Friday Confessions 8.17.12

Confessions, confessions!!

I confess that I have really enjoyed "pet" sitting for my best bud while she relaxes on Tybee Island this week. It's not your normal dog & cat setup. Well, she does have a cat and 4 dogs and I am feeding them. But there are also 3 horses, 3 hens, 1 rooster and a donkey named Reggie. Here are a few snapshots....

The donkey

The cat - was about to jump on me....

The chickens....

Fresh eggs...have gotten 10 in three days.

Stalker horse

Precious

It's been a nice change of pace for me, and my friend would do anything for me - the best kind to have.

I confess that I finished my Ten Days to a Better Me challenge this week. You can read my results about that adventure here. It was a great experience and I'm looking forward to the next step - a 90 Day Challenge! Whew!

I confess that yesterday was a celebration day at work - we survived a bad summer, so there was pizza, ice cream, cake...and I confess that I splurged. I was really glad that this was planned for the day AFTER my 10-day challenge ended.  I don't feel guilty. I have my written plan, and a splurge was factored in, so back to the healthy carbs and good stuff today. Five mile run/walk this morning too - my second 5 mile this week!

When I headed home from feeding all the animals last night there was a lovely sun setting. My friend lives on a lake, and I stopped in someone's yard to catch a snapshot. While I was standing there, iphone in hand, in someone's driveway - this woman hollers something at me...I couldn't make it out. "Sorry, I didn't catch that," says I. "Would you like to come out behind the house to get your picture?" says the woman. How sweet. They had lakefront property and she was offering me a better shot. I politely declined, saying thanks very much. It shouldn't be such a surprise that are still so many kind and decent people around, but when they are kind to me, I confess, I am always a little startled and sometimes unprepared. It warmed my heart. Here's the picture:

What are you confessing this week? Head over to Dandelion Wishes to join the confessing!

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Friday Confessions 8.10.12

I confess......this has been a great week! I started a Ten Day Health Challenge with a Beach Body.com coach on Monday, and it has really been going well. We were sent 10 shakes (1 for each day), and use the shake for breakfast or lunch. All other meals are from a meal plan that we were given and it is real food. Stuff I actually eat, and like. Our coach is wonderful - very supportive and helpful. I think these challenges happen regularly, so if you are interested in finding out more info - just let me know.
I confess.....I was uncertain about the whole liquid meal part. I mean, I really, really like to chew my calories. But my sister asked me to do this with her, and two are better than one, right? So we both jumped in. The shakes are actually really tasty, and very, very filling. We have 9 chocolate and 1 strawberry packets. I'm saving the strawberry for the weekend - will add some frozen blueberries to it, and use it for a lunch. It's called Shakeology, and there is a lot of science behind this product. 
I also confess....that I have been exercising more regularly this week, and it feels really good. It's groovy to be in a groove. 
I confess that my residents at work have made me laugh a lot this week! At least half of them have some kind of memory challenges, and they say and do the funniest things. One lady "K", has a big blue goose egg on her forehead from a recent fall. During our baking group yesterday another lady asked her what had happened to her, to make the bruise. K's friend, F answered for her. F said, "Oh you know K, she was out partying late one night, and couldn't find her way home." The other lady just said "Oh, MY." These are nursing home residents in their early 90's - making this stuff up. Where does it come from?? I was laughing, so I didn't say anything - just enjoyed the entertainment. And I have two women right now who are like Weezer and Clairee from Steel Magnolias. They both talk all the time - taking digs at each other, when they aren't together, they are on the phone, and are in rooms right next to each other. So we can all hear their conversations from both of them talking so loudly on the phone to each other, in the hallway. Hilarious times! I do love my job!
Lastly, I confess that one of my guilty pleasures is reading SUAR's blog Shut Up and Run. She is very funny, sarcastic and writes things that everyone else is thinking, but may not say.  She's also an athlete - which is how I found her - when I searched for running blogs. I love her blogs! 
She is blogging this week about an Everyday Endurance giveaway. One of the ways to enter the giveaway is to blog about it. So here I am, blogging about it. They have very cool designs for runners, triathletes and everyday endurance people. Check out these designs, for example. 

Others sleep - it's a lifestyle thing.

Inner Peace - it's a lifestyle thing.

The Pacer - It's a lifestyle thing.

Very cool, huh?

There will be five winners, so hopefully your odds of winning are certainly better than getting on a plane with a drunk pilot (117 to 1), or becoming a pro athlete (22,000 to 1).  The winners can select any design from the Everyday Endurance line and have it put on any item available for that line – shirt, iPhone case, water bottle, hat, visor, etc. Sound good? Totes!

To enter (comment for each):

• Visit FFC Everyday Endurance site HERE, and tell me which design you like +1 entry
• "Like" Family Fan Club on Facebook HERE + 1 entry
• "Follow" Family Fan Club on twitter HERE + 1 entry
• Twat, FB or blog about this giveaway +1 entry

Five winners will be selected at random on Wednesday, August 15.

Special bonus! 

Until August 15, save 15% at Family Fan Club by entering the code “shutup15” at checkout. 

I confess that I would LOVE to win one of these designs on a shirt!!
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"Ten Days to a Better Version of Me"

A few weeks ago, my sister, Mary sent me a flier about a 10-day challenge and asked if I was interested in joining her for it.

I looked it over, got some more information and decided it looked like something good for me. I'm doing better with exercise than nutrition lately, and this program is focused on nutrition. The shake has good ingredients, as well as probiotics, digestive enzymes and fiber. The focus is on real food - pairing lean protein with complex carbs (non-starchy vegetables & fruits), with no sugar or sugary foods.


It's an extension of BeachBody.com - they have members who act as coaches for everyday people - like me and Mary. For our $50 we get 10 days worth of Skakeology, a meal plan, access to a private Facebook support group and our coach.


The challenge this starts tomorrow. Yesterday I highlighted the meals I plan on eating, along with my snacks and went to the store. I have prepped and chopped today so I am feeling pretty prepared food-wise. Also we are supposed to exercise 8 of of the 10 days. So I have my plan for that as well. Run 3 days/week, and Ripped in 30 (Jillian Michaels) the other days. One day a week rest. I have them scheduled on the calendar.


Our coach has been posting encouraging notes on our facebook page, along with sort of a warning to not blow it out this weekend eating everything we think we won't get to eat ever again. I took this to heart, and thought seriously about it while I ate an entire container of Ben & Jerry's. Felt like crap afterward, and still today. The glass of red wine I had before probably didn't help me make a good decision (about whether or not to eat just 1/2 or all of the ice cream). Well it's all fresh tomorrow. And no more ice cream today!


I have to do my measurements, weight and dreaded before-photo today. Well, I'll probably wait and do the scale in the morning. No need to rush into that.


I'll try to update as we go along, and definitely let you know how it goes (good or bad). Hopefully not bad. 


Here's to Ten Days to a Better Version of Me!





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