I’m a Tracker – Are You a Tracker Too?

February 10, 2014

02/09/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day ( 8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (20  minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps per day (7,376 )
February Challenge: Walk 50k steps (31 miles)this month and I have done (52.40 miles so far) or 52,064  steps so far this month

Good morning!

If you are ever struggling with hitting a goal, I have found out that tracking is the key to breaking through. For the past 112 days, I have tracked my exercise, my water intake and my steps, including miles. I can see that I am gaining moMINTum. In one of the programs that I use, (www.SparkPeople.com) I get little trophies and badges for doing my activities. I received a silver medal for going over 40,000 steps in a week! I started out getting nothing, then I received a couple of bronze medals and now I am going for the gold which is 60,000 steps in a week. I will have to sneak in a couple of 10,000 steps to reach that goal!

Since I got my FitBit, I have tracked not only my steps, I have tracked my sleep too! I can see why I am so tired some days! I can also see some of my friend’s steps on the FitBit site. I can tell you that I feel REALLY good when/if I pass one of them and I am challenged to reach others; although, one of my friends does like 21,000 steps a day.  Hey – you never know! 🙂

The last frontier in my personal life of tracking is going to be my food. I have not done very well at that yet. I track breakfast and then I do not track for the rest of the day. Tracking at work is another thing and I need to bump it up there too!

Do you track, and if yes, what do you track and what tools do you use?  If you do not track, why don’t you?

AffirMINTion: I am a tracker!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?
http://tinyurl.com/WhatchaWaiting4

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says…. tracking will help you achieve your goals…. AND I LIKE IT

 

 

 

 

 

Life is Minty Fresh!

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Fast Food – Detoxing – Cycling

February 5, 2014

02/03/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (10 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps per day (7,357)
February Challenge: Walk 50k steps (31 miles) his month (15.53 miles so far) or 17,873 steps so far this month

02/04/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day ( 9)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (16  minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps per day (7,376 )
February Challenge: Walk 50k steps (31 miles) his month ( 22.66 miles so far) or   steps so far this month

Good morning,

It can be difficult sometimes when I see people losing a lot of weight, fast; it makes me want to get on the bandwagon because it is taking me a long time. I have to keep telling myself that the tortoise always wins the race in the end. It might seem like I am losing the race; however here is what I am learning about some of these fast weight-loss ideas.

Fasting – most of the weight that comes off is water. If you are going to fast, fast from Fast Food 🙂

Detox – Can spell disaster because you devoid your body of valuable nutrients and oh by the way… it is short lived and it is not backed by science

Calorie Cycling – when you eat less than your calorie range one day and above your calorie range another day (trying to trick your body into losing weight). Cycling works best on a bike! 🙂

Best way, is to stick to your calorie range (the hardest part for me) and to eat whole food packed with nutrients 🙂

So instead of trying to catch up with a Fad Diet, I am learning to celebrate my victories – especially non-scale victories. My victory for the past couple of days is my step count (over 7,000 steps) and my water intake (at least 8 glasses a day). I have been steady in both! :::patting myself on the back:::

Instead of worrying about how well others are doing, I am grateful to them for leading the way on this journey into a healthier lifestyle and for being such GREAT encouragers and supporters! Thank you!

AffirMINTion: I believe that slow and steady wins the race.

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says that walking me helps her to be healthy…. AND I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!

Good Fortune!

February 2, 2014

02/01/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (12 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 7,000 steps per day (5,729)
February Challenge: Walk 50k steps (31 miles) his month (4.45 miles so far) or 4,288 steps so far this month

Good morning,

Lots going on this past week w/projects at work and some fun things going on in my family and personally.

First we have a close family friend who went on Wheel of Fortune as a gift to my 94 year old Aunt and Super Wheel of Fortune fan! Here is the story

www.bemidjipioneer.com/content/wishing-wheel-woman-competes-wheel-fortune-gift-longtime-neighbor 

Katie (the neighbor) is a VERY introverted person, and it was ONLY as a gift for my Auntie Marion that she went on the show. Not only that, Katie didn’t even own a TV before she entered to be on the show! Stay tuned for my next blog to see how it all turned out!

My question is: How often do you step out of YOUR comfort zone? I personally find it difficult to stay out of mine, and honestly, every time I write this blog is stepping out of mine!

It is difficult to be transparent; however, the results are worth it. This week, I came into work and sitting on my desk was a little gift with this little star

 

 

 

 

 

this star was on top of this gift bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

in the gift bag was this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was and am still blown away by the generosity of my friends in the office. I could not even read the card without crying and it chokes me up now while I am writing about it. I still do not know all that were involved so I am thanking you ALL this wonderful gift and for your support on this journey.

