May Your Hearts Fill With Joy

Sunday, April 04, 2010

May your hearts fill with joy and your spirits take flight today with the good news of Easter! Take that joy out into the world and share your spark!

Happy Easter!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DONNABRIGHT 4/5/2010 8:55AM

Easter wishes back to you! Report Inappropriate Comment

L*I*T*A* 4/4/2010 9:41PM

wishing you all the blessings of the Easter season................blessings and hugs.........lita Report Inappropriate Comment

A Solution To My Walking Problem From Yesterday!

Saturday, April 03, 2010

I'm so excited! My Spark friend L*I*T*A helped me find a solution to my dilemma of doing water exercise plus walking 2,000+ steps during the day. She directed me to the following website:

www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/walking_con
version_chart.pdf

This website states that 10 minutes of moderate exercise = 1000 steps and 10 minutes of vigorous exercise = 2,000 steps. This means that when I do water jogging/water aerobics for 90 minutes that the minimum I do is 9 x 1,000 steps or 9,000 steps! If I add in the 2,000 additional steps I've actually done 11,000 steps! That's a lot of steps!

I'm relieved that I have this conversion chart so I don't have to kill myself doing so much exercise!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SLENDERELLA61 4/4/2010 12:48AM

Great!! Glad you can convert. I guess I could use that to convert some biking as well. Today I walked to Publix and back from my house. I walked for 35 minutes (not counting the 5 minutes I was shopping) at just over 4 miles per hour. It was 4800 steps. So my walk was just a little over moderate. Moderate would have been 3,500 steps; vigorous would have been 7,000. I think this is another great challenge! Report Inappropriate Comment

L*I*T*A* 4/3/2010 7:58PM

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Walking Into Spring!

Friday, April 02, 2010

Our Polk County team is doing a challenge called Walking Into Spring. It's a progressive challenge which starts at 2000 steps/day at week one and increases by 1000 steps/day every week during the month of April. I never thought walking 2000 steps/day could be so challenging but after 120 minutes in the water, then doing 2000 steps/day takes some doing! I'm sure it will be easier on the days that I don't do water exercise. I wish my pedometer was water proof but alas, it isn't. I will probably drag my husband out of the house to do a walk around the neighborhood tonight. I am determined to keep up but will use moderation in doing so.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DONNABRIGHT 4/2/2010 6:16PM

I don't do water exercise but on a normal day of walking for about an hour in the morning (about 7500-8000 steps) and my usual stuff around the house and whatever errands need doing I usually hit somewhere between 14,000 and 20,000 steps per day. Report Inappropriate Comment

ANIKA34 4/2/2010 5:43PM

Good Luck! You can do it!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

L*I*T*A* 4/2/2010 5:08PM

there are sites on the web that convert other activities into steps...check it out........ Happy Easter to you and yours.........blessings and hugs.............lita http:/ /www.dpi.wa.gov.au/mediaFiles/w alking_conversion_chart.pdf that is one of the places to go.apparently 10minutes of moderate activity=1,000 steps....hope this helps.......... Comment edited on: 4/2/2010 5:13:14 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

MEGANC1988 4/2/2010 5:07PM

Cool! Report Inappropriate Comment

It Must Be Working!

Monday, March 29, 2010

This morning it was raining when I got up. My husband was up and down all night so my sleep was disturbed. My mood was definitely blah for the first few hours. Not being a person who feels down very often, I detested the way I felt. I had to force myself to eat breakfast because I wasn't hungry. That helped pep me up a bit. I decided that I'd do what my hubby refers to as "Spark'n" for a few minutes. I noticed that as I "Sparked" my mood slowly improved. This was probably due to a combination of a good breakfast and getting involved in the message boards.

I forced myself to eat some Greek yogurt for lunch. Then I decided that I needed to get my heart pumping so I got out the vacuum and vacuumed the whole house. I even broke a sweat! I started drinking my water even though I wasn't thirsty.

