Week Five: Peak 10 Challenge #2

This is my "off" week in the midst of this challenge.  I had 9.5 weeks before vacation, more than the 8 weeks needed for the challenge.  So, I get a light week in the midst of the high-intensity chaos.  This is good, because my no-sweating mandate (from the doctor) doesn't end until Thursday!  Eek!

In the meantime, I'm really enjoying exploring what FitnessGlo has to offer in terms of lower-impact workouts.  A fun discovery is Barre - something I've almost but not quite ever done.  It's a lot tougher than it seems.  Another fun find is Ilyse Baker on Glo.  I had done a few of her workouts before but after doing several more, I really like her!  For dance and barre (her core tracks are crazy hard!), she's amazing!  

I'm trying to keep my protein up between 25-30% again, so wish me luck!

Monday: Ilyse Baker's Just Dance + Baker's Barre Blast + Michelle's Hip & Thigh Toner + Michelle's Heart-Pumping Cardio

Oh, this was so much fun!  I started off with Ilyse Baker's dance workout which was a blast.  She didn't put together a routine, just varied the moves to make it less complex and more fun!  Her Barre Blast was tough, especially the floor work.  Ilyse doesn't kid around with her core work!  I did Michelle's Cardio number to get warm again and then finished off with her Hip &  Thigh toner - one I'd done before but liked.  It really gets your legs!  A total of 80 minutes!

25% protein

Tuesday: Michelle's Straight Forward Strength Training + Amy Dixon's Body Weight Training (both on Glo)

For some reason, I'm very motivated to do weights these days.  Michelle's Glo Strength Training is one of my new favorites and it was still fun today.  I was ready for some tougher cardio - with breaks to not sweat - so I tried one of Amy's workouts.  I still think she talks too much and I don't like the overall style of these kinds of workouts (do one move for 1 minute, 15 seconds recovery)….but it was a change, which is what I needed.  90 minutes of working out today!

25% protein

Wednesday: Amy Dixon's All Around Energy + Alex McLean's Barre Blend + Michelle's Tight & Toned Core

Last day of no sweating!  YAY!  I did 30 minutes (of 45) of Dixon's All Around Energy, which is a lower impact strength (body weight) and cardio blend.  This was my second time around with this one - it's not my favorite but it's different which is good.  It was my first time with McLean's Barre Blend which was tough…..  I got a little sweaty so I stopped after 30 minutes.   My main complaint with his stuff is that you do one move over and over and over.  Michelle tends to flow through moves more, which I like much more.  Speaking of, I did her Tight &  Toned Core for the second time….wow, that's a tough one!  I had to modify a few moves but was able to do some of the tough stuff.  Yay!

25% protein

Thursday:  Rockin' Boday Cardio by Michelle + walk

I can sweat today!  Yay!  I bet you haven't heard many people say that, huh?  Neither have I.  But it's nice to not have to worry anymore.  And this is such a fun workout with no dread factor - just nice cardio.  My co-workers and I walked to lunch today - about 20 minutes round-trip.  

26% protein

Friday: Michelle's Burn Calories, Release Stress + Jeffrey Scott's Waist Down Strength (both on Glo)

Since this is still my "off" week in the middle of this challenge, I decided to tone it down today, especially since I don't have a rest day this week.  Michelle's workout (30 minutes in length) is labeled as a level 2 (out of 3) but I would say it's a 1.  I added some extra jumping and jogging to get a bit more of a workout.  Scott's 15 minute leg workout is good without being too touch - lots of squats followed by some floor work.  A nice morning workout!

28% protein!

Saturday: Cardio Strength 2 (Peak Fit)

I thought this workout would kill me, since I've been doing lighter workouts for 1.5 weeks….but it didn't!  Amazing!  I got through it relatively painlessly!  Perhaps it's because I'm down to my goal weight…..  But it felt great!!  I finished off the workout with five minutes of planks and ab work.  

Sunday:  Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + walk

Once again, I was prepared to be bested by a longer, more intense workout…..  But that time never came.  Wow!  I got through this workout remarkably well.  Granted, it's the easiest of the CIBs but it's still tough.  Since it was such a pleasant day out, Mr. Higgins and I took a walk around the neighborhood, for about 30-40 minutes.

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1277
Tuesday - 1267
Wednesday - 1301
Thursday - 1395
Friday - BAD!
Saturday - 1408
Sunday - 1394

Since I was dealing with health stuff Monday - Wednesday, I was glad to be able to skim a few calories off my norm.  When I weighed on Wednesday morning, I was back down my lowest (in recent memory) weight.  I would call it my goal weight and it felt SO good!

The Scarlet Contessa

One of my favorite authors of historical fiction is Jeanne Kalogridis, who has made Renaissance Italy her specialty.  I recently finished her latest novel, The Scarlet Contessa, about Caterina Sforza from 15th century Milan.  

My Goodreads review:

So many historical figures dominate 15th century Italy - the Borgias, the della Roveres, the Medici, Machiavelli, da Vinci - that it's easy to forget that powerful family in Milan, the Sforzas.  Before reading this novel, I knew very little about Caterina Sforza, which is unbelievable!

At the start of Kalogridis' portrayal, Caterina is easy to dislike.  We come to know her through a fictional character, her half-sister and lady-in-waiting, Dea.  Caterina is spoiled and foolish in her youth, but then she must grow up early, as all women had to in the Middle Ages.  She was a mother at 15 and by 25, she was a military commander.  For a woman to go up against the Borgias is remarkable and her tale is a grand one filled with scandal, religion, mysticism, and love.

I very much enjoyed reading this portrayal of such a remarkable woman.

Honey Cowl

I have some knitting - some finished knitting, no less - to share with you today.  Amazing, huh?! I've finished my very first cowl!

When I first saw this pattern on Ravelry, I was in love.  The stitch was so cool!  It was fun to knit, too, though it got a bit tedious.  The pattern called for an 11" thickness but I stopped at about 9.5" since I prefer my cowls not quite so thick - in Texas.  The picture is pre-blocked so it looks even better now!  Love it!

Pattern: Honey Cowl by Antonia Shankland
Yarn: Madelinetosh DK Twist (Steam Age)
Needle: US 8 circs
Made for: me!
Time to completion: 6 months (oy!)

Week Four: Peak 10 Challenge #2

For this challenge, I had a week and a half built into the middle - because I had 9.5 weeks before vacation - to do lighter workouts.  I thought a break in the midst of the Peak 10 insanity (i.e. high impact workout) would be nice. 

