I hope that everyone has a safe and Happy Hallowe'en today!!!
I have a new challenge that I am starting for myself tomorrow. I hope that you will join me for it! I WOULD call it "Fit for FaLaLa" if I was crazy like that. I can't wait to get into the best shape possible...before Christmas time comes and I ruin it all :)
I'll share more details later, but for now...take care!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
How to Do a (Not-So-Perfect) Sock Bun
I love the look of sock buns...they seem like the perfect no-fuss hair style. However, I have never been able to get them right. But, after seeing other bloggers recently rocking the 'do, I decided to give it another try. Here is what I came up with:
Step 1. Make or obtain one of those donut-shaped thingy-madingies you need to create a sock bun. This is important!
Step 2. Put hair into ponytail at desired height (I like both low and high)
Step 3. Put donut-thingy through your ponytail until it rests against your head
Step 4. Pull donut-thingy close to the end of your ponytail
Step 5. Redo Step 4 because you're a klutz and let all of the hair fall out
Step 6. Repeat Step 5, then 4, then 5, then 4...
Step 7. Carefully roll donut-thing down towards your head, carefully putting the hair around it as you go.
Step 8. Sigh. Repeat Step 3, then 4, then 5...
Step 9. It doesn't look right. Repeat previous steps
Step 10. #$*!@! this crap...
Step 11. Finally finish! It should feel relatively snug, but put some bobby pins in to secure it into place.
Step 12. Decide to get a shorter hair cut so that you don't have to deal with this again.
Oh, and also, make sure to take a picture of it AFTER you've sweated it out at the gym, because that is THE most flattering way to go.
Sigh. Maybe I should stick to helping my daughter decorate pumpkins?
Step 1. Make or obtain one of those donut-shaped thingy-madingies you need to create a sock bun. This is important!
Step 2. Put hair into ponytail at desired height (I like both low and high)
Step 3. Put donut-thingy through your ponytail until it rests against your head
Step 4. Pull donut-thingy close to the end of your ponytail
Step 5. Redo Step 4 because you're a klutz and let all of the hair fall out
Step 6. Repeat Step 5, then 4, then 5, then 4...
Step 7. Carefully roll donut-thing down towards your head, carefully putting the hair around it as you go.
Step 8. Sigh. Repeat Step 3, then 4, then 5...
Step 9. It doesn't look right. Repeat previous steps
Step 10. #$*!@! this crap...
Step 11. Finally finish! It should feel relatively snug, but put some bobby pins in to secure it into place.
Step 12. Decide to get a shorter hair cut so that you don't have to deal with this again.
Oh, and also, make sure to take a picture of it AFTER you've sweated it out at the gym, because that is THE most flattering way to go.
Sigh. Maybe I should stick to helping my daughter decorate pumpkins?
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Family Photos
Here are a few more of our Fall Family Photos (minus the ones that will be adorning our Christmas cards this year!) Keep in mind that we did not use a professional photographer - just my husband and my dad! I'm still working on editing them to be a bit brighter and sharper...but overall I think they turned out okay!
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Friday, October 25, 2013
Fat-Free Friday
Today, I am grumpy. I was having problems with my scale, so I had to play around and rejig it and reset it...and it appears my weight isn't quite as low as I thought it was all week. I'm at 160.4, and I am dying to be back in the 150s. So....grumpy.
Any, enough about me. I have a treat for you today: a special guest post from my pal Emily, all about surviving the holidays while still following a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy!
---------------------------
Hi all, I'm Emily Stone, a SAHM, proud wife, runner, fitness freak, health food addict, and animal lover! I also have an intense passion for writing, and luckily for me, Brenna has been generous enough to let me share my writing on her wonderful blog. So today, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite tips for keeping the weight off during the holiday season! If you have any questions feel free to email me at estone292@gmail.com!
Now, onto the post...
Keeping weight off during the holiday season – A Post from Emily Stone
The holidays are coming seemingly faster this year. I absolutely love the fall and preparing for feasts and parties. But I don’t want this seasons to derail my fitness plans. I find that if I maintain an exercise regimen, and loosen up on my dietary restrictions just a little, I can have an excellent holiday season without having to detox come January.
