Tatiana said to walk 5 miles per day. I have been doing 3 miles a day. Her suggestion was to do 1 mile in the morning 3 miles in the afternoon 1 mile in the evening.

Yesterday I did:

3 miles  in the evening

1 mile in the morning

4 miles total

I so want to get to 135 pounds!

Jas

Let’s do it!

Jasmyn

As soon as I stop dieting, boom, the weight is back with a vengeance. The funny thing is that my body not only regains the lost weightmuch quicker than I lost it, I usually put on more than I lost. I think that is my body’s way of compensating. My body is smart. It wants to regain MORE weight, just in case there is another famine.

I am very healthy this winter, far more healthy than previous winters.

1. I am using my light box daily

- This is helping greatly! I am not sure whether it produces serotonins, or how it works, but I feel good, and the seasonal blahs are gone. This is in the middle of a very grey and very cold Chicago winter.

2. I am working out just about every day for at least 20 minutes.

- I have such a variety of stuff to do in my house, that I never get bored with my workouts! Lately I am enjoying the treadmill. I can walk a lot longer than I could on the streets. I put a DVD in my laptop, which keeps me occupied while I walk.

3. I am back to doing the Shangri-La plan. This has served me well in the past. I put on holiday weight, and was up to around 150. Now I am back to 145.

Hah! What we eat and what it means.

Sign outside a church near the University of Chicago.

That’s my latest update. I weigh 145 as of this morning. FitDay says I am moderately overweight. I am wearing a Size 14 or 12. My goal is 130, so I am still up 15 pounds.

These are ideal weights for my height, small, medium, and large frame. I think I am large framed. At any rate, I feel great. Since we are what we eat, I must be oily. I am back to doing Shangri La, and, and yes, that means I am drinking oil again! Hey, whatever works, right? It does suppress my appetite, by tricking my body into thinking it has met its quota of food to meet its set point, so hunger can shut itself off.

Here is an explanation of Shangri La that I just posted in the forums.

http://www.weight-loss-forums.buddyslim.com/best-diet-plans/2813-shangri-la-diet.html

xoxox

Jas

This chick has a great sense of humor.

What’s the real recipe for borscht? She’ll never tell!

I made chicken soup last night. So easy. I bought a wide mouth thermos, the good stainless steel construction worker kind (after breaking a few of the plastic ones) . I think this thermos is designed to be dropped off the 67th floor of a building, and still be okay.

Chicken Soup

1 package chicken legs (because they were on sale - any chicken is fine)

4 ribs celery with green tops

1 bunch carrots with green tops

3 small onions

1 clove garlic

3 parsley roots with green tops (optional)

1 handful fresh parsley

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Into a Dutch oven or large soup pot: Cut vegetables in chunks. Wash and add carrot tops, celery tops, parsley. Add chicken, salt and pepper. Add water to 1 inch of top of pot. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer, and simmer around 3 hours. If serving right away, pour soup into a gravy separator and pour off soup, leaving fat in separator. Or, strain liquid from soup and refrigerate. When cooled, remove the hardened fat with a spoon and discard. Pull meat off bones, add back to soup, add back carrots and celery, or add fresh vegetables and simmer 15 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.

My daughter’s friend is very talented with a camera. This is me with my doggie.

We really have a leaning tower in Chicago. No clue why they built it.

Tatiana’s Vegetable Soup

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
3 small Onions
3 ribs Celery
3 Carrots, sliced
1/4 head Red Cabbage, shredded
1 small Zucchini, diced
1 small Sweet Potato, cut in half lengthwise and sliced crosswise into half moons
2 small Red Potatoes, diced
1 Beet, diced
1 can Stewed Tomatoes
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 cubes Vegetable Boullion

1/3 cup frozen or fresh peas
1/3 cup frozen or fresh corn

In a large Dutch oven, saute onions in olive oil. Add celery, saute until lightly browned. Add  the rest of the vegetables to the pan as you slice them. When all vegetables have been added to the pot, add the tomatoes and juice, vegetable boullion, salt and pepper. Add corn and peas. Add water to within one inch of the top of the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer about one hour.  Add parsley or pan toasted bread crumb garnish if desired. Serve with freshly made crusty bread.

Guess what? My hip is feeling somewhat better. I was able to walk for about 20 minutes last night. It is cold outside but nice out. Snow covered.

Horse and carriage downtown Chicago

This squirrel posed for me in Washington Park

I saw an x-ray of my spine and it wasn’t pretty. It was curved.  I think it is from leaning when I drive. My hip has been hurting since I started running. I guess our bodies are like cars. One part wears out and you don’t find out until something else is wrong. I never quite trusted Chiropractors, but this woman seemed lovely, and my neighbor goes to her regularly.  But she came up with so many things that are wrong with me that it just didn’t sound right. Ahh well, I think she can help.  I may take Monday off to keep resting my hip and back.

I can empathize with you  all that can’t be in the walking or running challenges. I wish I could be in them too. Maybe we can put a prayer out to the universe to heal all of us that want to be in the walking or running challenges, or just want to work out.

**In my head, we are all standing in a circle,  holding hands. Our eyes are closed, and we all have little Mona Lisa smiles on our faces..I put the prayer out to the universe to heal us so that we can be our best and be able to give back and to serve the universe**

Be well,

Jas