Dieting & Exercising - Game On!

I've mentioned it before but it's worth bringing up again - there has to be a balance between writing and staying fit.

That may be a no brainer for many, but it's tough for me. I tend to gain weight if I plant my butt in the chair to write a lot. The more I write, the more I gain.

I need to find balance as I don't want to stop writing. I have a lot of writing goals. But I also want to lose about ten sizes. Maybe twelve.

I spied a dieting mention by a commenter on one of the blogs I frequent. So I checked out the blogger and found two very interesting things: 100 Mile Fitness Challenge and the Game On! Diet.

I just signed up to join the 100 Mile Fitness Challenge. The challenge is from January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010 to walk at least 100 miles. It can be on a treadmill inside or outside at a park or around your neighborhood. Other forms of exercise can add into the calculations, too.

I emailed my daughters and also my friends at work who say they want to get serious and diet this year about doing the Game On! Diet. I have to look into it deeper but it looks interesting.

For me, challenges and games make things fun and when something's fun, it's always easier to do.

I bought a new set of New Balance gym shoes last weekend and I got the mini trampoline with the bar. Ingredients for spaghetti squash, cabbage soup and smoothies are in the fridge. So I'm ready to go.

I'd be perfect if only I could come up with a cat shifter story. I've made three false starts.

Recent posts you might like to read:

Don't Be Quick To Quit Your Day Job

When Do You Write?



Why You Should Consider Library Booksignings

Make Sure Pretentious Words Don't Turn Off Your Readers

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Take A Break From Writing To Improve Your Stories

Often I hear writers bemoan the fact they don't have enough time to write, that they need more time. But because of other commitments - day jobs, spending time with family and friends, exercising, church, etc. - we can't spend as much time as we'd like writing. I'm one of the guiltiest. I admit it.

Yet, if we were to stay behind our computers all day, all night, day in, day out, we'd soon run out of things to write about. Our creativity would be in danger of drying up. We need to get out in the world to see what's going on, to be inspired by God's beautiful world with all its vibrant colors, scents, and sounds. We need to feel the squish of wet grass under our feet, the waxiness of a leaf between our fingers or the hard concrete underfoot that makes our feet ache to remember our heroes and heroines need to experience similar things to bring life to our stories.

This morning instead of writing while my daughter practiced soft ball, I exercised. I took a long walk in a neighborhood where I've never been. As usual, I had my cell phone with me, so I took several pictures that I also sent to Twitter. This will serve to remind me what I saw and to share the beautiful scenery with my friends, family, and followers.

Here's a picture of a beautiful butterfly that let me get close enough to take its picture. I've tried before to photograph butterflies but I've always scared them away before. This time, I got lucky.

I also saw several of these little lizards scuttling about. They had very curly tails and are four or five times the size of the geckos that live in my garden. So I was able to get close enough to this one to take its picture, too. Unfortunately, this particular one doesn't have as curvy a tail as its neighbors.

After my walk, when I was in my car trying to write, this little guy kept posing for me, so I had to take his picture, too.

I got a bit distracted taking pictures instead of plotting full-blown stories, but the details are just as important. I very well might add one of more of these characters to a story. Or I might mention how the lightning detector went off and five minutes later a rain so hard came we got wet even huddling under the pavillion. I'll remember how the temperature dropped from the sweltering magnitude that had made my cheeks hot and flushed, to a wonderful cool breeze that kissed them instead and how fresh and clean the air smelled after the shower.

Had I slept in late like I longed to do this morning, I'd have missed that butterfly. I'd have missed seeing these beautiful houses and grand Ft. Lauderdale canal. This isn't like the little, unassuming canal that runs behind my house. This is a huge canal that runs through the ritzy part of town where the home owners have their own docks and boats. The biggest boat was named "TomKat". I wonder if that's "TomKat" as in Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes... I can only speculate, but speculation often inspires new stories or takes them in different directions.

Another day when I took time to socialize with the other softball moms even though I was itching to write, one gave me the perfect idea for my book. It unblocked me. Had I forced myself to write, I'd have missed this great turn for the story.

Of course we writers must write and cannot always socialize or take a walk. But it's also good to leave our desks behind from time to time and experience the world and enjoy the people around us.

Recent posts you might like to read:

Author Interview: Claire Ashgrove


Ghost Hunting at a Haunted Hotel

Welcome to the Spookiest Month of the Year (+ don't burn your Ouija Board!)

