CHRYSALIS

Thinner...

2011-10-28T10:43:00.002-04:00

I have noticed recently that I can fit into some of my clothes that I have not worn in a great time. I have lost some weight and inches. That is a good thing. Some dresses are looser and I can fit into a pair of jeans that I could not get up my thighs last year. What a relief. That smaller portions and increased movement are working. I just need to keep going.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Diminishing Pain

2011-09-28T09:25:00.002-04:00

A few years ago I was suffering with some mild back pain. I did not know what it was. I would wake up in pain in the morning. It would stay with me at times throughout the day. I thought it was my mattress because it was indeed old. I got a new one and I felt some relief but I was still painful. The change in the mattress being new, was so great that I knew that that was the culprit. I had been sleeping on a mattress that was bad and lacked support for so long that it hurt my back. Headaches were fairly common as well.

One Saturday I was in my local health food store and there was a woman there doing demonstrations about pain management and chiropractic care. I have never had faith in chiropractors even though I had never been to one. I had heard all the old wives tales about them. I spoke to this woman and while I did not let her do anything to me on the table that day, I did take her card. About a week later still in pain I decided to call her. Skeptical, I set up an appointment and went in to see her. It was one of the best decisions of my life. She set up a plan of care for me and and did several adjustments and my pain disappeared. My headaches went away as well. I saw her for about 8 months and had no pain at all after a while.

There really is no reason for anyone to suffer with any sort of back or neck pain these days. There are many ways to achieve pain management and many good providers as well. One such example is Pain Management NJ . They actually take a holistic approach toward each patient by developing an individualized care plan that is tailored to match their needs. Their goal is to eliminate or considerably reduce chronic pain via diagnostics and top of the line treatment. They treat pain in all areas of the body ranging from the neck, back and shoulders to the hip, feet and ankles. In general they use both surgical and non surgical procedures depending on the patient.

Pain Management NJ has a team of pain management specialists that are trained and licensed in their field. No shysters there! They provide treatment that is skilled and at the highest levels of patient care. Based on your medical status, some of the non surgical procedures that are available include physical and occupational therapy, as well as rehab. Some of the surgical procedures include neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. Your need for services can stem from any source ranging from accidents, injures to diseases. Be sure to check the website because it is easy to navigate and had a wealth of information that will surely answer questions anyone may have.

Pain Management NJ really seems to be a one stop shop. Contacting them and getting an appointment is easy. I know at times with some providers it can take weeks to get an appointment if you are a new patient. Getting a new appointment is as easy as signing up on line. There is even a method for signing up for an MRI on line as well. They even have all their forms on line so that you can print those out and prepare in advance for your appointment with the. Be sure to review some of the testimonials. They indicate that their patient care is good. Patients are happy with their care there and results of their treatment plans.

If you are in pain and want a provider that is dedicated to restoring you to a stronger physical condition and managing your pain, consider Pain Management NJ. You may be very pleased with the outcome.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Rough Night

2011-09-23T10:59:00.002-04:00

Last night I had a rough night. I had a case of acid reflux that happened when I was sleeping. That is really bad. It is like acid goes into my windpipe/lungs and I spend about an hour or so coughing up acid. It is not pretty. It happens when I eat late and am very tired. I fall asleep soon after eating and there in the the trouble begins. It was not too bad last night. I managed to wake myself up when I felt it happen so it was mild. I took an antacid pill and about an hour later I was back asleep. That was at 3:00 am. So I am somewhat tired today. I was up at 5am to start the day. I may need a powernap later on!

This afternoon I want to go to zumba class. I want to do some excersize today. That will be a 4 or 7. I do not which class I will attend. The remaining time will be spend doing some housework and maybe getting a nap in there somewhere. It will be a long day. But I will keep on keeping on! It is all we can do.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Motion is Important

2011-09-19T09:29:00.001-04:00

For the past few days I have been doing daily walking. Partly because I am dog sitting and the dog has a set walk schedule. I have just about let the dog walk take the place of my power walking because he has a mile dog trail we cover 3 times a day. That is a lot of dog walking. It is a little different because it is stop and go walking. There is a stop at just about every mailbox so he can hoist a leg. It is still exercise though. That is the key. Motion.

