I have been really good about not drinking soda during the week. Since the beginning of January I have had soda during the week only twice, both times last week. But that doesn’t count the other bad habit I have acquired.

Meet My $2 a Day Habit

Uh, not Chik-fil-A. I like a good 8-piece nugget combo meal, but that would be a really bad habit. I’m talking something a little sweeter, something decidedly southern (for this very much northern girl). Oh, yes, I do like me some sweet tea!

If McDonald’s was close by then this would only be a $1 a day habit.

Of, course the real sin is the whole death cup styrofoam. {sigh}

Habit Forming is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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This year I refused, yes, I said REFUSED, to buy pie crust.

I remember making homemade pies with my mom when I was a young girl. She would make the big pies cherry with lattice and her special apple pie. I would get to make smaller versions with the extra homemade dough and fillings. So, this year I wanted to make my pies with homemade dough, just like mom used to make.

With a little help from Betty Crocker

Since I was making 2 pumpkin pies I follows the recipe for a two-crust, 9-inch pie.

• 2/3 cup + 2 tablespoons shortening
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5 to 4 tablespoons cold water

I sifted my flour. This was not a requirement; I just like sifting my flour.

Add flour and salt in bowl. Cut shortening into mixture until pea-size balls form. Sprinkle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl.

Place a cloth over a large cutting board and lightly flour.

Next form 2 balls. Take 1 ball and flatten into a circle on your floured cloth. Using a rolling pin, carefully roll dough until it is roughly 2 inches larger than your pie place when it is inverted. I took my time with this step. Make sure you stop and re-flour your rolling pin often to avoid dough sticking to it.

Using your cloth, fold your dough into quarters to place in pie plate. Of course, I misunderstood this. I ended up rolling my dough. It worked out just fine for me.

Ease your crust into the pie plate and press gently and firmly into bottom and sides.

Repeat.

Remember, it doesn’t matter if it isn’t perfect. No one is going to see the crust once the filling goes in. Besides, mine didn’t even have the nice fluted edges, but you don’t see me crying over it!

Then it was on to the filling

My mother-in-law used to use fresh pumpkin she scooped and prepared herself. Sadly, she didn’t live long enough to pass this on to me. Maybe one day I will attempt it anyway. For today I used Libby’s pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient: pumpkin. I like that!

Following the directions on the can I was able to comfortably make two pumpkin pies. One for my family and one for the neighbors.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mmm, Mmm, Good: Thanksgiving Edition – Let Them Eat Pie! is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Dwayne said my mom would be so proud.

I think she would have asked where’s the fruit?

******************

A few months ago Dwayne acquired a gelatin/cake mold. It had been shoved in a corner gathering dust while I figured out what I was going to do with this thing. Then, the other day Dwayne had requested some Jello. Okay, truth be told he is always wanting Jello.

A study at Ball State University sponsored by Nabisco, the former parent company of Knox gelatin, found that gelatin supplementation relieved knee joint pain and stiffness in athletes.

-Wikipedia

So, I un-shoved the gelatin/cake mold and washed it with some hot, soapy water. Since it resembled a wreath I chose lime green gelatin (and Dwayne had just so happened to request lime). I used 1 large and 2 smaller packages of gelatin. I boiled 4 cups of water on the stove. I added the hot water to the gelatin and stirred for about 2 minutes. I then poured the mixture into the mold. Next, I added 3 cups cold water to the mold. It was refrigerated overnight (it was ready this morning, but wasn’t unmolded until tonight).

To unmold I filled the sink with warm water and dipped the mold into the water for about 15-20 seconds.

Note: make sure you have something to hold your unmolded gelatin. The mold I used was quite round. I ended up putting aluminum foil over a small pizza pan.

What do you think?

Oh, and just when you lift up and think the Jello isn’t going to un-stick, it will. Fwoop! Make sure you’re close to the center of your plate, cause trying to move your mold isn’t fun (or neat).

Mmm, Mmm, Good: J-E-L-L-O Mold! is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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From the Garden…

A great way to save money on food is to grow your own, then can what you don’t or can’t eat. Then you have homegrown, preservative free foods for the rest of the year and until your garden is up and producing again.