People Don't Fall Out of Trees - Without Reason 

I'm Part of a Tribe 

Big Brother Is Watching You - This Means You BLOGGERS!

Are You Writing Me Into Your Book?

Dont Give Up Too Early

Must Write Must Write Must Write!!!

You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook,
Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch,
Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape
are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Overwhelmed - again!

It would be nice if I actually wrote an article before I posted the blog. If you checked this out early you'll know what I mean. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I posted the final paragraph about "You'll also want to see what other authors are doing" and nothing else. I've been feeling overwhelmed again. I'm sure there are a lot of factors. I hadn't had my Lexapro in 2 or 3 weeks. I'm under the gun of 2 big edts and having another whole story to write due. I've been down with asthma and bronchitis. The kids, in particular DD2, want me to run them places right and left. The Softball Team's Booster Club is on our back about helping out more and most of it's during my work hours when I can't take off from the day job. I feel bad for not volunteering more with the softball team but I'm way behind in my writing job as it is. I finally finished one big edit yesterday (first round anyway) which is a relief. However, that still leaves another big edit and a story to finish writing. And have I exercised? Even once this week? Even once in the past month? Have I even used the bathing suit I bought two or three months ago? All big NOs. I want to but then I feel guilty that I'm ignoring the writing. Yeah, I have a problem about feeling guilty too much. A few years back I decided to get healthy and I exercised and dieted all the time and ignored the writing/promoting. Then I hardly put out any books. My career took a nosedive. But I got thin and my cholesterol came down. But I can't seem to manage to hold the day job and do enough exercise and writing all at the same time. Not with kids still at home anyway. Not when half my time off the day job is at softball games or taxiing kids to their activities. Yikes! I don't mean to whine. I'm just annoyed with myself for not working this out better. For perhaps taking breaks to watch American Idol instead of breaks to walk. AI is pretty much my one guilty pleasure. That and too much KFC. Hubby just pointed out it's time to pick up the daughter from her friend's house where she stayed overnight so we can take her to guess where -- yep, softball practice again. Today it's batting practice. Tomorrow night is a game. I'm going to be good and WALK during her practice. And afterwards I'm going to camp out at Borders again to write. I wish the library was open late because I'd go there instead. The library has privacy cubicles with power hookups in every one and there's no tempting food to make me spend money and calories. You'll also want to see what Amarinda Jones, Anika Hamilton, Anny Cook, Barbara Huffert, Brynn Paulin, Bronwyn Green, Dakota Rebel, Kelly Kirch, Molly Daniels, Sandra Cox, Regina Carlysle, and Cindy Spencer Pape are up to, so make sure to visit them also. :)

Help! How do I get rid of this annoying music. Also FUN WALK 2008

Somehow, there's music playing on my blog -- and I didn't put it on, at least not intentionally. I don't know how I did it and thus, I don't know how to get rid of it.

I feel like a real ditz admitting it, but I guess it's better to admit it and ask for help so I can get rid of it. The last thing I want to do is to annoy anyone.

So if you know how to get it off, or have any ideas what I need to look for, please let me know.

Is it the LastFM playing by itself? I like the LastFM as I listen to my favorite songs while I'm online and it's easier than popping in a CD or opening my media player. But if it's the culprit...

Now, onto the second area I'm requesting help. As my long-term readers and friends know, I work for a charity that helps the destitute poor in the Caribbean and Latin America. This Saturday April 5th, we're doing a "Fun Walk" to raise funds to feed hungry families. I'm going to walk 3 miles (at least - hopefully more) . If anyone would like to sponsor me - or rather it's to feed hungry people, who cares about me, it's for them - I'd appreciate it.

If you do, let me know and that way I can adjust your mailings from my charity to nil or few if you like.

If you can't or don't want to sponsor us, please pray for our mission. I've been with this ministry 14 years as of May 12th, so I can testify that we honestly help a lot of people. We've changed lives for the better, saved lives, and helped raise and feed a lot of orphans.

Here's more info so you can see for yourself.

www.foodforthepoor.org (for general info)
www.foodforthepoor.org/funwalk (for specific Fun Walk info)

My team is the "Gold Standard Walkers" and I'm going by "Elaine Hopper" for the walk.

This is my team's page:

Ashleys team page FUN WALK

Woo hoo! I see our team's in 4th place. But it's not about my team winning or losing. This is only about helping hungry people, especially the children.