Lips, Hips, & Trips

Hey, Gang!

For those considering lip injections, FORGET IT! I've got a much cheaper plan for you. You know those yummy, low-cal slush puppies you can buy at your local drug store? The flavored water sticks that you pop in the freezer and they never freeze all the way, but instead just get to the point where they are loosely frozen (as opposed to ice-cube frozen) and are the perfect treat to cool down on these hot, hot days? Get some of those. Then, rather than running just a bit of cool water from the tap over the end you're going to eat them from, just plant your lips right onto the plastic tube. Yee-ouch! I did it three days ago and my lips are still swollen from where I totally ripped all the skin on the inside of my lips off.

I've never had lip injections but I've seen them done on TV quite a few times. They look incredibly painful - and I know they are expensive. So, here's an equally painful way to achieve the same look for a lot less money. LOL! (I do have to say that the slush puppies are a great 50-calorie, cooling treat. And I've especially enjoyed the Wyler's ones these last couple weeks. Just be sure to warm up the end where you're going to be putting your lips!! You'll thank me later.)

Now about my hips...I think they've gone down! My favorite capris are too big!! I only lost 1 1/2 pounds this week but I'm sure I've lost inches. (Too hot and lazy to measure today.) I love the hula hoop (see earlier post). It's the best waist-whittler around. Does wonders for the hips and thighs, too.

As some of you know, I am still looking for a job. I've actually had some interest shown this past week. So, I did the responsible thing and cancelled my trip - the 10-day cruise that I had booked for February. It was to be my first "real" vacation since I got laid off last May (2008!). BUT, I'd rather have a job. And, I do have a short trip to the beach scheduled for later this year - and a big family trip to Alaska scheduled for later in 2010. Now, I'll just enjoy that Alaska trip that much more! (Cross your fingers everyone, I really want to work for the company that I have an interview with at the end of this week.)

So this past week has been all about lips, hips, and trips. This week is all about the job! And, hopefully, my lips and hips will both be smaller as the week progresses. The trips...well, they just get bigger and brighter...kinda like everything else in my life. Life is good!

BetterU goals for this week:

• Maintain all my previous goals.
• Lighten the load by cleaning out the cabinets in my house - yes, ALL of them!
• Take my water dumbbells to the pool EVERY day that I go to the pool this week.

Reward:

• I'm going to change my sheets one extra time each week. I LOVE the feel of fresh, clean sheets when I crawl into bed at the end of the day. I could just lay there and make bed angels on them! So, I'm going to treat myself to that wonderful feeling an extra time each week. (I know, more laundry...but soooo worth it!)

How is the rest of the posse doing? And, what are you doing? Whatever it is, give it all you got and be proud of the progress you've made already. At the end of this week, new habits will be established because we will have made it through the four weeks that it takes to cement them in our brains. Yeah for us! (Now go out and get a hula hoop.)

BetterU - Another Monday

Hey gang! How's it going?

I'm down another two pounds this week. Lots more to go but at least I'm seeing consistent progress so far.

Goals for this week:

• Buy a pedometer...and use it
• Eat 1 more serving of fruit per day
• Go to bed by no later than 11 pm!
• Maintain the first and second week goals

For a reward this week, I'm going to get a book I want. Speaking of rewards, I've replaced the first week reward of real flowers with a beautiful flowered dress that I bought...and it was one size smaller than I usually wear! The real flowers will adorn the front of my house sooner or later. But for now, I'm more than happy with my pretty new dress. (I'll post a pic of it soon.)

Anyone taking the challenge I issued a few days ago? If you can't make it a full day, try it just before lunch - or after.

Good luck to everyone in Week 3 of BetterU! Hang in there, we're at the toughest point right now. Another week or so and this will all be old hat!

BetterU - A Challenge

WARNING - there may be some indelicacies in what you read below!

Okay gang, we're eleven days into a Better Us. Now is about the time that folks start to lose interest, best intentions start to wane, and cookies find their way into the house. BUT just think, you are 1/3 of the way to developing solid, new habits! They say that if you do something for a month, it will become a habit. So hang on for another 2 1/2 weeks and you'll be golden!!

But those darn cookies... I'm going to issue you a challenge that will have you reaching the other way. We all have our reasons for joining BetterU. Somewhere along your list, I'm sure, is to get and/or stay healthy. But what does that really mean? Time to make it real.

Take 24 hours and imagine you had a stroke. Whatever hand you are, use the other hand - and only the other hand - for 24 hours. Do everything that you would normally have to do during a "normal" day. And YES (here it comes - indelicacy alert), you have to wipe with the other hand. This is not as easy as you think!

Shower/bathe using only one hand. Dry off with only one hand. Eat with only one hand. Clean with only one hand. AND REMEMBER that hand has to be your weaker hand.

