My Body, My Mind

 

Today I’m upside down at Vision & Verb.

January 29, By Any Other Name

Is still a rose.

So my week?

Recently, I felt I needed a change. The urge was very strong at the begining of the week. I couldn’t articulate it. It was just a nagging feeling, no details, no specifics, no direction.

The middle of the week brought more conversation, more counseling, more discussion.

And ahhh…now the end of the week. Nothing’s changed. At least not yet.

And I’m happy about it. For I wouldn’t be able to hang out here as much if it did.

There is still a nagging in me for change but there’s also peace in knowing that I like where I am.

Except…

Though it wasn’t easy, I was successful in eating only salads on Tuesday. I was starting to get grumpy toward the end of the night. The husband reminded me that I told everyone in blogland my frugal diet plan so I was bound to commit to it.  To which I responded from the open refrigerator door, “So what?” Then I slammed it. Perhaps a little too hard. Hey, I was hungry.

But…

I lost TWO pounds this week. Now there’s a change. So that’s “so what” and it’s so satisfying. Two pounds a week is the recommend weight loss rate according to the AMA, AFAA, Congress and me.

And…

That Mediterranean fare from yesterday? It’s a pickled caperberry. Here’s a not-so-good photo of it after I’ve chomped on it. It was delicious. I don’t know why it’s not more mainstream Jodi, people are missing out!  It is not a caper I’ve ever seen before. I’m only familiar with the small-ish kind. My mother bought these, Lord knows how much they cost.

I apologize for my manicured nails. Or rather, lack of…

Here’s a quick lemon and capers dish.

1 lb thinly sliced pork loin
4 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tbs capers
1 garlic clove
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs butter
salt
pepper
your choice cooked pasta

Squeeze lemon over the pork. Add salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat olive oil and crushed garlic clove in a sauce pan. Once it’s hot, place pork into the pan. Put in the butter to melt, add in the capers. Turn over the pork and cook on the second side until done.

Serve over your pasta.

You can certainly use the capers that you are familiar with. These are big and pickled and may not be as accessible.

Bon appetite!

I’ll see ya tomorrow bloggie peeps.

Corner View ~ Thanksgiving Yoga

I’m sitting back to relax after a really long day and opened my computer to find some wonderful and kind comments on my last blog. Thank you. But I read my daughter’s little comment and I feel compelled to explain.

When she said her butt hurts it’s because it is what every little equestrian girl complains about and in just about every language. Because they ride a lot, and their little bums are sore a lot. So…moving on.

This week’s Corner View theme is about eating out. But here in the United States, it’s Thanksgiving time. And no one eats out. Everyone is stressed because they are trying to cook something that they haven’t cooked in a year to impress people they would not normally spend time with.

But that’s the cynical view of things.

Or on a happier note, they travel hundreds or even thousands of miles to make sure they spend time with people they love and don’t normally don’t see during the year. And this is the one time where they can really sit back and watch mom cook them a huge delectable meal. As in my case.

Yesterday, my yoga class was completely full. I’m not sure which of the above applied to whom…but I’m sure what whatever the case, everyone needed a little bit of relaxation. A little cleansing breath to gird their loins for what is to come in the next couple of days.

Gird their loins…it’s my new favorite saying now. It’s biblical you know.

Look at the husband. He’s facing the opposite way as the rest of the class. Snicker, snicker.

None of the above photos were taken yesterday, but they illustrate the point.

I think that celebrations are only stressful because we don’t celebrate enough. Which is why I continually party during the year, in order to not feel stressed during those mandatory party times. If you exercise constantly, it doesn’t hurt so much when you finally get out to jog around the block.

But this year, it won’t hurt at all because my mother is doing the cooking.

So take your example from the husband. Just relax and have fun this Thanksgiving. He does the corpse position very well doesn’t he?

Namaste and Happy Thanksgiving to my blogging friends. You mean so much to me.

Thanksgiving Lettuce

I just got off the phone with Neighbor Janet. I am hosting the homeowner’s association Christmas party in my home and she called to see if there is anything she can help me with.

Neighbor Janet is tasked to co-host December’s bunco game as well as make appetizers for the HOA Christmas party, in the same weekend. And she’s cooking Thanksgiving dinner for her family.

And she called to see if there’s anything she can do for me. That lady is beyond sweet.

So anyway, the lettuce. I bought this “living lettuce” to see how long it would actually last. Because that’s how I am. As it turns out, I had it for almost a month. And when I went to actually eat it, it was still fresh. And alive. Because it’s “living lettuce.”

It’s actually very cool. How much lettuce do we eat at one time anyway? And it goes bad so quickly. It’s great to have something last this long, and you actually eat the entire thing instead of having to throw half of it away. I think it’s the root ball on it that keeps it “alive.”

I can’t tell you how much I paid for it. But whatever it was, it certainly was worth it.

So buy living lettuce now. It will be fresh until you are ready to make Thanksgiving dinner. And if you are as busy as Neighbor Janet is this season, you will be glad that it’s one less thing you have to do.

Just sayin’.

My Sweet Tiffiany

My good friend Tiff is one of several people with whom I don’t like to be in a photo.

And this is why. She’s a hard body.

She teaches body combat.

And it’s as painful as it sounds.

B-O-D-Y COMBAT. Yes, it’s painful.

She’s one tough woman.

And body combat is a class that makes you reach into your most primitive instincts to smash someone’s head in. It’s not at all civilized.

