Friday, December 31, 2010

Days Go By

Goodbye 2010...Hello 2011!

Another year has gone but for me it has been a huge year of change...change for the better!

The days have flown by...

As I look back on the year, I have some very good memories that I will carry with me into the new year...

Last New Year's started off as I will this new year---celebrating with a quiet evening with some dear friends. Once upon a time I enjoyed a big spalshy party but now I prefer staying in the neighborhood and spending the evening having wine and dinner with people I truly love...and tonight I will get to do that, with the same people I did it with last year. THAT is a good thing...

Last February I saw my very beautiful daughter, Ke$ha Barbie, as a real grown-up girl as she took my breath away when she went to her Cotillion. She looked beautiful...

March changed my life. I went up those stairs with Precious and Adorable History teacher and realized that there was no good reason for me to spend my life getting winded as I walk up some stairs. When he asked me if I was ok, I knew that even though at that moment I wasn't...I would be...

March also brought me back to the gym...by the end of March I had decided that I needed to add exercise into the mix and so I stepped on the elliptical and pushed "go"...

In April I returned to my true love---spin class! Spinderella taught classes that reminded me that sweating on a bike was how I liked to do cardio. April also was when my son's class had Greek Festival and I had a blast helping Precious do it. The kids had fun and Precious and I survived...and I had more energy to do it since I had been working out for almost 6 weeks by then. And April is when I discovered "My Fit Foods" and I'm not tired of it yet...I love their food!

In May we presented Cinderella...and the lovely girl who was "Cinderella" in her beautiful blue gown took my breath away. Having to tell her I found a better dress than she did almost killed me because I hate making a 14 year old cry, but when a small child in the audience screamed out "Look! It's Cinderella!!!!" I burst into tears...it was a good, no make that GREAT show!

In June I stared this blog...what a difference it has made to me to be able to share my thoughts, frustrations, feelings, highs, lows, triumphs, tragedies, ups and downs, and ideas with you all. Thank you, V, for getting me to do this!

In June I also had a blast helping GOTT and TTG do a summer drama camp and I met Fitness Goddess at the gym and she showed me how to use the weight machines for a good workout. I missed The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW) while he was at camp but stayed busy with our camp, working out, and having fun in my pool. Oh, and it was Jane's birthday...Jane (you know, the best person in the world?!?!)...we had a blast...she has great friends to have fun with!

July---celebrating GOTT's birthday was a high point. Once again I was reminded that I absolutely cannot bowl to save my life. And once again I was reminded that GOTT can do anything...

I also got to share TCBITW's joy that he won a big award at camp and I was overjoyed to pick him up and see his adorable face again. July also brought a big goal to fruition...50 pounds lost. I also was hit with an attack of diverticulitis (ok, that is NOT a memory I will treasure). It's a lot easier to say "no" to movie theater popcorn (with all of it's fat and calories) since I know I could get very sick from it!

I also got to see the worlds best Sister-in-law and the cutest niece and nephew ever in July. I love my SIL...she is beautiful, sweet, and a great mommy. And I got to see my Aunt Gayle and my cousins...family is a treasure...

August...ah, August...school started again, football started again and I was down over 60 pounds. It was hot but I didn't mind. I loved having Precious walk right by me and then realizing it was ME because he didn't recognize me with the weight loss. And he wasn't the only teacher at the school that did that. LOVE THAT...I don't mind not being recognized because I look so much better!!!!! I also had a great time celebrating GOTESS' birthday and NOT singing karaoke with the rest of the musical theater people. I can't bowl, I can't sing...next year GOTT and GOTTESS need to have parties I am not a "fail" at!

September...it's almost a blur because it feels like all I did was photograph football games. I gifted myself with my new camera that month and Coach Sweetness has had his hands full trying to teach me how to use it properly. Oh, but I got another good gift in September---Coach Dimples! I started running his life (football-wise) at that point when I walked over and told him to quit moving the boys' backpacks and to go coach my son. I reminded him of that moment yesterday and he laughed and said he was glad I did it and barged into his life screaming and waving my arms at him to "Stop! Because I have minions to do that!". I'm glad I did it too...because now I have him helping me and he is EXCELLENT at it.

October---more football, Ke$ha Barbie's other Cotillion (and the supershort dress), and GOTT, TTG, me and the kids gave our audiences a great "Seussical" show. GOTT's Halloween party was a blast and I learned that maybe risking my blonde locks for one night of black hair was not a gamble I want to take again.

November brought another birthday for me...and I was glad to welcome it as a healthier and lighter person. TCBITW's football team went undefeated! I also started working out with Dimples because football season was over. I didn't want to start training with him until football was over because I needed him to love me as a team mom until then...and I needed to love him as a Coach...now I love him because I love him (he is a really good guy)...and because he is helping me to reshape my body and taking me to a new level of fitness. Oh, and I discovered my new obsession---Tasti D-Lite for a healthy treat that helps feed my need for something sweet. If you haven't gone yet, go and try it...try the peppermint sundae...yummy!

And now December is coming to a close. We had a nice quiet Christmas, I cooked a perfect turkey, I've worked out like mad and the scale hasn't moved but clothes are looser so I am letting it go as far as my frustration with the scale. My family is happy and healthy and I am blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.

It's been a year of many changes.

I drink more wine but gave up fries and cookies.

I've logged about 5000 minutes on the spin bike...yes, I did break out the calculator to try and figure it out and 5000 is just about right. That is 83.333 hours...

I've spent about 10,000 minutes doing other cardio...166.67 hours...about 4.5 per week...yes, that is about right...5 hours per week at cardio and another 1-2 hours at spin...I rarely take a day off. OCD, I know...and I am lumping my training time in there too...Basically I work out for at least an hour every day but some days I do 2 hours...again, it is the OCD...

And no, Oprah has not called to tell me she is featuring me on her show and getting Vera Wang to make me a dress...yet...

In the past I have found myself making resolutions on New Year's Eve that I know I won't keep. This year I will make ones I can keep...because I know what I CAN do. I'm not going to promise myself a dress size, but I will resolve to continue to be fit and healthy. I'm going to help others as I help myself. I'm going to de-clutter my house. I'm going to think about getting a teaching certificate (notice I said "think about" it because I need to see if I can do it...but I do resolve to give it thorough research and thought). I'm going to put up a Christmas tree next year and decorate my house for the holidays. I'm going to cook another perfect turkey. I'm going to get to the point of being able to burn 400 calories in a session with Dimples (it's harder than you think). I'm going to be able to run over a mile...maybe 2...

And at some point I am going to put on my Mama's dress and wear it to a party. And I know she will be proud of me...and I will be proud of me too...

I might just wear her charm bracelet too...and as it jangles on my wrist, it will be music...

Inspiration Song: "Days Go By" by that country hunk Keith Urban. Oooh la la...Nicole Kidman is a lucky girl...

Chorus...take these words to heart:

Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by



Happy New Year, Darlings! Look ahead to 2011...how can you change your life for the better? And how can you change someone else's?

Thursday, December 30, 2010

All I Know

So 2010 is coming to a close...just one day left...

This, for me, has been a big year of change...change in my body, change in my health, change in my outlook, change in what I think I can do, change in what I KNOW I can do.

In the 10 months I have spent changing, I have learned a few things...and many are things I should have learned long ago.

So what have I learned?

I'll share it with you...not because I am some sort of health or weight-loss guru, but maybe there is something in what I have learned that you can use for your own life.

And I know a lot of us set resolutions this time of year, so this might just help one or two of you get there...

My body can do more than my mind thinks it can.

The first time I stepped on to the elliptical machine I thought there was no way I could last 10 minutes. But I shut my brain off and went for an hour. The first time I stepped back into a spin class I thought I would only make it for 15 minutes---I did the whole class. Again, it was not letting my brain tell me that I was done. Today when I didn't think I could run one more step pulling my trainer along, he told me I could do it and I did...he constantly tells me "mind over matter" but what he is REALLY saying is that I just need to let my body do what it can and not let my thinking get in the way. My body is far more capable than what I give it credit for.

Nothing tastes as good as thin...or healthy...

Today I wanted a cookie. I wanted ice cream. I wanted a lot of bad things. But then I remembered how hard I worked with Dimples and realized it wasn't worth it. Because as tasty as the cookie is, it wasn't worth 10 minutes of hard work with Dimples when I could eat an apple instead.

I honestly do not miss french fries and hamburgers and Cane's chicken but I do miss Fuzzy's pizza.

So if I cheat...I eat the Fuzzy's. Because I don't miss the other stuff and so why do it. Lesson to others: if there is a food you really love, cheat with that, have a love affair with that...don't cheat with a food that is a "fling"...if you don't love it, don't do it. I also cheat with Crave Cupcakes...I have had a 2-year relationship with their Strawberry cupcakes (and I cheat on the strawberry ones with the candy bar ones) so if I am offered one and I have been a good girl, I eat it. I've had exactly 3 in the last 10 months...not bad...not bad at all...

I love wine. I am not cheating with wine...and a few glasses a week will not hurt me and might even be good for me.

Just read my "Red Red Wine" blog...it says it all. Best 150 calories of my day sometimes...

You will work harder and more efficiently if you wear a heart monitor.

You can spend $50-$150 on one. Buy the one that fits your budget and wear it every time you work out. Dimples had me buy a "Polar" one. I like mine because it has a recording feature so I can record each session and it will keep track of how many minutes I have worked out and calories burned. It is particularly useful because I can show him (Dimples) what I have done when I am not working with him. It pushes me harder...and it makes him push me harder.

Don't believe the calorie's burned amounts on the machines at the gym.

They lie.
Wear a heart monitor. It doesn't lie.
One of the trainers at the Racquet Club pointed out to me that you can turn the treadmill on and it will start a calorie count even if you don't step on it...wow...

The only way to lose weight is to eat less and better quality food and exercise.

That's it. No magic pills. No "easy button". You just have to eat right and move your body.
It's simple math---you have to put in less calories and put out (burn) more calories.
And no, you can't go for a 45 minute walk and then eat a plate of enchiladas and expect to lose any weight.

If you put off going to the gym, you won't go...

I find that unless I plan and know I am going at a later time (like meeting Dimples at 2:30 or going to Body Pump at 6:00 pm), I could easily procrastinate myself out of a workout. If you don't work, drop the kids off and go straight to the gym or your workout. If you work, put your gym bag in your car and go straight there---if you go home you will be distracted and not go.

You have to figure out what kind of exercise you like so you will do it.

