Friend Makin' Monday - Cooking Habits

Wooohoo!  Happy dance for the A-Z Challenge that has now Zooooooomed away!

Spent the entire weekend watching kids dance at a competition - the girl's studio racked up by awards.  I like to think they were awesome, (and they were!!) but they were one of the few studios in this one particular category, so that may have helped some.  But we'll take it!

 It’s time for FMM!



If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Cooking Habits

1. What is your favorite meal to prepare at home? Spaghetti and garlic toast.  It's one of the few dishes I make that Miss Picky will have seconds of.  I very seldom have leftovers.  I'm making lasagna tonight & they are both looking forward to that, too.
2. Do you like to experiment in the kitchen, or do you prefer to stick to the basics?  I like to experiment, but SOME people (cough, husband, cough, daughter, cough cough) in my house are not adventurous. 
3. What is your favorite cookbook? Hmmm…Hungry Girl has some great recipes! I also love SkinnyTaste.com and believe that Gina should publish a cookbook.  (Yes - I kept the same answer as Kenlie!)
4. Do you have any tricks to share that help you reach your fruits and veggies goal for the day?  Nothing recently, but I do love salads and will add spinach to my smoothies, when I make them.
5. What’s the most interesting thing you made last week?  This is a hard one - since I didn't go grocery shopping and was gone a lot due to the comp and stuff.  I had a box of Banquet Chicken & Dumplings (just mix it all up & bake and also very surprisingly low in Points!).  I added some extra Bisquick to make the dumplings bigger, more veggies and a can of cream of whatever and it was really good!
6. How often do you watch cooking shows on TV?  Never
7. When you’re hungry, where are you most likely to look first? Probably the fridge.
8. List a few healthy staples that can always be found in your kitchen. I always have chicken breast in the freezer. I usually have frozen strawberries, fresh spinach and romaine and skim milk. I usually always have bananas, peanut butter and eggs too. (same answer as Kenlie again!)
9. Are you motivated to cook at home even when you’re eating alone?  If it is just me, I have no problem with making some eggs and grits.  Or eggs & pancakes occasionally.
10. How often do you try new recipes? Not as often as I like, due to the afore-mentioned picky family.  Hubby likes the traditional old standbys and the girl will eat Pizza Rolls and Nutella until they come out of her ears.

Z

Z is for Zumba!

Darn I wish my daughter's dance studio offered these classes sometime other than 9 am (when I'm at work) - this looks like a riot!

Zumba is a "Latin-inspired dance fitness program".  That pretty much explains it all.  The YouTube clip shows how its done.

source


Thank you so much for visiting me during the A-Z blogging challenge.  It's been a lot of fun and I will be sure to do this again next year!

Y

Y is for Yoga.

Yet another post that has taught me quite a lot!

Apparently yoga is not known for calorie burning, but it has been shown to decrease heart rate, help you to cope with stress better and just put you in a better mood.  This is besides the obvious benefit of increasing flexibility.

There are different types of yoga.  You know the guy sitting on the mountain top that people go to for words of wisdom?  He's practicing an Asana posture.  This pose is centered on the mind and you basically cannot move.  It's for deep meditation and relaxation.

Surya Namaskar are easy and repetitive poses known for the ability to make you relaxed and comfortable.  I have to assume this is for beginners, since it says you needn't be very flexible.

Bikram Yoga poses are the most common poses in yoga.  These are not relaxing poses and the room is usually hot.  There are 26 poses that you must do.  No alternatives, no shortcuts.  But people say they experience peace of mind and feel great afterward.

Pranayama is also known as the yoga science of breathing.  This sounds simple, but there is more to it than you think!  You must relax and be aware of your breathing.  You must also have a "free flow".  Not quite sure what that means!  And you must have just emptied your stomach.  I didn't realize that was something that just happens *snap* like that.  But t is suggested that you do this in the morning before sunrise, so yes, your stomach probably is empty. 

Shakti yoga helps people to change their way of thinking and teaches them to reach their maximum potential thru the use of powerful techniques.  There are a lot of methods used in shakti yoga that I'm surprised aren't used more, if they can change people's ways of thinking & such!!

