Wednesday Weigh In

It’s been a challenge, but I have completed my first week on my goal towards having a beach body and losing weight for this summer. I have been mostly sticking to my diet except for on Monday when I went overboard and the turkey meat and spaghetti. I sort of lost track of counting calories and went back for seconds and thirds. I think that I waited too long to eat or something. For the most part I have been eating about 4 meals per day. I realized that serving sizes are important, to lose weight, and I bought a scale to weigh my food!

Morning: Yogurt

Snack: More Yogurt or fruit

Lunch: Chicken salad

Dinner: Grilled meat on a George Foreman grill with vegetables

I make my yogurt using my new yogurt maker. I had the idea of buying one, but when I saw the delicious yogurt at Financial Tip, I bought one right away!

I had a cheat day on Saturday and ate a burger from Sonic. I meant to order a #1 for breakfast which was an egg wrap. They gave me the lunch #1, a regular burger, tater tots and sweet tea. Oh well! I wasn’t going to let that go to waste. I ate light the rest of the day, so I don’t think that I did too much damage.

Exercise

I ran five days a week. I started running on Saturday by running a quarter of a mile. A week later, on Sunday, April 28, I ran a half mile. I run a quarter of a mile, walk a quarter of a mile and run another quarter of a mile. I’m taking baby steps. I feel great! I can feel my stamina improving. I also feel as though I am handling stress much better. After running, which I hate because I am not the running type, I feel as though I can conquer the world. I will run to lose weight!

I know that losing weight for the summer will be a slow and steady process, but it will be worth it. I’m hoping to lose about 15 pounds by the end of August. I’m basically trying to give up being a couch potato and get moving and get healthy.

My starting weight was 131 pounds. My current weight is still at 131 pounds.

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Myrtle Beach has it all. You can count on having an action-packed evening, thanks to the clubs and bars lining the boardwalk. If you are not into the club-scene, Myrtle Beach has great family parks and activities, too.

Some attractions at Myrtle Beach include:

Family Kingdom Amusement Park

Myrtle Waves Water Park

Nascar Speedpark

Hard Rock Park

Pavilion Nostalgia Park

Where to Stay

Myrtle Beach is divided into five areas: North Myrtle Beach, Central Myrtle Beach, South Myrtle Beach, Litchfield/Pawley’s Island, and Conway. You can find accommodation information on the Myrtle Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.

Dining

Myrtle Beach has great seafood, but you will find international flavors represented in more than 100 eateries in Myrtle Beach. From Japanese food to Mediterranean food, there are plenty of choices to satisfy your appetite. Search for restaurants in Myrtle Beach.

Discounts

Are you planning a visit to Myrtle Beach and are looking for a few coupons to help you save money? Well, you are in luck. The Myrtle Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has coupons and discounts to help you out.

Rules and Laws

There are some laws that are specific to Myrtle Beach. Make sure that you review the rules so you know what to expect before you go.

Kayaks are not permitted between April 30^th and September 15^th in certain areas.

Beach umbrellas and other beach paraphernalia must be at least 10 feet behind lifeguard stands, and they can’t obstruct the lifeguard’s view

Boaters are restricted to certain areas (away from swimmers)

It’s against the law in Myrtle Beach to change your clothes (from bathing suit to street clothes, or from street clothes to a bathing suit) in public restrooms? I wonder if it’s OK to change in the stalls? This is the code from the law:

It shall be unlawful for any person to undress or to put on a bathing suit, change from a bathing suit to normal clothes or change from normal clothes to a bathing suit in any public lavatory or toilet room in the city without obtaining permission or consent from the owner or proprietor. (Code 1980, § 7-10-13)

Glass bottles are not allowed

Technorati Tags: myrtle beach,vacation in myrtle beach,dining,discounts,beach vacation

Photo by Curtis and Eric, Flickr Creative Commons License

When visiting the coast of North Carolina, I fell in love with the beaches in Wilmington and in Brunswick Island. The vacation homes on islands like Long Beach look more like mansions where people live permanently, rather than second homes. Some of the vacationers paint funny slogans or names on their homes, very similar to the names people give to ships. Did you know that the show Dawson’s Creek was filmed in Wilmington? This thriving sea town has cute restaurants, shops, and pleasant neighborhoods. Wilmington is a lovely city for a beach vacation.

