GRIZ1GIRL's SparkPeople Blog

7MPH?!? Are you KIDDING me???

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:42:33 EST

I read an SP Blog posting this morning that said a great 500-calorie treadmill workout was super-simple...just start around 4MPH, kick it up to 6MPH & then 7MPH, and then cool down at 3MPH.

SERIOUSLY!?!? How TALL are the people doing that workout??? I am short--only 5'3" to 5'4" with a 30" inseam--and if I run flat-out, I can kick my treadmill up to 3.8MPH & still keep pace. I've never managed to go any faster on my treadmill.

And since I had back surgery to remove ...

Can I Do This Again???

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:27:21 EST

Ok...so it seems like a day of important dates...figured I'd better add a blog entry. I've been using SP for over 6 years now. The first year was a hard-fought Weight Loss year! I finally lost the 60 lbs I needed to lose, plus an extra 10 more for a grand total of 70 lbs lost! Woo hoo!

I went from a size 20W/3X to a size 4! WOW. A-Maz-Ing! I loved it. I felt great, I looked fantastic, I was on top of the world.

And for 4 years after that I maintained that los...

B.S. Excuses

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 12:40:49 EST

Reading some of the message board postings have driven me CRAZY lately...so I figured I'd vent in a quick blog posting. Everyone else is jumping off the bridge...so why not me too? LOL!

First--the misspellings are seriously annoying--it's not "sabatouge" people--It's "sabotage"...look it up if you don't believe me. This new "texting" generation is becoming really stupid--when people write things with bad grammar & misspelled words, it's like waving a banner saying "Hey--look a...

No Pain, No Gain? When do you say ENOUGH?

Wed, 3 Oct 2012 13:49:49 EST

Since starting SP over 5 years ago, my proudest accomplishment has been my Daily Exercise Habit. I exercise 7 days a week, treadmill, exercise bike, weight-lifting 3X a week....it keeps me healthy, it keeps me going! When I get a cold, I keep exercising, and BOOM--my cold is gone in 2-3 days.

However, I started having back & leg pains this summer. I just kept going. The pain got worse....a LOT worse. So I finally gave in, went & saw my primary care doc. He told me to do c...

Important DAILY HABITS

Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:41:25 EST

Important Daily Habits
1. Brush teeth 2 times a day
2. Drink milk for strong bones
3. Sleep 6-7 hours a night
4. Eat fruits & veggies
5. EXERCISE DAILY

Um, excuse me....WHAT was that last entry on the list?!? DAILY exercise? Are you kidding me?!?

Nope...not kidding. We do so many things every day that are just plain old habit--part of the way we live our lives. For some it might be logging on to Facebook every morning. Or watching th...

Beating Winter Blahs

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 13:50:06 EST

As I watch a normal "Montana blizzard" swirling heavy snow outside my window, I had to reflect on my week of workouts. I had a busy & junk-food crammed 2 weeks before Christmas, topped off with a Christmas Eve & Day FILLED with food. WAY too much food. No surprise the scale creeped up 4 lbs.

So I hit the panic button--the WHOA, STOP THE TRAIN, I gotta get these pounds off button. And what better way to start the train moving again than to EXERCISE?!?

I exercise da...

MERRY Christmas!

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 12:49:33 EST

Thanks to SP for making me today's Motivator of the Day--what a wonderful Christmas present! :)

My mother told me this morning (as we chatted on the phone, while each on our respective treadmills), that I really DO motivate her. Thanks to my weight loss & continued weight-maintenance efforts, she was motivated to lose 30 lbs & keep it off. Cool!

How do I do it?!? DAY BY DAY.

My top tip is two-fold....1. I EXERCISE DAILY. I do cardio EVERY day & add weigh...

Merry Christmas to ALL!

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 01:44:45 EST

What a great way to start my Christmas Eve...finding out I was today's SP Motivator of the Day. I feel honestly humbled by the honor.

All sarcasm & humor aside (because HEY--what's funnier than being fat & trying to lose weight?!!? Seriously...not much)--I really AM honored by being an SP Motivator.

