Tag Archives: Chunky Dunkers

Happy! Happy! Happy!

Good evening!

I just got home, and I just found myself sitting in the quiet of my living room, zoning! I am so absolutely tired, and and soooo absolutely HAPPY! I had my first Zumba class today, and I have to tell you – IT IS SOOOO MUCH HARDER THAN MY BELLY DANCING CLASS!! Or I might be saying that just because I did do two hours of belly dancing last night, and I must confess, today I was still a little sore. Now, after doing my Zumba class, my sweetie might as well just wheel my sorry booty up the stairs and chuck me into bed, because I am

T-I-R-E-D!!!

Tired, but very happy!! I love getting to know what this body of mine can and cannot do! I am literally in awe of the fact that if I consistently do something, I will get better at it, and it will get easier!

WHAT A NOVEL CONCEPT!! 😉

OK, so back to my Zumba class.  The class was fun. We were in a gigantic conference room at the hospital and there were 15 of us, not including the instructor. She had provided belly dancing coin skirts for everyone to wear, so we could have fun jangling with the music – I thought that was funny!! 😉 The music was AMAZING!! There were some modern pieces as well as some upbeat Latin pieces, but everything was happy music!! Which was good because we were all having fun sweating, giggling, and dancing like maniacs!!! The dance moves were a mix between belly dancing, Latin steps, and pop – CRAZY FUN!!! The only time the class wasn’t fun was when our instructor sneakily threw in a song that was just for squatting, and then another song that was just for balancing on one foot, and one song just for doing situps, plank, and a ab-crunching Pilates move! OUCH!!! Let me just tell you, I am just so thankful that I don’t have to do that again until Thursday!! I have a day to recoup, and honey, let me tell, you I need it!! 😉

Well, I know this sounds crazy, but I am going to go swimming with my sweetie before bed tonight, so until tomorrow…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

PS. Chunky Dunkers, we are SO ON for tomorrow night!! I will meet you here!! 😉

A Gorgeous Day!

Good evening!

It has been an absolutely gorgeous day here in Oregon. It was a bit on the toasty side today, but I just got back from  nice long swim in our chilly pool, which was absolutely refreshing, and we have air conditioning in our little place, so I think I should be able to nod off to sleep quite nicely this evening. It also probably helps that I am beyond tired, from having so much fun with my sister, Jennifer, while she is still in town.

Her and her husband, Austin, are only in town in until tomorrow, at which time they will return home! I have tried, for years to talk them into moving here, but Salem is just too big for them, which is ironic because it is just too small for us!! 😉 Anyway, we have squeezed in some quality time after work this evening, going to their favorite place in Salem to eat, and that is at Mongolian Grill. They make it a point to eat there at least once during every visit, and this time was no different. 😉

I must interject here, I have been part of a support group called Chunky Dunkers. This is basically a get healthy & fit support group that I started with the help of my sisters, Alex, Jennifer, oh, and I can’t forget my sweetie, Jason. Well, Alex has lost almost 60 pounds, and Jennifer has lost almost 40. I am soooo ABSOLUTELY PROUD OF BOTH OF THEM (and a little jealous, if truth be told), and it has caused me to have a feeling of a renewed sense of,

“Ok girl, you have got to get your butt into gear and make this happen for yourself!!”

So, I have eaten extra fruits and veggies today, avoided all calorie-laden drinks, and tracked all of my food that I have eaten, walked the stairs at work, and even got an extra half an hour of vigorous swimming in this evening! Whew!!! Only one day down, and possibly hundreds more to go, which is ok, seeing that it took me literally 16 years to get to the size that I am. I have never really been overly self-conscious of the weight, but I am noticing that the older I am getting the more aches and pains in my joints I am getting, and I am just TOO YOUNG to feel this DAMN OLD!! 😉 So, instead of just pissing and moaning about it, I am going to step up to the plate and take some action – little, by little – baby steps!!

If any of you reading have any hints/tips/ideas/yummy recipe ideas, or even just some motivational support for me and my get fit actions, I would be more than happy to hear from you. Please leave me a message in the comment section above!

Thank you SOOOO MUCH, in advance!!

With that said, I am going to head off to bed for the evening!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

P.S. These pictures were taken in my mom, Linda’s, garden. Aren’t they just lovely? Thanks, Mom!! 😉

Mamma Needed That!

Good evening!

I had a pretty rough day today, and it just seemed to get worse when I got home – HOWEVER!!! I just finished watching one of Craig Ferguson’s comedy shows, and I

LAUGHED MY HEINIE OFF!!!

