I have found it extremely interesting what I find out there when I am waiting for a good book to come out. Books are my biggest addiction in life. If I am not reading I feel lost.
My normal genre of books is young adult books that reach out to all age levels. Particular favorites?
The Mortal Instruments Series: Cassandra Clare
The Hunger Games Series: Suzanne Collins
Matched Series: Ally Condie
I am currently waiting for Cassandra Clare to come out with her next book as well as Ally Condie. The waiting is torturous. I hate "book lulls" as I call them. Forced to scrounge for random choices makes life a little more interesting, I must admit, but I miss "MY" books. The books that make me excited, frustrated, happy, sad, comfortable. The books I am familiar with. If I truly like a book, I will read it two to ten times, depending on how much I love it, or get out of each read.
Random discoveries:
Clockwork Three: Matthew J. Kirby
Any book by Emily Giffin
Hourglass: Myra McEntire
The Cardturner: Louis Sachar
Evermore Series: Alyson Noel
The Grace Series: L.L. Naeole
13 Little Blue Envelopes: Maureen Johnson
The Maze Runner Series: James Dashner
The Apothecary's Daughter: Julie Klassen
I know there are more. Lots, lots more. I have read more books in the past year than I have in a very long time. I tear through them. I will read pretty much anything you put in front of me. Even if it is crummy. The free limited edition free books on Kindle are where I find a lot of random things. Not all gems. Some pretty horrid, actually. Others VERY good and totally unexpected. A lot of these gems that can be found in there are promotional items because the author is coming out with a new book. If you decide to venture into the world of free Kindle books, be prepared to wade through a lot of garbage before you find the gem. But isn't that the way it is for everything? You have to look hard to find what you love? 13 Little Blue Envelopes was a find in that section and I loved it. Same with The Apothecary's Daughter.You never know.
So, in the meantime, I am going to struggle through some interesting finds until it is FINALLY:
October 4: Silence by Becca Fitzpatrick
October 18: Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia
November 1: Crossed by Ally Condie
DECEMBER 6: Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (THIS one I am antsy for! More than you know!)
This is my upcoming excitement. I live for this like a preteen girl lives for Twilight or Justin Bieber. It is my addiction, my obsession. October can't come fast enough, but November and December are creeping along. The last time I was this obsessed was when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book came out. I locked myself away and was not seen for a full 36 hours except to use the restroom and eat. Yes, I was that obsessed.
Some are into crafts, some into sports, others into cooking. I am into reading. Do I love crafts, sports and cooking, yes? But if I had to choose? Reading. Without a doubt. I am like a kid at Christmas when a new book comes out that I am waiting for. Hopefully these Christmases will come quickly! There are only so many books I can read in the time between now and then and that is only to hold me over and are a poor substitute for the truly good ones.
This is a small window into my reading obsession. I have shelves and shelves of books, 160 or so on my Kindle and a HUGE wish list just waiting until I decide to pick one up and actually have the time to read. There is never enough time in the day to get it all in, but I enjoy a little each day and a lot when there is time.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
A Year of Me
Okay, so, I guess it is going to be much, much more time between posts than I planned! Hopefully I can change that!
A few weeks ago I got home from vacation and braved the horrible task of stepping on the scale. Many of you know that about a year ago I lost 40 pounds and was extremely fit compared to what I was when I started the task of eating right and losing weight. I went on a three month hiatus from my normal routine and when I finally got up the guts to stand on that scale, I had gained 15 pounds back! I was in shock and couldn't believe it! I was literally one pound away from a point I said I would NEVER hit again. NEVER! I had to do something, and quick!
I went and talked to my trainer after a huge freakout at home about what I had seen. He suggested that I make it a point to exercise regularly and to think about cutting refined sugars out of my diet completely and not to have any carbohydrates after 3:00 PM. He has been telling me this for about a year now and I was finally ready to listen. And listen I did! (And still am!)