And today of all days, I really needed a boost. I spent the day being lazy. Sure--I exercised. I ALWAYS exercise...daily. But today the treadmill was NOT speaking to m...

Long Time, No Blog

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 12:48:13 EST

I haven't blogged on SP in SOOOOOO long....there just isn't time for "extras" when the kids are in school! Excuses, excuses...but true. :)

I always enjoy hearing from people on SP--they're very encouraging & it's nice to hear an Atta-Girl every now & again. I am proud of my accomplishments--and I'm happy that my weight loss & maintenance can motivate others! Makes me wanna keep doin' what I do.

And what is it that I do?!? Besides be fabulous every single day? ...

A Reason For Everything

Thu, 3 Dec 2009 13:05:24 EST

I received an email asking how I'd lost this last 10 lbs...and I responded, but not thoroughly enough for my satisfaction--so I'm gonna blog about it.

I lost 60 lbs & reached 130 lbs last Fall. It took me 17 months to lose 60 lbs--I never lost more than 1 lb per week. Slow going--but it happened. Then I spent last year maintaining that loss.

I wasn't anticipating losing anymore weight. At almost 5'4", 130 lbs was comfortable--I looked good, felt good, was living goo...

Thanksgiving Cheating

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:24:05 EST

If you think this blog is gonna be about cheating on my diet over the Thanksgiving weekend......nope, it's not. :)

When I say I'm "cheating" on Thanksgiving--I'm not talking about my calorie counts. :) My mom & I decided that neither one of us wanted to cook a turkey this year....so we "cheated". We went to Costco today and bought a few rotisserie chickens. Already cooked. Ready to re-heat tomorrow & chow down!

Woo hoo! I am SO excited not to have to stuff a ...

Go, Donny, GO!

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 12:56:13 EST

My kids & I were SO excited that Dancing With The Stars started again last night. There is very little "family friendly" tv on anymore....and DWTS is definitely ok for all ages!

And what is better than DWTS? Watching DONNY OSMOND on DWTS!!! I LOVE love love Donny & Marie. Marie Osmond rocked on the show--and Donny is even better.

The judges may have been harsh, but he is the PERFECT contestant--a true Song & Dance Man! He's one of the greatest performers I've e...

Up to my eyeballs in a**holes!

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:35:22 EST

Why is it some days just seem to be more full of assholes than usual?!? :)

I wanted to order some new eyeglasses from a fun, super-cheap website I found--hey as a glasses wearer, finding glasses (frames & lenses!) for only $8 is too good to pass up! They're literally "throw away" glasses...if they work, great--if not, I'm only out a 10-spot...how can I beat that?!?

But I can't find my last prescription. Which drives me nuts. I RARELY lose stuff. I am almost anal wit...

Kickin' Ass & Takin' Names

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:06:24 EST

Ok...so I'm not really kicking anyone's gluteus maximus today....only MY OWN!

I went for a LONG hike/walk, and pushed myself--finished 3 minutes faster than normal. Woo hoo! Lifted my heaviest dumbbells when I got home & did some extra stretching/ab work.

I feel fantastic! Hope I can keep it up. I have errands to run today--and soccer practice with the kiddoes tonight. :)

Gonna have to kick some serious butt today. Too bad it doesn't REALLY decrease m...

Bloat

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:25:45 EST

Row, Row, Row Your Bloat.....

Ok, so I'm not that funny this early in the morning. Ok, ok, so it's not even early anymore. It's 10:30. I'm just tired today & a tad rummy from not enough sleep.

And I ate WAY too much homemade pizza last night. Like most of the pan. :) So today I am gut-a-licious & majorly bloated. Like a big ole yeast bubble.

So it goes. I did enjoy a nice LONG walk/hike this morning. If that didn't burn some of the bloat, nothing w...

Walked Home!

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:25:06 EST

We DID walk home in today's heat...it was "only" 85 degrees at 3 p.m. Uffda!

Usually Montana is cool & lovely this time of year--I love Fall because it's blue jeans & long-sleeve t-shirt weather again!