I hate to run...I am still trying to find my love for it. I told Dimples today that I didn't think I was ever going to like running and he said "ok, but it gets your heart rate up and we are only doing it for a few minutes" and that made it all better. Because I don't want to run for 45 minutes but I WILL SPIN for 45 minutes without argument. So you find what you like. Try different classes, try different machines. I don't like the treadmill but I DO like the Arc Trainer and the elliptical. I don't like Pilates but I DO like spin and Body Pump. I have friends who HATE Body Pump and love the machines at the club...I hate the weight machines and I hate doing them. Different strokes...

So find what you like and do that. Vary it up so you don't get bored. But if you hate the treadmill and that is all you do, you will never enjoy your workout. Try everything...think of the gym as a buffet and give it all a taste.

But you need to try something more than once...

Maybe what you didn't like about spin or Pilates was the instructor, not the class. There are spin instructors who I adore as people but can't stand their spin classes. And I love J'taime Jamie's Body Pump and Spin classes but Pilates I can take or leave...I only take it when she or JayVee teach and if I really feel like it. So if you take a class and don't enjoy it...try it at least one more time with a different instructor or different time of day (maybe doing Pilates in the afternoon won't work for you but in the morning you would enjoy the stretch).

I did not like the Arc Trainer the first time I tried it, but I kept after it and started with 10 minutes and added 5 minutes every few days and soon it became my one-hour cardio workout. I do the treadmill all the time and I still hate it...but I do it.

Vary your intensity if you are using a cardio machine.

Dimples has me change the incline and speed constantly on the treadmill. He told me to do the same with the othe machines. So mix it up...go hard and fast for a minute or two and then back off a bit. Keep your heartrate up and challenged.

If you read or watch tv while working out, you aren't working hard enough...

Wear your heart monitor...try 1/2 your workout reading your magazine or watching "The View" (although Joy Behar does get my heart and blood pressure going). Then turn it off or close the magazine/book/eReader and go at it. You will work harder without the distraction. Try it...more than once...see if I am right. If you can do all your workouts reading "People" or watching "The Today Show" and work as hard as you do without it, I will take you to lunch...but you have to do it more than once and use the heart monitor to prove it. I know I am right about this one...

The exception to that: music...

I know, I know...I am a music freak. I love my music. Heck, my blogs are all named for songs! But...whether you realize it or not, if you play music your body will want to move to the beat. You WILL speed up during faster songs. On the slow songs, put on all the tension you can (if you are on a cardio machine) and climb hard. If you are running or walking, try and go double time to the beat.

The other exception to that...video spin

Spinderella plays videos for us when we spin...but we don't listen to it, we listen to music and she gives us a good hard beat to ride to and tells us how fast and hard to go. So while we watch "Mamma Mia" we ride hard and fast to music the whole time. It works...

Get a trainer...

I know, I totally love my Dimples. He's awesome. I told him so today. But working out with him is fun and he told me today he has fun too. I am a handful so I guess he has to enjoy it or he would fire me as a client. But I don't just love and adore him because he is sweet and those dimples are more than a little cute (he is a pretty pretty man), I love and adore him because he is so good at keeping me moving and working and having fun while doing it. I had to try a few trainers before I found my fit...and he fits me. He might not be for everyone, but it totally works for me and my OCD and ADD. Watch the trainers at your gym while they work with clients...talk to them when they are not busy. Find a fit...do you want a gentle lamb or a drill sargeant? There is no right answer except that you find who works for you. This also applies to group exercise instructors (see above). I have my girls I love love love...and I take all their classes because I like their style and music choices and how they pace their classes.

So why hire a trainer? Because you WILL work harder. Or at least hire one a few times to get you started. But if you find a fit, you will WANT to work with your trainer. Do what your pocketbook will let you. For me, it is a priority so I give up other stuff to have my Dimples time. And he is sooooooooo worth it. Not just 'cause he's pretty to look at...but it doesn't hurt...But mostly it is because he works me harder than I do myself and he is making me stronger and healthier with each workout. Yes, I <3 my Dimples each time I put on a smaller top or someone says "you are really looking good"...just in the time I have worked with him my body has changed a lot even if my weight hasn't made a huge leap...but it will... Ice works.

If you hurt, apply ice. It helps. Sore muscles might keep you from working out...so I ice my sore muscles and it makes a difference. When I don't, I hurt.

Advil works.

Advil and wine work extra good...

Hot baths work.

Put in some epsom salts. Pour glass of wine and bring to tub with you (no glass glasses...be safe!). Soak. Repeat often...

Drink water.

Do I need to explain that one? I didn't think so...

Take a day off...but don't take a week off...

I have to talk myself into days off. Dimples has to order me to take days off. But you don't want your body to break down so you have to let it rest. But if you take too much time off, you get out of the habit...

Set Goals.

But don't set unrealistic goals. Dimples reminds me all the time that they pyramids were not built in a day so I can't expect all this to change overnight. So we take it slowly. I set small goals. I have a big goal but I focus on the little ones. So don't say "I will lose 10 pounds by February"...say "I will lose 10 pounds. I will lose 2-4 pounds in January and then the rest...".

Reward yourself.

Not with food. Reward yourself when you reach goals with GOOD things...a new outfit, a handbag, A massage or pedicure. A new haircut. Treat your body with the reward...make yourself look as good as you feel.

Wear comfortable clothes when you workout or train.

That means find some stuff that doesn't bind, itch, or ride up on you. If you aren't comfortable, you will be distracted.

Make yourself and your health a priority.

I ignored myself and my health for 5 years. I let myself go. I took care of everyone else but myself. Now I still take care of others (that is how I snagged Dimples and you all know how much I love working with the kids at the middle school...that is my passion), but I make time for myself. I am lucky, my job at the school is not a real job but something I volunteer to do so I can go in, do what I need to do and leave...and GOTT and TTG push me out the door when I tell them I have a spin class...they are uber supportive (lucky me!)and I know that I do better at helping them because I feel better.

YOU deserve to take time to make yourself feel better and healthy. Do it. Just do it.

Well, for now that is about all I know...well, not really, and I don't know all that much but these are some things I have learned along this road I am on.

And now my contacts are driving me nuts so I am going to end this blog and go take them out!!!!!!

Inspiration Song: "All I Know" by Art Garfunkel. Yes, Art Garfunkel. It is a beautiful song that I have always loved. He sings it beautifully...no one does it better. I love you and that's all I know...

Bye Darlings...let me know what you know...I love to share!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Singing in the Rain/Umbrella

Today it was wet...very wet...lotsa rain...

So when I got up this morning I knew my workout was going to be vastly altered...and it started with my feet hitting the ground.

Because Dimples has a new plan for me...

You see, the scale is stuck...on an ugly number...and not in the range I want to be in.

That stupid scale has been stuck for almost 2 weeks...no budging in the weight, in fact...

It. Has. Gone. Up.

ARGH.............

I've been good as gold.

Really...

Honestly...

Cross my heart!

I've worked out every day...at least some form of cardio for a minimum of 45 minutes every day. Strength training every other day or so.

Good Girl...

But the scale...

Bad Scale!

So after massive pouting from me about it since Christmas, my sweet Dimples has given it some thought and research and he is determined to get it moving for me again.

So new plan...

Phase 1 is an early morning walk. 30 minutes.

Here is the kicker: I do it BEFORE I eat.

I've seen some research (and obviously, so has he) that indicates that it can help to exercise in a fasting state.

Now I can't do a spin class or body pump like that, but I most certainly can take a little 30 minute walk. So we are going to see if that does something to amp up my metabolism.

Because there really isn't any reason I am not losing weight. I am buring more calories than I am taking in and I am taking in ample calories but not too many.

I so fear he will make me give up wine...but I am almost, just almost, to the point of saying "ok" if it means that darn scale will start on a downward descent again.

So my feet hit the ground this morning, I threw on some "walking" clothes and strapped on the heart monitor, grabbed the iPod and hit "go" and went for a walk.

It was sprinkling a bit...sort of "spitting" on my when I left the house.

28 minutes into the walk it really started to rain and I was at least 15 minutes from my house. By then I was already wet so I figured I would just try and keep the iPhone (iPod) dry and finish it out.

When I got home my son handed me a towel and said "wow, you are wet"...and I was a bit cold, but not suffering.

Round 2 was a workout with Dimples.

But "our" park was flooded...so we had to improvise. Lucky for me, my son's school has an outdoor gym/basketball court/activity center so we went there and Dimples got creative and got me moving.

The rain was pounding on the tin roof as it beat down.

Lightning...there was lightning...and I was afraid it was going to hit a tree nearby and make it fall on the building.

The thunder crashed.

I almost ducked under one of the picnic tables after one particularly loud crash.

Me no likey thunder...

But despite the rain and the wet, I had an awesome workout...hit a new high on my calorie burn and kept Dimples smiling the whole time.

Normally on days like today I would have much preferred to hunker down at home, light a fire, and curl up with my cats...but curling up with Angel, Zulu, and Seringa (my kitties) isn't going to get that scale bar to slide down so since Dimples was willing to risk needing an ark to get home, I did my workout.

So there we were, singing, or rather working out, in the rain...but at least we were under cover.

When I got home---wet, sore, and tired---I cleaned up and headed to my aunt's house for some family time. I did obsessively watch the culvert in my side yard as it was full of water and the rain was coming down hard. In the past we have flooded (the house) with hard rains when the water doesn't run off quickly...and it all drains from the houses behind us towards our house and into the culvert...

While we were all visiting I was reminded of a story about my sister and her little "singing in the rain" episode. This is a GOOD story...and my friend CandyCane will know it well since she was there...

One year for our dance recital, my sister N had 2 costumes (I think we all did, but I remember hers in particular). She had a green satin leotard with a Christmas tree on it (I think it had a pull-on tutu) and she also had this very strange top that was basically Christmas tree icicles hanging from a choker at her neck. I believe she also danced with an umbrella for some sort of singing in the rain number in the icicle costume (I guess it was supposed to look like rain falling?)

So backstage the moms are helping everyone into their cotumes. My mother is helping N get into the icicle thing. She has on her tights and the icicle thing...but nothing underneath. My mom forgot to have her put on her leotard underneath.

There poor N went...in nothing but the pink ballet tights and the icicle thing...and once she spread her arms to dance with the umbrella...well, she went from rated "G" to "PG-13" pretty quickly. We all got a good look at her.

Thank goodness she was only about 8...

