Trader Tuesday - NEED YOUR INPUT! And, Some Bonus Whining

I'm having trouble focusing on my Trader Tuesday contribution. So, here's the plan. You are all going to help me out. Tell me what kind of recipe you are interested in today. Quick dinner ala Sandara Lee's Semi-homemade style? Or fancy-pants, send children away for the night, impress the hubs dinner ? Quick and easy dessert? Showy dessert? Old southern favs? One caveat - I DO NOT fry chicken at home. Ever. So, don't ask me about that. Ill post at 10:30, so get those requests in!

Reasons I cannot focus:

• Too long of a to-do list
• Fall Festival
• Obsessing about dress for wedding. If I get brave Ill take pics of myself in all three and you can vote. Or, not. My internet bravado has its limits.
• Damn family always needs to be fed
• Choosing furniture (read: OBSESSING!)
• Pissed off that the eldest got not one, BUT TWO, detentions! And would you effing believe that one of them was for SOCKS!!!!!
• Other general, pissiness of both the friend and marital nature.
• Went to Pilates for first time since December. Might I suggest that you do not ever take 10 months off of an activity you plan to continue? It hurts both your muscles and YOUR EGO very, very much.

Time

It all started when I was leaving a comment on Slynn's exercise post. My comment dragged on and on and took off on a tangent. AND THEN I SOMEHOW DELETED IT. Shit! No time to retype it all, and it was probably too long anyway. So, I told her I'd answer her query over here.

Let me start by saying that I probably should not participate in her poll because I am not really an "age cohort" like she was looking for. In my head I am, but in reality...notsomuch. That disclaimer aside, Ill answer that I exercise anywhere from 3 to 6 times per week. What do I do? Hmmm, well, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the treadmill which, apparently, is odd. (odd in that I HATE to run outside, but love to run on the treadmill) I love the hum and whir. It is downright hypnotic. I love that. I try to mix it up with the bike and the wave though to avoid that muscle memory/body efficiency thing I hear about. Now, when I was a good little gym rat before the BFL days, I did cardio on Mondays, floor (kick yo ass) Pilates on Tuesdays, Cardio on Wednesdays, a class called Muscle Mix on Thursdays (think Body Pump if you are familiar with that), and Fridays was the "true ballerina" Pilates. Saturday was either cardio at the gym or a good hour long walk in the neighborhood which they call RXXXX Hills for reason! These hills will tone your rear with a quickness! That all changed when Grant started speech therapy. I still made it to the gym sometimes, but the schedule never left a long enough period of time for me to get in a good workout and have time to be showered and presentable. Then, Rich and I started Body for Life and that fell apart for similar reasons. I am thankful that I have been able to stick with some of it though because I no longer fear the free weights. Right now, the end of the school year is kicking my ass and I have not really exercised in like two and a half weeks. I, however, feel like I haven't sat still once. I cant even sit long enough to blog!

Now, here is the tangent that is going to get poo flung at me....In thinking about all the excuses for not exercising I know that the top of everyone's list is "the kids." I get that. Totally. And, everyone thinks that they will get back to the gym and start taking care of themselves when the kids are old enough to go to school. Well, I am older than pretty much all of the people I consider my "blog friends." So I read a lot of comments about people with babies and toddlers. I know what it is like to be a SAHM to small children. You are exhausted mentally and physically a lot of the time. Believe me, I know. (The Evil Queen can vouch for me that when my older two were that age I had a husband who left for weeks and months at a time sometimes with no notice.) Here is what I am going to tell you SAHM of small children....YOU HAVE IT BACKWARDS! NOW is the time you can take care of yourself. Assuming of course that you can find/afford a gym with daycare. OR you can push toddlers in the stroller or join Stroller Strides. Because here is the thing guys...your days are full of childcare and housekeeping BUT, BUT BUT, your schedule is your own to make! YOU choose when to be places, you choose what you are going to do in a day, and you can choose to just throw in the towel some days. Well, when the kids start school that shit is over! They have to be at school on time, they have to be picked up they have homework, they have soccer, tennis, band, detention.. they have Science Fair and History Fair. They have friends. They have meet the teacher night, and spring musicals. Somewhere in there you have to feed them and call out their spelling words and check their math and help them understand dangling participles. And, you can't decide to put this stuff off until tomorrow or whatever. The school and teams, and crap make the schedules. Your life works itself AROUND those schedules. You don't make the rules about time anymore. And, I can hear you all now in your heads saying, "Well, MaryB, you chose this, you let them do all that stuff!" NOPE! My kids are limited to ONE structured activity other than school at a time. And still, just the school will kill you.

So what I'm saying is this - Enjoy your freedom. Make your own schedule. Be the boss. And, if you are so inclined exercise NOW, because if you think it will be easier when they finally go to school, you're wrong. Evidence - I lose about 7 lbs every summer! Because my time is my own. I MAKE the rules about how I use it. OR, possibly, 7 lbs evaporates because I live in the hottest dame place EVER! Did I mention my car thermometer read 102 effing degrees today! It is not even June!