Now; however, I am REALLY going to have to step up my game and continue to move out of my comfort zone!

AffirMINTion: I love moving out of my comfort zone. 

Make it a GREAT day, IF you Choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT 

My mom put up this tree for the Wheel of Fortune Party…… AND I LIKE IT!

One Step Back…. Two Steps Forward

January 13, 2014

Good morning!

I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that my step count has gone down since I last wrote – WAY DOWN! The good news is that in the month of January, I have done 55,592 steps – not too shabby and if I get my steps back up there, I could do 100,000 steps by the end of January. By applying the one step back and two steps forward, it is doable!

Do you get frustrated when things do not happen fast enough for you or do you work twice as hard? Do you quit when you make mistakes or do you brush it off and keep going? Today, I am going full steam ahead – are you?

AffirMINTion: If I take a step back, I take two steps forward!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says… keep moving forward…. AND I LIKE IT!

You’re not giving up are you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is Minty Fresh!

6,612 Baby Steps!

January 8, 2014

01/06/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (20 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 6,000 steps per day (6,200)
January Challenge: Walk 50 miles this month (14.81 miles so far)

01/07/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (18 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 6,000 steps per day (6,612)
January Challenge: Walk 50 miles this month (17.99 miles so far)

Good morning, Mintdom!

I have made over 6,000 steps, three days in a row. I am even impressing myself! Two more days in a row and I will up it to 7,000 steps. My goal is to make 10,000 consistently. Taking baby steps seems to be working for me (sometimes I make my steps really tiny so I get more in LOL). Normally, I am much more aggressive when I start exercising; however, I also end up injuring myself and quit. Also, I am learning to fit my exercise into my lifestyle instead of adapting my lifestyle to my exercise. Every time I add something, I ask myself if I can do this every day for the rest of my life. So far, the answer has been, yes. On the down side, nothing is happening overnight. I’ve been at this for 79 days now. I am just trusting the process right now. Have you ever tried this approach? If not, maybe you should and see what happens.

“The principle is competing against yourself. It is about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before.” ~ Steve Young~

AffirMINTion: I am taking baby steps on the path to a healthy lifestyle

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says… she takes baby steps every day… AND I LIKE IT!

Minty is improving on her sleep!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is Minty Fresh!

Tennis Shoes and Tiaras

January 6,2014

1/3/2014 and 1/4/2014
I did not meet my goals, and especially 1/4

1/5/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (8)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (28 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 6,000 steps per day (6,096)
January Challenge: Walk 50 miles this month (11.79 miles so far)

Good morning!

After not meeting any of my goals for two days, I am back and it feels GREAT! Actually Friday, 1/3 was close with some of them. Friday was the night of our office Best Year Ever Party. Lots of glitz and glamour! Since the holidays I have been wearing tennis shoes all the time because I have a tracker on one that counts my steps and my activity. I debated and debated and in the end, I wore my black tennis shoes with the hot pink soles. To off set the shoes, I also wore a tiara. My mom used to tell me that you had to suffer for beauty. While my pride suffers every time I wear tennis shoes; it shoes how serious I am about staying on the right path AND I was probably the most comfortable person in the room! Even though I did not make my step goal that night, I am not giving up!

“The man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.” – James Crook

AffirMINTion: I am willing to step out of my comfort zone.

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says…. it is haircut time… AND I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!

January Challenges!

January 3, 2014

1/2/2014
H2O Challenge: Drink 8 glasses of water per day (7)
Exercise Challenge: Do at least 10 minutes of exercise per day (23 minutes)
Step Challenge: Walk 6,000 steps per day (6,180)
January Challenge: Walk 50 miles this month (5.6 miles so far)

Good morning Mintdom,

I am so excited to be in a new year; it is even better than a Monday – talking about a clean slate! Now let me see if I can muddy the waters a little. I have set up some challenges for myself in order to stay on the path to a healthy lifestyle. To some of you, these are a piece of cake and no challenge to you at all. To me and to some of you, these are difficult challenges – doable ones, however, doable ones.

 “Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory.” – General George S. Patton

 Are you ready to take on the New Year? Do you want to feel the exhilaration of victory? Try setting up your own challenge. Please feel free to share your ideas here.

AffirMINTion: I already love the year 2014 and I look forward to the sweet taste of victory!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

 A Mini Mint MoMINT

 My mom says… we can conquer what we put our minds to… AND I LIKE IT!

 Life is Minty Fresh!

Happy New Year – 2014!

January 1, 2014

Happy New Year Mintdom!

