Worked Out and Tired!

Last night I had trouble falling asleep. So, when the alarm went off at 5:30 this morning, you can imagine my dismay. I had a good day, though, with my first day of school. My students are AWESOME. I want to help them AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!

I went to the gym and my trainer proceeded to work me out. My shoulders are sore. I HATE working them out. I wonder why it hurts so much. I know if I'd do it more, it wouldn't be as painful and I'd dread it less. I'm not sure though. I think I'd still hate it, but not as much. I keep thinking that one day, I'll have a burning desire to lift weights, but NOT YET! And I really want to. . . really I do.

Eating today could have been better. I am going to do better tomorrow. I made my breakfast berry salad tonight. Should be nice and ready for me to eat in the morning.

Happy Friday!

Hi, kids.

Today is the second day that I've been out of school. I have the weekend and then I'm going back for MORE! That's right, in a moment of poor judgment, I've been convinced to teach summer school. The hours aren't bad and it'll be a good experience, since I get to co-teach with a special education teacher who really "gets it." It's also the first time that I'll be teaching the new GPS curriculum. It is going to be a challenge, but I'm up to it!

My plan is to go to the gym every morning before school. I did a pilot project on this. I get there about 5:05 a.m. and warm up for 5, do 30 of whatever I feel like (maybe walking with incline, running flat, or ellipticizing), and then cool down for 5. It's not that bad and I actually am more awake in the middle of the day. I have made it to school before 7:30 for three days, so it'll work. I'm not doing full make-up anymore, so there's a time savings there. My bangs are now cut, so less messing around with them. It's going to be grand.

Since Snoopy's taken back over the cross-country team, I'm trying to get into shape to run the full 3.1 miles. I am looking forward to this, since right now running 30 minutes is more of a dream than a reality. I'll throw in some running here or there, but it's not really happening right now. I'm working on it, as Middle-Aged Man (I think it was Mike Myers on SNL in the 80s.) used to say.

Still getting in organic foods as much as possible and converted to Burt's Bees products where possible. The lotion is amazing. It's moisturizing without being greasy or sticky. I'm putting the link to the Burt's Bees website, but I get mine at the local Walgreen's. It smells a little odd, but it's very effective.

Enjoyed a lovely oatmeal and latte breakfast at Starbuck's this morning with Dude. I think we're gonna go eat lunch where he works. It's pretty tasty.

I am kind of excited about working for a half day in the morning. That means I'll get up and go to the gym prior to going to school. It IS always helpful to get up before driving to school. But, the thing is, we're through at 11:30, so that'll mean that I have a good portion of the day to perhaps be productive. I want to get a curriculum map set up for each of the classes I'll be teaching this upcoming school year (if we are privy to that info any time soon). I'd also like to get things mapped out for activities and lessons, at least as a guide. If I do this a half-hour or so a day, it'll be done by pre-planning.

Well, lunch awaits, so let me go make a good choice!

Peace and chicken grease!

Teacher Person Makes Good Use of Time

Well, how did I do this? It was easy. I used the DVD

This is a great one. I don't know how this would be for anyone who is super-fit, but for me, it's great. It is difficult, but not too much so. Are you a person who hates way-too-perky teachers/demonstraters? Ellen Barrett is GREAT! I really like the way she describes each motion. It's not difficult nor dancy. She is encouraging without seeming as if she's ingested 18 venti lattes. I met Mrs. C. at her "gym" and we did this at 6 a.m. It was refreshing and relaxing. It's 42 minutes (or thereabout) and very good. I know I'll feel it, because I've done it before.

I just had a heavy breakfast. A boiled egg, a homemade mocha (chocolate milk + coffee), and oatmeal with Smart Balance and brown sugar. I'm testing a theory/study from, I think, FitSugar. The study showed that if you eat a really big breakfast, as the day goes on, you won't have as many cravings and you'll eat fewer calories. I'm considering myself a test case. I'm going to try to not eat anything after 7 p.m. either. Watch me go! I really need a good week at Weight Watchers on Saturday, so my goal is to do stuff that will make that possible.

Have an enjoyable day!

Weight

Okay, I have come to a weird conclusion. I have weighed myself almost every day for about three weeks now. The wild swings in my weight are crazy. There's been as much as a 3-pound swing. That strikes me as crazy. I am large. I've got about 90 pounds or so to lose. I decided to weigh myself daily to see how much difference there can be on a daily basis. For about the last two weeks, I've been eating very wisely. I've discovered that if I eat a smaller dinner, that not only do I sleep better, I also seem to have more energy the following day.

Some of you may think that I am crazy. Weight is very simple. Just expend more than you take in. I've heard all about this. My grandmother always talked (read: nagged) me about my weight. She said that she always weighed within 5 pounds of 130. She said, "If I see the scale creeping up, I just cut back until I am back down to around 130." I totally understand this idea. It makes complete sense. But for some reason, I have not been able to implement it. I don't think I'll ever be down around the 130 area, because I'm just more comfortable a little heavier. I was in that range when I was in college. I had the unitard with the little "underwear" that you wore over it. It was hard core. Of course this was when "Home Sweet Home" was number one on the MTV countdown forever, needless to say that was YEARS ago.

Can I just say that if you have a few pounds to lose, take care of it NOW? It was so easy to lose weight when I was young. Your metabolism is your friend. Now, at age 40, it's quite a bit more difficult to shed the pounds.

I am on board with a newish eating plan including the awesome QUINOA, and more veggies. I am training for 5Ks since that season is coming up. I know that if I keep this up, I'll lose some weight, but I'm really good at starting these things, not so good at keeping them up. I'm keeping a journal of things that are good about this way of eating to help me realize how important it is to have good nutrition.

SIDEBAR: Last night I had a tasty bowl of quinoa (cooked in beef broth), black beans (rinsed and heated in beef broth), and two fresh small tomatoes diced up and thrown in. It was SO good. I just added a little cayenne pepper (don't really care for black pepper), onion powder, and salt. The tomatoes really brightened it up.

Well, to keep with the plan, I must go to the gym. I'm enjoying my last week of freedom until school is in. Grrrr.

(Edit at 11:20 a.m. -- I am losing my mind. I have told this stupid post every way that I know how that I'd like it all to appear in the Georgia font. Some paragraphs have acquiesced, others not so much. Sorry for the font change right in the middle. Boo!)

Don't Ask Me to Bring a Snack

Okay, today I went HARD on the weight workout. It was awesome, I was so in it, etc. I got home and needed to make a snacky-type treat for an oyster roast that I was to attend. Okay, let the record show that I've not had Rice Krispies Treats in years, I think. Well, that's the way I acted this afternoon. I carefully heated the butter/margarine, then slowly brought the marshmallows up to their melting point, but not too hot. OH MY WORD! How delicious are these treats!?! Well, to answer that, so delicious I proceeded to eat about half the pan of them! So, I took my 16 little treats to the oyster roast and confessed. My friends were nice enough to say, "Well, at least it was low in fat." Love her so much. I'll call her Mathy Mathster. She's my department head and totally awesome. Brilliant, yet fun.

I was pretty good after the treats, drinking alot of water. But GEEZ, why do I insist on doing this?!?

Ugh. This means I need to walk either in the morning or tomorrow afternoon. I'll be at the 'rents, so morning will probably be best.

Two days at home. Will I make it through the battle of wills with my diddy? Our personalities are so similar we can hardly stand each other. Don't get me wrong, I love him and he'd do anything for me and vice-versa. We just can't be in confined spaces for extended period of time.

Happy thanksgiving to you all!