Open Wide and Say Spahhhhh!

My, oh my, oh my! I love to be pampered, but I love to be surprised even more. And boy, did DH surprise ME today!

"Why don't you spend the afternoon at the spa?" he whispered, nudging me from a dreamy Saturday-morning sleep. "I'll be playing two rounds of golf today, and since you've worked so hard on your fitness plan, I think you deserve a little something extra - especially since I was recovering from surgery on your birthday and we didn't really do much to celebrate."

So...after my workout at the gym, I went to Spa Botanica at the Hot Springs Embassy Suites hotel for a 20-minute aromatherapy bath followed by a 55-minute deep-tissue massage. (If you come to visit, ask for heavenly-hands Heather!) And to finish it off, I indulged in a luxury pedicure.

DH and I arrived home within five minutes of each other, just in time to freshen up for dinner at Red Lobster, where we each enjoyed a fire-grilled shrimp selection with salad, broccoli and asparagus.

Back home again, we're now in our jammies, ready to take in a movie on TV.

Ahhhh.....what a nice day!

Inspiration: Our Gym Hero

Whew, it feels good to be home - sleeping in my own bed, cooking in my own kitchen, sitting at my own desk, working out in my home gym. On my birthday!

Tomorrow morning, I'm scheduled to interview a man who, without knowing it, has inspired me to train consistently, even when I don't feel like it. Each time he walks into the gym, he yells, "Mornin', everybody! (Waits for response.) How's everybody doin' today? (Waits for second response.)" For the next few minutes, he strolls around the gym, pumping handshakes like a seasoned politician.

I watch as he unzips his gym bag to retrieve an unwieldy contraption which he slings over his shoulder. With one hand, he buckles a strap around his chest. Next, he wraps a towel around one handle of a spin bike. Finally, he locks his prosthetic hand over the towel and begins his workout.

Folks who've been around a while tell me he was injured in the war. I'm not yet sure which one. I'll find out in the morning.

After I learned his name, I called our gym hero this afternoon to schedule the interview. He agreed, but said he needed to be finished by 10:30.

"A group of us meet over at the St. Joseph Chapel to pray for our service personnel serving in Iraq and other areas of the world," he explained.

This is going to be a good story. I'll keep you posted.

P.S. Thanks to everybody who sent get-well wishes to DH. He's recovering nicely!

Final Score: Rebecca - 1; Culinary Trail - 0

I DID IT! I survived eight days on south Louisiana Culinary Trails and still lost a pound!! Although, without a scale on the road, I could't report for yesterday's Healthy You Challenge Tuesday Weigh-in. What's more, I lost additional body mass, bringing the total inches lost since January 15 to 26.25". (Not a mistake this time.) WAHOO!

DH Update: Monday's gall bladder removal went fine. He is moving around enough to prevent soreness, and resting while watching the Master's Tournament. Duh.



And in answer to Felicia's Fun Photo Challenge requesting a picture of where we live, I am posting a picture of Anthony Chapel at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Ark., where our string quartet performs a majority of weddings on the schedule.

Thanks again to all my HYC friends who stopped by to offer encouragment while I was on the road. I'll begin catching up on blog reading tonight.

Louisiana Culinary Tour - Day 7

Yesterday, we mentioned having eaten at Restaurant La Provence, where Chef Rene's big focus is "farm to table." Another journalist on this trip was savvy enough to upload a short video of our trip to a crawfish farm last Thursday so that you can see how these tasty crustaceans are harvested. Click here to meet Chad. (Okay, if you didn't click, you are r-e-a-l-l-y missing out on some healthy south Louisiana scenery.)

Before we left the hotel, I got in a workout on the treadmill in my room, and then ate a healthy breakfast from the Omni's Ideal Nutrition menu.

Once outside the hotel, our group started the morning with famous cafe au lait (coffee with steamed milk) and beignets (ben-YAYS) at the French Quarter's famous Cafe Du Monde. (*sigh* I took pictures and drank my coffee and chickory straight.)

Later in the morning, Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu stopped by the Savvy Gourmet to show his support for the state's Culinary Trails program.

