Auntie's Full Shelf Challenge 03

Book: The Daniel Plan.

Author: Rick Warren, et al

Info: Copyright 2013 by Zondervan

Where acquired: Gift from a friend.

Why:  Several years ago when Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California (also home to the Celebrate Recovery Program) introduced the Daniel Plan, I gathered with a group to take the video course.  Unfortunately, the course left me a little high and dry.  It gave a lot of dos and don'ts, but not many how tos.  Once the course was over, not many stuck with it--OK no one I know of stuck with it and the leaders of the course didn't follow through.  When a friend of mine excitedly gave me the book, I thought Why not?  My hope was that the book had more meat to it than the video course and reveal the secrets of lasting change. 

Rating (on a scale of 1-4 hashtags):  # # # 1/2

What it's about:  Warren and company presents five keys to total fitness (faith, food, fitness, focus, and friends) and expounds on each one and how they work in concert.

Favorite Quotes: 

"What you do with your body sets the tone for everything else." - p. 17

"Health comes from recognizing and using God's power in your life and treating your body and mind with the care that He intended.  - p. 33

"When I run, I feel God's pleasure." - Eric Liddel - p. 42

"Being overweight or unhappy is as much a ' thinking disorder' as it is an eating or mental disorder." - p. 202

"Trying to change everything at once almost inevitably invites disappointment.  Don't try to change dozens of unhealthy habits at once.  Start with a few vital behaviors--the ones that will have the biggest immediate impact--and go from there."  - p. 252

What I Liked:

• A majority of the ideas are practical--there was no "one size fits all" approach.  As long as one sticks to the 5 basic essentials, methods of achieving the desired result can differ.  In other words, if you hate running and gag on broccoli, it doesn't ruin the entire program for you.  There are lots of choices.
• The examples of success weren't sensationalized and all the participants weren't cookie cutter examples. 
• Scriptural encouragement and examples were cited much more than in other supposed Christian based literature and programs I've dealt with.
• I liked that their use of the "aside box" contained useful information, rather than simply repeating what was already said in the main text.  HOWEVER...

What I didn’t like: 

• Whoever decided to put light grey/green lettering on top of a light lime green text box wasn't thinking about the reader.  Squint city.
• I never knew who was speaking.  Chapter one is listed as being written by Rick Warren.  The other chapters do not identify the author(s). This made some chapters bog down with awkward sentence structure.  In other words, having pronouns running around without knowing to whom they refer confuses the daylights out of the reader.  Hello, Sybil!
• Too much "voo-doo science."  Yes, we all need to eat cleaner and exercise more.  However, there were a few unnecessary pieces of tripe hype thrown in.  Things like implying that getting healthy prevents global warming (James Spann would be cussing right now), and trying to invoke shame by saying "humans are the only species who drink milk after weaning."  So?  We're the only species that can cook and put on pants too, but I'm not going to stop doing those things just because the rest of the species aren't doing it.  There's enough bad information out there without ruining an otherwise good book with more of it.

To sum up: 

The Daniel Plan is a great jumping off point for establishing healthy routines for spirit, soul, and body.  I've already been working on my health for a while, so this is not a new "diet" I'm trying.  This is another piece of arsenal in my recovery process.

I would recommend the book to anyone interested.  I would, however, caution the reader to take some of the information with a grain of salt (the "voo-doo science" I mentioned earlier).  I would also caution not to throw out the entire program because of something you can't or don't want to do.  Take it a piece at a time.

So, how is everyone's "Full Shelf Challenge" going?

Prep Area: The Simple Woman's Daybook

If you would like to join in and post your own Daybook, please head on over to visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today:  Sunday, February 15, 2015
 

Outside my window … The cold gray sky of that last gasp of winter that says, "You thought I was gone, didn't you?"

I am thinking... about art projects, spring, workouts, spring, cleaning the car, spring, rearranging my bedroom.  Did I mention spring?

I am thankful... For new opportunities, for the start of a new week, for a new chance to get it right.

In the kitchen...  I'm planning on doing a few meals ahead of time for days when I'm really busy or don't feel like cooking..  That way the thing I grab that is fast and easy will something nutritious.  I'm also going to try cooking my brown rice with chicken broth instead of water.  Maybe that will give it some flavor.
 

I am creating... Pondering and setting up for March projects.  I've got several paintings and another quilt-ghan in my mind.

I am going...  It's going to be cold all week with a potential of snow and ice Tuesday, so I'm only going out when I have to.
 

I am wondering... I'm drawing a blank.
 

I am reading... This week, I finished The Art of Prayer by Kenneth Hagin Sr.  My review can be found here.  This week, I plan to finish up The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren et al and hopefully start a new book.
 

I am hoping... to have a good week.

I am looking forward to... Getting my score and next lesson back from the Bible correspondence course I started ages ago.  I finally picked it back up, reread the materials, took the test, and mailed it in.  I should know something by the next daybook.
 
