noticed is my weight.  Lately I have not exercised as much as I should.  This time of year is my busiest plus we have had a major change in our schedules recently.  Normally when I didn't get to the gym as much the weight would start creeping back.  Now without restricting calories or working out I am still maintaining the weight I've lost and even lost a couple of more pounds.  I have never been able to keep the weight off with so little effort.

      Giving up meat and dairy was one of the best decisions I made.  I realize it is not for everyone, but it works for me.  I am getting trimmer without feeling deprived or hungry.  Now to make myself some beans and rice for lunch.

What is your favorite plant-based meal?

What's For Dinner? July 22

    Many people think that eating healthy means giving up all tasty foods.  In my "What's for Dinner" series I hope to show that eating healthy can be delicious too.  

 

   Today's dinner is "Meatball" Soup from Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food, tossed salad with added blackberries and roasted chickpeas, home made bread from The Cheapskate Cook, and lemon infused water.  To make it even healthier, I took out the oil.  For the soup I fried the vegetables in water instead of oil.  The roasted chickpeas taste just as good if I skip the oil and cut the salt in half.  Even the bread is oil free.  When baking unsweetened applesauce works just as well as oil with a fraction of the calories.  Even with all the changes, I had a delicious dinner.

How do you make your dinners healthier?

It's All in Your Head

   Does this scenario sound familiar?  You have been good all week, avoiding carbs and counting calories.  Then you go to a party and they serve chocolate cake (your favorite).  "One slice won't hurt," you tell yourself.  The next day you had a busy day and forgot to calculate you calories.  "Oh well I'll do it tomorrow."  Before you know it your diet is ruined and you are wallowing in self loathing.
    If you are like me, you have been on dozens of diets over the years.  (I was on Slimfast in junior high.)  With all of them I lost some weight for a month or two and then gained it all back with interest.  I don't think I could stick with any of them for more than a few months.  The most important lesson I learned from all these attempts is DIETS DON'T WORK.
    So how do we loose weight if diets don't work?  We change our lifestyle, so that the way we eat is not a diet, it is just what we eat and it is healthy.  These past two years I have dramatically changed the way I eat and made exercise a big part of my life.  However, I could not have kept it up if I had not first changed the way I think.

Our memories of food, good or bad can affect what we want to eat.

    Whether we realize it or not, our thoughts about food and our memories of food are powerful.  My sister, for example, would not eat spaghetti sauce for years after she had a stomach bug.  In the same way, the sights and smells of food with good associations can cause cravings.   We can resist these cravings for a time (willpower), but few if any of us can resist them forever.  However, if we change our gut reaction to the food, we may be able to reduce cravings and make it easier to resist temptation.  Now I have little trouble resisting the chocolate cake even if others around me are eating it.
    How did I do it?  I did not follow a specific program.  I don't know if one like this exists.  I did not even make a conscious decision to do this.  Rather as I journeyed to a greater understanding of what it was to live a healthy life, I observed the change within myself.
    First, I had to have the proper motivation.  For myself, I found that when I wanted to loose weight to look good, I would get discouraged the slow progress and give up.  However, when my focus shifted to health, the slowness of my progress mattered less and I was less likely to get discouraged.
    Second, I made a commitment to learn as much as I could about getting healthy.  I watched every video I could find on Netflix and YouTube.  Then I watched them again.  I still watch them periodically for two reasons.  1) It keeps the information fresh in my thoughts.  2) When a lot of information is conveyed, it is difficult to remember all of it with one or sometimes even two viewings.
    Third, I reminded myself of what I learned in the face of temptation.  In the case of the chocolate cake, my first reaction on viewing it would be to remember other chocolate cakes I ate in the past.  I would think about how sweet and chocolaty  and I would want to eat it.  To combat this I reminded myself of a video I saw on You Tube Sugar the Bitter Truth in which Dr. Robert Lustig makes the scientific argument that sugar is poison.  I can also remember a scene from America the Beautiful 2 (Netflix) where Dr. Howard Shapiro showed how much sugar and butter it took to make an average slice of carrot cake.  Keeping this in mind made it much easier to say no to the cake.  I also found that the more I did this the easier it became to resist tempting food.
    This process is ongoing and I am far from perfect.  However, I am finally on the right track and slow or fast I am going to reach my goals.

