Saturday, February 28, 2009

What a STUD!!!


I have some very exciting news!!


Abby has a new boyfriend!!!... and guess what, he is quite the STUD!!!



.... I am SUPER DUPER EXCITED.....THRILLED TO BITS..... TICKLED PINK.... (you get the point)... to tell you all that McBride's Quarter Horses (the wonderful people who have Abby on a breeding lease) just purchased a GORGEOUS new stallion that will be bred to Abby this Spring... which I feel will be an AMAZING cross!

And.... subsequently...

I now have a paid breeding to JUMPING JACK WHIZ a very fancy SON of the FIRST EVER (new 2/29/09) 6 MILLION NRHA SIRE, TOPSAIL WHIZ!!



I am simply IN LOVE with this stud.


He is EVERYTHING I look for in a reiner...he has just the right look, just the right conformation, a million dollar head set, the right kind of movement, the style.....he is powerful, athletic, pretty, talented... simply AWESOME!!!


In fact, I am SO excited about this stallion, that I am thinking I might just hang on to that breeding till next year and see what happens.... because I would LOVE to own one of his foals.


This, people, is what you want a reiner to look like...




Check out this video... Especially watch the run down at the very end...that, IMHO, is picture perfect!



What I really like about this stud is that he not only performed (NRHA $ earner of 55,000+) but he was still showing and still SOUND at age 15!!!


Now THAT says something!


I just cant wait to see what Abby and JJ will produce!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

One Trick Pony



God I love saying that!! It is just SOOOOOO nice to back at the barn!! The smell of horses (and smelling like a horse), sawdust, and manure (and smelling like manure)....being out in the fresh (freezing) air, and standing in the mud and snow till your feet go numb and you stumble around like a drunken' sailor... Ahh!- The good old days!

**note to self: NEVER again google "dirty horse woman" (looking for a photo of someone covered in barn muck) ... Wow! Also.... Reminder: NEVER go to Denmark)


Yesterday I figured out that I had a problem....As a matter of fact, I have many problems...but this one specifically came to my attention....and I had to figure out a way around it.... which, at times, is difficult for me because....you see....


I have a one track mind! One track with a freight train on it! Steer clear, 'cause I'm comin' on through!!

What on God's green earth am I talkin' bout? I haven't a clue!

Thats not true! (that rhymes you see) I've become a bee!

*blink*
*blink*
*blink*

OK, then...

So, yesterday I had a problem because I realized that my "natural horsemanship methods" were not going to work well for AJ. Actually, that is not at all true... AJ took to them like an old hat (is that the right expression?)... it was his owners that probably wouldn't take to my "body control/predator/pray/herd hierarchy/pressure sensitive/etc, etc. etc... methods. In other words, I was worried because AJ's owners and I employ two drastically different "ideologies" with respect to handling, riding, and training and that it would be very confusing for a young horse like AJ to have to discern between the two... So I decided that maybe this whole lease option wasn't such a hot idea after all....

BECAUSE THE BEST INTEREST OF THE HORSE SHOULD ALWAYS BE YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY (SECOND ONLY TO YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY.)

And I didn't think that it was in the best interest of AJ to have me screwing with his perspective on life and the way he relates to pesky, puny, little pipsqueaks (like me) who insist on taking him away from food, his friends and frolicking in the sun to have me poke, prod and prostulate (which is actually a mathematical equation and has nothing at all to do with horses but sounded good as the last "p" word in that sentence) him all afternoon.

It failed to occur to me (until later that night) that I could actually look at an alternative means of working with AJ. That is not to say that I am going to adopt his owner's style- not that there is anything wrong with what they do, it simply isn't "me"... But I could work with him on such simple things as leading, giving to pressure, standing quietly for brushing, tacking, farrier work, bending, putting a solid whoa on him, easy transitions, and all that jazz! Ohh!!! All that JAZZ!!! I loved that movie!! Chicago!!! .... Hatcha!!







Anyways....

My favorite thing in the world to do with a horse is to work with them at liberty (no halter, lead or carrot stick). I LOVE it!! But using that method of horsemanship is not what AJ needs right now....

And you know what?

That's okay too!

'Cause this pony has more than one trick! (or something like that...)

