The long and winding road to fitness, day 74

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Wild and crazy day today.  Absolutely gorgeous weather this morning…all day, really…the sunrise was breath taking..I wish I’d taken the time to take a picture, but I didn’t.  I was kind of running behind on my way to work…same old song and dance, I’m afraid.  Stay up too late, sleep a little later, then rush around getting ready.  At least I have tomorrow off, although I’ve been considering going in for a few hours just to get some work done.  We’ll see…

I didn’t eat enough veggies today, but I did manage to get in three fruits…only three veggies for the day, should have at least two additional servings.  I finished the day with 1575 calories, so I’m not complaining.

I walked for 40 minutes and did a few core exercises.   Not quite as much exercise as I’d like, but it’s certainly better than nothing.  I feel some dancing on the agenda for tomorrow.  That reminds me, I just saw the announcement for the cast of Dancing With The Stars.  I’m not sure about this season.  Of course, I say that just about every season and then end up really liking a couple of the stars.  I’ve watched this show since the beginning, always dreaming that I was up there on the stage dancing with one of those gorgeous dancers…whew!!  I’ve really got to get back to my dancing…dancing and running have been the best exercises for me as far as weight loss goes.

So, what exercise helps you the most with weight loss/maintenance?  Do you do it because you enjoy it or because it helps you control your weight and feel better?  For me, dancing is something that I love, it always puts a smile on my face.  Running makes me feel good (well, back when I was running) I think, in part, because I’ve set a goal and worked toward it.  Why in the world do we stop doing the things that make us feel good?

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On blueberry muffin hill

Blueberry muffins…yum!  Who doesn’t like a good moist blueberry muffin?  But don’t most of us also want something that’s at least somewhat healthy?  I try to make my muffins from scratch using whole grains and fresh fruit, but when time is short (or I’m feeling kind of lazy) I’ll resort to the boxed muffin mixes.  Fortunately I found this…

Is it as good for me as what I would make using one of my healthier recipes?  Mmm…no.  Is it better for me than something sweet and sugary from the vending machine?  You bet it is.

These muffins, baked according to the package directions, still have 210 calories per muffin.   I make them smaller by making 18 instead of 12 and that reduces the calories to 140 apiece.  This is just one more indication that what we now consider to be a serving size is much larger than it was in the past.  So I still get to enjoy a freshly baked muffin without going overboard on calories.

Can I make a lower calorie, healthier-for-me muffin?  Yes, I can.  But there are times in life where we make trade-offs, this is one of those times…calories for convenience.  I don’t do this all the time, but it’s nice to know I have the option.  Now I have a good supply of muffins in the freezer.  I can pull one out in the morning, put it in my lunch bag and it’ll be thawed and ready to eat for my morning or afternoon snack.  If that can keep me from putting that dollar in the vending machine, I think it’s worth it. 

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