What food tempts you most?

Tiger's Tale: Budgeting for your pet

    There was something wrong with Tiger.  The first time I saw him jump up from a nap looking terrified and making the most pitiful noise, I didn't know what was happening.  He stopped before I had time to react and hid under the futon.  Maybe he had a nightmare I thought, and made a mental note to keep an eye on him.  Later when he seemed like he was having trouble walking, I realized that something wasn't right.

"What?"

      As I took him to the vet, terrified that I wouldn't be able to pay for treatment, I realized that in my financial planning I had neglected to save for a sick cat.  Hundred of dollars and several vet visits later I realized I should have.

      Pets, like people can get sick at any time.  The older the animal (Tiger is 13 now), the more likely he or she is to get sick.  As I think back, I should have known to save up.  When Tiger was a Kitten, he had some messy stomach trouble for a little while.  The vet never did figure out what caused it, but was more than willing to give him some medicine.  Lucky for me the medicine worked.  Our family dog from high school and college got diabetes at age 5.  It is not a matter of if your pet will get sick or hurt, but when.  

    Pets can be beloved members of the family.  And I was more than willing to do what I could to take care of Tiger, but planning for the unexpected will be a part of my job as a pet owner from now on.
    It has been over a year since I rushed Tiger to the vet, and I'm happy to say he is doing much better.  He was diagnosed with kidney failure, but thanks to a good vet and some prescription cat food he is back to his old self.

Tell me about your beloved pet.

Count Down to Shiny Pants

   My progress so far- When I joined a gym two years ago, I did something I was avoiding for years.  I stepped on a scale.  The word that best describes that moment is 'horrifying'.  I knew I was overweight, even obese, but I had no idea how far I had let myself go.  Now two years later, I am 54 pounds lighter and counting.  I still have a long way to go.  It took me 32 years to reach my heaviest weight, it will take me a while to take it off.

   So what does this have to do with shiny pants?  I am glad you asked.  In a previous post, I wrote about my purple dress that I hope to wear again one day.  I am still far from that goal, but I find that to reach my large goals I must set a series of smaller goals.  One of these goals is my shiny pants.
   My shiny pants are a pair of jean in my drawer that I have not been able to wear for a few years.  They are my favorite jeans, because if they catch the light they shine.  It is not a tacky shine, but  a subtle shine; just enough to be interesting.  They are very cute and two years ago, I could scarcely pull them up, let alone zip them closed.  Today I can almost wear them.  A few more pounds and I should be able to wear them in public again.  My goal is to debut them on my birthday in a few weeks.  Wish me luck.

            What is the one item in your closet you wish you could wear again?