I am learning…  I learned a lot about prayer through reading the Hagin book.  I'll learn more as I apply what I've learned.

 

Around the house...  I'm considering rearranging my bedroom.  The problem is making sure I've got enough workout room.  Time to get out the tape measure.

 

I am pondering...  I've been given an opportunity that I'm pondering over.  I'm not pondering the yes or no, I'm pondering how it's going to work or if it's going to work.

A favorite quote for today... 

"If you are waiting on the President or Congress to fix your life. Your life will continue to suck." - Dave Ramsey

"Unsuccessful people are always talking about what they deserve. Successful people look around for opportunities to earn it." - The Total Solution Twitter page.

"When people are babies spiritually, somebody has to carry them. Somebody has to feed them. Somebody has to care for them." - Kenneth Hagin Sr.

Speaking about Kanye West not having a degree, "You don't need a degree to be a jackass." - Greg Burgess

One of my favorite things... Organized work space (yeah, good luck with that one).

A few plans for the rest of the week:   Like I said, I'm leaving the house as little as possible.  My plan is more reading and more workouts.

A peek into my day...  

It was way too cold to walk outside today, so I got in 3 miles at the Community Center track. It's one of "those" days.  It took me nearly an hour and a half to do 58 minutes worth of work.  I slowly got in three walking miles on the  track plus probably another half mile going back and forth to the bathroom. Yep, the return of the TeePoo 5k.  Anyway, 3 miles done slowly is better than none.  I only got in 8 total miles this week.  Hopefully this week will be better.

You Ain't Done Nothin' if... Part 2

In the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if..." I've come up with a few more indicators of whether we're serious about this fitness thing or not.  Caution, sense of humor required; please put on big girl/boy panties now.

BTW--part one can be found here.



If you've never had to choose between finishing a workout or peeing/pooping your pants...you ain't done nothin'.

If you have not worked out long enough to have callouses...somewhere, you ain't done nothin'.

If you've not mastered the skill of changing mp3 player batteries in a single bound...in any position...you ain't done nothin'.

If your headphones still have the little black cushions on them...you ain't done nothin'.

If you're still on your first pair of headphones...you ain't done nothin'.

If you've only used Baby's Butt Aid on a baby...you ain't done nothin'.

If you're mad about having to move your in-home gym equipment because you won't have a place to hang your clothes...you ain't done nothin'.

If you can't tell the difference between airbrushed abs and real ones...you ain't done nothin'.

If you finish a workout looking as good as you did when you started...you ain't done nothin'.

If you think a Mud Run means going for more pie or brownies...you ain't done nothin'.

If you think a pull up goes on a baby's butt...you ain't done nothin'.

If your muffin top has turned into a funnel cake...you ain't done nothin'.

If the only time you ever squat is when you go to the potty...you ain't done nothin'.

If the only six pack you care about has "Budwiser" on it...you ain't done nothin'.

If your excuse for not getting into shape is "well, round is a shape"  you ain't done nothin'.

If you think Zumba is Kim Kardashians first cousin...you ain't done nothin'.

If you think "5k" is a hip-hop group...you ain't done nothin'.

Can you think of any more?  Let's see what you've got.

E is for Exercise [A-Z Blog Challenge]

Theme A B C D

E

Exercise

 

But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.  For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

 

I Timothy 4:7-8 King James Version

 

 

Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.

 

I Timothy 4:7-8 The Message

 

Some people take this passages as an excuse to abuse their bodies.  They say, "See, God doesn't care about this exercise thing.  After all, He said it 'profiteth little.'"  I was guilty of the same line of thinking for years.  My mentality was well, if doing anything to work on this body is of little use to God, why should I bother?  That  is until the first time I started showing the initial signs of illness.  Then, of course, God was the first one I tried to call on for help.  Since I didn't think He cared about my body, I didn't have much confidence that He would help me, though mercifully He did.

 

I had to learn that God didn't say that bodily exercise didn't profit at all, but little, or more exactly, for a little time.  I happen to know from experience that the benefits of months of physical exercise can be ruined by a few weeks of laziness, inconsistency, overindulgence, or illness.  I also know that I can put all my effort into working on my physical outside, but if my spirit and soul are empty, I can still look in the mirror and see a fat, ugly mess, devoid of any real substance--what Jesus called a whitewashed sepulcher--appearing to have it all together on the outside, but dead on the inside. 

 

Bringing my spiritual life into this physical process of transformation became necessary for real change.  I'm doing things like studying what the Word says about the physical body--how to treat the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:9), learning that God does care about my total health in order to fulfill His calling for my life (I Thessalonians 5:23), and learning to effectively pray over my workouts and meals.  Only then, does successful recovery begin to occur.  I've got a while to go, but I'm not where I used to be.

