Ready, Set, Goal!

Am I a cheeseball or what?! :-D

I was Tweeted a FREE handy little goal sheet weeks ago! Now I am sharing it with you! I printed out two copies... because I do not like writing with pencil... and I don't like things marked out on my page. A little insane? Perhaps!

Download yours here!

From the site (www.isetmygoals.com):

Your 5 Steps for setting goals

1. Download, print, and fold the booklet
2. Write down your SMART goals:
   • Specific
   • Measurable
   • Attainable
   • Relevant
   • Time-bound
3. Review regularly (at least weekly)
4. Check-off when achieving goals
5. Reward yourself

Keep your "5x5p5 Goals"

in your wallet !!!

Goal types

Health & Fitness: diet, losing weight, health care, physical fitness, physical training, ...

Family & Relationship: spouse, kids, parents, friends, community, ...

Education & Training: personal development, training courses, career goals, career change, professional goals, ...

Financial: make money, investment, buying, business goals...

Recreation & Leisure: artistic, creative, travel, ...

Beer & Babies

Just a quick post, while I sip on a loverrrly Coors Light.

I briefly touched on life plans in my earlier post today. I had a feeling this would happen... Rest assured, Seth and I aren't talking about baby making just yet!! I just wanted to clear the air there. I know there was some wondering goin' on. :)

Have a great night, y'all! It looks like I will get Thursday (and Friday, of course!) off work after all, and I am TOTALLY EXCITED!

Hugs and butterfly kisses! :-D

Phat to Fat?!

Happy holidays Bloggerfam!!!

I was just looking at my blog and I realized that I have not really posted anything in quite a while... any substance, at least. I'm doing okay over here in Genieland, enjoying holiday treats and festivities, watching my shoulders grow, feeling my back get bigger, and inevitably feeling myself get softer. We all know it has to happen. Being 5'6" and 111.8 pounds is not ideal or healthy, but yet, I'm still not happy with the extra padding I have accumulated. I am happy, however, enjoying life, spending time with friends and family, not having to "miss out" on things I truly want to partake in. I often remind myself that I need these extra calories to focus on building those lagging body parts.

I have been doing a lot of reading... soaking up whatever info I can. Why? I'm not sure. I'm not going to follow these random diets that I am looking over (LOL!), but I do enjoy reading about them... It's amazing what useful info you can pull from a diet that you have no intentions of following.

I have also been looking at a lot of pics. The thought of hitting the national stage is daunting and intimidating, but I am willing to bust my ass to try to look the part. Gah! Pictures of ladies in last callouts look amazing. I think what in THE world have I got myself into? I find myself looking at suits and their crazy price tags. Then my mind starts to calculate show costs. Entry fees are outrageous at that level (why?!), travelling, hotels, Becca better be there to tan me so that I don't have to spend $100 on tanning (LOL!), do I need new shoes? Mine are pretty narsty. Maybe I will just wear the same suit and save dough. OOooh! That's a pretty suit.

See what's going on in my crazy head? Seth and I have been discussing some major life decisions as well. It can get overwhelming, but somehow I am staying calm (for now!). All I know is that I am going to my 2010 the best year I possibly can. *deep breath*

Menu Planning Monday - Christmas is almost here!

Just a quick post... Since this will (hopefully) be a short work week, I have to fit five days of work into three days. AHHHH!

Monday: Chicken thighs, baked potato topped w/ 2% Fage, lots of broccoli, and shredded cheese (rice cheese for me)

Tuesday: Baked crab cakes (using Ezekiel bread and egg whites, recipe to be determined), salad, soup (from pantry)

Wednesday: Chicken soft tacos

Thursday: Tuna melt on Ezekiel bread (no cheese for me), steamed broccoli, sweet potato fries

Friday: Chicken & Dumplings (low fat recipe -- This was my husband's Christmas dinner request.)

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Sirloin, baked potato, salad

I recently read about a $25 per week grocery challenge. You can only spend $25 per person per week on groceries... I decided to give it a try this week! So far, so good! :) I also love that it encourages me to use what we have instead of buying more of other things. Our pantry is pretty stocked. I think we have almost 20 cans of tuna. LOL! That is not normal! So far we have spent $48. This does not include Christmas dinner, but I think we can pick up what I need for under $2... We'll see!

Check out more menus over at I'm an Organizing Junkee.

Amazing Grass

Yeehaw!!

Amazing Grass is having a sale!! 25% off! Just enter code "HolidaySale" at checkout.

Seriously, guys, this stuff is GREAT! I use it every day, and I even got my dad hooked! I just ordered him some for Christmas. He's not the epitome of health and fitness, far from it, so it's not just us health nuts who like it. Good stuff right here!

Click the pic below to purchase! :) Of course, I picked a pic of my favorite Chocolate Infusion SuperFood!

Booty Busters!

Just a quick poll. :o) I've been slacking in blog land.

What is your favorite exercise that targets your glutes?