An even better way to save money is to have family do this then share!

Dwayne brought home a baker’s dozen of assorted goodies on Friday after visiting his brother. We now have green beans, tomato sauce, and even some lovely venison (a great alternative to beef).

Thank you Dennis and Tina!

Mmm, Mmm Good: The Way to One’s Heart is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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I don’t have 50 or more pounds to lose

This doesn’t make weight a non-issue for me.

Two years ago I weighed 30 pounds less and wore a size 2. I felt good about myself. I make no apologies for equated [my] happiness with how I fit in my jeans.

All through my 20′s I could put on a little weight and lose it with ease just by making a few minor adjustments.

Then I hit 30.

In my early 30′s I could still make some minor adjustments and lose some weight. And yet, I could never quite get back to my happy weight of 115. So, I developed a new happy weight – 125. Okay, I get a little happier at 120, but 125 is more realistic and easier to maintain.

I’m now 39.

In February 2008 I started working out. A lot! I started with a yoga/pilates class. Then it was hip hop abs. I added a 30 minute ab class twice a week. And then there were the step classes. And I felt good.

In about a month I lost, well, I have no idea how much weight I lost, but my size 8′s were huge and I was fitting quite comfortably in a size 4. I was eating better. I was happier. I just felt good.

Then it all went away.

I lost my job. I lost my place to workout. I lost my will to care.

For the next two years I would go back and forth trying to eat better, working out to DVDs, joining gyms, trying to get inspired. Nothing. My family said they supported me and wanted me to start working out again. These were just words. And while they might mean them, they don’t show them. There is no action beyond the words.

A good support system is paramount.

And, sadly, I don’t have one. My family is great, but they don’t worry about what they eat or when they need to exercise. This doesn’t impact their lives other than as it relates to me. I have don’t have girl friends [or guy friends for that matter] to hang out, workout, do anything with. This makes me my own support system.

I’m going to just keep starting

Over and over and over and over and over again until it sticks.

I will start P90X again. I may stop again, too. But I will start again and again until it’s not a chore, but something I want to do – for me. I will follow Tracy Anderson’s menu plan [to the best of my taste buds] as listed in her book 30-Day Method. I may not make it past a week, but I will just start it again.

I will start going to the gym. I’ve used the following excuses: weather, cost [gas], need to organize a shopping trip first, oversleeping, there’s always tomorrow. And I may use them again. I know they are just excuses and one day I will beat them at their own game.

image credit

Here’s to Your Health: On Again, Off Again, On Again is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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I didn’t get around to posting about my experience on day 2 of my 2 weeks of posting about Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method yesterday, so today I will combine days 2 and 3.

Day 2

Food

I had issues with the meal plan on Tuesday. Let’s see…

I was 99% sure I picked up 1 grapefruit (not sure I like them), but couldn’t (can’t) seem to find it anywhere. This left me with just oranges. I was cold and not in the mood for just oranges, so I had coffee instead. Yeah, great breakfast.

For lunch I opted for the broccoli puree. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this. I like love broccoli and the other veggies in this, but I wasn’t sure about the sweet potato. Which brings me to another thing, I’ve had horrible luck with the produce purchased from my local grocers. Oranges that mold in 3 days, pineapple and sweet potato that start to rot within 4 – 5 days. It’s a bit frustrating to say the least. Anyhow, the puree was delicious, filling, and nice and warm on a cold day. I would totally recommend trying this and plan on making this one again real soon.

There was no snack on my modified plan, so I just didn’t.

I completely ignored dinner and made meatloaf for the family. I had a small piece with steamed spinach, noodles, and gravy.

Exercise

Instead of killing myself with 20 repetitions of each exercise, I decided to do 10 of everything, except the ab work. For the ab work I did between 10 & 20 repetitions depending on the move. I made it through all 16 positions, then realized I did this wrong. I did the right side, then the left. Tracy wants you to do every move on the right, the move to the left. Nex time.

Day 3

I’m not going to even break it down here. I had no melon in the house for the breakfast meal (it didn’t look all that great at the store) and given my recent experiences, well, yeah. So, I had nasty coffee, some hot tea, then some Kashi cereal with almond milk for breakfast. For lunch I made some penne pasta and poured some very veggie Ragu on top. I didn’t have dinner since I ate lunch so late and was not hungry.

