Overtime

It's an added bonus to my position. Because I am required to 'be the face of the World Headquarters' at all times, when my coworker takes vacation time (which she often does because she has 6 weeks of vacation), I am allowed to bank my salary PLUS overtime. It's mostly around an hour a day, because I don't take breaks when she's gone- but it really adds up! It has been supplementing my paycheck, which is great. It only pushes me that much closer to my goals.

I enrolled on a summer class, which I am very excited about. I noticed that my student loans weren't debited from my checking account this month. When I called to inquire, I found out that the university had sent notice of my being a student and the loans went into a deferment. At first I was nervous because "why hadn't the payment come out of my account?" But then, I realized that I could pay off one loan and the other would drop significantly in interest rate because of the deferment. Plus, I can still continue to make payments during the deferment period. Regardless, I will have the loans paid off 100% before the deferment ends. All in all, it ended in a surprisingly happy way.

This week brings me the aforementioned Tim McGraw concert, as well as a nice retirement fish fry lunch for one of the sweethearts in my department. Sunday is the employee 'picnic' at the Brewers vs Twins game. The company rented out the Founders Suite, which I have never been. I hear it is amazing and they are offering appetizers and beverages before the game, and then catering a dinner during the game. That's pretty sweet. Thanks work, for being so generous- You're Awesome!

My goal for those solid 6-pack abs is coming along nicely. Above, you will see my favorite cardio machine, the Cardio Wave. I am holding steady at my current weight but dropped another size, which thrills me because it means I am doing a good job of challenging my body to create muscle and reduce body fat. I have added in a lot of mat based core work that utilizes the medicine ball. I have notice a reduction in my upper arms (I can see muscle definition I couldn't before) and my stomach is noticeably flatter- even in that tough to work lower ab region women most complain about.

However, I have noticed that my right knee- on the I had injured in high school sports, has been acting up in a very weird way. Only when I kneel on do I feel a very intense burning sensation- extremely sharp pain. I think that I might start wearing my brace again for awhile to see if that helps it (whatever the issue may be) heal. When it really starts acting up, I just use the bikes to reduce the amount of stress on it- even though the bikes are probably the worst machine as far as cardio/weight loss value is concerned. I love my body too much to force it through an injury.

Free is Always Better

It is in full swing the past few weeks. Holy moly. I have come by several good deals that have just fallen into place.

First, my sister emailed me about a daily deals site that was giving a $10 credit for signing up. That day they were selling those 'nail shields' for really cheap. I purchased a few of those and am waiting for them to show up in the mail. 100% FREE!

There is another website that I visit every once in a while when I find myself having the urge to spend a ton of money shopping hit up the mall. It's a sample size sale site. It's fun to look, but by looking online, normally I just don't want to spend that money if I don't have a coupon code or six, plus free shipping and a gift card. I found a very pretty floral spring dress for really cheap. It was still available in my size and dirt cheap. Add in my credits and it was FREE!

Today, I was shopping around on the deal sites that I check out every day. There was a deal for American Eagle jeans for super cheap. I mean, ridiculously cheap. I used to work there. Trust me, I know when they are cheap. I emailed my sister to see if she would like a pair (she declined because she needs special sizing - 00 XLong). I put 2 pairs in my cart and headed for the checkout. To my surprise, I had more than enough credits on THAT site to pay for the total cost of 2 pairs of jeans including shipping!!

I ordered a new watch on Amazon. This, sadly, was not free. It was dirt cheap, so I will mention it anyway. I purchased a sports watch while on a cruise several years back for $10. It had an alarm and I didn't want to get stuck missing the boat while being immersed at port. It was a great investment, as years later I am still utilizing it. It's showing a lot of wear now. Time to upgrade to a beautiful Ironman watch!! Thrilled.

Also, I have scored free tickets to Summerfest. It's a huge music festival in Milwaukee that draws people from around the world. It's always a ton of fun, and for free, it's even better! I plan on sharing that wealth with my family and friends- so keep your eyes open for when I will be handing out any extras that come my way!