Motion as much as possible is the key. It shakes everything up and does burn calories. His owners will be back in three days then I am on my own as far as motivation to walk. It will still be there. The fall weather is so nice that it easily lends itself to my wanting to go outside.

The other thing I have been contemplating is my bike. I have a brand new woman’s mountain bike that is just begging to be ridden. It was a gift to me 4 years ago and I have yet to let my butt hit the seat.

It looks real good chained to the patio. It looks like a biker is in the house. I do need a helmet. That is the one thing I do not have. With this weather being so nice, I do want to ride. That will help as well. Every little bit of motion will help. It will help to with keeping my knees loose. When the weather changes there tends to be some stiffness now.

I am a firm believer that if you do not use it you do lose it! I am trying desperately to hold on to what I have now and to improve. So motion is it. Motion wherever I can get it! Walking. Biking. Zumba. I am committed to more movement.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Habits: Pumpkin Ones

2011-09-16T09:09:00.002-04:00

I have had to take my child to school three days a week and due to the fact she gets out before noon, most of the time I do not go back home. This saves on gas and trips back and forth. What I do is wait for her just down the street at a local Starbucks. I love Starbucks but over the years, I have come to know that I must limit those wonderful coffee drinks to a minimum. I still do that but in these past weeks of school I have come to rely on my venti bold coffee and a muffin or a piece of pumpkin bread. That does not sound so bad.

I know that is not the nice low calorie breakfast but it is so good at 7:00 AM in the morning. I must say that this is now a habit and about my only vice of the week...that muffin or pumpkin bread in the mornings. I mean, it is pumpkin. That is nutritious. I so not see me giving up this habit anytime soon. I guess I will have to add in an extra workout to work off those calories. Trust me when I say I have not been motivated to do this yet. Habits are so easy to fall into and so hard to manage once you become aware of them. More will power is what I need.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

8 Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes - diabetes2 - Health.com

2011-09-14T11:20:00.000-04:00

8 Tips for Controlling Portion Sizes - diabetes2 - Health.com

Portion control is key and I have failed miserable at it! It is a work in progress

Zumba

2011-09-12T08:08:00.002-04:00

I took my first zumba class last week. I walked by the studio in the mall for about three weeks before finally deciding to try. Just watching the other women in the class made me think I was so uncoordinated. I used to dance, took ballet, danced in the nutcracker. I decided that inside me somewhere way down deep was a little grace. I finally decided to take the class.

It was a lot of fun. I stood in the back so that I would watch others and learn the steps. I did not learn all of then and I could not get all of them coordinated. It was fun and I did get a workout. Just what I needed and I was not the only new person in the class that day. We all had a great time.

I think I need this class. It was all about shaking it up, shaking those hips. I thought I was shaking it up and showing what I was working with. Apparently I was mistaken as the teacher kept looking at me and pointing for me to "shake it up" some more!! REALLY!! I guess my feel of being nimble and quick is all in my head.

Zumba! Just what the doctor ordered! Maybe I will get all those dance moves down and I can be really impressive on the dance floor. (Don't burst my bubble!) I can only hope~!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Motivation Escapes Me!

2011-09-12T08:03:00.003-04:00

I am always motivated. In my mind. Or at least I think I am. But then I do so good for a few days, I loose my focus and in goes the bad food. As soon as I eat it I remember! I stop, often spitting it out. I want it to become second nature....no more anything sweet. I guess it will always be a struggle but I so wish it were not.

I want the easy way I guess and nothing in my life has been easy. It always has been hard and often times impossible seeming. I want it easy...just for a little while.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Buy Scrubs Online

2011-09-02T09:50:00.003-04:00

My child works at a vet clinic and has to wear scrubs to work. So far we have visited about 3 local places to find a variety. We had been to Walmart and 2 uniform stores. The place with the best prices if Walmart. The place with the best variety are the uniform stores. It seems those two things cannot be found together where I am. I want good prices and variety all in ONE place.

She has worked at the vet clinic for over a year now and loves it. But her scrubs are now showing signs of wear and tear. She has come home on two separate occasions with bleach stains on her black scrub pants. Now, that is NEVER going to come out. They are ruined. She still wears them but they do not look new anymore.

