Day Two: Dig Deeper

Day Two of Insanity Workout. Really hard. I stopped mid-way to take off my shirt, because I was sweating like crazy and hotter than heck. This coming from someone who naturally doesn't sweat that much.

It wasn't until the last third of the DVD that I had to take additional rest breaks from those allotted in the video. (Okay, it was more like laying there on the ground panting for air.) But, I still continued on as best I could. Totally worth it.

I like that the exercises are simple — not much of a learning curve. The idea is to keep pushing yourself. "Dig deeper" as Shawn T. says. He, by the way, I love. I've never really liked the workout hosts much. (Hubby has P90X and we also have a old version of Zumba.)
Shawn T. is motivating and clear on his instructions. Little reminders like:
Keep your knees soft.
Stretch with your chest, not your head.
Don't sacrifice form for speed.
Think like a power squat, use your body from the bottom up. (Something like that.)

No air of arrogance about him — I like that. He's just really good at what he does and seems like a genuinely caring trainer. Yes, I can tell all this from watching him on the TV. LOL!

+++

I made Hubby and myself open-faced salmon burgers with grilled onions, an egg and asparagus. That's a multigrain thin bun on the bottom. Partially because we got a very large box of wild salmon burgers from Sam's Club. Hubby loves them, but I prefer my salmon raw and in sushi. Different toppings definitely help.

xo,
m

21 days of healthy

Research has shown that it takes 21 days to create a habit or break a habit. With that in mind, I've challenged myself to "21 Days of Healthy". I'm just sick of feeling shitty all the time. I really WANT to feel better. And I'm gonna make it happen.

(Not to mention, we have a couple of vacations on the horizon. Yessss, all the more reason to get my act together.)

What exactly does "HEALTHY" entail for me?


ONE. Losing the weight that I've been referring to as "baby weight", but should really just call "weight". I mean Suri is 2 1/2 years old now for gawd's sake. Ten pounds is my weight-loss goal. I just want my body to be built differently — less fat, more lean muscles. I want to FEEL healthy.

TWO. Go balls-to-the-wall with exercise. Truth be told, I've been a bit lackadaisical for the last couple of years. To combat that, I've committed myself to the Insanity workout. My theory is that I need something to kick my ass, until I get hooked on the feel-good benefits. If I can just get in the habit, I think the rest should be gravy. (Sidenote: I did the Fit Test today, puked, then kept on going. I consider this a WIN, since I pushed through. :) I'm both scared and excited for tomorrow's workout.)

THREE. Eating better and cooking on a consistent basis. We tend to be a vegetable-loving family, so it's just a matter of execution for me. I need to be better at meal planning, meal prepping and cleaning as I go.

I'm excited for the next 20 days and ready to take it on. You'll be seeing more posts to come. (I had accidentally deleted all my photos from this blog while setting up Google+ and finally cleaned up my mess. Looking forward to blogging again.)

#21daysofhealthy >>> If you're interested, join me!!


muah!
m

dear Fall, i love you

really can't believe it's oct already.

i was driving along this morning and
thought "oh my gosh, it's beautiful out."
the leaves are changing color,
the weather is a little brisk,
the sun is shining.
i love it.
that's the thing about Fall.
it stops you in your tracks and makes
you appreciate your surroundings.

i've always loved Fall.
when i was little, i used to love that
school was starting again.
(this was back when school started
after labor day weekend. remember that?)
i love getting to wear cardigans, scarves and boots.
i love lighting candles.
i love celebrating our anniversaries (american + asian weddings).
i love reminiscing with my sisters when my
grandparent's birthdays come up.
i love the smell of bonfires when i step outside.
i love all of it.
sept / oct / nov >> all my faves.

sure, i love Spring too.
don't get me wrong, Spring is lovely.
but, moreso i love Spring by default.
Spring is like that rebound relationship after
Winter has treated you like absolute shit.

Fall is where my heart belongs.
where i feel completely like myself.
happy and content.
carefree. and usually more productive.
Fall gets me.

how about you? what's your favorite season?

if i had to choose for babygirl,
she'd probably say summer.
she'd live off watermelon, swim everyday,
wear her diva sunglasses and
paint her nails hot pink every darn day.
;)

xo, m

a good list

just a few good things i love...

> a good book
> a good nap
> a good juicy pen
> a good friend
> a good laugh
> a good cup of coffee
> a good clever design
> a good hot bath
> a good cry
> a good stretch
> a good back-scratch
> a good productive monday

muah!
minna

DIY 'i carry your heart' mug

in case you missed it,
i did my very first guest post
at GOMHP last friday
for the lovely brooke's
"friday randomness".
it was fun!
(i'll be guest posting in march too. yay!)

here's the "meat" of last week's post
with instructions for my DIY mug...

.........

1. Porcelaine pen markers can be found at Michael's and Hobby Lobby for $4ish. Make sure to shake it well, then "pump" the ink into the tip by pushing it against a piece of paper. (This mug was from Dollar Tree.)
2. (Keep a wet napkin and wet Q-tip on hand.) Outline the handle of the mug first.
3. Draw the other side of the heart, using the handle-side as a guide for symmetry. If you make a mistake, wipe it off with the wet napkin right away and wipe dry. (The marker comes off easily when wet.) Once you have the outline of the heart, draw the lines in thicker. Let dry...only takes a minute.
4. Write in 'i carry your heart' with a little heart. Use the wet Q-tip if you make a mistake and need to rewrite.

The cup is dishwasher-safe in 72 hours.

The words are from one of my favorites poems my E.E. Cummings - "I carry your heart in my heart." It seemed appropriate for a warm cup of coffee and a Friday to reflect on the week. :)

........

muah, muah.
have a rockin' weekend!

fake carrots are yummy

suri got a little play kitchen for christmas from
her auntie toni and uncle kevin.
she loves the thing and it is the perfect size for her.
she's 17 mos. now and pretend play is her game.

i bought her some plastic cookies and veggies to go
with it and it could not be any more of a hit.
(they were at the dollar section at target.)

see the pic with her eating the plastic carrot?
the funny thing is that she doesn't like carrots in real life.
but, in pretend world, carrots are yummyyyyy. :)

toasting in the new year

on friday, i had had plans for din-din and the
'new year's eve' movie with one of my girlfriends.

now, it's become an official party of five.
i'm quite excited really.
i'm looking at this as kind-of a little,
early new year's celebration minus the chaos.
yay, for that!

so, to add to the festivities, i made this
'toasting in the new year' printable.
p.s. you'll need a bottle of bubbly or wine for this.

instructions:

1. Each person fills out the questions.
2. Go around sharing your answers, amongst some good conversation.
3. Have the toast at the end of each "section". ("Cheers to...")

download the printable here.
happy safe and fun new year, loverlies!!!!!