Now, I'm forced to do even lighter workouts for a week.  I have some medical stuff going on - I'll talk about that later - and I'm not allowed to sweat for a week.  In Texas, no sweating. Okaaayyy....  This means no "vigorous" workouts.

So, starting on Thursday, for a week, I'll be doing very light workouts - and weights.  I'll have to be careful to take breaks whenever I feel a sweat - ha! - coming on.  Wish me luck! 

Mini goal for the week: keep up my 25-30% protein!

Monday: Pure Cardio + yoga class

For the first time in days, I slept like a rock and woke up feeling rested.  Amazing!  I had planned on taking a break from this workout but since I won't do it for a week, I went ahead and did it again.  I do get a little tired of it but I always enjoy it!  I did yoga for the last time for two weeks.  It's so enjoyable and the instructor is so cute....I'm going to miss it!

31% protein!  Holy cow!

Tuesday: Alex McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits on Glo

I was ready for some different cardio - while I can still sweat - so I did this for only the second time.  It's tough but not impossible - and a nice change.  My only complaint about it is that there's no music - or at least none that I can hear. 

30% protein!

Wednesday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 + Dynamic Flexibility

My last day of full-out cardio workouts for a week.  Sigh.  This CS is tough - a lot tougher than I remembered.  I wore my new heart rate monitor for the first 30 minutes (until it annoyed me and I took it off) and my heart rate peaked at 191.  Holy cow!  Later in the day, when I wanted to move, I did Dynamic Flexibility.  Cool!  I love that one!  

29% protein!

Thursday: Ilyse Baker's Dance Intervals 101 + Alex McLean's Barre Blast - Cardio Barre + his Ab Lab (all on Glo)

And so begins my no-sweat mandate.  Sigh.  I chose some workouts from FitnessGlo that I thought would be fun and not sweaty.  I love Ilyse, I'm finding, so her Dance Intervals 101 looked good, mainly because all the move didn't have to be taken up to the jumping notch. Sure enough, this was tun and not sweaty, when careful.  Alex's Barre workout was good but I'm still not sure about his style.  This one made me sweat so I stopped after 10 minutes.  After stretching for 10 minutes to cool down (finally lowering my heart rate), I did Alex's Ab Lab, which is just planks.  Very good!  A total of 60 minutes!

26% protein

Friday: Michelle's Straight Forward Strength Training + Patricia Friberg's Lengthen & Tone (all on Glo)

Day 2 of no sweating.  Ready for some weights, I chose to do Michelle's Strength Training on Glo, in place of Pure Strength 1.  I really enjoy this one because it's so different from the PSs in PeakFit.  I had to take some short breaks to cool off but then I added about five more minutes of weights - basic bicep curls and such.  Wanting to stretch, I did about 20 minutes of Friberg's Lengthen and Tone - a yoga/pilates blend.  That one wasn't my favorite, which is why I only lasted 20 minutes.  A total of 70 minutes!

25% protein

Saturday:  Michelle's Barre Fusion + Ilyse Baker's Hip-Shaking Dance (both on Glo) + walk

I'm amazed at how much fun I'm having with these lower-impact workouts!  I started the morning off with a 30 minute walk.  It was our coolest morning yet here, in the high 40s, so it was just lovely!  I even managed some jogging.  I then did Michelle's Barre Fusion for the second time.  That's a really nice one - and a good length, at 30 minutes.  I then felt ready for more so I tried Ilyse's new dance workout - and it was so much fun!  I cut it off 5 minutes early - but 25 minutes of dance was plenty after all the rest.   A truly fun morning of working out!  85 minutes!

Sunday: PeakFit Pure Strength 1

And here we go - weights without sweating.  It's not easy but I took out some of the jumping moves - there aren't many but some - and managed to not sweat.  Never in my life did I predict worrying so much about sweat!  Ha!  I had planned on doing another workout today but after an hour of this one, I decided I needed to spend time with Mr. Higgins in lieu of more  workouts.  And I'm glad I did!  Sometimes, you just need to relax with your guy. 

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1380
Tuesday - 1321
Wednesday - 1341
Thursday - 1276
Friday - about 1600
Saturday - 1415
Sunday - bad

I did not get enough protein on Saturday and Sunday.  Sometimes, it just can't be helped.  And I threw my diet to the wind on Sunday, taking a break from worrying about everything I put into my mouth.  I usually do that on Friday but, this week, I had to stay in on Friday - no going out due to my health stuff.  

After this week, only three more days of no sweating.  Yay!  I think.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

While on my protein hunt, I decided to try hard-boiled eggs.  The one time I tried to make them, several years ago, I was unhappy with the results.  I recently found this how-to and have now made perfect hard-boiled eggs three time!  Wow!

I've never been an egg lover.  If I must, I prefer them scrambled with a lot of pepper and salt.  Hard-boiled eggs have never once appealed to me.  But when I tried them, from the recipe above, I really like them!  

Wonders never cease.  

Blueberry Protein Muffins (2014:34)

By now, you all well know of my challenge to eat more protein, especially during the Peak 10 Challenges. 

Recently, I was trying to find some different recipes, espeically for baked goods, that contained more protein.  When I saw these Blueberry Protein Muffins, I was tempted.  I went on Amazon and ordered some protein powder and the day it arrived, I made these muffins.

They did not turn out at all.  The only substitution I made was skim milk for the almond milk but I guess that's enough to ruin them.  I had to throw the entire batch out. 

So sad.  All those blueberries, wasted. 

Week Three: Peak 10 Challenge #2

With everything going on, it seems like I should be much further along in this challenge. Ha!  But I really am enjoying it!  My arms are sore after the strength workouts and my stamina is increasing again with all these high intensity workouts!

I'm ready for another week!

Mini goal this week: get enough protein!  For this challnge, your diet should consist of 25-30% protein, 20-30% fat, the rest carbs.  I'm usually at 20-24% protein so I have some work to do!

Monday: Pure Strength 1 + yoga class

Wow, my arms were aching after this workout!  The leg work is always a difficult surprise in this video, too.  All in all, it's very challenging....but worth it!  I love feeling my body change!  Yoga was much more about flow today so I got very warm and stretched out.  It felt good after my strength video!

29% protein!

Tuesday: Pure Cardio

I was super sore today after weights and cardio so the punches in this workout really hurt.  I honestly can't remember my arms hurting as much as they have in the last two weeks or so.  Maybe I'm finally doing something right!  LOL!  I must say that I'm getting a little tired of this workout.  Don't misunderstand: I like it!  But to do it every week for 8 weeks gets a bit monotonous.  I may try to find something else to do next week - with a similar level of impact.

27% protein!