I have recently discovered this site for scrubs on line. Please check it out: http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/ . They have variety and great pricing all in one place!! Yeah! Blue Sky began because a young resident did not want to wear an ill fitting hat in the OR, so she designed her own. Her hat has grown into a full line of products that are of high quality, affordable and comfortable. There are scrubs for men, women and if you want custom made scrubs just for you...well you can have that too!

Something which looks new to me are the urban scrubs. They are professional but have a casual, urban air. I think mu daughter would like those. Something else I have never really considered is scrubs for kids. There is an entire collection for kids that can be used for play but are still comfortable for them.

I would definitely consider the option to buy scrubs online . The ease of being to do it from the comfort of my home is appealing. The pricing and the variety of what is available on the site is great and there are even some items on sale! Another great thing about Blue Sky Scrubs is that they are paying it forward. As purchases are made, they will ship a free hat to a cancer patient or a paying customer as part of a program called, Project Blue Sky. It is their effort to give back to others.

If there happens to be any issues with your order, there is a 90 day exchange policy and a guarantee that is focused on customer satisfaction. I will be passing this link on to my child so that we can look at some of the options available for her. I know she will just love some of the colors and styles on the site!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Ginger and Inflammation

2011-09-02T09:36:00.002-04:00

Recently I have been noticing that I have been having a little swelling of my left knee and sometimes the ankle. It almost gives me a cankle! Who wants that?? I have been keeping it raised and that helps but I have been wondering the cause.

As a result I have been exploring natural anti-inflammatory foods. Foods that will naturally reduce inflammation in the body. From reading that is one of the most common ailments we all have and it leads to many bad things. There are many common things that will help. Some are garlic, beets, ginger, green tea, ginger, sweet potatoes, berries, curry„ cinnamon..just to name a few.

About a week ago I did buy some ginger root and it has been sitting in the fridge. Well last night I broke it out and cut off about a dime size piece and ate it. I like the taste of ginger. Pungent and strong when eating it fresh. I was unable to swallow the piece, so I just chewed and chewed till all the flavor was gone. I followed that with a hot cup of green tea and this morning, the swelling in my left foot and ankle is MUCH reduced.

Reduces Inflammation
Ginger inhibits the metabolism of arachidonic acid, a fatty acid that produces inflammation in the body. Health-care practitioners often prescribe ginger for inflammatory joint diseases such as arthritis. In a study reported in the “Indian Journal of Rheumatology,” scientists compared the effectiveness of indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to ginger in 52 participants with osteoarthritis of the knee. The study concluded that ginger is as effective as indomethacin, and may be an option for patients who currently take anti-inflammatory drugs to control their pain.

I do believe I will be taking a closer look at what I eat and the benefits of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory foods. Ginger has many benefits. I have known that it has been used in the middle east and Asia for centuries. I have know that it was a digestive aid and have used it as such before. I was not really aware of the benefits for reducing inflammation.

I feel enlightened! Knowledge IS power!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Coming to Town

2011-09-02T09:20:00.000-04:00

Coming to Town

This guest post from Doris Dillon

Recently, I just found out that my father will be coming into town for a couple of weeks. Normally, I would be very excited about this because my dad and I get along so well but I really have so much going on with work right now that I don’t have time. My boss just promoted me and put me in charge of one of the largest projects in the company and I honestly believe I’ve been working 60-hour weeks. Personally, the promotion has been a double edge sword because I got to move up in the company at such a young age but I don’t really have time for my family and friends at the moment. I really hope my dad can understand the fact that I won’t have much time to hang out with him while he’s here because I can’t really take off and just drive around all day making small talk like we use. Living in the city is difficult to keep up with all the expenses of rent and utilities. Thankfully, a friend of mine sent me this link www.SHOPELECTRICITYRATEStexas.com a couple of weeks ago and now at least I have fixed energy costs and that’s one thing I have to worry about.

Feeling Old

2011-06-09T13:39:00.003-04:00

In the last month I have felt very old...like things are falling apart. I have had some swelling of my left leg, edema I guess, that has left me quite immobile. That combined with a swollen knee as well. Not sure of the knee is swollen of the leg causing the knee to feel bad. Well anyway, it seems that at 50 I am falling apart.

