It took me about 3 months, but I finally finished reading House of Leaves. Have any of you read it?

ASIN: 0375703764 House of Leaves     Product Type: Book          List Price: $ 19.95          Amazon's Price: $ 13.57          You Save: $ 6.38 [Buy Now!]

I'm very curious about what others think about the book. I've never read anything like it before, and I quite enjoyed it. Sure, it dragged and it was confusing and disorienting, but I think it did what it set out to do. To me, it was a very successful novel.

Then I read the reviews on Amazon. Apparently a lot of people hated it, thought it was pretentious, derivative, boring and a total failure. One person even wrote, "There's nothing wrong with this book that couldn't have been fixed by having Steven King rewrite it as a short story."



The thing is, it actually frightened me once or twice. I tend to read before I go to bed at night, and this novel would wake me up. I'm not saying it's the best thing ever written, and it's certainly not the easiest read...

As someone who was semi-involved in the "academic" world (i.e., having a college education), I could certainly appreciate Danielewski's poking fun at the world of footnotes and references to scholarly works and classic literature. If you're looking for an engaging, fast-paced mainstream read, this is not it. And I think that's why it got such a negative reaction. People are so used to mainstream thrillers that don't require any real thought or participation on the part of the reader. This novel made me think, and I liked that.

I like what this reviewer says:

As long as you're prepared, though, I'd give this book a chance. Be forewarned: It's not just about a house. It's really a story about a young man reading the manuscript of an old man which is an academic criticism and investigation of a fictional documentary which another man made about his messed-up house.

In previous years, I've tried to read as many novels as I could in one year, trying to best my previous year. 2010, however, will be one of quality over quantity, I think. I'm going to read outside my normal realm, including novels that are disorienting. Up next, Blindness by Jose Saramago.

I've read the first two pages, and it's going to be difficult for me, with the comma splices and no quotation marks for dialogue. That much I know already. But in the end, I'll probably enjoy it.

Remember how two months ago I said I was one of those "all or nothing" types? Well, I'm in the Nothing phase right now, big time.

I got a bad sinus cold last week which moved into my chest and just won't go away. I haven't exercised in over a week, though my loss of appetite is causing me to lose a little weight regardless. I have to make myself eat every day, because I just don't feel like it.

I'll get back on track eventually, I promise.

**

So, in other news, it looks like I'll be installing a new hard drive on my in-laws' computer on Monday. (Honestly, how do they get into these messes? Is it just that they have a Dell? Or are they doing something really wrong? They've had problems with almost every aspect of this computer, from the eject button to the volume controls and now onto the hard drive itself!)

Have any of you ever installed a hard drive before? Is it difficult? They're supposed to be getting help from tech support (the laptop is no longer under warranty, though), so I won't really be alone. They just have difficulty understanding anyone who doesn't have an American accent, so that's where I come in. I get to be the one on the phone...

Wish me luck!
 

Was in a crummy mood this morning due to icy roads (meaning, no car. I'll have to walk to work later on the ice...), but then I did my running training, and I felt great afterwards! So I wrote this:


"Why I Love Running"

When I run, I feel invincible. I feel like I’m capable of anything and everything. I feel like nothing can touch me or ruin my day.

I was never in very good shape growing up. I was thin, but had no real strength. We had this test in high school where you had to try to run a mile in under ten minutes. Forget it! I couldn’t jog for more than a minute or two at a time, let alone that distance in that time! Over the years, I just grew to believe that I couldn’t run, that it wasn’t in me.

Then my sister started training for a 5k. I thought she was nuts, but I soon followed her progress with pride. I wondered if I could do the same thing, but I had a few false starts. I didn’t research properly and both times I started a training program, I suffered pain and slight injury. It turned me off to running even more.

However, I thought I’d give it one more try. This time, I did my research first and talked to my sister (now pretty much an expert in running). Then I started the Couch to 5k program. I was amazed that it was both challenging and fun! It was difficult, but not to the point where I couldn’t do it. Jogging for 1-2 minutes at a time was something that was feasible for me, and continuing from there wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.

Today I finished my Week 4, Day 1 training. I jogged two intervals of 5 minutes at one time! I never thought I could do that! I’m proving to myself everyday that I’m capable of more than I ever thought I could do. There’s this rush when I’m running, this awesome feeling of, “I can do this! I can do anything!”