Wednesday: Total Body Cardio & Strength by Michelle Dozois on Glo + yoga class

I had planned a lighter workout today but circumstances beyond my control (I'll discuss them soon), meant I needed to up the cardio now.  This one is tough but I really, really like it.  Lunch today was yoga - ha!  It was difficult but in a different way than Monday's class - we did more with balance, which is always a struggle.  But fun!

29% protein

*********************From Thursday lunch to Sunday morning, I'm out of town.******************

Thursday: Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout

Wow.  I thought I was doing good through the first two peak circuits of this one.  And then the last two came along and I could barely catch my breath.  Whew!  But that was progress, at least, not being winded with the first peak circuit.  I'll take that baby step!

Friday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix

I was doing this workout away from home so….I was proud to get it done.  This is still my favorite CIB and, today, I really enjoyed it.  

Saturday: Dozois' Barre Fusion on Glo + Petra Kolber's Cardio Burst on Glo

Today, I tried to get my mother interested in Glo.  I thought Petra would be a good way to get her into it.  But, after 10 minutes, she seemed uninterested so we moved on.  Petra's accent distracted me but her low impact cardio was a nice change.  I loved Michelle's 30-minute Barre workout - basically a shortened  BodyFit 360.  It's tough but in a different way than high impact cardio.  I love it!  So, I had a nice 45-minute workout, again away from home.

Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength

Or Peak Fit Cardio Strength 1.  I don't know why but this one was really, really tough for me today.  Sure, I didn't sleep well last night but that's nothing new.  I powered through, somehow, and felt good - but tired - afterward.  It's good to be home today

Calorie Counts:

This week has been crazy.  Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday were good.  Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday….not so much.  Being out of town and out of the routine is always hard for the diet.  Back on the wagon next week!

Shadows on the Nile

I recently finished a novel my Kate Furnivall entitled Shadows on the Nile.  It's a little late to be considered historical fiction but since I love Furnivall's writing, I decided to read it.

My Goodreads review:
Kate Furnivall's Russia "series" (though not technically a series) is one of my absolute favorites. So when I saw this book, I eagerly snatched it up.

The story takes place in 1920s-30s England and begins with the mysterious disappearance of Jessie's baby brother. Later, as an adult, another disappearance occurs that leads Jessie on a merry chase all the way to Egypt to find her brother.

Furnivall's characters are fabulous, especially Georgie, Tim, and Monty. She gives the reader quite a few surprises to go along with superb writing, excellent research, and a fun plot. While not quite as captivating as the Russia books, Shadows in the Nile is a pleasant read.         

Big Brownie Cookies (2014:33)

I first tried these cookies several months ago but forgot to post about them.  Mr. Higgins loved them so much that I've made them again twice, I think.  They are like little brownie bites - so, so good!! 

Big Brownie Cookies by Camilla Saulsbury (in Brownie Mix Bliss, 2005, p. 135)

1 19.5-19.8-ounce package brownie mix
1/3 cup vegetable oil or unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, semisweet
1 cup chopped nuts, optional (I left these out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray (I used parchment paper). 

In a large mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, oil, and eggs. Mix with a spoon until just blended.  Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.  

Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto cookie sheets.  

Bake 11-14 minutes until cracked in appearance and just barely set.  Cool 1 minute on sheets.  Transfer to wire racks and let cool completely.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen big cookies.

I got 45 cookies out of this recipe (my tablespoonsfuls were less heaping), making each cookie 89 calorie each. Wow!  This is one of my new, favorite dessert recipes!

Week Two: Peak 10 Challenge #2

We had another round of company last weekend so my healthy eating suffered....again. I'm super motivated to workout, though, and I'm ready for week two!

Monday: Pure Cardio

It was a blessing to sleep well Sunday night, making me happy and energizied this morning.  And Michelle is always good for the mood with her motivating peppiness.  I really do enjoy this workout though the last circuit - with lunge jumps - always gets me.  My arms have been sore since yoga on Friday so the punches were a bit painful.  But, all in all, a great workout!

Tuesday: Michelle Dozois' Straight Forward Strength Training on Glo

I've been wanting to try this workout since it posted to Glo a month or so ago.  This week gave me the opportunity, subbing it for Pure Strength 1.  Strength training is not my favorite thing so as much as I can mix it up, the better.  I really liked this Glo workout; Michelle is at her best here.  From now on, I'll add it to my rotations in my Peak 10 Challenges!

Wednesday: Alex McLean's Bodyweight Circuits on Glo + yoga class

Well, by now you know how much I dislike the Peak Fit Anytime Anywhere No Excuse Workout.  So when I needed something to sub in its place (because I'm not doing AA every week!), I found this HIIT workout by McLean on Glo.  It did not appear to be the hardest of his HIIT workouts but it had a lot of "peak" type moves and a lot of push-ups...which is like AA.  It proved to be challening, especially the floorwork, but it was a nice change!  There was about 30 minutes of HIIT total, after a warm-up, followed by some core work and a stretch.  I skipped some of the core work to do my own cardio before stretching.  My yoga class at the rec was nice - and difficult, with more core work than usual!  Planks!  Ack!

Thursday:  Tip Top Shape by Michelle Dozois on Glo

Wow.  I did this workout a few weeks ago and thought it a doozy....and it was again this morning.  There was sweat pouring off of me during this video that alternates weights and cardio.  I wish Michelle would post more of these kinds of workouts to Glo. They really are fabulous!

Friday: Peak Fit Dynamic Flexibility + Core Dynamics + yoga class

I was so looking forward to a light morning.  I did the first ten minutes of Core Dynamics and then Dynamic Flexibility.  It felt really good to stretch.  Part of my reasoning for doing my light workout this morning was because I knew about yoga....and Fridays is the hard yoga.  My legs were trembling afterward.  Wow.  I'm loving that class - so I must be a masochist!  Ha!

Saturday:  Cardio Strength 1 by Michelle Dozois on Glo + walk

When I began this workout, I couldn't really remember anything about it.  But as I went along, I gradually remembered that I liked this one!  Ha!  It's difficult but not so difficult that I dread it.  Michelle incorporates some new moves and peaks, which kept me guessing.  You have to love these Peak 10 workouts, that have me drenched in sweat in less than ten minutes.  Lte in the day, Mr. Higgins and I took advantage of the cool weather (90 degrees - LOL) and took a walk around the neighborhood.  It was very nice to get out and enjoy the day at home.

Sunday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn

This was my very first Peak 10 CIB workout….but I haven't done it in a while and I always forget just how hard it is.  The first circuit is one of the hardest of all the CIBs, I think; it's non-stop and culminates with air jacks.  Wow.  It was fun to do this workout again - even if it's a sweat-fest.

