Technologically Challenged

Hey, I’m hoping some of you out there are more savvy than me, and can explain things in SIMPLE terms.

I have to admit to having a lust affair with the iphone for quite a while.  I stare with absolute amazement when co-workers whip out their iphones to show me pictures.  And then one of my patients’ parents had one and would play music for his baby on it.  He caught me staring, and asked what my favorite music group was, and I said Phillips, Craig, and Dean, thinking they are not THAT well known.  Well within a couple of seconds, he used some app and there they were, singing in the nursery!  I just think the iphone is cool.  But not one to waste money, I have a contract on my phone, and have thought, well, maybe when its done.  The contract on iphone is still more than I want to pay, but maybe…

Then Miz wrote a post about DECREASING the time they spend on technology, and she mentioned the itouch.  I didn’t even know what it was, so of course I had to look it up.  And I am INTRIGUED.

But I can’t quite figure out what the difference is.  In this description it says the itouch comes installed with the iphone software.  Does that mean you can use it as a phone with a different company than at&t?  Does it mean it is an iphone essentially and you can sign up with at&t any time you want to?

Another question:  does the itouch connect to the internet differently than the iphone?  How DOES it connect to the internet?  Like, if I am in a hotel that has free internet access, do I plug into something to use it?  I guess I can’t use the itouch in my car for internet, but the iphone I could use for the internet in my car?  And how hard is it to use the internet on such a tiny machine?  Is it worth even bothering with?

Are all the apps the same for each?

Does anybody actually watch a movie on their itouch?

How ’bout listening to music?  Do you have one of those fancy little dock thingies?  How good does the music sound?

I noticed on that amazon ad that if you signed up for audible.com you could get $100 off the itouch–of course, you would be paying $180 during the year for audible–but that is for getting ‘books on tape’ (ha–now you understand where I am technologically) and that REALLY appeals to me.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN TELL ME, PLEASE DO!

Rainy Days and Mondays…

always make me eat?  Is that the end of that song?  Someone tell me, please.

Well it is Monday.  And it is raining.  And boy howdy did I want  to eat.  But I don’t think it was actually the rain or the Monday.  I think it was a little anxiety over the housecleaning I was doing in prep for my best friend’s visit.  Its not that she doesn’t know what my house is like.  She’s been here plenty of times.  Its mostly just the decision-making that has to be done when I start to clean (as in, where do I put this?  should I keep this or throw it out?  or take it to the thrift store?  if I take it to the thrift store will I regret it next week?  oh, it goes on and on.)

But all ended well, both on the eating front and the cleaning front.  I had identified four areas of clutter that I wanted to work on, and I actually worked on all four areas, plus did a couple of other things.

And here’s what I did about the eating.  I did eat more than I had planned, but all the food was healthy stuff.  It was raining so much I didn’t think I was going to get to take Noah for his second walk.  I almost got out and went to the gym, but instead I made myself pick up my weights and do a quick but intense workout.  This was actually a big victory for me, because ever since I joined the gym, I just haven’t been able to make myself work out much at home.  Here’s what I did:

• 50 push-ups (girl style)
• 50 raised leg crunches
• 50 squats w/24#
• 3 sets of 10 curls each arm, 12#
• 50 lunges (25 each leg) 24#

I was all impressed with myself at first because I thought I had 17 pounds on each dumbell.  But by the end I thought, that was a little easier than I expected, and I checked again, and found that there was only 12 pounds on each.  Oh well, still a decent workout.  I was really glad about doing the crunches too, because I have really been slacking in that department.

And then, after I had already fed Noah and eaten dinner myself, I noticed that the rain had let up, so we went for a short soggy walk.  In answer to Juice’s question ‘where is Noah,?’ Noah is outside.  He is just too rambunctious to be in this little house, and he is a MESS.  Evidently he does not mind the rain, because even though he has a room to stay in, he chooses to spend some time outside.  And really, the water never touches his skin.  Its amazing.  I go out there a couple of times a day to ‘dry’ him off with a towel, but his coat is so thick and I guess water-repellant that he is completely dry underneath.  I still have hopes of bringing him in the house when he is a little older and calmer.  But he does get very hot in the house.  We’ll see.  In the meantime, unfortunately, I don’t think Mr. Monk and Sophie offer much in the way of protection for me.  Maybe I need to take a kickboxing class…

Zucchini + Oats = Winner!

Well, I did it.  And doggoned if I didn’t forget to take a picture.  AGAIN.  But here’s a visual for you.  Picture a BIG bowl of oatmeal with a browner than usual tinge, and little green flecks throughout, interspersed with the occasional yellow fleck.  This was a nummy and nutritious bowl of oatmeal, full of good-for-you foods, and guaranteed to keep you full for quite a while.