But she was mortified and I was mortified for her. And thankfully she had her green satin leotard on underneath for the real recital.

Recitals seemed to be a thing of mortification only amplified by my poor mother.

One year she gave us such rosy cheeks with the blush that we looked like we were sunburned. Our hair was always a little TOO plastered back. We always had on more blue eyeshadow than Tim Curry sported as "Frankenfurter" in "Rocky Horror Picture Show".

But the ultimate mortification...icicle costume notwithstanding...was the year my mother

DANCED IN MY JAZZ DANCE NUMBER IN THE RECITAL!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, you read that right...she danced alongside us in our number.

There we were...13 year olds...and one 33 year old woman who thought she belonged there.

You got to give it to her...that took some brass cahones to do that...or blind ignorance.

I prayed up until the moment we went out on stage that she would change her mind and not do it. The teacher even secretly choreographed it so that she would not be missed.

But no....

My mother got out there in her one-armed bodysuit costume and danced that stupid jazz number with us. I think that costume had icicle things hanging from one shoulder too...the better to fan our arms out from underneath...they just stuck to us...

I need to remind my children that I have yet to mortify them to that extent. I stay IN THE WINGS AND BEHIND THE STAGE during productions. I've only ever hit the stage during rehearsal and that was to yell to GOTT in the booth. And this last show I did play a joke on him and came out with the feather fans (they were "wings") when one of the "Bird Girls" was out sick for rehearsal. GOTT loved it and then wondered if I could remeber the whole dance (hell no).

OK, enough amusement for tonight...as I sit here and type this I am still laughing at my poor sister in that costume and the look on her face when she realized she should have another part of her costume on.

I'm off to bed...tomorrow I have to walk before breakfast and then spin with J'taime Jamie and then see Dimples and maybe I'll see that bar on the scale slide down for the new year.

It sure would be nice to start off 2011 with a number that starts with a "1" since this is a year of ones...

I'll let you know if the "fasting walk" is doing anything for me...and hopefully tomorrow I can do it dry.

But if not, I'll just put on a jacket and go...I learned a long time ago that I won't melt because 1)I'm not made of sugar, and 2)I'm not a witch (like the Wicked Witch of the West).

Now I have promised you more recipes...so here is a good one for a rainy day...

Roasted Veggies

I find that almost any vegetable will taste better when roasted and it is so easy to do...do a large batch and re-heat if necessary...

Veggies to try:
asparagus (just trim off the tough ends)
butternut squash (peel and cube 1")
brussel sprouts (cut in half or quarter if large, leave whole if small)
sweet potatos (leave skins on after washing well, cube 1")
cauliflower (cut up into similar sized chunks)
tomatoes (the small grape or cherry ones...leave whole)
bell peppers (I like them cut into strips)
carrots (whole "baby" ones or cut into similar sized chunks)
parsnips (these are yummy! look like albino carrots...try them!)

I have not tried to roast turnips but plan to try...I love roasted beets but they get handled differently so I will do that recipe another time.

OK, so once you have your veggies washed, trimmed, and cut up (and yes, you can mix them up...just remember that some will cook a little faster than others), put them in a foil-lined pan. Pour a little olive oil over the veggies and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt. You can add other herbs if you like (thyme, rosemary) but plain old sea salt works great. Sometimes I add pepper.

Put into a pre-heated 450 degree oven, uncovered, and cook until the veggies are soft and done.

That is all there is to it. And I promise you, even veggies you don't think you like, you will like this way.

Inspiration Song: "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" mash-up from the Glee cast...sung mostly by Matthew Morrison and Gwyeneth Paltrow...yes, the Gwyeneth Paltrow...

Bye Darlings...stay dry!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Breath of Heaven

So here is my Christmas blog...just a day late...because yesterday I was spending time with family and friends (who are practically family).

We had an easy Christmas this year...the kids wanted to pick out their own gifts and didn't want much so we "adopted" a family and shared our blessings with someone less fortunate than us. It felt good to do that and I have my friend Dy-no-mite Dawn to thank for finding us a family to gift...

Although I'm not sure the mother of those children was thanking me yesterday when her daughter opened up the "Sing-a-ma-jigs" I bought.

Most. Annoying. Toy. Ever.

Even beats out Tickle-Me Elmo.

If you are unfamiliar, and you are lucky if you are, Sing-a-ma-jigs are stuffed creatures (?)...not an animal, not a person, some sort of doll thing...and when you press their belly they open their mouths and sing. Annoyingly.

and they were singing in the bag while I had them in the car...ugh!

According to my Aunt Gayle, who has the coolest job ever because she works in Hollywood for the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Jimmy had some on his desk that he kept playing with. I missed those shows...thankfully...but I usually watch.

So, please "Mama of the Children I bought Gifts For"...forgive me for the sing-a-ma-jigs...your child asked for them!

My son wanted Xbox games (duh!) and my daughter wanted tickets to a concert and a keyboard (that thankfully has earphones that plug in so I don't have to hear her compositions...).

That's all...

I wanted a number to appear on the scale.

It didn't.

Santa must have me on the "naughty" list...must have been for causing the fight at the party.

I have complained, bitterly and via text, to Dimples about that situation. I should offer to start paying his texting bills because we have been running them up with him having to play therapist to his very discouraged client. He stays positive with me...thank goodness he does really know how to speak "Woman"...and he told me to just relax and "ride the tide" and enjoy the rest of my holiday and we will switch it up and hit it hard after the new year.

The problem is, I'm not sure how much harder I can hit it...and I told him so. I told him short of tying myself to him 24/7 (that would make it interesting when he coaches...or goes home to the girlfriend), I'm not sure what more we can do to get me off of my plateau.

I suggested to him that maybe I could give up wine.

Or only drink it on days that end in "d-a-y"...

He liked that (the joke...not that I'm not giving up wine...because he knows I won't)

But yesterday, despite the scale staying stuck, was a pretty good day. We got up leisurely (although I do miss getting woken up by excited children ready to see what Santa brought), I made breakfast (cinnamon rolls for them, Fit Food for me), and got to cooking a turkey for my extended family.

It was an amazing turkey...recipe at the bottom of the blog...you MUST try it...

I took the perfect turkey over to my Aunt Jane's house and had a great lunch with Jane, my aunts and uncle, and some family friends and my grandma. It was a great lunch. And everything was delicious. CAT (my aunt's friend who I call Cute and Tiny)made the most delicious mix of roasted veggies. She has promised me the recipe to share...sooooooo good.

My uncle baked me some cookies...I ate one because they were amazing...and he baked them...and I went for a run before lunch so I deserved one!

After lunch and family time we headed over to our friends the Q's house. We have celebrated Christmas Night at the Q's for the last 10 years or so. It is always the best way to close out Christmas. I love them like family...and we stayed so long I almost fell asleep on the couch!

so while I was wallowing about in a bit of pity about my non-weight loss while on my run yesterday, I had some time to think about Christmas Day...and Jesus' birth...and Mary...

Mary...a young woman who must have been frightened when visited by an Angel and told she was to have a child. How scary must that have been? And Joseph, her husband, who faithfully stood by her...

So here is this young woman who is heavily pregnant who leaves her home and has to travel...by DONKEY...to another place only to find that there is no place for her to stay. And to give birth.

So she ends up in a stable...a stable...

I grew up around stables...not a place you want to deliver a baby in...

I found myself uncomfortable behind the wheel of my car during my last weeks of pregnancy so I cannot fathom what riding a donkey while 39 weeks pregnant would feel like. I can't imagine riding a donkey at all...

I had my children in a nice, clean hospital. I had my kids at the old Rosewood Hospital where I was just about the only woman to give birth each time. I had the full attention of the nurses. In fact, when I went back 4 years later to have The Cutest Boy in the World (after having Ke$ha Barbie there) all the nurses remembered me and many were the same women. I had GREAT attention and care.

Mary delivered her beautiful son with only the help of Joseph...

I had a fabulous doctor each time. With Ke$ha Barbie I had Dr. Oscar Dalton---only the greatest ob/gyn in Houston. He treated me like his daughter. He was the sweetest man ever. I cried my eyes out when he retired from obstetrics before I had The Cutest Boy in the World...so he handed me over to Dr. Kathy Gabel (yes, real names because she is so so so great) and I had the BEST time with her. She was like having your best girlfriend as your doctor.

So I had great doctors and nurses and poor Mary had donkeys and sheep...

I had an epidural each time...poor Mary had nothing...

I could not have been as brave as Mary. And to know that she was bringing forth the Son of God had to be a mighty scary and wonderous feeling that I cannot wrap my brain around.

As I ran I contemplated this...and realized that God asks us to do things He knows we can do. He knew Mary was the right woman to bring forth his son.

And to a way way way lesser degree, He knows that I can do this...I can get myself back to where I need to be with my health and body. I can do it with His help, with Dimples help, with Spinderella, Jay-Vee and J'taime Julie, and with my friends encouragment.

I just need to lean on Him a little more...and take some burden off Dimples (poor baby...his fingers must be tired from texting me soothing words).

And as I ran, and prayed that I could make it back to the house, I felt the air rush into my lungs (cold air!) and I felt Him help me breathe.

Breath of Heaven...

Inspiration Song: "Breath of Heaven" by Amy Grant. My favorite Christmas song. Always makes me cry. We always have an 8th grade girl sing it during "Lessons and Carols" and I end up bawling...

Bye Darlings...take Dimples advice "just breathe"...

Turkey recipe...because turkey is good for you, not just at Thanksgiving...

Here is how to make the MOST delicious, fabulous, moist, healthy turkey...

Buy a fresh turkey. The store brand is perfect. I always buy an HEB brand. Be sure it has not had any liquid injected or added (like a Butterball).

I brine my turkey. I have made brines and purchased brines. I bought brine from Sur la Table that was really good but my favorite is the brine from Williams-Sonoma. It is delicious.

Follow the recipe for the brine. If you use the Williams-Sonoma one, do the apple cider...it makes it really good. Brine for 24 hours. Rinse brine off well (inside and out) and pat bird dry.

For a 10-15 pound bird (double this for bigger):
one onion (sweet if you can find it), quartered
one apple (large red) quartered
2 cinnamon sticks
1 cup water
put in microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 5 minutes.

Drain water.

Put apples, onion, and cinnamon in the cavity of the bird. Add 3-5 sprigs rosemary and 6 large fresh sage leaves.