Not this year though--Hot, Hot, HOT! Tomorrow is supposed to be 92 degrees! WHAT?!? That's ridiculous.

When did our seasons get so screwed up? We had a rainy summer (again, weird) and now a hot summer-like fall. No doubt our winter will be mild, and ou...

Walking Home

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:04:59 EST

Yesterday I walked to my kids' school to pick them up. We only live about 7 blocks away--so it's pretty close. The downside is that we don't have sidewalks to walk on the entire way, and traffic being what it is nowadays, walking can get dangerous without sidewalks!

The kids were excited to walk home though! I was surprised, I thought I'd hear "Aw, Mooooom, do we HAVE to?!?" But they showed me--they were psyched to walk! YAY!

Now if only the weather holds. Oh s...

Happy Day

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:10:13 EST

We survived our first Soccer Sunday! The kids had fun--the weather was hot & sunny. And even though we weren't supposed to keep score, we did WIN--9-2. :) It was good.

Good is good. ;)

Soccer Sunday

Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:15:00 EST

First soccer game is today. Hopefully the weather will stay beautiful & sunny all afternoon. It's a rotten time for a game--3:30! Just when I'll be most-tired & wanting to take a nap.

So it goes........life is never dull with kids. Happy Sunday!

GORGEOUS Day

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:07:06 EST

Weather is perfect. Skies couldn't get more blue. Sun is warm. Breeze is mild & calm.

Enjoyed my longest walk/hike outside AND lifted weights today. I feel victorious.

Does life get any better than this?!?!? Naw....I don't think so. :)

Smoke sucks

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 11:35:54 EST

I thought we had escaped the forest fire season here in Western Montana pretty nicely...but no. Some trailer house caught fire at a lake not too far from town, and lit off a few more trailer houses, which jumped into the surrounding woods & lit off a BIG forest fire. Lovely.

Now my sunny, blue-skies are partly brown & smell wicked. Breathing the ash & smoke-filled air is nasty. Makes my sinuses throb & my throat ache.

I feel bad for my kids being sent out to recess ...

Makin' it happen

Mon, 7 Sep 2009 13:11:46 EST

I busted my ass yesterday running around town buying soccer gear for my kids. Now I will spend today returning the items that didn't fit & we don't need.

And thankfully, I can now say we're READY FOR SOCCER on Thursday! WOO HOO!

Yesterday I felt SO overwhelmed--like I was never going to be able to pull this off. But I busted my butt & MADE IT HAPPEN. And now today I'm back on track & feeling fantastic.

Sometimes we just have to ignore our inner doubt &...

Melting Off

Sun, 6 Sep 2009 13:45:14 EST

I ran into an old friend the other day--a friend who had been motivated watching me work hard to lose weight, and had lost 25 lbs herself! She confessed to me that she'd gained every single lost pound back this summer, plus a few more.

Then she finishes her confession by saying "but weight just doesn't melt off me like it does you." Hello?!?! MELT OFF?!? Hardly!

I WISH the weight had melted off me. That would've been sweet. Nothing melted--it was hard, ass-bus...

Soccer Coach???

Sat, 5 Sep 2009 12:56:04 EST

I signed my daughters up for soccer this year. First time ever. Hopefully they'll have fun. But the team they were assigned to didn't have a coach.

So guess what?? Yeah, you parents know what's coming, don't you? :) My husband is now the team's coach. Sheesh.

Which means that I will be the de facto Team Manager--doing all the parent-coordinating & emailing. How did this happen???

Oh, yeah........the kids. It's all about the kids. Damn them. ;)

Labor Day Weekend!

Fri, 4 Sep 2009 12:59:40 EST

Have a lovely Labor Day Weekend! :)

We'll be spending it at home...and I'm gonna celebrate by thawing a pecan pie I baked a couple months ago. Should be yummy yum yum.

Plus some extra-long hikes to burn said pie. :) I had a great workout this morning--makes me feel on top of the world! WOO HOO!

