Motivation, Music and.... Zumba?

As you know, I posted a week or so ago about eating healthy and exercising.  Well, that for me lasted about 1 day. You see, I love food!!!!!!!!!!! Especially stuff like nachos, french fries, cheeseburgers, and all that other extremely unhealthy stuff!  Greg and I don't really call what we do "dieting", it is called a "lifestyle".  We say this because this should be a change in your lifestyle, not just dieting to lose weight, and then gain it all back when you go back to eating the way you ate before.  We eat mostly ''whole foods".  What I mean by that is, we eat stuff the way God created it.   Fruits, vegetables, non-processed meat, beans, nuts.  We cut down our intake of bread and changed to eating 100% Whole Wheat bread (we try not to eat anything 'white', like white bread, white rice) I know that this sounds tough, but we didn't go hungry.  We would eat a huge plate of salad before our meals and it really helps to fill you up.  We avoid anything with high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, preservatives,   There are a few things that we allow for that we call "healthier" snacks, such as goldfish crackers, teddy graham cookies, and occasionally a 'healthier' pizza - crust made of wheat flour -unbleached- and topped with Newman's Own Alfredo Sauce (all natural ingredients) baby spinach, asparagus, onion, chicken breast strips chopped up, and mozzarella cheese (2%)... it is really very good!  Anyway, we do still eat like this, alot... we just kinda got into the habit of eating out more (nachos, french fries, cheeseburgers!)  and eating alot more and snacking alot more than when we were losing weight! It seems like I go through this cycle starting around bed time every night. I say to myself each night, "tomorrow I'm going to eat healthy, exercise, and take better care of myself."  Then the next morning when I get up I ignore what I told myself the night before and the vicious cycle starts all over again.  I eat too much, don't exercise, and go to bed thinking, "tomorrow....... "  Well, today, my tomorrow has come!  I got up too late to eat breakfast (I know, I shouldn't do that!), so I fixed us salads for lunch with fish tacos.  I know some of you are saying "ewww" but they really are good.  I use talapia and season it with cumin and garlic, put it in a skillet sprayed with olive oil spray ( from my "Misto" sprayer that I LOVE) and saute it with some chopped onion.  We eat it on corn tortillas, I add jalapenos to mine.  Very, Very good!  Then, after lunch, I decided I would go walk.  I found this cool website a few months ago called  http://www.coolrunning.com/ where you can look up city streets and plot a course, giving you the distance you will travel.  So I looked at one of my earlier plotted routes and decided to walk from my house, down 11th street, to Ave S. to 84 and back.  It was 2.6 miles roundtrip.  I got home and started blogging and Greg came in from work and said he would go with me.  So we rested a few minutes and then walked that route again!!!  So today, I have logged 5.2 miles!!!  My pedometer officially says over 11,000 steps!!!!!! 

Here is a thought on motivation.  I have been sitting here for days (weeks - months) saying "i need to get some motivation"... But I realize more and more you have to make your own motivation!  I was still completely unmotivated as I was getting ready to go walking, but as soon as I started, I felt really good.  It felt great to be out walking!  So I have decided if motivation won't come to me, I will go out and make my own! 

I do find that music helps to keep me going when exercising.  I have  a "workout" list of songs on my ipod.  This is the list of songs that help push me along:  Another Brick in the Wall - Korn;  Bring Me to Life - Evanescence;  I Will Not Bow - Breaking Benjamin;  Numb - Linkin Park;  It's Not Over - Daughtry;  Headstrong  - Trapt;  In The End - Linkin Park; Our Truth - Lacuna Coil;  Whispers In the Dark - Skillet;  Stand Up - Trapt;  Comfortable Liar - Chevelle; and Diamond Eyes - Shinedown.  This is actually my "rock workout" list.  I am always looking for songs and making playlists to keep me going!

So, this brings me to Zumba.  Music and exercises combined!  I haven't tried it yet... I am trying to decide if I would stick with it or not.  The people that I have talked to that have done it, LOVE it.  So, if you have any ideas on the subject, let me know!  I would love to hear other opinions!

Parting lyrics for the day ------->  Take the money and run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Easter Pictures

I haven't had much time to blog the last few days!! Hopefully I will have some time later in the week to catch up on everything!!  Here are a few pictures from Easter.  It was great spending time with family! 

