Weekly Fitness Goals (click button for more info)

Weekly Goal - 300 Minutes (60 minutes most days)
Total Weekly Minutes - 380 minutes
Annual Goal - 11,700 minutes
Minutes to Date - 5,192 minutes

I've decided to try to keep my weight/workout musings to this post once a week in order to spare my 4 faithful readers extreme boredom. ::snort::

Long time readers will know that I lost lots of weight while Mike was deployed. I did this by doing Becky Tirabassi's Thoroughly Fit Step Work Out (can't find a link online) 45 min 5 - 6 times a week, and eating 1200 Calories (10 - 13 servings of produce). I lost 1 1/2 - 2 lbs a week faithfully.

I joined Curves, which I LOVED. I've not found a place where I enjoy working out more. I think it would have been ok if I'd ADDED a Curves workout to my aerobic workouts, but I bought the line that 30 min 3x a week was ALL I needed. I gained a couple of lbs and maintained. THEN I had the thyroid storm of 2007. I gained 20 lbs in 6 weeks.

Debbie, our wonderful base dietician, and I looked over the food journals and decided that the food plan was in order. The only thing that had changed was that I'd quit doing 45 min of aerobics 5 - 6 days of the week. Debbie said the current recommendations now (as I've shared before) are "30 min most days of the week" to maintain, "45 min most days of the week to lose," and if you've EVER been obsese "60 min most days of the week." It all sounded overwhelming, but I began.

I faithfully worked out 45 minutes 5 - 6 days a week, watched what I ate (1200) and didn't lose a thing since Jan. Not one lb. Back to evaluate and we decided I'd up the exercise to 60 minutes most days of the week as I have such a sluggish hypo-thyroid metabolism. I did that for two months. I'd still not lost, but wasn't gaining either.

Two weeks ago the personal trainer at the gym told me that the key was to add weights 3x a week back to my routine. Something should have clicked. It didn't. The plan was to skip aerobics on the days I did weights. I knew that would be a problem as that is pretty much what I did in the year with Curves. I did cut the cardio down to 30 - 40 min on the days I did weights and kept it at 60 min on the days without weights.

Two weeks. I weighed. I GAINED 4 LBS!!!! I learned from Curves. I will not stick with this for a few months. I simply NEED the 60 min of aerobics every day....I can't cut my calorie intake lower. I've gone back to 60 min of cardio most days of the week and I'll figure out HOW to ADD the weights to that schedule.....and we shall see.

Food wise....I started counting it all out - not only calories but measuring and checking carbs, protein, fat and fiber to evaluate if I may have slid. My calorie count has been pretty consistent at lower than it should be. I've been missing breakfast to get the gym....which puts a body in starvation mode and does nothing to help my metabolism. I have begun having a smoothie, oatmeal, or piece of fruit before the gym again. I've gone back to eating smaller amounts every few hours (I HATE that!!!). I also need to up the produce to 10 - 13 again and not worry too much about the carbs - they are complex.

In talking with the dietician she speculated that my body was "young" and then the thyroid storm, and now it isn't responding the same way and so hormones may be kicking in in prep for mentalpause....which is something the doc mentioned with the migraines too. I don't like that. I'm selfish and want more babies.....but God has dealt with that these past 6 months too. I've learned to simply be content. Frankly, I'm fairly content with being overweight, and fairly content with no more babies....but I need to have a healthy heart and stamina....so I'll do what I'm told to do. LOL Anyway, the hormones may be working against me and the advice is to keep doing the right things......because it will take longer to see results as you "age" and especially with the whole thyroid thing.

I feel great about this week. I got 5/60 minute aerobic workouts in and 2 total body weight sessions. This upcoming week I will try to fit the 3rd weight session in. I'll continue to monitor produce and calorie intake. I doubt I'll continue counting carbs, fiber, protein, fat as I'm in range with those fairly easily when I get 1200 calories and 10 - 13 servings of produce.

Monday - 95 Minutes (25 min ARC, 40 min bike, 30 min weights)

Tuesday - 65 Minutes (bike, finishing The Appeal LOL)

Wed - None

Thursday - 95 minutes (30 min ARC, 30 min bike, 35 min weights)

Friday - 60 minutes (40 ARC, 20 min bike)

Saturday - 65 minutes (20 min ARC, 45 min bike)

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Gems of the Day


Stacia with her play phone is overheard having a very serious conversation: "I am Stacia. You are sista (Krista) and Bre. I love you, you are my sisters. Goodbye."

Later in the day at Chick Fil A (where the younger 5 and I went to see the older boys LOL)....

Stacia was full of vim. "Hi JAY!!" She earned a smile. She could top that.

