NPRGEEK

It would appear my theory is correct.  A month back, I whacked my elbow in precisely the wrong spot.  It swelled and hurt for a couple of days, then was fine.  Then, a couple of nights ago, I woke with pain and swelling.  Yesterday I could barely use the whole arm, tried to keep icing it and use it enough to keep it from tightening up.  Last night, I woke at midnight and my elbow was swollen absolutely huge, and I had a large red/purple bruise starting.  I took Ibuprofen and an ice pack to bed.  Today, the swelling is reduced by half, my motion and usage are mostly returned (it still hurts, but not like before), and there is a large bruise.  I barely remember having whacked my elbow again a few days ago, I remember a moment in the kitchen where I had the dog and the kid invading my space as I was coming through a doorway, and I turned and tapped the elbow on the door casing.  It hurt for a second, but it didn’t seem like THIS big of a deal!  Must be elbows are slow to heal, and can easily be reinjured in the meantime. 

I’m losing some ground physically, these three days of taking it easy, but at least my mood is stable and my pain is easing.  Things could be a lot worse!  LOL  Take care, “everybuddy”!

3500 Calories in, one pound weight gain.  3500 Calories burned, 1 pound weight loss.

It appears abdominals aren’t the only think to crunch for weight loss!  I think I may finally take up an interest in Math… 

I did not get in the exercise I said I would last night.  Today I have not eaten smart.  I have not overdone, I’ve underdone.  I had a Luna bar for breakfast, but then never ate lunch at all.  I really don’t want to eat dinner, but I’m going to force myself when I’m done here.  I hope my lack of eating today doesn’t end in a binge tonight.  I’ll have to make sure I’m not up too late so I get tempted.  I did not do any exercise today, either.

I do not know what I’ve done to my elbow, but out of the blue last night, I started getting really intense pain in the elbow.  Today is feels swollen and hot to the touch and I can hardly bend my arm, cannot use it for lifting, can’t squeeze my hand to pick things up.  It’s so odd, but so painful!!  I can usually push through pain, but this is odd and hard to fight!  So I’m going to take it easy today, too.  I keep trying to stretch it lightly, but golly, does it ever hurt!!!  Also, my monthly arrived, so I’ve been hurting pretty bad that way today, too.  I want to hunker down with some good tear-jerker movies, curl up in a ball and take a little time out from the world.

So that’s me.  I’m in good spirits.  Just anxious to feel better enough to do something!  I don’t want to lose my groove…

G’night, all!!

Well, I’ve eaten smart today, although I probably had more than one serving of dinner.  Some things are harder for me to judge a serving of than others.  I will say that while my plate was probably more than a single serving, it certainly wasn’t two servings, and I did leave just a few bites on the plate.  Which I don’t usually do.  But I guess I became aware that I was full before I had finished it.  I think most of the time, I eat how much I want and don’t really listen for the full factor. So that was a good call. 

However, I did not get a bike ride in today.  Tonight I am going to make sure I do some good stretches, and some traditional exercises on the floor.  I know it won’t amount to near the caloric burn of my ride, but at least it’s something.  I did get the rest of my flowers planted today, and some consider gardening exercise, albeit ultra-light!

So that’s where I stand in terms of food and exercise.  Regarding emotional health, I feel pretty neutral today, which is good, and somewhat rare.  I feel peaceful knowing that I was a good wife and mother today.  And a good friend, as the neighbor lady called this morning in need of an emergency babysitter, and I obliged by watching her daughter for a few hours.  I feel really good!

I am a bit nervous about next week.  I have been summoned for Jury Duty!  While I am really excited about witnessing the court system in action and performing my civic duty, I’m really nervous because it’s going to take me into the “heart of the big city”, where the driving is really confusing to me (one ways all over the place and weird traffic lights and always construction).  Hubby will take me for a dry run or two over the weekend to show me the route.  I have to take a shuttle and everything.  I feel…like afterward I’m going to think of myself differently.

Okay, folks!  I am so outta this chair!!!  If you’ve already done your work out here and find yourself now stuck surfing ~ do the same!!  Get outta that chair!! 

Well, I didn’t just fall off the wagon, I threw myself under the wheel!  I ate too much of everything at the open house.  The only positive thing I can say about my eating there is that I stopped after one tiny helping of potato chips.  They were great, and I am a real crunch freak, and I still said no to more of those.  But I did say yes to everything else, a couple of times…However there was actually A LOT of pretty intense stuff playing out amongst the family at the open house, and I must say that my weight and eating issues were just small potatoes, if you’ll forgive the pun…  So I’m not going to beat myself up about anything.  I was great about making sure I had breakfast this morning, then I went right out for my ride, and even kicked it up a notch by downshifting.  I ate a healthy lunch and dinner.  If I can make it to sleep tonight without having had anything else, then I’m good!

I hope all the rest of you had a good, if not better weekend in terms of your goals!!  If not, forgive and forget ~ and begin anew!  Don’t hold onto yesterday’s mistakes or you’ll be sabotaging tomorrow!!  I have much to do tonight, so I’m signing off early.  Take care and God bless!!

Turns out it was quite difficult to find exercise clothing.  But after hitting a few places I won’t mention, I’ll proudly spout off the name Dunham’s Sports, the only people in town to have things in my size (and even in the colors I wanted!)  I can’t tell you how overjoyed I was when I finally pulled on something that fit!  Was comfortable!  Easy to move in, and….(drumroll, please!)…made of fabulous new technologically enhanced fabrics!!!!  I’ve never worn anything that the air passes through so easily!!  This is going to help so, so much!!!  Honestly, just putting them on made me feel healthier and smaller! 