Keep Moving
A month ago, I enjoyed exercising harder and longer with the moderate temperatures. But now, it’s not as temperate anymore. That jarring cold when I step outside to take the kids to school in the morning sometimes makes me want to rush back to security under the covers. Never fear, I know what to do. When it’s time for me to bring my workouts inside, I still enjoy a thorough but shorter session. Fall and winter are best for interval training. I perform one exercise for a short period until I’m about reading to keel over, then move to another. Each individual exercise is intense, so I get a very powerful workout in a short period of time. An excellent example of interval training is the Focus T25 workoutby Insanity creator Shaun T. All it takes is 25 minutes, and I’m done.
Indulge Occasionally
I have gone on diets in the past where I have to stick precisely to the diet all the time. This can be a nightmare, and why I think most really strict diets fail. When the holidays start sneaking up on me, I try to take a rational approach to them. For example, I always buy the Halloween candy far too early. By the time Halloween arrives, everyone has eaten the candy. This year, I took little zipper bags, wrote names on them and portioned out a handful of pieces that everyone in the house could have. Then I hid the rest of the candy. Once the bags are empty, that’s it until Halloween. I didn’t feel compelled to binge because I knew I could have a piece or two. And surprisingly, everyone else in the house stopped binging, too. I think this approach applies especially well to big-feast holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you’re anything like me, you get to Thanksgiving, see all the pies, and panic. Oh no, zillions of calories! Deep breaths, I’m going to be OK. I will eat a slice of pie. Or maybe follow my mother’s advice and eat two half-slices of pie, so I can get a variety. One slice of pie is not going to kill my diet, as long as I’m eating healthily otherwise.
Honor the 80/20 Rule
That is where the 80/20 Rule comes in. When it comes to the holidays, I give myself a break. But only a little break. I aim to make at least 80 percent of what I eat very healthy–reasonably low in fat, low-carb, natural, high in nutrients. Then I don’t feel so bad when I indulge in the slice of pie or a piece of Christmas fudge. The trick is to make healthy food stay healthy. For example, sweet potatoes. These tubers are a powerhouse of nutrients! However, I have to watch for those syrupy-sweet concoctions that always make the rounds at the holidays. If I can’t make it myself with a minimum of sweetener, I try to eat from the bottom of the pan, to avoid the worst of the glaze and marshmallows.
The holidays should be a time of getting together with family and enjoying winter activities. I stay in shape and indulge moderately, so I can participate fully in both.
----------------------------------
I hope that you took the time to read Emily's post, because there are some GREAT tips in there - I know I'll be trying some!
See you next week!
Any, enough about me. I have a treat for you today: a special guest post from my pal Emily, all about surviving the holidays while still following a healthy lifestyle. Enjoy!
---------------------------
Hi all, I'm Emily Stone, a SAHM, proud wife, runner, fitness freak, health food addict, and animal lover! I also have an intense passion for writing, and luckily for me, Brenna has been generous enough to let me share my writing on her wonderful blog. So today, I'd like to share with you some of my favorite tips for keeping the weight off during the holiday season! If you have any questions feel free to email me at estone292@gmail.com!
Now, onto the post...
Keeping weight off during the holiday season – A Post from Emily Stone
The holidays are coming seemingly faster this year. I absolutely love the fall and preparing for feasts and parties. But I don’t want this seasons to derail my fitness plans. I find that if I maintain an exercise regimen, and loosen up on my dietary restrictions just a little, I can have an excellent holiday season without having to detox come January.
Keep Moving
A month ago, I enjoyed exercising harder and longer with the moderate temperatures. But now, it’s not as temperate anymore. That jarring cold when I step outside to take the kids to school in the morning sometimes makes me want to rush back to security under the covers. Never fear, I know what to do. When it’s time for me to bring my workouts inside, I still enjoy a thorough but shorter session. Fall and winter are best for interval training. I perform one exercise for a short period until I’m about reading to keel over, then move to another. Each individual exercise is intense, so I get a very powerful workout in a short period of time. An excellent example of interval training is the Focus T25 workoutby Insanity creator Shaun T. All it takes is 25 minutes, and I’m done.