I did not exercise. Yeah, complete fail! I can say I am sore (even as I write this), so Tracy’s method does work your muscles. Well, time to get back on the horse.

Don’t forget to enter to win your own copy of Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method. Enter on the original giveaway post and leave a comment on this post for an extra entry. Good luck!

Check out my other giveaways, too, while you’re here.

Days 2 & 3: 30-Day Method is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Here is something when I saw it I thought ‘I have to try this!’ I absolutely hate detest dislike the bumps, blotchiness, and ingrown hairs that come from shaving and tweezing. By the way, PrinceReigns frowns on tweezing as this promotes ingrown hairs, but I do it anyway.

I’ve tried other bump and blotchiness products and, while they did work, they also burned. This is because they contained alcohol. Alcohol was the main ingredient in reducing the bumps and blotchiness. They did nothing for ingrown hairs.

• Princereigns has no alcohol burn. In fact quite the opposite as it has a nice cooling effect. Use it after you shave on dry skin, then apply in the morning and at night as part of your usual routine.

• Princereigns Ingrown Hair Serum is made from 100% natural products and the company is based out of West Palm Beach, Florida (my hometown!).

• Price point – $24.95 for 2 oz, enough for 1 month.

My experience

I don’t have a normal morning or evening routine, sad I know, so I tend to forget to put this on at those times. I have used this product after shaving, though. I’ve applied it to my legs and bikini area and have noticed a reduction in those blotches, especially the ones on my legs that people may actually see! And there are zero bumps in my bikini area. Awesome!

I did apply this to my underarms, but am not sure about the deodorant issue, so I have stopped doing so. I’m sure this is no issue unless you’re putting your deodorant on immediately after applying, but that is when I remembered to use it.

At $24.95 I’m not sure this would be on my ‘must purchase’ list of beauty items, but it does work. Although, since this would probably last me more than 1 month, I may just splurge.

Win Princereigns Ingrown Hair Serum

Giveaway Rules:

Mandatory entry:

Tell me ~ Go to the Princereigns site and tell me something you learned. 2 entries (leave 2 comments)
or Tell me if you’ve tried any similar products (a simple ‘I’ve tried similar products’ will do) only 1 entry

Additional entries:

• Like AnneOnLife‘s page on Facebook
• Like Prince Reigns on Facebook
• Follow @AnneOnline on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in a comment)
• Follow @PrinceReigns on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in a comment)
• Subscribe to AnneOnLife via e-mail* (must confirm) or in a reader
• Tweet about this giveaway (once per day) Be sure to include a link to your tweet for verification. You may create your own, use the tweet button below this post, or use this:
  Enter to Win PrinceReigns Ingrown Hair Serum (used by VS supermodel Gisele Bundchen) http://anneonlife.com/?p=7643 #giveaways

* Anyone who subscribed to my feed via e-mail prior to May 1, 2010 will need to resubscribe. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Giveaway will end on October 13, 2010 at Midnight EST and is open to U.S. residents, 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winner’s name on my site in a separate post on October 14, 2010. Winner will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Disclaimer: This Product Was a Free Giveaway I was provided with a free product for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Review & Giveaway: Princereigns Ingrown Hair Serum {closed} is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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First things first

Before starting any exercise or diet program you should always consult with your doctor. I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or any type of healthcare provider. I am sharing my experiences with the Tracy Anderson 30-Day Method, but not advising anyone of what they should do. That choice is yours and yours alone.

Measurements

In the interest of transparency, I am sharing my true measurements here so everyone can see what, if any, changes occur over the course of the next 2 weeks.

Food

On my meal plan for today was:

• Strawberry Mint Salad for breakfast.
• String Beans with Sauteed Spinach for lunch. (Used asparagus instead as my beans were slimy. Had I realized this I would have bought fresh beans yesterday. I didn’t, so I improvised.)
• Choco Chestnut Pudding for a snack. (Could not find chestnuts; used walnuts instead. Chestnuts can be purchased on Amazon.com, but I was reluctant to spend $30 on something I may not like.)
• Baked Ziti for dinner. (This was supposed to include cod with roasted asparagus, but I don’t eat fish and I had asparagus for lunch.)

