Adventures in "LaLa Land": Summary of the first week of the New Me!

This lovely picture is to demonstrate how I currently feel about the "place" I've been in for the last few years. Don't get me wrong - I don't have a bad life, at all whatsoever! I just haven't been living it to the fullest. I've decided to commit to making my next thirty years (sounds like a Tim McGraw song) be fun, fulfilling, adventurous, and healthy! So, I'll get this party started by sharing my "List".

I started my List about the time that Julie, Kate, and Dusty moved to New York, but really got serious about accomplishing stuff on it about a month ago (with the exception of the dressage lessons) I've put an asterisk by the ones that I've begun!

6 month Hobby/Activity/Intrest-to-be-Cultivated list:

Pay car off**!!*!*!*!* (done!)

Dressage Lessons* (every Tuesday evening with the best trainer in the world - Sarah Denham!)

Working out with personal trainer* (Mon and Wed mornings at *ugh* 8 am with the other best trainer in the world - Sharon Johnson!)

Start cooking/experimenting with recipes* (Eating Clean means I have to actually cook, and I'm finding that I love it!)

Photography (begun research on cameras)

New Laptop (Dusty and I are researching, and I'll prob. buy in the next couple of months)

Sabrah - obedience/agility classes (start in September)

Trip to see Julie/Kate/Dusty (also next month)

Dressage Schooling Show (Sometime this fall)

Cruise (planning for January/early Feb)

Iphone

Take Western Regional Dental Hygiene Board, get Texas License (next exam is in the Spring)Savings!!

12 month list:

Ireland trip

Hiking/other outdoor adventurous trips

Find me a man!

More frequent trips to MS

I also would love to find a church to attend and get involved with, but it seems that my weekends are generally booked through the rest of the year between working shows and going out of town. So if I can't do that, I intend to start working my way through some Bible Studies like Beth Moore and so on. That falls in my 6 month list as well! Gotta make a trip to the Christian Bookstore. :)

I will also be chronicling my workouts, riding lessons, and new recipes that I come up with. Here's a summary of the last week:

Workouts:

I started with Sharon on Wednesday morning, bright and early, at 8 a.m. I made the mistake of not eating breakfast before I got there (didn't allow enough time to do it), so it was a tough workout for me. I started with 5 mins on the elliptical, then moved to a circuit of walking lunges with a 4 lb medicine ball (rotating to alternate sides with each lunge), leg presses, assisted pull-ups, a HUGE step block, some tricep curls and then rows. After 3 sets, we finished with some yoga stretches, which were great, but my stupid belly kept getting in the way. It's starting to get the picture that it's GOING DOWN, MAN. ;) I left the studio and went on to work, got there an hour early, and spent the entire hour sitting in my chair recovering, and finally was able to eat a little breakfast. And boy, was I tired that night! BUT, I did manage to go to Kroger and stock up on supplies for my new way of eating. I spent about $110, but those groceries have fed me (and April a few times) all week long - 3 meals a day plus 2 energy booster "snacks", and I have the basics in my pantry to keep it up.

Yesterday morning (again, ugh, 8 a.m.) was better in the sense that I had made time to eat before, and had much more energy! I was definitely more prepared, and started with my 5 min warmup on the elliptical (with a little bit of arm resistance added in), then more walking lunges with the medicine ball. Next we did squats against the wall with an exercise ball behind my back and hand weights to press up as I came up. Then on the leg press. After 3 sets, I was wiped!! I got to work an hour early again, and fell asleep in my chair for about 20 minutes, haha! I'm pretty sore in my quads, hamstrings, and glutes today, but yay! My lesson tonight is going to be kinda tough, I think. Hello, my dear friend Advil...

Speaking of meals, I came up with a few yummy recipes that I think will become staples for me. Wednesday night, I made a salad with Romaine lettuce, baby spinach, whole wheat rotini pasta, cucumber slices, shredded mozzerella cheese, and a chicken breast that I had um, sauteed? in olive oil, salt and pepper, onion, and a little garlic powder. Very yummy! Thursday night, I made my own southwestern eggroll/burrito thingy - whole wheat tortilla, black beans and corn, brown rice, chicken, and shredded (organic 2%) cheese, seasoned with my own blend of "southwest" seasoning. I put the burrito in the oven to crisp and melt the cheese, and voila! (or ole!) Last night, I made another salad - inspired by the Apple Crunch salad at O'Charleys. It was the Romaine/Baby Spinach blend with garbanzo beans, whole wheat rotini, Gala apple slices, pecans, shredded (organic 2%) mozzerella, cucumbers, and chicken that I'd george-foreman'd with soy sauce. I added a yummy dressing on the side (made from low-fat plain yogurt and orange juice concentrate), and had a really delicious Asian-y tasting dinner. All of these meals I've made have resulted in lots of leftovers, and I have been combining the elements for my lunches every day. For breakfast, I have been eating low-fat vanilla yogurt with fresh raspberries, a slice of toast with peanut butter, and a glass of milk, or raisin bran with a side of yogurt or all-natural applesauce. I'm eating really well! And feeling even better!!! For the basics on my new eating philosophy, check out the Eat Clean Diet, and also Clean Eating Magazine.

Riding Lessons:

Last week, I tried out my new butt spray. Sounds like a personal problem, I know, but it's the most amazing thing ever! :) It's basically spray-on glue that gives you a little more stick in the saddle. For a big mover like Tokio, it's a necessity. Sarah bought some, tried it, and immediately called me to recommend that I bring a can home for myself! I applied a little to the inside of my half chaps, and a light dusting of my seat, and my ride last Monday was one of the best I've had! In addition to being able to keep my lower leg in place more easily, I was able to sit the canter more effectively, and even make changes to my position (thumbs on top, elbows glued to my sides) while still maintaining impulsion (the gas pedal). We also worked on effective half-halts (and I finally grasped the concept of what they really are and what they actually do) and canter departs (moving from a nice, forward, on-the-bit walk directly into the canter without losing contact, position, or my sanity). Tokio is absolutely awesome, a gentleman, and a total saint for putting up with me, and teaching me so much! And I can't say enough about what a wonderful instructor Sarah is - she's supportive, encouraging, and entertaining, and even if it's just the most minor thing, she enthusiastically praises and compliments each little breakthrough. I've ridden all my life, but have never felt such a sense of accomplishment as I do at the end of a lesson on Tokio.