She ran to the swinging door that seperates the employees from the consumers, leaned in and shouted, "Cyyyyy, I LUF you! I LUF YOU CY!" Oh my - she got smiles and laughs from other consumers and a big smile from Cy.

As we left, now obviously playing to the whole crowd, she turned and yelled back, "Cy we sure do LUF you!" ::snort::

Latebreaking gem.....Mike arrived home from the office, played with Stacia and said, "Can I talk with Mom a little bit now?" Stacia replied, "No, you're talkin with me!" ::snort::

Allowances

This is a backwards Works for Me Wed on FRIDAY - because Iwant to ask NOW. LOL

We've done a variety of things.

We've NOT given any allowance because you are part of a family and we work together as a team to accomplish what needs to be done to fullfill the mission of the family.

We've tied allowance specifically into chores. This worked well when the older ones (3 now graduated) were young. I ran my home by my index card box ala Sidetracked Home Executive. Each card had a notation in the corner - .05, .25......we kept track and added up their salary each night. This worked well as the children competed for the BIG jobs. ::snort:: THEN we entered the military and it got overwhelming to have to change cards every 2-3 years. LOL

We've simply given allowance so they learn to use money wisely and not tied it to chores in any way.

We've had systems where you lost money if someone had to do your job.

The thing is that I usually don't remember to pay them. They go for months without seeing their allowance. I also think we may woefully underpay allowances. What do you all give for allowance - and is it weekly or monthly? Of course, when they begin to MAKE their own money (Jared - 13 landscaping last summer, the girls babysitting at 12, the boys working) we quit giving them allowances, at THEIR suggestion.

Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer blogged this week about how SHE handles allowances. Each child has their own savings account linked to their main account. Weekly she transfers their allowances into their accounts. When she buys something for them they watch as she transfers it from their account back to hers. It's all done online. I think the kids would stand a better chance at receiving their allowance this way. Shannon's gives them 1/2 their age every week. Linda, is this similar to what you do with the check registers? Where did you buy the registers? I'd love to hear your thoughts....I've been trying to remember all we talked about. LOL

What are your children expected to pay for with their allowance - and at what ages? Do they buy books, movies, bowling, church and support group events, clothes, gifts....? OK I know they all tithe and save. I'm wondering beyond that what you expect.

Please respond.

Boys....

Jared and Zander burning off ice cream energy......



Zander said this would make a good blog picture! ::snort::


Arielle won this for him from one of those "claw machines" at Double Dave's .

Photos of Arielle's Birthday!

She chose the lunch spot. We usually do dinner but Cy has to work tonight.

There's always lots of help opening gifts around here....

Bre's package arrived from WA right as we began opening gifts. She made an Arielle necklace, she and Krista made a card, there was a homemade journal...cool. Krista had given them gifts when she was home in December. Mom, your card got here too! She's planning how to spend her $.

Stacia got her a pink beach towel and this ball - which she promptly claimed!


3 new Nancy Drew computer games to solve

I figure none of the boys will take her water bottle. LOL

Mike and I also gave her the softball glove...we had hoped to find a Hope Chest for her but it appears that we'll have to do some searching for this. Hmph. When Bre and Krista got them - nearly 12 and 10 years ago they were on sale at WALMART. Ah well - I should have planned ahead. All I could find was Rubbermaid - not quite what we had in mind - and garden chests.

With 5 brothers at home...surprises are always expected. Cy was ON THE ROOF!

She holds her own

Stacia wasn't so sure

I made this version of Mike's Famous Ice Cream Cake, so I got to be in the picture. LOL

WE FORGOT and let Zander eat some...oops - I even HAD homemade stuff for him.


Tonight, we'll watch movies, go on a walk, play......

Jared's Promotion

Jared's goal was to make Staff Sgt. in CAP by the time he had been a member for a year. That's now. He actually met all the requirements for that promotion a few weeks ago, but was given the official paperwork last night.


He's already met 80% of the requirements for Tech Sgt......his one year anniversary of membership is next week. Go Jared! Linda, he's decided to stay in next year.

Random Thoughts from a busy Friday Morning....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARIELLE!!!! OUR LITTLE PRINCESS IS ELEVEN TODAY!!!!

Why don't my children ever want NORMAL stuff (spy things? Huh? ) and why don't they ever want to GIVE normal things (stink bomb?)?

Stacia asked someone today at Produce co-op, "do you love my Mommy?" I think she's still working to categorize all the relationships that swirl around us. ::snort::

I'm getting our new structure down...didn't mess up today....and when asked why the doubles are $28 and the singles are $15 I said, "they take extra mental energy" - which I realized THEY DO! ::snort::

Off to a birthday lunch!