Rub some softened butter all over the bird...or canola oil. Just enough to make it slippery. Do not salt...the brine did that for you.

cover the bird in cheesecloth. Pour chicken stock all over the cheesecloth. Melt 2 sticks of butter and poor that over the cheesecloth.

Tent with foil.

Put the bird into a 500 degree oven and cook 30 minutes and then turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Baste every 30 minutes. Add more stock if you need it.

I can't give you times because it is based on weight and your oven, but I advise checking the temperature with a thermometer and going by that...and remember that the bird will continue to cook a bit when removed from the oven.

I uncover the bird the last 20 minutes or so to brown. I baste the bird while it rests a minimum of 30 minutes and tent it.

Everyone declared it the best turkey ever yesterday. I agree. Even my precious Mommy never produced a bird quite that good...except for the wild one that my dad shot that ate chilipetins...that bird was amazing.

Friday, December 24, 2010

We Need a Little Christmas

It's Christmas Eve.

I have a confession to make:

The only Christmas decorations up in my house are the 2 poinsetta plants outside my front door.

I bought the plants as part of a school fundraiser. I paid for them in August and picked them up a few weeks ago. It is a miracle that they are still alive.

There is no tree in the living room.

My Snow Village and North Pole Village houses are still in boxes in the attic.

No wreaths on the door (although that might get fixed today).

I was getting ready to hang the stockings but I can't find my stocking hangers.

No holly, no greenery. No Nutcrakcers. No "History of Santa" figurines.

Although my "Radio City Music Hall at Christmas" snowglobe is sitting out...

So why no decor from a woman who used to spend days decorating not one but 4 themed Christmas trees (each one more over-the-top than the other) and it took a week to get the little light-up house villages set up just right?

It's not that I have a "bah humbug" attitude...I love the holidays...

I just got lazy...but I also lost interest when I lost my mother and now I am out of the habit.

My husband hates decorating for Christmas and the only thing he EVER does to help is to (sometimes) drag in the tree. My kids don't care...they really don't...Oh, they wouldn't mind seeing the tree up but they don't want to help do it.

So I don't...

2005 was the first year without my mother...we went away for the holidays and have pretty much done that ever since. So why decorate if you wont' even be here to enjoy it? We are here this year, I just never got around to it.

In 2008 we were just post-flood, mid-construction and we were living in our study. My den didn't even have a floor since the wood floor had gotten drowned in the flood.

Last year we were just post-renovation and I had no idea where any decorations were except for my Nutcrackers and the stockings.

So why I have I lost pleasure in something I used to LOVE LOVE LOVE?

I don't know...except that maybe I came to realize that a lot like the Who's down in Whoville after the Grinch came and "stole Christmas" that it comes without ribbons, it comes without tags, it comes without packages, boxes or bags...

I love admiring my friends deocorations...I love looking at their trees, all the mantle stuff, and the lights---I do love the lights!

And maybe next year I will find a new tree and decorate it (because my old one is a big mess)...but for now, it is what it is...a house without a tree or ribbons...

I miss my mom...I miss her helping me decorate...I miss her cooking our dinner...I miss her busily wrapping presents so that they look like something you shouldn't tear open. I miss her...

But, Christmas is not about all of those things. Christmas is about a baby.

A baby who was born to a young woman who had to be scared out of her mind and her very confused husband. A baby who was God's gift to us...

And so I let go of my hurt and my sadness and focus on the gift that is this holiday...and I thank God for His grace...His perfect love...His giving us His Son to be our Savior. And I thank God for loving me...

And I thank God for the family that I do have. And I thank God for my friends who are also my family now (as I said to GOTT and GOTTESS and GOTT-SON when we had our little Christmas together yesterday).

And I forgive myself for not putting up a tree...and I go to my friends' houses and enjoy theirs...and I thank God for my friends...because they (you) are a gift to me. And you don't find that kind of love and friendship under a tree...you find it beside the tree as you express your love for each other...

Inspiration Song: "We Need a Little Christmas"---Glee Cast. Excellent version of the song. Iv'e never been a big fan of the musical "Mame" (although I totally love love love the movie "Auntie Mame"), but I do love this song.

Bye Darlings...enjoy your gifts (and I don't mean the ones in packages!)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

All You Need is Now

All You Need is Now...a new song by...DURAN DURAN!

Yes, Simon LeBon and the boys are back...you can pick up this track for FREE on iTunes.

Oh how I loved Duran Duran...those were some very pretty boys making some very fun music.

Hungry Like the Wolf
Girls on Film
Rio
Save a Prayer
Notorious
A View to a Kill
The Reflex
Come Undone
Is There Something I Should Know?

Wow...those would ALL be perfect blog titles...maybe I'll try and use one every day for a week after the new year...they all sound like things I feel/do/need as I diet and workout.

Duran Duran was my favorite band in the early 80's. Some guy actually wrote a book about life in the 80's and he titled it...and I think this is an amazing title..."Talking to Girls About Duran Duran"...seems that it was his way to pick up girls (talking about Duran Duran). My best friend Christopher and I would sing "Hungry Like the Wolf" endlessly...and we would watch that video (and Rio and Girls on Film) endlessly on MTV. Back when MTV showed videos and not stupid New Jersey people making fools of themselves...

I danced to many a Duran Duran song...once or twice on top of a bar at a club or fraternity house countertop. Usually while rocking some crazy 80's get-up of a mini skirt, polka-dot top, heels, and my hair hot-rollered to it's curly best. The perm look was not for me so I just curled my hair. And lots and lots of blush...brushed up my cheeks like some bright pink Nike swoop...

And hair gel...but usually I dated boys who used as much or more hair gel than me.

Remember gelling your hair on the sides so it stuck out? And making your bangs (your heavy bangs) poof up? Gel worked better than mousse for that...

Or there where the nights where it was a "jeans" night...that meant jeans so skin tight that you had to spray them down with some water, lie on the bed, and have your roomate zip them up for you using pliers (we had a pair just for this purpose), or, if you were without pliers, you used a coat hanger---hooking the end of the zipper with the hook part of the hanger and pulling. Once on, you had to walk around like a mummy until the jeans began to "give" a bit...and then you could zip up the ankle part and put on your heels. My choice: black eelskin...

It was so much harder getting those jeans off when you got home and were drunk...

Sometimes I just slept in them.

Why do we women subject ourselves to such uncomfortable clothing?

Throughout history women have worn hideously uncomfortable things in the name of fashion...or what society dictated...

Corsets? How awful must they have been? Of course we still have corsets now but they are considered "naughty lingerie" but back in the day when they contained whale bones to make your waist look tiny, well, that wasn't lingerie...

Bustles? Thankyouverymuch but my rear end is big enough so I am very glad this style is no longer in fashion.

Pantyhose...so glad we don't wear them anymore...although I don't mind my Spanx tights on a cold day...

Spanx aren't bad...they just aren't as easy to wear as my Lucy Power Pants...

Can you imagine trying to navigate anything in a hoop skirt? Or a bathing suit that was a dress and bloomers? You would drown trying to swim in that...

So the skin-tight jeans of the 80's weren't that bad...and I have seen Ke$ha Barbie pour her skinny little self into many a pair of skinny jeans.

I do sorta wish shoulder pads would come back in...they made your waist look smaller. Can't you just picture the ladies of "Dynasty" and their monster shoulder pads? Ok, on second thought, and thinking of that....let's NOT let that happen...

Thong underwear....where do I begin? It is NOT comfortable...I don't care who you are or how thin you are, thongs are not comfortable. I think of them a little like very high heeled shoes---they are uncomfortable but they are a necessary evil if you want to look good under certain conditions...

Granny panties are more comfortable but do you want to be caught with them on? So we wear the "cute" ones to feel pretty...or a thong to feel sexy and sleek...and Spanx so we look like Angelina Jolie.

Losing weight has opened up a lot of clothing options for me.

Gone are the loose, flowy soft black pants---replaced with sleeker, more fitted pants, or yoga pants, or leggings, or real slacks. No more elastic waists and 3XL's for me! I haven't tried jeans yet but I will by the spring...that is a goal: to find a pair of jeans...even if I have to pay dearly for them.

No more tent tops or knit tops that are trapeze or A-line. Now I like to wear more fitted things or cute little tops over a tank.

When I wear a skirt now it is smaller, sleeker, and not the size of a round tablecloth.

And dresses...I never used to wear dresses but now I enjoy wearing a dress! I wish I was taller so I could wear the longer, maxi length like my friend Sistah does. I have a friend who is plus-sized and she rocks her dresses and looks great...this summer I often told her how pretty she looked in them...part of it is confidence, and part of it is...and this I totally lack...boobs...I just had a very big belly and no boobs so I always looked like an apple when I tried to wear things like a more fitted top or dress.

I'm still a bit of apple and a bit of pear but Dimples is working on making me look like a carrot (nothing to be done with my broad shoulders...but we can narrow the bottom with all that pulling him up the hill).

I like workout clothes better now than the 80's. If you read my first blog, I revisted the fabulous styles we rocked at aerobics classes in the 80's---shiny tights, thong leotards worn with belts, legwarmers, high ponytails, and earrings.

Now I wear fitted tanks or cami's over bike pants (for spin class) or my Lucy crops for training or running. No legwarmers. I started off last spring in large (very large) t-shirts and large pants but those pants literally fall off me these days and I wear the big t-shirts to bed...And I still wear a high ponytail and a stretchy headband to keep the hair (and some sweat) out of my eyes...but not as a way to prove how hard I am bouncing in class.

I'll never dress like I did in the 80's...please shoot me if I do...but I think I can do just fine dressing "now". And that is all I need...

Inspiration Song: "All You Need is Now" by Duran Duran...free right now on iTunes...guess we will see a new album soon...Simon and the Taylor boys still know how to rock it...

Bye Darlings...enjoy the now...

Monday, December 20, 2010

My Favorite Things

As I start to write this blog I am watching a re-run of Oprah doing her last "Oprah's Favorite Things" show...you know, where she gives away thousands of dollars worth of goodies to her audience? The audience members cry when the realize that they are at the "Favorite Things" show---I would cry too! This year she was giving away an iPad, sequined Ugg boots, cashmere leggings, a Coach Bag, $500 from Nordstrom and a VW Beetle car. No wonder they are so excited to go to that show!!!!