So today I worked with AJ on leading, standing, tying, and breaking down some of the resistance he has in his throat and poll. He was such a good boy, a gem really.

I hope that I can help AJ become a happier, better broke horse so that he will be able to face, with greater confidence, the many challenges that lay in his future.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Barn Photos


One of the things I really like about being back "out and about" (a very Canadian expression) is finding new horses and old barns to take pictures of! The Christmas before last my Mother bought me a really cool Olympus e-510 Digital SLR camera that I am only just now beginning to figure out the simplest features of...

Here are a few of my beginner attempts at using some of the options besides "auto"...

This one I was able to take by manually adjusting for a slower shutter speed to capture this dark cow barn....
Here I played with the Aperture priority setting (this is a paint gelding named Shane)....

This one... well this one I dont have a freakin' clue what I was doing but I thought the photo was kinda funky and obscure... (Shane again).....


This was on the "macro" setting..... (Palomino mare named Sugar)....

And another of the dark barn....


Thank you all for your comments on yesterdays post re: my NOT buying AJ... I deserve a freakin' medal, people! Seriously, it is a sick addiction!

As for buying AJ the future, I'll never say never but I actually have some horse plans and goals that owning a horse like AJ would hamper (no matter how good he is).... I have been bantering some ideas about lately that that are just starting to take shape.... ideas that might set me on a track towards a future with many horses!!!


And if that is not another teaser "coming up next" expose, I dont know what is! Bwahahah!!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Meet AJ

Okay, so my "big" news might not be quite as big as you'all were expecting...I've received many a e-mail demanding to know if I have finally purchased another horse! The answer to that is a resolute, "No! Dammit".... but it was a near thing....


I came very close to purchasing this dear sweet bay gelding, AJ....


Now you may be asking, "How do you.... of all people... come very close to buying?"...


Well as I mentioned I went to see AJ because he was being offered up for free lease by some people I know. After going to work with him for an afternoon I decided that my heart was in danger of falling in love with this sweet boy and I knew that if I spent any amount of time with him I'd be setting myself up for heartbreak when it came time to give him back...


So I politely requested that his owners (very nice people) consider allowing me the option to purchase at the end of the lease....


The following day I received news that they had considered it and though they loved the horse and wanted to keep him, they felt that I would be better able to put his potential to use (as they only trail ride) and so they offered to sell him to me. They also set a very fair price on him.


Now.... anyone that knows me at all will know how much will power it took to decline their kind offer... *sigh* .... more accurately the Herculean effort it took to say "No! Thank you.... (Dammit!")....


That decision did not come without a little help... a gentle push... a friendly reminder... from my darling boyfriend...who so kindly pointed out (when I asked him if I could please ....pretty please...buy AJ...) that....


..... no matter how sweet or quiet AJ is, he is still a young and green horse that has a whole whack load of training left to be done...


And WHAT I NEED (that would be the mantra I've been humming to myself over the past few days....WHAT I NEED....) is a horse that can carry me forward and allow me to progress towards my goals... a horse that can carry ME not visa versa....


He was annoyingly supportive and guilt tripped me into admitting that AJ wasnt the horse I NEEDED....no matter how much I WANTED him.... and all that other hogwash!

So in other words...He forced me to admit that I shouldnt but him...


Did I mention that I was rubbing his feet at the time? ...(I must be loosing my touch!)


So, I will not be buying AJ (*groan*)..... This self discipline crap sucks!


BUT.... the owners were kind enough to invite me to continue to work with AJ over the next month while I am looking at other horses.... It is a win/win because I get to continue to ride and practise some of my training techniques and AJ will get some much needed time spent on him (and a little help with the boarding costs)...


There are some details yet to be hashed out but I was able to go over today and work with him again and well.... I GUESS (she utters bitterly) ....


All is well that ends well.


Now, with that being said.... please.... in the very near future when I come to you'all to complain that I am in love with this horse and I desperately want to buy him....that his big brown eyes own my heart and soul and I will simply DIE if I dont get to keep him forever and ever.....*very bad word*....please do refer me back to this post....


So.... wanna "officially" meet AJ? I am sure you'll be hearing a lot about him over the next month....


(not a great pic but I will get better ones when it is not raining)


But how about some action shots?


Can you see what he is thinking...