A Big Day(s)

It's been rather busy here in my neck of the woods. First off, let's celebrate my acquisition of 2 free plane tickets. Yes!!! That is one goal that I have conquered. Roo and I booked flights for a family wedding coming up in the fall on the west coast. I am thrilled and can't wait to go.

Roo's brother came into town recently and we had a great time with family. It was a long 6 days, but after all was said and done, I didn't care that I was exhausted. It was perfect.

This week we have coming up a corporate showing of Tornado Alley. It is an IMAX film that was created by Sean Casey.

Some of you may recognize him from the TV show, Storm Chasers.

I used to watch this show religiously. I am stoked to go see this at a private showing- on the company. Awesome.

Friday is my dear friend's wedding. It is going to be classy and wonderful. I can't wait to see her all dressed up and the joy beaming from her smile. It's held at the Villa Terrace, which is a beautiful historic mansion on the lakefront. The gardens are amazing.

Also, today, our company was gifted tickets for a private Tim McGraw concert!! (I actually squealed when I read the email.) I can't wait for this month to move along. So many great things coming up.

On another note, a friend of mine who overcame breast cancer a few years ago has had a stage IV recurrence. Please send thoughts, prayers, love, wishes, vibes -whatever it is you do/have- in  her direction. She's a 33 year old beautiful, thoughtful, loving mother of 2. Love you, S!

June Grocery Shop

I can't believe that it is already JUNE! I haven't even gotten halfway through my May menu calendar. We've had a few impromptu family get-togethers that have drastically reduced the need for me to cook meals at home. Double YAY! for not having to cook and having almost a full menu left for the month of June. That being said, my $150 grocery bill from May has just been sliced in half to cover 2 months instead of one.

I added some recipes that I normally don't make and had success with BBQ Chicken Pizza. Here's a photo, courtesy of my smartphone.

Mmmm. Now I'm hungry.

Have you heard...? -- The HCG Diet

Alright. I don't have much to say but shame. Most of us are smarter than this. Although that doesn't mean that people out there aren't desperate enough to try anything.

(from ecorazzi.com)

Celebs like Britney Spears and the Jersey Shore‘s J-Woww and Snooki have all been on this bandwagon where for a month you only take in 500 calories each day and inject a hormone called HCG. A new diet trend or just an eating disorder?

The HCG diet is the latest and perhaps most controversial diet to hit the market. It allows you only 3 ounces of meat, two vegetables, and a serving of bread for lunch and dinner (meaning nothing for breakfast) for a total maximum of 500 calories a day. And you couple that with a daily injection or pill full of the HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin) hormone.

Women create HCG naturally in their placenta when they’re pregnant, and it’s used to treat infertility issues. But the dieters claim that it prevents hunger and stops the body from going into “starvation mode.”

Which it normally would, considering you are supposed to consume around 1,800 calories a day. But with the restricted diet it has been reported that you’ll experience weight loss of up to 1-3 pounds a day.
Sound too good to be true? That’s because it is.

Registered dietitian Micah Wing explained that the lack of nutrition forces the body to slow down your metabolism, meaning that you will most certainly gain all the wight back (and then some!). “You’ve slowed down your metabolism, you’ve lost your lean muscle mass and now in place of it, you’ve added fat mass for storage because your body thinks it needs to store up for the next starvation mode,” Wing said.

And the hormone itself is no miracle drug, as Dr. Brian Eades, an OB/GYN, said, “It can really mess up your cycles and create abnormal ovulations. There is some evidence if you’re very early pregnant and exposed to it that it can increase your risk of miscarriages and also cause birth defects.”

But in spite of these adverse effects, the diet is being praised for the emphasis on no processed food and the rapid weight loss results.

So, what do you all think of the HCG diet? Is it worth the risk or should celebs stop endorsing it?

It's a way to damage your perfect amazing one of a kind body. I think they should stop endorsing it, but if they want to do that to their body, they have every right to. The rest of us will stick to the regular diet stuff that doesn't deal with injecting ourselves with hormones. Thanks.

Time

It seems like I can't find the extra time for anything these days. It's very bizarre. I am very organized and keep my schedule very orderly. Yet, somehow, I find myself falling into bed at the end of the day- every day.

