Shaking Up My Workout Routine

Shake it up is the theme to my workout routine. If it gets boring—shake it up. If it gets too easy—shake it up. If the weather is bad—shake it up. workout Crater Lake, Oregon

Changing my workout routine

I’ve found doing the same workout again and again has pitfalls. First, I’ll get bored, and if I’m bored I’ll be looking for any excuse to postpone or avoid doing it at workoutall. Second, I’ve improved and now I can do the exercises easily. Once this happens, my aerobics instructor tells me I’m not getting the most from my workout. This means it’s either time to push myself a little harder or try something… Read More

Fitness At Any Age

I’ve exercised all of my life, but I haven’t always been physically fit. In my late 30’s I was out of shape. I didn’t do much aerobic exercise, and it showed. After hiking short distances, I was winded and exhausted. It wasn’t until my mid-40s that I really got serious about exercise, and it was for two reasons. First, I found losing weight was not as easy as it was in my 30s. In fact, it was darn near impossible without exercise. fit Mountain biking at Mt. Shasta California Second, I was losing muscle tone and didn’t like what I saw. Since I’ve always been an avid bicycle rider, I started riding more. At the same time, I began… Read More

Fall Recipes

recipe Leaves turning colors It’s the end of summer, so I’m starting to think about heartier meals and fall and winter recipes. When it’s 115 degrees outside I don’t want to cook,  and just the idea of adding more heat by turning on the oven isn’t appealing. But with fall and winter on the way, I've been browsing for new recipes, and I came across some winners I want to share. The first is a new twist on mac and cheese from Cooking Light magazine called One Pan Broccoli Mac and Cheese. recipes One pan broccoli mac and cheese I have to say I was a little… Read More

Mirror, Mirror

Mirror Mountain biking Bend Oregon Why is it when I look in the mirror all I see is a new wrinkle, another gray hair, or God forbid a long, curling hair coming out of my chin! Right now I’m satisfied with where I’m at on the scale, but I don’t always like what I see in the mirror. Too much cellulite, saggy underarms, you name it, I fixate on it. Maybe I’m too focused on my reflection. Maybe what I should be asking myself is what are my strengths? What do I do best? What makes me stand out from the crowd? I’ve started a top-ten list of things I like about myself that aren’t weight or image related.… Read More

Blended Vacation Part 3

blended vacation sunset in Bend Oregon Blended vacation Mountain biking Mrazek Trail Bend Oregon blended vacation Mountain biking Mrazek trail Bend Oregon blended vacation Sunset Bend Oregon Blended vacation Mark trail Bend Oregon Blended vacation Phil trail Bend Oregon Blended Vacation Phil Trail Bend… Read More

Blended Vacation Continued

blended vacation Baseball playoff game first day in Oregon Last week I blogged about blended vacations and since I'm on vacation and have limited internet I thought I'd give you a photo essay of my blended vacation.   blended vacation Mountain biking Spense Mt. Oregon                 blended vacation Boating at Rocky Point Oregon blended vacations Boating with Bandit Rocky Point Oregon           blended vacations Rocky Point Oregon         Read More

Blended Vacations

Blended Vacations

exercise Mountain biking Spense Mt. in Klamath Falls, Oregon In recent years, my husband and I are taking blended vacations. We do some sightseeing, eating out and relaxing. We also look for ways to explore the areas where we vacation by biking, hiking, kayaking or whatever exercise strikes our fancy. In the past, I’ve found eating out while on vacation a challenge. I want to splurge all the time, especially if we’ve been exercising. But if I’m listening to my body, that’s not always what it wants.exercise The two important takeaways from The Checklist Diet by Rebecca Clark that I keep… Read More

Hunger Signs

Hunger signs—what are they and how do I know if I’m having them? This is a question I’ve struggled with since I lost the weight two years ago. Eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full. It seems like such an easy concept when I can define my hunger.hunger My brain says I’m hungry, but my body shows no signs of it, so which part of my body do I listen to?

Signs of Hunger

Dr. Michelle May, author of Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat lists these signs of hunger:
  • Hunger pangs
  • Growling or grumbling in the stomach
  • Empty or hollow feeling
  • Gnawing
  • Slight queasy feeling
  • Weakness or loss of energy
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Difficulty making decisions
  • Light-headedness
  • Slight headache
  • Shakiness
  • Irritability or crankiness
  • Feeling… Read More

Quick and Easy Colorful Recipes

Quick and easy recipes are a snap with summer fruits and vegetables. I love a colorful meal. In fact, it almost seems sad to eat it, but that sure doesn't stop me! I love the large selection of summertime fruits and vegetables. Browsing at the farmers markets, or going straight to my garden for my ingredients, is just plain fun.

Recipes

Spinach salad is a daily favorite for me. I love  a mix of sweet fruit, crunchy nuts and chewy Craisins. This is my Spinach Salad recipe: recipe Spinach Salad  
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1/4 cup kale
  • 1 T Craisins
  • 1 tsp nuts—I prefer chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 T Poppyseed Dressing
  • Chopped fruit—My choice of fruit varies on my particular craving that day, and sometimes I… Read More

Finding a Weight Loss Plan That Works for You

Weight Loss

Diane Carbonell recently posted on Fit to the Finish Why I Accept Other Peoples Diet Choices. weight Image courtesy of Marianne Oliva (c)/www.123RF.co I’ve been discussing weight loss for the past several weeks, and after reading her blog I wanted to clarify some points. I’m not a dieting expert. I’m a cheerleader, a motivator. I’ll be there when the burden feels too heavy, when you think you can’t take another step, when you think you will never lose the weight. I’m the one who will hold your hand, offer you encouragement, believe in you when you can’t. I don’t have answers, but I’ll be sharing what I'm learning. I am not a believer in fad diets. Not because you can’t… Read More