This has opened my eyes to how pathetic my Wii Yoga really is!  However, even using the Wii regularly, I noticed myself having better balance - so i guess that's not all bad!


source 1

source 2

X

X is for X-treme sports!!!

OK, these are the "craziest" of the extreme sports, according to www.oddee.com . 

Volcano Boarding

Limbo Skating - for the very flexible!

Train Surfing - and if you watch the video on the link, they also train dance!

Crocodile Bungee - for when bungee jumping is too tame.  Here you get dunked into a neighborhood of live crocodiles!

Cliff diving.  Haven't Hawaiians been doing this forever?

Freestyle Powerisers Stilts - these look like a lot of fun!

Underwater Hockey.    O_o

 Airkicking - aka the human catapult

Slacklining - instead of using a tightrope, this is like walking on a rubber band.

Zorbing - or the human hamster ball.  Also looks like a lot of fun!  You have the option of being strapping a harness or filling the inner ball with some water so you slide around.  I would so do this!

One thing I noticed about all of these Xtreme sports - they are all being done by college aged guys.  Hmmmmm.  Coincidence?

W

W is for....whatever!

I had a nice thought for a post today, but was actually busy at work today, then made this mistake of staying at the dance studio while the girl was in her classes, working on bling-ing out her warm up jacket.  So I didn't get my post written.....or weigh in done....or grocery shopping done...or aquarium scrubbed...or any number of things. 

So I'll close with a few more W words
Who
What
Why
Where
When
Whack-a-doodle - (thank you Miss Angela!)
Worm
Wiggle wiggle wiggle ...yeah
WooHoo!

V

V is for...vegetarian!

Wow - writing this has been an eye-opener for me.  First of all - there's no way in hell I'd be a vegetarian and kudos to those who do!  I feel that God made animals taste good for a reason.  But I also understand there are many personal reasons why someone would choose to avoid the deliciousness known as meat. 

Anywhoooooo.  I had no idea there were different types of vegetarian diets. 

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian eats dairy products and eggs, but no meat, fish or poultry.
Lacto Vegetarian eats dairy products, but no eggs.
Ovo Vegetarian eats eggs, but no dairy products.
Vegan eats no animal products whatsoever.

Then there are the Semi-Vegetarians.  They eat fish and maybe some poultry.
Pesci - Vegetarian eats fish, but no poultry.

The main concern I see with any of these forms of vegetarianism is that you have to be sure you include enough variety to ensure that you're getting all necessary vitamins and nutrients.   The article cited in my source is geared towards teens, but is very interesting.  I think like any way of eating, at first you'd really have to be conscious of what you're putting in your mouth.  It takes planning and thought, you just can't decide to stop eating meat and then grab a bag of potato chips!

source

U

U is for Ugly Food.

I also wrote about ugly food for the "U" post in one of my other blogs, but this one is different.

I'll just let you go check out this site to peruse at your leisure.  I couldn't even choose a couple images to post here. 

Just a warning - make sure you're not eating.

UglyFood.com

Friend Makin' Monday - Q&A

I've been slacking on my FMM's due to the A-Z Challenge - shame on me!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at:  www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

FMM: Q & A

1. Share one thing that has changed about you since you began blogging.  When I first started blogging, I'd only post maybe once a month, so my posts were novels.  I've learned that posting more often = shorter posts!
2. If you were forced to give up chocolate or potato chips for an entire year which one would you choose to live without? Potato chips. Easy!
3. What’s more attractive?  Without a second thought - uniform!  Maybe that goes back to my Navy days when that's all I saw?
4. If you could be a guest star on a reality show which one would it be?  The only reality show I actually watch is RuPaul's Drag Race, so I would have to choose that.  I think it would be a riot!
5. What is the last meal that you prepared for yourself? Spaghetti & garlic toast.  I promised the daughter I'd make it for her when she got her bottom braces on, since it's fairly soft and she likes it!
6. Is your hair colored, or is it natural?  Colored since my natural color is mud. And I've been showing some silver so Miss Clairol is totally my friend!

7. If you could leave town today and go anywhere, where would you go?  I'm OK with going "anywhere".  I'm not picky!
8. Do you prefer to exercise at the gym, at home or outside?  I haven't been to the gym in years.  So at home or outside.

