by Tish MacWebber | Apr 29, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
First thing is first. I have washed all of the dishes. ALL OF THEM! With that being said, I am breathing a sigh of relief! Now I can plan the deep clean of my kitchen with the basics being done. I am far from finished in there, but I am back at 0 instead of starting from -1000.
I have been working on the kitchen in spurts. I do have pictures. It is NOT 100% clean and tidy, but the basic surface cleaning is ready for the deeper clean.
The Kitchen Table is ready for meals.
I cleared off the kitchen table. The plastic cover still needs to be cut, but I have it on the table to protect the tablecloth. I have taken the leaf out, and I will be putting it back in to cut the cover to the right size. I am really liking the turquoise or aqua colour that is popular right now. The the new placemats are pretty, and they match the tablecloth.
The pantry still needs work
I have yet to go through the pantry. It is closer to being something I can do, with the progress I have made.
Canned goods are now under the Island
The second part of the Pantry is under the Island. This was a part of my kitchen shuffle I did a while back.
Pots and Pans
The pots and pans are now under the cook top stove. I really like the pot cover organizer we bought at Bed Bath & Beyond. It is a great space saver& organization tool.
Stove top cleared off.
It needs to be cleaned properly now that it is cleared off. It won’t take too long, I bought a cleaner and some sponges to clean it with.
Counter beside the cook top stove, over the dishwasher is cleared off
The toaster was in front of the breadbox. The electric stand mixer was where the toaster is now. It is better this way.
The Coffee Station is still tidy
I finished the dishes shortly after I stopped to take the pictures.
My Kitchen Window over the sink
I am so happy I saw what my friend does with her scrub brush. She keeps it in a vase. Mine fit nicely in these vases, and they were in the windowsill before I put things in them.
The view of the table from behind the Island.
It still needs work, but it has come a LONG way!
A place to store recipes ad extra K-cups, and G2 for Zumba days
This was another change we made recently.
My 2 new signs I bought to hang when I finish the kitchen.
I can’t wait to hang them up! I will hang them when I am done the deep clean in the kitchen.
Finally some pics of progress to share. I have been working hard at my kitchen, and it will only improve with every hour spent in there. How is your Spring Cleaning progressing?
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 27, 2017 | Trust Your Gut
The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name. If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story. The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors. I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.
This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.
Here is Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 10
Today is the day I have picked to start shopping for a new bathing suit. Wish me luck! I need it in terms of my requirements, but I am also looking for a sale and not hours of searching!
The good news this week is that I am hovering within two pounds of that twoville goal, still. The bad news is that I have not crushed that goal yet.
Which means that this is a perfect week to write about another THM concept. I really like this one. It is called NSV. That translates into a Non Scale Victory. So what is an NSV? It is anything you can celebrate OTHER than the successes you fight to see on the scale. The weight on the scale is a number, and it can be depressing if you obsess about it especially if it is not moving in the right direction or moving at the speed you want it to change at.
I wrote about twoville, and it is looming on my horizon again. It is a Scale Victory when you have a happy dance on the floor after you weigh yourself and see a good number. Don’t think too hard about that. Yes, that would be me, first thing in the morning, after a trip to the washroom, in my birthday suit, having a happy dance. Not the thing you want to focus on here.
The NSV is something that doesn’t relate to the scale, directly. I have set my first official NSV as a small one. The blog will help, for sure with this. I want to be able to comfortably wear both my wedding band and engagement ring together on my finger. I have the engagement ring on a lovely gold chain, that I wear from time to time, but it belongs on my ring finger. I have fluid built up in my fingers, and you may think this is funny, but when I had a cashier job in the past, I noticed that my fingers were less puffy when I had that job. I was using my hands a lot when I was a cashier, and it helped my fingers to lose weight. Not that there is a lot of extra weight in my fingers, but it was a really good experience to look at slimmer hands and fingers. As I blog, I am exercising my fingers. It might not seem like a big thing to other people, but it matters to me.
When there is fluid built up in my fingers, wearing my ring causes an indentation. I have short fingers, and the fluid doesn’t stop me from wearing the rings together, but it is painful to wear them both at the same time. I can get them both on, but it does block circulation in the finger, and it is painful to take it back off, because of this. So I am working on my health, and trying the rings on together from time to time.
It doesn’t have to be about the number on the scale only. It can be about fitting back into an old pair of jeans, having to buy new clothes because the ones you have don’t fit, changing the size of clothing you wear, or measuring your inches and seeing that the shape of you…r body (Shout out to Ed Sheeran, love that song!) is changing when the numbers on the scale are not.
As we all struggle with weight together, whatever our issues are, we all have them. It is good to set reasonable goals to go along with making changes to live a healthier lifestyle. I know it helps me to check in from time to time with a measuring tape and my rings. It can even be as simple as the clothing you wear fitting better, or that you can climb that annoying flight of stairs without needing to take a break, or losing your breath.
