Uncategorized

Pride, Prejudice and a Walk about the Parlor

1 Comment

Day 23 in primping for Mickey

It’s Labor Day today.  My treat, for three successful weeks of making better choices and blogging about it, is to watch Pride and Prejudice on Ovation TV.  Six glorious hours of Colin Firth as Darcy, plus Bingley and the amazing Bennet sisters.  Be still, my heart!  (Oh, Jane Austen, thank you so much for such wonderful characters and stories!)

Here’s today’s plan: for every hour that I sit watching Pride and Prejudice, I will get up and walk about for five minutes.  (Please, remember to read the previous sentence in an English accent.)  I’m feeling my British blood coursing through my veins particularly today.  And I am missing my very British daughter and son-in-law.  (Love you two!)

I just may have to while any an hour or two at the English pavilion at EPCOT when we go.  I will wander from building to building and take in all the sights and the sounds of the accents of the employees.  I might even top it off with a Shandy at the Rose and Crown Pub.

Thank you so much for hanging in there with me, dear readers.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

Uncategorized

Better Choices

6 Comments

Day 22 of dancing toward Disney

Here’s today’s plan: I would like pancakes with lots of syrup and butter for breakfast.  But today I am having an egg-white omelet loaded with spinach, mushrooms, roasted red peppers and a little low-fat mozzarella cheese, served with fruit and a piece of rye toast.  I won’t regret the flavor, and I will remain sugar-free today.  I can do that just for today.

Then I will shop for the healthy, low-fat, low-sodium, sugar-free ingredients to prepare our new recipes for the week.

I thought eating this way would be so bland, but Mike and I have found the opposite to be true.  We are thoroughly enjoying the natural flavors of foods.  And we find ourselves really looking forward to dinner-time and our chance to just sit and taste the new recipes.  Who knew?

Today’s particular Disney dream?  Sitting at Olivia’s Cafe at Old Key West with Mike and the kids, sipping  a cup of coffee and nibbling conch fritters.  I can just feel the stress leaving my body thinking about it.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: In only two more weeks, I will have made my original commitment of five weeks sugar-free.  Who’d a thunk?

Uncategorized

Rewards

Leave a comment

Day 21 of Disney dreaming

Three weeks sugar-free.  That is a major milestone for me.  I don’t remember ever being sugar-free for three weeks, not in my entire life.  It feels good.  My blood sugar has stabilized, which can only be a good thing.  Yippee!  I feel less volatile.

Saturday dinner has often been from Dominos or KFC or Taco Bell.  A fast food dinner to “reward” ourselves for a day off after a week of work.  Now I’m rethinking that idea.   What is rewarding to a healthy body?  A high fat, high salt, high cholesterol, high simple-carb dinner?  Or a dinner that is low fat, low salt, low cholesterol with complex carbs.  I choose the latter.  Today I choose the latter.

Here’s the plan: today I will research four new recipes to try this week.  The internet has been my best tool in eating healthy.  Then I’ll make up my grocery list for the week and be ready to shop tomorrow.

Dinner tonight?  Easy Salmon, a recipe I found last week.  I mix one quarter cup of low-sodium soy sauce with one teaspoon of lemon juice, half a teaspoon of ginger, one quarter teaspoon of cinnamon and an eighth of a teaspoon of pepper.  Then I place the salmon fillets in a shallow dish, pour the liquid mix over the fillets (two 6-ounce fillets) and bake at 325 degrees about 25 minutes.  We will feast tonight on salmon, boiled potatoes and fresh veggies with black bean hummus.  Delicious!

Thank you for reading, dear friends.  Meet you at the Kingdom!  (I’m on my way, Mickey!!)

Uncategorized

Half Is Enough

Leave a comment

Day 20 in my quest to waltz in Walt’s World

My initial thought for today was to take a walk at Crab Tree Farm., push as far as I possibly could, then walk back home.  Well, it’s a 90 degree heat index and it’s humid, so…no.