While we were there, Chef Matt Brewton showed us how to make an authentic roux using equal parts all-purpose flower and oil (not EVOO or walnut, which will burn). We watched as the cooking flour turned from blonde to paper-bag brown to milk chocolate to dark chocolate. Finally, the group got to sample a chicken-andouille (pronounced ahn-DOO-ee - which is a course, spicy smoked sausage) gumbo and a separate pot of crawfish etouffee.
(I ate moderate portions of each, without the rice.)

By mid-afternoon, we were touring the Audobon Society's newest attraction, The Insectarium. Scheduled to open this summer, it will be the largest free-standing museum in the U.S. devoted to over 900,000 insect species and their relatives. And yes, we were guests for a cooking show at the Cultural Cafe, where a zany chef introduced the "joy" of cooking with insects. Did I sample? No.
I figured if I'm "giving up" so many other foods all week, I'm definitely not going out of my way to eat insects! Nearly every other journalist, however, eagerly chomped down on crickets and ants.

Finally, we said our good-byes at Couchon Restaurant (pronounced COO-shon). Nominated in 2006 for Beard's Best New Restaurant, we enjoyed Chef Stephen Stryjewski's old-style German-Acadian traditions, which he learned from co-owner Chef Donald Link, who showcases the food he grew up preparing and eating at his grandfather's side. I ordered wood-fired oven grilled red fish accompanied with pickled onions and a side of collard greens.

By the way, DH had his gall bladder removed yesterday morning. I'll be flying home today, ready to take over care taking from his parents - who drove up from Louisiana to be with him during surgery.

Thanks again to everybody who stopped by here this week. I'll be visiting your blogs again once I get home. And I'm READY!

6th Wedding Anniversary Dinner

Yesterday we talked about how developing an attitude of gratitude is the first step to expressing thanks.

Last night, DH and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary at home with romantic music and dinner by candlelight. Our healthy meal consisted of a baby spinach salad with fresh strawberries and slivered almonds, then drizzled with light Asian sesame dressing, followed by a six-ounce beef tenderloin filet accompanied with baby lima beans, julienned sweet potatoes sauteed in a balsamic reduction sauce, and iced tea. (As part of the centerpiece, I used the figurines from our wedding cake. Notice the golf club at the feet of the groom in the picture above.)

Want to share the moment? Here's a short video of me reading the card from DH, followed by a video of DH reading the card from me. (Nope, he is not lying down at the table. I had the camera turned the wrong way!)

Talk about grateful! I do love my DH and am SO proud of his losing 22 pounds since January 15. Please remember us this afternoon when we visit a surgeon to discuss options to having DH's gall bladder removed.

Celebration: 6th Wedding Anniversary!

Tomorrow, my DH and I celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary. Myron has not only been a teriffic support to me on our BestLife journey the past six weeks, but he has also lost 22 pounds himself!!

Gut Level Honesty

A short six weeks ago, I sat silent with laryngitis and the flu, watching Oprah's show for the very first time. It might as well have been church for me. At the end of Bob Greene's message, I responded to his invitation to accept the 2008 BestLife Challenge.

I was, as Dr. Phil says, at the crossroads, ready to get off the fence, ready to begin translating my insights, understandings and awareness into purposeful, meaningful, constructive action.

I made up my mind that 52 years old is not too late to begin. I was ready to wipe the slate clean, start over (again!),
and reclaim my health and my life...
no matter how much it hurt to change.

Then I read Oprah's preface to Bob Greene's book (see sidebar): "What I know for sure is that living an unconscious life is like being the walking dead. All my fat years - my unconscious years - are a blur to me now. It's only because I have photographs and diaries that I remember them at all. And sometimes, even then I don't remember being present, because I wasn't really there."

THAT'S ME, I sobbed. Every "fat year" I created was a real bummer in one way or another. Here I was again, making another
"searching and fearless moral inventory" of myself.

Dr. Phil says it this way: "Effective weight management demands that you require more of yourself in terms of personal integrity, honesty and maturity. Get real enough with yourself to say, 'I'm mature and honest enough not to play mind games with myself.'"

So...in learning to be accountable (again!), I am pleased to report that by following Dr. Phil's principles and The BestLife program of healthy eating and regular exercise, I have lost 17 pounds and 14-1/2 inches since January 15.