This is me by 3pm. I workout in the morning and eat a large breakfast and lunch. I don't drink coffee or soda. I drink decaf green tea. Is this a sugar crash or am I just tired from being up since 5:30am? Answer- who knows, probably need to re-evaluate my diet. Let's look into ways to boost energy during the day. Here is an article from webMD.

What if we told you your lagging energy level has little or nothing to do with your super busy schedule? Read on to discover the real reasons you're dragging, plus simple energy solutions.

(For the full explanation go to WebMD!)

● Your body's thirsty.
● You crave carbs.
● You're skipping meals.
● You're not getting the nutrients you need.
● You're watching too much TV.
● You're not getting enough daylight.
● You obsess over everything.
● You're glued to your cell phone or pager.
● You've got a lot of lingering to-do's.
● You've got sinus problems.
● Your guy snores.
● You've got undiagnosed heart disease.
● You're mildly anemic.
● You're hypothyroid.
● You've got restless legs syndrome (RLS).
● Your meds are knocking you out.
● You've got diabetes.

What to Do

1. Go for a walk.
"Less than 25 percent of my female patients get enough exercise to feel energized," says Ann Kulze, M.D., author of Dr. Ann's 10 Step Diet. Aim for 30 minutes of activity, five days a week.

2. Snack on nuts, not sweets.
Sugary snacks cause blood sugar levels to spike, then crash, leaving you wiped out, says Jacob Teitelbaum, M.D., medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers (fibroandfatigue.com). But the protein in nuts digests slowly for lasting energy.

3. Pop a mint.
The smell of mint ups alertness by stimulating your trigeminal nerve, "the same nerve that's activated by smelling salts," says Alan Hirsch, M.D., director of Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.

4. Give yourself a massage.
Massage your ears for 15 to 30 seconds, suggests Teitelbaum. This stimulates energizing acupuncture points for a quick mental boost.

5. Have a banana.
Bananas provide potassium, a mineral key to converting blood sugar into energy, says ob/gyn Christiane Northrup, M.D., author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom.

6. Sip green tea.
It contains caffeine (a stimulant) and theanine, which calms you while leaving your mind clear.

7. Take a hike.
Observing nature's beauty can relieve energy-zapping stress. Studies suggest that workers who have views of nature have fewer stress-related symptoms.

8. Avoid "energy vampires."
You know, like that friend who calls twice a day just to grumble? "These people wear you out with their constant complaining," says Judith Orloff, M.D. So set limits. For instance, tell your friend you can talk for only five minutes, then end the call when her time is up.

9. Take a power nap.
A Harvard study found that a 30-minute midday nap prevented energy from flagging further, while an hour-long nap actually boosted energy and performance.

10. Do a mini-meditation.
Sit in a quiet place, take slow, deep breaths, and concentrate on a pleasing memory. Within three minutes, you should feel calmer and more energized.

 

 

Hopefully after taking some of this advice I will soon look like this instead!

 

 

May Grocery Shop

I have continued to use the monthly grocery shopping methods and continue to save on what our household normally has spent on groceries in the past. This is the 4th month that I have done this and we have stayed well under budget for all our groceries. Actually, it is technically my 3rd month because I had so many meals left over from the first 2 months, I didn't actually do a grocery shop in April- just bought persihables.

This month is no exception. I have, however, upped the ante on our meals. I can feel the boredom creeping in on our regular "go to" meals. Time for a change. I've been dabbling in making more items from scratch- like cookies and brownies- and reaching beyond my normal realm of "quick and easy" meals.

Lately I have been getting into things that are a little more involved. For instance, I have created some very delicious stuffed chicken breasts as well as homemade chicken parmesan and homemade baked onion rings. I'm pretty impressed with how it really doesn't take that much more time to do things this way- it just creates a TON more dishes to wash. Oh how I envy people with dishwashers right now.

Also, a quick thank you to Nathan, Roo's brother. He's recommended the cooking blog Smitten Kitchen. I love the Smitten Kitchen blog and have used her recipes to get Roo to eat foods that he normally would not. Who knew that all I had to do was throw a little 'crisp' on top of sliced apples, one if his least favorite fruits, to get him to eat them! Roo does top it with vanilla ice cream and cool whip, but I will still call it a victory.