Thoughts on Thursday, Country Music, and Water

I hate Thursdays.  I used to love them, because they were the day before Friday.  And well, Fridays are great because its the day I get out of town for the weekend!  But this semester?  Three and a half hours of physics exhaust a girl.  I hate Physics.  With a passion. By the end of the day, I have myself thinking, "thank goodness tomorrow is Friday!"  No more TGIF.  Now, its TGTF!

But the day will end well!  I have plans of working out, going to a jewelry party, and then having a drink with a friend before calling it a day. 

I ♥ country music.  And not always the kind you hear on the radio.  Usually, the kind you don't hear on the radio is a million times better.  And my ipod is full of it!  The only thing is, finding it can be a bit more challenging.  I loved Eli Young Band before they were ever on the radio.  Now they are almost getting all famous on me, and their old songs are better.
But this week?  I am rediscovering my love for Lee Brice.  He has a few songs that I am drawn to, then he has a few hillbilly songs.  But this is one of my faves of his.  It's the live version, because I can't find any recorded versions from him.

Is it just me?  Or is winter just a big fat "Debbie Downer"?  I always have a hard time right around this time of year.  Seems my stress doubles, and I get grouchy much faster.  Days seem slow, the cold weather gets tiring, and I really just think I need some of my Vitamin D!  I actually had a teacher tell me once (she was a bit crazy) that we should spend time in tanning beds to get our Vitamin D in the winter.  She told us that right after she told us about skin cancer..... Still trying to figure that one out.

 Nutrition fact of the day: simply has to do with water. Because I don't want to ruin anymore of your favorite foods this week ;)  Yeah, yeah, we have all heard that you need 8 cups of water a day.  Which is true.  In some cases.  That is simply the minimum.  When you live at sea level.... Did you know that you are supposed to add a glass of water to that 8 glass recommendation for every 1,000 feet that you are above sea level? (Hooray for those of us at 7,000 feet who get to add 7 cups a day, right?!?!)  And on top of that, for every 15 minutes of exercise a day, you need to add yet another glass?  But the good news is.... some of that can be included in the food you eat.  You know, like celery and lettuce and such.... They have lots of water in them, and count towards your fluid intake daily.

This could be helpful information if you suffer from regular headaches or migraines. 40-60% of migraines are caused by lack of daily fluid intake.  It obviously has other benefits too, such as helping with renal (kidney) function.  And for you ladies?  It decreases PMS (along with less sugar, caffeine, and sodium).  It is also shown to decrease hypertension, which also means it indirectly decrease your chances of cardiovascular disease. So drink up!

You know, just in case you were wondering ;)

Enough of my random ramblings today.  Hope everyone had a grand Friday tomorrow!

Respects to Yoga

I have always wondered how yoga actually got people in shape.  I knew it was a way to work on your flexibility and breathing/relaxation, but I never really got it.  Until last night!  I had tried the "at home" videos and such with friends and even the TV shows on the FIT TV channel, but it just never really worked for me.  I usually ended up doing some completely different pose, giggling at the way the goofy lady told me to breathe and stretch in awkward poses.  Laughing at myself does not equal relaxation and flexibility.

So last night, a friend of mine asked if I wanted to join her in the yoga class taught here on campus for free even.  I didn't think I would get much of a work out from it, so I went to the gym ahead of time and ran for half an hour before class, thinking if nothing else.... It was going to be a good stretch for my post-short-cardio work out.  Little did I know, it actually made me sweat.  And I am even sore today!  The class is taught by a guy even.  One that looks like a body builder, who you would never picture as a yoga instructor.  And after only 20 minutes of him taking us through some kind of "series" of poses and breathing, I was beginning to wonder if I would actually make it through the rest of the hour!  (No worries, I did!)