***And my DH has lost 22 pounds!!

(Dr. Phil's quotes from 2 Book Set: The Ulitmate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom/The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide.)

Don't Tread on Me!

"It's a full size professional treadmill with a programmable digital keyboard," the gentleman told me in answer to my telephone inquiry about the $100 treadmill he advertised for sale in today's classifieds. "Because I do four miles a day, I've ordered an updated model, complete with music and a fan. But I think you'll be extremely pleased with this one."

What a steal! I thought, as DH and I drove to the seller's house, less than five minutes away. And what a happy coincidence that he has exactly what I'm looking for.

Once we arrived to look at the machine, DH's attitude did a 180. "Where are you going to put this? I'm telling you, it's too big for our house."

Despite DH's moaning while he and the seller hoisted the monster onto a dolly, I handed over five 20's. Once outside, the treadmill was too large to fit into the bed of our Sporttrac without the guys having to lift it over the cargo rack. They agreed to hold off until DH could round up a buddy with a larger truck bed. The seller kept my $100 and we came home.

Once back to the house, DH went into uncharacteristic designer mode. "You actually think that thing will actually fit in the guest room?? I beg to differ. Just look." He was right. It would have taken up most of the available path around the bed where folks actually sleep probably 14 nights a year.

But THEN, he just kept going and going and going. "Have you ever in your life exercised or worked out for more than a few weeks at a time? I guarantee you, even if we could get that thing in here, it would just sit. And I'm not hauling it in here just for guests to have to wiggle around when they come over. Not gonna do it."

So we hopped back into the truck, returned the owner's manual and retrieved my $100.

Then he started up again. "I'm not trying to be difficult or critical. I just know how these things work. If you want to come up to the office, I'll pay the $5 a month to get you into the workout room."

I'm so sure I want to drive 15 minutes to walk through his office bullpen sans makeup on my way to the workout room, then walk back through his office after I'm all sweaty for the 15 minute drive home.

What I wanted to do was get a treadmill so that I could walk while I watch Joyce Meyer every morning at 7:30, then put my makeup on while I listen to Creflo Dollar at 8. Don't get me wrong; I'm an early riser who offices at home, so I can adjust my schedule to what works best for me.

DH insists that walking on a treadmill won't do anything for me, anyway. (Some folks disagree.) "You've got to run, and I know you're not going to do that," he added. "If you want to do some sort of aerobic exercise inside the house while you watch your TV preachers, you can get an exercise step or a wooden block for that matter and step up and down for 30 minutes to get a better workout than you would have gotten on a treadmill."

So the ball's back in my court. I'll let you know how I decide to become more active.

How do you get moving at home? Any suggestions how to get started indoors while it's sub-freezing outdoors?

Be More Active

Corporate wellness gurus know it's important to prevent tension-induced ailments caused from sitting at a computer for long periods at a time: tight muscles, stiff joints, carpel tunnel syndrome and even potentially deadly blot clots.

At DH's office, desktop reminders signal employees when they have been "on task" too long. Time to take a break, stand up and stretch, work the willies out.

In Phase I of the BestLife program, "deskercise" is an good way to ease tension, increase flexibility and get your circulation going.

Stop Eating Two Hours Before Bedtime

Well, Darling Husband (DH) actually pulled through with flying colors yesterday! My late afternoon reply to a reader's comment joyfully announced that DH called just before 1 p.m., declaring he had "eaten a healthy lunch at the hospital cafeteria." What's more, he called after work to say that he could break away in time to squeeze in a 30-minute evening walk if I didn't mind getting out in cold, rainy weather. (Um, pass. I substituted my 45-minute walk through the grocery store! By the way, here are some great ways to save on your grocery bill. Login required.)

Quietly reveling in having hit all other Phase I goals for the day, we settled down to watch the Texas American Idol and the last episode of Comanche Moon. Around 9 p.m., however, we hit the wall. Eyebrows raised and heads tilted toward the kitchen, we sighed,"Can't do it. We're past the cutoff time to stop eating."

For the first time in a long while, DH came to bed before 11 p.m. - the end of Golf Central. Whether to keep from eating or to prepare for a 5:30 a.m. drive to Texas this morning, I'm not sure. All I know is we made it through yesterday victoriously...together.

WAHOO!!