KADENS-NANA's SparkPage - Losing Weight is Never Easy...but the Reward is Great!!

KADENS-NANA

1,368
SparkPoints

This picture of me was taken in February 2012!

My grandson Kaden when he was 10 months old. He will be 1 yr old March 1, 2012!!

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Losing Weight is Never Easy...but the Reward is Great!!

Hello, my name is Jodi, & I have been overweight ever since 2006! In Jan. 2011 I decided enough was enough, I was at 245lbs! I began to watch what I was eating, exercise more, & take vitamins, & as of Jan. 2012 I weigh 193lbs...I LOST 52LBS YEAH ME!! However I still have 58lbs more to go to reach my goal, & these past 2 months I have kind of slacked off. So I decided to join Spark People to help me stay on track!!

Check out my other blog at: http://unmaskingthoughts.blogspot.com/

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SP_STAFF	SPARKGUY	NIXY72
SHERISMILEY	JACRBUNCH	GOOZLEBEAR

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SparkTeams

Rescued/Adopted Dog and Cat Lover's Team	Keep on Keeping on!!! We're in this together!!!	Healthier Arkansas
30 somethings with 50-99 pounds to lose	Scrap & Craft to Lose!

My Ticker:

Pounds lost: 6.0

14.5

43.5

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Recent Blogs:

3/8/2012: Introducing Our Newest Member...
2/27/2012: Living Secret Lives!
2/23/2012: Who Needs a Gym When You Have the Ozark Moun...

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Profile

Member Since: 2/19/2012

SparkPoints: 1,368

Fitness Minutes: 1,336

My Goals:
To lose 58lbs!

My Program:
Drinking plenty of water, watching what I eat, and walking daily! Using the Nutrition and Fitness Tracker!

Personal Information:
I am from the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. I am a wife, and mother of 2, and I am a grandmother to a wonderful and beautiful 11 month old baby boy!

Other Information:
My favorite past time & passion is Scrapbooking!!!

Where we live people love to "DUMP" their unwanted animals, & being the BIG TIME animal lovers my husband & I are we take in ALL the strays. We get them spayed/neutered & then we try to find good loving homes for them.

Two of the dogs we have taken in we have trained them to be search & rescue dogs for our area. We live on the Buffalo National River, & our dogs are needed around here. One is a Male Black Lab named Harley, and the other one is a Female Yellow Lab named Sadie who is still in training...after all she is only 4 months old.

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Keep on Keeping...

Flowers
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LINDATWIN2

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Rescued/Adopted...

Member Comments:

NIXY72
5/15/2012 11:12:21 AM

Are you still here? It's been a while since you've updated your status or since I've seen you around... Hopefully you're just lurking and quietly still chasing your own goals but in case you're not, please remember:

People disappear for all sorts of reasons. Life gets in the way, we forget or change our views on what we deem is important, we get buried under stress, frustration, illness. We sometimes give up, throw in the towel, or just promise ourselves that once things get better/easier/calmer, we will hitch up our socks and come back fresh. We've all done it. We've all been there. And if perhaps, you just need a supportive hug, or a helping hand or a word of inspiration, please know that I am offering it to you with no judgment, no guilt. It seems like it's been a while since you've been here and I just wanted to let you know that you are missed.

�You�re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.� �A.A. Milne

�Courage doesn�t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I�ll try again tomorrow.� -Mary Anne Radmacher

�All our dreams can come true � if we have the courage to pursue them.� �Walt Disney

If you are in need of a little realistic motivation, please, please read my blog post "Letting Go of Expectations". It helped me tremendously just writing it and hopefully it will pass on some inspiration to you as well. :)
www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journa
l_individual.asp?blog_id=4853692

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NIXY72
5/13/2012 10:41:11 AM

�To a child's ear, 'mother' is magic in any language.�
~Arlene Benedict

Mom's are amazing.
If you are a mother, I salute you.
Thank you for being our super heros, our experts-in-everything, and our very best friends.

Today and every day, if you are fortunate enough to still have your mother in your life, please take a moment to thank her and appreciate all she has done for you.
If you no longer have your mother in this world, take a moment to remember your most cherished memory of her, the way she smiled, the love she gave... for this world would be nothing without the endless love and comforting arms of our mothers.