Review: Forks Over Knives

    In our efforts to save money,  my husband and I discovered that Netflix is much cheaper than cable.  Therefore I have enjoyed surfing the site and finding new and interesting thing to watch.  Some time ago I found several documentaries about health that I deserve sharing.  In this first review, I will discuss 'Forks Over Knives'.
    Released in 2011, 'Forks Over Knives' focuses on the research of two doctors; Dr. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.  These two doctors independently came to the same conclusion regarding health.  The best way to avoid or even treat deadly diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer is through a whole foods plant based diet.
    Dr. Campbell came to this conclusion through his research.  While working in the Philippines in the late 1960's, he noticed that there was a high rate of liver cancer among the children of affluent families but not poor families.  (Liver cancer is typically found in adults.)  Genetically they were the same, but the affluent families ate a lot of meat which the poor families could not afford.  He hypothesized that there could be a connection.  Then he found an article from a little known Indian medical journal about a study done on mice.  Researchers took two groups of mice.  They fed one group a diet of 20% animal protein and the second group a diet of 5% animal protein.  The group with 20% animal protein began developing tumors while the group with 5% animal protein did not.  Dr. Campbell was intrigued by this and replicated the experiment with the same results.  He also discovered that by switching the diet from 20% protein back to 5% protein he could halt the growth of the tumors.  When he tried the experiment with plant based protein he did not get the same result.  Later, in the 1980's Dr. Campbell along with Dr. Junshi Chen started the famous China Study, a comprehensive study of why some populations in China have a higher rate of cancer deaths than others.  After many years of work, they discovered that the areas which ate more meat developed more cancer.  He concluded from all this research that a whole foods plant based diet could prevent or perhaps even halt cancer.
    Dr. Esselstyn began his medical career as a surgeon specializing in breast cancer.  He eventually became head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the Cleveland Clinic.  He became frustrated that while they treated the disease, they did little to prevent people from getting it in the first place.  He started researching breast cancer around the world and found some startling facts.  He found that in 1958 the number of prostate cancer deaths in the entire nation of Japan was 18 but 14,000 in the US.  And in Norway in 1939, the number of  deaths from heart attacks plummeted when the Nazis came and confiscated the live stock.  But when they left in 1945, and the Norwegians returned to a diet with more animal protein heart attacks rose again.  Dr Esselstyn wanted to study his theory.  Unable to do the study on breast cancer victims, he decided to focus on patients with heart disease.  He requested and was given 24 patients with coronary artery disease, however the patients he was given were even sicker than he imagined.  One woman was told by her doctor to basically go home and wait for death.  Many had failed their bypass operations.  Dr. Esselstyn had his patients eat a whole foods plant based diet.   Of the patients that stayed with the program, none had any further progression of heart disease and most showed evidence of reversal.
   This is a small sample of the information in this documentary.  After viewing it, my husband and I decided to give a whole foods plant based diet a try.  I will write more on that in the future.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
        Do you think you would try a whole foods plant based (vegan) diet a try?

Why I Stopped Couponing

     For those of us who live in the South East, today begins a very important week: Super Double Coupon Week at Harris Teeter stores.  If you are unfamiliar with Harris Teeter's coupon policy, Harris Teeter grocery stores will double coupons up to $.98 but on Super Double Coupon week they will double coupons up to $2.  This usually results in a frenzy to get the best deals before they are gone.  I know, I've been there.  You can get some items for very little money or sometimes even free.  For example if an item costs $4 and you have a $1.50 off coupon, you can purchase that item for $1.  If the item happens to be on sale that week it is even better.  Imagine the same $4 item is on sale for $3 that week.  After you double your coupon, you will get it for free.  I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of free.  So why with all these savings available, am I not scouring sales papers in an effort to get free groceries?
     In my efforts to be more frugal, I started couponing about a year and a half ago.  And continued for several months.  In that time I came to several conclusions.
                    1. Couponing saves a lot of money
      Couponing is not for everyone, but many people find that it's a great way to feed their families for a reasonable price.  In fact, I recommend trying it for a while and seeing if it is for you.  The true savings is not in the coupon itself (often only a few cents off the price), but in pairing that coupon with sales and specials (such as double or triple coupon deals).  You could search the local advertisements yourself, or you could find one of numerous sites that match them for you.  For those in the South East I recommend Southern Savers, but there are other sites for different regions.  These sites often have excellent tutorials on how to get started.
                    2.  Most of the food coupons are for processed food and cleaning products
      If you didn't already know, I am on a quest to loose weight and keep it off (30 lbs so far).  I put a lot of research into the best way to accomplish this and one thing I've learned is to avoid processed foods whenever possible.  Most contain high fructose corn syrup and/or large amounts of salt.  They also often contain harmful chemicals.  I have decided to eat few if any of these foods and therefore many of my coupons are rendered obsolete.  As for cleaning products, they can indeed be useful, but I am trying to reduce the amount of chemicals in my home.  Most cleaning products are full of harmful chemicals.  Plus you can save nearly as much money by making your own.
                  3. Couponing takes time
     There are several methods of couponing.  Some cut out all the coupons and file them in a coupon filer or a binder.  Other's file the coupon flyers, use their favorite website to match the coupons for them and then cut out only the ones they plan on using.  I have tried both methods and they both take a significant amount of time.  Whether or not you can spend the time on this is up to your own schedule and priorities.