 

For more information on the A-Z Blog Challenge, go to:

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/



Letter to My Running Shoes

Dear New Balance 630v2's,

Thank you so much for being my first official pair of running shoes.  The day I took you off the shelf at Martin's and tried you on was the real beginning of my running career.  I'd only run one race before I found you.  You took me through my first color run, my first 5k in the rain, my best race and my worst race of 2013.  I remember the day I laced you up and took an inaugural stroll on the Chief Ladiga Trail.  You fit like a glove...or sock...and I felt like I was walking on pillows.  I could have run for miles...if only the rest of my body had felt like my feet did.

I was so hoping that you would take me into 2014, but sadly, I have to let you go.  Alas, I've run you so hard this past eleven months that the left shoe has traded it's fluffy softness for the consistency of a cinder block.  However, all is not lost, my sweet hot pink and gray lovelies.  You shall not be forgotten and relegated to a closet or dumpster.  You shall live on as my new bicycling shoes.  You shall not be retired; you shall now be REFIRED.

Rock on, shoes!  Rock on!

Signed, Your Faithful Friend

Auntie

PS.  Play nice with your replacement when I leave y'all alone in the closet.  Don't make me come in there!
 

Auntie vs. the Bicycle: Round 4

I've been trying some new things with my cycling workouts.  I mentioned in an earlier post about trying a very good online spinning workout.  I even tried a ride at the Henry Farm trail with my friends Carmine and Susan.  Stupid me thought is was just another paved offshoot of the Ladiga Trail.  It's not; it's a mountain bike trail full of hills, rocks, and trees with their accompanying tree stumps.  After losing my water bottle, nearly hitting a tree (more than once), almost breaking the handlebars off the bike, and falling more distance than I was riding, I decided to put this on the "not again" list.  Carmine kept encouraging me, saying it was because of my bike (in the process I finished warping my back tire--a fact I didn't notice until months later).  I keep telling him that he could put me on the most expensive high-end mountain bike and I would still suck at the trail.  Susan kept telling him to get me off the trail before he killed me.  Oh well, the fun with my friends was worth the failure.

If you've been keeping up with my previous cycling/spinning adventures, you'll remember in Round 3, my friend Tamara and I started riding the Ladiga Trail whenever her schedule allowed.  Therein is the problem.  Tamara is a very busy wife and mom who home-schools her son, and travels frequently with her husband's job.  Because she was the one with the bike hitch (and later a bike I could borrow that didn't have a wobbly back wheel from aforementioned trip to Henry Farm), my rides have been at the mercy of her availability.

Anyone who knows me well recognizes that I do not like being too dependent on other people.  I don't want to be too clingy or inadvertently use people like I did in my 20's.  Fear of that happening again made me really antsy to find a bike hitch that fits my car and a bike without a warped wheel.  In my search for a hitch, the guy from one of our local bike shops said he might have one that fit a Honda Accord...for around $150!  This is the same guy who tried to sell me a $55 stationary trainer for over $300.  No thank you.  I found one online, but was hesitant to order it due to ever-tightening budget constraints.  So I just prayed about it and waited.

Cut to this weekend at the annual Honduras Medical Missions Trip yard/rummage sale fundraiser at my church.  Friday, I went by and looked around for a bargain.  I saw a treadmill, but the price was little more than I could spend.  One of the guys from CR told me to come back on Saturday because everything would be half price.  Sounded good to me.  I went back Saturday...and the treadmill was GONE!  Oh well.  So, I looked around for something else.  I found a bicycle that looked to be in pretty good shape.  The tires were flat, but they were also brand new (they still had the little rubber nubs on the sides).  It was only a few dollars, so I took a chance.  In the process of arranging for someone to bring the bike to my place, one of the guys told me that there was a universal bike carrier for sale.  WHAT?!  So I bought it and the guys attached it to the trunk of my car.  It fit just fine.  Well ain't that God at work?

After a little tweaking to the bike (switching out the 'naner seat that felt like my taint was slamming against a plank, with the seat from "wobbly," and raising the handlebars so I don't have steer with my knees) I hooked her up and planned for a Sunday evening ride.

It was so freeing to go out to the trail without having to wait on anyone and without them having to wait for me to catch up with them.  For safety, I check in and out with my friends through social media or texts.  I have several local friends who would rescue me (or bail me out of jail if I had to jack up someone for bothering me on trail).  I rode a leisurely 4.5 miles to try it out and it was glorious.  I also snapped a few pictures and saw some nice stopping spots what will be gorgeous once the spring blooms pop out.  I can't wait to get out there again, but right now, it's raining.

Auntie 4;  Bicycle 0

You Ain't Done Nothin' if...

In the spirit of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if..." I've come up with a few indicators of whether we're serious about this fitness thing or not.  Caution, sense of humor required; please put on big girl/boy panties now.