I signed on to Spark and looked to see what today's challenge was. I went into the bathroom and stood and looked at myself in the mirror. I turned on the awful glaring light so I could get a better look. This was part of the "Loving Yourself As You Are Now Challenge" that I'm doing. I noticed that my face is responding to my new skin regimen. My skin is soft and smooth with a nice glow. Not too bad I think! I'm also starting to see some more muscle tone in my arms and my posture has improved from my physical therapy. (My spine pulled to the left and I was pitched forward a little bit.) I decided that I'm looking a lot better. Imagine that!

I went back to the computer to do today's challenge "check-in" and I noticed that I didn't feel blah any more. In fact, I felt motivated to do some paperwork and then went and ran errands. My energy level was up too. It must be working. The challenge is helping me to love myself as I am now! This is good news!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

TBRANCH2 3/29/2010 9:55PM

Good for you, Oh Team Leader of ours!!! You gotta love us!!! Report Inappropriate Comment

POLYANASUNSHINE 3/29/2010 9:43PM

Spark always makes me feel good. Report Inappropriate Comment

PEGGYANNSCH 3/29/2010 9:21PM

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ONEKIDSMOM 3/29/2010 8:32PM

It's amazing what a little challenge will do for one! Evidence of progress... now when you have another "blah" day, remember this one, come back and read this blog, and see how much You Are Worth! Report Inappropriate Comment

SLENDERELLA61 3/29/2010 8:12PM

That's the way to get positive and overcome the blahs!! Even got your house vacuumed. I love what you saw in the mirror. Of course it is working! Muscle tone, better posture, and glowing skin -- all great characteristics, and even better because we know they are a reflection of your hard work and resulting improving health. Way to go!! Report Inappropriate Comment

FORREAL6 3/29/2010 6:33PM

So glad to hear that you keep on going even when you don't feel like it. And because you do keep at it, you're able to bring yourself back up! I think the whole key to a healthy lifestyle is being able to do just what you did! Great Job! Report Inappropriate Comment

L*I*T*A* 3/29/2010 6:29PM

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I Love This Spark Recipe!

Thursday, March 25, 2010

One day last week I was looking through the Spark recipes and I saw one for shrimp that looked different and delicious. I ran it off and showed it to hubby. I asked him if it looked like something he'd enjoy. He gave me an enthusiastic YES! Hubby has been such a great support to me on my journey to health. He rarely complains about all of the changes that I've made in the foods I prepare and has been good natured about trying out new "healthy" recipes. So when he gave me an enthusiastic affirmative answer, I was delighted. I went to work gathering the ingredients. I was going to make it earlier in the week but I had forgotten to get the dill. Yesterday I remember to buy dill so that we could finally try this recipe.

The recipe is for Greek-Spiced Shrimp. Here's the link:
www.recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detai
l.asp?recipe436256

I got out all of the ingredients and soon the house was filled with heavenly smells. This recipe combines spices that I would never think to put together and it tastes great! Hubby kept coming into the kitchen and stirring the pot. When that happens, I know the recipe is a winner. The only thing that I did wrong with this was I accidentally added too much red pepper. For me it was too spicy. For hubby and my sister, it was perfect. If you don't like real spicy food, be careful when adding the hot red pepper. I felt that the amount I added overpowered the other flavors. Hubby and sister went for second helpings. lol

I will definitely make this one again!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PEGGYANNSCH 3/26/2010 4:51PM

Sound Good Report Inappropriate Comment

DONNABRIGHT 3/26/2010 1:39PM

I'm so glad you let us know how this turned out - I think I'm going to try it next week. Report Inappropriate Comment

DMBEECHAM 3/25/2010 11:41PM

The recipe sounds AWESOME! I think I might make this for my hubby and I, we both like spicy food. My kids aren't big fans of shrimp, so we'll probably have it a night the kids aren't home. Isn't it great when you cook something that everyone likes and likes it enough to have seconds!?!?!? Report Inappropriate Comment

L*I*T*A* 3/25/2010 9:44PM

good to know...............thanks for sharing..................blessings and hugs..................lita Report Inappropriate Comment

POLYANASUNSHINE 3/25/2010 8:11PM

Sounds yummy Report Inappropriate Comment

SLENDERELLA61 3/25/2010 7:37PM

Thanks, Cyndi, I definitely want to try it. Good of you to be adventurous and creative with your menu planning! -Marsha Report Inappropriate Comment