Holy Yoga

I just attended a Holy Yoga class at a nearby church. I first heard of Holy Yoga from another blog I well, used to read. Anyway, I know Christians are really weird about yoga. A lot of people think that just because it is part of a mystical, eastern religion that it's somehow inherently "bad" itself. A Christian singer that I follow on Twitter and Facebook posted recently (about a year ago) about how she was so stiff and she needed to do yoga, and people totally FREAKED OUT. I felt so sorry for her that as part of being in the public eye that she had to stand up to such scrutiny. from. other. Christians. Oy.

My opinion, in a nutshell, is that yoga, like anything else, is more about how you do something than what you do. Attending church and having your heart not in it is an example. Another is money. Money isn't good or bad itself, but how it is used can be good or bad. Yoga is just a fantastic form of stretching and exercise, and it so happens to lend itself well to meditation. Meditating on the Bible is, well, scriptural. It's not evil or creepy or mystical. My advice? If doing yoga, meditating on Scripture, and praying in a public setting is uncomfortable to you, then don't do it. If doing the above together in one setting sounds fantastic to you, like it did to me, try Holy Yoga.

Ok I will get off my little soapbox now. I don't want to offend anyone, but since this is my blog, I figured I should probably explain what I believe and people can take it or leave it. :o)

My sister-in-law and I really enjoyed it, but we can't go regularly because we work on Friday and Saturday mornings when the classes are. I am hoping that we can get a Gateway Pink group to pick it up and offer it more times in the week because I'd love to attend all the time. I am definitely needing to be more flexible. But I felt so fabulous when we were done. A great way to start the weekend, for sure.

Frosty Cappuccino

I originally wrote this blog entry in my live journal in July 2008, but I figured it was worth reposting in blogger as a refresher for me. I have edited it to make the costs more applicable to prices now since apparently some prices, such as the cost of milk, have gone down since 2008.
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I love Frappuccinos from Starbucks or even the McDonald's Mocha Frappe version. They are soooo good, but I hate to spend $3-5 on a drink! So, naturally I was so excited to find a recipe on how to make a homemade version for about an eighth the cost! I have modified it quite a bit to fit my tastes, preferred serving size, and to make it lower in fat and calories. 

MODIFIED FROSTY CAPPUCCINO:
Makes 2 - 8 oz. servings
Approximate Cost Per Serving: $.47
Approximate Calories Per Serving:  118


1/2 cup - fat free half & half
1/2 cup - fat free milk 
1 1/2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon - chocolate or caramel syrup
1 teaspoons - instant espresso powder or instant coffee
4-5 ice cubes
2 Tablespoons - Light ReddiWhip whipped cream


1. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, blend the ice cubes and combine the half-and-half and milk until ice cubes are sufficiently blended.
2. Add caramel/chocolate syrup, espresso/coffee, and ice cubes. Cover and whirl until the mixture is smooth.
3. Pour the mixture into two glasses. Top with whipped cream and drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon of caramel/ chocolate sauce. Serve immediately.


Most of the time I forgo the whipped cream and chocolate drizzle to save calories, but I do add other flavors sometimes to vary the recipe, such as dark chocolate syrup instead of regular chocolate or adding mint extract or tiny chocolate chips. It is fun to experiment with this recipe to make a different flavor every time!


*I should note that all prices reflex the price I paid for these items in Texas in 2011 and that the price of milk, especially, varies.


Cheers. Enjoy your 118 calorie, $.47 Frappe. ;o)

Resolution-less Goals

I don't make new year's resolutions. I guess I'm just not much for making promises to myself that I don't intend to keep. But, in the back of my mind, I often find myself thinking "oh, maybe this year I'll lose weight or consistently read my Bible or check a few more items off my list of things I'd like to do before I die." Though I never really publicly proclaim them as resolutions, I think those are always the major reoccurring goals I tend to mentally renew every year.

Sometime shortly after New Year's Day 2010, Nate and I decided to seriously start losing some weight. And we did. I didn't quite reach my goal weight, but I'm happy to say that I lost 20 lbs. and have kept it off, give or take about 5 lbs. If I were to make resolutions this year, one would be to knock off the other 20 lbs. I'd like to lose.