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1380
Tuesday - 1396
Wednesday - 1391
Thursday - 1356
Friday - BAD!
Saturday - 1474
Sunday - 1386

I'm glad my eating was better this week.  I tried some new recipes over the weekend so I had fun though I never ate horribly.  Yay!

Another Week

This week has flown by, mostly because of my health issues and the worry that comes with that.  I go back to the doctor on Tuesday to discuss treatment….so we'll see.

Thankfully, this weekend is a free weekend, one in which I can relax and be lazy - with the exception of two good workouts, of course.  Considering it's my only free weekend in September, I must savor it.  And I should have some new recipes to share with you next week because of it!  

And I look forward to spending time with my little kittens, Dooku included.  Isn't he cute?  Ha!

Health

I've been dealing with some unexpected health issues lately.  It's so surprising that I can think of little else.  If my posts are a bit erratic, that's why and I apologize.

My health is something that I always took for granted.  It's always been great!  And now, with my strict workout routine, I feel better than ever.  So it was a shock when I went to the doctor and a routine blood test alerted them to a problem. 

It's nothing life threatening but it's a big deal.  It's also genetic so I have my parents to turn to - and I'm grateful for that, despite the flawed genes!  Ha! 

I'll get back on my cooking game soon and will have more exciting things to post soon!  So stay tuned!

Week One: Peak 10 Challenge #2

After all the eating last week, I'm ready to get back into the workout routine.  I always feel better when I workout every day. 

But after Sunday's Peak Fit Test and cardio strength workout, I was a bit worried at my fitness level.  It's amazing what taking one week off from strenuous workouts will do to you.  So we'll see how this week goes.

Monday: Peak Fit Pure Cardio

I was super achy after Sunday's workout.  My bum hurt; my arms hurt; my legs hurt; I hurt.  I also had the beginnings of a headache that had plagued me, on and off, for a week.  But I made myself move and, before I knew it, my head was a lot better.  It was definitely difficult doing this kind of cardio again in the early morning but I felt great afterward.

Tuesday:  Michelle Dozois' Total Body Cardio and Strength on Glo

This morning, I still ached.  I'm really beginning to loathe my "rest" week for making me have all these aches and pains.  Thankfully, I was looking forward to this workout from Michelle on Glo.  It has 4 cardio intervals interspersed with 4 strength segments.  It's definitely a workout.  I'm trying to ramp it up for tomorrow's workout, which I always hate....

Wednesday: Peak Fit Anytime Anywhere Workout + yoga class

Why do I submit myself to this torture!?  Sigh.  Because I want to be fit and healthy, that's why.  It never fails that this AA workout kicks my bum like nothing else.  I had to modify two "peaks" because I was that winded.  Wow.  I'm really hoping this gets easier in the weeks ahead, like the last time I did this Challenge.  My co-workers and I went to a 50-minute yoga classs at lunch and, thankfully, it focused a lot on the legs, which I needed.  I really do like that class!

Thursday: Peak Fit Pure Strength 1

So I completely forgot how much this gets my arms.  Wow!  Again, it's frustrating to see how much harder these exercises are after a week of rest.  And I haven't done a Peak strength workout in 8 weeks.  So.....ow.

Friday:  Dozois' Burn Calories, Release Stress + Scott's Waist Down Strength on Glo + yoga class

I'm skipping my yoga/fusion/flow morning workout this week in order to burn some more calories after last week's extravangance.  But since I didn't want a crazy intense workout, I settled on a level 2 (out of 3) workout by Michelle on Glo.  It was 30 minutes of mostly low intensity cardio (about 30% high intensity).  I followed that up with Scott's level 2 leg workout.  So, so many squats.  Ouch!  These made for a great morning workout!  At lunch, a co-worker and I went to yoga at the rec.  Friday classes are led by a different teacher with a more rigorous pace and more core work.  The class was mostly made up of undergrads, unlike the Monday and Wednesday classes, so this was out of my comfort zone, for sure.  I ended up enjoying it, though, and hope to try it again!

Saturday:  Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn

It had been two months since I did this CIB.  Though it's the easiest of all the CIBs, it's still tough.  But I like it and I had fun with this workout which lasted about 75 minutes.

Sunday:  Peak 10 Cardio Strength

After entertaining and eating badly on Sunday, I got this workout in toward the end of the day.  That's not my preferred time to work out but I really needed and wanted to sweat.  Boy, oh boy was this workout hard!  The extra pounds of the weekend made moving much more difficult.  I made it through….barely.

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1348
Tuesday - 1369
Wednesday - 1373
Thursday - 1313
Friday - bad
Saturday - bad
Sunday - BAD!

I'm mostly happy with my eating this week.  The weekend proved to be challenging with my parents in town.  Oh, well.  That doesn't happen often and I'll do a lot better next week.

Priceless

It's been awhile since Dooku was mentioned on here.  He had an exhausting time of it last week, entertaining his grandparents.  And he was a good boy, super cute and well behaved. 

Pets are a commitment and they sometimes drive us crazy, but the amount of joy they bring into a home is priceless.  Dooku always makes me smile and for that, I'm extremely grateful.

Rest Week

I'm totally and completely phsyched about doing another Peak 10 Challenge next week.  In the meantime, my in-laws are in town, forcing me (ha!) to take a break from my crazy workouts.

One of the more adventurous things I did this week was to become a member at my employer's rec center.  Yes, it's good to work at a university.  Up until now, however, my building was so far from the rec center that working out there was not an option.  And I still don't like gyms or working out in front of people.  But, after eight years, I decided to take the plunge for one simple reason: lunch.  I can go and walk on the indoor track at lunch or, just maybe, take a yoga class. 

We'll see how this goes.  I already have buyer's remorse.  No joke. 

Here's a rundown of my "rest"...

Monday: Glo's Thrills and Drill by Amy Dixon

Before you freak out, I did ten minutes of this very light cardio "workout."  I wanted some time to myself in our full house so I went with my laptop to our bathroom and did this.  Ha!  Amy is still way too chatty so I still don't know what to make of her.  Ugh.

Tuesday: walking

I walked to my car - twice.  That's ten minutes each round trip.  I walked to the rec center to buy a membership.  Yay!  It's just not much fun walking when it's 100 degrees out.

Wednesday: Yoga class at the rec

When I committed to doing this class, I was oddly nervous.  Working out with undergrads has never sounded appealing.  I went with a co-worker and was happy that 75% of the class was made up of faculty/staff - all needing a break at lunch.  It was a lovely class.  I stretched in new and different ways.  When it was over, I bought a class pass for the year.  Yoga is offered MWF and if I go at least twice a week, that pass is worth is.  