• If you've never nearly, or really, upchucked during a workout...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never broken a wire in your bra while jogging...you ain't done nothin'!  (You too, ladies)
• If you've done what you considered a hard workout and didn't burp, fart or have to pee at some point in it...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never suffered the embarrassment of being lapped by a senior citizen at a 5k...you ain't done nothin'!  True story, I almost got beaten in a 5k race  by an 89 year old man...twice!  You go, Paw-Paw!
• If you've never done Zumba and cried...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never done the Fred Sanford walk after getting off a bicycle...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never eaten enough fiber to disrupt a workout (if you know what I mean)...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never gotten off an elliptical machine and wondered if you would ever bear children...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never fallen asleep in your sweaty, stinky workout clothes...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never caught a cramp in a place you didn't even know you had muscles...you ain't done nothin'!  (Toe cramp, anyone?)
• If you think that "eating more from the rainbow" requires a bag of Skittles or M&M's...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never been too tired to eat...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you think a 5k is a bra size...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you've never passed a rack of awesome pumps in favor of the New Balance rack at the shoe store... you ain't done nothin'!  (You too, ladies)
• If you've never peed on yourself trying to do a plank...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you interchange the terms "5k" and "marathon"...you ain't done nothin'!
• If you're insulted by getting fitness gear for birthdays, anniversaries, or Christmas...you ain't done nothin'!
• Add your own here.

Auntie vs. the Bicycle: Round 3

The first outdoor ride.

As you will recall in round two, I finally found a way to ride my bicycle indoors.  Indoor training is fine, but the awesome fall we had here in Alabama, plus the warm days that are always sprinkled within a Southern winter made me long to find a way to get out on the Chief Ladiga Trail. (As you learned in round one, biking on the fair streets of JackVegas is OUT.)  I searched for a bike hitch but the closest I could find fit a Honda Civic, but not a Honda Accord.  WTC?  As I continue the search, I must remind myself that a bike hitch is still much cheaper than a pickup truck.

Enter, stage right, my friend Tamara.  She and a few of us from Sav-A-Life were taking a walk together when a conversation about bicycling commenced.  Our other friend --I'll not throw Mikki under the bus by mentioning her name :) -- said she was afraid of the tushy pain of bike riding (wuss weenie).  Well, Tamara said she had no such qualms, plus she had a pickup truck WITH a bike hitch.  Hallalujah!  So, we set up a time to get together and ride.

Park in Weaver

I honestly don't remember how far we biked the first time, but I was immediately hooked and was hungry for more.  Finally, something GOOD to be addicted to.  I do remember that I kept asking Tamara if she was being nice by biking more slowly to help me keep up with her--I believe my exact words were "Are you messing with me?"  She said no, but I didn't believe her until we were headed back and I took off like a shot and left her in the dust--thus her nickname for me; Rabbit.  I didn't mean to, but it was so exhilarating seeing all my indoor training turn into real road miles.  Just as a side note:  in all of my indoor training I had no way of knowing how far I was riding, just how long.  A bike computer/odometer is on my wish list.

Early in November, Tamara's husband, Scot, their son, Jonathan, and their two crazy dogs, Bear and Lexy joined our bike team and we upped our degree of difficulty.  I was kind of scared that failure was coming because I felt like my other rides were adrenaline infused and the excitement drove the distance; not strength or fitness level.  However, that was not the case.  A few times we rode to the park in Weaver and back (about 10.5 miles).  We did an 11 mile ride heading north towards Piedmont, which passes by Germania Springs Park in Jacksonville.  I swear that ride is uphill both ways--and there wasn't even any snow!  The topper was riding from our community center--our normal starting point--all the way to the Alabama end of the trail in Anniston (12 miles round trip). To ride all that way made me feel accomplished, like a real athlete.  Now, when I climbed off the bike I was an athlete with a sore butt doing the Fred Sanford walk, but still an athlete.

Now that Scottish winter has set in here in 'Bama (Alba Gu Brath, y'all), I will have to be content with my one woman, '80's music spinning parties with an occasional outdoor trek.  I can't wait for spring!  Who knows?  When I can finally get a bike hitch (or a pickup truck) and more training, I may ride the length of the entire trail (about 33 miles).  Just be prepared to come get me; that will probably be a one way trip.

Auntie: 3, Bicycle: 0  HAZZAH!

Cue the music after I get off the bike.

Auntie's Rules of Fitness: Part 3

For rules 1-8, click here.

For rules 9-15, click here.

• Mind your business.
• Don't be bouge.  I was recently ostracized by an online runners group because I did most of my running on a treadmill.  Someone gave me the turned up nose response of "Well, I NEVER use a treadmill."  (roll eyes here) So, I guess according to them I'm not a "real" runner unless all my miles are on the highway.  No, I'm a real runner because I RUN--even if it is a paw-paw slow pace.  I don't need shin splints, bruises from car bumpers, and large orthopaedic  clinic bills to prove I'm a runner.  Some people's children.
• Drink plenty of water, but don't guzzle water during a workout.  If you drink too much too fast during an intense workout, will either barf or go through the workout wishing you could.
• Have a piece of "progress" wear.  When it fits, get another one.
• From Pinterest:  Do not reward yourself with food; you are not a dog.
• Do not graze; you are not a cow.
• If you eat something not on your plan, or if you, like me, lose your mind and flat out binge, do not punish yourself the next day or try to make up for what you did by trying to starve yourself or use anything to try to purge the "bad" food from your system.  Instead, focus on nourishing yourself totally.  Nourish your body with good food; nourish your mind with good words; nourish your spirit with what builds you up.  Just like in your spiritual life, grace works better than law and punishment.  Law and punishment makes you want to keep doing it.  Grace gives you the freedom to say no.
• Be inspired, not required - What I mean by that is, be inspired by whatever floats your boat, but don't feel like you have to get the same results in the same way.  For example, I enjoy watching The Biggest Loser and Extreme Weight Loss.   However, I cannot expect to lose 7-10 pounds a week without exercising being all I do. 

