This I can do

Rules/Conditions/Suggestions for the January Sugar Free Challenge hosted by Spoonful of Sugar Free:

Are you allowed to eat fruit during the challenge?
Yes, you are allowed to eat fruit. Try not to overdo it, though (as in, don’t eat 15 bananas a day!). Other than that, I believe the naturally occurring sugars found in fruit are perfectly healthy in small amounts. Fruit contains plenty of antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins to help your body.

 Is stevia allowed during the challenge? Since stevia is considered a sugar-substitute, I am not allowing it in the challenge. This makes the challenge, well, more challenging! Challenging is fun! If you think that you absolutely cannot complete the challenge without stevia, then feel free to use it. 

Is alcohol allowed during the challenge? Yes, as long as it isn’t a “mixed” alcoholic beverage like margaritas, because they have added sugar. Mixed alcoholic drinks that use only fruit juice and no added sugar are accepted. Plain wine, beer, etc. are allowed.

~♥~

challenging times

This whole 30-day challenge dealio is new to me. Never done one before although I've lurked in the shadows plenty times and observed others. So, why now? First of all, I'm not doing it to lose weight. That would be a welcome result don't get me wrong, but it's not the motivator. I just think refined sugar is basically toxic. And, I've been ingesting a lot of it lately. I'm going sugar free in January because I want to reset my appetite for sugar back to where it has been in the past. I want to think about fruit when I want something sweet -- not frozen yogurt or See's Candy.

~♥~

another milestone reached

Belle during a brief stop along the banks of the American River.

My New Year's Day bike ride yesterday put me over the 4,000 miles mark. Yippee-ki-yay!

Monday weigh in: 135.6

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eyes wide open

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives...
not looking for flaws, but for potential." 

 ~ Ellen Goodman

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no sugar, no problem

Well, looky here. It's my first challenge.

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walk in beauty

Native American Prayer...

Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, Life to all the world, hear me. I come before you, one of your many children. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my people, the lesson you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy – myself.

Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset, my Spirit may come to you without shame.
 ~ Sioux Chief Yellow Hawk

Wishing you all that is good in 2012.

~♥~

sometimes it's the little things

Here's the latest product I'm wild about...brace yourself. Lip balm. Had some gnarly dry lips after the oral surgery and nothing seemed to help. Until...Dr. Bronners lip balm.

I've also tried Whole Foods organic lip balm and it's equally good, maybe better. Either of these would make great stocking stuffers, especially for people who like to be outside during the winter months.

*mwah*

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merry holidays

Where do I start...well, I suppose an apology is in order. I'm sorry that I've neglected this blog for such a long time. Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes and the advice on how to deal with the back sprain. I followed your advice, especially the gentle stretching. Next time something like this happens, I'll be sure to ice it right away.

I'm doing well. My weight has been holding steady at 135ish and I'm happy with this weight. Sure, I'd like to get down to where I was before at 128 but that's probably not realistic for me anymore.

Had what I dearly hope is the last oral surgery back on December 2nd. Recovery from this surgery has been a walk in the park compared to the previous one even though this one also included bone grafting (sinus lifts). So, after a bout of the holiday blues, I'm feeling great physically and emotionally. Looking forward to the new year as it brings an opportunity to set new goals.

I wish you all a very merry and joyous holiday season.

~♥~

birthday blues

Last year around this time, I overdid it on the elliptical machine at my daughter's gym and came home with bursitis in my right hip. This year, we spent some time at my sister's beach condo to celebrate my birthday. I went with my sister to a couple exercise classes. Something I did in the second one (gyro-something) has made my back very sore. How do you deal with a back strain? When should I get back to bicycling? Will walking help or hinder my back's healing?

~♥~