Thursday: walking at the rec

At lunch, a co-worker and I really needed to get out so when I said I wanted to walk on the track in the rec (with my newfound membership), she eagerly joined me.  We walked for 30 minutes - not too fast but enough to sweat - for about 1.25 miles.  There were undergrads around us but not too many.  It felt good to be active after stretching so much the previous day.  

Friday: rest

Saturday: rest

Sunday: Peak Fit Test and Peak 10 More Cardio Strength

Wow.  I can't believe how much this test affected me.  My legs were shaking afterward and I could barely get through 30 minutes of the cardio strength.  I skipped the peaks in the CS workout since I had done 10 peaks with the fit test.  I was exhausted.  So, 25 minutes for the test, 30 minutes for the CS, and about 10 minutes of stretching.  I'm done.  

Calorie Counts:

Um, no.  We won't go there.  I ate out every day except Sunday.  I tried to be healthy but sometimes that was no possible.  It was, however, a nice change from the routine, which has gotten a bit stale after the long summer months.  

Now I'm ready for my next Peak 10 Challenge!

Cinnamon Loaf Cake (2014:32)

Though I've been doing some baking lately, mostly cookie, I was itching to try something new.  I'd pinned a recipe for Cinnamon Loaf Cake and, once I calculated the calories, decided to make it.

My first hurdle was self-rising flour: I had none.  I found the baking powder/flour substitution online and proceeded with the rest of the recipe.  Instead of creamer, I used skim milk and 1.5 tsp of vanilla. 

The cake smelled delicious while baking.  I love making the house smell good!  But when I took the cake out of the oven, it was flat....as in an inch thick.  Obviously, my sub for self-rising flour did not work. Ack! 

But the cake tasted wonderful!  It was so wonderful that I bought the right flour at the store so I can attempt to make it again - the right way.  It's perfect for drinking with coffee or tea.  Yum!

Stella Bain

I missed a book group meeting and at that meeting, they chose to read Stella Bain by Anita Shreve.  I've long seen Ms. Shreve's books but have never touched one.  When I read the summary for this novel, I was no more interested.  But I gave it a try.  And then, with my in-laws in town (who read a lot), I found myself picking it up again and again when I had a few mintues to kill. 

Here's my review for Goodreads:

This novel, chosen by my book group, seemed uninteresting to me when I picked it up. World War I does not appeal to me; amnesia is not interesting; Anita Shreve doesn't write books that appeal to me.

But for some reason I had a lot of time to read and I kept coming back to this book. It ended up holding my attention far better than I would have imagined. Stella Bain's story was fascinating and I loved piecing together her memories as she discovered them. World War I was a fascinating back-drop as was London. The only "boring" part, in my opinion, was in the courtroom.

While the ending wasn't a complete surprise, it was very fulfilling to this reader.         

This was my 17th book fo the year!  I'm really hoping to make my goal of reading 25 books!

Week Seven: Jari Love Challenge

Here we go!  My last week of this challenge; my last week before a week off from working out!  Wow!

I definitely think I'm due for a rest, even though my OCD-brain hates the thought of taking a week off from exercise.  But after a while, you have to rest and refuel just to get your motivation back.  And this is what I need. 

However, before that rest, I'm going to hit it hard this week! 

Monday:  Jari Love's Get Extremely RIPPED 1000 - Workout 1

The first workout on this disc is by far my favorite.  It's always tough but the cardio is much more preferred than that of the second workout.  This workout lasted for 35 minutes.  I then did a leg strength track, using weights, followed by a nice stretch.  Not bad for a Monday morning!

Tuesday: Jillian Michaels' 6 Week Six-Pack

I hadn't touched this video in forever!  So instead of doing a lighter fusion/pilates/yoga workout this week, I decided to be tortured by Jillian.  Ha!  Her ab workouts have cardio circuits incorporated throughout, in order to burn calories while sculpting.  As a result, I definitely sweated.  I did the entire basic workout and half of the advanced, which was one circuit before it was all repeated.  Wow.  We'll see how my abs looks!

Wednesday: 500 Calorie Workout by The Firm

This morning, I wanted some good cardio.  The Firm's workout got me sweating in no time, alternating between five minute segments of cardio and then weights.  Even though I've done plenty of weights lately and during my Peak 10 Challenge, this workout always gets me.  Perhaps it's the repetitions of the compound exercies.  Even though it was tough, it felt good!

Thursday: Get RIPPED! 1000 by Jari Love

I haven't been sleeping well this week and this morning, I woke up feeling icky.  But I made myself move and, before long, I was well into this Jari Love workout.  

Friday:  Glo's Sweat It Out, Burn It Off and HIIT - Sports Inspired Intervals

I put these two videos together to make a 50 minute cardio workout.  The first was athletic cardio with some light weights (but all cardio) and the second was HIIT training.  You alternate 20 second HIIT moves.  I like having different types of workouts within my 50 minutes so this was fun!

Saturday: rest

Sunday: rest

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1385
Tuesday - 1385
Wednesday - 1365
Thursday - 1398
Friday - BAD!
Saturday - bad
Sunday - bad

Mr. Higgins' parents arrived Saturday morning and so my "break" began.  

Empress of Rome

Lately, I've really been enjoying the Roman historical fiction novels of Kate Quinn.  She has a great talent for weaving itneresting history and witty dialogue.  My latest read of hers, Empress of Rome, was great.  It's the third book in her Rome series and, while the first one was probably my favorite, I really enjoyed the third installment.

This is what I wrote on Goodreads:

Kate Quinn's third Roman novel is just as good as the previous two. Quinn has a talent for weaving historical facts and fiction; her dialogue is witty and fluid while her descriptions are vivid and real. Her writing style relies more on dialogue than description but that keeps the novel flowing and entertaining.

I really enjoyed reading about Sabina Vibia and her sister, Faustina. Titus and Vix were polar opposites and intriguing. The emperor Trajan came to life here, as did his heir, Hadrian.

A very fun read!         

Irish Soda Bread Muffins (2014:31)

I love Pinterest.  I also love recipe blogs.  When you put the two together, I'm in heaven.  If you've never tried Pinterest, it's a great way to keep track of all those recipes you find, all those crafty ideas your run across, and fashion trends you want to try.

A few months ago, I pinned a recipe for Irish Soda Bread Muffins from Skinnytaste, a blog I frequent.  I'd never tried Soda Bread and was curious.

Over the weekend, I finally got around to making the muffins.  The recipe was simple and there was little fuss.  I opted for unbleached flour instead of whole wheat, as my wheat flour was running low. 