I have found some remedies. I read up on edema and there are some natural remedies to try and I have tried them. Different foods and drinks that are natural diuretics. I started my changes 2 days ago and what a difference now. Well, for 2 days I have only drank water and apple cider vinegar. That has been the greatest thing. I read that the vinegar will help and it has. In addition eating lots of lettuce, radishes and beets. All good things found in nature and lucky for me I like them all.

I really do believe that diet and monitoring what we put in our mouths can make a big differences in our health. I see a lot more apple cider vinegar in my future!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Health Month

2011-04-01T18:44:00.002-04:00

I really started using Healthmonth for REAL in March. Something had to be done. While it is an online site, it makes me think about the rules or goals I have for each month. They are with me all day so it makes me think all day about what I am putting in my mouth. The thing I seem to be having the most trouble with is the walking. I need to realy put the exercise in my schedule. I need to wake up about 30 minutes earlier to get it all in. THANK GOODNESS for Healthmonth! It really has made a difference for me!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Poisoned Pill

2011-04-01T18:29:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite television shows is The Good Wife starring Julianna Margulies. I like it for a number of reasons. She is a great actress, I love court room dramas, and the plots are always interesting and fun. I was excited when I heard the rumors that Michael J. Fox was going to appear on an episode. I have liked him since Family Ties and miss seeing him on the small screen because of his ordeal with Parkinson's Disease. He was on the episode that was called the Poisoned Pill as a snarky lawyer who used his neurological condition to help sway the jury. It was awesome to watch him using his personal struggles in a fictional storyline. What made it even more amazing was how funny he was able to! do it all. The ending was unexpected because while most people thought Fox's character had lost everything by the end of the episode, he showed the other lawyers just how magnificently he had won. The plot was creative, the acting was superb, and the best news is that he is due to come back for at least two additional episodes. I always watch The Good Wife on my DirecTV cable packages for Virginia, and I will definitely set my DVR to record his future episodes so I can watch them again whenever I want to.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Sweet Potato

2011-03-10T10:46:00.000-05:00

The sweet potato is packed with nutrition that makes the calories worth it...they're fat free w/fiber...help fight heart disease & cancer!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Fish and The Office

2011-03-08T13:05:00.003-05:00

Is there office etiquette when it comes to eating fish? In the last office I worked if you happened to bring in a can of sardines it was a terrible thing. Today I have left over red snapper and it smells. I just nuked it in the microwave and it is now fishy. I have walked back to my office and the smell I guess was wafting after me as I walked. Now I am sitting in a great, big fishy smelling office. It is a good smell. I like it but I guess my cohabitaters do not.

They will be okay. I think there is some room spray around. I will find that and use it after I eat. Is there some rule that it is best not to eat fish or sardines in the office?

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Top of the Morning!

2011-02-28T11:18:00.001-05:00

Breakfast today was a Luna bar and a cup of coffee. I had not tried the Luna bar before. Very good..filling like I ate an entire meal. That is a good thing. I will have to get some of these for home!

Now I need to fill up on water!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Keeping Score

2011-02-23T23:52:00.002-05:00

Technology is helping me to stay on task. I have discovered Runkeeper. This is a program and an app on smart phones that helps you keep track of your excercise routines. The best part is that for those of you...me included.. that are obsessed with Foursquare stickers...had yet another way to earn them. Excersize and use runkeeper to keep track.

Soon. Very soon I will have my first runkeeper foursquare sticker!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Naked Soon?

2011-02-23T13:29:00.002-05:00

In my closet there are two sets of clothes. The clothes I have had for years when I was much thinner that are classic and timeless that I refuse to get rid of. I have to get skinny to wear then again! I will. Some of them I have had for years..since 1990. They are still good. Like new. Some even still have the tags on them. I look at them often. They take up 3/4 of the closet. They were the clothes I wore before I had a child 17 years ago. They are beautiful!

The other 1/4 of my closet are filled with the few clothes I have now. They are the bigger clothing. I do not like them. Some of them are stylish but they are big. I refuse to get more and now they are wearing out. Seams are coming apart and under arms are getting dark from deodorant and constant washing. Some do not have the same shape. Slowly I have had to get rid of these clothes and now I have very little to wear. I will not buy more. No more big clothes. I have all those little ones to wear. So what have I done.