You’re not supposed to make substitutions or change the menu, but I’m a picky eater and will follow the menus to the best of my ability and taste.

I have to say I was really hungry after lunch. The vegetable broth used in cooking the asparagus and spinach was so tasty. It made me wish I had made more. The strawberry mint salad is actually quite filling and the mint gives the strawberries a bit of zing. The pudding was almost too much. This was good since I was still hungry after lunch. I waited until after exercising to eat this snack.

Exercise

I failed miserably. I made it through the stretching and 4 of the 16 exercises today. Did not even attempt the aerobics portion. Let me just say this, the exercises Will. Push. You.

Tracy recommends 20 repetitions at first, working your way up to 40. I managed the 20 with some mini breaks. I actually started getting a cramp in my left leg, but managed to push through the last 2 reps needed.

I am of the don’tkillyourself school of exercise thought. I was sweating and really feeling it and realized how out of shape I really am. Here’s to a better tomorrow.

Your Turn

Don’t forget to enter to win your very own copy of Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method. There will be 2 winners and there are many ways to enter. Be sure to follow the rules on the giveaway post to be eligible. Leave a comment on this post for an extra entry. Make your comment relevant or it won’t count.

Day 1: 30-Day Method is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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Based on ten years of scientific research and experience getting not just herself, but A-list stars and everyday people, red carpet ready, Anderson has developed a unique 30-day diet and workout routine that reshapes the body and defies genetics to tone the muscles and drop the pounds. While most people incorrectly target their major muscle groups, like the bicep or hamstring, the focus should be on the smaller accessory muscles that can create a long, lean, balanced look–instead of bulked up look. Anderson’s program is composed of a groundbreaking three-tiered approach, including a mat workout and cardio routine targeting the all-important accessory muscles, and an exclusive 30-day meal plan, complete with dozens of delicious recipes.

my thoughts

As someone who can use a kick in the butt start, the 30-day method is a good place to start. Tracy is not one of those I-once-weighed-200-pounds-and-now-I’m-a-svelte-115 people. Tracy is the average person who had the average weight issues. Not that the world doesn’t need those types of success stories, but I need someone I can relate to. Someone who struggles with those few extra pounds and wishes her body would be what she always wanted it to be, but never seemed to be able to get it to comply through typical workouts.

Tracy was a dancer.

That is all she ever wanted and when she went off to follow her dream she struggled with her weight. Dancers are supposed to be cute and trim, muscular without the bulk. Unfortunately for Tracy, no matter what she did her body didn’t become what she needed it to become. This set her on a course to figure out how she could achieve the body she wanted, because it is possible.

I love reading Tracy’s story. The typical self-help, exercise book doesn’t interest me; stories do. This helps me to understand the why of what I’m being told to do. Why it’s good for me. Why I should listen. Why I should do as she says.

Tracy spells out what she wants you to, how much, how often, and even tells you what to eat. No menu choices, except for vegetarian or non-vegetarian. She feels choices confuse and telling you is just better. I agree. On the other hand, this is also a detractor for me. But, to be fair, her 30 day diet is no worse than any other diet I’ve seen with other weight loss programs. In fact, they are all pretty similar. I’m just picky and won’t eat many of the things listed.

Tracy has some really good illustrations in the book of stretches and workouts. She also includes a DVD so you can see how the moves are done.

The DVD is pretty generic, but it’s not meant to be the latest fad. It’s just Tracy surrounded by all white with some music to keep the tempo. I didn’t care much for the music, but you can always put it on mute and find your favorite workout music as a substitute.

This is a 30 day boot camp. Be prepared to modify your meals and devote 1 – 1 1/2 hours to working out to comply with Tracy’s plan. Some things may be hard to find like chestnuts or yacon syrup, so plan ahead. Take some time to read through the book and watch the DVD’s through prior to starting as well.

I haven’t begun this kick start workout, yet. And while I cannot say whether or not this works, the book does give some good information on how muscles work and Tracy’s enthusiasm shows in her writing.