9. Have you ever asked someone out on a date?  I've asked my hubby out on a date before!
10. How many cups of coffee do you drink on an average day? I usually have it 2 or 3 times a week.
11. Do you pack lightly, or do you over pack?  I usually slightly overpack.
12. What color are your nails now?  They're naked.  But since it is starting to be sandal season, my toes will be done soon.
13. If you could have lunch with one notable (living) person who inspires you who would it be?  Hmm.  I don't' know.  Maybe the former Kate Middleton, since she went from commoner to royalty.
14. Who is your favorite professional athlete? Nicklas Lidstrom - captain of the Detroit Red Wings - I don't care if they got knocked out of the playoffs already!
15. Gum or mints? mints
16. Have you ever eaten crawfish? nope, but I'm not opposed to it.
17. List one or more human characteristics that are a complete turn-off.  Arrogance / snobbiness / bad grammar / bad breath
18.  What is your favorite season?  Spring with Fall a close second.
19. Do you prefer to shake hands or hug?  hug
20. Can you quote lines from Saved by the Bell from memory?  If so, what’s your favorite?  nope, sorry.

Take a few moments to post your answers, then come back here to link up in the comments!
Happy Monday Friends!

T

T is for Tools.

 

OK, not that kind!


There are all sorts of items out there to help a person with their weight loss, whether it be to keep track of calories or carbs or any combination of nutrition and exercise. 

I use my WW eTools on the computer, there are all sorts of progress reports I can use to track how I'm doing. I also have my WW mobile app on my iPhone, although I learned quickly that the WW barcode scanner app is wrong.  I scanned a couple things that I had already knew the Points value for and it was wrong.  So that ticked me off a bit.  I also have measuring scoops for portion control and a digital kitchen scale that can switch between ounces and grams.

Everyone has their own methods that work best for them, either a simple notebook and pencil, a fancy website or whatever - tools help!

image from here

S

S is for Smoothies.

Oh my - there are quite literally zillions of different smoothies out there to help you detox or simply get in some extra veggies.  If you go on Pinterest & search "smoothie" you'll get pins upon pins upon pins.

This is the first one that got my attention....

The Skinny Green Monster

a frozen banana

spinach

Chobani Greek Yogurt, plain

peanut butter

almond milk

Of course I tweaked my recipe some, since I think almond milk is disgusting.  I used skim milk and tossed some strawberries in for some extra sweetening.  

Just any FYI if you do that......notice that lovely bright green up there?  Strawberries add red.  Which makes for a really nasty brown smoothie.  But if you can get past the color, it tastes really good!

R

R is for Richard Simmons!

How can you not love Richard Simmons?  Everyone knows the goofy, flamboyant Richard who gets people up dancing and sweating.  Did you know he grew up in the French Quarter of New Orleans and weighed 268 lbs at the end of high school?  He tried many unsafe ways to lose weight before settling on moderation, balance and exercise.  Obviously he's got it right!

 

source

Q

Q is for....Quinoa.

This is something else that I've heard a lot of talk about, but have never tried.  I haven't seen it at my usual grocery store, so obviously I need to look somewhere else.


Quinoa has been a staple in South America for a long time - it is easy to prepare, satisfying and nutritious.  Sounds good in my book!  And for those who may need it - it is also gluten-free.


Weight Watchers eTools says it has a nutty, almost grassy flavor and has a wonderful texture. It is used in place of pasta or potatoes at meals. I saw a suggestion that you could make the quinoa in apple juice, water & cinnamon then mix it with yogurt, fruit, nuts & raisins.  That actually sounds pretty interesting!



 source 1
source 2


Just an FYI - I acknowledge that I used the same post on 2 different blogs.  This is the first and only time that I have done this because Q is such a hard letter!! 

P

P is for Paleo.

I've heard a lot of people switching over to this way of eating.  Basically, you eat like the cavemen did, back in the Paleolithic era (from about 2.5 million years ago until about 10,000 years ago).  You know, the hunters & gatherers. 

