squats, squats and more squats

Earlier this week I started a 30 day squat challenge. Today is my 7^th day, which means 80 squats. I just have one word to describe the first week of this squat challenge…ouch! I am really feeling the burn!

During this challenge, you do a predetermined amount of squats for three days in a row, one rest day then another 3 days of more squats, another rest day and so on until the 30 days are over.

On the first day, I had to do 50 squats, then 55 the next day and 60 the following day. I was so relieved for the first rest day to come. I have a feeling that I will look forward to those rest days for the remainder of the challenge. For the past few days, I did between 70 and 80 squats. Next week, over 100!  More and more squats will be added to each day. For the final five squat days, I have to do over 200 squats each day, with the last day having the most at 250!

I realized that I need to push myself to do as many squats in a row as I can, although I think my limit is 50 consecutive squats. Hopefully I can build that number higher as the challenge continues, although I doubt I will be able to do 250 squats consecutively.

If you are interested in doing this squat challenge, below is the plan! Enjoy!!

A long road ahead

I have decided that I want to embark on a new journey. I have come to my decision after truly enjoying brainstorming ideas and writing these blogs.

I have decided that I want to write a book about my story and having healthier lifestyle. Since I decided that I want to do this, I have realized that I have a long, long road ahead of me.

I am only in the beginning stages, but I have already brainstormed a list of topics.

I look forward to writing, organizing and more brainstorming.

It’s soup-er delicious!

I love, love, love everything about soup!

I have found that many canned soup, although tasty and delicious, are very high in sodium. When I do buy canned soup, I look for the lower sodium ones, while also looking at the nutritional label. I like to share a can of soup whenever I can because I have learned that there is not just one serving in a can. Possibly 2 or maybe 3 servings.

If I have more the ingredients available, I love to make soup. I have made all kinds of soup and very rarely do I follow a recipe. I have used the following ingredients to make different kinds of soup: dried beans; fresh, frozen and canned vegetables; brown rice; wheat noodles; barley and low sodium broth.  I never realized how much I really like barley!

Below is a picture of a low sodium Corn and Barley soup!

 

I have made tomato basil soup, many kinds of vegetable soups, Acorn and Pear soup, Butternut Squash soup, bean chili and just recently I made a Christmas Taco Bean soup.  

I have named this soup after the ingredients that I used. I used low sodium taco seasoning, frozen green peas, red kidney beans, green split peas, corn, great northern beans and barley. My idea was to serve this festive soup on Christmas.