Strangely enough, after doing so much of this pose:

(downward-facing dog)

... My shoulders started to hurt and all I wanted to do.... was this pose instead:

(Child's pose)
I know you like her leg warmers.  That's why I chose these pictures ;)

I used to think I had good balance... til I tried a real yoga class!  By the end of the class, I think my feet were cramping from wobbling every time I tried to balance.  There are just some things that should not be possible on one foot.  Like this one:

 Needless to say, I need to work on being flexible enough to bend over like that.... But even trying to balance enough to hold one foot directly out in front of me?  It's harder than it looks!  Trust me, try it! :)











 Granted, those are extremely basic, and only small steps in the actual work out and series that he took us through.  I would show you more.... But I can't remember the names of any of them for the life of me.

But I honestly do have a new respect for yoga.  My shoulders, and lower back are sore today and I am surprised, and think that if I continued going to classes, I wouldn't be disappointed like I was with the videos and such that I had tried before.  However, I did also realize how much of a beginner I really am.  By the end of class, when the instructor asked us to do something that looked like this:

I was very content to keep all 4's on the floor, look up, and thank Heaven's that I wasn't the only person in the class not capable of attempting it. there were plenty people falling over because they had tried it, and then the 1 or 2 people that were able to actually do it without falling on their face. I just sat there and wondered how in the world someone has the strength, balance, and flexibility to actually pull that off?!?!  Not this girl!  Maybe when I was 8 and in gymnastics!

I really think the benefits of going to a class with an instructor are pretty obvious now that I have actually gone.  Not only can he go through beginner, intermediate, and advanced poses to suit everyone's needs... But he also came around and told you what you were doing wrong, gave you ways to modify poses to make them harder or easier for yourself. 

Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed yoga, and got quite the work out!

My Daddy Found Me.....

A new car!!!!!!
Ok, or not.  But if you don't know already, I have a shoe love.  And by that, I do mean that I have more than enough pairs of heels to wear one a day for over a month and not have to wear the same ones twice.  And I want more.  But here is the perfect car he found me! It's even red! hehe

Stock Show, Fried Things, and thoughts on Monday

I gotta say, I am so excited Stock Show is OVER!  I have spent the last 3 weekends, of very long days down there.  And I don't know how my workin' man did it every single day for almost 4 weeks straight.  But, I will admit, that this last weekend, was pretty cool.  I got to see stuff like these pretty horses....

 This team of Mules.  Notice: There are 6 of them (the picture got cut off) and they are hooked to a trailer carrying nothing other than an F450 truck.  It was pretty impressive.  If only you could see it in person!

I also got to see mini mules, which I decided were the cutest things EVER.  I wish I had a picture.

All other weekends down there included a lot of cows.  Of all kinds.  I learned a lot.  And one of the most important things?  I never want to show cattle.  Putting that much work and money into showing?  I give you all credit if you do it, because I never could!

Stock Show is also a fantastic place for people watching.

And all this Stock Show talk brings me to not a Nutritional fact of the day, but just a thought of the day.

If obesity is an epidemic.... why does carnival food exist and succeed still?  Going to dinner the other night, I wanted to skip a real dinner SO bad and eat fried cheesecake for dinner.  It just sounded amazing.  But I resisted, and ate a yummy prime rib sandwich with bell peppers instead (It was a somewhat healthy choice?)!  But fried cheesecake brought up the fact that earlier that week, my man had eaten a fried snickers bar.  And we passed places that sold fried twinkies and fried oreos.  And then there was the place that sold the 1lb, $11 hamburger....  And people spend a fortune on all this fried and greasy food!  Why?!?!  And why do we take such unhealthy foods, and fry them and make them even worse for us?

And now, on a lighter note.... Just so everyone knows.... Mondays are my least favorite.  I wish I could skip them every week.  I have been able to for the last two weeks, which made this Monday a rough one.  But, I think the brightest part of my day was stopping at my mammas house bright and early on my journey back home from my weekend and she had some yummy breakfast prepared when I got there!  Gotta say though, this song pretty much sums up my feelings for Monday.   I'm sure many of you can agree! :)

Treadmills and Trans Fat

So... I have been attempting to work out 4 times a week.  Lately, this has been working great, since I am on the job hunt and all.  So I go to the gym.  I love cardio work outs.  I, however, hate treadmills.  Because as soon as I get going up to a fast enough pace to make them worth my time?  I get so scared that I am going to be one of those people that loses my rhythm or trips myself and bifs it, falling to crack my nose open then have the belt of the treadmill throw me onto the floor.  It's my thought every time I get on one of those things.  So my favorite thing?  An elliptical! And the stair masters. Because both make me feel like I am actually working out.