I had a lovely morning having a mani/pedi with my bestie.  Then we had a healthy, organic meal out, and we both took half home for tomorrow.  (Wild Berry rules!)

So that was the plan for today: I only ate half of my scrumptious omelet.  I boxed up the rest for another day.

And I will prepare a healthy low-sugar meal for dinner tonight.  Maybe Peanut Chicken.  Maybe Chicken Stir-fry.

Thank you for reading, dear Donna supporters!

BTW: The baked meatballs were amazing!  I highly recommend “Hole in the Wall” pasta sauce.  It has no added sugar.  When I actually looked at the recipe, I decided to go with whole wheat capellini instead of the potatoes.  So delicious!

 

Uncategorized

Trying a New Recipe

3 Comments

Day 19 of Disney dreaming

Today it’s all about the recipe.  For dinner tonight Mike and I will have baked meatballs.  I have never baked a meatball in my life.  I’ve always fried them.  But I found a new recipe, and I thought to myself, “Self, try it; you might like it.”  🙂  So that’s my plan for the day: baked meatballs with steamed asparagus, boiled potatoes and fresh veggies with hummus.

Note to self: for October 2015 Disney trip instead of a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar one day (Mike’s absolute favorite thing to do at Disney), I am going to try a Dole Whip.  Have you ever tried one?  I hear they are amazing.  And maybe a few less calories than the ice cream bar?  What do you think?  I’ll try to research that.

Anyway, here’s to nibbling healthy!  Meet you at the Kingdom.

Uncategorized

Nothing new or fancy

6 Comments

Day 18 on my way to rendezvous with Mickey.  🙂

Well, folks, the title says it all.  Here’s the plan: nothing new or fancy today.  I will eat healthy today.  I will avoid sugar today.  I will move more at work today.

You know, moving this much weight through space is no small task.  (Please, excuse the pun.)  My former work partner once told me, “They say you should do some sort of weight bearing exercise each day.  Well, moving this body through space is weight bearing exercise.”  I laughed out loud.  But it makes you think.  I know I have to move more to get the energy to move more to get the energy to move more.  Wait…what?  It’s an odd thing really.  When we move more, we draw oxygen deeper into our bodies/systems, and it gives us more energy, more oomph.  I WANT more oomph.

I want enough oomph to stroll the trails at Old Key West, to walk at Disney’s Animal Kingdom without being immediately exhausted, to walk all the way from the bus, to and through, Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom.  Maybe even straight to It’s a Small World.  Do not pass go; do not collect $200.  I love this big Disney dreaming.  I’m willing to work as hard as I have to, to make these dreams/visions come true.

Thank you, Mouse-fans, Disneyphiles and Donna supporters, for reading.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

Uncategorized

Luck o’ the Irish

4 Comments

Day 17 on my way to Disney World.

I LOVE Irish and English pub grub.  Bangers and Mash, Cottage Pie, Full Irish/English breakfast.  We’ve just found out that our favorite local Irish pub is closing.  😦  Bridie McKenna, you will be missed!  So tonight we will go there to dine one last time.  But tonight will be different.

Here’s today’s plan: When we go out to eat tonight, I  will order either the slow-roasted Atlantic salmon, OR the grilled chicken OR a salad.  I will stay away from the more fried or deep fried choices on the menu.  I can do that.  Maybe not everyday, but today, I can do that.

My arms are a bit tired today, but I worked them hard yesterday.  Tai Chi and Shake Weight.  It was worth the effort though.  And I’m two and half weeks sugar-free.  Yippee!!

Thank you for reading.  Meet you at the Kingdom.  (Can’t wait to see you, Mickey!)

Uncategorized

Queen for a Day

6 Comments

Day 16 on my trek to Mickey.

I want to thank you, kind readers, for the outpouring of love yesterday.  I didn’t mean for yesterday’s post to be a “woe is me” entry.  I see it as a positive to be able to look into myself and work through the issues that have added to my present condition.  I can then work through those issues, and come out on the other side healthier both in body and mind.

