S2S111 testimony

Hi Ladies,

My name is Kathryn Carlisle, I live in Montevideo, Uruguay.  My husband, our fourth daughter, and I moved here one year ago this coming week.  We had moved from Rota, Spain after serving as missionaries there for nearly 18 years.  We are now helping another missionary here in Montevideo.

I had been a part of these challenges from January 2010- January 2011.  Since then, because of not having a home nor good internet access, I have not participated with you all.  We are now in a home, and we have internet access again, so now is my chance to get motivated once more.

I put on most of the weight that I had lost in the last few years, so that needs to come off.  I'm also working on being more flexible physically.  I use the Wii Fit Plus and Active 2 for the Wii.  I'm eating lots of fruits and veggies and just started drinking more water again.

I'll post my measurements after I find the tape measure in one of those boxes.

I'm looking forward to this time with you all.  Thanks for having me again!

Kathryn  :-)

Jillian Michaels Get Ripped in 30 days

Hi,

Anyone interested in doing this with Dani and I? It's Jillian Michaels Get Ripped in 30 days! It's one of Jillian's latest releases...and it totally rocks!

Hope you all are doing great and keeping at it. I haven't posted in awhile or kept track of my points but I would like to share what I have been doing. I am a runner and have been keeping at it...in training to do an upcoming half marathon race (it'll be my 3rd half marathon run for the 2011 year). I have been really good with training, however, my diet was the problem. I've come to the point where I've decided to do something about it!

I have committed my plans to God to help see me through it!

I have made small changes to my diet. These are challenging for me but I am determined to keep at it.

1. Drink 8, 8 oz glasses of water per day. I've read and heard that you should drink in ounces 1/2 of your body weight.
2. Switch to whole grain and whole wheat...no more unbleached enriched stuff
3. Add beans and lentils soups
4. Up the vegetables! This is where my problem is...I need to eat more veggies!
5. Do Jillian Michaels videos 3 to 5 times per week. I am doing the get Ripped in 30 days right now.
6. I am using portion control on food I eat.
7. Tracking calories. Something I never cared to do. I started tracking for the last 4 days and it is unbelievable how the calories add up! Yikes!

My neighbor and I are doing a challenge. My goal is to start small. I will lose 4 lbs in 4 weeks. My neighbor will lose 5 lbs in 4 weeks. Anyone up to this challenge?

Praise God and give Him the glory in your successes!

Jennifer

On Holiday!

Well, these past 2 weeks have been tough.  Thanksgiving feast, guests in our house for a week and a half, and 5 days of traveling haven't helped me with my goals.  Oh, well.  Tomorrow, we head for Germany to visit some friends.  I'm hoping to be able to do better since I won't be making all kinds of food like I have been.  One good thing is that I was able to do a lot of walking on our trip (about 6 hours).  The 2 eleven hour and 2 five hour trips in the car were very cramped and tiring.  I'm still planning on keeping up with my exercise, even though I have stopped for these past two weeks. My measurements are the same, except for +1 cm in my waist.  My weight has gone up +.3 kilos since last time, so no extra points in those areas.   :-(  Well, it's a new day and I'm planning fish and salad for dinner (lunch-our big meal).  Wishing all of you crunchers many blessings as we head into week 9.  Wow, it's hard to believe it's almost over.   Keep it up!  :-)

Exercise report

I started two weeks ago adding more time to my exercise routine.  I'm now up to one hour and twenty minutes a day.  On church cleaning day, I add an extra hour for all my vigorous sweeping and mopping.  I have two trips approaching at the end of the month.  Hopefully, I'll be able to exercise regularly and eat well.

Question:   Can someone tell me what exercises would help with losing my flabby tummy?  I seem to lose centimeters every where but there.  I'm working really hard on the Wii Fit: Jack knife and parallel stretch, but my tummy is still so flabby!   :-(

Thanks in advance!

Kathryn  Carlisle   :-)

End of week five measurements

Week five has come and gone.  My measurements are the same except for my chest of which I lost 1 cm.  My weight has been up and down depending on the day.  Today it was the same as the end of week one, 62.9 kilos.  That's up from last week by .3 kilos.   I'm not making much progress with my weight, but I'm keeping at it!  

Hot but Healthy!

I have about 6 jalapeño pepper plants in pots on my patio.  I use them to make salsa, but not only are they a spicy additive to your foods, they are also good for you!  On the internet I found this information:

Chili peppers are extremely healthy for you, and should be included in your regular diet. Here's why.

Chili Peppers Fight Migraine Headaches and Sinus Headaches

Studies show that chili peppers can provide pain relief for migraine and sinus headaches. Capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers hot, is known to inhibit a key neuropeptide, Substance P, that is the key brain pain transmitter. Go capsaicin!