Big Sky Country

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 12:13:06 EST

Today I decided to go for a hike/walk after I dropped the kids off at school. Usually I hit the treadmill in the basement before school & by the time I take them, I'm already exercised & showered. But today I decided on a Me Day....a day to walk outside & enjoy the sunshine.

And man oh man, what a GORGEOUS day it is today! It is definitely Big Sky Country here in Montana today! Rich blue skies as far as the eye can see, with not a single cloud. Sunny, warm, calm...days lik...

Ex-cuse Me?!?

Tue, 1 Sep 2009 11:07:35 EST

Ok, so WTF? I actually got 7 hours of sleep last night. Uninterrupted sleep, I might add. That is SO rare for me, I can't even tell ya'.

So why the heck do I feel so freakin' TIRED today?!? I got up, did a pretty decent workout, including weights today, and managed to get the Girls to school on time. Woo hoo! Rock it, Momma!

I am disappointed in my ridiculous body. Sure, I can get 4 hours of sleep, and still get a gazillion things done. So why when I'm NOT sle...

New Toy

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:51:38 EST

I have been having SO much fun this morning--playing with my new toy!

I am an all-around crafter--I scrapbook, I quilt, I knit, I sew...I do a bit of everything. :) So imagine my dismay when my old, trusty sewing machine completely DIED on me last week. Bum-mer.

I bit the bullet & went to JoAnn's this weekend & bought a Singer on sale. It was recommended by Martha Stewart for cryin' out loud. :) Ok, I don't really like Martha, but the machine DOES have a lot of...

Quiet Weekend

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:11:37 EST

Why is it I feel more tired this weekend, after doing virtually nothing, than I do on weekends when I run my arse ragged?!? :)

Rhetorical question. However, that being said, I do NOT feel guilty about spending all day Saturday, laying on the couch reading a good book. (Oh sure, I exercised both mornings...and I hopped up when my kids asked for something...so I wasn't completely lazy).

It was a nice weekend. And as my grandma used to say "Time you enjoy wasting is NO...

First Week of School

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:33:46 EST

Today is the last day of the first official week of school here...and we've survived! Almost! School will be out at 3 pm, and I'm sure my kids will be tired. They've had a great first week though--so that's what counts. It's nice to start the year off on a good note.

And I have had 3 days to run errands (maybe too many...I'm literally running on fumes now)...and I even took time to exercise outside today. Usually I get up early on school mornings, hit the treadmill in the bas...

Euphoric!

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:45:21 EST

I had a fantastic "spiritual" morning! I went on my longest hike/walk ...and reveled in the gorgeous mountains around me, the cool morning air & the feeling of POWER I felt!

I came home, lifted my heaviest 10 lb weights & realized the lifting every other day is making me feel positively invincible! I am GIDDY with energy & happiness right now.......a rare thing for me.

I feel like I could take on the world today--and that's good, because I have a list of chores a m...

The Hills Are Alive

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:23:28 EST

Yeah, so I'm humming the Sound of Music........so what's it to ya??! I AM a bit of a nutter apparently. :)

Actually I was just thinking about how different it was to do a 30 minute hike/walk around my mountainously-hilly neighborhood today. Last Saturday I was in Fargo, ND, and the walk was flat. Really really flat. I could've walked for DAYS & not broken a sweat.

Today I am exhausted...my muscles are humming. Those hill were definitely alive. It's good to be ho...

Muscles Rock!

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:48:31 EST

I was feeling surprisingly unmotivated this morning--surprising, because I actually got 7 straight hours of sleep last night (a rare feat for me...usually I don't get more than 5 or 6 hours of sleep, sometimes less).

So I lifted weights with my workout today. And not just any weights--my heaviest 10 lb dumbbells. And now I feel fantastic!

My arms have a slight ache to them--not really painful, but just "muscle awareness." And my body feels much more energized & r...

Travel Success

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:10:51 EST

I flew with my kids to Fargo, North Dakota, last weekend to see my 95-year-old grandma (their great-grandma, duh). And I was worried, because I knew I'd be eating out EVERY NIGHT...at my uncle's restaurant, the Spitfire.