I REALLY NEEDED THAT!!

Laughter really is the best medicine, isn’t it??

Well, tonight is Chunky Dunker’s night, and I have to admit that this week I have been doing pretty well, foodwise, and have lost about 7 1/2 pounds total!! YEAH!! That is pretty impressive when I think that I have been steadily going up every week instead of going down, and NOW my body decides to cooperate! That is alright, better late then never!!!

My sister Trina is coming up from Roseburg tomorrow to stay with us for the weekend! That will be a lot of fun! I am taking Friday off of work so that we can go spend the day together over at the coast! I CAN’T WAIT!!! I just know we are going to have a lot of fun, and don’t worry I will make sure to take lots of pictures to share!!! 😉 I am going to miss her whole first evening in town, because I am working and have my dance class tomorrow night, but I know it will just give Trina and Jason time to spend some quality time together!!!

Have I told you that my sweetie has been sick?? He has been coughing like a fiend and is really congested in the chest – it almost sounds like bronchitis!! Not fun!! I am happy to report that he is feeling better today, he practically slept the past two days away!! So, to see him up and moving around, albeit slowly, is still encouraging!! He is DETERMINED to be better by the time Trina gets up here tomorrow!! One way or the other, the weekend is going to be a blast!!!

Alrighty, I am going to wrap this bad boy up this evening!! I am meeting some of my fellow Chunky Dunkers in the comments section of this post this evening!! So, I had better get to it!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

I Feel Pretty!!

Good evening!

I had such an excellent evening!! I always am soooo JAZZED after belly dancing class!! and guess what????

WE DANCE WITH VEILS TONIGHT!!!! 😉

That made me feel like a bug-a-jillion dollars!!!!!

Who knew that you could actually get toned and fit while twirling, and spinning, and flipping, and making butterfly shapes out of your veil!!!

SO

MUCH

FREAKIN’

FUN!!!!

Seriously, how could I NOT have discovered belly dancing before??? What else could I have been missing out on because I was a big ol’ chicken!?!?!?! Our instructor, Jody, did a full veil dance for us at the end of class, and it was soooo SENSUAL and MESMERIZING!!! You literally couldn’t take your eyes off of her!!

THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO DO!!!!

I aspire to dance like my dance instructor when I grow up!!!

Can you imagine??? I don’t care, if God didn’t want me to dance, he wouldn’t have put a song in my heart, dang-it!!! 😉

I LOVE dancing!! I know that I will be one of those women who will be doing it for THE REST OF HER LIFE!!!

As I go off to bed, and join my dancing dreams in la-la-land, twirling, and smiling like a FABULOUSLY crazy person…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Note to Chunky Dunkers: 1 hour down, only 2 more to go!!! I am DETERMINED to keep my weekly commitment!!! 😉 Oh, and plus I have started to track my food again today!! I am very happy to report that I am on target!! WHOO! HOO!! Oh, and did I mention that I passed up a HUGE cookie platter at a work celebration today??? MAMMA IS FEELING GOOD!!! 😉

Finding Myself in the Mirror!

Good evening!

I have been doing a lot of life changing events lately, A LOT!! I have started a self-help artist way journey to rediscover my inner artist, I have been doing morning pages every day for 8 + weeks, I have and am purging all of the non-me items out of my life, and now I have made another change. Ok, this one might not exactly be a life changer, but it will simplify my morning routine. I have gotten 11 inches cut off of my hair!!!

I wanted to be able to make a hair donation to locks of love, which I am now able to do, but even more than that, I wanted a change. A physical, in your face – change. I have been told that I have been becoming a different person over the last 8 weeks, but I just don’t see it. I have been told that I seem happier, calmer, and more flexible, which I guess is all true, but being a visual person I wanted to SEE a CHANGE, so this was the way that I gave it to myself!!

I went into my hairstylist, Lauren, and told her what I wanted, she was more than happy to be accommodating, plus she was SUPER-SUPPORTIVE as I hemmed and hawed over whether or not I was going to take the “Big Cut”! I had told myself I wasn’t going to do it, but I had a sad, sinking feeling in my gut, and I knew it was time. NOW-OR-NEVER!! So I told her to just cut it off, and take off an additional inch just for good measure!!

So, I am very happy with my decision! WIth it straightened it falls to just below my shoulder, I know that when I let it go curly it is going to be much shorter, but I am going to wear it for a week before I pass my final judgement! BESIDES, it was for a good cause, it really, truly is a WIN-WIN!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!

Chunky Dunkers: I will meet you in the comments section!! 😉

Chunky Dunker’s Night, Week 11!