Sure, it’s hard at times, and I can’t say I’m never sore from this training. It’s so worth it, though, for that exhilarating, invincible feeling and for knowing that at the age of 30, I’m probably in the best shape of my life!

I’m almost halfway through this 5k training program, and I’m looking forward to each running day. By the end, I’ll be jogging for 25 minutes at a time! Right now, that seems a little scary to me, but so did 5 minutes, and I did that today! I know I can do it.

I can’t wait for my first 5k race! And eventually I’m going to do that ten-minute mile!

Couch to 5k Program - http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
 

Haven't written in a while again...

My latest obsession: Running! I'm on the third week of the Couch to 5k Program, and I'm loving it! Now, I'm trying to find good running shoes, something that's proving to be complicated... I've decided that I'm an overpronator (my foot rolls along the outside edge while I'm running) and that I have a medium arch. So I need cushioned, stability running shoes. I'm off to check local shops today.

I've been going off my diet a little lately... I'm not worried about it. As long as I stay within 100-105, I'm happy. I'm also not exercising as much as I'd like... I need to average 42 minutes per day to reach my 1200 goal, but lately I've only been doing about 20 minutes per day. Oh well, I'm still exercising, right?

It doesn't help that my resistance band started tearing, so I started using a new one (Gold's Gym Resistance Tube), and it feels like a lot more resistance than my old one. Shoulder presses hurt! So I've been more sore lately. Also had to get a high-impact sports bra for running because my chest muscles (pectorals, right?) were hurting after W3D1 run.

Off to do some shopping! That's exercise!

 

Haven't written in a week!

It's been a week of ups and downs. I gained 2lbs in one day (about which my Wii Fit lectured me...), but also lost some weight, too, so I think it evens out. I'm not very concerned about it.

I'm working on calming myself down at the moment. There's a blizzard coming, and I work at a grocery store. Hence, insanity! We've got a store full of anxious customers, and coworkers who are already planning on not coming in (as well as one who is out for medical reasons and so won't make it in the three days she was scheduled to work)

Anyway, I think I'm getting used to resisting temptation when I'm stressed. Once a week, I go to work to write a newsletter. I go late morning, and by the time I'm done, I'm starving. It's so tempting to take some fried food off the hot bar or to grab a quick burger or something. But I make myself wait, and I go home to my healthier options. It doesn't always work, but I'm getting used to dealing with the temptation.

Today's numbers & stats:
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Fiber One bran cereal, a banana, 1 cup soy milk, 8oz Trop50 orange juice
Lunch: Big salad, .5 cup mini cheese ravioli with Smart Balance butter substitute, dirt pudding dessert
Dinner: Roast beef on sandwich thin, 1 cup pineapple, 17 wheat thin fiber selects crackers, 2 - 1oz hot pepper cheese cubes

Fitness:
Strength Training: 10 minutes, 23 calories
Aerobics: 20 minutes, 62 calories
Yoga: 11 minutes, 21 calories

Total: 44 minutes, 106 calories burned

I'm doing well with my goal of 1200 cardio minutes for February. My current total is 488 minutes. I was planning on making tomorrow a fitness day, where I strive for at least 60 minutes. I may still do that, but although I wasn't scheduled to work tomorrow, I probably will. That's what I get for living in the same town where I work - it's always easy for me to get there, even in inclement weather.


 

You live, you learn.

My husband and I both thought we'd be okay to go slightly off our "diets," by splurging at my birthday party on Sunday. Problem is, we started Saturday and didn't get back on track until today!

We feel terrible! Not guilt, but physically, we feel icky. We're both bloated and having intestinal pains and stuff. Nothing dire, just a general feeling of discomfort. Sometimes you don't realize how great you feel when you're eating healthy until you fall off the wagon and splurge on stuff that's not so good for you.

We did have plenty of healthy options at the party, fruits & veggies, sushi, and ginger chicken. But we also had chocolate cake and cookies and lots of pasta... They're okay in moderation, but we didn't feel like moderating ourselves. (Oh, and the splurging on Saturday started with a trip to McD's...)

Oh well, it's a new week, and we're even stronger in our resolve to eat healthy. We want to feel good again!