Moms: This is s salute to all you have to do:
(The Mom Song)
youtube.com/watch?v=oEFXj00Gou4

Every wonder about the Science behind Mother's Day? Here you go, wrapped up in a neat little tune, sung by some very clever and grateful son:
youtube.com/watch?v=osWuWjbeO-Y

And the amazing history of Mother's Day:
"The earliest history of Mothers Day dates back to the ancient annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to maternal goddesses. The Greeks used the occasion to honour Rhea, wife of Cronus and the mother of many deities of Greek mythology.

Ancient Romans, too, celebrated a spring festival, called Hilaria dedicated to Cybele, a mother goddess. It may be noted that ceremonies in honour of Cybele began some 250 years before Christ was born. The celebration made on the Ides of March by making offerings in the temple of Cybele lasted for three days and included parades, games and masquerades. The celebrations were notorious enough that followers of Cybele were banished from Rome.

Early Christians celebrated a Mother's Day of sorts during the festival on the fourth Sunday of Lent in honor of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of Christ. The more recent history of Mothers Day dates back to 1600s in England. Here a Mothering Sunday was celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday of Lent (the 40 day period leading up to Easter) to honor mothers. After a prayer service in church to honor Virgin Mary, children brought gifts and flowers to pay tribute to their own mothers.

On the occasion, servants, apprentices and other employees staying away from their homes were encouraged by their employers to visit their mothers and honor them. Traditionally children brought with them gifts and a special fruit cake or fruit-filled pastry called a simnel. Yugoslavs and people in other nations have observed similar days. The custom of celebrating Mothering Sunday died out almost completely by the 19th century. However, the day came to be celebrated again after World War II, when American servicemen brought the custom and commercial enterprises used it as an occasion for sales.

The idea of official celebration of Mothers day in US was first suggested by Julia Ward Howe in 1872. An activist, writer and poet Julia shot to fame with her famous Civil War song, "Battle Hymn of the Republic". Julia Ward Howe suggested that June 2 be annually celebrated as Mothers Day and should be dedicated to peace. Julia tirelessly championed the cause of official celebration of Mothers Day and declaration of official holiday on the day. Her idea spread but was later replaced by the Mothers' Day holiday now celebrated in May.

Anna Jarvis is recognized as the Founder of Mothers Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honour on all mothers. Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honour all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them. [However} Ms Anna Jarvis, who devoted her life for the declaration of Mothers Day holiday was deeply hurt to note the huge commercialization of the day. "
- http://www.mothersdaycelebration.com/mothe
rs-day-history.html

Mother's Day is celebrated on the second sunday in May in Anguilla, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bonaire, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Cambodia, Chile, China, Columbia, Croatia, Cuba, Curacao, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Ecuador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Gold Coast, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Macao, Malaysia, Malta, Burma, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Singapore Sint Maarten, Slovakia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanganyika, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United States, Uruguay, Vietnam, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Other countries celebrate Mothers day anywhere from the second sunday in February (Norway), to December 22nd (Indonesia) however, most celebrations happen within the months of April, May and June.

To see the international history and traditions of Mother's day around the globe, visit:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day

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NIXY72
5/5/2012 2:28:13 AM

Tell the green beer to move over and make way for guacamole and chelada's!� Today is Cinco de Mayo and according to National Geographic, "Cinco de Mayo... is definitely becoming more popular than St. Patrick's Day", at least in the United States. "So, what is Cinco de Mayo? The short answer is that it celebrates the defeat of the French Army by Mexican soldiers at the battle of Puebla. The real answer is that Cinco de Mayo is a uniquely Mexican-American holiday. It celebrates a change in the relationship between the United States and Mexico" and is now celebrated almost world-wide. (thanks, About.com!)

There is so much information out there on the history and popularity of Cinco de Mayo that I am leaving you with two wonderful links that I found that sum up the holiday briefly and incredibly well.

First, a fabulous summary of the history and traditions of Cinco de Mayo in a handy one and a half minute video:
www.5min.com/Video/Cinco-De-Mayo-Traditi
ons-35863453

And some very fun and informative facts on the "Where Food Comes From" website to do with the holiday:
wherefoodcomesfrom.com/article/263-3313/
Fun-Facts-About-Cinco-de-Mayo

Being a foodie however means that this week has been a fiesta for my inbox with many Cinco de Mayo inspired recipes - so I leave you with a with a Pico De Gallo recipe that's entitled "Sauce with Chile Sharp as a Rooster's Beak" from Cookstr (one of my newest and most favourite foodie finds!)� These recipes come complete with Nutritional Information and a sublime search function so it should make a great online addition to your cook-book "shelf"!
www.cookstr.com/recipes/pico-de-gallo-5

