Year 2010, Day Two

I wonder how many times I will have to write 2010 before it becomes a habit. Hopefully I will do it enough times over the next three days that I will not regress to writing in retro. I've labeled a batch of freezer bags and tomorrow and Monday will work on lesson plans so I'll get some practice.

The tree came down and went out the door last night. The rest of the Christmas decorations are in the process of being put back into the handy cranberry colored totes that I bought last year to replace the cardboard boxes that had been storing our seasonal stuff for 25 years. Danny was a little sad about storing it all away, but we explained to him that it wouldn't be special if we kept it out. When it comes back out at the end of November he should be ready to enjoy it all again. Danny and Raymond helped Joe and I pack away the tree ornaments last night. They were not interested in the packing of the rest of the decor. So I'll be pacing myself through the day with my timer close by, puttering in the kitchen and packing things away from all parts of the house.

I'll be doing some more freezer cooking today using my newest investment from Leanne Ely's Saving Dinner website. It is a big set of e-books including freezer meals, pantry to freezer cooking and much more. I will be trying out a variety of these over the coming months to have on hand when life gets hectic. Around here that is between August and December and again from January through May. June and July are easy, breezy in comparison since we eat fresh salads or off the grill most of both months. I also, usually, have much more time on my hands to get creative and try new things. So I'm off to cut up my big batch of onions.

After my cooking session I will try out another fitness DVD. I doubt I will be able to get on the Wii to do Active or Wii Fit, so I'll settle for one of my Denise Austin workouts. It's been awhile since I've done them, but her workouts are like working out with a good friend.

Muscles and Moderation

I have been working on a new goal during my break. As I have been working on organizing closets and spending more time with family, I have also been working on a couple of fitness goals. I am writing this at the mid-point of one of those goals. Several weeks ago, I purchased Wii Active, a personal training system developed with many fitness experts including Bob Greene. Bob Greene is Oprah's trainer and has also authored The Best Life book and online community/health program. I think the Best Life plan is a little too intense for me personally, as I believe one should ease into change, and everything including any lifestyle changes, should be started in moderation. The Wii Active program allows you to either choose a previously designed workout, put your own workout together, or to let the program set up a 30 day fitness challenge which includes a mix of cross training and rest days. In the 30 day challenge I am working on, I have two cross train days in a row and one rest day. On the rest day I am encouraged to do other activities that benefit my health, but may not be traditionally thought of as workouts, like yard work.

So I have made it to the halfway point. I was just getting a feeling of boredom setting in and the program kicked my workout up a notch or two and added some new activities to bring some variety into each new workout. I have 13 days left to complete my 30 day challenge, and I will report back with the final results, but in the meantime, I am definately toning up muscles and increasing endurance. I am hoping this is the jump start I need to keep an ongoing fitness habit going far beond the 30 day mark.

The other fitness challenge I am involved in was developed by Jonathan Roche. I have been following Jonathan on Blog Talk Radio and his e-mail community, now found at Big Tent. I have just finished the fifth week of a twelve week challenge to move with the No Excuses Workout (NEWO) system. The goal is to move every week using intervals or the No Excuses Workout that includes all over strength training, building up to five or six days a week of alternating types of workouts and building the length of each workout as strength and endurance are gained. I started with the NEWO system in January and have dropped my resting heart rate 14 beats per minute. I have also renewed my love of running, and have brought myself to the level that allows me to do the Wii Active Challenge as well.