I am in the frantic race to walk, wog or jog these pounds off. I have to or I will be naked soon. Soon I will have nothing that fits and I refuse to buy any more big clothes. I have all those little ones to wear. I resolve not to be naked soon!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Another New Day!

2011-01-24T09:35:00.001-05:00

Breakfast was oatmeal....a yummy new flavor! Cranberry and almond! Followed by coffee and a cup of french vanilla fat free yogurt!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

2011-01-24T07:36:00.001-05:00

A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed. ~~Henrik Ibsen

2011-01-22T06:56:00.001-05:00

Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape! ~~Anon

2011-01-20T12:18:00.001-05:00

"Never limit your view of life by any past experience." ~Ernest Holmes

2011-01-12T06:32:00.001-05:00

In the book of life the answers are not in the back" ~~Charlie Brown

2011-01-11T11:12:00.001-05:00

1/11/11 @ 11:11!!

2011-01-07T07:47:00.001-05:00

Our lives begin to end the day we begin to become silent about things that matter. ~~Martin Luther King

2011-01-01T22:15:00.001-05:00

Walking today: distance 1 mile

2011-01-01T10:13:00.001-05:00

In every beginning there is an end. In every end there is a new beginning. It is what we do between the two that count. 2011 will be good!

2010-12-28T06:46:00.001-05:00

'Tis the set of the sail that determines the goal, and not the storms of life.' ~Ella W. Wilcox

2010-12-24T07:18:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas Everyone! "Christmas magic is silent. You don't hear it--you feel it, you know it, you believe it." Kevin Alan Milne

2010-12-23T07:43:00.001-05:00

With the Festivus pole hung from the ceiling with care, I'm beginning my list of grievances to air! Happy Festivus Everyone!! ;-);-):-):-)

2010-11-30T07:11:00.001-05:00

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. ~~Helen Keller

2010-11-28T07:20:00.001-05:00

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." ~JK Rowling

2010-11-26T08:06:00.001-05:00

Don't wait for your ship to come in! Row out and meet it!

2010-11-19T06:47:00.001-05:00

"A strong imagination begetteth opportunity." - Michel de Montaigne

2010-11-17T06:29:00.001-05:00

While the early bird is off getting the worm, I'm making an egg-white omelet from the eggs in her nest!! Happy Wednesday!

2010-11-16T06:51:00.001-05:00

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way! ~~Napolean Hill

2010-11-13T14:09:00.001-05:00

Food Trip with Todd English! I love his show. #toddenglish

2010-11-13T05:37:00.001-05:00

In three words I can sum up everything I know about life. It goes on! ~Robert Frost

Vistaprint!

2010-11-12T18:57:00.003-05:00

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Do you have a small business or thinking about starting one? If you are trying to minimize the cash outlay at startup, then the only solution would be Vistaprint. They actually offer small businesses everthing they need to market their business and a lot of it is free! You simply cannot beat that. They have free business cards, websites, car door magnets, rubber stamps and pens, just to name a few! They have much, much more and offer such great deals that over 9 million people a year use their site and are happy customers. They deliver high quality products in low volume at a great price! They are able to offer such great prices to the consumer because all their printing is fully automated. Advanced technology has made them able to offer so much for so little. Upgrading to a premium product and personalizing cards or other printing items is very easy to do for a small fee.

For the internet business there is even an internet marketing package that starts off free and then is a low $26.96. With that package you can build a website in minutes, do email marketing and get listed in all the major directories like Google and Yahoo. Unlimited sites are available and changes are easy to done once it it set up. With the professional package you will even have the ability to accept payments and donations via Paypal. Tracking customers who come to the site will be valuable as well and the package allows for that also.

Vistaprint is not just for businesses. There are many products available for the home and family. Birth announcments, invitations, stationary and gifts as well are easy to get from the site. One of the first things that come to my mind for the family would be tee-shirts or hoodies for family reunions. They can be printed and ordered in mass for the entire family in attendance. Instant quotes are available and you can upload your own pictures of browse the picture gallery on the site.