I am so excited for the New Year. I know that 2014 is going to be a GREAT year – maybe one of the BEST years EVER! For the second year in a row, I have a word for the year. My 2014 word is Legacy. I want to leave a good legacy for my family, friends and community. My focus for the year in everything that I do in my spiritual, family, financial, business and personal life will have to do with my legacy. Now that theme should keep me on the straight and narrow. LOL

One of these goals is to have a Clean House – Mintdom Clean. I do not mean that I am just going to clean my house. I mean that I am cleaning and organizing my life. I want to have a clean house emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually and have my house and car clean too! Of course, my ultimate goal in my life is to lead a healthy lifestyle and I will be posting progress reports often. I am never giving up on this goal.

Lastly, one of my goals for the year is to complete writing my first book. I am very excited about it. I have some good plans to get me unstuck. I will let you all know. . I should have a very busy year this year!

Of course, I would be remiss in not sharing my exciting news that my oldest daughter is expecting a little girl in March! My youngest daughter and I will be heading to North Carolina as soon as we hear that she is in labor. Whoo hoo!

Thank you all for being in my life and for all the love and encouragement that you guys so generously give to me. I am grateful to each one of you. I hope this year bring you and yours much good health, happiness and success.

AffirMINTion: I love a Mintdom Clean House and I will have one in 2014!

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

 A Mini Minty MoMINT

My mom says…. We are back… AND I LIKE IT!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life is Minty Fresh!

10,000 Steps!

5/06/2013 – No Data
5/07/2013 – 5,884 Steps
5/08/2013 – 7,282 Steps
5/09/2013 – 6,091 Steps
5/10/2013 – 8,172 Steps
5/11/2013 – 4,184 Steps
5/12/2013 – 10, 012 Steps
5/13/2013 – 12, 200 Steps
5/14/2013 – 21,141 Steps (golf tournament)
5/15/2013 – 5,687 Steps
5/16/2013 – 7,008 Steps
5/17/2013 – 5,883 Steps
5/18/2013 – 4,866 Steps
5/19/2013 – 11,143 Steps

Good morning Mintdom

Do I ever love my pedometer! I have only had a few days that are below 5,000 steps and I believe I have never had over 10,000 steps in 2 weeks since I started counting.  I need to double that in the next 2 weeks.  I am actually excited about it. If you do not have a pedometer, I suggest that you get one – it really makes a difference!

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein

 The Surgeon General recommends that we walk 10,000 steps a day for our health. Does that seem like a difficult goal to reach? What are you doing for your health today?

AffirMINTion:  I enjoy setting and achieving my goals.

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to.

What are you waiting for?

Life is good

A Mini Minty MoMINT 

My Mom says… Albert Einstein must have been a very happy person… AND I LIKE IT!

Life is Minty Fresh!

 

 

 

Wow! A New Biological Discovery

May 6, 2013

5/4/13 – 5,423 Steps

5/5/13 – 6,511 Steps

Good morning, Mintdom

First, I cannot believe that it is not only the year, 2013, but also it is MAY 2013! Life is flying by – phew! Now that I have that out of the way, I believe I discovered a new biological discovery. I think my feet and my brain are connected.  The way I made the connection is that ever since I got my new pedoMINTer, I am much more aware of my moveMINTs for the day, but somehow looking down at the pedoMINTer and seeing how many steps, I am up to really kicks my brain into gear. I have to wait until the end of the day to check to see if I have met my goal with the Active Link. Both are GREAT in their own way; however, if I have not gotten my steps up to over 5,000 before I get home from work, I know that I have work to do.

I wore the pedoMINTer for two days and both days were up over 5,000. My goal is to have at least 10,000 steps a day consistently BEFORE the end of the summer. That is a doable goal. Who knows, maybe someone will do a study on the link between one’s brain and one’s feet and I can take credit for the discovery. LOL

Have you discovered something new about yourself lately? Do you have any new health goals for the summer? All I can say is that we need to hurry with our goals because time is flying by!

AffirMINTion: I move more each day! 

Make it a GREAT day, IF you choose to

What are you waiting for?

Life is good!

PS – Happy birthday to my good friend Jane (trubel to her BEST  and YOUNGER friends) LOL! trubel, I hope you have an awesome day, filled with the love and laughter of your family, my loveliest twin and your friends. :::: hugs::::

 

 

 

 

 

Aren’t you glad I didn’t call you an old bat? lol

A Mini Minty MoMINT

 My mom says… in order to be healthy you have to keep moving… AND I LIKE IT!

 

xoxo

 

Hurry and get those steps in!