Also?  I love Fridays.  Especially this one.  I have a wonderful lunch with my best friend of 10 years, I head South an hour to see my boyfriend, who is also taking me with some friends to go see Cross Canadian Ragweed!  And in honor of them..... Song of the day!

Nutrition fact of the day: Trans fat is BAD.  It is one of the leading causes of heart disease and cancer.  And the people that make those "Nutrition Facts" labels also like to trick you. Because they can tell you there is 0 grams of tans fat if there is less than 500 mg of hydrogenated oil per serving in their product.  Peanut butter, for example (unless you get the natural kind)  has lots of hydrogenated oil (loaded with trans fats), but because there is just a small enough amount of it per serving, they can tell you that it doesn't have that bad fat in there.  Even though it does.  Same with Oreos.  You might as well just eat cancer.  Sad story.  I love Oreos and they are loaded with sugar AND trans fat.  Also?  Check out your frozen pizza, frozen burritos, and other stuff like that.  They generally admit to having trans fat.  Which means that they are really.... loaded with that yuck.

Seems almost impossible to cut out so much sugar and trans fat out of a poor college kid diet!  I plan on working my hardest though!

First Impression

How do you honestly begin a blog?  Is there a criteria for what a first blog on a new blog looks like?  Because, if there is.... I am completely unaware.  So I will improvise. And you are gonna pretend like you like it!

Important thing to understand.... This blog will simply be a blog of random ramblings of a 21 year old college student.  Writing is not my passion.  But, sometimes there are just thoughts and information I feel like sharing.  And if it is something you would like to follow along with, I am happy to have you as a reader! :)  I can't promise perfect grammar, a post every day, or any other perfection.  All I can promise it to try to be interesting, light hearted, or informing in some way.
Things you can expect?  Songs, pictures, thoughts, opinions, hopefully some humor, and probably random health/nutrition facts as well.   I am a Kinesiology major and an seriously considering a Nutrition minor, assuming I will find the time!

A bit about me.  I am a passionate person.  If I set my mind to accomplish something, you bet your booty I will do my best to get it done.  However, it goes the other way too.  If I set my mind to *not* do something, odds are.... it will take a lot for you to convince me to do otherwise.  I am a determined and independent person,  who loves life and makes the best of the situations I am put in.  I have a few people in my life who I also consider my "staples".  Without them, I would probably fall apart.  I love kids.  If I could play with 3 and 4 year olds every day for the rest of my life, I would be a happy camper.  Future plans?  Pediatric Physical Therapist.

I love music.  Almost all of it.  Any genre.  I am a sucker for good lyrics!  Most often, I am a country girl.  But you show me a good rockin' song, I will probably LOVE it!
Most of all though?  I love me some Lady A.  And here is why....


And as I said before, I really love random health and nutrition facts.  And someday, I will blog about my hatred for soda/pop.  Even though you may not like to sit and learn every bit about what is healthy and what is not.... I do, and if I can give you a few bits here and there to help ya out..... I would love to!  Let's start today.
Random nutrition fact: Only 5% of your calories every day should be coming from sugar (that includes your "regular" sugar... and other artificial sweeteners such as high fructose corn syrup).  Which means, that if you are eating the recommended 2,000 calories/day, only 100 of them should be coming from your favorite candy bar, your early morning coffee (for those of us who hate it black...), or the pop you are having with your lunch.  They say high fructose corn syrup is good in moderation, but keeping it to a 100 calorie limit every day is a tough thing to do!  And in excess amounts on a regular basis, it really can be harmful to your health.   I think my yummy coffee this morning constituted for the next few days worth of my sugar... If only it was that easy....

Anyway, thanks for reading blog #1.  I hope it was a good introduction and start to my frolicking blog.  Advice?  I would love some.  Opinions? Feel free to share.  Something to add?  Comment, comment, comment!