Long Beach and Sunset Beach
The homes, the sparkling blue water, and the small town feel would make anyone long to have a beach vacation in Long Beach. It’s a good idea to opt to have a beach vacation in an area not too crowded by tourists. I remember when residents of Sunset Beach, a beach in Brunswick County, several miles from Wilmington, fought to keep the Department of Transportation from building a modern bridge, joining the island from the mainland. They didn’t want the traffic or too many outsiders to taint their beautiful beaches. They wanted to keep the area all to themselves. A place like Sunset Beach is too beautiful to keep to yourself. It’s an excellent family beach for a fabulous beach vacation.

Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach is another good choice for a beach vacation. Although the area is certainly more popular than the beaches off of the North Carolina coast, Myrtle Beach is not nearly as crowed as the beaches in Miami, where it’s almost impossible to find a parking space, never mind a spot in the sand to relax undisturbed.
The beaches along the coast of Virginia are also worth a visit for a beach vacation. Virginia has a boardwalk, and a nightlife. Virginia beach has 35 miles of coast and a three-mile boardwalk. The resort area is fun and relaxed, just like a park. People bike, roller blade or walk along the boardwalk, just enjoying the sun on a beach vacation.
All three areas along the East Coast are perfect for a relaxing beach vacation. You can lie in the sun, shop, exercise or even go club hopping. What are you waiting for? It’s time to start planning your beach vacation.

Technorati Tags: vacation in myrtle beach,beach vacation

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With rising airline costs and high gas prices, you it’s best to pack as light as possible for your beach vacation. You also want to make sure that you have essentials to that you can be sure to have fun during your beach vacation. Here are some items that you will want to take with you on your beach vacation.

A camera

I have a hybrid camera/video recorder that I carry with me on trips. I love it. It takes pictures and shoots videos and it’s small enough to fit in my pocket or purse. When traveling to the beach, make sure that you don’t get sand in your camera or video equipment. Bring your charger. An uncharged camera or video recorder is useless.

Sun Block

People of all skin hues should use sun block. I have a dark complexion, and I have been sunburned. It’s an experience that I don’t want to repeat. Although people with more melanin in their skin are better protected from the sun’s harsh rays, sun block is still a necessity. Read the label to see how often it must be re-applied. Most people forget to re-apply it after a few hours, and it does wear off.

A Hat

Hats provide additional protection from the sun’s harmful rays. Get a cute or a sporty hat to wear, and don it while lying back in the sun.

Swim Suits

Try on your swim suit before your trip. Most people are trying to loose a few pounds or body fat before they hit the beach. Join me on my journey!

Medication

Pack your vitamins and medication that you will need while on your beach vacation. Make sure that the tops are on tight.

A Good Book and Tunes

A friend of mine recently shared with me that she would have enjoyed the beach more had she brought a good book to read while her children played in the sand. There’s nothing more relaxing than reading a book while lying on the beach. I’d add an Mp3 Player with the book.

Maps

Bring maps of the area that you wish to visit. You will get more out of the area if you know where to shop, eat, and party. Have a general idea of where things are located, including emergency facilities.

Check Your Cell Phone

Will your cell phone work on your vacation? Look into roaming fees and research connectivity issues before you go. Hint: Metro PCS (an American cell phone) has roaming capabilities. It’s called, Travel Talk. Call Metro PCS before you leave to learn how to enable Travel Talk on your phone and to get details on how to use the account. You have to set aside money in a Travel Talk account for the calls.

Photos from Flickr, Creative Commons License

Photo by left to right:Tatiana Sapateiro and Jurek Durczak

When visiting Walt Disney World and Epcot, I am most impressed by the grounds and the gorgeous, vibrant, flowers. If you love flowers as much as I do, you don’t want to miss the 15^th Annual Epcot Flower and Garden Festival held from March 15 through June 1^st at Epcot Center in Orlando. The festival is included with the regular admission to Epcot Center. With over 30 million blooms, this is sure to be a dazzling display this spring and summer.