Chili Peppers Prevent Sinusitis and Relieve Congestion

Capsaicin once again! The pepper heat helps to stimulate secretions that aid in clearing mucus from your nose, combatting nasal congestion. It also contains antibacterial properties that help fight chronic sinus infections.

Chili Peppers Fight Cancer

Capsaicin not only causes the tongue to burn, it also drives prostate cancer cells to kill themselves, according to studies published in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research.

According to the research, capsaicin induced approximately 80 percent of prostate cancer cells growing in mice to follow the molecular pathways leading to apoptosis. Prostate cancer tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumors in non-treated mice.

"Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture," said Dr. Lehmann, M.D., Ph.D. "It also dramatically slowed the development of prostate tumors formed by those human cell lines grown in mouse models."

Chili Peppers Have Loads of Vitamin C

A typical chili pepper packs more vitamin C than an orange, so if you need your extra C, grab a chili pepper!

Chili Peppers Can Warm Your Feet!

Do your feet get cold in the winter? Try this -- sprinkle powdered cayenne in your shoes. It will keep you feet nice and warm during those cold winter nights

Chili Peppers Help Lower High Blood Pressure

Eating chili peppers are naturally high in vitamins A and C, and also bioflavinoids. They help strengthen our blood vessels, which makes them more elastic and better able to adjust to blood pressure fluctuations. Chili peppers also can make us sweat, which causes fluid loss, temporarily reducing overall blood volume.

Chili Peppers Fight Inflammation

Capsaicin is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It inhibits Substance P, which is associated with inflammatory processes, much like it relieves headaches and migraines, listed earlier. Capsaicin may also one day be a treatment for arthritis, psoriasis and diabetic neuropathy.

Chili Peppers Help Soothe Intestinal Diseases

A Duke University study found that capsaicin may lead to a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The substance can also help to kill bacteria such as H. pylori, which can help prevent stomach ulcers.

Chili Pepper Can Help You Burn Fat and Lose Weight

Did you know that capsaicin is a thermogenic? Thermogenics stimulate the body's burning of fat byincrease the metabolism of the body's adipose tissue, generating heat.

Chili Peppers Help Protect Your Heart

Capsaicin may help to protect the heart by reducing cholesterol, triglycerides and platelet aggregation. It may also help the body dissolve fibrin, which is necessary for blood clots to form. Further, cultures around the world that use hot peppers liberally in their meals have significantly lower rates of heart attack and stroke than cultures that do not.

Here is a recipe that I thought sounded good:

  Tomato Jalapeno Salad

  Category: Salads

  Author: LarryC

  Date: 8/26/2009 9:18:07 AM

  Hits: 604

Rating:(5)

Ingredients:

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 jalepeno chile
1 clove garlic
1 scallion
1/4 cup vinegar (any kind)
Salad oil (any kind)
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Bring at least 1 quart water to a boil. Make a cross slit in the bottom of each tomato. Dump them all at once into the boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately drain and dump them into a bowl of iced water and set aside.

2. Remove the seeds and stem from the jalepeno and finely chop. Heat the vinegar to boiling and drop in the jalepeno. Set aside to cool.

3. Chop scallion finely and place in a bowl big enough to hold the tomatoes. Peel garlic and mash with enough salt to make a paste, add to bowl and mix well with the scallions. Peels should fall off of tomatoes at this point. Remove peels and stems from tomatoes, add them to the bowl. Add jalepeno and enough of the vinegar to coat the tomatoes. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper to taste, stir.

4. Either chill at least an hour, or serve at room temperature, stirring before serving. Use leftover vinegar on fish, spinach or in vinagrette.

End of week four measurements with picture :-)

This is how I look going into week 5.  My new measurements are as follows:

Weight:     62.6 kilos       -.3 kilos
Bust:         94 cm            - 1 cm
Chest:       82 cm            same as last week
Waist:       83 cm            -1 cm
Hips:         98 cm            same as last week
R. thigh:    57.5 cm         same as last week
L. thigh:    54.5 cm         -1 cm
R. Arm:    30. 5 cm        same as last week
L. Arm:    29.5 cm         same as last week

Pomegranate season!

Last week I received a bag of pomegranates from a friend here in Spain.  I started eating them.  They are a sweet, tart, and interesting fruit.   I decided to see if they have any health benefits.  To my surprise, they are very good for you.  Here is what I found out:


Pomegranate News Update
Pomegranates are now being featured as one of the hot new "super foods" that both tastes good and is good for you. Nutritional research confirms that pomegranates contain mineral e.g. calcium, potassium, and iron, plus compounds known as phytonutrients, that help the body protect against heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. The powerful antioxidants in the fruit also help retard aging and can neutralize almost twice as many free radicals as red wine and seven times as many as green tea. As a further benefit, some researchers suggest that the crunchy seeds help flush fats from the digestive tract.