Currently, my favorite... STEP-UPS! I grab some DBs and a flat bench, and I'm good to go. Funny, I used to hate them.

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials." -- Chinese Proverb

Snarky, but I like it

Today I will do what you won't, so that tomorrow I can do what you can't. -- Jerry Rice

I found that quote today while going through an old notebook. I just had to share!

I hope you all are having wonderful fulfilling days! :) I'm excited because tomorrow I am trying a new method of journaling, a la Melissa Cunningham! Find her blog and amazing journey to the Pro stage here.

Just out of curiosity... What do you like to see on blogs? I'm always at a loss as to what to focus on, so I'm a bit all over the place... but that's how I am in "real" life, too. :)

Menu Planning Monday - Trying new things

I'm feeling uninspired! Here's the menu for the week. I'm trying to cut down on after work/after workout cooking, so my Monday through Friday meals are super quick and easy. I'm trying several new budget & time friendly recipes this week. I hope they are good!

Monday: chicken breasts, baked potatoes w/ sour cream and cheddar (rice cheese for me!), broccoli

Tuesday: adobo chicken, rice, Prince Edward mix from Aldi

Wednesday: crockpot chili, cornbread or noodles (to be determined!)

Thursday: pork tenderloin, sweet potatoes, green beans

Friday: slow cooker beef stroganoff, broccoli

Saturday: chicken enchiladas w/ salsa verde

Sunday: creole shrimp & sausage stew

For more menu ideas, hop on over to I'm and Organizing Junkie's Menu Planning Monday!

Gear

Thought this was hilarious, so I had to share!! Ignore the incorrect "your".

Rock

Have you ever had one of those days where you just want to crawl under a rock? That was my day yesterday. I won't get into it. It's over (thankfully) and behind me. I'm declaring today my fresh start! and not just on the fitness front. Man, isn't it nice that you can have one of those each day that you need one?!

Be the change you wish to see in the world. -- Gandhi

This is my favorite quote at the moment. I am trying to apply it as often as I can. Sometimes I just forget.

So, here's your moment. Grab it! Hold on to it! Be the change!! Whether it's fitness related or not. Grab life by the balls and go for it.

Anything is Possible

"The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible. " -- Richard M. DeVos

Tortoise & Menu Planning Monday

I ran my first mile this weekend.

How lame does that sound? LOL! My goal was to do it in 10:00 or less. I managed to finish it in 8:36. I can't wait to bring that down. I definitely could have started off faster, but I was scared I wouldn't be able to finish. I have always been FAST, but I can't go fast for very long. I'm looking forward to improving!

Now on to this week's menu.

Pork and chicken was on sale last week, so that's the reason for the lack of variety. :)

Monday: chicken breasts, baked potato fries, roasted Brussels sprouts

Tuesday: pork tenderloin roast w/ carrots; green beans & mashed sweet potatoes on the side (I am using an adapted version of this recipe -- hope it's good!)

Wednesday: chicken soft tacos

Thursday: chicken parmesan (baked chicken!) w/ whole wheat pasta for hubby and corn pasta for me

Friday: date night! Who knows. ;)

Saturday: home made calzones! I have been dying to try out a spelt pizza crust recipe. :)

Sunday: pulled pork (homemade BBQ sauce -- yikes, this could get interesting! LOL!) on multi-grain buns; side of green beans and corn on the cob

For more menu ideas, hop on over to I'm and Organizing Junkie's Menu Planning Monday!

Thank You!

Thank you all for your comments and views regarding the Arnold. You pretty much confirmed what I was feeling. While I was really looking forward to it, I knew that I needed time to build to bring a better package to the national stage. When you aren't completely content with a decision you've made, it really helps to hear that others have very similar opinions. So, thank you for that, and thank you for your support.

Now where's that national schedule?! :)

P.S. I'm selling a suit on Diva. It's new, but I didn't get to wear it. I can't fill it out... at all. LOL!

http://www.divaexchange.com/detail.php?id=5311

If you follow my blog, and you are interested, make me an offer. :) I'm trying to raise money to travel to compete next year. THANKS GUYS! xoxo!

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Guys. I don't know what I'm doing.

FACT: National Qualifications are only good until the end of the following calendar year. It used to be two years.

I have been very excited about the possibility of competing at the Arnold Amateur... just to say I did it. The Arnolds are in March, if ya didn't already know.

PROBLEM: That leaves very little time to build, and I feel like I lost quite a bit of muscle when I dropped the 25 pounds during my last round of dieting. It happens.

I do want to compete at the National level while I have the opportunity. What if this chance never happens again? I would like to be competitive. In order to do so, I think I would need more muscle... would definitely need more of a backside.

Do I push aside my desire to compete at the Arnold Amateur to bring a better package at the National level?

What would my Bloggerfam do? I'm on the fence. Actually, I'm leaning in a direction that will remain secret for now. I want to hear what you all think.

Crumby not Crummy!

