Recipes & Fitness Apps

Alright, I missed Wednesday's post, but - in my defense - I did mention early on that I wasn't sure how things would work once classes started. I'm managing the Motivate Me Mondays (but I did a month's worth of those before my break ended) and I can do Friday's since I don't have class. I may have to forgo Wednesday for the moment, unless I don't have homework or there is something major I want to talk about. But still, a weekly post is more than some blogs can manage.

Speaking of other blogs, this one is not actually my first. I had two others - one a mediocre writing blog, the other a semi-popular geek/fan art blog - both of which I've discontinued with posting. However, as I feel a purely "fitness and diet" blog might not work, I've been thinking of adding a few other topics. The most popular post of this blog so far was the breakfast smoothie recipe. I thought about posting some of the other healthy recipes to the blog, maybe twice a month. It will give me an excuse to test out a few low-cal dishes that I've seen but have been procrastinating on making.

I've also been really getting into workouts with my smartphone. I take it everywhere so it only makes sense that I would use it to stay in shape. I found a great dietary app and a pedometer - both of which I use daily. The calorie counter is great because it records and calculates my daily intake and makes a lovely chart of my eating habits throughout the day, week, and month. Almost everything that I've been reading is telling me that the best way to keep yourself on track is to keep a "food log." I've been keeping one on my phone since Day One of PNM360, but it was becoming a hassle writing out everything and doing all the extra math. Turns out, the app I needed was pre-installed on my phone from the beginning.

Since then, I've been trying to find some other (free) health and fitness apps in my handy Google Play store. There are a couple I'm trying out, including a Yoga program. It's tougher than I thought, even at the beginners level, but I'm going to give it a try for 2 weeks and see how things go. I could stand to be a bit more flexible (I think most people could) so expect some updates on that in the near future, too.

I'll end this ramble by saying that this coming Monday is a very special milestone - it's the first 30 days of PNM360. I'm trying to think of something special to do to mark the occasion. I'm not sure what, but check it out and see what happens.

As usual, thanks again for reading. Peace till next time, y'all!

Motivate Me Monday

Workout Music

It's Day 20 and I'm nervous/excited to be closing in on the first 30 days of Project New Me 360. I don't think I've ever followed through with a diet/exercise plan for more than 30 days - ever! So these next few weeks are really going to be a test of my dedication to PNM360. I think if i can make it through to Day 60 without "falling off the wagon," then I'll be able to carry through the entire project.

One of the things that keep me going during my workout is music. For January, I've chosen 12 songs that I play when I walk or do my indoor routines. This month my selections are:

Animal - Glee version

Dynamite - Taio Cruz

Everybody Talks - Neon Trees

Fireworks - Katy Perry

I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy - Fall Out Boy

Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO

S&M - Rihanna

Self Esteem - Offspring

Super Bass - Nicki Minaj

Titanium - David Guetta

Where Is Your Boy Tonight - Fall Out Boy

Won't Back Down - Eminem

A pretty good, if not totally random, collection of music. But what I decided to do for each month going forward is to choose a music "Theme of the Month." And on top of that, I'm going to let my fans and followers, if I even have any, choose what you want me to listen to when I workout. In honor of the Big V Day, for February I'm going with "Love Songs." But not just any love song, they have to be up-beat and full of energy to keep me moving. I've already selected "Crazy In Love" by Beyonce to give you an idea of what I'm looking for.

So leave me song suggestions for next month in the comments below or on my Twitter @projectnewme360 #lovesongsworkout.

Thanks again for reading. Peace till next time, y'all!

The Most Regretted Job?

Today on my Yahoo News front page there was a link to an article on Monster called The 5 Most Regretted Jobs. Now, the only reason I am mentioning this is because the #1 job on the list happens to be the position I held for the past 10-odd years: cashier.

Yes, cashier is the most regretted job with about 46% of cashiers wishing they never took up the position in the first place. Well, I must fall under the other 54% because, while it was far from my dream job, being a cashier was hardly as horrible as it sounds. Granted, if you are not one for dealing with public, then this is definitely not the job for you. But if you do possess even a marginal bit of "people skills," then the job isn't too bad.

Maybe that's why customer service seems to be so retched anymore. If nearly half of the people waiting on me in shops hate working there, then of course the customer is going to be the one to suffer. I know from experience, that an unhappy shopping environment makes for an unhappy customer. It's like blood in shark-infested water - they only need a taste to get the frenzy started.

I'm not saying that the job is easy by any stretch of the word. I hated when customers assumed that even a monkey could do our job. That's hardly true. There is a lot of skill and finesse needed for cashiering - and it's most definitely frowned upon when you throw feces at an unruly customer.

Being a cashier taught me valuable skills like patience, how to be a good listener, negotiation, and public etiquette, just to name a few. These are skills that seem to be lost on most of the world today. And perhaps it was my working environment, because it's rare that I get decent customer service in stores like Walmart. My mantra was always to treat the customer the way I would want to be treated if the situation were reversed. I understand that there are sometimes corporate policies that tie a cashiers hands, but there are always alternatives to just saying "no."

And to the customers out there that enjoy giving cashiers a tough time, you know who you are, think about what it would be like to be in there shoes. How would you feel if someone stood on the other side of the register yelling at you? You can always catch more flies with honey, so try to be polite and not fly off the handle. If you start off by yelling and complaining, the cashier is going to be less - not more - inclined to help you with your problem.