Try it Mikey: Fitness Challenege for December 2013

Ah, the holiday season.  A time for laughing, loving, giving, and ...FOOD!  It's the end of the year, we're tired, and we're about ready to throw in the towel and say, "Ah, screw it!  I'll try this health thing after the new year."  But WAIT!  Instead of quitting, maybe it's time to spice up the fitness routine.  So, this month's challenge is to try something new.

Now, I know that change isn't something we like.  Boring routine is best, until it becomes too boring and too routine.  So, come on, Mikey, try some new things this month.  Whether it's a new workout DVD or a whole new activity, try it and let me know how it goes.

This One's For the Girls Challenge: Week 04



Photo courtesy of
Amiel Weisblum

Well, here we are the last week of the month.  I'm sorry that it has taken this long to come up with the last challenge, but finding a different workout was difficult.  This one is a printable file found here.  Please remember to use whatever weight you're comfortable with that will still give you a challenge.  Have fun, and thanks for participating in this challenge with me. 

 This One's For the Girls

Blog Challenge Day 27: Hot Legs

Blog challenge is from Can I Get Another Bottle of Whine

 

Day 27:  What is your favorite part of your body and why?

Does my hair count as a body part?  No, OK.

My legs...well specifically my calves.  As I talked about in an earlier post, my legs are what showed me as little girl that was fat, but they show me progress and strength now:

I see strength in those legs.  I see miles ran and miles to run.  I see a future of winter boots and summer heels that accent and show off the definition in the muscles of those legs (nothing provocative, relax).  I see legs that may learn to dance someday. I see legs that bounce babies as they laugh.  I see legs that sometimes recline on my desk when I'm reading a book.

I hope that's not a bad thing, because if it is...OH WELL. 

This One's For the Girls Challenge: Week 03






Photo courtesy of
Amiel Weisblum

Ahh, last week's challenge was a really good one.  I got really sore from doing it, but it was worth it.  Well, here's this week's challenge.  All you will need for this one is a set of dumbbells (hand weights) or a couple of water bottles.  Some of the exercises in this set are more difficult than the last ones, but we all need to keep trying new things.  If you really can't do a particular move, either skip it or modify it.  There are some beginner modifications included in video.  Enjoy!

 





This One's For the Girls Challenge: Week 02



Photo courtesy of
Amiel Weisblum

So, how did your first week's challenge go?  For me, it looked easy enough, but I started to feel the burn after about 20 seconds of each exercise.  I did make it through all three sessions.

OK, for this week, we're adding some weights and a little more difficulty.  Please remember that you can modify these to whatever is safest for you.  Use light weights or water bottles if necessary.  If you cannot do a standard push up, do a wall push up or a plank. The point isn't to do this perfectly.  The paint is to get moving.  Try to do at least three sessions of this workout.  Let me know how it goes.

Video courtesy of Fitnessblender.com

Why are we doing this again?  As I said last week:  Exercises for the chest and upper body are great for building strength and better posture.  Plus they have the added bonus of helping to lift a sagging bustline.  Remember fellers, you can get saggy and baggy too, so don't wimp out on me because of the title of the challenge.

GO!

This One's For the Girls Challenge: Week 01

Photo courtesy of
Amiel Weisblum

Did you know that October is national breast cancer awareness month?  According to the American Center Society, with the exception of lung cancer, breast cancer takes the lives of more women than any other cancer.  With that in mind, this month's challenge is for the "girls."

Exercises for the chest and upper body are great for building strength and better posture.  Plus they have the added bonus of helping to lift a sagging bustline.

Now gentlemen, don't zone out on me.  Although it is rare, men do suffer from breast cancer.  Also, the exercises and challenges are good for you as well.

So, the first week of this challenge is a simple no weights or equipment workout.  Yes, I know October 1st is tomorrow, but we always say we're going to start stuff on Monday, right?  Try to do this three days this week in addition to your other exercise routines.  It does not include a warm up or cool down.  Let me, and the folks at fitnessblender.com know how you like the workout.

Video courtesy of fitnessblender.com



Auntie vs. the Bicycle: Round 2

As you will recall in round one, I was blessed with a bicycle, but had a little trouble trying to ride it outdoors.  If you don't recall, feel free to click the link and read it right quick.  Even with all the issues with my first attempts at riding, I really enjoyed it and wanted to find an alternative.  So, I got on the internet and did a few searches.

