Tag Archives: Walt Disney World

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Revisiting the Start

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Day 72 in my return to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and my dear friend, Mickey

As I continue to fight this bug, it’s time to revisit why I started this blog…

I’m Donna and I have a delicious goal.  I want to work to be healthier and in better shape for my trip to Disney World in October 2015. There.  I’ve said it.  It’s down in black and white.

I LOVE Disney World.  I become a little girl again, and it is such a blessing to share this experience with my family.  There are 6 of us…until the grand-babies start to come along.  🙂 My husband Mike, my son Jake and his wife Eliza, my daughter Emi and her husband James and me.

“You’ve got tons of time,” you think.  But here’s is my dilemma.  I am 58 years old and morbidly obese.  If,  I can’t turn myself around, then I will not be able to walk enough to truly enjoy the parks.  I do not currently have the mobility, nor the flexibility, to become that Disney child again.

So here is my plan.  I want to do one thing every day for the next 14 months to get ready for Disney World in October 2015.   Today is Day 1, and I am starting this blog.

Can I do it?  We’ll see.  Maybe, by the grace of God and with some hard work every day, I can revel in each minute of our Disney vacation…

And so now, I am on my way.  I’ve come so far in 71 days, and I have so-o-o far to go.  My body is adjusting to the changes in diet and movement.  It’s tired and sore and upset, but I will carry on.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

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Domestic Goddess

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Day 70 in my travails to meet Mickey

I woke up completely depleted and tired out this morning.  So my plan for today is to completely enjoy a day off from work at the church, and I am working around the house for some physical activity today.

  1. I took a shower and cleaned myself up this morning.
  2. I cleaned up my bedroom.
  3. I am doing laundry.
  4. I just put a “Mexican Bean Soup” in the oven to keep simmering until dinner tonight.  (Gotta keep my amazing man eating healthy, don’t I?)
  5. I will make a cornbread for us to enjoy with the soup, hot out of the oven.
  6. I will help clean up after dinner.
  7. And all day long I will stop and take deep, cleansing breaths and savor this day at home.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Mexican Bean Soup: 3 cups of pinto beans, 2 carrots (cut in 2 inch pieces), half cup of zucchini (cut in 2 inch pieces), half a cup of corn, diced onion, diced garlic and spices ( cumin, chili powder, pepper, salt).  And because my Mikey is such a carnivore, I added a half pound of ham.    Mmmm-Mmmm good!  Thanks to “Recipes to Lower Your Fat Thermostat” for the recipe!

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Mini-Victories!

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Day 69 in my journey to join Mickey at The Magic Kingdom  (Why do I find myself thinking about using the “Shake Weight” today?  🙂  I know…I’m nasty!)

Dear readers, I’m so excited today!  I stepped on the scale to see how much ground I had lost (as in how much weight I had gained) on our trip to the UP.  You know, eating out a lot, lots of salty food with higher fat content than what I eat in my controlled environment.  I just wanted to see what the damage was, so I could have a realistic idea of where I am.  Surprise of surprises, I’ve lost another 3.4 pounds!  So now I’m down 22.2 pounds from the start!  Woot!  Woot!  (Cue Disco music)

So today my plan was to do a half hour of “Lean Body Workout.”  But instead I went grocery shopping.  I did the BIG shop all by myself.  I was on my feet walking around the store for an hour.  My knees locked up, because they are not used to me standing for that long anymore.  I was sweaty and smelly and gross.  But still, dear readers, I did it!!  Our cupboards are no longer bare.  And tonight I will make “Surprise Package Casserole.”  It’s one of my favorites from “Recipes to Lower Your Fat Thermostat.”

I feel absolutely exhilarated!  Good food, a good physical challenge and I’m on my second cup of coffee today from my new Keurig.  Life is good, my friends!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Taking Steps to Change

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Day 68 in trucking toward Mickey

Yesterday’s plan was a success!  The VHS tape that I was looking for is titled, “The Lean Body Workout” with Cynthia Kereluk.  It was put out by Sybervision Systems.  It’s a lean body aerobics workout.  It has plenty of cardio with gentle movements for someone of my girth.  (I can properly use the word girth because the distance around my circumference is rather significant.)  🙂

It wasn’t where I thought I had last seen it, but Mike went into the maze that is our basement and came upstairs with it.  He’s just the best!  So…tomorrow you can pretty much guess what my plan will be…

Today, however, my plan is this: I want to go for a twenty minute walk after work today.  Maybe I’ll stop in town on the way home and walk there.  The fall colors are really blooming in Lake Bluff this week, so I will revel in their beauty as I stroll through town.  I may wax poetic here, but the truth is I will be sweating and huffing and puffing my way up and down the blocks.  But maybe, just maybe, I’ll be whistling a happy tune in my head, too.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Efforts to Unearth the Past

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Day 67 in my amble toward a meeting with my favorite mouse

Yesterday was interesting.  I did remain sugar-free.  Yippee!  And I looked for a dance tape that I have from years back.  Yup, straight up VHS.  It’s from a program called “The Neuropsychology of Weight Control” by SyberVision Systems.  The program was really good, and talked about the “glycemic index” long before I had heard it anywhere else.  It suggested a cookbook called “Recipes to Lower Your Fat Thermostat” by LaRene Gaunt which I have used often in the last 20 years.  And it came with an exercise VHS with a really pleasant woman, who talked you through several levels: beginner, intermediate and hard core.  I CANNOT remember the name of the tape.  ARGH!  But she even counted down one time in Finnish, the language of half my peeps.  So cool…and motivational!