What about your feet, you ask? Well, one leg/foot is probably going to be weak after your one-day stroke. So when you stand, make sure that you try to balance most of your weight on the "other" leg. (The leg affected will be the leg of the hand you are not using.)

OMG! You are sooo going to want to complain about how hard this new way of functioning is. Too bad your brain is working but your mouth isn't! Limit your talking on "stroke day". Of course you won't want to add a fake slur or someone is liable to call EMS for you! So, just limit what you say for the day. You will be amazed at how much you hear. Experience the frustration of not being able to respond.

So, there's your challenge. IF you can't do all these things but you're willing to try one of them, then (indelicacy!) spend the day wiping with your opposite hand. I think you'll be surprised at the level of frustration you will achieve with just that task.

At the end of your stroke day, you will better appreciate the "better health" you are trying to achieve. After all, you could spend a couple weeks- or your life - HAVING to do the things I mentioned.

If you are up for this challenge within the BetterU challenge and participate, please post your thoughts.

**And PLEASE be careful! Use plastic glasses, butter knives, etc. Do not injure yourself in this challenge. If this were real life, you'd quickly learn that plastic and dull are your new best friends. And, you'd learn that you have to ask for help. So, if there is something you can't do with your other hand, ask for help. Experience what that feels like, too.

I'll wait a few days and post my thoughts on my REAL experience with these challenges.

Good luck. And keep up the good work! You are doing this for reasons you may not even fully comprehend!

BetterU - Week Two

Week two - already?! Time flies when your arms and legs hurt like...well, like you couldn't find the one- or two-pound weights so you used three-pound weights all week. Yeee-ouch!

So, I kinda look like Quasimodo today. My right shoulder is about and inch and a half higher than my left shoulder because the muscles in my shoulder blade seem to be spasming. The good thing is that with my face naturally wanting to look down right now due to my shoulder...ummm, situation, I could clearly see the scale without any effort. (If only I could say the same about laying down in bed!) And what did the scale say????? It said that I lost three point two pounds! That's 3.2!!! That's heavier than the dang weights I've been lifting this past week. And, I can tell you without any doubt, that is a lot of weight! In fact, it's more than I can lift today. LOL!

I also managed to meet all my goals! So, I'm going shopping for plants for my front porch. I'll post a picture when they are potted and positioned. And, I've added another reward for myself...I'm going to get some one-pound hand weights - which will guarantee that I find my old ones immediately thereafter. ;)

I guess it's time to up the ante on this trail ride. Here are my goals for this week:

• Maintain all the goals from week one. (Sorry, I can't cut back any further on the pop this week.
• Add in three days of using the dusty Gazelle in my back bedroom. (I'll dust it first. In fact, that will be my goal for today.) Since ten minutes of brisk walking was a BetterU point this week, I'll make that my Gazelle goal. Ten minutes, three times this week.
• I'm also going to add one more vegetable per day into my diet. This is a tricky one for me because I have to limit my vegetable eating due to suffering from a paralyzed stomach. So, I will also be adding in a probiotic (Flora Q) every morning to aid with the digestion.

Rewards...hmmmm. I have some pictures from my last trip to Hawaii that I really want to frame and hang. That will be my reward for my success this week. By the end of this twelve weeks, I might have all my household projects done!

How are you doing? What rewards are you going to give yourself this week? No matter what you choose, CONGRATULATIONS on making it through week one! And, BEST WISHES for success in week two!!

BetterU - The 25-pound Reward

I figured it out! I've been fretting over my reward for reaching my 25-pound goal by the end of the 12-week BetterU program.

I'm going to get a Wii AND the Wii Fitness game AND the new Wii Active! I've wanted the Wii and Wii Fitness for months but have not been willing to spend the money (being laid off is NO fun!). Well, I'm going to get the whole shebang when I reach my 12-week goal! That's a reward that will help me make it to my final goal. Win-win...wiiiiiiii!

BetterU - Week One...Day One

Yippee-ai-ay! Saddle up posse members...were heading out, and the scale is heading down!

Time to set specific goals for this week.

1. Exercise at least five times. I'll do Sweatin' to the Oldies 3 and will go to the pool for some water exercise. AND, I'll use my two-pound dumbbells for a good arm workout at least three days this week.
2. Replace my normal-less-than-healthy evening snack with watermelon. I've already cut one up and it smells soooo good!
3. Limit myself to only two cans of Diet Pepsi a day. This will be the hardest goal by far! My name is Charmi and I'm a pop-aholic!

I've already rewarded myself with a pre-program treat. I bought a pretty, summertime glass at Target. If I'm going to give up the pretty Diet Pepsi cans, I need to drink my water out of a pretty glass!

My reward at the end of the week when I meet all my goals - I'm going to buy myself flowers! Not a bouquet but summer plants for a pot next to my front door. Then every time I come home, I'll be reminded of my success. And, when I have to water them, I'll be reminded to drink some water myself.

So what about you? What are your goals? And your rewards? Let me know.