When they came out of the oven, I could hardly wait for them to cool before trying them.  And they were quite yummy!  The texture is somewhere between bread and coarse cornbread - definitely different but yummy! 

I'm so glad to have found this low-calorie recipe!  It'll go into my recipe book, for sure!

Week Six: Jari Love Challenge

Since my eating hasn't been great, I've been avoiding the scale.  This week, though, I had to get on it due to my dreaded yearly physical.  I weighed before going to the doctor and I was completely happy with the number displayed.  All these high intensity workouts really do amazing things for weight, let me tell you!

Thankfully, my eating will be better this week. 

Monday: Jari Love's Get Extremely RIPPED! 1000 Hardcore and abs

Mondays are always hard.  The cardio in this workout is always difficult....just because it always lasts longer than expected.  But I got through workout 2 and went on to do 10 minutes of abs from Glo. 

Tuesday: Cardio Interval Burn on Glo by Michelle Dozois

My doctor's appointment was today so I had extra time in the morning before I was due to be examined (ugh!).  I worked out extra long in order to not be too distracted by my starving stomach.  This CIB lasted for about 55 minutes; I stretched for 10; then 10 minutes of Dozois' pilates (core focused) on Glo.  When I have the time, I love a good, long workout!

Wednesday: Michelle Dozois' Tip Top Shape on Glo

This one was more difficult than I expected, I think because of the floorwork.  I sweated up a storm but it was fun!  There are some different weighted strength moves in here, too - Michelle really is innovative with her moves!  I'll do this one again!

Thursday: Yoga Booty Ballet (original)

I did parts of the basic and advanced workouts.  I like the ballet and yoga of the basic but the dance of the advanced.  This DVD had gone untouched for a long time, so it was a pleasant change!

Friday: Jari Love's Slim and Lean

As usual, I did three segments of this (plus warm-up) and alternated those segments with my own cardio drills.  It's definitely a workout but it's varied enough to not be exhausting.  

Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix by Michelle Dozois

Wow, this one is tough but good!  I had worked outside, sweating away in the early morning humidity and heat and I could definitely tell this workout was harder because of being a bit dehydrated at the start.  I drank more water than usual and got through it.  Always a fun one!

Sunday: Cathe's Cardio Core Circuit + dance and abs from Glo

I was dreading this one for days beforehand, which is never a good thing.  Cathe sure does work you hard but I made it through.  I followed up that 45 minute workout with 20 minutes of dance on Glo and then 5 minutes of abs.  Fun!

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1395
Tuesday - 1385
Wednesday - 1383
Thursday - 1321
Friday - BAD
Saturday - 1478
Sunday - 1388

I was really proud of those calorie counts this week.  I went out to lunch three days (one on Friday) but I ate healthy and stayed on track!  Even through the weekend!  Wow.  Of course, when the in-laws are in town in a few weeks, it's all over.  Sigh.

Happy Colada (2014:30)

We were set to have company over to watch "Game of Thrones" and I wanted to be a good hostess and offer a cocktail.  Looking for drinks online is a daunting prospect - so many choices, so many liquors....it's overwhelming!

When I ran across a recipe with pineapple, my interest always peaks: I love pineapple!  And then I saw this recipe for Happy Coladas.  I like blue curacao; I like rum.  And so I gave these a whirl!

My batch of coladas turned out to be more green than blue, prompting Mr. Higgins to re-name it Romulan Ale.  His joking ended when he sipped the green drink and liked it.  I decreased the coconut rum and added some aged rum so the drink would have more of a punch.  And it did!

After two of these, I was pleasantly loopy - and happy!  These will be made quite frequently at our house!

Craft Updates

I'm overdue to talk about crafty things!  And, boy, do I have a lot of crafty things going one!  Here's a run-down...

Knitting

The cowl that has been my knitting life for a while now is....still my knitting life.  I really do love it and the Madelinetosh yarn it's made of....but knitting takes more time than I ever think.  I even sat down and knitted through a two-hour long movie.....and didn't feel like I made a ton of progress.  My friend is waiting on me to start a sweater with her so I need to get this done!

Project Life

I'm still loving this, though I hate having to pick up pictures - now every two weeks.  I try to write out my journal cards at the end of every week but I'm now spacing out my trips to Walgreens for prints.  With my longer hours at work, those trips are now very inconvenient.  My main struggle with PL, though, is remembering to take pictures.  With my faulty memory, it's a lot harder than it would seem.

Card-Making

In the spring, I made a ton of cards after my co-workers kept insisting I provide the cards we send as a department.  So I'm still good on unisex birthday cards.  Recently, I made some college football cards since it's Mr. Higgins' favorite time of the year.

Scrapbooking

My mom and I have our second scrapbook retreat of the year in late September.  That should be super fun and productive as I hope to start and complete a book during that long weekend.  These retreats are priceless!

I think that's it!  So many crafts, so little time!

Week Five: Jari Love Challenge

Time is flying by - good grief!  I won't be sad to see summer and this heat end, for sure.  But it's amazing how quickly the weeks pass. 

This week will not be a great eating week.  Sometimes life intrudes upon our goals and this is one of those times.  I'll keep up the workouts, though, shirking any days off between now and week eight, which will be a complete break from working out.  Mr. Higgins' parents will be in town that week and working out is not an option. 

So, here we go, week five.....

Monday: Michelle Dozois' Rockin' Body Cardio

I consider this to be a lighter workout and I needed this after two days of Peak 10 workouts.  But I always forget how much this one works me - and how much I sweat.  It's good old-fashioned cardio and my heart rates gets up and stays up for the duration!

Tuesday: Jari Love's Get Extremely RIPPED! - Workout 2 and Michelle Dozois' Tight and Toned Core on Glo

I was ready to do some weights this morning and Jari gave me a great workout.  Even though this workout has no real cardio, the compound weighted exercises always get me sweating.  To finish off my 50 minutes of workout out, I did Michelle's Tight and Toned Core on Glo.  I surprised myself by being able to do a few of the harder moves but was disappointed when I struggled with others.  Sigh.

Wednesday: Body Fit 360 by Michelle Dozois

Since I didn't do a fusion/yoga/pilates workout last week, I was excited to do one today.  And it was fun.  As always, I love the intense stretching at the end of the workout!

Thursday: Two lighter workouts on Glo with Dozois' Supercharge Intervals in the middle

I began by doing a ten minute light cardio workout to warm-up.  Then, for the first time, I did Michelle's HIIT workout, Supercharge Intervals, which is 20 minutes long.  There are only five moves.  You start with 10 reps each and count all the down to only 1 rep each.  Wow.  This was difficult.  I finished by doing a 20 minute dance workout, to stay loose but moving after the HIIT craziness.  I'm not sure what I think about that style of HIIT.  For me, doing many moves rather than just a few is always preferable.  But I like to shake things up so it was worth it.