To the 46% of you that regretted your job as a cashier, let me conclude by saying this: Never regret anything you do. Every experience makes us who we are and shapes not only our life, but the lives of those around us. A life of regret is a life not fully lived.

Breakfast Smoothies

It's Motivate Me Monday again and the start of week 3!

This Dr. Oz "diet plan" is really tough and, honestly, kinda expensive. I'm not enjoying it and I think that I was doing better on my own. However, since I did invest in everything for the breakfast smoothies - and I really am enjoying them - I decided to keep up with them. I've had to make a few alterations because there are a few things that are just IMPOSSIBLE to find in this area unless I pay an arm and a leg to special order them. (No wonder people lose weight on this diet, until you buy everything you need for it, you haven't any money left to spend on food!)

So, here is the smoothie recipe - slightly altered to incorporate some cheaper, easier to find elements:

1 cup unsweetened, vanilla almond milk

1/2 cup banana (appx. 1/2 of a med sized one)

1/2 cup frozen berries of your choice*

2 Tbsp soy (or rice) protein powder

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt

* Using frozen berries replaces the need to use ice. You can also add frozen banana.

So, this is how I've been starting my mornings since last Wednesday. I make my smoothie and then set about the rest of my routine. And it keeps me energized and full until lunch rolls around, which is important. My plan once classes start later this week is to do my walk first thing after I wake up and have the smoothie when I get home, before I have to shower and dress. Of course, I'll need to set my alarm for 5:30 am, which in itself is going to be the first challenge!

Don't forget that you can follow me on Twitter @projectnewme360. And leave me some comments on what you think of the smoothie or if you have your own version that you think I should be trying.

Peace until next time, y'all!

Motivate Me Monday

School and Black Ice

It's been a few days since I posted, I know, so this one is going to be a bit on the longer side. <<deep breath>>

Things have been pretty hectic around here as I prepare for my next semester of classes. It's been a struggle to get my transcripts so I could determine what classes from my other college would credit to this one - I think it was a lack of communication on both ends of the schools. And now, because it's been such a long wait, half of my books are out of stock...grrr.

Anyway, I'm a little nervous about starting classes - not because of the classes themselves, but trying to keep to my workout/diet routine. On my break, I've had a lot of time to plan meals for the day and workout whenever I wanted. I knew things would have to change eventually, but I don't think I was worried about it until I got my finalized schedule.

There is a grocery store near the college that is within walking distance and I was thinking about making it a daily trip to walk the mile (round trip) to get a salad or something for lunch every day. Of course this could prove to be rather expensive. I'd also considered walking the campus everyday after lunch, too. I'll have to map things out and plan around once I get back. Having lunch with friends around might dissuade me from wanting to do anything other than eat and chit-chat.

Speaking of dissuasion (is that a real word? spellcheck seems to think so...),Tuesday it rained all day, and pretty heavy, too. It's the first day that I've missed walking since I started PNM360. So yesterday I was determined to make up for the lost time and walk 3 miles instead of my usual 1 1/2. It was a bit chilly, but not too bad - at least until I hit the black ice patches everywhere. (Does anyone else think of the Key and Peele skit when they hear the words "black ice?") I had to play hopscotch up the street to try and avoid it. At one point I hit a patch trying to make room for a passing car and slipped, straining my thigh muscle while trying to avoid crashing on my wide behind.

Today's walk - yes, I still went - was a little rough starting off, but it didn't really bother me after the first few minutes. The real problem was doing the final stretch, which is a nice uphill climb. I really had a struggle with that bit. I'm hoping after some nice stretching and Icy Hot, it'll be all better for tomorrow. As for what else the future might hold - I'm aiming for 3 posts a week (MWF), of course once my classes get into full swing, I'll have a better idea of how things will play out.

Until next post - Peace y'all!

Motivate Me Monday

Each Monday going forward for the duration of PNM360, I'll be posting a series of motivational posters to help inspire, well whatever you need inspiration for! Here is the first!

Welcome to Project New Me 360

So last week I started Project New Me 360 on my Facebook and Twitter, but I decided to take it a step further and start a blog, too. Here's what I posted as my "intro" last Sunday:

Welcome to what I'm going to call Project New Me 360. PNM360 is going to be a 360 day project to get my life turned around by the end of 2014.

For the past 20-odd years, I've been told that I'm too fat, too ugly, too stupid, too talentless (and more recently, too old) to achieve my dreams. Yesterday, I saw the story of the Redditor, Lucas, who lost 130 pounds in a year and became a totally new man. I've seen YouTubers like Shane Dawson who've struggled with weight issues in the past and gone on to become a better person because of it. Throughout my school years, I hid behind food and my sarcastic wit, afraid to experience life because I felt trapped in my own body.

So I'm going to turn my life around and hopefully inspire others - just like I was - to better themselves. Remember, you are never too anything to reach your goals. I'll be posting weekly results, and (if can get up the nerve to do it) monthly progress pictures or maybe even (eek) YouTube videos. The reason I'm making this public is because I need people out there to motivate me and hold me accountable if I screw up, which we all do. I think I'll be much more inclined to follow through if I know that everyone out there is watching me.

Join along and cheer for me and let me know what your own goals are and how you plan to change your own life for the better so I can cheer for you, too. And each year after this, I'll be adding a new 360 day goal to reach - something to get me to a happier, better place than the one I'm in now.

 So, there we have it. And 9 days later, I'm still going strong, still staying motivated. It's not always easy, but I'm determined to see this thing through all 360 days. Even if I fail, hopefully something good will come out of it.