The people I've read about (blogs & friends on Facebook) all swear by this, since you're cutting out all processed food, grains, pasteurized dairy, etc., they feel better, are healthier and so on.

I applaud anyone who can change their entire way of eating like this.  I personally have no desire to try, even if it is intriguing.  Besides, my family would probably mutiny if I tried to get rid of the the Pizza Rolls, Nutella, potato chips and I'd probably be thrown out of the house if I didn't let them order pizza!

So anyway - this is an FYI post, not one that I have experienced personally.

awesome image from Retrospective Caveman
his blog is all about eating paleo with lots of recipes & such.

source

O

O is for.....Oh Happy Day!

I got my new iPhone 4 last night!

The first thing I did was install and play with both the WW app and the WW barcode scanner.  I zapped at least 100 different items in my kitchen just to "try it out".  Love it!  I see this being a huge help, since as soon as I scan something, I can add it to my tracker.  This will keep me honest and make me think when it comes to snacks while out & about.

Luckily, one of the guys at work has one, also.  Normally my resident geek (the hubby) would show me the ins & outs, but his new phone is an Android.  So my co-worker showed me a couple other different things about it that are good to know, such as how to close all the apps that automatically stay open in the background, saving my battery!

Happy Happy Joy Joy!

N

N is for Night Time.

I know life sometimes gets in the way, but you need your beauty sleep!  

WebMD  says that not getting enough sleep can lead to a vicious circle of staying up late, going to coffee & doughnut for energy at work, skipping the gym, picking up carry out for dinner, then being too wound up to sleep.When you are tired, you seem to automatically reach for junk, or comfort foods.  This may wake you up for a while, but in the long run it adds on the pounds.

On average, we need 7.5 hours of "quality" sleep.  I guess quality sleep is what someone with little ones at home or certain orange cats (to like to give kisses / groom hair at night) don't get!

On the other hand....WW says if you lose weight, you sleep better because you don't have the extra fat around your next blocking your airway. This helps with sleep apnea.  And makes your bed partner happy because of less snoring!

funny

M

M is for Munchies. 

I was going to post about the evils of having the munchies & how to avoid them.  But I changed my mind.

Proceed to drool.

Welcome to my weakness!

 google images

L

L is for Looking Good!!

 This is me the weekend before joining Weight Watchers, 

back in August 2008.

270 lbs

moooooooo!

This was about a year ago but still appropriate, 

since I've only lost about 7 lbs since then!

218 lbs

Happy Friday the 13th!

K

K is for Kale.

Kale Chips, in particular.  Has anyone tried these?

Basically, you tear up the leaves of kale, wash & dry them, spritz them with some olive oil & bake.  The link my source goes to is a parmesan version.  

I think I'd want to try someone else's before attempting this on my own.  I would like to try them, tho!

source

J

J is for Journal.

To me, journalling is one of the hardest parts of the WW plan.   I think it is a pain, although I know it is necessary, to document every morsel of food that may cross my lips.


According to eTools, it helps you to be more aware of, and stay accountable and focused to your goal. Sort of like using a financial budget.

I never liked actually writing in an actual journal, since I would find myself writing down the food, but not always (OK, very seldom) figuring the points values for the food,  Which is rather pointless.  Using eTools was better, since it would keep track of all that I used and how many I have left, and also my activity points.  But I'm not always in front of a computer to use eTools right away!

I am looking forward to getting a new phone in June, since I will make sure I can get the WW app, so I will always have my tracker close at hand.  I've heard on this app that I will also be able to scan an item's bar code and it will enter the PointsPlus values for me -SQUEEEE!!

I

I is for Intervention!!

I've been really unhappy with myself and Weight Watchers lately - I've lost just about a whopping 7 lbs in the past year.  Woo.  I swear, even tho I know the program and follow it most of the time, I get home from work and all my day's goodness goes out the window.  Work must sap the energy & motivation out of me, since I'll get home & suddenly turn into a lump.  I don't want to DO anything from clean the house to exercise to take the dog for a walk.  And I'll also suddenly be ravenous for food.  I know I can't possibly be truly hungry, since I'll pass up the fruit and go straight for cereal or something.