In the mail today I received a very very very special gift. A friend of my mother's, who knew me as a teen, sent me what is probably the most perfect gift I could have received this Christmas. I'll call her "K'town Gal" (she knows who she is, very special lady...) and somehow she managed to rescue a tile from the kitchen of my Kingsville house (on the ranch). The house was torn down. Another friend gifted me with a brick from the house---I treasure it. But K'town Gal got to the heart of the matter...and in this case, the heart of my house...the kitchen. My mother was an extraordinary cook and you've heard the stories of her entertaining, so getting a tile from that kitchen literally took my breath away. I opened the box and there it was...I lost my breath and the tears started to flow. I could feel my mother next to me. Ke$ha Barbie tried to steal it for herself. K'town Gal turned it into a trivet for me so it now will sit on my counter and I will think of my beautiful Mommy and my friend K'town Gal who so thoughtfully presented me with simply the most perfect thing...

So, inspired by this great gift I thought I would make my very own "Favorite Things" list as a gift to you, my friends and readers of this blog.

No "raindrops on roses" on this list...although "whiskers on kittens" would very likely make the list...

So here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite things that have gotten me through the year and this weight loss journey...

1) My friends and family. I could not have done this without my family's support as well as that of my friends like GOTT, GOTTESS, TTG, Sistah, TamTam, Bacchus, etc. And how can I forget that it all started with Precious and Adorable looking at me with fear that got me started (I thanked him and told him---he had no idea).

So, my friends---call upon your friends to help and support you with whatever your endeavors are. You will go so much further with arms to around you to support you...

2) Coach Dimples---he's the bomb and doing double duty as therapist as well as trainer. He did a fantastic job as football coach and he is doing a fantastic job as my trainer. My body looks better because of him...

And I have to throw in J'taime Jamie, Spinderella and JayVee and Fitness Goddess...because they have all helped get me to where I am now and they will help me get to where I want to go...

Since I can't give you all my Coach Dimples (or the girls listed above), I can say that having a trainer is a favorite thing...so find someone to help you that knows what they are doing!

3) My Fit Foods---I still eat at least one meal a day from them...usually 2.

4) Lucy---I love Lucy...and I'm not just talking about the show with Lucille Ball. What I am really talking about HERE is the store (and website) called Lucy. I love love love their workout clothes and I am currently LIVING in their power pants...so comfy! Oprah likes the lululemon pants---haven't tried them myself but my friend NJ loves hers so I am going to give them a try too. Right now I am wearing a pair of Lucy crops and Lucy tank that I wear to workout in. I love wearing the pants for training because they don't "show" anything like a pair of Nike shorts might when I am jumping about with a man telling me what to do. The tanks have nice long length to cover you whether you are training, running, or bending over a bike. I like the fact that many of the styles are "compressive" so they hold you in and they hold up really well in the wash. Check them out:

lucy.com

or

lululemon.com

In Houston both stores are located in Highland Village.

5) Red Wine---'nuff said...you can add white and champagne to that...

6) Asics running shoes---great for running and training.

7) Caslon t-shirts from Nordstrom. Not pricey. Cute cuts, great colors. I throw them on with my Lucy pants and go...

8) My Keurig. I am in love with a mechanical device and it is my Keurig. I'm the only person in the house who really drinks coffee and I usually only have one cup so making a pot of coffee is a waste. So that is why I bought a Keurig---it makes one cup at a time! And the flavor selection (online) is tremendous! I love love love all the flavor options and I can also make hot tea and the kids can make hot chocolate with it. If you are on the market for a new coffee maker, I highly recommend it...

9) My Riedel stemless wine glasses...love them...so chic...and love holding them, especially when they contain my favorite red wine...

10) Spanx tights...they feel so good and make you look good...

11) cottage cheese with pineapple and a little Splenda...great snack and good for you. That trainer chick on Bravo, Jackie Warner (my girl crush), claims that the casein in it will help with weight loss.

12) Crystal Lite in the individual packets. I don't like to drink plain water so I use these a lot. The strawberry energy flavor is my favorite (warning, it contains caffeine).

13) My metal water bottle that my friend Ticket Queen got me...use it every night...no more thrush! I got thrush last spring from drinking from a plastic water bottle that I was washing but not steralizing each time so she gifted me with this great metal one...I fill it with water at bedtime and drink up...

14) SmartWater...when I buy bottled water I usually buy SmartWater. I usually can't tell the difference in the taste of water, but I DO like the taste of this stuff. But more than the taste, I like the SHAPE of the bottle and the size of the 33.8 fl oz bottles. So I buy them...wash and STERALIZE them (with a bit of clorox) and re-use them for working out.

15) My music...as you can tell, I like a wide variety of music. Music is what moves me...so I love making playlists for working out and giving music to my spin teacher friends to use in class. If you want me to suggest a playlist, email me with your music preference taste and I will make you a suggestion list...

16) George's Pastaria. If you live in Houston, you need to go to George's. It is my favorite place. Located on Dairy Ashford between Westheimer and Briar Forest. Worth the drive. They will make you the BEST food for a great price and you can have some yummy wine. George and Rene (the owners) are almost always there. They are GOOD people and so is their staff. They will make you anything any way you want it. You want it grilled, not sauteed? no problem! You want it with extra spinach? not problem! You want a different sauce or pasta? No problem!!!! And you can eat healthy here and not feel like you are eating "health" food. Have the whole wheat angel hair primavera with shrimp and extra spinach...I'm going to make George name it after me!

17) Crave cupcakes. Why would I put that on this list? Because despite living on a diet, they are still one of my favorite things! You have to have a little sin with all your virtue and this is sin that is worth paying for. Strawberry and Candy Bar are my favorite flavors...but I'm sure if I ever tasted chocolate mint or dulce de leche that I would add them to the list. I'm just not going to tempt fate and try them...

18) Dark Chocolate. My favorite treat. The darker, the better...and I love love love dark dark dark chocolate. A little nibble now and then curbs my sugar cravings and is actually loaded with antioxidents so it is good for me too. I like Scharffen Berger extra dark (82% cocoa). mmmmmmmmmmmmm....

19) Living Proof Full Shampoo, Conditioner, Thickening Cream, Root lifting spray and mousse...my hair has never looked better...available at Sephora or QVC...

20) Cake Beauty Satin Sugar Hair and Body Refreshing Powder---smells like vanilla sugar cake and is the BEST for freshening up your hair when you don't have time to shampoo. It makes your hair smell so good and, even better, it comes in a light and dark version so that those of you with brown hair can use it and not look dusty! I've had men tell me that my hair smells good when I have used it...Sephora is your best bet...

21) Tom Ford Black Orchid perfume...the only thing I like as much as my Thierry Mugler "Angel"...very sexy scent. Different. Not for the faint of heart or timid...Everytime and I mean EVERY TIME I wear it I get compliments and am told "you smell SO good"...and I get it from men, women, and children...Wear it if you dare...

22)My 20 pound body bar---bought it at Academy. It is not an actual "body bar by Body Bar" (you can get that online...it is a little smaller in circumference than what I bought), but I like it just as much. For those unfamiliar, it is a 3 foot long weighted (and padded) bar that you use for doing excercises. You can do a lot of excercises with it...even if you don't have your own personal Dimples to tell you what to do. It will fit under your bed...

23) Women's Health Magazine and online website...lots of great advice and recipes. The website has workout suggestions so you can have Bob from Biggest Loser as your trainer! I like it better than Shape or Fitness (both great mags). Just my personal take on the fitness magazine thing...

24) M by Marc Bower dresses from QVC...if you have seen me in a dress there is a good chance it is from this collection from QVC. Washable. Wearable. Good looking. Great price.

25) Advil---I don't need to explain Advil, do I? But I love it...

26) Spin class---if you have never tried a spin class, do it...it is great cardio work, works the heck out of your legs and glutes and if the instructor is good, it is fun...

27) Body Pump---if your club/gym offers Les Mills classes, they offer Body Pump. Body Pump will work every major muscle group in an hour---choreographed to music. It is a great way to do your strength training if you hate working on the weight machines as much as I do.

28) Salmon---I don't like salmon all that much but since I have added it to my diet I have learned to like it and appreciate it. A few things I have learned---if you can order it medium rare it will taste less "fishy", I like a thicker small slice vs. a thinner larger slice (for the medium rare thing), a meal of salmon on a bed of spinach is pretty good and satisfying, the Omega3 oils in it are good for your skin, it is as good cold as hot. I can't say that I love it...but I love what it is doing for my body. I have dropped weight. I see a change. I eat a lot of it...

29) Tasti-D-lite...J'taime Jamie got me started on this and it is my new obsession. Love it for dessert and it is guilt free! Taste like you are totally sinning but is so low-cal that you can't hurt yourself. There are like 80 flavors...you can't go wrong.

30) My "liver cleanse" that I drink each morning. Juice of 1/2 lemon, 4 oz. unsweetened pure cranberry juice (not cocktail), 1 TBS. apple cidar vinegar, 1/2 oz. liquid B12, 1 oz. liquid glucosomine. Mix together and drink up. I swear it helps...

And that, my friends, is my "favorite things for looking/feeling good" list. These are all things that have helped me look or feel better during these past 9 months. I wish I could be Oprah and just give all of these things to you, but I can't...but pick through the list and see what appeals to you. I promise you if you use Living Proof full shampoo and spritz on some Tom Ford Black Orchid and put on an M by Marc Bower dress, someone will notice...

Inspiration Song: "My Favorite Things" by Rogers & Hammerstein...Sound of Music (you know that, don't you?)...as sung by the amazing, incomparable, one and only Julie Andrews...

Bye Darlings....I'm off for a bit of dark chocolate as my dessert after a nice dinner at George's Pastaria....

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Crazy Beautiful Life

"Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death"---Mame Dennis

That might just be THE BEST (or at least ONE OF THE BEST) lines ever spoken in a movie. As I started to type this blog I was watching the incomparable Rosalind Russell portraying Mame Dennis in the movie "Auntie Mame" which is one of my all-time favorite movies. There is not another movie that can make me laugh and cry as much as that one does.

But that line has a lot of truth in it...most of us don't even go up to the banquet...we just sit and starve ourselves of experiences. And we do it (starve ourselves of life experiences) out of fear, laziness, bad prioritizing, distraction, over-scheduling, ignorance, and/or lack of motivation to just TRY something.

I want to go to the banquet...and I want to try everything...and I don't mean food...

The last few days I have done my level best to experience "crazy" and I don't mean at the mall...I'm avoiding that at all costs.

No, I'm just talking about everyday, garden-variety crazy...

Let's start with Thursday.