End of week three measurements

Weight:     63.0 kilos      still up .1 kilo from end of week one
Bust:         95 cm            same
Chest:       82 cm            same
Waist:       84 cm            still up 1 cm from end of week one
Hips:         98 cm            -1 cm
R thigh:     57.5 cm         same
L thigh:     55.5 cm         same
R Arm:     30.5 cm         -.5 cm
L Arm:     29.5 cm         -1 cm

No weight loss
2.5 cm loss

Long car trip from Rota to Valencia, Spain (8 hours)

Well, I'm back from Valencia.  The car trip went well on the way.  I was very good with drinking my 8 glasses of water and not snacking on junk food.  The return trip, however,  I fell flat!  I didn't drink much and I snacked on chips and cookies and pizza for dinner.  :-(      Oh well,  today, I started again.  I drank 8+ glasses of water and I'm doing better on my food intake.  :-)    I only exercised for 20 minutes this morning because of being tired.   We did walk for 2 hours on our trip which was a great plus.  I did some car exercises like Dani mentioned, but I should have done more.  All in all, it wasn't a bad weekend.  Though the scale says + 1/2 kilo.  Maybe I need a new scale!  :-)

Second week's gone!

Weight:     63.3 kilos      +.4
Bust:         95 cm           same
Chest:       82 cm           same
Waist:       86 cm           +3 cm
Hips:         99 cm          -.5 cm
R. thigh:    57.5 cm        same
L. thigh:    55.5 cm        same
R. Arm:    31 cm           -1 cm
L. Arm:    30.5 cm        same

Question?   Since I gained weight and gained centimeters, do I need to remove points?   :-/

Fall Back!

This weekend we fall back in time with our clocks.  Well, I think my body decided to do the same.  The .5 kilo that I lost last week came back as.4 kilos this week.  Oh well,  I'm looking forward to this being a better week.    However,  we'll be traveling two 9 hour days.  I'm going to try Dani's tip about exercising in the car, or I'm a goner for sure.  I'll be bring lots of water, carrots, and apples on the trip also.  Hopefully these things will help.  I'm up to one hour a day of exercise for six days a week, I've cut back on my eating, and I'm working on eating much slower.  It seems that these should produce great results, but my progress is still slow, but sure!  I sometimes feel like the tortoise from the fable, "The Tortoise and the Hare."   Well,  as slow as it may be, I'll be coming along with you all.   I'm still in this race.  ( I just might be late at the finish line!)

Adding on!

This week, I decided to add some more exercises to my routine, therefore increasing my workout time each day.  I'm rising each morning a little earlier  and starting my exercises first thing.  This way, I have more time for my other daily activities.
 I have a great big PRAISE today.   Yesterday, as my husband and I were in the kitchen working on one of the cabinets, another cabinet fell from the wall and crashed down to the floor about one foot from us.   Needless to say, I screamed like a crazy woman, but we were not hurt physically, just shaken emotionally.   The Lord is so GOOD!  The cabinet could have seriously injured us or even killed one of us.  Yesterday morning just 5 hours before the accident, I was teaching 2 women how to make oatmeal cookies.  I love how God had everything time out so carefully.  While teaching, I was stand in the exact area where the cabinet landed just 5 hours later.  PRAISE THE LORD!
Another thing, last night my husband and I gave blood.  They always check our blood to see if we have enough iron.  This time my iron was very good.  I've been eating lots of spinach in my salads and on my sandwiches.  I guess it is paying off!  :-)

Excitement over some progress!

Wow, I just weighed in and took my measurements for the week.  After a busy week of exercise and trying to cut back on my eating, I see improvement!  :-)  I lost 1/2 kilo (1 lb.) and 6 cm (2 1/2 in.).  This is a great start for me and an encouragement to keep it up!  I still have a long way to go, but it's coming.  Let's keep it up Ladies, we can do this together!   :-)

Weight:      62.9             -.5 kilos
Bust:          95 cm          same
Chest:        82 cm          - 1 cm
Waist         83 cm          - 3 cm
Hips           99.5 cm       same
R Thigh      57.5 cm       - 1 cm
L Thigh      55.5 cm       - 1 cm
R Arm       32 cm          same
L Arm        30.5 cm      same

Wii Fit Tips from Kathryn C.