Good evening!

Welcome to week 11, of the Chunky Dunker’s Club!! Welcome back to those who join us every week, including those of your who silently follow us, and welcome to those who may be new to my blog this evening. I am happy to say, that after last week’s slight hiatus, we are no back on with our regular weekly meeting.

Every week I post a new Chunky Dunker’s article ever Wednesday evening, and you have the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

Tonight’s topic: Cleaning Out the Kitchen!

There is something that I am sure a lot of you have already done, me?? Well, apparently I am having a tendency to do some of my fitness tasks a little out of order. This week for our house is a week of getting out kitchen ready for fitness, which means we need a Major Kitchen Cleanup STAT!!! That means, throwing out the junk food (sugary, processed, chemical-laden, energy sucking food) and replacing it with healthy substitutes (whole, once alive, colorful, energy giving foods).

So for our kitchen that looks something like this:

LESS OF/NONE OF MORE OF
  • Sugar
  • Nuts
  • Sodium
  • Beans
  • White/bleached/enriched flours
  • Seeds
  • Unnecessary chemicals
  • Fresh fruits
  • Processed foods
  • Fresh vegetables
  • Saturated fats
  • Whole grains
  • Trans fats
  • Lean protein
  • Polyunsaturated fats

Now, I realize that that is easier said than done, but I have to tell you that the man that I have been married to for almost 17 years, the man I love, the meat and potatoes man made me the MOST DIVINE vegetarian dinner this week, and I WAS SHOCKED!! It was light, delicious, filling, and we both commented on how GREAT we felt after we had finished eating it!! Not only were we not overly full, we felt good about having made such a healthy choice! I want to have more nights like that!!

And knowing that Jason has lost about 6 pounds, and I am down a little over a pound from last week, I have to say that we must be starting to doing SOMETHING right!!! 😉

So, in the comments section tonight tell me how you are doing, but also what changes you have made in your kitchen to help make your fitness goals easier!!

I am rooting for you!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

Belly Dancing Night!

Good evening!

I’m here! I’m here! I am sorry, I had forgotten that my e-mail account was hacked into a couple of days ago and it broke my connection to my Blackberry, so I wasn’t able to blog today like I had wanted to. To make it up to you, I will make this one a little long to tell you about all the things going on with my day!!

I did not get a post up this morning, I was running around like a buzy bee trying to get out the door in time this morning! I am not sure why but time seemed to pass really quickly, and before I new it, I had my flat iron in my hand and it was 7:30! AAAACK!!! 10 minutes AFTER I normally leave for the office!!!

Then by lunch time, my day had completely flipped, and was now going SOOOOOOOOOOOO VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY SLOOOOOOOOOOOWLY!! I almost couldn’t stand it!!! 😉 I was soooo jazzed about my belly dancing class tonight – I just wanted to get out there and get to it!! It was supposed to be veil night!

 VEIL NIGHT!!!

WHOO! HOO!!

I mean, come on! What little girl didn’t dream about playing dress up and being a little Indian Girl layered in veils, dancing beautifully, while being adored by her audience??? No? Not you?? Oh, so it was just me then?? Oh. Ok. Man I am so wanting to learn how to do an actual dance, and I realize we are learning all of the kinds of moves you can do so that way when you do put dances together you know what you are doing – BUT, PUT ME IN COACH!! I AM SOOOO READY TO PLAY!!! 😉

My co-workers were SUPER UNDERSTANDING this afternoon, seeing that even the boss wasn’t too into the idea of getting any work done, so they spent a little time talking about all of their plants that are coming up in their vegetable gardens, and I was soooo jealous!! I want a garden too, but that is kind of difficult when you live in a condo. However, they gave me all sorts of ideas on how to grow plants in my own container gardens, or even in small greenhouses that I can use year round! Isn’t that just DIVINE??? Really! I am so inspired! and you HAVE TO KNOW, my hubbie would just LOVE that!!! I can’t wait to tell him all about it!!

After work tonight, I started my artist date with myself and did a lot of walking around downtown, going from craft place to craft place looking for art or craft classes that I could take, and I have to tell you I found quite a bit of them that I am going to look further into. One is an encaustic painting class. I had seen an artist doing that on a craft program some years back and it has always intrigued me, so I put it on my life list! It is the one about painting with wax – that is was encaustic painting it. I also found a quilting class I want to take and a collage class that I am going to take!! They all sounds REALLY FUN and EXCITING! and I am sure they will be, but what I am most excited about is a class that I have signed Jason and I up for tomorrow!! We are going to be taking a glass fusing class at one of our local art studios here in Salem. This is going to be a first for both of us, and I JUST KNOW we are going to have A BLAST!! My co-worker was just SHOCKED that Jason agreed to do this for our date night, but he WAS TOTALLY GAME!!! Jason has a bit of an artistic streak running through him too!! I told you we were MFEO!!! (Made For Each Other!!)