I used to teach kickbox. And long ago, I was a student of Tang So Do, a Korean self-defense discipline. That was so long ago that I can barely remember the lactic acid in my muscles.

Until I started taking Tiff’s class.

After what happened to me last year, I want to get my survival instincts back.

And now I can’t move. I’m not kidding. See Danny in the corner? He says he goes to the class and pretends he’s in a bar fight.

You either have to do body combat more than once a week or not at all. It makes you that sore. But it’s fun.

However, if anyone ever came up to take my purse, I’d say, “Hey! I got that on sale!”

Then I’d kick their butt. Thankyouverymuch.

Drop what you are doing, and go punch something. Right now.

What A Difference A Year Makes

I was first certified as a fitness instructor more than 22 years ago. During my working years and my pregnancy years, I took time away from the fitness industry and returned after my kiddos were old enough to go to child care while I taught my classes. There was also some life stuff going on in between. Through it all, I kept up my certifications even though it was inconvenient at times.

I’ve taught step, cardio, cardio pump, weight training, yoga, kick box, stretch and everything else in between.

I’ve taught tired, grumpy, menstrating, after too much wine (it was long ago), feverish and with a dislocated shoulder and knees. The only time I really didn’t teach is when I had tummy issues, for obvious reasons. Once again, just keeping it real.

I am not one of those who really “loves” to work out. And I have this huge problem with eating. Huge. Then there’s genes. Oh those nasty genes. Which is why I teach, when you have a class waiting on you, it’s hard to just skip it. Which is what I did a lot during those days when I didn’t teach. I had so many excuses not to go to the gym that it went beyond rationalization and verged on something else all together.

Please look at the photo above. It’s the wonderful Miss Kathleen last year about this time. I’m sure that she has similar issues with finding time to work out. But she shows up to class, not every week, but faithfully still. And she inhales and exhales a thousand times.

And this was Kathleen last week.

What a difference one year makes. Drop whatever you are doing and get into your forward fold.

Namaste

Posted on Gayle’s Monday Memories

A New Workout Shoe?

The boy and I were shopping one day, not too long ago.

Shopping with your teenage son is an experience. But this is a fitness post so any thoughts I may have on that  will have to wait for another day.

I wore my everyday shoes. The shoes that I wear everyday to walk the dog.

They were extremely old and embarrassing. Since almost every pair of pants I have needs to be hemmed, (I’m 5 foot something) I have to wait until they get back from the dry cleaners to wear them. I was in a hurry to wear this pair so I just cut them. I thought perhaps the dangly threads would be cool but they just look like I cut my jeans.

While at the Skeckers store (not because they owe me anything but because I like their shoes,) I saw this display.

It was a shoe that rocked back and forth. You would then shape your calves and thighs as you walked. I think.

As someone who tries a new method of fitness every other week (just to see if it works), I have to say I was intrigued, though I wasn’t quite ready to buy these.

Does anyone out there have a pair? Do they reall shape your legs? It looks like you would need really good balance to wear them.

And I left the store with these Skeckers. They are super comfortable. And they are brown…because things that are on the ground at the farm are brown.

Cat Pose

Fern has been coming to my yoga class almost every week, twice a week, since I started teaching it almost two years ago. I notice when she’s not in class, and I miss her.

When she started, she would confess that her back was very tight and inflexible.

Two years of cat poses along with some strength exercises, and today she tells me her back feels so much better.

Start in an all fours position.
Inhale through the nostrils and we round our backs.
Bring our belly buttons into the spine.
Hold our stomachs in.
Always breath.

Namaste.

November 3, Forward Fold

Although I continue to do the “basics”, the “minimum”, and the “best I do” to keep my body from falling apart, I don’t feel like I’ve focused on my work out like I should. Though that doesn’t stop me from complaining about how much weight I’ve gained.

So begins a series of yoga poses, starting with the wonderful Kathleen.

Forward fold.
Extend the knees.
Exhale and drop the chest.
Reach for the toes or the instep.
Breathe.

Namaste.

Late Breakfast

Hosted by Cecily and Izzy ‘N Emmy

After an “early dinner” we went to a “late breakfast.” We tried to get on the senior’s schedule but it was hard. We have two teenagers. There was only one place to go to breakfast in that area, Steve’s Diner. It’s the kind of place I like, great food and great prices. I wish we could have stayed for dinner too. The country fried steak sounds good.

It was a place run by a first generation American who’s obviously loves what he does. And the food is fantastic, did I say that already?

But part of the charm is that Mr. Steve runs his place like he runs his home. With a tight fist. This patron behind Frank was having a discussion with Mr. Steve about seating arrangements when Mr. Steve finally yelled, “Then sit on the floor!” Which caused the husband to both cringe and laugh at the same time.

This waitress rushed by yelling at Mr. Steve, “You’re killing me!”

I love it. After breakfast the husband takes out his wallet to pay and was told that they only accept cash. Which then forced Frank to break out his wallet too. It’s an authentic atmosphere for sure.

And the food? Lots of it, homemade and delicious.

The husband was praying over the food while I was snapping photos. Lord forgive me.

And my little girl? Well, she can eat. Just like her mamma and her grandma. She ordered two huge (I mean huge) pancakes, a breakfast sandwich on a bagel and some hashbrowns. She also ate some of my steak. Yes, I ordered a sirloin steak with two eggs. I have to step up my cardio workout this week.

When it was all over with,all that was left was this lone breakfast biscuit.

The next time I complain about my weight, I want you to slap me.

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