Pedometers are wonderful because they can help you increase your daily step count by challenging yourself. I will write a Zumba post about this soon, we are talking about steps at Zumba class since I am sharing my steps after each class. I am also involved with a group 100 Coffees, and they are challenging members to start healthier habits. Drinking water is necessary for life. In this group, one of the admins is asking us about how much water we drink each day, as a way to hold those who choose to do this accountable for drinking enough water every day. It is great to have a support system for healthier lifestyles, and encouragement is a wonderful thing. 100 Coffees is a group of women entrepreneurs, so if you fit that description, go check it out!
I am looking forward to the day that I can wear both of my rings comfortably at the same time as my first official NSV. What is your NSV? Any comments might help you figure out what small goal you need to work on, give you a place for your own accountability, or help someone else find a reasonable NSV to start working on. I look forward to seeing what other people are setting as their own goals.
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 24, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Well, the Weekend won this round. I must confess that waking up to a snow covered car and lawn in April is not the most energy inspiring sight to see. This weekend I had the Blahs. There is no other way to say it. I made progress in the early part of the week and let things slide this weekend.
The good news is that I have another three day work week ahead of me, and will be very busy next weekend. I will be writing the next Weekend Warrior in draft mode all week in order to have it be published bright and early next Saturday morning.
I am promising you now that there will be pictures next weekend. I am promising myself, also. Because the bottom line is, I need to set goals and achieve them in order to move forward in this battle. I know that, and you know that if you are reading.
This past week I cleared the table and lost it again. I moved around the items from their old storage places to try and configure a more organized storage solution for my kitchen items. I discovered that the plastic tablecloth protector I purchased was way too big, but decided that I will cut it to fit the table with and also without the leaf in it so that I can cover the table and protect the tablecloth fully, either way. I absolutely did make progress, and it is progress that I can be happy with.
I also wrote a new piece of fiction on my medium page. I wrote about a fictional conversation that I would like to have with Mother Nature about the lingering effects of winter. If you would like to read it, you can follow this link:
Fictional Conversations: Tea Time With Mother Nature
So although I didn’t quite make the amount of progress in the kitchen I wanted to this past weekend, I was busy with other projects, and sometimes that is what you have to do. I hope you had a productive weekend, and most of all, I hope it was fun!
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 20, 2017 | Trust Your Gut
The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name. If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story. The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors. I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.
This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.
Here is Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 9
Timing is very important. When I started the THM plan, I was shocked at how often they eat meals and snacks. I had heard before that you should eat 4-6 smaller meals a day, instead of 3 large meals. It is incredibly important to make sure that you never get hangry. Yes, I spelled that correctly; it is when you are so hungry that you start to get angry. Just like on the Snickers commercials. Not that they are the healthiest choice, but in a pinch, they can help you to combat low blood sugar and hangry feelings. They are not on plan, though.
So how does this adapt in the real world? I do get breaks at work, and they are not quite at the 3-hour mark, but I make do. I have fruit and protein for my snacks. It is really easy to eat an unsweetened applesauce and some laughing cow cheese. I have also been known to snack on turkey pepperoni sticks. The kind I like is not too spicy. I have a low tolerance for spicy foods and am very sensitive to spices.
Meals vary for my lunches and suppers. I enjoy grabbing a banana on the way out the door, again not on plan, but that is my quick dairy free and iron free start to my day. The thyroid pill requires water and an empty stomach for it to work properly, to avoid these foods for two hours after taking it, so I don’t have side effects. I have tried other things, but the food I can eat in the car when my husband is driving me to work is what I choose. I also have black coffee when I get to work.
When I prep cook, it is the best way for me to stay on plan. I have tried a lot of THM recipes, and I really like them. I have been slacking in the prep cooking department. I have things I can make, but I am not feeling like cooking. Part of that is the effort, part of it is the storage situation, and the other part is that my husband is not on the plan with me. Sometimes that requires making two meals, or different side dishes. Again, more time, energy, and effort. Not to mention that I don’t jump up to do the dishes every day like I should. I know that is a different story, but it all ties in together with a big pretty bow.
If I make my lunch, there is a good chance I will be on plan. When I don’t, I can stay on plan, but it is more difficult to buy lunch and stay on plan. I am getting better at it, but the budget dictates that I need to start prep cooking again.
There are also meals when my husband and I don’t eat the same thing at all. If I am eating on plan, he may have something that he likes instead of joining me. That used to bother me. Now I try and think that if he isn’t having the same thing as me, then there is more for me to eat and stay on track longer with. So it is all about perspective. And timing.
When the time is right for you, the choices will be easier because you are ready. It took me most of my life to feel like I was ready to tackle this plan and become healthier. When I found it, the timing was ripe for me to make a change and try something new. I didn’t know then that it was going to be the answer for me, and that all I have to do is get serious about staying on the plan. It is time to get serious. Are you with me?
by Tish MacWebber | Apr 17, 2017 | Weekend Warrior
Take your chance and try something new!