From home to business Vistaprint has all your printing needs at a fair if not fee price. Who can beat that. The site is easy to use and is very user friendly , offering tips and a guarantee of satisfaction that they stand behind!

Bizarre Foods

2010-11-05T07:18:00.001-04:00

Bizarre Foods! Be sure to check these out! I will try some things but some of those are just ridiculous!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Size Means Wisdom?!

2010-10-31T18:29:00.003-04:00

I heard this from a friend of mine!

With time women gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies! So we are not heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy! Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, "Good grief, look at how smart I am! Must be where the term 'smartass' came from!"

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Bollywood Workout

2010-10-30T17:13:00.001-04:00

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

I watched Slumdog Millionaire last week and at the end of the video there is a wonderful group dance in the bollywood form. It is wonderful and really makes me want to move. I remember when the movie first came out and there was all sorts of dancing videos out in that style and I wanted one. Now I know there are some and this one looks good. It looks as hard as any hiphop dance routine out there. I know I would get a good work out as well with it!

Tae-Bo and The Grind Workout

2010-10-30T17:06:00.003-04:00

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Well this week I have been doing some Tae-Bo tapes. I pulled them out of the cabinet. I have gotten quite a workout. I thought I would be sore but I have not been. I guess that means I need to work even harder. I have been searching for the Zumba tapes at the library to check that out and they do not have them. Darn! I guess I really will have to order them. But then again I may need to wait!

I saw the GRIND workout in the cabinet as well and I remember how hard all those hiphop moves were to master. I think that the Zumba will be the same. Maybe I should go backk to that first and get my hiphop groove on before I move to Zumba.

AIM: Cheap Affordable Insurance Quotes

2010-10-27T18:40:00.005-04:00

I used to work in the insurance industry as an adjuster. I handled car accidents and injuries as a result of those accidents. It was amazing that so many people did not have insurance and were still driving. I guess that is the benefit of having the underinsured....so that when you are hit by that uninsured driver, you claim for damages to the car and injury to yourself will get paid.

Insurance is not cheap and with the economy today I can see where families may be forced to make a choice between food or insurance. There are alternatives to that choice and thank goodness there are some. For example check out AIM Insurance. They have cheap rates that are affordable for just about anyone! Insurance can also be a confusing thing. The average person who does not work in that field can be confused with the language alone. Liability? Collision coverage? Comparative negligence? Damages? No fault? Comprehensive coverage? What does that all mean?

I know what all those terms mean having worked for 10 years handling auto claims. AIM takes aim by helping the consumer understand some of those terms by providing explanations for some of the basic terms right on the website. Definitions in laymans terms is provided to help the basic consumer understand what he needs as far as insurance choices. It is easy to get a quote from them as well. It is easy. Just enter the required information in the boxes and you will get a quote based on what information you provide. You will then be able to compare the different insurance companies based on cost and services. Hands down I bet you will find that Aim has cheap, inexpensive, affordable coverage.

Even if you have a bad record they can help. Nothing but time can improve a poor record but at least you will have some coverage. Aim even provides assistance and advice on how to handle teen drivers who are just learning to drive and need coverage. After taking a gander at the site, all the information provided is accurate and is more than enough to educate on insurance terms and to help any decipher the somewhat tangled language of insurance. Consider Aim! They are definitely aiming to help you get the best bang for the buck: Cheap Inexpensive Affordable Vehicle Insurance Quotes!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Diet Gone Wrong or ALtered

2010-10-26T13:40:00.002-04:00

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

You know I began the cabbage soup diet on yesterday and today is already a fail! I think I will eat all of it this week and just eat lighter and exercise. I think for me to do this diet I would need a friend to do it with me so we can moan and carryon together! I did it in the past with three other girls in a prior office and we all did just fine!

I guess I am sadly lacking the willpower department!

Cabbage Soup Diet

2010-10-26T13:37:00.001-04:00

Cabbage Soup Recipe

6 large green onions
2 green peppers
1 or 2 cans of tomatoes (diced or whole)
3 Carrots
1 Container (10 oz. or so) Mushrooms
1 bunch of celery
half a head of cabbage
1 package Lipton soup mix
1 or 2 cubes of bouillon (optional)
1 48oz can V8 juice (optional)
Season to taste with salt, pepper, parsley, curry, garlic powder, etc.
Directions:

Slice green onions, put in a pot and start to saute with cooking spray.