(Ohhh....my bum is itchy' man! Gotta scratch it! Just gotta scratch....now if only there were a place round here to roll....)

(*sniff sniff sniff* This spot doesn't look sufficiently muddy enough for my freshly brushed coat! )



(*sniff* this spot looks ok....I could try to hit that manure pile there....that'd be sweet! ...but.... *sniff* no... )


(....naw!! Just isnt right... but that itch! Oh that itch needs scratched!!)



(Yo! Yo! This is the spot, man!!! This is the sweet spot right here....)



(Oh yah Baby!! Itchy bum....here I come!!)



(Damn, why do that have to put the ground so bloody far down!...)



(Hardy! Har! Har! Dont laugh!...everyone looks fat from this angle...)

(Oh yah, Baby! That itch is mine!...)

(Sweet mothe-... I'm going to make it! I'm going to make it....Ohhh!!!......)
(Oh yah!! I made it!!)
(*ehem*)
(HOLY COW!!! That felt FREAKIN' AMAZING!!!)

(Someone hand me a cigerette and some munchies...I'm feel goooood!.....)
Let me see..... maybe there is somethin' in this here pink bucket....
Yes, yes...this is most certainly a pink bucket!
Oh man! It's like totally empty!...

And that concludes the Chronicles of AJ.....
......
Oh man! I like totally need a life!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Up next! Some very exciting horse news !!!

Don't you just hate when you are watching the news (entertainment, local or world) and they keep showing you the same expose on whats coming up "next"....only "next" never seems to come....you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!! Its usually the juiciest most exciting story of the night...they taunt you with it....forcing you to stay tuned through a bunch of boring and mundane news you dont care about....

Well.... here is a sneak peak!!


But I will only say this.....there might....just might! be some big horse news coming around this time tomorrow....


Until then my friends.

Bwahaha!!

****
Sketches in Pastel by Chelsi

Friday, February 20, 2009

Eat, Pray, Love

I just finished reading Elizabeth Gilbert's book "Eat, Pray, Love: One woman's search for everything across Italy, India, and Indonesia" and am still trying to digest and dicerne my own beliefs within all the philosophical concepts and idiomisms she presented within its pages....So bare with me as I try to tell you all a little about why I loved the book and why it means as much to me as it does.


Eat, Pray, Love is a autobiographical account of the authors spiritual journey during her year long trip through Italy (eat), India (pray) and Indonesia (love) and how within each stage of her trip she explored herself, her struggles, her relationship with God and the universe as a whole. Before you get all freaked out or turned off by the pseudo-intellectual mumbo jumbo let me tell you that this book is written as if the author is speaking directly to you, casually, intimately- as if you were two woman snuggled up on opposite ends of a deep and comfy sofa, sipping tea and sharing your life's stories (except for the conversation is a little one sided). Liz (the author) also just happens to have a highly entertaining way of describing emotional struggles and always offers up a little comic relief..... just when you are starting to feel a little bogged down by the weight of the issues, she zaps you with a dose of good humor that suppressed that squirmy feeling that tells you this is getting a little too.... white robed zombies, give-me-the-contents-of-your-bank-account-and-I-will-introduce-you-to-God"....for my taste at least....in other words.... I laughed out loud many times during the book


One of my favorite parts of the book occurs within the first few chapters... all you need to know is that Liz is going through an emotional and spiritual melt down, set on a dizmel spiral of depression and self loathing, when she walks into her friends apartment and sees there on his dresser a picture of a "radiantly beautiful Indian woman" and asked.....


"...."Who's that?"
He said, "that is my spiritual teacher."
My heart skipped a beat and then flat out tripped over itself and fell on its face. Then my heart stood up, brushed itself off, took a deep breath and announced: "I want a spiritual teacher." I literally mean that it was my heart who said this, speaking through my mouth. I felt this weird division in myself, and my mind stepped out of my body for a moment, spun around to face my heart in astonishment and silently asked, "You DO?"
"Yes," replied my heart. "I do."
Then my mind asked my heart, a tad sarcastically: "Since WHEN?"...."


I dont know about you, but I've had conversations like this with myself.... as crazy as that might sound!


I love this book because it is well written, funny, deep, intellectual, spiritual, personal and totally unpretentious... and because it came to me at a time in my life when I most needed it.