Friday: Get RIPPED! 1000 by Jari Love

I'm trying to use my heavier weights whenever possible.  However, I still can't use them for the endless bicep curl track.  My light weights are easier, though, and I'm able to do the entire track.  Yay!

Saturday:  Cathe's Intensity + light cardio from Glo

Today, my workout lasted 80 minutes, including a 5 minute stretch.  I did Cathe's Intensity (step + HIIT + HIIT Low) for 50 minutes, light cardio from Glo for 20 minutes, and then a 5 minute stretch.  I still don't like Cathe's style….and I know I say that every time I do her workouts.  But today, after it all, I felt great - and that's what matters.

Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Remix

This is one of my favorites and it felt good this morning.  It's not easy, though, and I was sweating up a storm.  I think this one has just the right about of floor work.

Calorie Counts:

Monday - 1381
Tuesday - 2473 (UGH!)
Wednesday - 1388
Thursday - 1392
Friday - BAD!
Saturday -  1440
Sunday - 1412

This was not a great eating week.  Next week will have to be better!

Chicken Fajitas (2014:29)

When a gluten-free friend was coming over for dinner recently, I had a momentary panic about what to make.  Fajitas came to mind, but my tg-to fajita marinade contains worcestershire sauce, which has gluten.  The packaged fajita seasoning has never been my favorite and I try to avoid those whenever possible.  So I turned to the internet to find a new marinade. 

I stumbled upon this recipe for Flavorful Chicken Fajitas and decided to give it a try.  I cut up the chicken and made the marinade the night before so the chicken would have plenty of time to soak up all those juices. 

The chicken smelled lovely as it cooked - always a good sign!  And thankfully, these fajitas turned out great for my guest.  If I have one compaint, it's that they were a bit too salty.  (I used normal salt instead of seasoned salt, which I did not have.) 

This may just become my go-to fajita recipe! 

S

I finally finished the novel S, by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst.  Mr. Higgins read it first and then suggested I read it.  It's unlike any other book I've ever seen or read and is, therefore, very hard to describe.

There are two stories going on in this novel, plus the backstory of the supposed author of the book.  Very confusing, I know.  The novel tells the story of S, a man who has no memory.  The second story takes place in the margins of the novel and tells the story of those who read the book.  

Here is my review as posted on Goodreads - though it's a bit vague:

When I first picked this up to read, I had no idea what to expect. I was quickly drawn into the mystery of S's story - a man with no past. Once we encounter the ship with its odd crew, I was even more intrigued. The heart of the story is in the margins, with Jen and Eric. Sure, S and Sola have their own story but it's the young love and youthful angst that keeps one emotionally vested in the story. This book was a very interesting experiment - indeed, there's nothing like it - and I would call it a success.

Week Four: Jari Love Challenge

After the overindulgence in Vegas the previous week, I really needed to get back on the healthy bandwagon this week - and fast!  The Sunday before was a good precursor - a Dozois cardio strength and calories totaling about 1450.  But I'll have to keep it up!

I'm ditching my yoga/fusion/stretch workout this week in order to get in some additional cardio to burn more calories.  Maybe I can do some extra stretching on the weekend; it just always feels so good! 

My feet are still hurting from Vegas and now my legs ache from Michelle Dozois' workout on Sunday.  But here we go...

Monday: Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped 1000 - Workout 2

Waking up, it felt way too early; I'm obviously still on Vegas time, two hours behind.  I stumbled into some workout clothes and started moving as soon as possible.  I like this workout, though the lateral lifts always get the better of me.  I filled in the rest of my 50 minute workout time-slot with additional leg work and the push-ups/sit-ups at the end of Workout 2.

Tuesday: Amy Dixon's All Around Energy on FitnessGlo

Wanting some cardio, but not crazy intense cardio, I found this level 2 (out of 3) workout on Glo and thought I'd try it.  It alternates cardio and body strength segments.  This was the first full-length Amy Dixon workout I've tried and, while I mostly like her style, I don't like her non-stop gabbing through the entire thing.  I mean, she literally never stopped talking.  I'm used to cueing, not constant gabbing, and I found it distracting.  That being said, I may do this one again.  The intensity is good for those days you don't want to feel like you're dying when working out.

Wednesday: Michelle Dozois' Total Body Cardio & Strength on FitnessGlo

I actually tried to do a different Dozois workout on Glo this morning, but, for the first time, Glo messed up and wouldn't load the video.  Since I was barely conscious and not capable of complete brain functions at 5:30am, I chose to do this workout again, for the second time.  It's a very good one - classic Michelle style and efficiency. 

Thursday:  Jari Love's Get RIPPED! Slim & Lean

This morning came and I was a tiny bit more conscious than yesterday morning.  I got through three strength segments with Jari, alternating with my own cardio intervals.  My hamstrings have been super tight and painful since Tuesday, I think, so I tried to get a good stretch in afterword.  I have no idea what's going on; my hamstrings are usually quite cooperative.

Friday: The Firm's Bootcamp: Maximum Calorie Burn

The last time I did this workout, I realized it would be the perfect morning workout.  The cool down pops up at about 45 minutes into it, which is perfect!  I was a bit more alert this morning which was good - there's some high impact cardio in this!  And I always forget how hard it works me!

Saturday:  Michelle Dozois' Cardio Interval Burn on FitnessGlo

I was really looking forward to this workout and I liked it as much as I remembered, thank goodness!  I did the workout + bonus block + stretch.  Whew!  I also added on a 10 minute ab workout.  That's 1.25 hours of working out, peeps!

Sunday:  Michelle Dozois' Cardio Strength 2 on FitnessGlo

This was my first time doing this workout and, oh my goodness, it's a doozy.  There's more floor work than any other CS and it was super tough.  Sweat was pouring off of me 15 minutes into it.  This was also my first attempt at one-arm burpees.  I was mostly able to do them, though my left arm is definitely weaker.  

Calorie Counts:

Monday: 1345
Tuesday: 1345 (eating the same things; I like routine!)
Wednesday: 1393
Thursday: 1395
Friday: bad!
Saturday:  1405
Sunday:  1398

This week I really needed to stay on my diet and I'm proud that I did.  Next week will throw me some curve balls so I need to be prepared.  

I definitely got my money's worth out of FitnessGlo this week!  And I really do love it.  If you need to shake-up your workouts, Glo is a great way to do it.  For only $12 a month, you have TONS of workouts at your fingertips.  And you can cancel anytime!