And some Chilli pepper facts:

Did you know? "In addition to pleasing many peoples' palates, chili peppers are a good source of vitamins A, C and E, rich in folic acid and potassium, low in calories and sodium, and contain no carbohydrates" - sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/11/03110406
4132.htm

And according to the our mexican chef (see recipe above) you are not supposed to drink water if you mouth is "on fire" from hot and spicy foods... instead, put a few grains of soothing salt on your tongue to stop the burning!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!� To quote a famous Spanish Proverb: "A beber y a tragar, que el mundo se va a acabar." �

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NIXY72
5/1/2012 11:06:03 PM

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU

This Friday is International Star Wars Day, so celebrate with ... yup, you are reading this right... YOGA. And not just any yoga... STAR WARS YOGA. Oh yes. "Much to learn you still have...my old padawan. ... This is just the beginning!"

newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/04/happy-star-
wars-day-celebrate-with-yoga/

How fabulous is that??

So if you're not a Star Wars fan (and really, how could you not be?)... here's the back-info:

"May 4 is called Star Wars Day (also sometimes known as Luke Skywalker Day) because of the popularity of a common pun spoken on this day.... "May the fourth be with you".

'May the Force be with you' was a phrase used to wish luck or good will, generally when individuals parted ways or the object of the expression was facing some sort of imminent challenge. The phrase implied the speaker's wish that the power of the Force would be working alongside the addressee, in order that the addressee's goals would be more effectively accomplished.... Current day Star Wars fans were not the first to introduce the line "May the Fourth Be with You"; When Margaret Thatcher was elected Britain's first female Prime Minister on May 4, 1979, her party placed an advertisement in The London Evening News that said: "May the Fourth Be with You, Maggie. Congratulations."

In 2011, the first organized celebration of Star Wars Day took place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada [YAY, TORONTO!!] at the Toronto Underground Cinema.... The second annual edition is scheduled to take place on Friday, May 4, 2012.

(this information unabashedly stolen from: starwars.wikia.com/wiki/May_the_Force_be_w
ith_you & en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Day)

If you need a little more motivation today, look no farther than wise, old Yoda:

"Always pass on what you have learned."

"Named must your fear be before banish it you can."

"You will find only what you bring in."

"When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not ehh." - Yoda

and of course, the most famous and wisest of all Yoda-isms:
"Try not. Do or do not, there is no try."
-- youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4yd2W50No

and now... for this laugh-out-loud commercial break...
-- youtube.com/watch?v=R55e-uHQna0

We really do need some Storm Trooper or lightsaber emoticons... sigh.

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NIXY72
4/27/2012 6:52:04 PM

This coming�Tuesday, May 1st,�is the celebration of May Day. �This day has been adopted several times over for different purposes and may be called by different names so no matter what you celebrate;

May you find happiness and health
May you receive help when you need it
May you laugh every day
May you find and keep love�
May you feel light and inspired
May you be respected and valued
May your wishes come true
May you be a bright and shining fire to others
May you experience beauty and bliss
May you be nourished and cherished
May you look in the mirror and find no faults, no insecurities, and no fears,
for you are beautiful and confident, strong and brave.

The History of May Day:�

"Etymologically, [May Day] is a homophone (same sounding word) for the international call for help. It is a corruption of the French imperative �M�aidez� meaning �Help me!� As a holiday it is claimed by many. It is known in the pagan world as Beltane, a fertility celebration... Beltane is the day of fire commemorating Bel or Belenos, the Celtic sun god. Indeed, in the modern Irish language, Bealtaine is the name for the month of May. The early Anglo-Saxons began their celebration on the eve before, feasting the end of winter and the first planting. It was a time of revelry and abandon... But this day�s celebration of the revival of vegetation goes back to the Roman practice of visiting the grotto of Egena. The people of ancient Rome honored Flora, the goddess of flowers and springtime.

"...In America:�The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States... But the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks -- are all the leftovers of the old European traditions."

"In 1886 it was co-opted as an international workers day to celebrate the 8-hour workday movement, following national strikes in the US and Canada. Later, the French declared�May 1�the International Working Men�s Association holiday in 1889."

History information gleaned from:
theholidayspot.com/mayday/history.htm�
and�www.billpetro.com

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