     Couponing is a great tool for saving money.  But for myself, the scarcity of coupons for healthy products, added with the significant amount of time involved led me to stop.  I may eventually go back, but for right now, I find other ways to save.  But that doesn't mean I won't check out coupons.com on occasion.  It is Super Double Coupon week after all.

Do you use coupons?

The Dangers of Sugar

  Sugar is everywhere.   It is in our juice and bacon in the morning, the bread we make our sandwiches with, and even the can of tomatoes we add to our dinner.  Is it any wonder we gain weight?  The producers of our food are now putting sugar in its various forms in many products that we would never even think of as having sugar.
  There is so much conflicting information out there about the best way to loose weight.  In the 1980's, the American Heart Association told everyone that the way to loose weight is to reduce fat.  They wanted the American people to reduce their fat consumption from 40% to 30%.  Well congratulations America we did it.  But what happened?  We weigh more than ever.  I believe there is more than one reason for this, but one of the primary reasons is sugar.
  I love sugar.  I confess to being a chocoholic.  I would eat ice cream everyday if I let myself.  Fried foods have never been a big weakness for me, but sugar is.  Therefore it is with a heavy heart that I have reduced the sugar in my life.
  I always knew that sugar was bad for me, but I never realized how bad it was or how prevalent a problem it had become until I saw a lecture on youtube.com.  The video is a lecture by Dr. Robert Lustig called sugar the bitter truth.  It is an hour and a half long, and contains a lot of biochemistry that is way over my head.  The information it contains has the potential to change the way you look at food.  I highly recommend you take the time to watch it.  If an hour and a half is too long, someone has made an eleven minute summary called sugar the bitter truth (the short version).
  I do not believe that I need to give up all sugar.  But now that I am aware of just how big a problem it can be I will take steps to limit the amount of sugar I eat.  I now read labels before I purchase a product.  I watch out for sugar synonyms such as: sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, and syrup to name a few.  Instead of sweets, I am filling my home with fruit.   Surprisingly, this seems to satisfy my sweet tooth.  However, I will allow myself a slice of cake on birthdays.

After you watch the videos, please share your thoughts.

Project Unclutter: Final Thoughts

  A month ago, I started Project Unclutter.  I got the idea from a book: Unclutter Your Life in One Week by Erin Rooney Doland.  So the big question is, did I unclutter my life?  Not entirely.  I have made great strides in uncluttering my wardrobe, kitchen, bathroom, and living room.  I have also managed to maintain the level of order I've found for a solid month.  It will still take more time for my study.
  Having tried it would I recommend Unclutter Your Life in One Week?  Absolutely.  I have been a pack rat my entire life.  I have tried many different plans to relieve myself from CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and so far this has been the only one that seems to work for me.  I had the desire to be organized before, but now I feel that I have finally been shown the way.

What books have made a difference in your life?

DIY Savings: "Fabreze"

  I am always concerned about how my apartment smells should anyone come over.  Therefore, I find myself using a lot of Fabreze.  When I am doing a 30-minute clean it takes seconds to just spray down the carpet and sofas as I go.  So when I realized the other day that I was almost out of Fabreze, I turned to the internet to find out how to save money and still keep my apartment smelling fresh.

   There are many recipes for home made "Fabreze".  Most of these recipes involve some combination of water, fabric softener, and sometimes baking soda.  The recipe I used is from tipnut.  There are four options on the page, so you may choose any you wish.  I used #2, and so far I like it.  It seems to work just as well as the real Fabreze.
  So what are the benefits of making my own?  The first is the most obvious: cost.  A bottle of Fabreze can cost $3 or more at your local grocery store.  A bottle of cheap fabric softener can be found at a local dollar store or Family Dollar and will last much longer.  I even used my old Fabreze bottle, so I did not have to pay for a new one.
  The second reason is less obvious.  When buying my fabric softener, I spent a little more money to buy a product called Seventh Generation.  Seventh generation is non-toxic and biodegradable, it uses natural scents, and the softening agent is plant based (most fabric softeners are made from animal fat).  I might have paid more, but it will still come out cheaper than buying Fabreze.  Plus, using the right fabric softener is better for the environment.
*Note: If using on material that is flame resistant, most fabric softeners reduce flame resistance.