Upon Thankfully Leaving Las Vegas

As you may have figured out by now, I was in Las Vegas last week for a conference.  Mr. Higgins joined me so we could have some fun in between my sessions of "work."  When it came time to leave Vegas, I was so ready to come home.  Here are some thoughts on that dreadful interesting perplexing....city. 

The last time I was in Vegas was, I think, 2001.  I was not old enough to drink or gamble and just walking through the casinos made me feel like I was doing something very wrong. But even back then I was put off by the smoke-filled, dark, loud rooms.  Ew!  Who would willing spend time in such places?!  But I did really enjoy walking through the hotels and seeing all the architectural wonders they acheived.  

Our conference was at the Cosmopolitan and that's where we stayed.  This hotel wasn't built the last time I was there and it was odd seeing two huge 60+ floor towers in that space by the Bellagio.  But the hotel was amazing - clean, modern, and chic. 

Complete with balcony - and a view.

It really was incredible.  I could have just watched the Strip for hours from our terrace.  The only downside: you hear the Bellagio fountains all night long.  Think cannon fire every 15 minutes and you'll understand. 

We walked a lot, making it to almost every hotel on the Strip.  We even ventured out to Freemont Street - old Las Vegas - on Friday night.  We were supposed to do this Thursday but our plans changed.  Little did we know just how crazy it gets in Vegas on Friday nights.  You get carded and wrist-banded before entering the Freemont Street Experience. 

We wandered around the casinos and finally got dinner after dark, at about 8:30.  After a frigid 30-minute bus ride, we were deposited once again on the stifling Strip, hopping off at The Mirage.  Mr. Higgins wanted to see the Srip at night.  Oy.

It was packed.  I felt like I was in New York City.  And let me tell you: I have no desire to see NYC.  None at all.  So when I came upon a crosswalk and waited behind a hundred people to cross the street, I got a little nervous.  I'm not claustrophobic but I don't like crowds and feeling trapped. 

The Bellagio fountains provided a brief reprieve....

....until we saw a homeless guy being kicked by the police. Wow.  Can I go home now?

 

Mr. Higgins wanted to "people watch" some more - weird, since he's such an introvert - but I said I was going up to our safe perch on the 47th floor of the Cosmo.  It was 10:30 by then and I was content to relax on our balcony. 

I don't know if I'll ever want to return to Vegas.  I think that's an every-ten-years-or-so kind of destination.  There's only so many encounters with odd people that one can take.

Oh, and we shared an elevator with a gigalow who was just getting "off work" at 10am on Saturday.  He had been so "worked" so hard all night long that all he wanted was a shower.  Ewoh! 

Bye-bye, Vegas.  

Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken (2014:28)

Though I love my Whole Chicken in the Crock-Pot recipe, it's a bit tiring dealing with all those bones.  And so I went looking for a way to make good chicken breasts in the crock-pot.  This Slow-Cooker Shredded Chicken sounded great.

I bought a 6 lb bag of chicken breasts and dumped them, frozen, in the crock-pot with about a 1/4c of water.  Following the directions, I sprinkled the chicken with the dictated spices.  As it cooked, it smelled wonderful, thanks to the garlic powder.  I checked the chicken at 7 hours and left it in for an additional 30 minutes.  Next time, I'll probably cook it for 8 hours just to be safe and worry-free.

When I took the chicken out, it was clear I hadn't really needed the water.  Six pounds of chicken was shredded in about 5 mintues - amazing!  And it tasted great!  In the end, I had 6 bags of 2 servings each to freeze.  Wow! 

I've since used this chicken for wraps and salads.  It's better, I think, than the whole chicken in the crock-pot.  It's flavorful and nicely (and easily!) shredded.  This will become a standard for me to make every few weeks. 

Week Three: Jari Love Challenge

This week is going to blow my diet out of the water.  On Wednesday morning, I leave for a conference in Las Vegas.  Mr. Higgins will join me shortly thereafter.  We're finding too many good places to eat, too many good foods, and too many good drinks.  Oy. 

I have a tiny bit of hope for working out in the room but there will also be tons of walking every day. Wish me luck!  It's going to be very, very hot there!

Monday: Jari Love's Get Ripped! 1000

This morning came way too fast and I was exhausted as I started stumbling through this workout.  But it got easier as I went along (to not stumble, that is) and pretty soon, the sweat was dripping off of me.  Fun! 

Tuesday:  Jari Love's Get Extremely Ripped! 1000 Hardcore - Workout 1

Another night of restless sleep meant this morning was another difficult one on which to work out.  I did the first workout on Jari's 1000 Hardcore video.  It includes four weight sections and three cardio segments.  The cardio is always what gets me in this video - the segments seem overly long.  But it felt good.  I followed that up with ten minutes of Ilyse Baker's Ultimate Dance Extravaganza on Glo, picking up where I left off on Saturday.  It really is fun!

Wednesday (Las Vegas): Walking

We walked so much this first day that I may have gotten shin splints.  I don't know; I've never had them.  But my upper feet and ankles were still hurting four days later!

Thursday (Las Vegas): Walking

Not as much as yesterday, but still, a lot of walking.

Friday (Las Vegas): Anytime Anywhere Workout On-the-Go by Michelle Dozois

This little pamphlet showing the Anytime Anywhere workout came with the PeakFit System.  And I'm glad I packed it on the trip.  It got me sweating very quickly for a great 30 minute workout on this early morning in Vegas.   Oh, and I walked some more - well, tons!  Ha!

Saturday (Las Vegas and then home): Walking

Our flight was delayed and delayed…  We walked around the Strip and then around the airport.  Fun.

Sunday: Peak 10 More Cardio Strength by Michelle Dozois

It felt good - in every place but my feet - to do this workout at home on Sunday.  It felt great to sweat (when not wearing good clothes in Vegas) and get in a good, challenging workout.  This is still my least favorite of the cardio strengths but it's a good change. 

Calorie Counts:

We're just not going to go there.  Next week I will hit a very big reset button!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (2014:27)

For some very odd reason, I was recently craving Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.  Finding a low calorie version proved to be a challenge until I turned to my old trustworthy friend, Cooking Light.

Upon reading the reviews of these cookies, I made a few additions to the recipe.  I added 1/2 teaspoon each of: baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Yum!  I also decreased the cooking time a bit, hoping the keep the cookies nice and soft.

They turned out to be delicious!  Mr. Higgins approved, as did our friend who was visiting.  My only complaint is that they dry out pretty quickly.  I froze half the batch and they freeze well - until they dry out after a few days on the counter.