The Spitfire in West Fargo is THE BEST RESTAURANT I've ever eaten at! They have a little bit of everything...and it's ALL good. I royally pigged out. I wanted to try some of everything. And I did!

But I wasn't sure if I'd be able to counteract t...

A Sign Of Success

Thu, 6 Aug 2009 14:51:05 EST

Ok, so I've felt good for the last 8 or 9 months. I reached my goal weight & then some. I've MAINTAINED that weight now for close to a year. And I have a bit of a swelled head I suppose...and today it swelled bigger.

I went for a walk/hike outside & I WAS WHISTLED AT!!! Woo hoo!

I walked past a crew of 20-something guys landscaping a yard, and they whistled at me!!! Alright! Way to go, Momma! :)

Of course, if I got up close they'd see I was a 35-y...

Obsessions

Thu, 6 Aug 2009 11:47:58 EST

Ok, so lately I am obsessed with earning the MAXIMUM number of SparkPoints everyday...just so I can get a new little trophy doodad picture for myself. Ridiculous!
I guess it's better than being obsessed with cheetos. Or dark chocolate. Or EATING in general. Goodness knows I've been there too. Just last week in fact. :)

I am doing better this week though--embracing my bedtime hunger again. Reminding myself that I will NOT starve overnight in a mere 8 hours. Although ...

Bye-Bye Baked Doritos

Wed, 5 Aug 2009 22:39:03 EST

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while...

Did y'all know that Frito Lay is no longer making Baked Doritos?!? My local stores (ALL OF THEM) have been out of Baked Doritos for months, and finally, the local Frito Lay rep stocking my favorite store confirmed it last week..."Yep, Frito Lay finally admitted they were no longer producing Baked Doritos."

BUM-MER. I loved those things. Now I'll have to find new snack food munchies to binge on late at night. (Yeah...

How much is TOO much?

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:53:38 EST

I've received some lovely messages from fellow Sparkers lately--commenting on my 62 lbs lost, and asking for some tips...how did I do it? :)

Well, you can scroll down until you find my "Top Tips" blog posting for that answer......

One question a gal asked me though was about my exercise routine. I told her the truth--that I EXERCISE DAILY. The response I received surprised me. It was nothing short of "snotty." "Isn't that TOO MUCH? Doesn't your body need time t...

It's Easier To Be Fat

Sun, 5 Jul 2009 13:29:46 EST

I allowed myself a little extra indulgence this weekend--in honor of the 4th, I drank a couple of glasses of white wine & ate a lovely brownie & ice cream dessert (thanks, Nana!) after dinner. So I figured I'd better work it off with some extra-long hike/walks outside yesterday morning & this morning.

Yesterday's 53 minute (3.1 mile) hike was fantastic--I felt so energized I even lifted weights afterward. Today's 46 minute (2.8 mile) hike was less than stellar though. I was ti...

Driver License Pictures

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:27:24 EST

Now that I've maintained my 60 lb weight loss for more than 6 mos, I figured it was time to treat myself.....

To a new Driver License picture!!! :)

The last time I renewed my DL, I weighed close to my top-end--about 185 lbs. Needless to say, my picture looked AWFUL. My face was SO fat & bloated, I didn't look anything like myself. It was shameful.

So I did it--I went in this week, and renewed again....and I am pleased to say, the picture (in the temp...

Skipping is BAD

Tue, 2 Jun 2009 11:52:51 EST

Ok, I've written many blogs about the benefits of DAILY EXERCISE...how it is the best way to start your day--gives you energy, gives you a positive "I can do it" mental outlook, makes you feel better, etc.......

And I was right! (For me anyway) :)

Today I slept in....I woke up at 7:15. I was SHOCKED! I stopped setting my alarm a few months ago, because regardless of the alarm, I've been waking up at 6:15 everyday. But not today. My daughters were in a panic, b...

Happy Birthday To ME!

Sun, 24 May 2009 17:30:03 EST

Yesterday was my 35th birthday....WOW! It's so strange to wrap my brain around "35".