Cut green pepper stem end off and cut in half, take the seeds and membrane out. Cut the green-pepper into bite size pieces and add to pot.

Take the outer leafs layers off the cabbage, cut into bite size pieces, add to pot.

Clean carrots, cut into bite size pieces, and add to pot.

Slice mushrooms into thick slices, add to pot.

If you would like a spicy soup, add a small amount of curry or cayenne pepper now.

You can use beef or chicken bouillon cubes for seasonings. These have all the salt and flavors you will need.

Use about 12 cups of water (or 8 cups and the V8 juice), cover and put heat on low. Let soup cook for a long time - two hours works well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

2010-10-26T08:57:00.001-04:00

The key to success is to make your vacation your vocation! ~~Mark Twain

Zumba Craze!

2010-10-23T11:33:00.002-04:00

Well. I was unable to sleep a few nights ago and I saw a late night infomercial for Zumba. I had been seeing signs here and there around town but did not really know what it was! Well. I was totally mesmirized by the show. Just watching it made me want to get up and move! I checked out the classes in my area and they are all at gyms. I do not have a membership anywhere not. I used too...so the best option for me would be to order the DVD's.

It looks like a lot of fun and looks like a great way to loose a few pounds! Zumba! Check it out!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Seaweed and Benefits!

2010-10-22T16:04:00.003-04:00

I have recently discovered the wonderful world of seaweed! I went to my local Earthfare and found quite a few things there! I ended up leaving the store with a large package of dried seaweed and a shaker of seaweed and sesame seeds to sprinkle on salads and rice dishes! The benefits are out of this world and it is a secret to long life that we Americans need to embrance.

What are some of the benefits of eating seaweed? Seaweed is really a super food packed with essential vitamins and minerals and rare minerals as well. They have a variety of antioxidants that help prevent against a variety of diseases like cancer.

• Seaweed as well as seaweed extract help in detoxification of body.
• Seaweeds in any form are beneficial for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
• When added to your food, seaweed extract makes your food 'high fiber food', which helps improve your digestive health and also overall health.
• Alginate from seaweed helps increase metabolism and thus, can prevent weight gain from consumption of high-fat, high-calorie foods.
• Seaweed or seaweed extract can enhance the functioning of the immune system, helping the body fight viral infections such as herpes.
• Seanol, a powerful antioxidant from seaweeds helps boost energy and mental alertness. It inhibits the growth of free radicals which helps reduce the chances of cancer cells growth.
• Seaweed can relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis by around 15%. An increase in mobility and reduction in pain is noticed in patients of arthritis after regular use of seaweed extract.

I do like seaweed and believe in the health benefits. The challenge is now to get a teen to eat seaweed!? She eats the sprinkled variety because I do not tell her what it is and she thinks it is finely chopped spinach! She is going to be healthy even if it kills me!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Today...not so Much!

2010-10-05T18:40:00.003-04:00

Well when I got up I had a bowl of cereal. Not just any cereal but a healthy one with flax seeds and berries and antioxidants. It was good. I had a little milk...I am lactose intolerant but I like to drink milk from time to time even though it does not like me! Mid morning was my down fall. With my coffee I did have about 4 cookies..vienna fingers. Not the fat free ones!

Lunch was even worse. I did not have time to make my sandwich today so it was a trip to the Bojangles down the street. Grease for days but it was good. It has been about 4 months since I last ate there.

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Nice Gestures

2010-10-05T18:35:00.002-04:00

At work on yesterday we had a small office cookout. We normally know about things like that in advance but yesterday was a surprise. I was good with it because it was an office lunch. I did not have to buy my own that day. Well...knowing how the boss is at times, he will pass on not so good things to other people. We had hamburgers and hotdogs. It was all good and we all ate...even him and his wife.

At the end of the day when I was in the kitchen, there was an odor of "bad"meat filling the kitchen. I looked in the trash and the hamburger container was in there. I bet that meat was just about bad so he brought it in and cooked it up on the grill for us to eat. I guess the heat would kill any bad germs.. like echoli....you would hope.