I have been reflecting today as I am now actively involved in a fourth new group I found on facebook. There are a lot of possible outcomes when one surfs the internet. One click can lead down a dark narrow path to things you never imagined, not even in your worst nightmares. Evil does lurk in the world, and I am certain that there is a way to twist any online search into something most people would never look for.
I have been expanding my horizons and plans for the future. I am careful when I am online, but I choose ads on facebook if they REALLY speak to me. That is how I found the A Bowl Full Of Lemons facebook group. I was looking for guidance and inspiration in my household cleaning struggles. I know how to clean, I just don’t like doing it! So I clicked on the link, joined the group, and worked on one project.
Pantry Shelf Project
Since then, it has been fairly organized, and I had some help to reinforce the shelves (Thanks, Dad!). It needs some TLC this year, but I am still proud of completing this project. The facebook group has SO many good organization ideas, before and after pics, and some amazing decorating ideas. It is something I have worked towards this year, and so far I have been able to share my Coffee Station Complete! project. There will be more pics coming soon from my kitchen, I promise!
I have yet to make it through the whole house with the challenge. I am confident that this will be the year. I shared a picture when I bought a new shelving unit for my Master Bedroom, as I am moving my craft studio out of the Guest Room and relocating it in the larger Master Bedroom.
Craft Studio Relocation Project
The area is still “under construction”. That means I am still in the planning stages of how to reorganize my craft supplies in this room. I have taken step two today, and purchased a second cube bookcase, with 6 squares, not 9. I had already bought the matching plastic bins for it while they were on sale, but again, I felt I was being held back from completing this project because I didn’t have all of the pieces for it ready to go. I still have to assemble the shelf, (and move a dresser to that side of the room to put the new shelf on top of) but I can work on that as soon as I finish my kitchen. I have no regrets about joining this facebook group, at all.
I also found the Trim Healthy Mama (THM) Plan in the same way. THM is a lifestyle change in how you eat food. It is wonderful, they have more than one facebook group, actually, and I am a member of several different THM facebook groups. I have implemented many of their guidelines into my life, and when I am on plan, I feel great! I need to focus on staying on plan more than being off plan because I KNOW IT WORKS WHEN YOU WORK IT. I have seen it for myself. So I start every day trying to stay on plan. Some days I succeed. Others I don’t. One of the best things about the plan is that you work it into your own life, and if you go off plan, well you just pull up your socks and get back on plan. No worries. I realized, when I was looking at this ad two years ago, that what I was doing was not working, so I was ready to try something different. I am still not 100% on plan, but I am more convinced than ever that I can do it because I am. This is another group that came along when I needed it, and I have no regrets about joining this group, either.
The third group I joined in 2016. I was thinking about how to get my lyrics out to the world. I had watched a motivational video, I have written about this before, and I decided it was time. About the same time I started looking into this, I decided that I was also done waiting to write books, and I wanted to make the dream of becoming an author a reality. While this was all being processed in my mind, another facebook group, the Ninja Writers showed up in my ads. Well, this group has been a game changer for me. The Ninja Writers Facebook Page has been an incredible resource. I had no idea how to brand myself as an author, how or why to start a Blog, or what I had to do to make this all effective towards my goal of becoming an author. I even designed my own tartan and logo for it! I have made friends that have really helped me with this blog, and spark a passion in me that I didn’t even know I had the potential for. And if you are reading this, you know that I am blogging frequently, to develop my writing habit and expand my creative horizons. There are no regrets for me in terms of joining this group. Only positive strides towards making a dream into a reality.
The fourth group is a new addition. One of my fellow Ninja Writers shared a new group page on her wall, encouraging people to check it out. I became curious, and trusted my fellow Ninja Writer friend, and joined the group. It is called 100 Coffees. They have a facebook group, 100 Coffees Facebook Group and through that group, you can join their website. It is for women entrepreneurs, and they are based on networking through the group, to meet members through coffee meetings. This has an immense potential for people like me, trying to find their way in this online business world. Membership is free, and eventually, there will be other options for paid subscribers, but I am in the group and hoping to make new friends, get and give support to and from members, and to learn as much as I can from my peers. This is a great concept, and I am glad to be involved with it already.
One thing that is very important to keep in mind when you join a new group online, is to find out the rules. The people that create these groups have their reasons, and sticking to their rules will mean you get to remain in the group, and get all the benefits of belonging. If you choose to just join a bunch of groups to do your own thing, disregarding the rules, expect your time in that group to be limited. The rules keep the group working together towards a common goal, and going your own way will likely result in you getting the boot.
So there you have it. The internet is not just being used for evil. When you are surfing, and something keeps showing up in your feed, and it is a group or a theme that resonates with you, check it out! You might find something wonderful! If you don’t, leave the group and find another one that works for you and helps you in your life. If any of the above groups peak your interest, check them out! I am glad I did, and maybe you will be too!