I found out that I could get a stationary trainer to ride the bike indoors.  Hmm, sounds like a plan.  I can ride inside all I want and when the occasion arises, it's easy to detach the bike so I can ride outside.  There's a bicycle shop close by, so I stopped by there to ask about a trainer.  They had one...for almost $300!  And that didn't even include the $30 stabilizing block to level the front tire (what fool is going to ride without one?).  Back to the 'net I go.

Well, Amazon.com to the rescue.  I found a stationary trainer WITH the stabilizing block for less than 1/4 the price of the other one (including shipping, thank you).  Now, I am very persnickety when it comes to ordering anything unfamiliar online.  Even if the price looks good, I scour the reviews for any potential problems.  Other than the reviewers saying it was noisy, there weren't any apparent problems with it.  So, I ordered one. 

While I waited for the box to arrive, I looked up some websites about spinning and cycling and got some great information.  By the time it arrived, I was pee-in-my-pants excited (I'm already thinking one woman 80's disco spinning party).  I opened the box, took out the contents, and looked at the instructions, and looked at the instructions, and looked at the instructions.  The pictures on the instructions were black and white, blurry, and absolutely no help.  The written instructions weren't much better.  I knew I was in trouble when saw that they had spelled tire with a "Y" (tyre?).  Luckily there were video instructions for this very trainer on YouTube.  Ah, now it makes perfect sense...until it got to the part about replacing the quick release skewer with the skewer the trainer came with.  Rut-roh!  When I figured out what a quick release skewer was, I also found out that not all bikes have them, including mine.  Double rut-roh.  That little tidbit was nowhere near in the product description or the reviews.

Fortunately, there is another bike shop even nearer by.  I muscled as much of the bike into my trunk as possible, put the trainer in the front seat, and headed off (praying that the cops wouldn't find my Honda "pickup truck" a hazard).  I told the guy at the shop that I needed a back tire with a skewer.  Instead of just putting on a new tire and charging me who knows how much, he tried out the bike on the trainer as it was.  Turns out that the coupling on the trainer fits the bolts on the bike's back wheel just fine without any modifications.  Since I didn't have to buy anything, I tried to give the shop owner some money for his troubles; he would only take half of what I gave him.  Classy.


So, I packed part and parcel back into my makeshift pickup and headed home to set up for my first ride.  My intention was to only go for a 15 minute ride.  Well, let's just say after the song "Born to Be Wild" got me started, and "Crank it Up" started the sweat machine, I forgot about the time and rode for 30 minutes, changing gears at different times to see how they felt. 

When I got off the bike, I felt great...all but my derriere.  Anyone who says that cycling or spinning is a low impact aerobic activity never did it with a trunk without enough junk, if you know what I mean.  :)

I've been on several rides, and can't wait to do more.  I've got to get my playlist ready for the 80's disco spinning party!

Auntie: 2,  Bicycle: 0

 

Five Minute Friday: "Small"

Thanks to Lisa-Jo Baker at Five Minute Friday for the prompts.

 

  

GO!

Song of Solomon says that the "little foxes spoil the vine."  I've certainly let little things spoil my health vine lately:  Little compromises here, little bouts of tired and/or lazy there.  I want to pick up and do better.

I'm thinking about a couple of my recovery heroes; my mentor, Jim, and my "celebrity hero," comedian Craig Ferguson.  Both are recovering alcoholics and addicts who been off the "stuff" for more than two decades (Jim, more than THREE!).  I just keep wondering "How do they do it?  How do they never drink the stuff again?"  I strive to handle my addiction the same way.  I just haven't been able to see my self do this yet.   How?  How do I never eat something for emotional reasons again?  How do I say no to something I know can kill me?  How do I do this?  How?

TIMES UP!

Auntie vs. the Bicycle: Round 1

I still remember my first bicycle.  It was a purple/maroon color with a white seat and training wheels.  It was the best Christmas EVAR (O.K. I was six years old at the time, cut me some slack).  I thought at first that I would never get the hang of riding well enough to get Daddy to take off the training wheels (stabilizers for my UK friends).  I'd ride, and fall, and ride, and crash, and ride, and scrape my knee/elbow/face/back etc... all without too much ceremony.  Frustrated wasn't the word for it; mad enough to cry was more like it, but I did eventually get the hang of it and wore the training wheels slap out.  One problem:  though the wheels were so worn that they didn't even touch the ground anymore, Daddy still wouldn't remove them.  So, one day while my dad was gone, his best friend took mine and his son's training wheels off.  Sneaky, I know, but I got what I wanted without getting into trouble with my parents.

Ever since I learned to zoom on two wheels, I've always enjoyed bicycling.  No matter what size I was, I could always at least ride around the block or up the street a piece.  As much as I like riding, I've only owned three bikes in my lifetime:  the first one I just described, a blue one I got when I was ten, and a green mountain bike I got my senior year of college (I sold it the minute  I got a car).  The bike my dad found in the trash that didn't have any back brakes, that I nearly broke my neck on the few times I rode it does not count!

