Testing Stuff .....

Well .... all my products have arrived so now I am in Testing Mode ...

The first product I am trying is/are the Diet Pills called Nuphedrine ..... hmmmmm ..... they make me feel a little weird in the head ... also a little "wired" .... I am supposed to take one in the morning and one at lunch ... so I will try that for a few weeks and see if there is any difference in my hunger and weight loss and energy and all of that. I'll keep you posted ...

I stepped on the scale yesterday and was down 10 lbs from September 2007 when I first started working out again. That is the lowest it has been. Tom is down almost 30 lbs since January 7th 2008 .... which make me very happy for him!! ((But pissy for me, ya know??)) Then this morning I stepped on the scale and I was back up 5 lbs .... SNORT!! Tom says the scale is picky about where you stand on it ... so I will test that theory in a few minutes.

The 2nd product I tried/am trying out are the KINOKI Detox Foot Pads which we saw on a commercial. I have been reading pros and cons about the product, so decided to try for myself. I used one last night on my right foot .... and sure enough .... the pad was dark brown and nasty this morning. I'll continue to try them nightly, alternating feet .... and keep you posted. Allegedly, the pad is supposed to look lighter and lighter each morning until it doesn't change color much at all ... we shall see.

I think these might be the same type of patches that Sweeney was always raving about ... I'll have to ask her.

The 3rd product .... which I am going to try this morning in a few minutes is the Body Wrap inch reducing/detox system! I'll keep you posted on that ... it looks like it is going to be messy ... we'll see. I am going to try it out on one of my biggest problem areas .... the fat rolls between my boobs and my waist. I have had these rolls since I was a child ... even at my slimmest, they are there ... so let's see what happens!

Update .... okay ... that wasn't too bad .... the kit comes with two ace bandages and 12 packets of clay. The directions are to boil 1 pint of water and add one packet of clay to the boiled water ... then soak the bandages in the clay/water. Wrap the warm, wet bandages around the area to be treated ... cover with a towel or saran wrap with punctures in it ... area must stay warm ... for one hour.

Okay .... so I wrapped the bandages around my middle ... then placed my swimming suit over that, then wrapped a large towel around that ... then put on a fleece sweatshirt and now I am wrapped in my warmest blanket and waiting for an hour. The area does not feel warm ... it is wet and chilly ... and the clay didn't mix well with the water ... so I don't feel like the bandages got equal amounts of clay dispersed evenly ...

I am trying to think of a way to do this all at LAFitness and use the sauna to stay warm in ... the nice thing is that there are 12 packets of clay ... so I can use this several times ... I like that.

1.5 hours later .... okay .... even thought the area felt cold, when I took the bandages off, it was warm .... and when I measured it was 2.5 inches smaller ... no kidding. I find this very interesting. I will measure again tomorrow and see if it is still 2.5 inches smaller. THEN ... here is my plan ... I am going to take a packet of clay and the bandages to LAFitness tomorrow ... and the tape measure ... after I lift weights and swim for 40 minutes, I am going to warm the bandages in a very hot shower ... measure the area ... apply the clay directly to the area I want treated ... (same area) wrap the bandages, cover with swimming suit ... wrap a towel ... and go sit in the sauna for 30 minutes ... or as long as I can handle it! Drinking water the whole time .... then I am going to bundle up and come home ... and take off the bandages and see what happens ... I'll keep you posted ... LOL !

What the heck!! I might as well experiment some! Live ... Love .... LAUGH!!

The Ads ....

Okay .... I have recently signed up for AdSense with Google. Hopefully to make a little $$ on the side. Funny thing, though! I am not supposed to click on the ads on my blogs ... but some of the things they advertise make me want to click and read!!! Of course, they are linked to my content, so they are therefore of interest to me because I am the one creating the content. I get paid per 1000 impressions or for Click-throughs ... but I am not supposed to encourage friends to click on the ads .... unless, of course, you actually see something you are interested in!

I wish I had been doing this for the several years I have been doing the Question of the Day ... it isn't a lot of money ... but it kinda seems like free money ....