Hope everyone has had a good week.   I get little fitness tips daily from  my Wii Fit.  I just thought I'd share a few with you all.  (1)  I'm reminded over and over again  not to hold my breath while I do my exercises and stretching.  Holding your breath can increase your blood pressure.  Breath as normally as possible while exercising.  I know this is easier said than done.   (2)  Drink plenty of water (6-8 cups) and eat more fruits and veggies each day while trying to lose weight.  The water helps keep you hydrated while removing wastes.  The fruits and veggies provide vitamins and minerals to keep you from feeling tired and sluggish.   (3)  If you're hungry before exercising, eat a banana which is easily digested and provides quick energy for your activity.
Happy exercising!  :-)

Kathryn´s CCCII Journal 1

After being away from my exercise program for 6 weeks, I restarted this past Monday.  I'm still feeling a little sore because of not using some of my muscles for so long, but at least I'm back in the game.  Like I mentioned in my testimony, I use the WiiFit Plus.  For those of you who are not familiar with the Wii, I'll give a brief explanation.  With the Wii  program you are able to pick from exercises, jogging, balance, and fun games.   The activities are timed or numbered.  The program keeps track of your weight and activity progress for you.  This makes it easy for me to keep track of what I actually do each day.  I usually do 15 minutes of exercise, 10 minutes of jogging, and then 15 more minutes of exercise 6 times a week.  For some of the exercises, I use home made weights.  I started using weights this spring which has really helped me lose more weight.  The program also has an activity log of which you can add more minutes of other activities you do throughout the day (such as: swimming, sweeping, walking, etc.).  I do my jogging indoors with my Wii partners.  Because I have added most of our church members to the Wii program, I'm able to jog with them every morning.   I have three daughters in Arizona, but I get to see them on the tv screen every morning with our church family jogging right beside me.   This makes my morning jog much nicer!   I'm also able to pray for them as they jog by me.  :-)   I enjoy the WiiFit Plus!   :-)

Kathryn's beginning measurements:

Weight:   63.4  Kilos
Bust:       95 cm
Chest:     83 cm
Waist:     86 cm
Hips:       99 1/2 cm
R Thigh:  58 1/2 cm
L Thigh:  56 1/2  cm
R Arm:    32 cm
L Arm:   30 1/2 cm

Hi, I'm Kathryn Carlisle from Rota, Spain.  My family and I moved here 17 1/2 years ago.  I have 4 daughters, two of which are in college in Arizona, one working in Arizona, and my soon to be fourteen-year-old, lives with my husband and me here in Spain.  My husband, Larry, and I just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary on Dec. 8, 2009.  I just celebrated my 50th birthday last January.  I use the Wii Fit Plus for my exercise program.  I started with the Wii Fit in Dec. 2008 and switched to the Plus last Dec. 2009.  I was working out about 30 minutes 4-6 days a week, but this year I increased that to 40+ minutes 6 times a week.  However, I kind of slacked off for the last 6 weeks which has not helped me in reaching my goal. I really haven't changed my eating habits much.  I'm not a snacker, but I love to eat at meal times.  I lost 2 kilos in 2009, and about 2 more this year.  I was hoping for more, but I shouldn't complain because I really haven't cut back on eating.  I have a fear of dieting because my Mom would go on diets when I was young.  She'd do great and than gain all the weight back after she ended her diet.  That seems to make me never want to diet.  My goal is to lose about 2 more kilos in this Christmas Crunch.  With an extended goal to lose 10  more kilos which might take me years to achieve at this rate,  but I'm willing to work hard and long for that to happen.   Thanks for letting me join you all!  :-)

Springy Journal #10

Well, this has been a fast ten weeks.  I feel like we just started.  Thanks to you ladies I've learned many new things that I plan on using in my exercising and diet.  It's been great to read the posts and get encouraged to be fit for our Master's use.  Thank you all!

Week 10                                                   Total

weight          -.4 kilos                                    -2.3 kilos
upper arm
     right         -.5 cm                                       -2 cm
     left           same                                         -.5 cm
upper chest   same                                         -3.8 cm
bust              -1 cm                                        -4.5 cm
waist            -1 cm                                         -3 cm
belly             -2.5 cm                                      -2.8 cm
hips              same                                          -3.5 cm
thigh
    right         -1 cm                                          -2.7 cm
    left           -1.5 cm                                       -2 cm
calf
    right         same                                            + .7 cm
    left           same                                            +1.4 cm
ankle
    right         + .3 cm                                        +.4 cm
    left           + 1.3 cm                                      +1.4 cm
                                            
minutes        290                                               2,744   =   45.73 hours

Week 10 Video

One more try.  If this doesn't work, I'll just post a picture.