Thanks to a blessing from friends, I now have bike #4, which happens to be a purple/maroon color.  Coincidence?  I THINK NOT! (da-dum!).  I also have a helmet that fits (a blessing in itself since I have a big head and thick hair), a water bottle and holder, and a whistle (in lieu of a bike horn).  I've had the bike for couple of weeks, but scheduling and weather have kept me from riding.  But today, I was ready.

My plan was to put the bike in the trunk of my car, bungee the trunk down, and take the bike to the Ladiga Trail, ride a while, and drive it all back home.  Perfect plan...until I tried to put the bike in the trunk.  Now granted, I'm not good at physics and spatial relations are difficult for me.  However, since my bass guitar won't fit in the trunk of my Honda Accord, why the Sam Hill did I think a bicycle would fit?  (Lord, help!). 

So, on to Plan B, which was to ride the bike down Gardner Drive in Jacksonville to Church Avenue and back (about 2 miles).  I would consider the ride a success, but I need a different plan.  This plan has several problems:

Problem 1:  I got hallway through the ride and realized I'd forgotten my helmet!  WTC?!  Never again.

Problem 2:  Because I wasn't on the trail, but on a public road, I didn't feel safe (even before I realized I didn't have my helmet).  I white knuckled it the whole ride.  My hands still hurt.  I'm going to have to save up for a bike hitch for my car (or a pickup truck), so I can take the bike on the trail to get more proficient at this.  I wish we had bike lanes on our roads like they have in California.  I know, don't EVEN say it.  :) 

Problem 3:  The ride down was great because the road slightly declines.  So that means that the ride back was on a slight incline.  I did make it all the way back to the old Eastwood School (about a block from where I live) before I had to get off the bike and walk it the rest of the way.  I need more practice at balancing myself and gaining better stability on the bike (where are those bloody stabilizers, gov'ner?).  I also need practice on how and when to change gears on the bike.  I was going to try to gear up the bike to better handle the incline, but couldn't remember how and I didn't dare look down and take my focus off the road.

All in all, a good first attempt.

Auntie: 1  Bicycle:  0

Auntie's "Progress Dress"

I recently reread some posts on the A Black Girl's Guide to Weight Loss blog.  I don't agree with many of the author's views and I think her site is very racist at times, but she does make some good points about fitness.  Like a good horse, I eat the hay and spit out the sticks.  Her post about the "Progress Dress" caught my eye:

My progress dress helped me to actually see what the changes to my body meant for my wardrobe possibilities. I mean, be honest – we look at ourselves naked every day. Especially for those of us who might criticize ourselves [unnecessarily] every day, it may be hard to see our progress because we expect to wake up one morning and see [insert "problem" area] gone away. Having one dress to turn to every couple of weeks makes a great deal of difference in appreciating our progress.

A while back, I attempted to have a progress dress.  I lost weight, tried the dress on, and it didn't fit right.  I lost more weight, tried the dress on, and it still didn't fit right.  I lost even more weight, tried the dress on, and, you guessed it, that puppy was still not fitting properly.  I finally figured out that no matter how much I lost, that dress was still not going to look well on me.  My mistake was that there was no "wow" to the dress at all--nothing to keep me motivated.  No, it was not "certified hoochie wear" like my girl's progress dress.  In fact, the dress was the direct opposite:  very matronly, stodgy, and downright butt ugly.  I liked the cut of it, but the coloring was something my nearly 80-year old mother wouldn't ever wear.  Oh snap!  I let the dress go to the happy hunting grounds.  Oh, I forgot to mention that this dress was so old that the inside and lining of it was all stringy and not fit for anything, so I wouldn't give it away.

I had a pair of progress blue jean shorts for a while.  I literally had to pack my ample belly in them to get them on and I had a hard time breathing in them.  I lost about 20 pounds and now they fit well enough to wear outside the house.  So, what's next?

Well, I was blessed with some clothes from a friend and in them was this little number.  As you can see, I can at least get into the dress, but it's not ready for public consumption by any stretch of the imagination.  No, I do not know where I will be wearing it once it fits well.  Heck, if it looks half as good as I think it will look on me, I'll wear it to WAL-MART.  Yes, I realize that it may be cold weather again before I get down far enough for that, but I don't care; I'll wear it ANYWAY.

The reason I wanted a progress dress is because, like the blog author, I could see progress in the numbers on the scale, but not really see them when I looked at myself in the mirror.  I try to take my measurements, but I end up wondering if I am doing them correctly, or am I sabotaging myself with too big measurements.

I'm not sure how I feel about the trying to feel "sexy" or "look hot naked" thing the blog author talked about.  I'm not married, nor am I trying to "catch a man."  I do want to look nice and feel good about going out in public.  I care deeply about being a good example to those around me.  No, I'm not trying to be a fitness guru or anyone's food police, but Celebrate Recovery's Principle eight states:  "Yield myself to God to be used to bring this good news to others, both by my example and by my words."  If I am going to be that example, I can't just talk a good talk.  I've got to walk it out.  I've got to live it out.