He told me to start out with just three days and see how it went. I had my final bowl of ice cream on Sunday, August 14th and Monday, August 15 I began my "lifestyle change" thinking it was going to be torture. Three days, I could do it, right? I went to the grocery store and loaded up on fruit, veggies, tofu and peanut butter. Lots and lots of peanut butter.
Monday was horrible. I have to admit. I was going crazy. I had no idea what to eat or what to do with myself. I thought I had planned well, but I hadn't. I ate probably around 350 calories by 4:00 that day. Not nearly enough to sustain me for any true length of time. By the time evening hit I was about to eat everything in sight and tear apart anyone who tried to cross me. Frustrated can't even come close to explaining how I felt. I had to go to my boot camp that night and work out, but I knew that I didn't have enough calories in me to be truly effective. I knew that I could drive by the Target nearest work on the way to the gym, so I stopped in to grab a snack.
What kind of TORTUROUS, EVIL, SICK person puts the nuts at the end of the CANDY aisle? I had to walk past the entire aisle of candy, past all the chocolate covered caramel and peanut M&M's to reach the almonds. It is one thing to walk to the almonds when you can have candy, but when I knew I couldn't it was horrid! I found some delicious Planter's almonds roasted in sea salt and a diet coke, which I took out to my car and, being a good girl, measured out a serving. I was in heaven. Total bliss! Once finished I felt a lot better and knew I could face the rest of the day.
The next two days were a lot easier. I figured out what I could eat and made sure I focused on good, quality meals and snacks. After three days I ordered a cute necklace from Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80231508/bud-branch-and-little-bird-lariat?ref=ss_listing
The worst was over. Now it was on to maintaining the "lifestyle change." (I make sure to say lifestyle change because it is not a diet. It is what I will be doing forever.) A week went by and I had lost 7 pounds. 7!! A pound a day. I was hooked. This was what I wanted.
I am now on day 14. 14 days without sugar and no carbs after 3:00 PM. I am in love with blueberries, apples with peanut butter and artichokes. Not together, of course. That would be a weird meal. Ha! I have no cravings for sugars and the only time I wanted a carb was Friday when a pizza sounded really good. I have a huge bag of Tootsie Rolls in my classroom and kids bring in cupcakes or cookies for birthdays all the time. I don't even bat an eye. My students are awesome. They know not to offer me any sugar and they also know that I will "auction" off any sweets given to me by pulling a stick and giving it to one of them.
This is the right thing. The right thing, and the right time. A year ago I would never have been able to give up my sweets. Never. Now... I have the right motivation. I will NEVER go back to the way I was. I won't have it. I just won't. This is a year of me and I am going to celebrate in that fact. My goal: A new wardrobe for Christmas.
Typical weekly workout schedule:
Monday: 4:30 AM workout with Shawna and 6:00PM bootcamp at the gym.
Tuesday: 4:30AM run/cardio with Shawna
Wednesday: 6:00PM Bootcamp at the gym.
Thursday: 4:30 AM run/cardio with Shawna and 6:00PM bootcamp at the gym
Friday: 4:30 AM workout with Shawna
Saturday: 8:00 AM personal training private appointment at the gym.
If I make it to all of my workouts I am active for 8 hours a week plus whatever else I get to do during the week. Is it hard? Yes. Am I sore all the time? Of course! But is it worth every moment of the struggle? ABSOLUTELY!
I am a new woman. I have a positive outlook on life and I have more energy than I have had in a very long time. Someday soon I will allow myself a sweet treat once a week, but for now, none is good. This is a year of me, and I am loving it.
A few weeks ago I got home from vacation and braved the horrible task of stepping on the scale. Many of you know that about a year ago I lost 40 pounds and was extremely fit compared to what I was when I started the task of eating right and losing weight. I went on a three month hiatus from my normal routine and when I finally got up the guts to stand on that scale, I had gained 15 pounds back! I was in shock and couldn't believe it! I was literally one pound away from a point I said I would NEVER hit again. NEVER! I had to do something, and quick!