Here’s today plan: I will do 20+ minutes of Tai Chi today, plus 6 minutes of Shake Weight.  I’m going to work my arms today.  The Tai Chi will warm up my still sore muscles (from the Grunt Work-see 3 blogs ago) and the Shake Weight will give my arms a good workout.  (Tee hee.  The motion of the Shake Weight still makes me giggle.)

AND I am getting all fired up by watching The Travel Channel’s shows on Disney World today.  Oh, yeah…I am so going to ride the “Seven Dwarves Mine Train!”   And I want to dine at the Be Our Guest Restaurant.

I am still sugar-free, and I was given a crown as sugar-free queen last night.  It feels great!  Thank you Jake and Eliza for that special treat.  I’m going to wear my crown as I work out today.  🙂

Love and blessings to you, dear readers.  Meet you at the Kingdom.

Uncategorized

True Confession

4 Comments

Day 15 as I dance toward Disney World.

True confessions day.  

I once attended a one day retreat at Chicago’s Botanic Garden.  At one point we were instructed to find a place of solitude, and work our way through a set of questions as we meditated.  One question resonated with me.  “What kind of a tree are you?”  Shades of Barbara Walter, right?  As I contemplated this question in quiet serenity surrounded by beautiful nature, the answer came to me.  I am an English Oak.  Not tall, like our American Oak trees, but sturdy, solid, capable of holding heavy burdens.  Strong, upright, with significant mass.  I cried a bit as I thought that this is what God has called me to be.  Solid, strong, able to share others burdens.  And it was an affirmation that God created me for purpose and that I have self-worth.  When we regrouped to discuss our responses to the questions, I shared my thoughts.  Around me everyone looked confused.  The question that I had read and reread and reread again, was NOT in the booklet.  A mini-miracle when God met me where I needed him.    

I do not and have not ever loved myself.  I don’t know why.  There is a deep seeded self-loathing, that God is only just revealing to me. I have no single traumatic event to attribute it to.  However, I believe this is why I have attempted to create this layer of protection on my body.  It has led to my isolating myself often, and this creates a false sense of safety and security.

So here’s the plan: I will go to church and pray for the Lord to teach me to love my self.  He tells us to love our neighbor as ourself, but if I don’t love myself, then how can I truly love my neighbor?  Scripture also tells us that our bodies are temples for the Holy Spirit.  I have been a deadbeat landlord of my temple.  Now I want to take better care of this body.

Kinda heavy today, but as I make this journey I pray to uncover the issues that have added to the problem.

Looking forward to partying at the Kingdom.  Meet you there.

Uncategorized

Making Plans for Nutritious Meals

2 Comments

Day 14 of getting ready for Mickey

Wow!  Two weeks in already.  Last night Mike and I brought all the equipment back into the church and set it up.  Holy wah!  What a huge task!  Platforms and cords first, then chairs, then all the gear.  It took us two and a half hours.  I prayed for strength before we went, and, thank you, Jesus, I was able to do quite bit.  It was empowering.  For a change, I did not hide from the physical work.  I dove right in and survived!  Halle-J-Lujah!

When I meet Mickey at the Magic Kingdom, I want to feel my best.  Nourished and healthy.  So here’s today’s plan:

  1. I will research 3 new healthy recipes online.  (skinnytase.com and ifoodreal.com here I come)  🙂  
  2. I will plan my menu for the week.
  3. I will make up a shopping list for needed ingredients.

I am also visualizing:

  1. I’m climbing into a boat on “It’s a Small World.” Then I’m singing along to that wonderful song ’til the end of the ride.  🙂
  2. I’m flying over London on “Peter Pan’s Fight.”
  3. I’m careening down a mountain on “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.”
  4. I’m in the final free fall on “Splash Mountain.”
  5. Yo, Ho, Yo, Ho, a pirate’s life for me…  “Pirates of the Caribbean” is next.

There’s a huge grin on my face right now.  🙂

Thanks for reading.  Meet you at the Kingdom.

 

Pilgrimage to better health to meet Mickey. A 14 month Quest.