Children who visit Walt Disney World and Epcot will also be dazzled by the displays as their favorite characters are created in topiary designs, surrounded by flowers. For example, the Goofy topiary is a whopping 14-feet tall. He is riding a surfboard on a wave which is made of flowers and more plants. You can see Goofy near the Spaceship Earth entrance.

• Walt Disney World’s Mickey and Minnie are also in on the fun; these topiaries (figures made from plants) are posing on a beach blanket made of flowers while relaxing on the beach. Speaking of playing on the beach, Donald and Daisy are around, too. These topiaries by the plant geniuses at Disney are playing volleyball.
• Walk along Imagination Walkway to see Peter Pan’s Neverland Garden. Kids will love the pirate theme all done up with plants and flowers. There’s a pirate ship with topiaries of Captain Hook, Tinkerbell, Tic Toc Croc and Peter Pan. I want to see that one!
• New this year, Donald Duck and friends celebrate their new Epcot Show in a topiary dedicated to the “Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros” in the Mexico pavilion.

• The Sweeping Future Flower Beds with nautical flags created with flowers. Can you decode the message that’s written with the flags? A secret message is created using the flags’ letters. The letters are Alpha, Bravo and Charlie, etc. If you visit Epcot, try to guess the message that is written with the flags’ letters. That should be entertaining.
• Minnie’s Magnificent Butterfly Garden with hundreds of screened in butterflies is a must-see! Children would love learning how caterpillars turn into butterflies in this interactive living exhibit.

Gardening experts will hold seminars and lectures during the festival and every night during the festival, visitors can dance to music from Flower Power Concerts.

We used to tease my grandfather by telling him that he should go and work for Disney. His hedges and trees were always perfectly trimmed. What do you think about the flowers and plants at Epcot? How do they keep them so immaculate?

Photos Courtesy of Walt Disney Word, used with permission.

Technorati Tags: Disney World,disney,epcot,events,flowers,topiary,topiaries,orlando,family vacations

I’ve been motivated by the show, The Biggest Loser. This is going to be my year. More specifically, this is going to be my summer to shine. Yes. I am actually going to wear a bikini on the beach before this summer is over. Not so fast. I don’t know about you, but I could stand to loose a few pounds. I could also lose some inches. I’m tired of fad diets and temporary weight-loss. I want the real thing. My mission is weight loss. I want to tone up and, get into better cardiovascular health. Yes, I want to look fly in a bikini this summer — the healthy way. Welcome to my weight loss journey. Every Wednesday you will get an update on my progress.

Before 4/20/08

A little about me

See that belly? That has got to go! I had to delete the rear pictures. I couldn’t handle that. I posted these pictures, because, hey, if they can do it on Celebrity Fit Club, so can I. I am weighing in at 131 pounds. I hate exercising, but I always feel 100% better after I do it, and take a nap of course. I usually start exercise programs and fall off the bandwagon. I miss a day and that turns into two days and three days until before I know it, I haven’t worked out in months. I don’t want to be super-thin, I just want to be toned. Well, and I want to have muscular abs. I know that they are somewhere. A six-pack would be nice, but I don’t want to get too crazy with my requests. When it comes to exercise, I hate jogging, but I would love to be able to jog a mile without feeling as though I am about to have a heart attack. Eventually, I would love to jog about three miles. I know that I have to have a good balance of cardiovascular exercise and weight training to achieve my weight loss goals and get that beach body.

The plan

How am I going to achieve weight loss? I’m not going to starve myself. I am going to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day. I’ll be eating a lot of yogurt with live cultures, salads and fish or chicken. I’m addicted to Hooter’s Cobb salads, which are fried, so there will be a withdrawal period. Oh, but wait! I will have a cheat day once a week. I read something about having a permissible cheat day, and I’m all for that.

I plan to exercise at least 6 days a week. My exercise will consist of jogging, stair climbing (on actual stairs) and weight lifting. I will complete about 30 minutes to an hour of cardio a day and weight train three days per week. Most of my workouts will take place after work, in the afternoons.

