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Twitter mistakes you should avoid

I’m sure all of you have had new followers do something that really annoys the crap out of you. Here are some simple Twitter faux pas to avoid in order to retain happy followers.

DON’T

  • Send auto reply messages to every person that follows you. This makes people think you area robot and don’t have time to say hello like a normal person.
  • Follow only pretty people. If someone is following you who shares similar interests (like fitness) follow them back. People don’t follow just to listen to you talk to yourself.
  • Harass people to “try your product”. I have had companies continue to offer me discounts to buy their product that night. Don’t do it! It comes off as extremely tacky.
  • Just post your thoughts and links on Twitter. You should be engaging with other people to get to know them.

DO

  • Take a genuine interest in your followers. You would be surprised who you might hit it off with. You might even learn something new.
  • Ask questions. Twitter can be a wealth of knowledge if you connect with the right people.
  • Share pieces about yourself that have nothing to do with your blog or main twitter topic. People enjoy engaging with those who are interesting.
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This is for the bread haters

I know many people are going gluten free for Paleo reasons while others are going gluten free because they are allergic to it. I will be doing neither. Bread is good for you, if you eat the right stuff.

As many of you know, I went camping a few weeks ago. One of our family friends had recently switched jobs and started working for a company called Dave’s Killer Bread. To make a long history lesson short Dave was convicted, served 15 years in prison and realized that he needed to make a change. Dave started creating unique batches of bread at the family bakery and the rest is history.

At this point you are probably wondering why the hell I am talking about bread and the man it’s named after. Dave didn’t just create any kind of bread, he created super bread. It is chock full of nutrients you wouldn’t believe.  To make this even better, Dave’s Killer Bread is USDA certified organic.  I bought two loaves of the Good Seed.

As you can see, it has 4 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein, and 670mg omega-3

The Good Seed is dense, as are all of the DKB loaves. The reason it is dense is because they don’t use corn syrup as a filler like most bread companies.

This is what real bread looks like.

Dave’s Killer Bread comes in 16 varieties including hamburger buns, which are absolutely delicious. My personal favorite is the Sin Dawg. It is packed with seeds and a gooey cinnamon and sugar inside.

I highly recommend switching over to DKB if your local stores carry it.

 

I was not paid to give this review, I simply love the bread and the company that makes it.

 

 

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Unplugged for the weekend

I just got back from a wonderful camping trip in the Mt. Hood National Forest. Driving to the campground was something else. You start off in civilization, progress through the small town of Estacada and eventually end up in the middle of nowhere. About half way through that journey we lost cell service.

Upon arrival I am told that the toilets are out of order and that we have porta-potties to use. I was not super excited about that development, but could live with it. I was also informed that the campground does not have showers. At that point I was keeping my fingers crossed that the weather would hold out.

We spent the weekend with 16 of our closest friends a family. There was a great deal of walking, hiking, and a little rock climbing. Being new to rock climbing, I decided not to take my camera up with me, but the view was gorgeous from up there. I am a slightly afraid of heights and didn’t want to worry about breaking my camera. I was honestly more worried about breaking my bones.

The rest of the weekend was fairly typical. Each day was a duplicate of the day before with additional food & drink mixed in. We also made the biggest s’mores known to man. The marshmallows were almost the size of my fist and required two full graham crackers to keep the marshmallow from oozing out. I would post a photo, but the boyfriend doesn’t want his face on the internet.

I can’t wait to go back in a few months.

Enough with my chatter. Here is a photo recap:

View from a log bridge

C-loop’s backyard

After exploring the campground a little bit we decided to take a hike down to the river. The trail was not in the best shape due to a storm that knocked down trees a few years ago, but it was still a nice walk.

A wobbly glimpse of the Clackamas as we cross the stream via a downed tree

To the right is the rock I climbed

Looking to the right side of the river

Rapids on the left

My backyard

My backyard

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Slow steps

I’m not one of those people who goes on a fitness kick to drop as much weight as possible. I have been more focused on adding muscle than I have been on dropping pounds, so my fat loss has been slow at best. This would drive some people crazy. Let me tell you, it hasn’t been easy to see the scale move as slowly as it has, but I love knowing that I am doing this the right way. There are some weeks when the scale doesn’t budge, or even goes up a few pounds. I used to stress over such things, but now that I am seeing a change in my overall physique (hello biceps & triceps!) I don’t mind the slow progression.

Despite what I just said, things have been picking up for me. Working on my feet for most of the week helps a great deal in the way of fat loss. If you don’t have a physically demanding job, I highly suggest getting involved with your community. There are plenty of volunteer jobs that require you to move. Check out your local chamber of commerce for ideas.

 

What non-scale related changes motivate you?

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You have to love yourself first

Today I struggled with something seemingly meaningless. I couldn’t decide if I would wear shorts to the park or if I would wear jeans. To most people it sounds mundane, but to me it was a huge decision. I haven’t worn shorts in public since I was about 10 years old. When I was 10 I thought that  I had strange looking legs. In reality I was just like every gangly kid around. Having grown up quite a bit since then I had also gained weight. While I am down quite a bit from my “starting weight” I am still not at a comfortable one either. Today I realized that I don’t give a damn what other people think of me. At least not what they think about my weight or looks. You are welcome to judge me for having cellulite. Chances are you have some of your own. Today I realized that if I can’t love myself now, I won’t be able to love myself when I reach my goal.

Be proud of what you have accomplished and keep pushing forward.

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Exhaustion: level 99

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever reached that point of exhaustion where you whole body shivers? I hit that point last week. Trying to adjust to a new schedule while upping my weights in the gym was not the best combo. I got home from work one evening and couldn’t stop shaking. My body was freezing, and I had no energy to do anything. The next morning I woke up with my eyes swollen shut. My allergies are easily regulated with Zyrtec, so I was really freaked out by this development. Thankfully I worked a morning shift, and had the next two days off. I went to bed early, and slept about 12 hours that night. While the 12 hours were helpful, I am finally feeling back to my normal self a week later. Here are my tips for preventing exhaustion:

  •  Get a good nights sleep every night. Adults are recommended to get 7-9 hours a night.
  • If possible, go to bed around the same time every evening.
  • Avoid harsh artificial lighting (computers, tvs, cellphones, etc) at least 1 hour before bed.
  • Engage in an activity that helps you unwind. (yoga, stretching, reading, drinking tea, bubble bath, etc)
  • Drink lots of water. Your body does not respond well to dehydration.
  • Know your limits. Don’t push beyond them when you are adjusting to a new schedule.

What are your tips & tricks to avoid feeling overworked?