We will do all of our glass cutting/designing/assembling tomorrow evening, and then the studio will kiln fire it for us, and we will pick it up in 7 days! I hope they turn out looking FABULOUS!!! I can’t wait to share pictures!!!

Oh, talking about pictures! I spoke to my belly dancing class mates tonight, and besides myself, the vote for me taking pictures of the class was a RESOUNDING HELL NO!!!

BUMMER!!

I was shocked (doesn’t EVERYONE put there life out on the internet for public perusal??? LOL!), and a little bummed (boo! hiss!), but I will respect the wishes of the class, and refrain from taking , for now! HOWEVER, if we should ever perform, you had better believe that I am going to task Jason to take as many pictures as he is able to, and HONEY I AM SHARING THEM ALL WITH YOU!!! 😉

So, I will be taking pictures of our glass class tomorrow! (I hope that is alright???) and I will share them with you tomorrow! They should be GREAT!!! Until then…

Have a FABULOUS evening!! 😉

NOTE TO CHUNKY DUNKERS: I did 1/2 an hour of walking downtown, and an hour belly dancing class today! I at a strawberry smoothie for breakfast, a small whole wheat english muffin ham sandwich for snack, mini-bite Crunch candy bar, baked carrots, a baked potato with sour cream, and some baked turkey for lunch, a large chocolate chip cookie in the afternoon, and then I had a super healthy chicken, veggies, and rice for dinner! Looking at this, I can see that there is a lot of room for improvement, so I will be conscious and try to do better tomorrow! GO CHUNKY DUNKERS!!!

The Chunky Dunker’s Club, Week 9

Good evening!

Welcome to week 9, of the Chunky Dunker’s Club!! Welcome back to those who join us every week, including those of your who silently follow us, and welcome to those who may be new to my blog this evening.

Every week I post a new Chunky Dunker’s article ever Wednesday evening, and you have the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

Last week we talked about visualizing your fit, healthy, and vivaciously energetic, most perfect self. This is still one of my favorite exercises because all it takes is closing your eyes, holding still and visualizing yourself as that person. Did you notice anything in yourself that would need to stop or start doing to get to that person in your mind??? I know I did, and still do.

Tonight’s topic: Hitting a Plateau

I am not sure about any of you, but have any of you hit a plateau in your fitness/weight loss goals? I really have!!! I am not sure if it is my lack of motivation, lack of face-to-face support, or if I have just have myself too busy learning to tap back into my creative self, or it could be that I am just sore! Besides my belly dancing class once a week, I really haven’t done much in the way of exercising! BOO! HISS!! I know!! I can’t believe it either!!!

AREN’T I SUPPOSED TO BE OUR SUPPORT GROUP LEADER???
AAAACK!!

Ok, that might be a little melodramatic, I know that I am human just like all of you are too! So, instead of kicking my booty about it, I am hopping back on the bandwagon! I am making my fitness a priority, and I have got to start making healthy eating more of a priority – although I have to say that most of my fruits and vegetables are now organic, so that has got to count for something, I think!?!?! 😉

So, I recommit!

Here is my contract with

you,

but even more importantly, my contract with

myself!

I, Christina, hereby solemnly swear to move my body with some kind of an aerobic activity for at least 1/2 an hour every day.

I, Christina, also vow to make sure that I carry a small journal with me at all times so that I can write down whatever I eat or drink, no matter how horrific or terrifying my food choice is at the time. I will not berate myself for what I write, but will use the log as a learning tool to do better next week.

I, Christina, will treat myself nicely, gently, and lovingly, as if I were my own best friend. I will keep an eye on my self-talk to make sure that I remind myself that I am happy, I am blessed, and I am healthy, because I deserve it.

I, Christina, will remember that this process is a journey, and not a destination; that once I hit my ideal weight/size, that life doesn’t stop there. This is about living and loving life to it’s fullest, and looking for ways that I can be a blessing to those around me every day!

Signed & Dated this Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at 6:00 pm.

Do you need to make a contract with yourself?? If so, that is your homework!!

GO CHUNKY DUNKER’S!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!

A Productive Tuesday Morning!

Good morning!