I started a new 30-day challenge on EA Sports Active yesterday, and I'm enjoying it. I moved up to medium-intensity so the workouts are a little longer with more reps of each exercise. I also set a goal to do 1200 fitness minutes for February, and two days in, I've got 107 minutes, so I think I'm doing well on that.

I also started the couch to 5k program again. I think I'm a little past the "couch" starting point (I know I can jog in place at least 5 minutes), but that's where I'm starting anyway. This program involves alternating periods of jogging and walking 3 times per week, gradually working in more jogging and less walking, so that by the end of the 6 weeks, you're jogging 5k (3.1 miles). More info: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml

Stats (now that I'm back on track):
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Kelloggs All-Bran Complete Wheat Flakes with a banana and soy milk
Lunch: Bean and Pasta Soup (recipe: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Bean-and-Pasta-Soup) and a big salad
Dinner: tuna salad on Arnold's multi-grain sandwich thin
Snacks: 1/4 cup mixed nuts, 1/2 c whipped pineapple dessert, 15 wheat thins fiber selects crackers

I can still have 350 calories after that to reach the top of my range, and I need more protein, so I'll probably have more nuts or some peanut butter or something.

Fitness:
EA Sports Active: 25 minutes, 97 calories
Wii Fit Yoga: 10 minutes, 17 calories
Wii Fit Strength Training: 10 minutes, 22 calories
Wii Fit Aerobics: 11 minutes, 36 calories
Wii Fit Games: 4 minutes, 9 calories

Total: 60 minutes, 181 calories burned


So, the positives of falling off my healthy lifestyle for a few days are: Lesson learned - I feel tons better when I'm eating healthy, and at least I didn't gain any weight from splurging.
 

It all started with the Kellogs All-Bran Challenge. I bought the cereal for this low-cal, low-fat muffin recipe. The muffins turned out terrible. Ugh, I don't even like to think about it... But, I noticed the back of the cereal box - it issued a challenge to eat the cereal for breakfast for ten days. That was a little over a year ago, and I've been eating a high-fiber cereal every morning since then.

I definitely noticed a difference after upping my fiber. At first, it was very difficult to reach the 25-30g per day requirement. I considered taking a supplement, but I thought I'd continue trying to get it naturally, and eventually it was easy. "They" say that people who get enough fiber in their diets tend to maintain a healthy weight (and lose weight) easier than those who don't.

I also used to struggle with getting enough fruits and veggies in everyday, too. There were days I was lucky to have one serving! So I set a goal to get 3 per day. Then my goal was 3-5, and now I'm consistently getting at least 5 per day. My breakfast usually includes a banana and an 8-oz glass of orange juice. There's 3 servings already! (a side note - I used to get heartburn and indigestion from fruits, but since I've started working out, I get far less of those) For lunch, I like to have big salads of dark greens topped with fresh veggies like cucumbers, broccoli and carrots. Some days (like today), I'll also have a bowl of veggie soup. I'll also have a snack of a fruit or veggie at some point in the afternoon, and I try to add one or two veggies to dinner. So I'm usually in between 5-9 servings per day!

(My daily menu changes depending upon if I have work. Especially if I work in the evening, it's more difficult to plan a well-balanced dinner for myself.)

I think it's important for myself to make smaller, attainable goals. I didn't set out to get near 10 servings of fruits & veggies per day! First, I tried for 3, and then I worked my way up. With the fiber goal, I started by just adding a high-fiber cereal, and then slowly worked my way up to the daily recommended value (it's important not to up your fiber too fast, as that can irritate your system in bad ways).

I got this idea from my sister - I have a monthly calendar and I split each day into four squares. In one square, I count my fruits & veggies. In the second, I check off if I've taken my daily vitamin. The third and fourth have to do with daily chores & cleaning around the house. If I meet my goal in each box, I get a sticker for the day.

Sounds silly, I know! But it works for me! I like stickers and I like feeling like I've accomplished something. I even started adding more goals so my vitamin square also has a spot for fiber intake and another for fitness information. At the end of the month, I evaluate my goals and adjust if needed. Also, if I've established a good habit, I might change one square to something new.