Normally if you put the container the meat is on in the trash, there would not be a horrible smell like that on the first day of it being in the trash. When he called me to come eat...I had a feeling that this was food he wanted to get rid of. Why I had that feeling I do not know, but I did.

Echoli burgers at the office! What next!?

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Getting It Together

2010-10-02T15:11:00.004-04:00

Why is it so hard to loose? I really do believe if you keep track of everything you put in your mouth it will make a difference. Awareness makes you think about it all. Today let's begin with morning. Breakfast was a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks and a maple scone. Well let's just says that none of that was diet in any way, shape or form!

Lunch was better. I had a spinach wrap sandwhich filled with vegetables and asian noodles. Soup was also on the menu. A bowl of shrimp wonton soup! I have not had my normal allotment of water and I amover due for that.

I think dinner will be light! I hope. I plan to go walking to at least counter act some of what I ate earlier today.

I must say that I did go overboard with the smoked salmon. I just about ate an entire package by myself over 5 days. That is the one fish I can safely say I am addicted too. I just love smoked salmon!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

2010-08-15T07:10:00.001-04:00

Don't tell God how big your storm is. Tell your storm how big God is!

2010-07-26T07:03:00.001-04:00

A pink lady apple and one rogerwood sausage foe breakfast! Lots of water too!

2010-06-06T08:25:00.001-04:00

30 minutes of walking while listening to Paganini's Dream! Now for water and a light breakfast!

2010-05-21T19:57:00.001-04:00

"You are today where your thoughts have brought you. You will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you." - James Allen

2010-05-19T13:25:00.001-04:00

I guess I was doing good till I added 2 cookies to the Subway order!

2010-05-19T13:09:00.001-04:00

Lunch is Subway today! Tuna sub!

Good Intentions

2010-05-19T11:59:00.002-04:00

I did have good intention on yesterday. When I got home I put on my workout clothes to go walking but got side tracked! Today...walking!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder.~~Unknown~~

Lunch AGAIN!

2010-01-08T12:33:00.001-05:00

I think today that I will be having the most unappealing lunch in a while. I brought it to work on Monday and have yet to eat it! Today is the day. Okra soup and rice with ham. It will be warm. Oh well..at least it is something I do not have to buy today. It is just so leftover!

Food and Hunger

2010-01-04T13:07:00.001-05:00

Why is it that we feel that we CANNOT do without food? Today for breakfast I had 1/2 a boiled egg and 1/2 sausage patty. Coffee and then tea. Lunch was left over okra soup and rice. About a cup of that. I feel like I have not eaten very much! I guess I need to go fill up on water to feel full! The first few days will be hard!

Lunch

2009-12-30T14:20:00.001-05:00

Just had the worst lunch ever! I went to Bojangles.....I told myself my last visit for a very long time and I could have saved myself a trip! It was the greasiest chicken I have EVER had in my life. I bit in and SQUIRT! Not a juicy piece of chicken but a pocket of grease that went all over my sweater! Yuck! Next week begins the cabbage soup diet and all food in moderation. I do not eat very badly now. I am just so sedentary. No moving around! That will be the key. Moving around to loose some pounds! And definitely no more Bojangles. That was the greasiest meal I have ever had.

--
Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.

This is IT!

2009-12-30T11:37:00.001-05:00

OKAY! A new year and a new me. That is my goal for 2010! More to come.

Back......

2009-07-27T15:15:00.002-04:00

Back after a long time of not blogging. Anywhere. I have been trying to catch up on sleep because I was very sleep deprived. If you do not get enough sleep, there is no way I had the energy to exercise and/or loose weight. So now I am getting more sleep and boy what a difference! No more falling asleep as soon as I get in a dimly lit room or in public places where I am supposed to be awake! Sleep makes all the difference in the world! Now I need to put in the exercise.

Breakfast today was oatmeal and about 12 cherries. Lunch was salad--a bowl full anda cup of green tea. Snack right now is a Sobe water. They only have 100 calories. Yuzu black currant! Good. The not so good meal is coming. My birthday is in 2 days and friends want to take me out tonight for mexican for dinner.