I've always wanted to read through the whole Bible in a year, but the reading plans that pick a New Testament and an Old Testament selection every day just never worked for me. I'm too anal-retentive for that kind of chaotic reading plan. So, I downloaded a free Bible app run by YouVersion.com. It has several translations/paraphrases to choose from and countless reading plans that you can customize. I chose the chronological reading plan (in order of when events occurred not by when they were written, though that is another reading plan option). I have LOVED it. I started the plan in October, but I've read ahead so much that I will probably complete it in 9 months instead of the originally planned year. You don't have to have an iPod touch or iPhone to use YouVersion reading plans. You can sign up and use the website. If I were to make resolutions this year, one would be to finish this reading plan.

Since I was a teenager, I have kept a list of things I would like to do before I die. It sounds morbid, but the idea came from a show I saw on the Travel channel about 10 years ago. It's the same as what other people call their "Bucket List." I constantly add to my list, but I currently have about 85 things. I have completed 27 of them. Some are major accomplishments while others are pretty minor. Visit a castle. Check. Drive a tractor. Check. Dance in the rain. Check. See the Blue Man Group in Chicago. Check. Ride an elephant. Check. I checked off about 9 things in 2005 alone. I'm a little sad to say that in 2009 I only completed one: Visit Boston in the fall. In 2010, I learned how to can. While I'm thankful to have gained these wonderful experiences and to have these great memories, I know I can do better than one a year! If I were to make resolutions this year, one would be to complete at least 3 items in 2011.

But since I don't make new year's resolutions, I won't get my hopes up. I won't make any promises to myself that I can't or won't keep. I've no intention of disappointing myself. That would be just awful! On the flip-side, setting goals for oneself can be really encouraging and inspiring, so here's to a new year of setting goals and if not reaching them, being a step or two closer to them by the end of the year than I was at the beginning of it. You may say I'm getting hung up on semantics, but it's my way of setting goals for myself without falling into despair when I don't reach them.

2011 Goals

-20 lbs :: +Bible :: +3 Things

Happy Fourth.

I am so slacking on the Blog lately! An quick update on the weightloss:

Nate is maintaining his 175 lbs. I haven't lost any more, but I haven't gained any more either. My goal is to lose about 20 more. I am going to be in two weddings next summer, so I'd like to be smaller by then. End of weight loss update.

Today's the fourth of July. Happy fourth. Anyway, I used to love fireworks, but ever since having a dog who is PETRIFIED of them, I don't so much anymore. He cowers and hides and his little heart beats so hard I'm afraid it's going to come right out of his chest! Hopefully he'll get over it someday.

And I shall leave you with this:

Bad idea for your Fourth of July event: "Come Dressed As Your Favorite Redcoat".

Bahahahaha.

Week 12 :: Have you seen my husband?

Great news!

Nate reached his weight loss goal yesterday!

We were kind of lax in our workout routine last week. We spent a few evenings doing yard work instead of doing our usual cardio/weight exercises, which granted, still counts as exercise, but it isn't the rigorous type we're used to. It didn't seem to matter though! I lost two more pounds and Nate lost enough to reach his goal.

I don't think Nate would mind if I announce his results. His current weight is 175. He lost 32 pounds in 11 weeks! He is a lot more muscular (though I thought he was pretty muscular to begin with). His goal now is to build his muscle up a bit more and maintain his weight. It is going to be a huge change for him to go from a 1,600 calorie diet to a 2,600 calorie diet!

I am so proud of him, if you can't tell. :o)

Have you seen him yet?

Nate's reward to himself for reaching his goal was to shave his beard. I normally would attempt to coax him to leave at least the goatee, but this time I let him do it. He shaved his whole face for the first time since some time in 2006. His mom, grandpa and I agreed that he looks about 17. I'll try to post some pictures at some point.

Here's to hoping I reach my goals. At this point, I am set to reach my goal in early July!

