Our Deepest Fear...

".....Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others....." by Marianne Williamson (Quote from her book "A Return to Love".)

Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred

You Need:

Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred DVD

Floor Mat

3 or 5 lb. Hand Weights

1.      Commit to 20 minutes a day for a month

2.      Each workout begins with a brief warm-up session and concludes with brief cool-down session

3.      The three 20-minute workouts get progressively more challenging as you go through them.

4.      Each of the three workouts is created with Michaels’ signature 3-2-1 Strength/Cardio/Ab training circuit in which three minutes of strength work, 2 minutes of cardiovascular work and 1 minute of abdominal work is performed.

5.      Start with 3 lb. dumbbells and work up to 5. They are using 5 lb. in the DVD.

6.      Each workout begins with a brief warm-up session and concludes with brief cool-down session.

7.      There are 3 levels to be complete over the course of 30 days. Level 1 of the workout is done for 10 days, Level 2 for 10, and Level 3 for 10.

8.      You will be VERY sore the first couple of days.

9.      There is absolutely NO rest in this workout.

10.  You burn approximately 200 calories per 20 minutes.

11.  Although the DVD promises to help you lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days, there is no guarantee that this amount of weight loss will occur. In order to lose weight, a diet plan should also be followed along with the workouts.

12.  When you complete Level 3 of this fitness program, stay there, or mix it up.
      a.       Alternate between doing level 1 one day, then the next day level 2, then level 1, then level 3.
      b.      Do Level 1 and 2 back to back...or Level 3 and 2.

Mini-Goals for October

There is no failure in running, or in life, as long as you keep moving. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27


In October I plan to continue working on my Mini-Goals for September which were Cleaning and Organizing themed. I have made a lot of progress and could just be done with them but I want to work on them to completion.

My Mini-Goals for October are Nutrition and Fitness related. I have previously completed two 5K races by walking and have continued with my walking routine of 4 miles. These nutrition and fitness mini-goals will help me with my larger goal of running a 5K in the spring and walk/running a 10K by the end of next summer.

1. The main goal in October is to Lose Weight.

I’m 5 feet 2, my current weight is 140 lbs. and I would like to lose 5-10lbs. by the end of the month. When I lost weight in 2010 I used portion control, calorie counting, and exercise this seems to be what works for me. I don’t need to lose much but my jeans are getting tight and this is the month to take care of it before all the holiday feasting begins.

My husband Shawn has agreed to join me in losing 10 lbs. by month’s end himself. I will be helping him with nutrition and he will be helping me with weightlifting along with being each other’s accountability partner.

 

2. My Nutrition plan for October:

My Portion Control and Calorie Counting have slipped during the last year so I am going to make a greater effort this month to work on it.

 

I am going to try doing a No/Low Carbohydrate and No/Low Sugar diet. I have never done this before but for one month I thought I would give it a go since sweets are my weakness this seems to fit. I am going to replace my carbohydrates with vegetables and my sugar with fruit and yogurt. I am not going to drive myself crazy with this but I am going to make a solid commitment for the month.

 

 

3. My Exercise plan I want to accomplish/DO this month:

I will use the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred each morning. I have not done this exercise DVD before but since it is a 30 day program I thought it would work nicely as a goal for this month.

I am going to be more consistent with my weightlifting and plan to lift weights each evening using 10 lb. weights since I am going for a toned/fit look not muscular. My husband has set up a plan using the book StrengthTraining (Step-By-Step) by DK Publishing.

 

I am also continuing with my weekly Yoga with Weights and Zumba classes on Monday’s.

What are your mini-goals for October?

Nastasja's Birthday

Nastasja Marie

September 20, 1991
11:52 a.m.
8 lbs. 5 ½ oz.
20 ½ in. long


Happy 21st Birthday

Shawn Jr.'s Birthday

Shawn Christopher

September 18, 1992
6:46 p.m.
8 lbs. 3 ¾ oz.
20 in. long

Happy 20th Birthday

Crockpot Beef Stew

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
14oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups beef broth
3 potatoes, diced
4 carrots, sliced
1 stalk celery, chopped

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours.

Servings: 6
Calories per Serving: 516

Keeping Clutter at Bay

Once you’ve taken time to declutter and get organized, it’s important to focus on how you can turn the habits that contribute to clutter into good ones that keep clutter at bay.

1. Shopping mindfully and considering where you’ll store any new purchases. –

A shopping list helps for things besides groceries too. I have a list of thing that I need and I watch for at thrift stores, yard sales, and/or Wal-Mart. It’s easier to pass stuff up if I know I am not looking for certain things because I already have enough. If I do buy something then I know I need to weed out a similar item and have a place to keep it.


2. Weeding out storage areas on a regular basis.-

I am always working on a declutter project in my house. I work on one room at a time or an area that needs the most attention. If I am working in the living room I will work on one drawer, cabinet, TV storage area at a time so I don’t make too big of a mess. I decide on what I don’t need any more and put the stuff in a bag to donate. I clean each room or area as I go so they get a deeper cleaning. This is how I keep everything in tip top shape.


3. Put away items after you use them.-

If you put things away when you are finished it drastically reduces the amount of stuff sitting around the house making it look cluttered. If I eat the dish gets put in the sink as soon as I am finished, or if I do my nails I return the items after I use them. I do this with everything and nothing is left to clean up later. Everything in my house has a home and if it doesn’t I find one. If things don’t fit in the space I allotted then I weed some stuff out to storage or donate depending on the item.

If I am working on a project such as crafts or my notebooks I work until I find a stopping point that I know I can put my supplies away. I clean everything up when I am finished I do not leave it sitting to work on for the next day. If certain things are not finished I just get them back out the next time I want to work on it. Sometimes I do make exceptions and I will sit the needed items on my desk but give myself a deadline of a week to finish it or clean it up.


4. Doing a clean sweep of public living areas before bed, putting away any items that remain out.-

I do this every evening in the main living areas, most of the time it isn’t much someone forgot to put shoes away or left a cup setting out. When my kids were younger we would make them put their stuff away or take it to their rooms before bed.

I do this every morning in my bedroom too, if I was reading a book or magazine I put these items where they go and I pick up my glass before leaving the room. I also check my husband’s side of the bed for a glass, magazines or maybe he left the remote on the floor.


5. Do a minimum of chores each day-

Do at least one load of laundry, dishes, and take out the trash. Obviously this isn’t enough but we are talking about clutter and not cleaning chores.


END NOTE: I find a lot of times people are putting thing away or dealing with clutter and not actually doing a lot of cleaning. If you do these things on a regular basis you are able to clean your home without having to deal with everything else.