I have had a pretty productive morning, this morning! I am busy learning about all sorts of features in WordPress that I have just been too chicken to learn previously. I am realizing that if I take it one change at a time, it is a piece of cake! 😉 I hope that any and all of the new links/features I am adding will be helpful to you as you continue to read my blog, and hopefully share with your friends!! 🙂

I am trying to decide what my creative task will be this evening. I have been trying to devour the information in quite a few blogging books, and also still trying to get all of the The Artist’s Way program assignments completed, and this week there are a lot, however I am only supposed to do half of them!! I have my camera with me, so I need to continue to look for the beautiful and interesting to share, and I think that today I will take a nature walk, and dry some flowers for some Spring and Summertime Artwork! I have decided that my banner, although perfect for Winter, is a little too heavy for my tastes for Spring, so it is definitely time for a change in that dept! I need to rotate artwork, create some new pillow coverd and maybe make a small quilt to cover and lighten up the couch! That should be fun, and make for a PLEASANT change in our little place!!!

Well, I see that it is almost time for me to head out to the office today, I have a busy day of work ahead of me today, but I am optimistic that it will be a good day!! I am just hoping to keep my head down and knock out some assignments before I leave to come home today! 😉

Have a FABULOUS day!! 😉

Note to Chunky Dunkers: Please don’t forget that tomorrow night is Chunky Dunker night! I will see you all a little after 6:30 om, tomorrow!! I can’t wait to hear how everyone is doing!! Until then, TOODLES!!! 😉

The Chunky Dunker’s Club, Week 8

Good evening!

Welcome to week 8, of the Chunky Dunker’s Club!! At some point I am going to just have to call these posts “Chunky Dunker’s Club” and take off the week number, but I am very excited, and proud of us to have made it to week number 8!!! Can you believe it???

Every week I post a new Chunky Dunker’s article ever Wednesday evening, and you have the opportunity to comment, and cheer each other as you each go through your journey to get fit and healthy!!! We will discuss hints, tips, and ideas on losing weight, staying motivated, and achieving your fitness goals, whether that is to lose 5 pounds, to do 10 sit-ups, or just incorporate some healthy habits into your daily life!!

Did you attempt your homework from last week?

LAST WEEK’S HOMEWORK: Write down 5 choices you make every day, and what pain you are trying to avoid, and what pleasure you are trying to gain from each choice. Look at your answers, if you were to change you pain/pleasure that you associate with these choices would your physical life improve. Underneath each choice, write what the reality of what you are doing here – this might be eye-opening for you.

How did that go? It wasn’t as easy as you thought it was going to be was it??

Well, I am excited to hear how everyone is doing with their own personal fitness goals this week, but before we jump to the comments section to chat, let’s discuss tonight’s topic!

Tonight’s topic: Visualizing Your Best YOU!!!

Myself, being a very visual person, this is one of my FAVORITE get fit exercises!! And there is ABSOLUTELY no sweating, pain, and you can do this dressed exactly as you are – or not, whatever the case may be, for my possible nudist readers!!! 😉

Visualization!!!

Try closing your eyes and see if you can envision yourself at your perfect fitness level. Don’t envision yourself from sometime in the past, but envision yourself fit, healthy, and vivaciously energetic right this minute.

What do you look like?
What are you doing?
What are you wearing?
Where are you?
Who are you with?
Are you doing something different then what you are doing now?
Hmmmmm…very curious, don’t you think???

In doing this type of exercise, you are tricking your brain into thinking that what you are seeing in your mind’s eye is actually your reality. Have you ever stopped to think that reality is all about perception anyways??? My reality is not the same as yours, and yours may not be the same as the next person – but YOU are still the one HAVING TO LIVE IN IT!!! Why not make your reality one filled with a YOU who is living fit and healthy???

TONIGHT’S HOMEWORK: Try visualizing your most fabulously fit and perfect self in your mind. Make your picture as clear, crisp, and as colorful as possible. For the rest of this week, bring this picture to the forefront of your mind when you have any moment of quiet. Work on fine-tuning your vision, tweak your hair, your smile, your boobs (come on ladies, I know you are thinking it!!) your posture, your speed, your stamina, your strength, your flexibility – ANYTHING YOU WANT!!! I think you get the picture THIS IS YOUR LIFE AND YOUR REALITY!!!

Life is not about finding yourself, it is about creating yourself!

If you need help with this, find healthy, realistic from magazines, or news articles, or heck draw one yourself!! If your mind can see and believe, it can achieve.

I fully believe that!!!
Get out there and get visualizing!!!

Have a FABULOUS evening!!