So this oppressively hot 84 degree morning, I pulled on my new miracle clothes and had a several mile bike ride under my belt by 10 am.  I will say that despite my new gear, I really didn’t enjoy today’s outing very much.  Just plumb too hot.  Even the music I listened to didn’t inspire me.  So I took pleasure simply from knowing I was taking care of myself, and got it done.  Ahhhh…

Time for me to hit the showers, I’ve got a party to attend this afternoon!  A nephew’s Open House, he graduated high school this year.  I usually dread these kinds of social things, but today, I’m REALLY stoked about it!!  This is going to be a good time!~ Just have to watch my decisions at the buffet….LOL

Stick to your goals, folks!  And have a good one! 

So my house is tip top for the weekend, and I’m keeping my head above emotional water.  LOL  It’s been a rough coupla days for me.  Really rough.  Thankfully, it hasn’t been a challenge in terms of fighting the fridge.  At times like this, it’s more a matter of fighting to keep eating, so that my metabolism doesn’t slow.  Like rolling out of bed and just not wanting to eat breakfast.  I discovered that these energy bar things (though you have to examine labels!) are ideal for that, for me.  Some mornings I just can’t handle much substance.  Those are mainly the stressful mornings.  When I wake feeling good, I can eat the whole garden in an egg white omelet!  LOL

Does anyone have a special energy bar they recommend?  Or one that they want to warn against?

 I got very little exercise today.  Maybe twenty meandering minutes on the bicycle, early in the hot, humid morning.  It’s hard with my daughter along to get any quality exercise out of a ride, bless her little 10″ tires!  But at least I got out there.  Because I REALLY did not feel like it, and only went for sake of my daughter’s plea. 

 But the weekend is coming, and I plan to get lots of activity in.  If nothing else, AT LEAST take advantage of hubby being home in the mornings and evenings on Saturday and Sunday, and going for a long, hard bike ride.  I really do love to ride hard.  I like gradual uphill climbs best.  They burn.  I don’t shift for help getting up the hill, I don’t let my pace change.  I just ride hard.  Those moments are the best, especially when enhanced with proper theme music!! 

I need to get some good clothing for exercise.  I don’t have a single piece of the right kind of attire.  That is against me, BIG TIME!!

My favorite thing today?  I picked up the phone!  I really don’t like the phone.  I feel a lot of pressure when speaking.  I so prefer to write, where I have time to consider.  However today, I picked up the phone, and it ended up that the gal I called was getting ready to call me ~ and tell me that she joined Curves this week!  There is a small one right in our town that has opened.  She says you can be in and out in half an hour, and that after only four visits, she’s loving the way she feels!!   (She is 50, has neglected her health for a long time and was afraid she would be a mess) She said she even asked the woman that runs the place what their policy was on children, with me in mind.  They have a little spot set aside for children, and it is completely visible from any station you work at!   My daughter is very well behaved and I think she would even enjoy the outings.  I know that she would like seeing me happy.  It would be teaching her good things!!!!!

Alright, people!  Push me!  Somebody hound me!  I am not likely to do it, despite the fact that deep in my heart I really want to.  I have developed a very intense shyness that I need to overcome.  This is me trying to break out, folks!  Grab hold and pull!!  LOL   

Can anyone tell me anything about Yoga?  I literally know nothing, but it appeals to me very much to the extent that I have seen it performed.  The terminology involved is intimidating to me, confusing.  And most of the “moves” I’ve ever seen done looked…too advanced for me.  LOL  Can anyone put it in layman’s terms, and tell me how to begin doing Yoga?  Or share your own experience with Yoga?  Please?  Thanks!

I put my daughter on the bus for her last day of Kindergarten this morning, then took off on my bike for 2 hours.  I rode up and around a lake that is near us.  Three times I rode round that lake!!  I had my trusty iPod along with my favorite “fire me up” tunes and “spirit restoring” instrumentals. 

There was a storm blowing in, and you could feel the electricity in the air above the lake.  Everywhere was thick with the smell of the fresh flowers that brightened up the corners of the well-manicured little lawns.  I have a life-long fear of water.  I do not like to be in it.  But I LOVE to be near it!  And catching the glimpses of it’s calm surface, between the little homes, just really made me feel very peaceful.  Seeing the swans fishing beneath the fog, nodding at the early-risen old men, smelling the gardens…I feel balanced.  And triumphant! 

I got plenty of exercise already, today.  And I’m hoping that this storm will blow over so I can go out and get some more!!  I’m just astonished at how great I feel!  All of you reading this can do the same!  Find your happy place!  Find your medium!  I love biking because I’m a top-heavy gal and most other forms of exercise don’t allow me the wind in my hair without…well, pangs elsewhere.  LOL  I love the burn of climbing and the exhiliaration of coasting….Oh, man!  I am so fired up!  Come on, guys!  Get with me!  Keep me going and I’ll keep you going!!

I am in search of a female buddy that is interested in reciprocating near daily distraction (plain ol conversation), support and encouragement.  My spouse works the nightshift, and once our child is in bed, I fight cravings that I believe are brought on by loneliness and boredom.  My favorite activities are public radio, writing, painting, reading, cutting and stacking firewood with my hubby, bicycling, dancing, movies, and stopping to smell the roses.  I am concerned about summer approaching, as I just do not handle heat well at all, and it is hard to get proper/fun exercise in our very small home.  I am also concerned about the stress of having a five year old on summer vacation while my husband needs to sleep for his nightshift.  Leaving home much isn’t an option, as gas prices are too much an issue, and we live far out into the country…  And I don’t want the weather and stress to keep me from my health goals!  A long, sweaty day of trying to keep a rightfully boisterous youngster quiet, then being all alone at the end of the day could easily pack another ten pounds on me.  Are any of you ladies interested in buddying up?