Health and Nutrition

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

Make Your Workout a Family Affair

Workouts should be a family affair. Sometimes you might have to get creative, but the payoff is worth it.

Making workouts fun

My kickboxing aerobics instructors, Dana and Gloria Warren are always changing up our workouts and one night there were several kids that came with their parents.workout Dana started us off with a game of tag. Think you’re in shape? Try keeping up with a bunch of kids in a confined space who run for fun all day long. The Klutzy Athlete was breathing heavy in no time. Later in class, we piggy-backed the kids up and down the gym. They may not heavy, but trust me, you’ll get a good workout after a few trips with an extra 30-50 pounds on your back.… Read More

Life is More Than a Number

Outlaw Bathroom Scales

I think bathroom scales should be outlawed, banned like plastic grocery bags, sent to the crusher never to pop up an unwanted number again. My life seems to revolve around the number on that tiny screen. When I’m a few pounds under 150 I’m on top of the world, and when I’m a pound or two above it I’m down in the dumps, and yet I still look the same. scale Image courtesy of vorakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Name That Bathroom Scale

My bathroom scale has two names. It’s Darth Vader when I’m over, and Matt Damon when I’m under. I actually have a love/hate relationship with my scale. Getting on it once a week motivates me… Read More

In Charge versus in Control

Being in control

I’ve always controlled my eating. In truth, I was never in control—food controlled me. Since high school, I’ve carefully monitored my food intake, and how much exercise I needed to maintain that weight. Ultimately, I failed and regained the few pounds I’d lost. As I mentioned in Tuesday’s blog, my weight started to increase and control and exercise stopped working for me.I’d always felt closely monitoring everything I ate was my only option, but then I read Eat What You Love and Love What You Eat, by Dr. Michelle May.

Being in charge

control Image courtesy of Ludmila Baryshnikova (c)/www.123RF.com  In the very first chapter, Dr. May discusses the distinction between being… Read More