My Bucket List

This morning I woke up and saw an article about former U.S. President Bill Clinton’s  bucket list.  You know what a bucket list is, just like that cute little movie “The Bucket List“ with Morgan Freeman.  It’s a list of all the stuff you want to do before you die or in other words, “Kick the Bucket.”  I have a list of short term goals like, make my 5K to 10K podcast, make my Fitness DVD, pay off a credit card etc, etc.  But I’ve never made a list of cool stuff I want to experience.  So I started one….here are a few…

Anyway, writing out my bucket list gave me a whole list of reasons to keep living life to the fullest, because there’s so many things I haven’t experienced yet.  Today was a good day to make my list, because in my weight watcher meeting yesterday, we talked about setting attainable goals so that you have something to look forward to.  I told the leader about my recent frustrations, and she told me the simplest phrase that everyone has heard a million times.   “Take it one day at a time.”  I’ve always been a Big picture person (Egypt? Guinness Book?) But, with this whole weight loss thing, I can’t just say, I want to lose 100 lbs.  I have to make smaller goals like, I want to track my points/calories TODAY, I want to work out TODAY.  And that’s just what I did.  I followed the weight watcher motto “Bite it, Write it.”  I wrote down everything that went in my mouth.  AND I went to boot camp class.  It was so hot and humid, just being outside breathing in the thick muggy air was workout. Feeling a cool breeze was just a silly thought and far from reality.    We started out the class with Lyle’s favorite, the suicide runs.  Then jumping jacks, and push-ups and planks.  Then he asked, “are you ready for the workout the start?” right before he told us to run a lap around the field.  Let me tell y’all out of all the times I’ve worked out, I’ve never sweated this much…ever.  There was literally sweat on my eyelashes, that’s how much was pouring down my face.  I kept swatting at my shoulders, at what I thought was a gnat or a mosquito, but was really just sweat beads rolling down.  It was so gross, I mean my hair looked like I just got out the shower….  The running lap was followed by all kinds of leg lifts and ab exercises and at least 3 more laps.  I’m pretty sure I rolled my eyes at him a couple times.  I didn’t care if I was the last around the track today, my main goal was not to pass to out.  Well, I finally finished my “victory lap” which was more like a crawl, and came home feeling like a champ! 

What Did Carli Eat Today?

B- Oatmeal, yogurt, half of an apple

L-Turkey Sandwich and side salad

S- Weight Watcher Multi-grain Ranch Chips (delicious) & 2 twizzlers from a co-worker

D-Turkey Leg, Cream Style Corn, and Green Beans that Mama made &  left over Birthday cake

My Body is Telling Me No

My Body is telling me no…..But my Mind is telling me Yessssss! My half marathon is less than 1 month away, and I know I need to be really consistent with training if I’m going to finish that race. I missed boot camp class yesterday, because I was so tired and had a ton of stuff to do at home. Sometimes life just gets in the way. But today, I had to walk. In my mind, the most logical distance after tackling 5 miles was 6 miles, and that’s just what I did. I mapped it out and planned to walk 6 miles with my little sister. Thank God she agreed. We walked around the entire park which is roughly 6 miles. I said to her, ”hey did you read my blog?” (she never does even though I talk about her almost everyday).  I told her that I gave up cookies.  She smiled and clapped and gave me a hug, I was happy she was so excited, but I thought her reaction was a little extreme.  She said do you still have that box of Girl Scout cookies?  I proudly said yeah, I didn’t even it open it.  She said “Oh, Yes! I can have them.”  She was excited about getting free cookies, not about me abstaining from them….But I can’t throw her all the way under the bus, because she’s the one walking with me and supporting my goals….  My iPod was on random, and when we were about half a mile from the car, that old R. Kelly song Bump N’ Grind came on and, he sang the unforgettable lyrics…”My mind is telling me noooooooo, but my body, my body is telling me Yessssssss!”  I thought how ironic, right now my body is telling me no Carli you can’t do this, but my mind said yes! I think the mind is far more powerful than the body.  My theory must be right because despite the pain in my lower back, feet and ankles and knees, we finished.  By the end, I was walking like a rode a horse for 2 hours but I finished all 6 miles and that’s what counts.