You think this is pissy??? Just wait til tomorrow!

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?*&#!%?!

Dudes, the scale just keeps creeping up and up!!!!!!! And, please, for the love of all that is holy, do NOT try to tell me that it is because muscle weighs more than fat. I did not put on weight from muscle in 8 days. OMG! I am pissed. These are the results I get for pretty much rearranging my life schedule to accommodate "the plan?"

My uneducated opinion is that this BFL program is designed for people who are either men, or those who are not small people! I think I am eating too darn much. Mr. Phillips, I officially quit your eating program. I'll keep eating "authorized" foods, but I'm eating way less of it than you recommend. Also, I'm just not buying into this 20 minute cardio interval thing. I know you have thousands of success stories, but I'm thinking they changed your program to fit their bodies too. mostly I'm thinking they did way more than 20 minutes of cardio 3 times per week.

Today's mood: FRUSTRATED!

BFL - A Progress Report

So, Body for Life has been not too miserable thus far. I do have some serious chocolate cravings late at night, but once I made it to my first Sunday (that's your free day) and had a Dove truffle egg, I was much better. Did not crave the chocolate last night. Oh, and I can't seem to resist stealing 2 or 3 of the kids' Ritz crackers when they are snacking after school! Any body have any will power they would like to loan me? The BFL food has been good, but I cannot seem to eat as often as they say you should. Even with the convenience of the bars and shakes (mostly bars - I can't stand the shakes), I can't eat that often. Part of the problem being that he recommends that your work out on an empty stomach and then wait about 45 minutes to an hour before eating after your workout. As a mom who gets two separate sets of children off to school in shifts, this is tough. My eating schedule is all thrown off first thing in the morning. so, to deal with this in a non-OCD way, I am just ignoring the set schedule of the plan and eating the plan approved type pf meals and snacks at appropriate intervals once my morning workout is complete. this means that my first meal is usually around 11:30am. hmmm....might need to re-think the plan if any of you can, with evidence, tell me that not eating earlier in the day is trashing all of my hard work.

First upper body workout was good and bad. The Good: Worked out with the husband, It was fun to do it together. Also, I am stronger than I thought. The Bad: I am stronger than I thought, and therefore sis not lift heavy enough and was barely sore AT ALL the next day which made me feel like I wasn't working hard enough.

The Cardio has been great. I have upped his 20 minute plan to 25 minutes just because 20 minutes isn't long enough. Don't get me wrong, at minutes 18 and 19 I want the pain to stop, but once I finish those two high intensity interval minutes I feel the need to drop the intensity back down and enjoy that endorphin high I get from being "in the zone". I don't get that "zoned out" air head feeling when doing intervals. So, I am still in and out of the gym in less than 40 minutes (about 35 to be exact). Rich and I did cardio together yesterday - he mad e me use the stationary bike - I HATED it. Will try to avoid it. However, I think his point that I need to always be mixing up my cardio equipment is valid.

First Lower Body Workout was crap. I knew I had a fairly strong lower body (as do most women), but I still underestimated. Also, most annoying, was that my gym did not have some of the machines I had planned on using, which threw off the whole quick rhythm of my workout. I tried to improvise my calf workout doing raises using dumbbells when every damn type of calf apparatus was in use...(was it world calf day or something???) Well, dumb, dumb idea. My arms were still sore from previous upper body workout and even if not could not possible hold the weight my calves would need to get a decent workout. So, next time Ill just wait on one of the damn machines...Anyway, left the gym that day feeling very frustrated. We'll see how today goes.

Here is a recipe for protein pancakes that I(and the whole family, amazingly!) love...Sounds gross, but tasty. Just don't be expecting light and fluffy. Think more like Swedish pancakes...

In blender puree:
1 c cottage cheese
splenda to taste
cinnamon to taste
6 egg whites
3/4 cup oats

Coat pan with non-stick spray. cook like you would regular pancakes. I used sugar-free syrup, but you could just eat them plain. They are yummier than you would think!

Also, similar - Puree cottage cheese with splenda and cinnamon, and tiny drizzle of sugar-free maple syrup. Use as dip for apple slices.

I have been keeping chopped cooked chicken in the fridge so that I can easily have a protein on top of a salad or throw into a low-carb, whole wheat wrap on the way out the door. I just saute it in the pan with a little non-stick spray, garlic salt, pepper, and paprika. When it almost done, I sprinkle on a little Worcestershire. Pretty yummy. The kids love it too. Grant calls it toothpick chicken because he likes to pick up the pieces with a toothpick and eat them.

So, there you have it - the most boring, self-serving post ever written, but it helps to keep me honest if I have to tell all of you about it. And, I'm always open for suggestions on how to do better. And, lastly, Tessie loves it.

HOLY MOLY, MAMA MIA!!!

Saturday Report from "Casa de MaryB":

I hear from my comfy, warm bed, "Guys, settle down so you don't wake up your mom."