For me, that's the point of the calendar - to develop a healthy habit. It makes me look at something every single day. At first, it was really difficult for me to remember to take my vitamin everyday, but when I see that calendar, I remember.

Today's stats:

Nutrition:
Breakfast: 1/2 serving Frosted Mini-Wheats, a banana, and 8oz Trop50 orange juice
Lunch: toasted Arnold's Multigrain Sandwich Thin, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 cup Campbell's Select Harvest Light Minestrone Soup
Dinner: Arnold's Multigrain Sandwich Thin, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 1 tbsp grape jelly
Snacks: 1/2 grapefruit, Wheat Thins Fiber Selects

Fitness:
Wii Fit Yoga - 34 minutes, 59 calories
Wii Fit Aerobics - 30 minutes, 89 calories
Wii Fit Strength Training (core only) - 6 minutes, 13 calories

Total: 70 minutes, 161 calories burned

 

One week from today, I turn 30!

Maybe that's why I'm on this latest health kick... Nah, I kind of doubt it. I started getting healthy years ago. It's been an ongoing process with ups and downs.

Starting February 1st, I'll be doing another 30-day challenge on EA Sports Active. My sister's going to start the same day, so we can encourage each other to finish. I'm also thinking of starting the couch to 5k program again. Last time I made the horrible mistake of not waiting long enough after eating to start jogging... Horrible pain in my stomach! Blech!

Today I did some yoga and some fun games in the Wii Fit Plus. I thought I'd try a running one, and it was about 45 minutes after I had breakfast (cereal and a banana). Didn't wait long enough again. I really hate that pain! I waited another half hour and tried running again, and it came back again.

I just have to work on my timing. I usually get up and workout before I eat (which is probably not a great idea...), then I have breakfast. If I'm going to run, too, I'm going to have to try to fit that in somewhere... And I don't want to be doing too much at once, either.

Yesterday, I had two halves of a candy bar... Mr. J bought them from a charity raising money for cancer research. It was too difficult to resist... and then I had a couple swedish fish before bed. That's a tough time for me, I think.

New product: Wheat Thins make a new cracker called Fiber Selects. Each serving (18 crackers) has only 120 calories and 5g of fiber! Woo-hoo!! The Garden Vegetable flavor is pretty good. When I first tried increasing my fiber, I had a difficult time getting the 25-35g required. I considered using a supplement, but I kept trying for it naturally. Now I have to watch to make sure I don't get too much! But for those days I'm a little behind, these crackers will help out!

Totals for today:

Nutrition:
Breakfast: Frosted Mini-Wheats, banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter, 8oz Trop50 orange juice
Lunch: Homemade Wonton Ravioli (and probably a big salad and some grapefruit)
Dinner: 2oz Lite Turkey on Arnold's Sandwich Thin, 18 Wheat Thin Fiber Selects crackers
Snack: Hershey's Almond Bar

Fitness:
Wii Fit Yoga: 10 minutes, 14 calories
Wii Fit Games & Running: 10 minutes, 21 calories
EA Sports Active: 15 minutes, 62 calories

Total: 35 minutes, 97 calories burned.

Good news for my husband: He lost 10lbs since starting January 5th! He fluctuates 2-3 lbs per day, though (and once he went up 5.5lbs in one day!) He's learning that he can't go completely off his diet on weekends and still expect to keep the weight off. I think it's okay to give yourself a treat, but he can't start eating fast food every weekend...
 

My husband and I avoid the "d" word like the plague. The word "diet" implies denying yourself, feeling hungry, and eating bland, boring foods. (It also implies that once you lose x-amount of weight, that you can go back to eating "normally.") "Diet" is a very bad word...

Instead, we're focusing on living a healthier lifestyle. We're working on being more active and making healthier choices when it comes to eating. We're doing this so that we feel better about ourselves.

That being said, the first few weeks were easy, and now it's getting more difficult. We both feel hungry between meals... and we're disappointed by the end of the day that we can't have more. I think we just hit a rough spot... and we need more variety! Packing the same lunch for a few weeks gets boring. I've got to look for ways to spice things up a bit!

I finished my first 30-day challenge on the Wii game, EA Sports Active. It was fun and challenging. I'm looking forward to starting another one with my sister on Monday. I did a custom workout today because I kind of missed them.