So, every few weeks, I'll try the dress on again and update y'all.

Do you have any "progress" wear you are working on?

 

UPDATE: I'm not progressing as fast as I would like.  Maybe in another few months I'll have something to report.  For now, me and the dress still look the same.  (12/28/13)

UPDATE #2:  Still can't wear it.  (04/20/16)

UPDATE #3:  I'm sure I could wear it now...if I had it.  I've moved several times since this post, so I didn't have room to keep the dress.  (01/12/18)


Mind Your Business!

Matthew 7:1-2 - Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. (MSG)
 

Pulling into the parking lot, I see the nice cars lined up in the spaces; some with the little stick figure family decals (which I think are tacky simply because they are of no use to me).  Many of the vehicles even sport a bicycle rack (oh hoity toity).  I gaze at the well manicured grounds, smell the fresh paint, and hear the music coming from inside.  I think, “Oh Lord, what am I doing here?  I don’t belong here.”  Hesitantly, I step through the front door.  I’m greeted in the foyer by faces; some smiling, some looking like they’ve been sucking on a sour pickle for 14 years.  “Sigh.  I haven’t even said good morning, and the analysis has started already.”  Timidly, I go into the crowded main room.  Those familiar with the routine are exchanging pleasantries, giving a quick smile and nod my way.  A few more “pickles” are puckering up and nodding my way as if to say “What is SHE doing here?!  This is OUR place!  Who does she think she is?!”  I try to ignore their stares.  With shaking hands I hang up my jacket, pop in my headphones, and step onto the treadmill.  And so, the fight begins.

I’ve often heard it said that a church is the most judgmental place on earth.  Unfortunately, that is true in some cases.  However, I believe that the gym is an even more judgmental place.  Why?  Many of us grew up hearing others constantly tell us that we didn’t match up to their standards of physical perfection (classmates, teachers, parents, siblings, etc).  Hollywood parades the perky, perfect, plumped up, painted up, air brushed, photoshopped, surgitized, digitized models of “natural” perfection.  All this while trying to convince us that these people look and stay fabulous by eating cheese curls, drinking beer, and taking Viagra (pass the Cheetos please.  You can keep the rest of it.  J).  We’re used to that constant barrage of judgment.  Now, let’s add to that our inner dialogue of relentless self scrutiny.  Let’s go even deeper still, and add to that our own guilty pleasure of picking apart the moves of others at the gym.  See if any of this sounds familiar:

What the heck is she wearing?

Man, I’m a girl and I can leg press more than that!
Quit laying all over it; it’s a treadmill, not a Lay-z-Boy!
Oh, please.  If I can run, I know you can walk faster than THAT.
Clean up after yourself; your mama does NOT work here!

And on it goes until we’ve successfully torn everyone in the room completely apart. Feel superior now? 

Why do we do this?  Why is it not cool to be judged so harshly, but we feel perfectly justified in looking down on others?  Because deep down, we are really trying to stifle our own screaming shortcomings and failures.   If we can convince ourselves that others are not doing as well as we are, then we can hide our own defects and give ourselves the grace that we also need to freely give to others.  Another reason we do this is because we secretly think that others are thinking the same things about us.

What do I mean?  Well, let’s analyze a couple of my examples from earlier:

What is she wearing?  If I judge someone else on what she is wearing in the gym, then I don’t have to look at my own shabby, old as dirt, too big to be wearing outfit with embarrassment.

Man, I’m a girl and I can leg press more than that!  Yeah, Wonder Woman’s legs look super pressing 130 pounds (insert athletic grunt here), but they don’t look so hot trying unsuccessfully to figure out Zumba moves (insert cuss word here).

Clean up after yourself; your mama does NOT work here!  OK, OK, OK, people really SHOULD clean up after themselves, but in all honesty, giving them the stinky eye is not going to make them pick up a towel and clean their sweaty ooze off the machine.  Just go to the machine, say “eww” (no, don’t do that J ) and clean it up…and then be sure to be a good example and clean up your own ooze.

Second Corinthians 10:12 says, “Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely” (Amplified Version).  So, what’s the cure for the judgmental/critical thought pattern?  Three little words:  MIND YOUR BUSINESS.  The owner of the hair salon I used to frequent used to say this whenever any of the “Sister Bucket Mouths” started gossiping—a bunch of women gossiping, imagine that.  Anyway, wherever someone started to spout off some not-so-kind and usually not-so-true words about anyone, she’d stop them in their tracks and say, “Now, mind your business.”  Even the Bible tells us to mind our own business in First Thessalonians, chapter four, verse eleven.  When I find myself turning into the gym’s “Sister Bucket Mouth,” I say to myself (sometimes out loud—yeah I know I’m weird) “Hey, mind your business!”  Works every time.

In what areas do you need to “mind your business”?