What's Going On?

So a lot has been keeping me busy recently.  I got a promotion at work.  I am no longer a people greeter.  I was moved to the Vision Center and given a $1.30 raise.  That puts me over $9.00 an hour.  This really is a big help, and a huge answer to prayers.  Now I just have to learn everything that they want me to learn for the job.  The manual that I was given is like 400 pages.  Plus I have to do some computer training.  I know I can do it though!  God would never put me in a position that I was not ready for. 

I also have been getting things ready to go to school.  I am trying to get into Grand Valley State University.  I sent in my application and the fee.  I also filled out the financial aid papers and scheduled a visit.  I requested that my transcripts be sent from my last college.  So I guess now I just wait to see if I am accepted as a student.  I sure how this door opens for me.

So I really feel like my life is in a forward motion and it feels so good.  Everyday I think about how far I have come from the days that I could not even hold down a job, and it just makes me so grateful for the life I have today.  Without recovery I would not even have a shell of the life that I have today.  Things have changed so much in 3 years.

I have not stopped crocheting but I am working on an afghan right now and those take a lot longer.  I will post the pictures when I have finished.  That could be a couple of weeks from now.  It is a long process for such a big project.

Now I just hope the weather gets warm so I can go outside and get in some extra exercise that I need for this diet.  I could really use a walk on the boardwalk.  Its just not the same thing to always exercise with the Wii.  The Wii is fun but I want to go outside.

Hope everyone is good, and ta ta until later!

35 Great Exercise Ideas

So as I have stated in earlier blogs I am on a diet.  I was thinking earlier about free ways that  I could exercise and that got me in research mode.  This is what I came up with.  I thought that I would share it here so that someone else might be able to benefit from it also.  So here's 35 somewhat cheap exercise ideas for the Lake shore area in Michigan:

1. Walk the boardwalk
2. Ride your bike on the bike trails in Spring Lake, Ferrysburg and Grand Haven
3. Buy a Wii and a Wii Fit and use it daily
4. Walk the Lakes Mall
5. Walk the trails at Hoffmaster State Park
6. Buy some roller blades and take them to the state park or the board walk
7. Join the YMCA
8. During the winter Ski and Luge at Muskegon State Park
9. Ski and Snowboard at Mulligans Hollow
10. Go to the closest park and play basketball with a Friend
11. Play tennis with a Friend
12. Yoga
13. Pilate's
14. Go swimming
15. Walk the beach
16. Beach volleyball
17. Running
18. Housework
19. Clean your car
20. Play with your kids
21. Jump rope
22. Buy a hula hoop and use it
23. Buy a dance video and learn the dance
24. Go shopping
25. Walk your dog
26. Sit ups
27. Strength training on machines
28. Join a baseball or softball team
29. Take the stairs instead of the elevator
30. Stair climbing
31. Play with the children, take them to the park
32. Yard work
33. Planks and Wall-sits, squats
34. Sprints at your local track
35. Chin-ups on a monkey bar



Diet Challenge

I am going on a diet.  I have decided that this time I am going to stick to it and just really buckle down and loose the weight.  Starting tomorrow I am going to exercise 5 times a week and watch my carbs and sugars.  I just really feel that it is time to tackle this demon.  I even have a weight loss buddy to help encourage me along the way.  I really just want to be healthy and I know that I need to lose some weight in order to reach my full potential of health.  So my goal is to lose 10 pounds a month.  That is a realistic goal that is neither to small nor to big.  And by next year at this time I will be at my goal weight of 150 pounds. 

So I am also going to blog weekly on my progress in order to have some added accountability.  I am going to let you in on my ups and downs and let you know when I succeed.  So we start this journey together.  May this be a successful endeavor!

Here is my before picture!