Maybe by the end of this post I will know what I want to make this week's resolution...
So I woke up this morning for church and took my body measurements and apparently it is not all just in my head, I lost half an inch on my waist and a whole inch on my hips! I really am losing inches working out! The only one I am upset with is the bicep. I wanted to measure my biceps in this because I really wish I could get them more toned, but smaller at the same time. I gained an inch and a half!
I know, a girl with biceps looks strong. While in high school I took one of my favorite pictures. At the first "formal" I could go to without a date I danced with my friend. Someone came along and snapped a picture of us with a few other people and the way my arm was on his shoulder you could see all my arm muscles defined. That was my sophomore year when I was down around 130lbs and let me just say, by my graduation I was almost 180 lbs. To have those defined muscles back would be really nice. Not the body builder extreme kind of muscles, but just not flabby. I in no way view myself as fat, but I do have things I want to change like the way my tricep area is a little flabby and my "muffin top". If I gain a slight six-pack I would be cool with it too.
Now, why am I upset about gaining inches on my biceps then? Well, have you tried to go clothes shopping with biceps? Let me tell ya, I have a decent rack and otherwise am a decent size. In short sleeve shirts I can fit somewhere between a medium and a large. (It all depends on how it stretches over the chest.) But, you add in biceps and long sleeve shirts are out of the question. Even larges now a days do not have sleeve space! I tried on one of my button up shirts from Old Navy the other day and I cannot wear them any more. I have 3 of them in various colors and unless I decrease my arm size, there is no more wearing them. I can hardly get the sleeve on all the way because my arms are too big. My actual rib cage is too big to fit most dresses and my arms are to big to wear most long sleeve things. Besides making my own shirts, any tips?
Juicer Review as Promised- Jack Lalanne Juicer Pro
Not as bad as I thought it would be. Reading all the reviews for various juicers and for the one I was given, I was worried about how it would actually be. First impressions from cleaning my gorgeous stainless steel juicer??? They could have filed down some of the edges. There are sharp edges on all the pieces! Where the fruit goes in, where the top part attaches to the lower part, the edge of the strainer, the edge of the spout where juice comes out... Way too many sharp edges! Definitely not child friendly parts. I would be worried about a kid even picking up parts from a drying rack!
Sharp looks and sharp edges aside, I was shocked at how QUIET the thing is. In my mind I had the noise level set at somewhere around blender or food processor. Nope, it is like whisper quiet! Yeah, when you put fruit in there it makes a little more noise, but unless it is at the seed parts it really does not make much noise. Now, it will try to jump off the counter when you put something in it! It shakes a lot, especially with apples, and so I put my hand on top of it kind of over the part where the pulp comes out. The hand on top seems to help and so it is not a big draw back. The juicer jumps a little more when it is trying to spit out the seeds. And, as the manual says, DO NOT force food down. I used the plunger to apply gentle pressure and minus having to let up to get the seeds through, it worked like a charm!
Cleaning. Well, I was given the juicer because it was supposed to make a big mess and be hard to clean. The sharp edges make it a little more challenging than it probably really is, but it is no worse than I expected. The pulp sticks to the cover and such on the way to the pulp collector but with a rubber scraper I just scraped it all into the trash can. (One day it will go into a compost pile.) I think I will heed the advice given in the manual though and use a plastic bag in the pulp collector for easier disposal. The corners are really hard to get emptied and I ended up washing some of the pulp down the drain instead of into the trash.
Ok, a resolution idea... less arguing. I argue a lot. Apparently a lot more than I realize. Although I am not quite sure why this is I feel like I should be able to blame my mom. (Half a joke.) Mom likes to switch things around and make up her own stories some times. The latest being that only aunts and uncles are invited to my cousin's wedding in May. I have personally talked to my cousin about this topic before and after the engagement and just the other day she again told me that she is inviting everyone. Not necessarily the huge extended family that we only meet at funerals or in pictures, but those that we do know and interact with, even if it is just at Christmas. (We have a GIANT family.) I completely understand her reasoning and will probably do the same thing if/when I ever decide to get married.
Back on topic. So I feel that I am used to having to argue to prove myself right about things or to educate people on stuff. Growing up, I am the youngest of 3 and am 5 years from the nearest sister. I was the little one who did not know anything. And in my family, whether they want to admit it or not, once you hit a certain age they start treating anyone younger, or not married with kids, like they do not know anything and cannot take care of themselves. If you want to actually get through you better have evidence to back up your thought and prepared to stand your ground. Does this mean yelling? Not so much anymore. On top of having to defend every thought and choice to family, I also went to school with mostly guys for about 4 years. My last two years in high school and then while getting my associates I was in classrooms with a lot of guys who did not think I could do stuff or know what I was talking about. Many got to know me and learned I am not a dumb girl. Then comes the teaching thing. Yeah, you have to back up what you say with support, especially as a science teacher! And I learned about common misconceptions which students get at some time in their life and keep forever. I hate that there are people who are never corrected about wrong facts! I want to educate everyone!!!
So, I am sure my boyfriend will love this resolution, as this last week especially he has told me I argue a lot. Starting this week I will try to keep my mouth shut more. All the time, no, but a little more. Hopefully he will help me figure out when I am doing it because I do not realize I am arguing.
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