Not that I feel "old" or have a problem being 35. Age is just a number! It just seems like time has flown by SO FAST--wasn't I just 25 yesterday?!?

Now I'm a wife & mom with 6 1/2 year old twins and a mortgage! Life is definitely an amazing journey.

The most-fantastic part of turning 35 though is feeling better NOW than I did 10 years ago! I am in tip-top shape--physi...

Exercise Avoidance

Mon, 11 May 2009 11:23:56 EST

I've recently had a few messages & blog posts from fellow SP'ers...all saying mostly the same thing - "Good for you for exercising daily...I always INTEND to exercise, but I just can't seem to find time" - etc, etc, blah, blah, blah. :)

After reading the various comments about the "evils of exercise" and how most people "hate to workout"....I thought, man, I really need to post a blog entry about exercise. So here goes....keep in mind, Folks, this is just MY EXPERIENCE--no pre...

Losing vs. Maintaining

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:36:05 EST

Here's another Chicken vs the Egg type question...which is harder? Losing weight? Or maintaining your weight loss?

I am starting to seriously wonder. When I was losing weight, it was hard. Some days it seemed an insurmountable challenge. However, I kept at it--and told myself (rightfully so) that if I just did what I needed to do, the weight would come off.

It became a matter of personal faith--faith in my ability to exercise daily, faith in my ability to make...

MY TOP TIPS

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 11:52:53 EST

I've received some lovely comments & emails lately congratulating me on reaching my goal weight--THANKS! And some have asked "how did you do it?!?".....so here are my top tips. Use them, laugh at them, whatever--it's just what worked for me!

1. DAILY EXERCISE!
If you change nothing else in your life, start exercising NOW! It makes more of a difference than any food changes ever could. It makes me energized, keeps my mood happy & positive (no more antidepressants for m...

END ZONE & BEYOND!

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 11:15:44 EST

I can't believe it--one month I was 4 lbs from my goal weight, and then BOOM--I'm actually UNDER my goal weight! Keep reading for my best tips & thoughts & suggestions further into this blog entry.........................

Thanks to a fast-moving stomach bug that ran through our household (I don't recommend it--as a "diet aid" it totally sucked!)....I lost the rest of my "goal weight" & then some. And surprisingly, almost 10 days later, the weight hasn't come back.

MILESTONES!

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 08:21:08 EST

I can't believe this day has arrived!

I've lost 55 lbs to date...woo hoo!

And more importantly, my Girls start kindergarten!
How did my two babies get to be almost-6 so fast?!?!

Big days ahead for everyone!! HAPPY THURSDAY!
Gotta go exercise...................

The Power of One

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:57:54 EST

I couldn't decide what to title this blog entry--the Power of One? The Power of Ten? The Power of ME?!?!?

I had a so-so cardio workout today. I went for a hike/walk about my hilly mountainous neighborhood....but it was a slower than usual hike, and I did my medium loop, which only takes 40 minutes.

So to make it up to myself I decided today would be a weight-lifting day. And I am SO glad I grabbed those weights! Because now I feel GREAT! And super-strong, ...

Plateaus Are Not Possible!

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:01:47 EST

Ok, so if you've clicked this link--and you're reading this entry all ticked off, thinking "It IS SO possible to hit a plateau"--GOOD! I've got you thinking!

I've still been doing what I do--exercising DAILY & eating vegetarian--but I haven't lost a pound since early June. Plateau, you say?!? Heck NO, I reply!

Just the term "Plateau" peeves me. Ticks me off. Chaps my khakis. It is nothing more than an EXCUSE for quitting. A reason to give up. A rationaliza...

34 & 50

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 00:48:15 EST

Wow, has it really been since MARCH that I added a blog entry!!! Time flies.... So it's now June, 2008. And life is GOOOOOD!

I turned 34 on May 23....wow, really?!? 34? Three-Four? No kiddin'....seems like just yesterday I was hitting the big 3-0. Life really does move fast.

And this is my best year yet. On my birthday-day I had officially lost 50 lbs! YAY! Today I was down about another 1.5 lbs....so almost 52 lbs lost total. All I can say over & over ...