I had a great spin class with J'taime Jamie and then an awesome workout with Coach Dimples. I know, 2 workouts in one day may seem crazy, but it's really more like doing some cardio and then your weight workout so it's not THAT crazy. I call it my "two-a-days"...after all, I am working with a football coach. After my Dimples time I dashed out to get a haircut from my French/Spanish hairdresser who I shall just call by his name because I can't come up anything better...Fernando. Isn't that the most perfect name for a French Spaniard that is gorgeous?

Fernando and I have been together for over 21 years. We have lasted longer than many marriages (including one of his). We have survived divorces (his), re-marriages (his), miscarriages (mine), deaths of friends and family (both of us), children trauma (both of us). We have grown up and grown middle-aged together. When I first became his client his hair was longer than mine...not anymore..

So Fernando cuts my hair and then after drying it he whips out the curling iron and starts to turn me into a vision of a fat Victoria's Secret model. I told him I was headed to church...I swear I think he thought I said "club". So I showed up at "Lessons and Carols" at the church looking a bit like a woman who was looking for a dance partner. Oh well, the 14 year old girls loved it...

After "Lessons..." I went with GOTT and his family to see a production of...well, I won't say because, sadly, it was pretty dreadful. It is a show that is dear to GOTT and I but this particular production brought me to tears---and not in a good way. Because the director totally ruined the show...he ruined a beautiful show with a beautiful message. At least the actors looked like they were having fun...

And then I came home to the teenage party...crazy Thursday...

Friday amped up the crazy...

Christmas Breakfast for the middle school and Lessons and Carols at my son's school was on board for the morning. The crazy hair was still curly so I just left it and rolled with it. I helped GOTT and TTG with the Lessons and Carols (basically a church service where we sing carols and the story of Jesus' birth is told). I got to play stage manager on Stage left and wore a headset so I cold hear GOTT booming through with instructions like God from above. GOTT likes to talk into the headset throughout the shows so I got a running commentary and his instructions to the light board operator and spotlight boys along with enjoying songs like "Breath of Heaven"...confusing to say the least...after saying "Merry Christmas" to our friends at school and having lunch, my boys left to go hunting and I hit the gym after conferring with Dimples as to whether I needed a day off...I didn't so I went...

But that wasn't the crazy part of the day.

Crazy came later...

I had 2 parties to go to that night. For someone who NEVER has a social life, having 2 things to do the same night was a bit of a thrill...and frustrating as I didn't want to miss a moment of either party.

First up was an all-girls affair at MizLiz's house. GREAT party. GREAT fun. GREAT group of girls. Hard to tear myself away. I was so excited to be invited to hang with that fun group of girls that I was happy to hear that next year she and the hostesses of the other party were going to confer before setting dates so that she and the rest of us can fully enjoy BOTH parties!

So after a little champagne, lamb chops, and gossip I head to the C&B's party held at the C's house. GREAT party. GREAT fun. Got to see all my friends. Everyone looked gorgeous and I do mean gorgeous! And I got to see some friends I don't get to see all the time (shout out to my girlfriend PB who I just discovered is also a South Texas Chica...no wonder I love her so...) and it was pretty nice to slink around the party in something cute instead of a tent.

I was rocking a couture dress...from TARGET. (Tar-zhay if you please...).

All yours for $29...

I avoided the crazy at that party by declining to sip Goldshlagger from the ice sculpture. There was no way that was going to work out for me. Didn't want to mess up the $29 dress. Plus it was time to move on to Diet Coke...

Crazy happened after I left...

I went outside to the valet to get my car. My feet were KILLING me in my stilleto boots (I had them on all day except for gym time) and it was midnight so Cinderella was ready to leave the ball. You know, because of the shoes...and Fairy Godmother's magic only lasts so long. Plus I had a teenager home and her curfew was earlier than mine...

So I'm waiting for my car and my friend's husband comes out to get their car and we start talking about working out, excercise,the Racquet Club, spin class, my weight loss etc. This is a man I have known for about 6 years...very sweet guy. So we are talking and laughing and I don't really notice the guy or guys also waiting for cars. I'm just talking to my friend. My car comes and I hug him goodbye and tell him to wish his wife a Merry Christmas and get in my car and go home.

I'm home about 20 minutes (boots OFF! false eyelashes OFF! makeup OFF!) and I get a call from the house where the party is. I start thinking I must have left something there or something must have dropped out of my purse because why else would someone call at 12:25 at night? I answer the phone and my friend K informs me that I caused a fight.

A fight?

How did I cause a fight? I was gone from the party...

But it seems that some bozo waiting for his car while my friend and I were talking decided after I left that he thought my friend was bothering me.

Bothering me?

We were talking about WORKING OUT and laughing about it...we are FRIENDS.

But the other guy was drunk and decided to make something out of it. Apparently, he thought he was defending my honor...against a man who was asking me how I can stand to be on the arc trainer for more than 5 minutes.

Maybe he (the drunk) hates running on the treadmill as much as I do and felt the need to say something...LOL...

Or maybe, and this is the part I hate, it was because my friend is of a different culture that this guy decided to get ugly with him. And if that is it, may the guy burn...because my friends are my people...it has nothing to do with culture, religion, sexual preference, or sex of the person---I am blind to the oustide of people but only care about the inside of people and their hearts. But sadly that is the theory of at least one witness/bystander as to why the guy got so hot with my friend. I think it was called "Jack Daniels" or maybe "Johnnie Walker"...

But in any case he got ugly with my friend and punches were thrown.

I looked ok that night but not enought to start a ballroom brawl.

My friend was fine and the drunk got taken home by someone else and now I have a very silly story to tell.

And THAT my friends is CRAZY CRAZY CRAZY...

Saturday came and went with little to no crazy...I worked out, I had lunch with a former student, I had a blast taking photos of my friend Jay Vee and her wonderful family, and I had a great dinner with my friend Tiny Dy-no-mite and her husband who took us out for a great meal and conversation. Don't you love a good day?

But here is the BEST part of my day...I jumped on the scale and I HAD TO MOVE THE BIG BAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!! I was under 200. I weighed myself 7 times (ok, I guess that is CRAZY). I jumped off and on that scale 7 times. I weighed myself again after working out. I texted Dimples and professed my undying love for him and the damn hill and the black rubberband and promised to be a good girl and drag his cute ass up that hill endlessly. He was super proud of me. I told him "who needs Santa when I have you"...

I'll confess when I looked at the scale...I cried...

So since Saturday was (relatively---except for the weighing myself a bajillion times) crazy free I guess I thought I needed to double the crazy for today. But today's crazy is all me...all me and my doing and my OCD...

Crazy #1:

I got on the scale this morning. Dimples told me not to do this but I am compelled by my OCD to weigh myself every day...sometimes more than once. I was back over 200. In a big way. Like 3 pounds. So how did I gain 5 pounds in one day? I know know know that I didn't screw up the scale yesterday when it went down, but today's number made me cry---again. I haven't confessed this to Dimples because I know I will get a (sweetly given) lecture---remember, he's good at talking "woman" these days. But really, does the scale have to screw with my emotions so much? I know I shouldn't let it, but it does...

Crazy #2:

I got to the gym, set myself up a spin bike, got my towels and water, was strapping on my cycle shoes and I discover that I have left my heart monitor at home. I consider just jumping on the bike and going but my OCD got the better of me and I knew I couldn't do the workout without the heart monitor. So I went home to get it. Yes, I was totally ready to get on the bike...the iPod was even going, but no heart monitor meant I didn't know how hard I was working so I went home to get it. Problem was, I was out of gas so I had to gas up before going home. That little adventure cost me 20 minutes. How OCD is that? That I would do all of that just to be sure I could tell how hard I was working? Really? Really...

And then I spent 75 minutes on the spin bike and did weights...because of the scale thing...that makes #2 double crazy...

Crazy #3:

I called my friend K back to make sure I wasn't drunk or dreaming the fight story...I wasn't (drunk or dreaming)...it really happened...not sure whether to be ashamed, embarrassed, or think it is funny as hell...

Crazy #4:

I got on the treadmill and ran...even though I am not supposed to. Shhhh...don't tell Dimples! I only did 1/2 mile...but I might sneak back on it tomorrow...the crazy part is that I WANTED to run, even with my knee. Even crazier...it doesn't hurt...actually since it didn't hurt Dimples won't mind...and he will expect me to do more running on Tuesday when we train. He showed up last week and informed me that a better use of my time, when I beat him to the park, would be for me to run or walk fast around the track to get my heartrate up instead of checking my email. Since I like being "teacher's pet" I guess I will be running when he arrives next time. Again, I don't know why I am so compliant with that man...oh yes...he is helping me change my body...that's why...

Crazy #5:

My daughter had dinner with me tonight. In a restaurant. With her boyfriend...

Yes, Ke$ha Barbie eating with me in public with her boyfriend is crazy...and beautiful...

I had more crazy today---shopping at Target, Toys R Us, and Best By (for a family we have "adopted" for Xmas), and I almost got hit by 3 cars as I walked across the parking lot.

Yes, it was a crazy day...

I hope yours was much much saner...but given the time of year, I doubt it...

Inspiration Song: "Crazy Beatiful Life" by Ke$ha...I love her music, even if she constantly sings about getting drunk...it is fun to run/workout/spin to...

Bye Darlings...embrace the crazy...it's better than fighting it...

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Red Red Wine

Right now, upstairs in my house, is a group of teenagers...

I can hear the subwoofer pumping across the house. I don't dare ask how many are up there. I came home after the "party" started and told hubby not to tell me so I don't freak out. I also don't want to know how many soft drinks are up there to ruin the carpet.

I think it is an indication of how loud it is that my cats won't venture into the hallway where the staircase is...

I guess I wont' be getting to bed early tonight...Camiel's bedroom is right above mine and attached to her bedroom is the sitting room (too small to call a gameroom)that is currently teenager heaven. The Cutest Boy in the World has asked if he can sleep in our room because his bedroom is at the foot of the stairs leading to the party.

what I do know is there is no alcohol or cigarettes up there...but there does appear to be some Red Bull.

I don't "get" the whole Red Bull thing. I tried it once...make that twice. I tasted the regular kind and promptly spit it out. I tried the diet kind and after 3 sips declared it disgusting and nasty and threw it away.

A friend who is a bit younger than me informed Bacchus and me that Red Bull and Vodka is a good combination. What does he know...he is under 30. I love him but do not trust his taste in what constitutes a "good" drink. I listen to Bacchus and stick to wine. We patted him on the head and told him we would teach him to drink like a real grown-up. Of course I would have to be a real grown-up to teach him and since I'm not a real grown-up...well, that poor boy will learn...