You don't need to believe in her spiritual practices in order to enjoy her story or to allow it to strengthen or question the way you view faith, worship, and your relationship with God (no matter how you choose to define him/her/it/them) Eat, Pray, Love also examines the way that we as "Westerners" view the pleasures of life (like food, sex, love, fashion etc.) verses how and why Europeans embrace a lifestyle much different than our own....

Most importantly Liz details her search to define worship, the pleasures and pressures of life and how best to find the balance between the two.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Uh-Oh!

So.... I went to see a gelding named AJ today!!!!

Hold on, there is more....

I was able to play with him on some ground issues and "connect" or "join-up" with him at liberty.
It was like totally cool, man!

Here is the thing.....

AJ is up for free lease....

And....

I told the owners there is no way I could free lease him without having an option to buy....

So the deal is....

The owners are discussing it!

There are a thousand and one details to be considered but here is the thing... (how many times can I say that in one post?)

I like this horse.

He is sweet, very sensitive, and has a heck of a lot of try in him. He can turn himself inside out, float like an Arab and scoot his butt into the ground like any blue blooded reiner....

But here is the other thing... (apparently I can say that a few more times!)

He is that typical kind of backyard horse that had a few rides put on him by a "pro" and then the owners took over and took him trail riding. On his 3rd ride an adult intermediate trail rider took him out for a two hour ride in the bush and he was a gem.... his 5th ride he went a mile down a road by himself without any fuss. Trails, cars, creeks, birds, dogs, etc. didnt faze this guy...

But here is the thing....

He is not really "broke".

He is quiet, he accepts a rider, he doesn't wig out of things, he goes, stops, and turns but I dont know if anyone has ever really asked him to do anything....and I dont know what his response will be if they did because the horse I worked with in the arena (on the ground) has a heck of a lot of juice, athletic ability, and quick reflexes.... this is NOT a dead head kind of horse.

His owner (a man in his early 50s) got on him last weekend for the first time in 5 months and took him for a trail ride. He looked at a few things but went where he was told without a fuss.

But AJ also has the typical kind of holes that come from a horse that hasnt had any real time spent on him. He doesnt pick up his feet well, stand for the farrier or had a ride in the arena since his second ride under saddle.

He is a smaller horse (about 14.2) plain bay, big star, and big ol' hip on him. He's cute...not my "type" in a lot of ways but no bad either.

Here is the other thing....

I've knew this horse last summer as he was boarded at the same place as I kept Shaunti. I know his owners, was there when he came home from his third ride (up the mountain) and from his sole trip to the store (down the road). I know this horse, most of his history and the people connected to him. He also just happens to look a heck of a lot like my Shaunti...so much so that when both his owner and I would go to catch our horses in the field, very often we'd walk out to the furthest section only to find that we'd picked the wrong horse. From a distance they were near impossible to distinguish because they both had the exact same white markings on their feet.

So... I will keep you posted on what I hear from the owners tomorrow.

No matter what happens, I am just happy right now because I was able to hang out at a barn, play with a horse, muck a stall and get some manure under my finger nails....

Life is good.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Chicken Pox Scar?

Poor Katie (Melanie's daughter) has chicken pox! I sure hope that she gets through it quickly! But it actually got me thinking about my chicken pox scars. I have two...one on the back of my right hand and one on my left hip.

Do you have a chicken pox scar?

I guess "simple" is all a matter of perspective. The "simple" Math Weight Loss sounds simple to me because I've read about and tried so many complicated diets that were based on percentages or that required me to eat foods that were not a normal part of my regular diet that this seems so simple in comparison. Not to mention if you want to get really scientific and talk about raw foods, organics, trans fats, glycemic index's, etc...

Food Journals are the way to go because it keeps you accountable. It is far to easy to pick up an extra 500 calories a day just in little "stolen" drinks, snacks, and such that you forget you ate moments after having them.

A while back I wrote a post on the book "French Woman Don't Get Fat" and some of the thoughts that book suggested for a healthy lifestyle and long term outlook on food. It helped me understand why French woman are not fat! And made me better appreciate why we are! (as a society...not you personally!) I actually wonder why we are not fatter!! And I am not just talking about fast food, junk, and the "diet" industry (which actually makes us fatter), I am talking about our lifestyle, the role food plays in our life and how inactive we are as a whole.