Some days, I may do some stair-climbing (on actual stairs in the morning before work). I have posted my before pictures. Yes. I’m brave, and I’m also serious. I’m ready to make a commitment to a healthier life and I hope that you will too. Are you ready to join me? Write me. Give me some motivation. I need it!

Goals for Week 1

• Pack a healthy lunch and snacks each night for work
• Do at least 45 minutes of cardio
• Jog a half mile in a day
• Weight train on Monday and two other days this week
• Keep calories down to about 1,200 per day
• Don’t give up!

Read my next update on Wednesday, April 30.

Are you planning a family reunion for your vacation and need some cool games to keep people entertained? Here are some old standbys.

The Telephone Game

This family reunion game works well for children. Everyone should line up. The organizer has a word or a phrase that is related to the family is whispered to the first person in line. The message is passed down until it reaches the last person. The last person states the message out loud. The organizer reveals the original message. Usually, by the time the message reaches the last person, it doesn’t make any sense or is completely changed. This family reunion game gives people a good laugh and shows how rumors are formed!

Introduction Game

The introduction game is the perfect family reunion game to reacquaint family members with each other and learn something new about your family. Divide the group into pairs. The organizer should have a list of about 5 to 10 questions for each group. The same questions could be used. Here are some sample questions:

• What would you do with a million dollars?
• If you were stranded on a dessert island what would you take?
• What is your funniest family memory?
• Describe one time that a family member encouraged you.
• What do you think is the greatest achievement in your life so far?

Here’s how this family reunion game works. Each person in the pair must answer the questions posed by his/her partner. Give everyone about 15 minutes or so to answer the questions posed by his/or partner. To play the game, a family member introduces his/her partner and tells the group where the person is from (city, state, or country). Next, the interviewer (the person who asked the questions) reads the answers.

Guess the Family Member

This is a simple guessing game. Before the game, everyone should list a selection of well-known and maybe some little known facts about himself or herself. The facts could include their name, age, where they went to school, their favorite pet’s name, how many children they have, etc. The group organizer reads a card, asking the family to identify the person. For example: “The person I am thinking of has four children, lives in Orlando and has a dog called, Fluffy. Who is this person? The family member who guesses correctly the most could win a prize.

Family reunion games are a fun addition to your gathering. They will help you have a memorable vacation, and help you learn something new about your relatives. Do you have any family reunion games that have been successful during your reunion? Share your ideas in a comment.

Planning to visit Mexico? Get discounts on spa treatments, a lobster dinner, or your favorite hotel. Save money for your beach vacation by getting a free VIP Distinguished Visitor Card from the City of Rosarito Beach, which near San Diego. It is located just across the U.S. border and about 30 minutes away from San Diego.

Well-traveled beach

This beach receives more than a million tourists every year, it’s a popular place for a beach vacation. The prices are lower compared to California and well-known Mexican destinations like Tijuana. There is a low crime rate and the unemployment rate is also low, so Rosarito Beach is considered a safe family beach. It’s a good spot for a family beach vacation.

The VIP Card

So the new mayor, to make the beach even more hospitable for beach vacations, has created a Distinguished Visitor Card. The card grants the holder discounts to hotels and shopping from merchants who agreed to participate in the program.

The distinguished visitor card is free and will be mailed to all those who request it. It may be sent to either your home or your business. Newcomers to Rosarito Beach will also be happy to learn that the card has useful information, such as phone numbers and links to Tourist Assistance. So, as long as you have your card and maybe your cell phone, you can call someone to help you out on your beach vacation.

To use the card, just present it to any merchant where the card’s log is displayed. Visit Rosarito Beach VIP to get a VIP card of your own.

Facts on Rosarito Beach

• The water is safe to drink; it is purified
• Dollars are accepted, so are credit cards and ATM cards
• English is spoken almost everywhere
• U.S. car insurance may not be valid in Mexico
• You can take home up to $400 worth of merchandise, duty free
• Common prescription drugs are over the counter and cheaper than in the U.S.
• There are five hospitals
• You can call 078, the State Tourist Assistance Hotline from any phone and reach a live person
• You don’t need a passport as long as you are a U.S. citizen visiting for only 72 hours and you drive across the border. To re-enter into the U.S. you do need to have proof of citizenship, like your birth certificate, for example.