Now wine on the other hand, well, I totally "get" wine. I like wine, especially if it is red. I'm quite fond of champagne too, as you regular blog readers are aware. And I like white wine too...but mostly I'm a "red" girl for just drinking.

So I found this article by the Mayo clinic about red wine. I won't copy it here, but it does have some information about red wine and heart health.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089

I don't think my blog makes hyperlinks so you will have to cut and paste.

I also found this great article on the benefits of Omega-3 in fish. Since I have been eating enough salmon to basically grow gills and find myself with a desire to swim upstream, I am interested in the health benefits of it (salmon) and not just as a good source of protein for me.

So here...read this:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/omega-3/HB00087

My father died from heart disease...or rather, he had heart disease and died having bypass surgery. One would think that knowing how and why my father died would have been enough for me to have kept my life and weight on track but it wasn't.

But now I know better...and I feel better...

And I love knowing that some red red wine can actually be GOOD for me...in moderation...all things in moderation.

I still remember the first time I had a taste of good red wine. My father loved loved loved Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon. I mean loved it to the point that he bought multiple cases of it. The other night while I was having dinner with my friend Diva D (because she is absolutely fabulousity she gets to be called "Diva"), the table next to us ordered a bottle of Jordan...I almost cried missing my Daddy...

So my Daddy bought all this red wine and one night at dinner he opened a bottle and poured me a (tiny) glass of the Jordan. Into a real (Baccarat) crystal glass. He first told me that good one should always be drunk out of a good glass...preferably crystal...never a paper or styrofoam cup. Then he had me sip it. I thought I was sipping heaven.

When he took me to Europe he allowed me a glass of wine each night at dinner. Now my dad didn't know a whole lot about wine...I mean, for years he drank Lancers Rose...but he was learning and wanted me to "appreciate" it. While in Europe I tasted all kinds of wonderful wines...I will never remember them, but I remember sitting at dinner and my father teaching me about the differences in the wines.

All I knew was that I was getting to drink alcohol...but now I remember those nights so fondly.

I also remember the night I tricked him into eating eggplant even though he said he hated it. Before heading to France I checked out a book in the library that taught me how to read a French menu...I learned it so I would be sure I would get "beef" and not "tongue" and no liver. I knew the waiter said "eggplant" but didn't tell Daddy when he ordered the same thing I did...that had eggplant. He ate all of his eggplant and then I found his fork venturing over to my plate to steal my----eggplant. I waited until he got a forkful of mine before informing him that he was eating---eggplant. I love eggplant to this day...and when I eat it, I think of Daddy.

Eggplant doesn't really go well with red wine by the way...

Daddy taught me a lot of things, but as a cowboy he wanted to raise a lady...a lady who appreciated the finer things in life...like wine, and art, and beautiful things. So he taught me about French crystal...and when I sold my beloved "Monster" steer I took some of my money and bought a complete set of Baccarat crystal glasses...I rarely use them, but I look at them often and remember the joy of going to the Baccarat factory shop in Paris and proudly paying for a complete set of 16 red and white wine glasses and knowing that I would treasure them forever. And I do...

He taught me art, but really just Western art. My father truly loved western art and loved collecting what he could of it. The day he bought his one and only Charles Russell painting he cried and I cried with him. We sat on the couch and stared at it for hours, seriously...Our house was under construction so we were living in a double wide trailer at that time.

I venture a pretty good guess that it was the one and only time a Charles Russell painting hung in the living room of a double-wide trailer...

I tell you this story not as a "brag" that my father once owned a Russell painting, but rather the unbelieveable irony in that he loved that painting so much that he had no qualms about hanging it on the faux-wood walls of the trailer.

He also owned an Albert Bierdstadt painting that was breathtaking. It was his favorite painting, even more than the Russell. He could often be found in the living room staring at it. It was so beautiful and I often found myself staring at it and finding peace. It never hung on the walls of the trailer...

Now when I see a Bierdstadt I usually cry...both for the beauty and for missing my father. There was one that hung over a fireplace in the White House while President Bush was in residence. I spoke to the securty guard about it when I went on a tour...he said he found great peace in just looking at it...I agreed. "W" and Laura had good taste to hang that painting there...

If you have never gazed at one of his paintings, I have a link to images here:

http://www.google.com/images?rlz=1T4GGLR_enUS398US398&q=bierstadt&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=6eIKTdDjCYqr8AaLqISHDg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CEIQsAQwAg&biw=1259&bih=434

So beautiful...

My dad was bound and determined that I was going to grow up a lady who knew things about the finer things in life even if I was the daughter of a cowboy. And I did. I love wine...and I love art...but not just western art...I have found now that I love Bierdstadt paintings but I love Rothko's work just as much. And maybe I love red wine a little too much...

But what I really learned about being a lady was not about French crystal and great art, but in being generous with myself and my love...with my time and my energy...and with loving with an open and full heart. I don't want to be a lady because I drink nice wine from a crystal glass and like art...I want to be a lady because I give generously of myself and my heart.

If you want to protect your precious heart and have some good and yummy red wine, here are my suggestions that Bacchus helped me find and appreciate...here are some of my favorites:

Chateau Raspail Gigondas---HARD to find...last spotted at Costco but that was months ago. If you can find it at Costco, buy all you can and then call me...

Chateau St. Cosme Gigondas (2007)---can't vouch for other vintage years, but 2007 is pretty darn yummy and worth the $32 price tag.

(Gigonadas is like a Chateu neuf de pape but cheaper...)

La Vielle Ferme (Cotes de Venteaux)---has chickens on the label...found with the big box wines at Costco...in a big bottle...

Little James Basket Press---found at liquor stores...French...cheap (less than $10.50)...all the leftovers from making the St. Cosme wines...yummy...buy all you can because this stuff is good...I give it as a gift...

Erath Pinot Noir---several varieties...good stuff...I'm not a big pinot noir fan (I like syrah, grenach, zinfindel, and blends...), but this stuff is good.

La Bastide---a red blend...liquor stores...again, buy what you can and call me when you find it...

Molly Dooker "The Boxer" Shiraz...this wine inspired a blog...it is good...high alcohol content.

Newton Cabernet...heavy but good...I like me a good cab...

I haven't found a malbec that I really like so if you know of one, tell me...

I do love blends...especially grenache/syrah blends....heck, I just like red wine.

I'm enjoying a glass of the La Vielle Ferme right now...

I'll share my thoughts on white and champagne another day...for today, as you can tell by the title of this blog it is all about the red red wine...

Inspiration Song: Red Red Wine by UB40...

bye darlings...cheers!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Show Me the Way

It is about to be "happy time" in my house. Mid-term finals are almost done.

For the last few days the black cloud of gloom and doom has hung over our house as my kids have been forced to study math, science, Spanish, English, and history.

Yesterday The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW)was studying for history. Bacchus, my wine god, is his teacher. Bacchus made a podcast and put it on his webpage for the kids to use as a study guide.

I was sitting across the house and suddenly I hear the booming voice of Bacchus, coming across the house like God himself talking to me...I hear this rambling stream of thought stuff as he lectures/informs the kids, via the podcast, what they need to know about the final.

It was pretty cool...even if it meant I had to hear Bacchus talking for like 10 minutes...

But then again, he likes to talk...a lot...

He likes to hear his own voice and fully admits to it.

He likes to talk...more...than...me...

That's saying a lot...

But what struck me, as I heard him going over the "need to know" stuff about various ancient empires, was how great technology is...and how lucky our kids are to live in this age.

That my son can hear a podcast and get a full lecture from his teacher.

He also has a smart board in every classroom. If you don't know what a smartboard is, let me tell you this...it is the coolest thing ever in a classroom. You touch it and it does things. It is a magic board!

I went to A&M in the dark ages when we still used computer punch cards to select our classes. My kids don't know what a punch card is...

Ke$ha Barbie didn't know what a vinyl record album was when she was little. Once, when I was driving her home from pre-school, she sang a song. I asked her where she learned it.

She told me that the music teacher taught it to her.

And now, I quote her, because this is good:

"Mrs. Fitzgerald put on a BIG BLACK CD and it played music and I could see the CD spinning around"

That is when it hit me that she didn't know what a record album was.

I drove straight home, sat her on the couch and grabbed my favorite album--"Frampton Comes Alive" and showed it to her. That was followed by "Edge of 17" and "Rumors" and "Hotel California".

I am proud to say that she now collects vinyl...and has a working turntable to play it on. It sounds like crap but she likes it...especially Led Zepplin's "Mothership".

It was a great teaching moment...brings a tear to the eye that she actually listened to me about something...even if she was only 4.

What I wouldn't give for one of those moments now...

oh well...

It does amaze me what my kids know how to do with technology. They both have showed me how to do things on the computer---excel spreadsheets, photo editing, iTunes libraries, Microsoft Word...

They are constantly teaching me how to do things...I'm not sure I ever taught my parents anything but to regret that they had more than one child once I hit the teenage years.

So Dimples made our football bowl game picks for me (us) and I have to say that I must have a lot of faith and trust in him because I agreed to not change the winner of the Cotton Bowl from LSU (his pick) to my alma mater, A&M.

I guess if I can put my faith and trust in him to train me and work me out, and to coach my son, I can certainly trust that he knows more about college football than I do.

Actually I think my cat knows more about college football than I do...but Dimples does know his stuff.

Today when he worked me out I presented him with a new toy...a weighted body bar. Yesterday he tried having me do some dead lifts using the large rubber band (the one I use to pull him up the hill endlessly). It was an epic fail. He almost fell over when he was showing me what to do and then when I tried it I kept falling over and then just completely lost it laughing until I was crying...I told him that I thought he was making that excercise up as a way to amuse himself. In fact I was wondering if I was being "punked" but he assured me it was a real exercise but I told him that there was no way, no how I was risking my face for a deadlift...maybe a facelift, but not a deadlift. So we quit that excercise.

That is why I bought the body bar...it was safer than pulling on a big rubberband.

But I am regretting it now as I am in grave pain because of all the little tricks he had up his sleeve to do with the bar. pain pain pain

But...he is showing me what to do and how to do it and the scale is inching down again and I see a little goal in sight...100 pounds lost by Christmas if I am a good girl. So even when he makes me do things that make me look pretty foolish, I know it is just to improve my body and health. Basically I am willing to look like a crazy person in order to lose weight...and I do it in front of a really good-looking man...I have no shame...