Win Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method (2 winners)

Giveaway Rules:

Mandatory entry:

Tell me ~ What other book would you love to read from Hatchette Book Group? 3 entries (leave 3 comments)
or Give me 1 reason you would like to win. only 1 entry

Additional entries:

• Like AnneOnLife‘s page on Facebook
• Like Tracy Anderson on Facebook
• Follow @AnneOnline on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in a comment)
• Follow @GoTracy on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in a comment)
• Follow @GrandCentralPub on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in a comment)
• Subscribe to AnneOnLife via e-mail* (must confirm) or in a reader
• Tweet about this giveaway (once per day) Be sure to include a link to your tweet for verification. You may create your own or use this:
  Win Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method & kick start your workout! http://anneonlife.com/?p=7642 #giveaways
• Look for follow up posts on my progress working through Tracy’s 30-Day Method. Leave a comment and gain an extra entry into the giveaway. (comment left on post will count, no need to leave another comment here/one thoughtful comment per post)

* Anyone who subscribed to my feed via e-mail prior to May 1, 2010 will need to resubscribe. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Giveaway will end on October 17, 2010 at Midnight EST and is open to U.S. & Canadian residents, 18 years of age or older. Winner will be selected using Random.org. Winner will be notified via email. Additionally, I will post the winners’ names on my site in a separate post on October 18, 2010. Winners will have 48 hours from the time the email is sent to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

** Winners will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title (or one set in the case of grouped giveaways) in the mail.

UPDATE: I’ve changed the mandatory entry requirement. I have added additional entries for those who left a comment on what other book they would like as per the change above. (10/7/10 AB)

Good Luck!

❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀❀
Disclaimer: Giveaway sponsored by the Hatchette Book Group. A copy of the book was provided to me for this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Please read my Disclosure Policy for more information.

Review & Giveaway: Tracy Anderson’s 30-Day Method {closed} is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of PlayStation MOVE. All opinions are 100% mine.

Image if you will…

You’re at the local flea market and spy a neat old lamp. You think with a little cleaning and buffing this will make a great addition to the mantelpiece. It’s a steal at 50¢ and home with you it goes. Once home, you rub some of the dust away. A puff of smoke-like haze rises and a chubby, funny-dressed man appears. Instead of offering you the traditional three wishes, he gives you a PlayStation Move. What do you do?

PlayStation^®Move redefines motion gaming with the most immersive and realistic gaming experience only possible on the PlayStation^®3 system. The simple, easy-to-use controller captures a full range of motion giving you ultimate control over how you play the game. With a diverse selection of games and new ones launching all the time, you can enjoy hours of fun with friends and family.

How it could change my family

Stephen loves to play video games, but we don’t allow this as he will tune out everything else. With PlayStation Move, we could allow some time for Stephen to play his favorite games, get some exercise, and interact with others all at the same time.

We could have family night challenges, almost like our own version of the Olympics.

I could workout, track my changes, establish a nutrition plan, and stay accountable all while having fun and playing games.

My Picks

Play NBA 2K11, the best NBA simulation on the market, and you, too can be like Mike. Or maybe bowling is more your speed. Brunswick Pro Bowling gives you an authentic and realistic experience (and cheaper than a night out at your favorite lanes). There is even a selection of your favorite racket sports including: tennis, badminton, squash, ping pong, & beach tennis.

You can even Get Fit with Mel B. This program includes a wide variety of exercises designed to develop strength, tone, flexibility and aerobic fitness and is complemented by full nutritional advice, which includes recipes and shopping lists based on your unique goals, likes and dislikes. [find out more]

Add on to the fun…

PlayStation Move isn’t a new gaming system. PS Move works with your existing PS3 to enhance and engage even more. Not only can you watch videos and play traditional videos games, but for $99 you can really get into your gaming with PS Move.

Compatible vs. Required

See a game you want that says it’s PS MOVE compatible? This means you can play it with your standard controllers or with the PS Move add on pack. If it says required, then you need the PS Move add on pack to play. So, make your favorite games better by adding PS Move to them.

I Like To Move It, Move It is a post from: AnneOnLife where life happens quite regularly. If you liked that, you'll love me on and .
© AnneOnLife 2008-2010

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