I went and talked to my trainer after a huge freakout at home about what I had seen. He suggested that I make it a point to exercise regularly and to think about cutting refined sugars out of my diet completely and not to have any carbohydrates after 3:00 PM. He has been telling me this for about a year now and I was finally ready to listen. And listen I did! (And still am!)
He told me to start out with just three days and see how it went. I had my final bowl of ice cream on Sunday, August 14th and Monday, August 15 I began my "lifestyle change" thinking it was going to be torture. Three days, I could do it, right? I went to the grocery store and loaded up on fruit, veggies, tofu and peanut butter. Lots and lots of peanut butter.
Monday was horrible. I have to admit. I was going crazy. I had no idea what to eat or what to do with myself. I thought I had planned well, but I hadn't. I ate probably around 350 calories by 4:00 that day. Not nearly enough to sustain me for any true length of time. By the time evening hit I was about to eat everything in sight and tear apart anyone who tried to cross me. Frustrated can't even come close to explaining how I felt. I had to go to my boot camp that night and work out, but I knew that I didn't have enough calories in me to be truly effective. I knew that I could drive by the Target nearest work on the way to the gym, so I stopped in to grab a snack.
What kind of TORTUROUS, EVIL, SICK person puts the nuts at the end of the CANDY aisle? I had to walk past the entire aisle of candy, past all the chocolate covered caramel and peanut M&M's to reach the almonds. It is one thing to walk to the almonds when you can have candy, but when I knew I couldn't it was horrid! I found some delicious Planter's almonds roasted in sea salt and a diet coke, which I took out to my car and, being a good girl, measured out a serving. I was in heaven. Total bliss! Once finished I felt a lot better and knew I could face the rest of the day.
The next two days were a lot easier. I figured out what I could eat and made sure I focused on good, quality meals and snacks. After three days I ordered a cute necklace from Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80231508/bud-branch-and-little-bird-lariat?ref=ss_listing
The worst was over. Now it was on to maintaining the "lifestyle change." (I make sure to say lifestyle change because it is not a diet. It is what I will be doing forever.) A week went by and I had lost 7 pounds. 7!! A pound a day. I was hooked. This was what I wanted.
I am now on day 14. 14 days without sugar and no carbs after 3:00 PM. I am in love with blueberries, apples with peanut butter and artichokes. Not together, of course. That would be a weird meal. Ha! I have no cravings for sugars and the only time I wanted a carb was Friday when a pizza sounded really good. I have a huge bag of Tootsie Rolls in my classroom and kids bring in cupcakes or cookies for birthdays all the time. I don't even bat an eye. My students are awesome. They know not to offer me any sugar and they also know that I will "auction" off any sweets given to me by pulling a stick and giving it to one of them.
This is the right thing. The right thing, and the right time. A year ago I would never have been able to give up my sweets. Never. Now... I have the right motivation. I will NEVER go back to the way I was. I won't have it. I just won't. This is a year of me and I am going to celebrate in that fact. My goal: A new wardrobe for Christmas.
Typical weekly workout schedule:
Monday: 4:30 AM workout with Shawna and 6:00PM bootcamp at the gym.
Tuesday: 4:30AM run/cardio with Shawna
Wednesday: 6:00PM Bootcamp at the gym.
Thursday: 4:30 AM run/cardio with Shawna and 6:00PM bootcamp at the gym
Friday: 4:30 AM workout with Shawna
Saturday: 8:00 AM personal training private appointment at the gym.
If I make it to all of my workouts I am active for 8 hours a week plus whatever else I get to do during the week. Is it hard? Yes. Am I sore all the time? Of course! But is it worth every moment of the struggle? ABSOLUTELY!
I am a new woman. I have a positive outlook on life and I have more energy than I have had in a very long time. Someday soon I will allow myself a sweet treat once a week, but for now, none is good. This is a year of me, and I am loving it.
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