But when I slide into my mother's dress, it will all have been worth it...even if it meant that I did things that made me look like a deranged woman loose in the park.

I have faith in Coach Dimples...he knows what he is doing (Personal Trainer is his JOB...not just football coach) and he doesn't make me do these things just to laugh at me...but I'm sure it helps pass the time that I am pretty easy to laugh at.

He's showing me the way...and I am grateful.

Inspiration Song: "Show me the Way"...Peter Frampton...."Frampton Comes Alive".
Greatest. Album. Ever.

Bye darlings...let someone show you the way to a better you...

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Lisztomania

Coach Dimples and I have a new partnership...we gonna play "who wins that bowl game" together and defeat the empire known at GOTT the GREAT...

GOTT always always always wins these things. He lets me play because I am so dreadful at it.

So he has set up some "predict who wins the bowl games" thing...there are 35 games...and we all know that I know less than a microgram about football. I take photos of football but I don't understand it.

Remember, Dimples had to explain what a "linebacker" was to me recently...he did it patiently and without irony I might add...

So I tell GOTT I will play his little game with him and I have high hopes of doing better than I did last spring in the March Madness contest when I came in 3rd from dead last.

But this time I have a secret weapon. I have Dimples! And he knows his football, oh yes he does...he even knows the name of the mascot for the team from Florida International (I didn't even know that was a college). So he picks the teams, I put up the $10 and we are going to split our fabulous winnings after we beat GOTT and Coach Supersweet (who always wins if GOTT doesn't).

I'm going to look like a football predicting superstar. But, because I am unfailingly honest about these things, I will admit I had the help of a football coach. You see, no one in my house wanted to help me...and I think Dimples has a better handle on this than they do. I did try and watch ESPN last night when they talked about bowl game predictions but completely zoned out after 45 seconds. Maybe if they broke out into song like the do on "Glee" I would have paid more attention.

People keep asking me what "diet" I am on. The truth is, I don't have a "diet" per se, but rather I am eating clean and healthy.

But here are some tips I have picked up along the way and some things that I eat...

This is in no particular order of importance...it's just as I think of it. Think of this as a roadmap whether you want to lose 5, 10, 15, or 50 pounds or just want to eat better...and remember, I am not an expert, just a woman who is trying to lose enough weight for Oprah to notice her (she and Dr. Oz are doing a weight loss thing for her new network...I could be on that...but I really would rather sit on her couch and talk to her...but again, this is all fantasy...)

OK, so here are some things to do/eat/try...

1. Dont' try and cut everything out at once. Try cutting out one or two things each week. Like, cut out corn and fried foods one week, the next week cut out something else.

2. Buy a water bottle. Fill it. Drink it. Repeat many times throughout the day. If you don't like water, add some lemon juice or make flavored water in your fridge. To make flavored water, simply put some fruit (orange, lemon, watermelon, canteloupe, lime, strawberry etc.) or cucumber, and or a bit of mint in a pitcher and add water. The fruit needs to be sliced or cut up. A delicious mix, courtesy of the Kahala Hotel in Oahu, Hawaii is the following: mint, cucumber, strawberry, apple, orange. You can add more water as you drink it down but I would pitch it after a few days or when it loses its taste.

3. Eat more good protein. A serving of protein should be about the size of a deck of cards...or maybe if you are really hungry and working out, the size of your hand (but only if you have a SMALL hand). Good protein: fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, lean pork. Not-so-good-for-you protein: fatty steak, hamburger meat, dark meat from poultry (but that is not as bad as sausage), sausage, pork and beef ribs.

4. You don't have to eat "breakfast" foods for breakfast...sometimes I eat some ground turkey (wrapped in lettuce leaves for some crunch), or leftover fish. But I always eat some form of protein for breakfast and if I eat carbs, it is usually steel cut oats...and protein.

5. Egg white omlettes can be good if you cook them right. You can even add an egg yolk for every 2-3 whites if you don't have cholesterol issues. Try leftover veggies, spinach, fat free cheese, picante sauce, or ground turkey in one. The fat free cheese isn't bad inside an omlette. I like smokehouse pepper on mine...makes me feel like I am having bacon. Smokehouse pepper is in one of those red and white cans and it has a smokey taste...really good.

6. Have dessert occsionally so you won't feel deprived. But ask them to bring you only half and box the other half up. or give half to a friend. or eat a few bites and then pour salt all over it...I'm serious...

7. Eat salmon. I haven't liked salmon much in the past but I have made it part of my diet and now I don't mind it. It is best not overcooked. Order it medium rare and I promise it will taste better. Salmon is so good for you---full of Omega 3 and a good source of lean protein. I'm a little obsessed with it these days.

8. Get rid of corn. Dimples made me do this. It doesn't offer you much nutritionally and, this one shocked me, they use corn products in batteries and diapers. I like the taste of corn but I have cut it out of my diet...even corn tortillas. Now when I am at the Mexican food restaurant, I ask for lettuce leaves to wrap my fajitas in...that is Asian style and it is good!

9. If you want an alcoholic drink, choose wisely. Believe it or not, champagne is a good choice. Red wine is good and has antioxidents. White wine is good. Not so good for you: margaritas, lemon drop martinis, cosmos, anything with sweet-and-sour mix or simple syrup. Too much sugar. Or try wine mixed with club soda to cut calories further and cut out some of the alcohol.

10. No good ever came from eating a french fry...unless it is from Houston's and then it is totally worth it. But it is better not to have even one or you will want more...the last time I ate fry---February...

11. Google "EAt this Not That" before you go to a restaurant...they have great suggestions.

12. Dark chocolate is my friend. It gives me a bit of sweet when I need it. The darker the better. I eat a tiny bit a couple of times a week. No, I don't eat a Hershey bar...just a little square of very dark chocolate. I eat it slowly and savor it and it really feels like a treat.

13. Eat your veggies first. Order extra veggies at a restaurant but ask them to cut the butter. Steamed or grilled veggies are best. And no, a baked potato is not a good idea unless it is a sweet potato...with no butter.

14. Don't eat "white" food...no white rice, no white bread, no white veggies (unless it is cauliflower and then you can have all you want).

15. EAt 3 small meals and 2 snacks...way better for you than 3 large meals. My daily intake is usually breakfast (egg white omlette and oatmeal, or ground turkey and egg whites, or something from Fit Foods), a mid-morning snack (fruit, yogurt, protein bar), lunch (protein and veggies as my carbs), mid-afternoon snack, and dinner (like lunch). Sometimes I add dessert. See below:

16. My form of dessert: I love cottage cheese mixed with a bit of sweetner (Splenda...yellow packets) and fruit, or fat-free Greek yogurt mixed with Splenda and fruit, or a Skinny Cow dessert, or a small square of dark chocolate, or a couple of gingersnaps, or yogurt.

17. Cottage cheese is good for you...calcium! So is Greek Yogurt...

18. No sodas with sugar. In fact, cut out or cut back any soda...

19. Roast your veggies. In fact, if you THINK you don't like a vegetable, try it roasted. My favorite veggies to roast: asparagus, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, and fingerling potatoes. For asparagus, just trim off the tough ends. For brussel sprouts, cut in half. For the squash and the rest, just cube it up. Toss the veggies with a few teaspoons of olive oil and some sea salt. Roast at 450 degrees until tender. Fantastic...it will change your mind aobut some vegetables. They take on a nutty flavor and get sweeter. Email me when you have done this so I can say "I told you so"...

20. My new favorite treat----Tasti D Lite. One location is on Post Oak near Berryhill. Another location in Highland Village. Coming soon to Dallas.

21. Try quinoa and couscous...they are good. I love couscous tossed with some cinnamon and dried cranberries and raisins.

22. Dried cranberries perk things up...salad, grains, pasta, roasted veggies...

23. If you go to a restaurant where the portions are really big, ask them to bring you a to-go box right away and put half of it away. Then don't forget it when you leave...

24. Try whole-wheat pasta. It is so good. Many Italian restaurants have it so ask.

25. If you live in Houston, go to George's Pastaria. It is worth the drive even if you don't live in far west Memorial. It is between Briar Forest and Westheimer on Dairy Ashford very close to the roller rink. Heatlthy food (and bad-for-you too). Great wine selection. Great prices. My dish: whole wheat angel hair pasta primavera with shrimp and extra spinach. Try it, you'll like it.

26. Keep a food log/diary. It will make you think about every morsel you put in your mouth.

27. I have found that I can eat (fairly) healthy just about anywhere. Most places have a chicken sandwich (ask for no mayo, be sure the chicken is grilled not fried), or have a small hamburger and only eat half the bun if you are forced to---but a lot of burger places now have salads. You can do it...you just need to look harder at the menu.

28. Order salads with dressing on the side and ask them to cut the cheese if it is on it. Dip your fork into the dressing. I promise you will get all of the taste and not so many calories. I can't stand over-dressed salads now.

29. Keep protein bars in your purse/bag/car. That way you always have a snack and keep your metabolism going and won't overindulge when you do get to eat.

30. Eat slowly. You will eat less. I promise...

31. If you have a My Fit Foods near you, try their stuff. There are other companies that do what they do----make fresh, healthy food in controlled portions that are convenient to pick up and eat. I've been eating it since April and I'm not tired of it yet...

32. Cut out all but natural sugars like those that you get from fruit. Try it for 2 weeks. You won't miss it. And if you commit to it for a couple of weeks, you will find tht you lose your taste for it.

So there you have it...basically this is how I have been eating for the last 9 1/2 months. There is no magic to it. It is just making good choices. Cutting out the bad stuff. You don't have to go "no carbs" or "juice fast"...just eat clean and healthy.

Don't try and tackle this all at once...just pick some things and I bet you will begin to see changes...if not in how you look, but HOW YOU FEEL. I feel GREAT now...I don't look great but I feel great. I have energy. I sleep better. My skin is better. I don't crave things.

My trainer writes a blog about food and excercise. It is GREAT information. I have learned a lot from him (when I am not yelling at him about making me run up the hill). Take a look:

http://trainingwithjesse.wordpress.com/

OK, now I have to go and look at football stuff...so I'm not completely stupid about it all...but then again I might just go to bed and let Dimples handle it all.

Inspiration song: "Lisztomania"---because it was the only thing close to having "list" in the title on my iPod. It is by Phoenix. It is a really good song!

Bye Darlings...let me know what works for you...