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I'm now taking Slow-FE ... a multi-vitamin .... Vitamin C Drink .... Fish Oil .... etc .... I wonder how long it will take to notice a difference in my energy level, if there is going to be one. Maybe I shoulod read up on SlowFE ... think I'll do that!

Weathermen are calling for freezing rain and sleet tonight .... we shall see ... we haven't had any winter weather like that yet this year .... just cold ... which I like!

Low Iron ....

FINALLY .... my Dr took blood for a specific Iron test last Thursday ... I got the results today .... No Big Surprise .... I have Low Iron!! Ha ... Bloodcare has been telling me that for months and months ... so now I have been prescribed Slow-FE along with Vitamin C ... once a day. I started today ...

Hmmmm ..... maybe I will stop being so tired all the time, soon ... and maybe I will be able to give blood again, soon .... who knows??

So .... taking a multi-vitamin ... taking Omega-3 Fish Oil ... taking Iron and Vitamin C .... and all my other meds ... hopefully something will kick in and give me some energy!

I walked today ... it was 33 degrees and my nose and hands got cold ... but all went well .... swimming in warm water works better, LOL. I also added AdSense to my BLOGS ... so have fun clicking on all the ads, okay??

Sounds like the South Beach Diet finally got an Admin with some balls .... and a brain! About time!! Hopefully the Mean Girl Rule is about to end.

Tom and Gary are talking about meeting in Amsterdam!! Maybe in March?? Yay!! That sounds so fun! More reason to get in shape!! And to make more $$!!

Moods ...

Oh Wow .... I was in a really bad mood last week. REALLY BAD. And most of it had to do with being on Phase One of the South Beach Diet. I HATE Phase One. But I have to be on it, because if I don't stay on it, Tom won't stay on it. And it is the only Phase of SBD which we lose weight from. Tom has lost 17 lbs in two weeks ... and up until Friday, I hadn't lost any ... but on Friday I saw a # on the scale which I haven't seen in a couple of years .... which equates to a 9 lb weight loss since September .... 3 of those on this latest attempt at SBD.

Why is it that I might not want wine for weeks on end .... but tell me I CAN'T have wine ... and suddenly I want it every night??? Bread, too. And rice.

And going to the Doctor depressed me. He didn't fuss at me about my weight ... I did that myself. I wanted to talk with him about getting off depression meds to try to help me lose weight. He said he wished he could tell me that would work ... but it has been his experience that the weight-gain from depression meds ... which is unexplained medically, BTW, does not reverse itself when one goes off the meds.

So .... I'd rather be Fat and Happy than Fat and Sad ... but the Dr thought I should add one more word .... Healthy .... and he thinks I am on the right track by working out 6 days a week and eating better. It was silly .... I was the one sitting there crying ... and he was the one trying to cheer me on ... telling me I was doing everything right. Sheesh .... I was in a bad mood!

The bad mood continued into Friday .... I canceled my workout with Brandon, partially because the pool was closed ... but also because I was just being pissy. I went and got my nails done and they took extra nice care of me .... didn't get to nap because Robbie and Olivia were here ... but we got to BJ's and everyone was there ... and having a few Reds always helps ... that pretty much broke my bad mood ...

Also found out that Robb and Di had tried Alli Diet Pills and felt they really helped Robb. So I spent yesterday researching Diet meds online and I found this site .... Get the Skinny on Diets .... so read about Alli and decided not to deal with Anal-Leakage .... read about a few others ... sounds too good to be true ... but decided to try anyway ... Nuphedrine ... and also Body Wrap ... I expedited shipping ... so hopefully I'll be able to report my results soon. I'll keep you posted on this!!

New iPod ...

The new iPod is working out GREAT!! It really helps with the walks I am taking on Tues, Thurs, and Sat/Sun. I seem to be able to walk faster and longer with music beating into my head ... and I guess that is good!! It also is working out really well for swimming! I have to put Neosporin on the ear-buds to try to keep them positioned correctly in my ears ... and it is working pretty well. It helps keep the water out of my ears some, too. I love swimming to the music ... it makes the time go much faster, and makes me go faster and swim longer and better, too.