Kicking the Habit

You would think with a title like that, I would taking about quitting smoking, but nope, I’m talking about my naughty little caffeine/soda habit.  I didn’t even realize it, but I was kicking back 2 or 3 sodas everyday.  I drank a soda with lunch, a pick me up during the afternoon, and one with dinner.  It was crazy how many sodas I was actually drinking.  It wasn’t until I read that book, and the authors referred to soda as “liquid Satan”, and explained all of the horrible ingredients and awful side effects that I realized how bad it really was.  The label of one of my favorite soda cans (Coke Zero) reads as follows: carbonated water, caramel color, phosphoric acid (used for rust removal), aspartame (causes cancer), potassium benzoate, (prevents mold growth and used as the whistle in fireworks) natural flavors (ummm…care to elaborate?), potassium citrate (has regulated OTC use by the gov), acesulfame potassium (also causes cancer), caffeine, PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE (harmfulto people with a certain genetic disorder and pregnant women).  What in the world is all that crap???!!!  If you can’t pronounce it, maybe you shouldn’t be putting it in your body….  The first couple days of going clean from soda was awful.  I had a horrible horrible headache, and a bad attitude.  I was fussing a people, and honking the horn during traffic jams.  All of the crazy side effects of caffeine withdrawal are what made me really realize how bad of a drug it really is.  My body was so used to taking it in on a daily basis that I actually had psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms.  Thats just way too extreme, my body should be able to function naturally without the need for any extra drug to keep me going.  I can confidently say that I’m glad I made this decision to quit.    There were also a lot of good side effects that I hadn’t anticipated.  My skin is brighter and clearer, my “bad” knee is not giving me much trouble as it normally does, especially when its cold outside.  And I don’t go to the bathroom as much.  That’s probably way too much info, but it’s the truth. I used to the bathroom all the time, and let me you, my bathroom time has been cut in half! I used to think, okay, that’s just me, I pee a lot.  But now, I wonder was it really from drinking all of these sodas?… Overall I’m very happy that I made the decision to kick the soda habit….on another note, I’ve been studying more aggressively for my Group Fitness Instructor test.  In the 1st chapter of my course book it defines physical fitness as “someone who is physically fit, is able to have a better quality of life.”  That little statement really resonated with me, because I think back to when I was so heavy that getting out of the car was a chore, walking down the street was a challenge, even walking up the stairs to my apartment was difficult.  Once I became more physcially fit, and didn’t have all of that extra weight, litterally weighing me down, I did and still do, have a much better quality of life.  Physical Fitness is not optional, it’s something that we need in order to live a full life.

Skinny B!tch Part 2

Here is my review of the book Skinny B!tch. Big Thanks to the Little Sister for filming the video in her very Pink room!

Skinny B!tch

Ouuuuu! That’s a spicy blog post title.   Today I started reading the New York Times best seller Skinny B!tch.  It’s a fun tell it like it is diet and natural nutrition book for women.  I’ve gasped out loud several times when the authors said things like, “Taking medicine will make you feel better for the moment, but f*ck up something else in your body.”  If you’re easily offending, this ain’t the book for you.  One of the things that stuck with me was “soda is liquid Satan.”  They even discuss all the bad stuff that happens from drinking diet soda (or pop depending on where you live   It’s like you know this stuff is bad, but they make so plain, it’s hard to make excuses.  I love Diet cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper, and Coke Zero isn’t too bad either.  I normally drink at least 6 glasses of water every day, but a soda or two is also usually in the mix.  I’m going to try to make an effort to cut back.  When I finish the book, I’ll let you guys know what I think overall.  I finished Week 2 today.  I’m almost scared to say it was easy.  It just wasn’t really hard.  I guess that means I’m ready for Week 3.  My little sister went with me to the gym today, and she asked me, “Why are you going so slow? Why are you on week 2?”  I had to explain to her with running, if you don’t use it, you lose it, quick!  Just because I ran a 5K, doesn’t mean I can run a 5K right now.  You have to continue running if you want to keep up your speed and endurance.  After our workout, we came back to my house and ate a delicious salad, I put southwest flavored chicken and apples in mine, with Kraft Fat Free Ceasar Italian dressing.  It was so good!  Then, later this evening, I took my little sister (from Big Bro Big Sis) to see Alvin and the Chipmunks 2.  It was cute; it made me laugh little bit.  In the beginning, I kept asking myself, why is it okay to have 8 inch singing chipmunks in the class room?  Then I just had to let go of my adult common sense and enjoy it like I was one of the kids!
P.S. Do you lke my new Logo? I think it’s FIERCE!

Where Have you Been?

I guess that’s the question you’re probably asking.  I’ve never gone this long without blogging.  The answer is a little complicated, yet simple.   I’ve taken some time to do some spiritual growth.  I’ve been reading and studying the bible and reading “The Purpose Driven® Life.”  A month ago, I had to find my bible buried in my trunk, and I never imagined that now I’d be attending church every Sunday.  But beyond that, I’m on the Church’s 51^st Anniversary committee as co-chairman with my Big Little Sister.  AND…I’m teaching a fitness and nutrition class at the church that starts on Oct. 12^th.  Can you believe it?  I told God, I was ready to work, but I meant at a law firm, but clearly he thought I meant in the church. Lesson Learned:  Be Very Specific what you pray for, because you just might get it!…

The only physical activity I’ve done is the last week was my one personal training session with Lyle.  I just didn’t have the urge.  Last Night, my body felt so stiff and “blah” that I made up my mind that I had go running this morning.  It was a beautiful 68 degrees outside, when I went to the park.  I put on all my gear (I put on my Nike + Thing in my new shoe pouch, my new shoes, my waist slimming band, my Belt to hold my keys and phone and my iPod.) However, despite all of my technological preparations, I was only able to run for about 5 minutes before everything started hurting.   When you don’t run, you lose it so quickly it almost seems unfair, last week I was running up to 20 minutes!    But I guess something is better than nothing.  I did a total of about 2 miles.  I also finally signed up for the Get Fit 4 Christ  5K that Lyle wants us to run on Oct. 10^th.  Will I be ready?  …I had an okay day, as far as food was concerned. 

What Did Carli Eat Today?

B-Oatmeal

L- Homemade Pizza (Wheat Pita bread, lite mozzarella cheese, turkey pepperoni and spinach)

S- Almonds

D- Chili and Crackers

S- Frozen Strawberry Lemonade

Glass of Moscato