Today My Weight is 316.2

A while back my scale broke. My boyfriend's mother gave us her old scale, but I never could get it to work consistently. Then she died last April. Without the nagging a scale provides, I started losing track of my weight. After she died I felt like I was eating everything in site. Finally, here it is July and I was getting really worried. My ankles were getting all puffy. My favorite shorts were getting too tight. So I told my boyfriend I was going to buy another scale. Of course he said, "But we already have a scale." But a scale that doesn't work is just a big paperweight. I'd been on the Paleo/ juicing diet a week and I wanted to see if I'd made any progress. But who knows. I got on and my weight was 15 pounds higher than it had ever been in my life. Egads! I had already made lifestyle changes. I had started to swim in the community pool again. Eventually those changes will be reflected in my weight. But for today, I'm really discouraged. When I was at my daughters for 11 days in July I was eating a lot of fast food. I mean I'd already made the shift to healthier eating when I got back home.  For all I know I lost 10 pounds this week, since I don't know what my weight was when I started.

I'm glad I have a scale now so I can keep better track. Part of the problem is when the heat is in the triple digits, I hardly move at all. My head is pounding even now. For the better part of 3 weeks it has been over 100 degrees. I just walked out to water the garden and I about died. It is 101.7 right now at 3 PM. Yikes.

Update: I feel a bit better this morning, because when I weighed myself it was down to 312.7 and so I'm using that as my baseline. They say to weigh yourself at the same time each day. and typically for me that is right after I get up in the morning, and before I've had anything to eat or drink.

Hula Hooping

A perfect Saturday for hula hooping. I made this hoop. I should use it more often.

Ahem

Why do some people feel it is okay to make rude comments to and about fat people? I wouldn't go up to someone and say, "Gee your nose is big," or "Your dance video shouldn't be on youtube because you are too short?" I hate that I internalize all the rude comments I hear people make to other fat people. I have a friend that lost 200 pounds, and random strangers still come up to her and inform her that she's fat and should see a doctor about losing weight. People, you have got to stop this. Your own prejudice and hate is rubbing off on other people who don't need your opinion. Does it make you feel superior to be so rotten? Do you think you are going to shame them into losing weight? Does that ever work?

Say something nice or go away. Grow some manners. Sheesh.

The Belly Dancing Arborist

Today I was determined to get enough exercise. No one was here but me, so I went out in the yard to stretch and warm-up to belly dance. Suddenly I felt someone watching me so I turned around. It was my landlady who lives next door. She's like, "Whatcha doin."

So I say, "Getting some exercise." She says, "My friend and I are pruning all the fruit trees. Wanna help?" How could I say no. We pruned six trees and picked up most of the branches. I got a lot of exercise, even if it wasn't the kind I had intended. My arms are still shaking from holding the loppers higher than my shoulders to cut branches. Fun and a good work-out. And eventually I'll get a lot of fruit to eat. She's very generous that way. And we got to snack on almonds that had fallen off and dried in the hot sun. Now for a nice shower because all the tiny scratches on my arms are starting to itch.

Juggling Practice

I have a cold so my workouts have been cut way back. But I am working on my juggling and my contact juggling.

Stand Up And Be Counted

My fitness challenge today is to stay on my feet all day. I've become way to sedentary. And if my boyfriend can stand at his job all day, I can at least attempt to do so. Typing while standing is a challenge in itself. I put some belly dancing music on to keep me company. I showered, did dishes and took out the trash. And I have bread baking in the bread machine and its not even noon yet. Definitely more productive this way.

Arm Series

Today it was hard to find any exercise motivation at all. I had 2 sleepless nights and no energy. Finally, at 10 PM, I was watching Shakira videos on Youtube and looking at her amazing body and I got up and worked on some belly dancing arm movements. My arms felt like they weighed a ton! I got tired instantly, which means I'm on the right track. My arms used to be one of my strongest areas, being a juggler and all. Also my neck and shoulders were really tight from typing and crocheting and reading today. Way too much sitting! Phooey on that. I'm going to rest a few minutes and do some more arm movements.

Check out Shakira's Gypsy video. If that doesn't inspire you I don't know what will.

Now For Something Completely Different

Funny animal barstools.

Big butterfly on giant mushroom.

Fake Snake

Forever 21

Amazing butterfly.

Huge grapes.

Huge grapes at Ontario Mills Mall

My favorite shop.

If I only had a waist!

I'd be all over this.

Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe

Yesterday I was hiking out in the desert in the middle of nowhere. Today I walked a lot longer, only it was inside a mall. I got to go to the Ontario Mills Mall for the first time. It is a giant rectangle so I walked and I walked and I walked some more. Finally I got to the end of the loop. I took photos so after dinner I'll post them if I can.

I love walking in new places. Everything is a surprise.

Twilight Hike

Sometimes my goals work at cross purposes. My goal to read a book a week got behind because family visited for 3 days. There is no way I'm going to read with a crawling baby and a 3 year old in the house. So today I tried to read half a book so I wouldn't get behind on my new goal. Suddenly I realized it was almost dark and I hadn't done any fitness for the day. So I decided a twilight hike was called for. I just had to make sure I was home before dark, because wandering around in the desert without a flashlight isn't a real good idea. I was aiming for a 30 minute hike but I was home in 20 minutes. Oh well, I'll plan ahead a little better next time, but at least I did it.

Azurite Road

Hedgehog cactus

Two large rocks

Two old trucks

S curves

Twilight Hike

The long and winding road.

Almost dark

Country Fitness

I decided to make my word of the year Fitness. I could have made it create or dance or something more fun to me, but I will do those things anyway. So fitness it is.

The last 3 days my work-out was chasing around the 2 grandkids I haven't seen in 6 months. The boy is almost 3 and the baby just started to crawl. Mom brought them over for my birthday and we did kid things for 3 days including 2 parks, shopping and running around my giant yard. I'm so tired, so I was declaring today a rest day.

Snuggles

Monster Trucks

Busy all the time

Unfortunately my boyfriend declared it 'help the neighbor by cutting down 3 trees' day, so my fitness today is hauling  branches and tossing logs either into the cart or over the fence into our yard. Fun, but whew...work...yep, more tired.  But we still have one more tree to do so I'm going back over there.

We also hung up five lines worth of clothes.

That's what I call fitness country style.

Timber!

The first tree was the easiest. The next two were buried in shrubbery.

Free firewood, but we earned it.

Resting between trees.