What do you use to keep your home fresh?

Project Unclutter: Day 4 (sacrifices)

   I love Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.  If you know me, you are laughing at this point.  It's been my favorite book since age 12, long before the movies came out.  So what does this have to do with uncluttering?  I'm getting to that.

   I started out the day behind.  Two trips to the mechanic yesterday totaled about five and a half hours in a waiting room (at least the car is fixed now).  So I never got a chance to organize the kitchen.  However, thanks to a little elbow grease and the fact that the living room wasn't very cluttered to begin with, I am now caught up.
   The hardest part of uncluttering is deciding what to get rid of.  This is where Lord of the Rings comes in.  I went through my cups this morning.  We have more cups than two people need.  It is difficult to fit them all in the cabinet.  Some of them had to go.  The first question is which ones do we use on a regular basis.  Then there were the cups that we use on special occasions or when we have guests.  We have to keep those of course.  What was left?  Sadly I looked at a tall white cut with an image of a horse and the word "Rohan" on it.  (If you don't know what Rohan is, it is an place in Lord of the Rings where my favorite character is from.)  I love this cup.  It is beautifully made.  Unfortunately, I never use it.  It just sits in the cabinet taking up space.  Then i saw another cup.  A glass goblet with a picture of Arwen, an elf from Lord of the Rings, on it.  This one even had a base that lit up and caused your drink to glow.  I had to make a decision what do I want more an uncluttered kitchen or more Lord of the Rings paraphernalia.   They are now sitting in my yard sale pile.
   Have you had to make any sacrifices for an uncluttered home?

Project Unclutter: Day 3

   Life gets in the way of the noblest of goals.  It's nearly 11am on day three of Project Unclutter and I have not yet begun today's tasks.  Mostly due to the two and a half hours I spent at the mechanics this morning only to learn that I have to go back this afternoon when the part comes in.  Other than that things are going well.
  Since I have nothing new to report yet I thought I'd share something fun.  I mentioned in a previous post that Erin Rooney Doland the author of Unclutter Your Life in One Week recommended creating a playlist for a thirty minute daily clean.  I thought I would share mine today.  (It may change as I continue to develop it.)  I tried to pick upbeat songs.  I figured if it makes me want to dance it will make me want to move (hence all the swing music).  I hope you enjoy it.

1. This is Your Life by Switchfoot
2. Magic Dance by David Bowie
3. Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode
4. You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) by Dead or Alive
5. This Cat's On a Hot Tin Roof by Brian Setzer Orchestra
6. White & Nerdy by "Weird Al" Yankovic
7. Bei Mir Bist Du Shoen by Janis Siegel
8. So Long Farewell Goodbye by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Do you listen to music while you clean?  If so what do you listen too?

Project Unclutter: Day 2

  A day and a half into Project Unclutter, I now have a clean closet, a reception station to hang my keys, coats, and purse, I can see the surface of my desk, and uncluttered my bathroom.  Now I'm working on establishing routines, so I never again face the mess I was facing.  My pile of things to sell at a yard sale this spring has grown from a hill to a mountain.
  I am behind on one thing: my office.  I work from home.  I also live in a modest apartment.  That means storage space is limited.  Added to that is the fact that my husband and I are both pack rats.  Therefore the study has been used for extra storage since we moved in.  Today I am supposed to be sorting through my paper clutter.    I should get rid of the papers I don't need and scan papers I need the information from, but don't need the hard copy.  This will take more than the limited time I have today.  Hopefully, I'll at least put a dent in it.
   It may take longer than scheduled, but with the skills I'm learning, I know I will eventually live an organized life.