The idea did come from Christie, who was the originator of the green bean recipe that I shared yesterday.  (BTW check out her no-bake cookie oatmeal recipe–I am going to try that tomorrow morning.)  And she mentioned that the zucchini was crunchy, which did not appeal to me, so I made a plan to eliminate that.  After all, in zucchini bread or zucchini cake, it is not crunchy.

A couple of thoughts on this recipe.

• The zucchini does add a liquid component, so you could probably start with a little less water.  Adding the zucchini halfway through the cooking process cooked them just right–still a nice texture, but not crunchy.  I am discovering that I am all about the texture in foods.
• And I chickened out and added half the usual amount of egg whites that I usually add for the custard oats.  I think I would have liked it fine with the whole amount.
• This recipe did make a large volume.  I think I would have been satisfied having 1/3 of the recipe instead of 1/2–I had them for dinner with an artichoke and I was quite full.
• I might add more spice to it next time.
• And of course if you are not a splenda lover, use your sweetener of choice.  Maple syrup might add to it.
• When I used to eat that zucchini bread, I would spray it with a little butter spray–I did this on top of the oats and it was yummy.
• I guess my main thought was that it was a little labor-intensive–more work than my standard custard oats, which I LOVE, so not sure I would do it that often.  But it is a very nice way to get some veggies in at breakfast time.  If that’s what you want to do.

ZUCCHINI CUSTARD OATS

2 cups water

1/2 cup of mostly irish oats, just a little quinoa

1 small zucchini, grated with a mandolin.  (if you grate with a regular grater, it is much more liquidy, so you could just drain it, or put on a paper towel for a bit.)

zest of one lemon

1/4 cup egg whites (could use 1/2 cup)

Put these dry ingredients in one container to be added at the same time:

2 Tbsp flaxseed meal

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 Tbsp splenda

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cook irish oats/quinoa as usual.  After 15 minutes at a simmer, add the zucchini/lemon zest and continue to cook 10-15 minutes.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the egg whites slowly, stirring the whole time, and continue to cook about 2 minutes.

Makes 2 servings, 300 calories each.  (or 3 servings, 200 calories each.)

A BIG congratulations to my friend, Shelley, who just completed her first duathlon!  I am amazed at her running progress in such a very short time.

Have a good Monday, everyone.  It is raining again today, and is predicted all day.  That means two walks in the rain with Noah.  Hopefully there will be a couple of breaks in the rain that I can take advantage of.  Its a major cleaning day around here.  My best friend is coming to visit next week!

Morning shot:  Sophie and Mr. Monk are very tired of my blogging activity and are competing for my attention.

Happy Saturday

Golly, I’m so cheerful its sickening!  Today was another 6 hour shift, and I do love these days.  I get up 2 hours later than my normal days, and I get done with work in plenty of time to do a bit of shopping if need be, get in a nice walk with Noah, and then cook a good dinner, and eat while reading my favorite blogs.  And then I still have enough energy to write a blog post.  As compared to the 12 hour shifts, where I get up at 4 am, and arrive home at 9pm feeling sad, depressed, and exhausted.  Okay, I know I sound like a broken record about this.

Anyway, today was a good day.  My sewing machine needed to go in for some repair work, and since the repair place is in Sacramento where I work, the 6 hour days are the perfect opportunity to drop it off and pick it up.  Most sewing machine repair guys are pretty gruff, and this guy was no exception, but as I talked with him about what was wrong, and asked a few questions, he started to lighten up, and was nice enough to give me a lesson in sewing machine maintenance so, in his words, I ‘wouldn’t have to pay $85.00 to have it fixed up.’  Sweet, huh?  I will be so glad to have it back though.  I have a little old-fashioned sewing machine (Singer Featherweight) that actually works great, but it ONLY does straight stitch.  In the meantime I am doing some hand sewing which I actually enjoy very much.

Okay, the only real thing I wanted to write about tonight was another new and very tasty recipe that I tried–Sweet and Spicy Garlic Green Beans.  Found it over on this gal’s blog when she commented on my IE posts.  The flavor combo was absolutely delicious.  You could vary it a couple of different ways–add a little sesame oil for a more asian flavor.  You could also cut the oil and butter in half and I think it would be fine.  Quite decadent this way though.  Again with the no pictures.  Sorry bout that.  I have leftovers of the fried rice and the green beans so maybe I’ll get some pictures yet.