My Trainer, Brandon, has gotten pretty serious about my workouts. I made him measure me and take all my numbers so he could see how we are doing .... and he wasn't very pleased with the progress. I'm glad we did that because he is the one telling me what to do ... and he needs to take part ownership in my succeeding! So now he is changing up machines on me .... and using higher weights, fewer reps, more sets, etc .... I am hurting!! LOL .... but I asked for it!

So .... I am working with Brandon 3 times a week and swimming at least 40 minutes after those workouts ... then I am walking at least 40 minutes on the other days .... and I am on Phaze Won of the SBD ... and I have gained 2 lbs. It sucks!! But Tom is doing well ... so I guess I will keep after it. As always while on Phaze Won, I am bound up inside ... and I am even doing a cleanse system which is FULL of fiber and stuff ... but nothing is moving. I think I'll drink a few Red's tonight ... that should help ... it usually does!

Tutoring is busy right now .... Exams are next Wednesday and Thursday .... so I will be very busy next week through Wednesday night ... then everyone's schedule changes and I will have a couple of slow weeks until the new Math students start having trouble. The nature of the beast.

Our New Kitten ...

This is video of our new kitten named LG playing with our Dog, Lexi. The kitten has a really fiesty personality and Lexi is very patient with him. They play like this all the time ... the kitten seems fearless as he dives into the "jaws of death" ... purring the whole time ...

Day 3 ...

Jan. 3 and so far, so good! I walked 35 minutes on Tuesday ... the iPod really helps! Then yesterday I finally got to try it out in the pool. It Worked!! I may need to get a swimming cap to keep the earbuds positioned properly for the best sound. The sound kind of went in and out as the earbuds moved or as water got in my ears. I tried putting Neosporin on the earbuds, as they recommended, but didn't see much difference. I did however notice that it was MUCH more fun to swim with music!! I kept stopping to adjust the headphones and mess with my "rig" but while I was swimming it went very smoothly! Actually, even when I can't hear the music very well, I still know what song is playing and can follow it in my head .... and it is better than no music at all.

I'll try again tomorrow and if I can't get them to sound consistant, I'll go get a swimming cap ...

Today I got two resolutions in one swoop! I walked a DVD package to the UPS store which is exactly 1 mile away .... and it was 37 degrees outside. That was a good walk ... and I shipped one of my DVD's off! Yay!

Tom and I are going on "Faze One" on Monday .... so I want to eat stuff now that I won't be able to have then .... CARBS!!! Comfort Food!! Hmmmm ..... may make potato soup tonight .... in fact, I think I will do that right now!! Yummy!!

School went back into session today and I have one whole hour of tutoring tonight, I think .... if he remembers. I sure have enjoyed having this time off ... but it is rough with no income. Back to it on Monday, though.

2008 Resolutions

Here for the world to see .... and it seems I do mean The World!! I am getting hits from all over the world .... Blogspot must be doing something different as my SiteMeter is showing lots more hits from lots more places.

Here are my New Year's Resolutions ...

• Lose Weight ... let's set a goal of 50 lbs.
• Exercise some EVERY day
• Laugh more
• Sell more DVD's
• Grow my nails out
• Expand my business somehow
• Keep a Journal (ordered a 10-year Journal)
• Laugh even more
• Be positive and emit positive energy
• Be in Australia for Christmas 2008

So .... starting today .... gonna work on all of that! It's a lovely day for a walk! And here is a link to Reader's Digest's New Year's Guide to a Better You! I love Reader's Digest.

Here's wishing all who read this a very blessed and Happy New Year 2008!

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On another note .... I know some people who have had a horrible 2007!

For my friend Gilly .... I wish you and your family HEALTH! May Linzi's difficulties become a mere memory .... May Kelli's melanoma respond to treatment and also become just a memory ... and may your dear brother's diagnosis have been totally off-base.

For our dear friend Gary ... you survived a house fire (but most of your stuff didn't), a car break-in, a hurricane while on holiday, and a broken rib!! May 2008 treat you with much more kindness!

I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of them right now .... if YOU have had a bad year ... may 2008 be a kinder, gentler year for you!