The reason why I think this is simple is because it is basically only about eating healthy, eating small meals often, eating non-diet wholesome foods in small moderation's and keeping yourself accountable. I want to eat chocolate, every single day. It's true! If I don't get to eat chocolate on my last day on this planet I am going to pissed! lol So I account for 100 calories a day that goes towards chocolate. Its not a lot of chocolate, but its some and so I am happy. I also take one day a week that is a "free" day. The funny thing about a "free" day is that because your whole perspective on food, eating, and portions has been altered, what I now consider a "treat" and what I can put down in one meal is drastically different than what it was before.

Anyways, the "lifestyle" plan (of watching calories and your weight closely) is a little different from the "diet" portion (which I am currently on)....

Because some of us need to take a big chunk of weight off- NOW!!




Its all about the magic number 3,500.


That is how many calories in one pound. Sounds like a lot, doesnt it? I mean, that is over 6 Big Macs!!






Here is a another simple math equation that = weight loss. Lets say I weight 180 pounds.





180 x 15 (calories per day, per pound to maintain) = 2,700 calories (I need) per day to maintain my body weight





2,700 calories per day x 7 days (in a week) = 18,900 calories per week to maintain 180 pounds.





But lets say I want to loose 1 pound in a week. I need to take 3,500 calories out of my diet in a week....





18,900 - 3500 = 15,400 per week





15,400 / 7 (days in a week) = 2200 calories per day





Lets say I wanted to loose 2 pounds in a week (8 pounds a month)...





18,900 - 7000 = 11,900 / 7= 1700 calories per day





As you loose weight the calories per pound you need to maintain goes down, so you always need to recalculate if you want to loose a specific number.

And that is it. Sounds more complicated than it already is. Once you have your number worked out, the tough part comes in! Sticking with it!!

I lost over 20 pounds using this method last summer and felt great! I felt healthy! Which is the point behind making a lifestyle change! Eat healthy foods, in moderation, and watch your portions.... every. single. day, ..and eventually you will find a healthy weight!

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Horse Crazy

(4 yr old, well broke blue roan mare, decent breeding, $6500)


This blog is suppose to be about the Adventures of a Horse Crazed Mind, right? Horse Crazed? That sounds about right.... Adventures of... well that part is a little lacking at the moment because, in case anyone has failed to notice, there is a marked lack of horses in my life...which makes having adventures to share a trifle difficult....

You see...

I DO NOT HAVE A FREAKIN' HORSE!!!

Okay, so that is not entirely true. I own Abby but I wont have her under my care until the Fall of 2010, for goodness sakes that hardly counts! I am going freakin' mental! Horse crazed is suppose to mean that I am crazy about horses, not that horses are driving me crazy! 'Cause right now, horses (or the lack thereof) are driving me freakin' crazy, people!!





(8 yr old, red dun mare, very well broke, Lean With Me breeding, $3000)

You see, I managed to get through the winter without a horse and without riding. I was going through a very serious funk and was having a bit of a "quarter-life-crisis" (reassessing my life and making some BIG changes) and well, I just had such a miss mash of things going on in my brain that I didn't have any room left to feel the acute lack of horses in my life. That is not entirely true, I did feel it, but it just wasn't the most important part of my suddenly scary and a little overwhelming universe. But now things are looking up...I am "getting it together", I am starting to feel in control again and like the future is a nice bright and sunny place that I want to ride into........preferably on horseback, thanks.

(2yr old, green broke, Hollywood Dun It bred mare, $1300 OBO)

Then last week I was able to go for a ride. I knew I shouldn't go, because it was going to turn that itch (that up until then I had almost been able to ignore) into an all out crazed... fevered... just-stepped-on-an-ant-hill kinda frenzied itch to get riding again... but I went, and sure enough, as result, I have been completely and totally obsessed with getting a horse again, just about every hour since.

(8 yr old, finished cattle penning mare, red dun, $5500)

Now, there is a reason why I sent Abby on a free lease and why I decided that I DID NOT need to own a horse at this stage of my life. I told myself that I'd just have to make do with lessons and the occasional trail ride with a friend....I needed to focus on other things like writing and school... I'd tell myself "in life, you cant have everything you want all the time! Get over it!" But for the past week I've been obsessed with looking at horses online. Even writing this blog has stopped being a welcome distraction. I am cant stop lamenting over the concept of owning a horse again.