So today’s plan is to continue the search for my awesome VHS cardio workout.  And to remain sugar-free.  And to make the best choices I can today.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: My goals for yesterday were accomplished.  And I did a 15 minute McDonald’s cardio workout DVD for the dance portion of my workout, followed by a five minute cool down walk.  I still miss Emi, but it’s good to get back to the routine of work and daily life.

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Eradicating Emotional Eating

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Day 66 in my expedition to maneuver to Mickey

Confession time: I am an emotional eater.  The problem is that it doesn’t matter the emotion.  If I am happy or celebrating, then what better way to celebrate than with my “favorite” foods?  Cupcakes or donuts or cheesecake and Cheetos and Bridge Mix, etc, etc, etc…  Or then if I’m bummed out (depressed) or just plain sad or tired and nostalgic,  what better way to comfort myself than with my “favorite” foods?  Yup, you guessed it:  cupcakes or donuts or cheesecake and Cheetos and Bridge Mix, etc, etc, etc…

I have just lived through a two week incredible high which was filled with family, fabulous friends and a lot of food.  Praise God, and thank you, dear readers, for keeping me accountable.  I made really good choices most of the time.  I remained sugar-free, and (tun-ta-da-da!) I ate NO wedding cake.  That is the first time in my life that I went to a wedding and didn’t eat SEVERAL pieces of wedding cake.  Instead I danced with my family, and boy oh boy, was it ever fun!!

Now Emi (my sweet daughter) has gone home.  The house is very quiet, and I am craving sugar like mad!  So today’s plan is to fight the urge.  I won’t make any promises about tomorrow, but for today I refuse to eat my emotions.  Instead, I’m going to allow myself to feel my emotions…to live through my emotions.  And I am going to eat in a balanced, nutritious and sensible manner.

And just for fun, I’m going to put on a music dvd and dance for twenty minutes reliving some of the fun of Nathan and Jordan’s wedding reception.  (BTW:  They are the cutest ever!  And their love is so precious to see!)

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW2: “favorite” is in quotes above because my new favorite foods are those that actually give nourishment to my body.  I am SUCH a work in progress.  🙂

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Recommitment to Change

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Day 65 in my  trek toward Mickey

Holy wah!  One year from today, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, we will be at Old Key West in the heart of Disney World.  I have twelve months to get to a healthier state.   So today I am recommitting myself to a healthier lifestyle.

  1. Stay sugar-free
  2. Walk more and further
  3.  Plan healthy, nutritious meals
  4. Keep blogging

My plan for today is to work out our menu for the week and make up a store list.  I am completely pooped out from our trip to the UP.   (Which was fantastic!!!)  AND Emi, my daughter, leaves back for home in England today.  So, this is what I call a low energy kind of day.

But tomorrow I plan to hit the ground running…well, walking.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Cavorting at the Carlsons

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Day 63 in my prance to the park that is the Magic Kingdom and my main mouse Mickey

I am still in the beautiful UP, and my day is all about visiting and drinking coffee.  I love me some coffee!  I usually just drink  about one cup of decaf a day, but in the UP all bets are off.  Caffeinated coffee well into the afternoon.  Yes, dear readers, I’m a bit buzzed.  🙂

Todays’ plan: We (Mike, Jake, Emi, Eliza and I) will go to dinner at Mama Mia’s tonight with my brothers and sister-in-law. It is a super-delicious Italian restaurant.  So my plan is to make healthy choices (no pasta tonight) at my  savory dinner.  Maybe a steak with veg.  I will however completely enjoy a piece of garlic bread.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I just turned down my friend Wayne’s homemade cinnamon rolls.  He did however make juustoa (a Finnish cheese).  That I did NOT turn down!  Yum!

 

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Today–I Dance!

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Day 62 in my dance toward Disney and my friend Mickey

Today’s plan is a day of planning.  I ate a delicious, nutritious breakfast.  I’ve made a healthy sandwich to get through the lunch hour.  I’m taking an apple for an afternoon snack.  And I will make the best possible choices at the wedding buffet this evening.

I want to dance today!  I hope to do so several times at the reception.  Woot!  Woot!  (Think Disco era hooting.)  This is my plan for my 20 minutes of “walking” today.  🙂

Shout out to Nathan and Jordan!  A Blessed Wedding Day to you.  Love you both!

Short and sweet today, dear readers.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Family, Friends and Food

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Day 61 in my waltz towards Walt’s World (and Mickey)

We made it to the UP!  Yippee!  My sister-in-law Julie has a my-fi here so I can post today. (Thanks, dear sister-in-love!)

Today is a day to make the best possible choices.  Food will be catch as catch can, luckily the Hampton Inn includes a breakfast buffet, so I was able to have a banana and yogurt and coffee for breakfast.   Lunch so far is cheese curds and whole wheat crackers.

So this day will go that way.  I will fly by the seat of my pants and eat as best I can.  I’m off to a wedding rehearsal soon, and I am already thoroughly enjoying visiting with the fam.

I did my minutes in the swimming pool at the hotel last night.  What a blast!!  I kept getting cramps in my feet and my left leg.  It’s just been too long since I swam.  I wish I could do it every day!  It was delightful to move around in the water.

Gotta go.  Meet you at the Kingdom!