Hi guys!! Shoo yesterday was hectic, as is EVERY SINGLE WEDNESDAY. Heck, every day, but I can usually take 3-5 minutes away from work to post a blog. It's a nice little outlet that keeps me from going loony at work.

Confession: I ate all of my Newman's Own Organics Chocolate Chocolate Chip Champion Chip Cookies (say that 5 times fast) without snapping a pic of them. I ate the LAST cookie only to realize that the bottom of the bag was ALL CRUMBS.

These cookies are tiny little crumbly cookies full of chocolate goodness. They are not too sweet, and while I am a soft cookie kinda gal, I really love this crumbly texture... it reminds me of pecan sandies.

So, guess what I did with my crumbs? I made a layered dessert! Cottage cheese, brown sugar, and CRUMBS!!

Seriously, so good. Who doesn't love dessert as a meal? I should've chased it down with some Amazing Grass to get my veggies in!

One of my favorite things about Newman's Own Organics is not only do I feel good about eating organic treats, I know the profits are going to a good cause!! Check out the sticker on the front of the bag!!

Paul Newman has given over $200 MILLION to thousands of charities world wide since 1982

How can you NOT feel all warm and fuzzy inside supporting a company like that?

I know what all you fitness fanatics are wondering... What are the nutritional stats?!

I tried working them in by eating only 2 (half a serving) at a time... but they are so dang good that it is hard to stop at just two!

Overall, what do I think? I love'em!

Will I repurchase? Most definitely! but I will probably repurchase the Newman's Own Organic Hint 'O Mint Newman-Os first. ;)

Cheapskate

Oh yeah. I am totally a cheapskate. I have been racking up points and redeeming them for gift cards... to use for Christmas shopping. WOO!

I just redeemed some SWAGBUCKS points for $10 worth of Amazon gift cards. SCHWEEEET!

Swagbucks is a free site that lets you earn points by searching through their search engine, you can trade in old phones for points, all kinds of stuff!!

If you check it out, please use my referral banner below so I can... duh, get more POINTS! WEEE!!

Not Your Granny's Apples!

I am a master procrastinator. Oh yes. I am procrastinating, again!

Yesterday, I came home to a delightful package from Peggy at Old World Enterprise Group, the makers of Bare Fruit Snacks. Thanks Peggy!!

My husband and I are both CRAZY about the Granny Smith bake-dried apples.

Yes, I was so excited that I didn't even snap the pic before ripping open the bag. These are SO TASTY! OH MY GOSH!! Go buy a bag NOW! Seriously! Seth said they are even BETTER than apples. I have to agree.

But wait, they ARE just apples.

How the heck did they get so tasty?

Best. Dried. Fruit. Ever. Handsdown.

We ate the bag in less than 24 hours. They are THAT good!

I even had some for a meal today mixed with Oikos Honey and slivered almonds. It was perfect! Crunchy, sweet, tart, creamy...

I love these. No added sugar, preservatives, additives... No added junk whatsoever. Just crunchy natural goodness.

I WILL be ordering these when my stash runs out. Most definitely. No question about it.

To find out more about Bare Fruit Snacks, check out their site: http://www.barefruitsnacks.com/ . Don't forget to check out their store while you're there! :)

I plan on trying the mango tomorrow. YUM!

Becoming Sane

Morning Bloggerfam!! I hope you had a WONDERFUL night's sleep. I forced myself to bed early and woke up to a 1/2 slice of Ezekiel bread, some ANPB, and some coffee. Then I hit the treadmill for some 5k training action.

Actually, I didn't hop on the treadmill as quickly as I would have liked. I was a bit pissy. I have started a couple 5k programs MANY MANY times, and I simply do not stick with them. I then remembered Einstein's quote.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. -- Albert Einstein

Duh! Why would I force myself to do the SAME program that I did not enjoy in the past? I won't stick to something if I don't enjoy it.

I'm trying a NEW program. And, I like that I am starting it on a Tuesday. This makes my "long" runs fall on Saturdays -- perfect! Check out the Spark Your Way to a 5k Jogging Program. Today's run was only a 1/2 mile. I actually enjoyed myself, though, and that is what it's about! I could probably run a 5k, but if I started with that I would be a miserable mess, and I would never want to run again!

After my very brief jog I hit up Youtube for a yoga abs session. I didn't really like the video I chose, but that's okay. At least I feel like I accomplished something! and I got a great reward -- BREAKFAST!

Blueberry Spelt Loaf

4 egg whites

17g Organic Spelt Flour

17g Organic Spelt Flakes

1g Stevia

25g Wild Blueberries (I used frozen)

It wasn't as good as a blueberry muffin from a coffee shop, or even as good as a blueberry muffin with a yummy whey blend, but I'm trying to limit my protein powder consumption... only because I don't want to eat so much processed filler.

Bake on 350* until cooked through. I'm not sure how long I baked it. I finished packing my meals for the day then ate! :D

YUM!