Indulge Occasionally
I have gone on diets in the past where I have to stick precisely to the diet all the time. This can be a nightmare, and why I think most really strict diets fail. When the holidays start sneaking up on me, I try to take a rational approach to them. For example, I always buy the Halloween candy far too early. By the time Halloween arrives, everyone has eaten the candy. This year, I took little zipper bags, wrote names on them and portioned out a handful of pieces that everyone in the house could have. Then I hid the rest of the candy. Once the bags are empty, that’s it until Halloween. I didn’t feel compelled to binge because I knew I could have a piece or two. And surprisingly, everyone else in the house stopped binging, too. I think this approach applies especially well to big-feast holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you’re anything like me, you get to Thanksgiving, see all the pies, and panic. Oh no, zillions of calories! Deep breaths, I’m going to be OK. I will eat a slice of pie. Or maybe follow my mother’s advice and eat two half-slices of pie, so I can get a variety. One slice of pie is not going to kill my diet, as long as I’m eating healthily otherwise.
Honor the 80/20 Rule
That is where the 80/20 Rule comes in. When it comes to the holidays, I give myself a break. But only a little break. I aim to make at least 80 percent of what I eat very healthy–reasonably low in fat, low-carb, natural, high in nutrients. Then I don’t feel so bad when I indulge in the slice of pie or a piece of Christmas fudge. The trick is to make healthy food stay healthy. For example, sweet potatoes. These tubers are a powerhouse of nutrients! However, I have to watch for those syrupy-sweet concoctions that always make the rounds at the holidays. If I can’t make it myself with a minimum of sweetener, I try to eat from the bottom of the pan, to avoid the worst of the glaze and marshmallows.
The holidays should be a time of getting together with family and enjoying winter activities. I stay in shape and indulge moderately, so I can participate fully in both.
----------------------------------
I hope that you took the time to read Emily's post, because there are some GREAT tips in there - I know I'll be trying some!
See you next week!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
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Sunday, October 20, 2013
Happy Monday!!!
I hope you are having a great start to your week! I know I am! (Okay, honestly, I'm writing this post on Sunday night, but I darned well HOPE that I will be having a great Monday!) I had a nice weekend featuring a baby shower and a get-together with out-of-town friends, so I'm feeling pretty chipper. Tomorrow my husband and I are attempting some family photos with the kids (I'm obsessed with photo cards right now) so please wish me luck!!!
Also, my weight loss has been holding steady despite some eating challenges, and I managed to sneak in a morning workout today when I thought I wouldn't have the chance...and I am SORE! That actually puts me in a good mood, if you can believe it!
Also, guess what arrived in the mail on Friday...
It's my blog friend's FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEL, and it's out and ready for you to read! I've just started reading it, and I already feel like I can relate to the character and writing style. If you are interested in checking it out, it's called "The Luminaries: Kinetic" and you can find it on Amazon. I may do a more detailed post about this later :) But please, if you are open to different types of books, why not support a stay-at-home mom whose trying to fulfil her dream?
There's your guilt trip for the day :) Have a great week!
Also, my weight loss has been holding steady despite some eating challenges, and I managed to sneak in a morning workout today when I thought I wouldn't have the chance...and I am SORE! That actually puts me in a good mood, if you can believe it!
Also, guess what arrived in the mail on Friday...
It's my blog friend's FIRST PUBLISHED NOVEL, and it's out and ready for you to read! I've just started reading it, and I already feel like I can relate to the character and writing style. If you are interested in checking it out, it's called "The Luminaries: Kinetic" and you can find it on Amazon. I may do a more detailed post about this later :) But please, if you are open to different types of books, why not support a stay-at-home mom whose trying to fulfil her dream?
There's your guilt trip for the day :) Have a great week!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Fat-Free Friday
Good news today, peeps! Not only have I lost all of my vacation weight, but I also lost an additional...wait for it...0.2 pounds!!! Ha ha...I'll take it though!
Right now I'm at exactly 160lbs. The scale must know how badly I want to be back in the 150s, so it's purposely mocking me. No worries. I'll get you next week, Mr. Scale.
I don't have much interesting stuff to say today. I plan on working on a craft project during my lunch break. This one isn't a gift, so as soon as it's done I can share pictures with you all!! Aren't you excited?
Right now I'm at exactly 160lbs. The scale must know how badly I want to be back in the 150s, so it's purposely mocking me. No worries. I'll get you next week, Mr. Scale.
I don't have much interesting stuff to say today. I plan on working on a craft project during my lunch break. This one isn't a gift, so as soon as it's done I can share pictures with you all!! Aren't you excited?
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