Then, a little while later, I wake up to discover that the man has made me breakfast, a breakfast in total compliance with the BFL plan. He has made me coffee, and pours me a cup when I walk out to the kitchen! He did all of this on a morning when he was heading out to fly. AND, when I looked around, he had actually cleaned up any mess or dishes he had made while making us breakfast!

I think I'll keep around him a little longer.

Monday Morning Confessions

Confession #1 - You know how I'm always dissing Texas? Well, I have mentioned in the past that Cowtown has grown on me, but there is more I have not revealed. You want to know what my(our) dream is for the future. Like when the kids are gone? THIS! It is NOT Texas. I don't want a ranch in Texas. I want a ranch near or in the mountains, but it still seems hypocritical to make fun of the Ford F-350 driving Texans when a ranch is my long term dream. In my defense I will state these things...The ranch will not be in Texas...I don't make fun of you for driving ridiculously large trucks if you actually NEED to drive it for a purpose other than to compensate for small body appendages...I will still be shopping in metropolitan areas...there will be no truck balls anywhere near my ranch...my husband is a pilot, I can get back to civilization anytime I want...Hubs has promised me either this or this as my "ranch to city toy" if I agree to his ranch dream. Keeping in mind of course that, at the moment, this is all a pipe dream.

Confession #2 - Tessie, this one's for you! Rich and I are starting Body for Life today. God help me. Workout one went well. I'm liking the 25 minute cardio workout - I've never gotten out of the gym so fast in my life. However, I think Bill Phillips is a total greedy, steroid pushing DORK.

Confession #3 - The 6th Grade's class project for the auction is still not done so I am just not answering my phone or checking my e-mail. That way I do not know that they are all freaking out and yelling at me.

Confession #4 - I often think of getting "implants" if you know what I mean - any opinions out there? This isn't something I'm gonna be doing in the near future, but was wondering what the consensus is out there of normal people (i.e. not stepford-wife-wanna-be-stripper-nutjobs).

What's a Girl To Do?

First of all an update on the food diary - I am a loser who fell off the wagon. It all started with a trip to the movies, and ,really, who can resist movie popcorn, m&m's, and Twizzlers???? THEN I came home to find next year's tuition increase letter in the mail. OMG!! I drowned my sorrows in the rest of the m&m's. The next day was little Eliza's baptism and her mom had such yummy yummy food and mimosas(spiked with peach and mango nectars) and CAKE!....and, if these cute girls* invited you over for cake could you say no????

Next order of business - Remember when you all helped me to decide which new bedding to order? Well, I ended up getting the red paisley. I painted my room, put it all together and thought it looked great. I do all of these type of projects when Rich is on a trip because he gets all grumpy when I am in project mode. I think that mostly he is afraid I will ask him to help (as if!) Anyway, he got home late last night. He went back to go to bed and went to bed without saying a word. Well, I know what that means - he hates it! I asked him about it this morning and he, as nicely as he could, confirmed that in fact, yes, he hates it. It is "too red" and looks "like a total chic room." So, what would you do? Would you send it all back and start over? Or, would you think that he will just get used to it/get over it and that he is just a man/pilot anyway and what the heck does he know? I haven't put up the new panels on the windows yet or painted the bathroom, but have already ordered the monogramming on the new towels...

Lastly, I am freaking out about our impending remodel project. We have been thinking, planning, and dreaming about this since we moved in four years ago. I suffered (and I do mean suffered) through almost two years of regional airline pay while waiting for this to be a possibility. We have picked out floors, we have paid for landscape and lighting plans, etc, etc...but now this darn economy has me freaked out!!!! And then we get a letter from hub's company that made me cringe. Are we insane to go ahead with this? He assures me that everything is okay, but everytime I turn on the news I freak out a little more, and then he tells me that this is actually a great time to do this...good rates on a HELOC, and we a lender's dream at this point in time, blah, blah, blah....I am torn. I have waited for my house to be one I love. I have been so excited, but now the excitement is being tainted with trepidation...Please, please, tell me to just be excited! And, all of you people...spend your tax returns and tax rebates on a trip somewhere, will ya? A trip that requies you to FLY somewhere!!!! Perferably on a particular airline! Mama needs her some new floors and a pantry, and a sprinkler system!!

*blatant bragging on my mom - Can you believe my mom made these dresses? Cut, sewed, smocked and all without ever even being in the same state to measure them? This is why I should have had at least one girl! What a waste to have a grandma who is SO talented and have a bunch of boys!

AND - Spellcheck STILL is not working - AARGH!

Your Mission Should you Choose to Accept It

There was recently an article on Yahoo News about what songs are the absolute best for working out. They had deconstructed it to quite a science. While this deconstruction and analysis greatly appeal to this science nerd I just do not have time to evaluate every song's "beats per minute" and "positivity of message." I just know what I like. A song that makes me want to keep moving and makes me feel good about myself or just generally happy.

So, I'm making over the playlist. Your mission is to let me know what your favorite workout songs are so that I can add some of them to my playlist. No suggestion is too strange.

Here is my personal favorite. (Mom, do NOT click, you will so be mortified that your daughter would listen to such trash.)