I was going to have some custard oats for dessert, but I was too full (paying attention to my hunger!)  I have a new idea to try, so I’ll have them for breakfast tomorrow.  Its pretty simple really, but it just came to me that I love that flavor combo from my Sugar and Spice Zucchini Bread recipe (that I never make any more…)  So I am going to add lemon zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg to my custard oats tomorrow morning.  I even read on some blog that they added shredded zucchini to their oatmeal to make it like Zucchini bread or cake.  I would try that but I don’t have a zucchini.  Good way to get veggies in at breakfast though.

Happy Friday to All

Happy Friday evening to everyone!  Work has been pretty good this week, and today was a great day off.  I’m getting in some nice long walks with Noah, and had a challenging circuit training session with Vicky at the gym.  I lapsed into a little of that negative thought pattern this morning–“what’s the use of running, hard workouts, waiting til I’m hungry to eat?  I’m still the same size.  I’m never going to lose any more.”  And then I remembered that the ‘use’ is that I am doing what needs to be done just to maintain my current weight.  That’s the use.  Oh.  Okay.

Regarding my trial of Intuitive Eating, I’m doing pretty good.  Weight seems to be staying the same.  I am definitely not in a ‘losing weight’ mindset this week.  Just enjoying the good food a little too much!  Good food, as in lots of fresh fruit, veggies, Vicky’s concoctions, fresh dairy, walnuts, oatmeal, scones, protein pancakes…the usual suspects.  Tonight I made a new version of something I’ve tried before.  It came out so good I wrote it down this time–Fried Rice.  It came about because of some new products I got at Costco.  Organic Brown Rice bowls–90 seconds in the microwave, 2 servings per bowl.  And, BTW, only 5mg sodium per serving.  The beauty of a recipe like this is that you can vary it a lot of different ways, depending on what you have on hand, and/or what kind of veggies you like.  I really like the texture of the carrots and zucchini that have been grated on the mandolin.  Combines really well with the rice.  I didn’t take a picture–sorry about that.

I do have some gorgeous pictures to share with you, though.  More garden shots.  I’m enjoying my new camera.

Sweet Woodruff--I love this groudcover.

It has tiny little white flowers and the faintest sweet smell.

Camellias are frustrating.  I practically had to stand on my head to take a picture of this gorgeous flower.

One of my Japanese maples named 'lemon lime. Appropriate name, don't you think?

First tulip of the year.

Sweet little blue flowers, almost hidden beneath the bigger daffodils.

Mr. Monk May Have Been Misnamed

PJ suggested that Mr. Monk reminded her of Winston Churchill, so of course I had to check it out.  What do you think?

PJ also said ‘That little man looks like he’s got a story to tell.’  I think she is right.  I haven’t told you guys much about him really.  He is a delightful dog.  He loves me already, and loves getting attention.  But is also happy on a blanket or a pillow sleeping close by.  Getting rescue dogs is always like that–you wonder what their story is.  The fact that he is so calm and well adjusted makes me hope that his former life was really a good one.  Maybe just someone who fell on hard times, or someone who got too old to take care of him.  Whichever, I am lucky to have him.  He and Sophie seem to be co-existing peacefully.  No real love or affection happening yet.  But Sophie does seem to be ‘normalizing’ with another little person in the house.

Had a great day today, but was gone until 6:45 pm.  Just enough time to take Noah for a quick jog before it got dark.  When we got home it was dusk and I noticed this view from my front door.

I duck under these branches multiple times a day and most times don’t even look at them.  Take some time to notice the beauty all around you.

Just a few steps beyond that scene, some more plants are blooming–more daffodils and one of my most favorite plants, a flowering almond.  I can’t believe I got such good pictures right before dark!

Aren’t We Somethin’ !!

Hey, how quickly exactly can I type??  Just want to say, about all of us, that we are DOING IT!  We are on the road.  We are not giving up.  And everyone knows.  That is how you get to the end of the road.  Whole.  In one piece.  Like Celie in ‘The Color Purple’ said, in one of my all time favorite quotes from one of my all time favorite movies,

I’m poor, black, I might even be ugly, but dear God, I’m here. I’m here.

We might have indulged on Easter.  We might have eaten more sweets than could have fit in the Hindenburg, but we are here.  We are HERE.  And by here, I don’t just mean here in blogland, admitting our mistakes and making new plans to move on.  Although that is good.

I mean it in a bigger sense.  We are here.  We are this far along (where ever that might be for you) and we are continuing to work to improve our health, our food choices, our exercise habits, our body image.  Can you believe it?  WE ARE HERE!

