2011 Indiana State Fair - Instagram'd

On our way into the fair, I saw my favorite fair ride--the ferris wheel. I love sitting at the top and looking out over the midway and at all the lights below. I am also a fan of Instagram and love the way these two pics feel so different!

Stormy

Vintage

We Live Right So We Can LIVE! Right?

I didn't have a great photographer lol.

I recently had the opportunity to go ice skating. I've been ice skating twice before--in high school and in my mid-20's. Both times I had a good time but I was slow and clumsy and fell a lot.

Now, at age 35, I weigh considerably more than I did either of those two times. But, I am in so much better shape.

It took me a couple of laps to get the hang of it, and I wobbled a bit here and there, but I never fell down. As I was sailing around one lap, I realized this is why we should be eating right and exercising. Not to lose weight, not to just be healthier, but to be able to get out there and live our lives!

Almost two years of Pilates has greatly increased my balance and all these spin classes are certainly strengthening my legs. So I was able to try something (semi-) new and be pretty good at it.

I had so much fun...and isn't that what life should be about?

Exposed - Again

I have been in a slump. I could blame it on the winter blues or work schedule that doesn't allow me to go to my favorite classes but the reality is that I've just been plain unmotivated. But that has changed.

Over the weekend, I was sorting mass quantities of clothes (mostly too big now) and discovered a bathing suit that I had purchased for a vacation 5 years ago. And haven't worn since.

My schedule is changing for the summer so I was able to hit my favorite Tuesday lineup at the YMCA--Pilates, Zumba, Aqua Zumba, and water aerobics.

I packed two swimsuits, the one I had recently found and one that I knew was starting to get a little big on me. I tried on the old one first and IT FIT PERFECTLY.

Jack Sh*t Really Sh*tty Meme

Thanks to Jack Sh*t (of Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit fame), I no longer have to come up with fresh blogging content on my own! Fill, and post! It's so easy!! And if you call now, ...wait, that's not right. Anyway, to the meme!

Calories In < Calories Out

That's the big weight-loss secret - use more calories than you eat or drink. 

A lot of people use various sorts of charts, graphs, and apps (oh my!) to accomplish their balance but I have discovered that I am very bad at maintaining a food/exercise diary and I can't can't afford the techno-monitor options. 

I also have a tendency to not eat for hours and hours and then stuff myself because I'm starving. Not healthy.

So I made a food-tracking program that works for me.

First of all, I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian. I just know what works for me and thought there may be others that can relate. I don't have any dietary concerns except for a dairy allergy so I'm able to focus on just counting calories. This may be more difficult if you are watching your sodium or cholesterol intake. 

I also don't keep track of balancing meat/starch/veggies/etc but I tend to eat healthier over all when I'm following this plan.

Why I Got 'Inked'

Throughout my life, I have never been an athletic or even a very active person. Until I was in my mid-twenties, I was naturally thin and never really thought much about it. When I began gaining weight, I still didn't really think much about it. In about 10 years time my weight almost doubled. Other than a short time in which a friend literally dragged me to the gym every day and stood over me while I worked out I never did anything about it. I didn't like the weight and knew it was un-healthy but I didn't have the self-discipline to stick with eating healthy or exercising, so I resolved myself to being about a 180 pound size 16...which is a lot on someone who is only 5' tall.

Then I discovered Zumba. I don't want to sound like those crazy infomercials but this really has changed my life.

My Favorite Movie Kiss

This is a completely random post that I've been thinking about lately and decided to just throw it out there to get it out of my brain.

There are a lot of great movie kisses and there are a lot of lists that tell you which ones are the good ones. And this one probably doesn't rate on anyone else's list...but it's my favorite.

It's from the movie, Penelope.

Webcomics

Every morning, I start the day like many, many others--checking E-mail, facebook, and Twitter to see what transpired in the 6-8 hours since I signed off and went to bed. The next thing I do is read my favorite webcomics. Two of them are daily, one is Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and the other is Tuesday, Thursday so I have three new comics to read every day.

ang goes shopping

I went shopping today for new blue jeans.

Why is this a blog-worthy accomplishment? Well, I'll tell ya...

The Incredible Shrinking Angela

I know that these pics scroll automatically up in the top-right corner but I decided to devote a post to them with stats.

Torchwood

If you've never seen Torchwood, go watch it.

If you've never seen Torchwood: Children of Earth, go watch it.

Because here be spoilers....

History of Mathematics--Egyptians

I was recently reminded of my History of Mathematics class and dug out my textbook.

One of my favorite parts of this class was seeing how early civilizations counted and recorded numbers. For example, the Egyptians.

Doctor Who--Season 5

I finally finished Doctor Who: Season 5 today--6 months after it finished airing on television and got to thinking about why I was so hesitant about starting it.