Early Easter Egg Hunt

I went to my parents house yesterday to deliver tutu's that I made to my beautiful twin nieces Aubrey and Delaney.  They loved the tutu's, especially Aubrey!  Her eyes lit up when she saw the tutu's and she loved looking at herself in the mirror!  Delaney wasn't too sure at first, but quickly adjusted to it.  They wore them around the house and then Paw Paw went out in the backyard and hid Easter Eggs for them to find.  They weren't sure what to do at first, but after showing them to how to pick them up and put them in their buckets, they had alot of fun running around finding the eggs.  They really enjoyed opening the plastic eggs and eating the M & M's out of them.  Here are a few pictures!




Delaney

 


Delaney and Aubrey



Aubrey hunting Easter Eggs



Delaney hunting Easter Eggs



Aubrey and Delaney checking out what they found!



Happy Easter Everyone!!!!

 



More on Greg's New Job

We are really excited about Greg's new job!  He is still working for the same company, but in a different position.  He has been wanting to switch to something different for awhile now, and when the opportunity was offered to him, we talked about it, prayed about it, analyzed it, and decided that it was the right decision.  There are alot of "pro's" to starting something new, with the most important thing being that Greg was ready for a change. This will also lead to more opportunity in the future.  The only "con" is what I already mentioned, working on weekends.  But, I guess you might say that I have been spoiled over the last 9 years!!!!  I will admit it.  I AM pretty spoiled by my husband!  We recently took a vacation and went to Ft. Worth.  Originally the plan was to go and stay the week and go to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race.  We added a Texas Ranger game to that, and then the Nationwide NASCAR Race, plus practice for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Races.  Greg actually won a chance to take a "hot lap" with a NASCAR Driver in a convertible camaro around Texas Motor Speedway.  I might add that I got to do a "hot lap" also, but I only got to ride with a driving school instructor.  Greg got to ride with Jeff Burton.

Top Camaro:  Greg riding with Jeff Burton

The other NASCAR Team Chevy drivers that participated in driving people around Texas Motor Speedway were Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer.  I actually thought I took a picture of Kevin Harvick, but I guess since I CAN'T STAND HIM, my subconscious wouldn't let me!!  Here are a couple of other pictures I took:

Jeff Burton

Clint Bowyer

We had a really good time and are hoping/planning to attend a race at Talladega Super Speedway in Alabama sometime soon!

New Chapter

This week starts a new chapter in our lives.... Greg is now working weekends.  His days off will be Monday and Tuesday. We have had weekends off together for the past nine years, so this will take some getting used to!  To start Greg's new days off, Ayden came to visit!  We played, ate puffs, watched Yo Gabba Gabba, and played some more! 

Ayden playing at Poppa and Honey's

Poppa and Ayden



Ayden trying out her new camping chair!

















We can't wait until she gets to spend the night!!  Remember, Aydee Bug, Poppa and Honey's Rules are the Best!!!

Also, on Monday, Greg and I decided that it was time to go back to eating healthy and excercising.  Last year we both lost quite a bit of weight, and then, of course, gained some of it back!!!  So we ate supper and Greg decided to ride his bike (which is NOT my favorite) and I walked.  One person riding a bike and one person walking is not an easily "shared" excercise experience, but we made it work! 

Tuesday was spent running around Lubbock and  buying groceries at WalMart. (which is always an experience in itself!)    I figure I got my excercise yesterday by pushing a cart that would barely turn and dodging all the Lubbock people that seem to think they always have the right of way! (yes, I'm still talking about buying groceries!!!!)

Have a great Wednesday!

Fajita Feast

A couple of days ago, Greg decided he was going to have a fajita cook out.  Of course, as any woman knows, when a man decides to cook out, this means he is going to be in charge of what HE is actually cooking and you will be in charge of everything that goes with it and bringing them this and that whenever they need it, setting the table, cleaning up afterwards, well you get my point.   But, the fajitas were SO good, so I guess I really can't complain!  Hayley, Tye and Ayden came over, as well as Greg's parents, and we had a great time eating and visiting.   

Ayden played in her swimming pool, which she loved!  And she gave me "kisses" for the first time and confimed that she could say "bye bye".  She is growing up so fast. 

She also enjoyed playing in the pool without any water in it!

Greg and I have such wonderful kids and families.  We are truly blessed and thankful for the time that we get to spend with them.

To Blog or Not to Blog?

I've been thinking about blogging for awhile now.  I wasn't sure if I should just jump in here and act like I've been blogging my whole life or admit that blogging is new to me!  You will probably find that I am a random blogger, especially in subject matter, because I am full of random - mostly useless - knowledge.  So don't be surprised to see lyrics, movie quotes, people quotes, etc..... Feel free to comment  anytime!!