For me, this means 100 pounds down and maintaining.  It means making a good food choice at each meal and snack, maybe even 90% of the time.  It means a commitment to get out and walk Noah twice a day, and to work out at the gym two to three times a week BECAUSE I WANT TO.  It means continuing to explore new foods, and to turn less often to food for some emotional need.  It means working on the concept that the healthy living is no longer about what my body looks like, it is about how my body can function (thank you thank you Miz.)

My friends Pubsgal, PJ, and Jill all wrote good posts about this.  We are all a work in progress, but we are really somethin’!

And now the doggie report:

Mr. Monk takes in the morning sun.  Perhaps the extra vitamin D will decrease his worrying.

The morning book club–Mr. Monk on one side,

And Sophie on the other.

And yes, I do wear a hot pink fuzzy bathrobe.  I wear it all day.  Because I am cold.  Except when I am so hot you could cook your oatmeal in a minute on me not cold and I fling the hot pink fuzzy bathrobe as far as I can.  (You youngsters will understand this some day.  Because its coming.  Yes it is.)

Back in the Saddle. Again.

Gotta log gotta log gotta log!!!  Wanted to last night, but sat sleepily in front of the computer and finally gave up.  Now I’m getting a pretty late start to my morning, but I want to write just a bit.  So I ran out and put the first load of laundry in, warmed my coffee up, promised Noah I would be out there ‘in a minute’ (time does not pass for dogs the same as it does for us, so technically I was not lying,) and here I am for a quick post.

Warning:  Junk food talk ahead.

Yesterday was an odd food day.  Plans to have family here for dinner fell through.  That part was fine with me.  I had it in mind that I wanted some Wor Won Ton Soup.  Years ago I had this at a Chinese restaurant and I LOVED it.  Full of big chunks of beef, BBQ pork, chicken, shrimp, as well as veggies, and of course won tons.  Please, no one needs to tell me Chinese food has sodium.  All in all, it seemed like a nice, relatively low-cal treat for the day.

So after church I headed out in search of wor won ton soup.  It was almost funny, because I zig-zagged back and forth across town, going to the chinese restaurants in the order that I thought MIGHT have the best soup (because I have not gone out for chinese in years now.)  The only restaurant open was my third choice.  And I was right.  It was definitely third choice.  Just not that good.  Oh well.  Before I went I was searching the nutritionals online, and I came across a recipe for it.  I might try to make it myself, although I am not too much into prepping and stuffing the won tons.

Okay, I have to admit it.  Once I decided I was going to have soup for my main dish, I gave myself permission to have two desserts.  So the whole day did not go to pot, but I did eat more ‘junk’ than I like to, and I did feel ‘icky’ for a bit.  A good reminder that the way I eat now is a GOOD THING.

One funny/good thing is this.  My mom, my sister, and I used to LOVE the Palmer’s hollow chocolate easter bunnies.  And as I grew I would get myself the BIGGEST Palmer’s hollow chocolate bunny that they made.  Which you all probably know is quite large.  So this year I looked at several stores for just the right Palmer’s hollow chocolate easter bunny.  And I found the smallest, cutest bunny that they make.  I have to admit, I thoroughy enjoyed him.  But now he is gone.  That day is done.  And I am definitely ready to get back in the saddle again.  I went to sleep dreaming/thinking about exactly what I would eat today, spaced out into 6 small meal/snacks.  It is pretty spare–a good challenge.  We’ll see if I can do it.  Here’s the list.

Custard oats/quinoa combo.

Pear.

Strawberries/cottage cheese.

Yogurt/walnuts.

Fish/veggie combo and roasted asparagus.

Lo-bars.

In writing it seems do-able.

Along these same lines (junk food) I came across this fascinating article about rats eating junk food, and the possible conclusion that junk food is actually addicting.  Of course this is what David Kessler  already said in his book ‘The End of Overeating.’ I hope you will look at this article.  I can’t really review all of it here, but these statements really struck a cord with me in regards to our question ‘why can’t we stop eating the junk?’

As they plumped up, eating became such a compulsion that they kept chowing down even when they knew they would receive an unpleasant electric shock to their foot if they did so.

When deprived of the sugary food, they showed signs of anxiety and their brains acted as if they were withdrawing from alcohol or drugs.

In the current study, the rats were raised on healthy foods, but their preferences quickly shifted when offered junk food. Throughout the day, they snacked and nibbled, rapidly bulking up. And the more they gained, the more they ate.

Yikes.  The similarities are eery.

So today, along with the laundry, a couple of walks with Noah, and a bit of quilting, I will AGAIN purge my house of some of the junk food stashed away.  Because, as my friend Vickie says, if it is in the house, it WILL be eaten.