:: Laura

Week 10 :: Progress Pictures

Weight Loss Progress Pictures

We're calling these our "progress" pictures, not to be confused with "after" pictures. If you've been following our Facebook/Twitter updates, you know we've been on the path to healthier lifestyles for the past 10 weeks. We posted some rather hideous "before" pictures here. Now we've decided it's time to show pictures of two months' progress. As I've mentioned before, Nate is currently 4 lbs. away from his goal weight, and he said when he reaches his goal, he is going to celebrate by shaving his beard. He was planning on shaving it come spring anyway, but now he'll probably shave it next week. I am about 1/3 of the way to my goal weight, but I'm excited to show my progress anyway. Without further ado:

Just to give you some perspective, the white jacket and the scrubs-type pants didn't used to fit. The jacket is a small and the pants are a medium!

Nate's dress pants (upper right) are a size 38. He can't even wear them with a belt. They're way too big! My fit man's lookin' hot! *blush* :o)

Healthy Eating

I'm really not very picky, when it comes to food. It seems my mama raised me that way.

"What? You're full? You need to eat 8 more bites of your [insert green, cooked vegetable here] before you can get up from the table."

*groan* "Ok, mom."

We had to eat as many bites as the years we were old. Of course, when I say we, I mean my older, not-picky brother and me. My younger brother only had to eat 2 bites of whatever it was, even when he was 10. I guess it's a rule or something - the baby always get spoiled somehow. I'm actually not bitter about that at all. Nope. Hehe, I love you, Jonathan. ;o)

Anyway, I think it was a good rule. My brother and I grew up to have varied tastes in food. Even now, I will at least try any food. However, there are certain foods I just can't bring myself to like. The more I try to like them, the less I do. The food on this includes but is not limited to: bacon, bell peppers, oranges, Swiss cheese, licorice, and root beer. Ok, I know root beer isn't a food, but it seems there is at least one thing in each food group that I don't like.

Nate, on the other hand, isn't a huge fan of trying new foods. But now that we're eating healthy food, he's been awesome. I cook salmon, perch, shrimp, chicken, brown rice, couscous, artichoke; make salads and wraps; and he's great about eating all of it. He actually loves like 90% of what we eat. The food he has to "force down" includes berries and shrimp. He has an extremely weak sense of smell, which, as we were taught in elementary school, affects your sense of taste. Anything tart or sour tastes like just that - tart and sour. He doesn't get to taste the yummy sweetness of strawberries. He even refuses to eat sour gummy worms! I guess I can't say I blame him.

Probably the weirdest combination on this diet that we've come across was ricotta cheese with strawberries. I was like, "ooh, it'll be like a fruit and yogurt parfait!" I pulled it out of my lunch box and got all ready to eat it but, after one bite, ugh, it was gross! I made myself finish it because I knew it was good for me, but never again. Ricotta cheese in lasagna is great, but it is not a substitute for yogurt. It's not sweet. It's more like cottage cheese in flavor, but the texture is more solid. If you've never had it, picture firm yogurt that you could eat with a fork. I was not a fan at all! Nate actually really liked it though!

Week 9

It seems every two weeks, we add/alter our diet and exercise routine. This week, the beginning of week 9, is no different.

Week 1: Calculating our calories, 30 minutes exercise (the Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD 5-6 days per week). :: I added the personal challenge of exercising 30 days in a row.

Week 3: Calculating calories, 40 minutes exercise.

Week 5: Calculating calories, 50 minutes exercise.

After some limited success, we still felt we could do more. Nate discovered an article in Ladies' Home Journal, of all places. Hey, he was bored at open gym at the camp... ;o) The magazine had a Biggest Loser article, a 7-day diet plan. It was a schedule for 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. Of course, we decided to attempt what proved to be a major undertaking.

Week 7: Calculating calories, 50 minutes of exercise, 3 healthy meals and 2 healthy snacks.

Trust me, that first grocery bill wasn't much fun as our fridge was void of all the fresh fruit and vegetables required by the plan. For a couple who rarely ate breakfast (unless it was a bowl of cereal), threw together a sandwich, chips, and maybe an apple for lunch (on the days we didn't eat at the camp or eat out), and didn't have a regular dinner schedule, this was a huge undertaking. It took me literally hours to even come up with a grocery list!

