How much fiber?

How much fiber do I need in my diet? Well, according to Mayo Clinic women in my age range need 25 gram of fiber a day. This means more fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains.

It looks like legumes and nuts top the list in the amount of fiber they contain. So, I think I will package my favorite trail mix in the snack size baggies...

1/4 cup Sunflower Seeds 3.6 grams
1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
& 49 Pistachio Nuts 2.9 grams

...pick up some potatoes, frozen broccoli, Bran Buds and barley and cook the whole-wheat spaghetti that is sitting in my pantry! The family tradition of having a pot of beans on Sunday has just been revived!! There's pinto beans, navy beans, black beans, kidney beans, and green beans just to name a few varieties that can add fiber to your diet...

Day 2 at the Gym...

Met with my personal trainer. Weighed (Not good!) Checked body fat index (Not good either!!) I did not let these numbers bother me or put me in a bad mood. (Very good!!!)

Day: 2
Length of time: 15 minutes
Level #: 7
Average MPH: 43
Heart Rate: 91, 92 & 93
State of being: Could feel the muscles in my thighs a little when I completed the 15 minutes.

PT showed me some stretching exercises to do for my lower back and we talked about staying on Level 7 for a week. OG, owner of gym, stated that it takes 3 weeks to create a habit. So my first goal is to workout every day that the gym is open* for 3 weeks straight!

First Goal: May 8th. (The day my 9 day vacation starts)

*The gym will not be officially open until May 1st. So until then it will be open from 10am to 8 pm, Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays. The gyms' hours will change to 5am to 10pm, Monday through Saturday and Noon to 6pm on Sundays.

Lifestyle Changes...

It was time to look in the mirror and face the music...
I joined the gym! The plan has always been to lose weight. It's just not been possible to do so since back surgery in 2001. The waist twists hurt, my legs ended up being numb after walking, bicycling or horseback riding, and washing dishes, vacuuming or mowing the lawn would put me down for a couple of days. Even picked up an empty Sweet-n-Low packet off the floor and had to go visit the chiropractor bent over like a old lady that needed a walker or cane.

It has finally sunk into my thick head that I don't have to do everything all at once. That's right, I was one of those individuals who grabbed as many grocery bags as I could from the back of the car to carry to the house, vacuumed the whole house, carried a 50 lb bag of dog food to the garage, moved the furniture around every three to six months, rolled BIG pieces of concrete into place for the back patio and walkway (with the help of my mother and sister-n-law) and mowed 2 to 6 acres with a push mower or filled the wheelbarrow up to overflowing...

...now I try to carry one grocery bag in each hand, vacuum one room at a time, use a scoop to fill ShyLoh & ShyAnne's food bucket until the bag is at least half full to move from the back of my car, leave the furniture alone, and ask for help to moving big objects.

Well, a brand new business is opening up next to where I work! It is a fitness center. The best part is that they will have elliptical machines that will not put stress on my lower back. I will be posting on this blog my progress. I am not sure when I will reveal how much I need to lose or what my body fat index is...I am not going to dwell on the negative. I want to be able to mark down when I go to the gym and keep track of "some" of the details.

I talked with my chiropractor to make sure this was a good step toward strengthening my back and losing weight. He gave me two thumbs up and suggested taking it slow and gradual, just as the trainer at the gym had suggested. Now I do have a picture of me in the newspaper that will be cut out and placed in my file at the gym. It happens to be of me talking with the gym owner about the recumbent elliptical as he demonstrates how it works and how it will benefit me.

Day: 1
Length of time: 10 minutes
Level #: 7
Average MPH: 38
Heart Rate: 80 to 91
State of being: felt great with renewed energy after a 10 hour day at the feed store.

Doodling May Help Concentration...

After reading a post titled Doodle Your Way To A Better Memory, written by Naomi, a fellow bloggist from ENGLAND, I found out why I doodle! According to the National Doodle Day website, National Doodle Day is May 7th. After doing some research of my own I have found a reason to doodle. The NF, Inc. National Doodle Day Committee will conduct a "Doodle Auction" starting May 7th. To learn more about NF and what they do, please visit www.nfinc.org, email nfinfo@nfinc.org, or call them at 800-942-6825.

The doodle above was created while talking on the phone with my mother last week!

Foods to Add to Your Grocery List...

5 Foods That Take Years off Your Skin
RealAge's article for today is a good one to keep! Besides being good for you, these foods taste good.

Let's see...Cashew topped baked Salmon with slivers of avocado and tomato garnished with a parsley sprig. Adding a chilled Pomegranate/Green Tea to sip on make this a wonderful lunch that will not only take years off your skin, it will take the pounds off, too. Remember, just a sliver of avocado!



Salmon
Cashews
Avocado
Tomato
Pomegranate
Green Tea
Parsley

Wrangler is ONE Today!!!

This is my little constant companion...Wrangler is a Sable 'n' White 1st Generation, CCA American Cockapoo. He was born in Christmas Valley, Oregon on Starlos Ranch*. Starlos Ranch is the home of Starlos Cockapoos owned by my cousin Debbie Cowdrey. Debbie has bred CCA American Cockapoos for the past 13 years and is currently the Vice President of the Cockapoo Club of America.

Debbie follows a strict code of ethics. She "guarantees to produce only the best puppies" and it is her goal to provide the perfect companion pet. She succeeded with Wrangler. Wrangler has been a constant source of joy and a bundle of furry love. He let's me know when the phone is ringing and I have turned a deaf ear to it! He is not a barker, so when he does bark, I listen. He loves every human, canine or feline he meets and has a playmate in Spurr, my male Persian/Alley Cat.

The following is a timeline of pictures over the past year. I wish that I had taken more pictures and will strive to do so during this next year...

Interesting things that happened on March 10 in history...

1862	The U.S. Treasury issued the first American paper money, in denominations from $5 to $1,000.
1876	Alexander Graham Bell transmitted the first telephone message to his assistant in the next room. "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you."
1880	The Salvation Army of the United States was founded in New York City.

*2008 Wrangler was born to Starlo's Lil' Jingle Bell 'n' Starlo's Pawnee in Christmas Valley, Oregon on the Starlo's Ranch!

Happy New Year!!!