(3 yr old, broke gelding, my trainer has for sale, $5000 obo)

Now... some of you might suggest that I look at other options.... I could look at a short term free lease or take 2 lessons a week....but..... (I know this is going to sound horribly spoiled) it is just not the same thing as owning your own horse! Because spending time with him/her and enjoying that bond, connecting with their "spirit" and caring for them is just as important to me as riding.

(6 yr. old well broke, decently bred cow horse mare $3800)

So there is my rant for today. I know, for a fact, that buying a horse right now is not the best option for my future. I have to stay focused on what is important in the long term...

But I want a horse.

So bad it hurts.

C'est la vie!

(GORGEOUS!!! 2 yr old filly with 10 rides, by Chex Nu Jewel $5500 sold)

*****

Btw, I am sorry I did not get back to the "Simple Math Weight Loss" post. I actually have it 90% written but have been lost in a book these past few days (that I am REALLY excited about sharing with you all) and just haven't gotten to it...and then was going to finish it this morning but needed to have my spoiled little temper tantrum instead. Tomorrow, my friends.

*****
Update:


Now you'll have me going and I have to post more of my likes!!! Keeping in mind that... IF (And that is a HUGE "IF"!!) I get another horse, I really cant afford to spend much...and that is not even my definition of "much" (which previously my definition of cheap would be 6500+) ...I am talking $2500-3000!!! .... with that being said, I absolutely believe that you get what you pay for in a horse and that you have to sacrifice certain things (breeding, age, color, reg., and "pretty" (not correct, just the pretty factor) in order to get something broke for less money. In this economy, I think I can get something decent to trail ride on and fart around in the arena with for that kind of money but I just have to keep my "taste" locked up (padlocked, double key, and barb wire)....


AND...I REALLY want to take a horse on a 30 day trial. The last thing in the world I want is a horse with "issues". No "broken wing horses" need apply!! And I just dont see how I can "try" a horse for a hour and then buy them with any kind of faith that I am getting something good. Also, with the Canadian dollar, any US horse I look at I have to figure in about 35% extra money (20 for the exchange and 15 for taxes, plus the cross border issue makes a trial much more difficult. SO, I really need to look at horses in BC that are local, something that I have NEVER done because I hate the local gossip that comes with a local horse, and the selection sucks! All of this is on top of the BIG fat IF I even get another horse, or IF, on top of everything else I want to do (NEED to do!!) I can even afford that!


So... of the above horse, not one of them is local. Here are a few local horses that are nothing I'd usually look at but have none-the-less made their way into my favorite folder because they are local and I could take either of them on trail....



A big (16H) hairy broke 10 year old grulla gelding that looks nasty in these pics but I think might actually show some promise (behind bad camera angles and a lot of hair).

9 yr old dun mare, very well broke, Poco bred, $3500


This is a nice mare, a little green but very nicely mannered that a really nice lady I know owns. She is actually WP bred and a good option for me but I just cant work up the interest in her because she is not my "type"... (turn the volume off!!)

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Simple Math Weight Loss


I have battled my weight for the better half of my life. The problem is that I hate dieting and I LOVE food. Italian... French....Indian.... cakes....fruits....cheese....chocolate... *sigh* I love food.


And I actually eat really quite healthy. But the problem is that I occasionally eat just a little wee bit too much and over 3-6 months I'll put on extra ten or fifteen pounds. That is about when I will start to diet again in attempt to take that extra weight off and I always do quite well...for while.... but I'll never quite manage take off the full amount....I loose five of ten....or ten of fifteen and then maintain for while.... eventually I'll gain another ten or fifteen....take off five or ten... and so the cycle goes until over the course of a few years, I gain that extra 5 pounds 10 times and all of the sudden I've put on a whole wack load of wait ("wack" meaning big...not "wack"- the hip new (Im aging myself again, arent I?) expression for "good") and that 5 pounds has turned to 50!



But last year I discovered a little secret.... hidden deep in the rain forests of Brazil (not really)


With all the weight loss solutions that I have read about (and dare I say tried) this one actually works for me because although it may sound cliche- it actually isnt a diet at all...
And so....


The Simple Math Diet!