That week was definitely the hardest week of the 8 so far. We spent more time in the kitchen than ever. Days that we worked late (Mondays or Wednesdays due to Nate's open gym schedule) were torture. Ok, they still are. We get up early, eat breakfast, get dressed, work out, prepare and pack our dinner and snacks, get dressed AGAIN and ready for work, prepare and eat lunch (at like 10:00 am), and get out of the house by 11 am. I'm not even sure how we do it. We get home at 10 pm, if we're lucky. Not that I'm complaining. I know it will become natural and will get easier. It already has.

Oh, but before it gets too easy, let's add on something else! This weekend we bought the Biggest Loser Power Sculpt DVD. Enter today's workout.

Week 9: Still calculating calories, still eating those healthy 3 meals and 2 snacks. However, today we swapped the 50 minutes of cardio with 30 minutes of weight lifting.

I am not hugely excited about weight lifting. It's not my favorite past time. at. all. But it was actually fun! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish it would have been longer. My arms and probably my whole body will be killing me tomorrow, but it's great. I want this flab gone. Now.

Ok, I know that's not realistic. But I'm so excited to see what happens in the next 8 weeks. I thought it would become a drag, but it's not. I don't so much enjoy getting up early every day, but the way I feel when I look at myself in the mirror makes it worth it. And the food we get to eat!

Oh. my. gosh. That could and probably will be a post all on its own. I will have to take pictures and post them. Just wait till I get started on artichoke! I could rave about it all day.

I don't know what week 11 will bring. It seems we add to this newfound healthy lifestyle every two weeks or so. I know that once warm weather hits, Nate can't wait to start running outside.

I promise every blog post won't be about our diet and exercise habits, but as that is what is in the forefront of our minds right now, that's what I'll write about. And if someone else reads and is somehow amused by it, all the better.

:: Laura

Week 8

Eight weeks ago, Nate and I started something very important to us.

On January 4, 2010, we made a decision that will forever change our lifestyle. We decided to trade in our sporadic exercising and questionable eating habits for regular, daily cardio workouts and healthy dieting. I hate that word, "dieting", because it sounds so "temporary". But before we began this, we had a serious talk. We told each other that we didn't want to even start unless we were both 100% committed to sticking with it even after we reached our weight loss goals. We weren't interested in "dieting" just to lose weight, but we knew that weight maintenance would continue for the rest of our lives.

People have asked us, "What was it that made you decide to make such a drastic change?" There wasn't really anything other than a general dissatisfaction with our physical conditions. We came to the point when we wouldn't even weigh ourselves because we didn't want to see the scales tip past certain points. Well, the pictures from Christmas (with my family in Florida) didn't hurt either.

Nate and I, December 2009, at our heaviest.

It's been two months, and we've lost a combined 35 lbs. We are eating fresh, healthy meals that we cook every day! It's amazing. I'm hoping to add some recipes and examples of what we eat later. The Biggest Loser DVDs, Biggest Loser diet we found in a magazine, a calorie counter we found for our iPod Touches called Lose It, and each other have really been the vehicles for our weight loss. Nate has been so encouraging to me. I've never, ever lost this much weight. I've never really dieted before for that matter. I know I'm not even close to done losing yet, but I feel so proud of myself. Having my husband do the exercise with me and eat the same meals with me has been so, so helpful. It speaks my Number One love language loud and clear: Quality Time.

Nate is scheduled to reach his goal in April. He only has 10 lbs. to go! I am so proud of him! He's sort of a pro at this whole exercise thing, seeing as ESS (exercise and sports science) was his major in college. I know he is loving that aspect of it, especially. I am supposed to reach my goal in June. I haven't been my healthy goal weight since sophomore year of high school! I'm so excited to get back there again. Most people who know me and who might read this have never seen me at a healthy weight. That's going to be so much fun (not to mention having to *bummer* go shopping for smaller clothes)! I'll post pictures when we get closer to our goals!

Day 30

January 4, 2010, Nate and I went on a serious health/weight loss kick. We didn't tell anyone we were doing it until the first 30 days were up. It added a bit of excitement and intrigue, at least for us, to the goal. I posted on Facebook every so many days saying "Day 14", etc. People would ask, but I didn't tell them. Then, on Day 30, I wrote this Note. Reposted to Blogger, February 5, 2011.