Project Unclutter: Day 1

  It's Monday afternoon, and I'm half way through day one of Project Unclutter.  It seems to be going well so far.  I can now actually walk into my closet and close my drawers without a struggle.
   In her book Unclutter Your Life In One Week, Erin Rooney Doland starts Monday off with the wardrobe.  This is a difficult one for me.  I am always worried that once I get rid of something then I'll want it again.  Some of my clothes have been around for decades.  Ms. Doland provides a useful tool, guidlines designed to help weed out what you don't need.  For example I have a cute blue sweater that I have had for many years.  I like the sweater.  It's comfortable and warm.  The only problem is that I don't have anything it really goes with.  I sometimes take it out and make a futile attempt to match it with something, but end up putting it back.  One of Ms. Doland's guidelines is "The item should work in coordination with a minimum of two items in your wardrobe."  It is now sitting in my yard sale pile.  (Before you feel too sorry for me I have the exact same sweater in black.)
   Between the purging, sorting, and relocating the process took about 2 hours.  The second task is my office.  This is going to be even more challenging, but I am looking forward to seeing the results.

Recipe: Berry Delicious Green Smoothie

   I don't know about you, but I have trouble making myself eat enough vegetables.  It's not that I hate them per se.  I just prefer to eat other things.  In the past, I have enjoyed V8 Splash which it turns out is full of high fructose corn syrup, and V8 Fusion which is healthier but still expensive.  Recently I've learned of this recipe.  Like V8 Splash and V8 Fusion it uses fruit to mask the taste of vegetables resulting in a sweet drink that's actually good for you.  It really helps me increase my servings of veggies and adds a nice little snack to my afternoons.

• 1 cup apple juice or water (I use water, it's cheaper and has no sugar)
• Handful of spinach OR collard OR kale leaves (In my experience, spinach is the best)
• 1 frozen banana (previously peeled and frozen) (you can use a room temperature banana if you don't mind your drink a little less cold)
• 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
• optional: 1/2 cup frozen raspberries (actually any frozen berries will do)

 In your blender puree the juice/water and greens first.  Then add the frozen fruit and blend together with greens until creamy.  If a thinner smoothie is desired, add more water until desired consistency.  Can also add ice for a thicker, colder smoothie.  For a sweeter smoothie add more berries.

 Note: I have no children, but I have heard that this can be a good way to sneak some veggies to picky kids.

New Years Resolutions 2012

   In a blog about changing your life, I would be remiss if I did not write about new years resolutions.  Tomorrow is New Years Day. It is the time when people everywhere promise to make changes in the coming year, but few of them last until February.  Does this mean we should give up on the whole resolution business? No.  We should instead examine our previous attempts and fix whatever we did wrong.
   One common error is that we often make our resolutions vague.  Without a clear plan of action, we almost never achieve what we set out to do.  For example, we may say we want to loose weight, but if we do not plan how we are going to bring this about, we will probably to loose anything.
   Another common error is to set unrealistic goals.  In our weight loss example, if I say I want to loose 75 pounds by the summer, I am setting myself up for failure.  Instead I could try to loose a more reasonable one to three pounds a week.  As long as you are taking steps towards your goal it is okay if it takes a while.

 
  Finally, don't be discouraged by your mistakes.  One of my goals for last year, was to learn how to keep a container garden for vegetables and herbs.  I have always had a bit of a black thumb and for years I gave up on growing plants.  But last year I decided to give it a go.  Well needless to say it did not go well.  After I planted we had a freak rain storm that completely swamped my pots and killed my little plants.  I was very discouraged, but now I know not to put the pots where they get all the runoff from the roof.  I don't know if I will succeed this year, but even if I fail, I will learn from it.
  So what are my resolutions this year.  I am not going to count my three goals as resolutions, because I am already doing them.  Instead, I am making smaller goals to help bring about the larger ones.

Resolution 1: Once again I am going to attempt to grow my own herbs and vegetables.  Do the upside down tomatoes really work?
Resolution 2: Pay off my car.  I'm not sure if I can actually do this in a year, but I can at least pay off most of it.
Resolution 3: Finish my novel. Okay I confess I've made this resolution every year since 2006, but with all the time management skills I'm learning I can pull this off.
Resolution 4: Remember to send people birthday cards this year.

What is your New Years Resolution?