Haven't done this in a bit, so I'll just start with yesterday:

Nutrition:
Breakfast: coffee, Fiber One Honey Clusters with soy milk, a banana, Trop50 orange juice
Lunch: hard-boiled egg, big salad of spring mix & spinach with broccoli, craisins & honey-roasted pecans and zesty italian dressing, tuna salad on Arnold's Sandwich Thin, 4 strawberries and 1 cup of grapes
Dinner: Pan-fried tilapia, baked potato (with light sour cream), wild & brown rice mix, 1/4 cup cream-style corn
Snack: tootsie roll & roll of smarties (I'm surprised I didn't snack more in the evening, especially after learning of the passing of one of my aunts)

Today's breakfast & lunch will be pretty much the same as yesterday, except for lite turkey on the sandwich thin (Dietz & Watson makes some great low-cal & low-fat lunchmeats), a grapefruit instead of strawberries, and I'll have a cup of leftover tortellini soup for dinner.

Fitness:
Yesterday, I did 12 minutes of Yoga and 8 minutes of Aerobics on the Wii Fit Plus, totaling 20 minutes and 40 calories burned.
This morning, I did a custom workout on EA Sports Active, totaling 21 minutes and 72 calories burned.


For anyone who might be interested in two of the leading Wii fitness games, I wrote product reviews for them:

ASIN: B002BS47JE PR_ID: #110263 Wii Fit Plus   (Rated: E)     Product Type: Video Games     Review Content Rated: E     Reviewed By: spidey          List Price: $ 19.99          Amazon's Price: $ 17.54          You Save: $ 2.45 [View Review] [Buy Now!]

ASIN: B001MBUGLY PR_ID: #110262 EA Sports Active   (Rated: E)     Product Type: Video Games     Review Content Rated: E     Reviewed By: spidey          List Price: $ 59.99          Amazon's Price: $ 47.54          You Save: $ 12.45 [View Review] [Buy Now!]

To find motivation to continue when I'm stuck in a rut, I remind myself of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. I don't feel as tired as I used to, as I've found myself having much more energy. I don't get sick as often (one minor cold in the past 3 years), and I'm able to do things like crouch in one place or walk (and shop!) for long periods of time, without getting tired or sore.

(I've also started upping my calories just a little. I aim for the high end of my calorie range, 1690, rather than the low end, and my weight has remained the same.)

Okay, I'll admit it. I cheated yesterday. I had a bit of macaroni & cheese and a little piece of cheesecake. Working at a grocery store makes it difficult to avoid temptation sometimes!

The thing is, though, that I'm feeling like I should be eating more than I am. I'm following my diet by staying within my calorie range of 1340 and 1690. That's supposed to be for me to maintain my weight. But I've lost 2 lbs in the past 3 weeks. I'm at 104 now. If I get below 98, I'll be considered "underweight," according to my BMI. (I calculate it using this website: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. Also, the Wii Fit Plus calculates my BMI every day.)

Of course, while BMI (body mass index, or the percentage of body fat) is an easily calculated number, it's not the best for judging if you're overweight, normal weight, or underweight. It doesn't take several factors into consideration, like muscle mass and bone density. For instance, it's been telling my husband that he'll have to weigh 165 to be "normal," though we both know he's probably not going to be able to be that low of a weight. He's a really muscular guy, one of those "barrel-chest" type of guys, you know? (He just also happens to have a gut, lol)

Anyway, that's my reasoning for snacking sometimes.

Yesterday's recap:

Exercise:
EA Active for 14 minutes, Wii Fit Plus (Core Strength Training) for 6 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes
Calories burned: 55


Nutrition:

Breakfast: Cereal with light soy milk and a banana
Lunch: Salad, one half roll of sushi, fresh fruit salad (plus mac & cheese & cheesecake)
Dinner: Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce (awesome!! recipe: http://tinyurl.com/y9oqbxn), baked potato (light sour cream, chives, bac'n bits & 1 tbsp cheddar), sweet corn
Snacks: imitation crab, a tootsie roll, skittles, 2 tbsp peanut butter

I didn't do too well with snacking yesterday... We have dinner around 5pm, and by 8pm, I'm starting to get hungry. By 9pm, I'm searching for anything to eat in the house!