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So, apparently I've garnered more interest in my 30 Day count-up than I ever expected to. It really wasn't my intention to have all of my FB friends in suspense, but rather I only wanted to keep the reason for my 30 Day count-up to myself until the results actually came to fruition. Hopefully, you'll understand why after you read this.

Without further ado, here it is:

On January 4, 2010, Nate and I began a strict regimen of exercising and watching our diet. Nothing crazy - we just wanted to be healthy. On that day, I decided to make the commitment to exercise EVERY DAY for 30 days as a habit-forming yet fast-as-possible way to reach my goal, healthy weight. I almost reached the goal. I only missed 3 days out of 30. I'm actually not at all disappointed. For me, that's amazing, especially since 4-5 days is the recommended exercise per week.

So, has it worked? Short answer: it's working. We have been watching what we eat, especially (but not only) calorie intake and have been doing regular cardio/aerobic exercise. I've lost almost 10 lbs. in 30 days, and Nate has lost almost 15! This is obviously exciting for us!

The tools we're using:

1. “Lose It!” iPod app. - This software for the iPhone/iPod Touch figures your daily calorie budget based on your current weight, your goal weight, and how many pounds you want to lose per week (with a max of 2 per week). The application is free and you can connect with friends to see how they are doing. Having other people see your progress and seeing theirs really helps spur you on! Linda Eccles introduced it to us, and we love it.

2. “Biggest Loser Workout: Cardio Max” DVD – This six-week cardio program is meant to help you maximize your weight loss in a minimum amount of time. Nate got it for me for my birthday in October 2009, but we just started using it regularly in January. We are on week 5, and while it has not been easy, it has been so, so rewarding. The three trainers, Bob, Jillian, and Kim do levels 1-3 respectively, and you add a level every two weeks. After the first 6 weeks, you can customize your workouts and do whatever combination of the workouts you want. It works so well for both of us!

3. “Eat This, Not That” book – an eye-opening, “No-Diet Weight-loss Solution” book, published by “Men’s Health” magazine, I ran into one day in Meijer last year. It offers an “eat this” option for every “not that” meal, beverage, dessert you can think of at restaurants and grocery stores. They have lots of books now, including one especially for kids, but I just have the restaurant guide and supermarket guide. There are all sorts of surprising nutrition facts, like how Nutri-Grain cereal bars are really no more than candy bars, though they sound so healthy! (Apparently the first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup and the second is corn syrup – processed forms of sugar, as it explains in the book.) It’s interesting (and sometimes depressing) to look up restaurants and find meals you’ve ordered at specific restaurants on the “eat this” or “not that” list.

That’s basically all we’re doing, and I wanted to keep track of the days via my facebook statuses with the daily “count-up”. I really only kept the reason a secret because I didn't want to say, "I'm going to start working out regularly now," and then quit after two weeks. I've done that, and it's so depressing. I don’t think people take others seriously when they say they are going to start a new habit, especially one so commonly taken as a new year’s resolution, until they see that you actually have done it. Instead I wanted to keep track of my days without telling people why until I actually followed through and succeeded.

The interest people have apparently shown, whether they’ve intended it or not, has really been encouraging for me. It makes me feel like other people are excited for me to reach my goals, even when they didn’t know what my goals were! Nate will reach his weight loss goal in April, and I am scheduled to reach mine in June (according to our Lose It! App). If you are interested, I will keep you updated, and if I have visible results, I will post pictures. :o)

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Comments:

Alyssa: Congrats! :) I wish I had your motivation. I am using Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred. I can feel it working but sometimes I lose motivation. :( But congrats again! :)

Elizabeth: That's awesome. Good job. Keep up the good work.

Angie: Great job! It does work! I lost 10 lbs. during the 30 days too! I still do it but sometimes it's hard to stay motivated. I haven't gained any back, so that's good! My goal is to lose 5-10 more lbs...but the last 10 are the hardest! Keep it up! :)

Christie: Great job! :)

Rebecca: I'm so happy for you!! Great job!!

Jenny: Congrats! I too have started a workout program. It's called P90x. It is awesome. I have been doing the DVD workouts but haven't done the actual diet. I am starting to just try to eat healthy. 34 days done, 56 left! It feels great to get healthy. Keep up the good work.

Valerie: Right on! Nice job! :)

Julie: Way to go!