Then I got one of their regular emails.......this is copy / paste but I'll include the link, too.   The italicized parts are theirs - my comments are in green.  Now that I read over this - maybe I should have said my ~excuses~ are in green, because that's what they sound like.

When You're About to Quit

Sometimes life can throw a few curveballs that can throw off a weight-loss plan. We gathered 8 expert tips to help you keep it going even when you feel like you can't.

Article By: Melissa Sperl

You're bored. Frustrated. Exasperated. Tired. Just too busy to even think of trying to lose weight. You want to quit.   YES !!!

Don't despair. You've reached the point in your weight-loss project that truly determines whether or not you're going to get to your goal and stay there. Now it's up to you.
"Most people trying to lose weight go through periods when they're discouraged," says Dr. Howard Rankin, a Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, psychologist and founder of the Institute for Mind-Body Medicine. "One of the factors that distinguishes people who are successful from people who aren't is that people who are successful quit for a day or so, then get back on. Unsuccessful people quit and give up for good."  Yeah, bite me, buddy!

Quit or Keep Going: It's Up to You
Picture yourself standing at a fork in the road toward your weight goal. Go one way, and you're off track completely. The longer you keep going that way, the harder it will be to get back to where you were. Or, choose to keep going and make it to your ultimate weight goal that much quicker. But that's much easier said than done, right? Not with the right tools. Consider these suggestions from Rankin and from Palma Posillico, general manager of training and development for Weight Watchers International:

Expect it.
Wanting to give up is normal, says Rankin. And if you plan for what to do when quitting crosses your mind, you'll be more likely to decide to stick with it.

Get a move on motivation.
If you feel like giving up and want to give your efforts a boost, says Posillico, try using Motivating Strategy, a useful tool from Weight Watchers Tools for Living. Picture yourself at your weight goal—how does it feel? Spend a few minutes each day imagining what it will be like. (Subscribers only, click here for more information on Motivating Strategy.) One message board user says she looked at Weight Watchers Success Stories for motivation. "I would visualize myself in their place. I thought of what my pictures would look like, what 'tips' I would share." Try it.

Eliminate the word "quit" from your vocabulary.
Perhaps instead of "quitting," you're deciding to maintain the weight you've already lost, just for a little while, until you get your motivation back. "Learning to maintain along the way is a very successful strategy," says Posillico. I seem to be going this OK.

Don't let plateaus put you off.
Another user says: "I almost quit when I was still a few pounds over my weight goal. A lot of resentment grew between me and the scale." If your weight loss has slowed or even stopped, despite what feels like your best efforts, keep at it. Take another look at your Winning Outcome (another powerful tool from Weight Watchers Tools for Living), the goal you set when you first started. "The thing that kept me going and striving to lose those last few pounds (and it took me months)," says the user from above, "was that I wanted to be a Lifetime Member."  Hmm, maybe I need to check that out.

Figure out what's worked in the past.
Look through your Journal at weeks that have worked for you—if you're a subscriber, clicking on the weights in your Progress Charts will bring you to your Journal for that week. What did you do? This week, focus only on the task of repeating what you did that week. See if it works again. I see an issue - I haven't filled out my progress charts in several weeks.

Try Meal Ideas.
If you're bored with eating the same foods, or sick of figuring out plan-friendly options, Meal Plans are a great way to diet without deliberation. WeightWatchers.com subscribers get weeks' worth of Meal Ideas.  My main problem here is my picky-ass family.  I try to get the girl to eat more veggies, and then the hubby turns around and says he doesn't like this or that.  DAMMIT!  I said when I started WW that I wasn't going to make separate meals, and I don't want to since I hate menu planning anyway - figuring out 2 per night would make me insane!

Find a meeting.
Get yourself in the company of people who you know will help motivate you, like the people at Weight Watchers meetings.Post on the message boards.
About six months ago, meetings member Elaine almost quit. "My motivation had just vanished," she says. She turned to the message boards, and, she says, the people she found on them helped get her going in the right direction again.  I've been running in to get on the scale but not staying for the meetings.  I guess because it's embarassing that I haven't lost more, considering how long I've been going and also discouraging when I hear all these other people getting their little awards & stuff.  