Have you been to Rosarito Beach? What was your vacation like there? Keep it clean, don’t make me sorry that I asked.

Technorati Tags: beach vacation,mexico,rosarito beach,vip card,discount card,discount,travel,trip

Prices for airline tickets and other travel tickets are rising due to increasing fuel costs. You can, however, get dirt cheap tickets if you know where to look. Prices may have risen, but you still need to travel. Don’t let inflation keep you from going on a vacation or spending a stress-free time with your family. Here are some suggestions for finding the least expensive, dirt cheap tickets on the web.

Give yourself plenty of time
Look for your tickets as soon as possible. The more advance notice you have, the more likely that you will get the best price. Shoot for searching for tickets months before your event or activity. If you can look for tickets nine months in advance of your trip, that’s all the better.
Go straight to the airline’s site
Most people believe that discount tickets on sites like Expedia.com are always the best place to get the cheapest tickets. Airlines, however, sometimes have dirt cheap tickets, or the cheapest tickets that you could find anywhere. Many airlines have features that allow you to check several different dates for the cheapest tickets. Look for several different dates and several times for your trip. Oftentimes red eye flights have the cheapest tickets.

Look for tickets during off-season periods
Try to travel during off-season periods rather than peak travel times. For example, airline tickets are more expensive during the Christmas holidays in the United States. You may be able to find reasonable hotel rates because people tend to stay with family rather than spending a night in hotel during the Christmas holiday. You need to travel when others would prefer to stay at home. Travelers, for example, love to travel during the spring for spring break.

Use Search Engine Power
Use the power of the Internet to search for dirt cheap tickets. If your state has several airports, consider searching for tickets from several different airports (especially if you will have no problem driving to the airport, getting a shuttle, or paying for parking). Search engines such as Expedia, Orbitz, and Cheap Tickets,
can help you search for the lowest prices for several dates at a time.

Are you trying to go to a concert or a sporting event, only to find out that the events are too expensive? You can get cheap tickets for entertainment events like games, plays or concerts by following a few guidelines.
Check your local newspaper
Sometimes newspapers advertise discounts for theatrical events. Free weekly publications sometimes have discount tickets to various local events. You simply have to diligently check the ads. Remember to look for information regarding deals in the local paper. It’s possible to learn that you can get ½ off Wednesday tickets, purchased through Ticketmaster.

Search the web
There are some places on the web which specialize in cheap concert tickets.

Cheap Tickets
This group has cheap tickets for dozens of cities and venues. The top concert tickets or posted on the front page. The beauty of this site is that you can search for cheap tickets for a variety of events by state. So, if I wanted a listing of several different types of events in my state, I could go to Concerttickets.org and get a good idea of what’s going on.

Best Show Tickets
You definitely need to know what you are looking for when you visit this site. Best Show Tickets lists events rather than listing cities and states. We can find cheap tickets by carefully searching, though. I found $15 hockey tickets near the goal on this site.

Ebay
There is a plethora of cheap tickets available on ebay.com. Be careful, though. Purchase tickets from people with positive feedback. Ask questions about the tickets before you buy them. You need to know how and when you can expect to receive your tickets, why the person is selling the tickets, and where the tickets are located. It’s helpful to have a good map of the venue.

Craig’s List
Craig’s List is a great place to find people selling tickets locally. Simply, check the ads in your city.
Radio Stations

You can win free tickets from radio stations, but I wouldn’t count on that as a sure thing. Some radio stations have point systems. You answer a few questions on the radio station’s web site, or you visit web sites from sponsor companies. You earn points that can be traded in for event tickets or other prizes. For example, V-103 at www.v-103.com has a loyal listener program in Atlanta.
There is no reason to sit at home. Get out and enjoy yourself. You can find cheap tickets to a variety of events. You only need to look!

Photo by Todd/Hryckowian Flickr Creative Commons