(I know I just said it is not a diet but just hang in there, k?)



No, you arent missing anything. No celebrities have done it, there is no gimmick or rare secret ingredients...

And....



The simple math diet is a simple. (go figure) It is a mathematical calculation based on the science of how your body works and what it needs (in caloric intake) to maintain a certain weight.



FYI- Dont worry about the "math" portion.... I royally suck at math and even I get it!



Wanna know what it is?



Well! With just 3 easy payments of $9.99 you can find out!!! But if you call now, we will make the first payment for you!!!

jk



Here it is....

The first thing you need to know is that your body needs x (a certain- yet to be determined number) amount of calories a day, per pound, to maintain your body weight.
For the average woman that number is 15.



For some of us that number could be 13 or 14 and others (you little bitches that can eat anything you want and stay skinny) that number could be 16 or higher. But on average....we're talkin 15 calories per pound of body weight.



Okay... so this is how it works.



....if you weigh....



135 pounds you need to consume no more than 2,025 calories per day to maintain that weight- (Rough and dirty.)

135 x 15 = 2,025



Ready for the simple part?
If it takes roughly 2,000 calories to maintain 135 pounds-
than if I were to eat 2,000 calories a day, every single day, (given that I was getting some exercise and eating a balanced diet) eventually I would weigh 135 pounds!



It might take a year for someone who weighs 210 pounds to get to that weight, or a just a few months for someone who weighs 150... but so long as you are eating 2,000 calories a (every single day, 365 days a year), eventually, you will end up at 135 pounds.



Here is the catch... (you knew there was one coming didnt you?)


You cant eat the 2000 calories in one meal.


You need to eat 3 healthy meals plus 3 snacks a day.


You need to get some exercise, even if it is just a half hour walk.

You need to eat healthily and regularly (every two hours)


You need to keep track by writing down and calculating everything you eat....this is the toughest one for most people but there are tons of websites and little pocket sized books you can get with nutritional information and eventually it becomes really easy! Staying accountable is key.


Obviously there is a hell of a lot more to nutrition, dieting, and a healthy lifestyle and this "diet" is overly simplistic (you could calculate what percentage portion of your diet comes from fat, carbs, protein etc..) but I find just keeping track, counting calories and trying to resist the "fat" culture around me hard enough as it is. I try to eat protein with every meal, keep the fat down, the simple sugars and refined carbos to a minimum and a eat some fruits and veggies too! Take a complete multi-vitamin and I think I'll be ahead of the game- if not quite the all star player!


When you reach a healthy body weight you dont need to write it all down anymore but then it becomes key to monitor your weight and go back to writing down and counting calories if you gain even just two extra pounds.


And obviously, life stuff happens and you sometimes have occasion to eat more than your 2000 calories! So long as you keep track, you just have to subtract your excess calories from the calorie allotment in the next few days.
Lets say its your friends birthday and you ate 3500 calories instead of 2000... well then you'd eat 1500 calories for the next three days and make up the extra calories. When you stay accountable, you can make it work! Writing things down and counting calories is hard but sometimes it takes the guess work out of eating and gives you the confidence of knowing that you ARE loosing weight!


Here is an example of a moderately healthy (normal food) 2000 calorie day and the way I count down the calories I have eaten and what I have left:

Starting with 2000

3/4 cup whole grain cereal 120 / 1880 (left)
3/4 cup 1% milk 80 / 1800
tea with two sugar 30 1/8 c milk 20 / 50/1750
yogurt 80/1670
2 pieces multi grain bread 210 / 1460
1tbsp mayo 50 / 1410
2 slices of turkey 180 / 1230
lettuce tomato cucumber 30 / 1200
1 oz cheese 100 / 1100
1 cup milk 110 / 990
carrots and an apple 100 /890
8 oz V8 (veggie juice) 50/ 840
1 boneless skinless chicken breast 250/ 590
bread crumbs (shake n bake) 100/490
1/2 c baked sweet potato 100/ 390
3 cups raw spinach stewed with 1tbsp butter 150 /240
1 cup milk 110/130
100 calorie chocolate bar :) 100/ 30
= 1970 calorie day.



But wait, there's more! Tomorrow!


The above pic are of Abby taken this past week by the lady who has her on a free lease. More exciting news about Abby tomorrow!