Well crap.  I don't know what I need to do anymore.  Guess I should start over reading the entire website and maybe I'll get the old excitement back.  I skipped last week's meeting and the next 3  weeks I really don't have an excuse to miss, since the girl has extra dance classes and I won't need to be shuttling her back & forth.

I also need to get rid of that damn Easter candy in my house!  Chocolate is sent by the Devil, I'm sure!

H

H is for Hypnosis

I have downloaded the Enjoying Weight Loss CDs by Dr. Roberta Temes.  I need to get on the ball listening to these every day, since I've had hints of how well they'd work if I did!

On 4 discs, she covers:
Intro to Weight Loss
Intro to Hypnosis
Weight Loss Essentials
Selecting your food program
Eating Smart
Avoiding Temptation
Exercising Regularly
Appreciating Yourself
Maintaining Weight Loss

Dottie at DWLZ swears by this program!

Happy Easter!

Hope you have a safe & peaceful Easter!

May you not eat too many jelly beans, chocolate or M&Ms!!!

G

G is for Goal

What are my goals?

I really want to be healthy.  I want to live a long time.  I want to be the 'fun" mom instead of the couch potato.

I don't want to be one of those crazy, fat dance moms who look like she would keel over & die if she attempted just one of the classes that she carts her kid off to each week.

I want to wear cute, flattering clothes - stuff that doesn't look like I shop at a maternity store or an old lady store.

I want to feel good and not complain of aches & pains just from day-to-day life. 

That's not much to ask, is it?

 

GOAL!!!!

F

F is for Friend Makin' Mondays!

 Seems funny posting this on a Friday, but that's how the days fell!

I follow the blog of a wonderful lady, Kenlie and she hosts this linky party every Monday where you answer her weekly question(s) and link back to her blog.  This is a great way to connect with other bloggers with the same interests as you.  Kenlie is an amazing inspiration, because she has lost over 100 lbs and is only halfway thru her weight-loss journey.  She's got a wonderful upbeat attitude, isn't afraid to share her less-than-stellar moments and has even gotten to work out with Richard Simmons - squee!

E

E is for Ease Into It!!

A runner (which I'm not - but it's a good example) cannot just get off the couch one day and decide to run a marathon.  You have to work up to it.  I've heard a lot of people talk about Couch to 5k as a good starting point.   The idea is that you follow the program and it guides you into getting built up into running.

But yeah - that's just one of many programs to assist in people getting their tooshies moving!

D

D is for Dottie's Weight Loss Zone

I really enjoy the message boards at DWLZ.  Personally, I think the people are a lot friendlier & less clique-y like on the WW boards (my opinion - don't yell at me!)  Overall it's a useful site, in addition to WW eTools.  Dottie herself is a real person who gets on the boards and chats like everyone else. She's got links to a zillion different restaurants with PPs listed on the menus, all in one place.  That makes eating out while on WW a lot more convenient!

She's also got some offers for great deals on stuff like VitaTops & coupons for (gasp!) sugar free margarita mixes!!!

I love the newsletters she sends out.  She covers a lot of info that interesting and can even get a giggle sometimes!


Eeek!  I wrote this & somehow it saved as a draft instead of posting on schedule!  Good thing I checked before going to work!

C

C is for Cardio or cardiovascular fitness

Basically, if your heart isn't strong, your body isn't strong.  So cardiovascular fitness is geared toward making this most important muscle stronger!

I served 8 years in the US Navy after high school, so I did plenty of cardio back in the day - running, jumping jacks, 8-count body builders (which I believe were invented by Satan himself!), sit ups & push ups. 

But now that I am a fat & happy civilian, I prefer to get my cardio by going for a brisk walk.  I learned that cadences are a wonderful thing.  When I ran in formation with a cadence caller, I could run forever.  Going out on my own is a different story.  So I downloaded an entire album of Navy cadences onto my iPod that I use for walking.  Since it's geared for running (which I don't do anymore - unless chased by zombies) I really have to hit a fast stride to keep the beat.  And we happen to have a nice park with a 1.6 mile paved path around it at the end of our street.....yay!  I use the 1 1/2 block walk to get to the park as my warm up & cool down. 

 aaah, memories!

source

Friend Makin' Monday - When I was a kid...

