Most Consecutive Days Workng Out Ever

I made it through 7 days of working out. I have never worked out this many days in a row. I realized I don't care about weight loss so much, but I do want to improve my muscle tone to have better sculpting. So why the sudden interest? I saw Sherri Shepherd from the View talking about her weight loss and she admitted she hates working out but looks at it like brushing your teeth, it's just something you have to do. That was a light bulb moment. I kept thinking if I just found the right activity, I would then like working out. I kept waiting to have the switch flipped and then it wouldn't be a chore, it would be a hobby. Thank you, Sherri, for making me realize that won't happen. The next step was finding a workout I could tolerate. Thus I found the Shred. At least the results from working out make you happier while brushing your teeth just makes you tolerable to other people.

Keeping Me Honest-Shredding It

Today is day 5 of the 30 day shred. I think my friends on FB are getting tired of seeing that I worked out but I realized the accountability it gave me is what I need. Thus, daily I will post work out reports on my blog so as not to become dull.

Day 5 went well. Still on level 1 and plan on staying there for a bit. When I get to the last strength circuit, that is when I start to crumble. I am thankful to have the cardio back just to avoid more weights. I give myself 5 more days to get over that and "master" level 1.

I love that this 20 minutes and is effective, not cheesy. The DVD is on sale at Target right now for only $9! Join the Shred!

I Like Black Beans

I'm a firm believer that forcing things on others rarely obtains the desired result. Persuasion is much more effective and perhaps the "why" behind it might help to. When you allow another to have some voice or control, it's easier to get them on board. For example, my dad used to force me to try new things as a kid. I was a picky eater. Instead of it being about expanding my limited pallet, it became a power struggle. And guess what, I was stubborn. It's only been in the last 10 years that I've tried lots of new things. With my kids, I only ask them to try something I think they will like (so I build a trust) and hold true to the number of bites they have to eat. Only one if they don't like it. The low pressure has paid off. A few weeks ago I tried something I have avoided my entire life...black beans. And I liked it. For all you parents out there with picky eaters, give them some space. If you can't get them to eat what you want, hide it in a smoothie.

Day 2

Last night was Lucy's first night home in a crate. I prepared myself for a sleepless night, waking up every few hours to let her out. I did not plan on a massive thunderstorm that would prevent me from letting her outside. The rain didn't start until 11pm and I set myself up on the couch with Lucy in her crate on the floor. Lights were off, TV still on to offer a sound buffer for the others in the house, and then she started to cry. I reached my hand down to the crate and stuck a few fingers through. Within a minute she settled down and started to relax. I was shocked. And so i stayed the majority of the night, my arm hanging off the couch and twisted to reach the gate. But it worked. She spent all night there with one 4am potty stop, which was a puppy pee pad in the kitchen. My arm and wrist are sore and strained today but yet that was a small price to pay for sleep. This morning went well even though she had several accidents in the house. It turns out unless she's whining or sniffing, she doesn't want to go outside immediately after waking up. I tended to be too quick to get her outside only to have her pee three minutes later after she gathered her senses. Hopefully by the end of the week we wi ll have our routine down.

Lucy is Home!

Today we went to the breeders and picked up Miss Lucy. This was her first car ride and she handled it like a pro. She fell asleep on my lap with two boys fawning over her on each side. She is so small! I forgot how tiny they are. She might weigh 2 and half pounds, but not much more. This is an exciting time for the family and we are looking forward to learning and growing together. I will post more antics soon, but for now, our little Lucy just wants to sleep. I'm sure that will change when I'm ready for bed.

3 More Days Until Lucy!

It is Thursday and we pick up Lucy on Sunday. We have all our supplies now and are so excited! The other day the breeder sent over some more pictures. It was an "OMG" moment because the pictures were SO cute. Three more days.

Food Revolution: Are You In?

In case you've missed it, Jamie Oliver has a new show on ABC called "Food Revolution." Here he exposes the reality of the American school system's food program...and it's about time. When I look at my son's lunch menu, the sides are healthy, but the main entree rarely is. Pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, Hot Pockets, nuggets. These items are offered every week. Obviously the school doesn't use grass fed beef or turkey hot dogs. Is this really what we want our kids eating? Breakfast is MUCH worse ranging from cinnamon rolls, sausage biscuit, waffles, or pancakes. I am in the south, so chicken biscuits is on there too. Ok, take out the fat and calories for a minute...do you know how many other preservatives are in the food to make it last? The ingredient lists read like a science experiment. Please, if you care what your children eat, visit Jamie Oliver's website and sign the petition for our Food Revolution. http://www.jamiesfoodrevolution.com/petition .