Hi everyone!  if you're here for the A-Z Challenge post - that should be below this one.  FMM is something I do every Monday and link back to Miss Kenlie's blog so a bunch of us with similar interests can "meet"!

If you’ve taken part in FMM then you know the rules. If you’re new, please take a moment to answer this week’s question on your own blog then add your link in the comments section over at: www.alltheweigh.com so we can all see your FMM questions and answers. Please invite your blog readers to add their links here too so everyone has to opportunity to be seen. The idea is to connect with other awesome bloggers so take a moment to post your own FMM post and comment on a couple of other posts. Now it’s time for this week’s topic!

When I was a kid…

1. My parents told me…God made dirt, so dirt don't hurt. 
2. I wanted to grow up to be a…horse trainer.  I was even accepted at a college in Ohio specialiazing in Equestrian Studies.  Then I saw the Navy recruiter in the hall at school....
3. I refused to eat…Mom's lasagna.  Her noodles were always still hard.
4. My favorite thing to do outside was…we spent the entire summer outside as kids! My parents had a place "up north" and only 3 channels on the TV.  So we had favorite trees to climb, swam in the river, explored the woods - when I got older, I was out on horseback all day.
5. I broke my…I've never broken a bone!  Had stitches on my head from jumping on the bed, tho.
6. I liked to wear…clothes? I didn't have any certain favorites.
7. My parents always…seemed to get along.  Us kids got yelled at plenty, but I never heard them raise their voices at each other.
8. I thought that Santa was…real until I found where my parents hid the stash.
9. My favorite cartoon was...Scooby Doo.
10. I was the…youngest of 5 - aka "the accident"
11. I got in trouble when…hmm. tough one.  My brothers got in trouble a lot, so I watched & learned what not to do from them. 
12. My bedroom was…somewhat messy.  I had to share a room with my sister who is 13 years older.  I didn't think she'd ever move out!!
13. My favorite food was…popcorn
14. My parents always made me…ride in the bed of the truck while going up north.  It sounds horrible, but I had a lawn chair (there was a camper shell on the truck) and my Walkman, books and the dog for company.  It was only a 2 hour drive.
15. My first crush was…not until high school.  There was a guy named Mark who was a year behind me, but had the most intense blue eyes.
16. My favorite toy was…Dirt.  Worms.  Naked Barbies.  My toy horses.
17. I thought school was…a trial.  I never fit into one of the cliques, so I just stayed to myself.  My grades were just average.
18. My biggest fear was…something grabbing my legs while swimming.
19. My favorite story was…any of my horse books.  I had tons of them! And the Little House series.
20. My favorite memories…going on walks thru the woods with my Dad.  I can't tell you how many times I fell into the river while crossing on a log, but Dad did it and I thought I could!

Now it’s your turn! Don’t forget to answer the questions on your blog and come back to link up in the comments! Happy Monday!

 

B

B is for BMI

Wow, when I started Weight Watchers, my BMI wasn't even on this chart!  I was 270 and I'm 5'8".   It was like a 41.  Insane! 

I am down to 33, which is still considered obese, but I know my health is much better!  I sure feel a lot better than I used to!

A

A is for Activity!

According to my Weight Watcher's eTools - activity can be anything! 

Let me see.....

Aerobics (obviously)
Archery
Ax Chopping
Basketball (both playing & officiating!)
Billiards
Canoeing
Cleaning gutters
Dancing of all styles
Darts
Elder care (during active periods)
Farming (barn cleaning)
Fishing
Gardening
Grooming a horse
Hacky-sack
Hanging sheetrock or wallpaper
Horseback riding
Laying tile, linoleum, carpet or sod
Motorcycle riding
Ocean sailing
Operating a snowblower
Painting a fence or wall
Pushing a wheelchair or stroller
Saddling a horse (I don't see how this counts unless you're saddling 20 horses!)
Scrubbing bathroom / bathtub / floors
Shoveling snow (I know this gives you a workout!!)
Tobogganing / sledding
Washing the car

So there really is no reason not to rack up some activity points while on Weight Watchers - just life give you APs!!!