1000 - small bowl of kaski with water (not as bad as you would think)

1300 - five mile hike in the winners trail

1700 - salad with chicken

1900 - yogurt

2100 - two hard boiled egg whites

about 32 oz of water today

Hand Tram Girdwood, Alaska

Dear Amanda Delight

I love learning about myself through the eyes of others. I believe its a viewpoint that is often hard to see as we judge our own actions and emotions. Therefore I would like to share this correspondence between myself and another man that I have been dodging for a while.

HIM: I think you're afraid of a guy liking you.

ME: I think you are absolutely right.

HIM: Hey, I think I fully understand you. That is why I will bid you farewell. I apologize for giving you unwanted attention. I don't know how to put it poetically, everyone chases that warm feeling of beauty and happiness. That is why you're probably an artist.

"We do our best work when we're sad depress or happy. Painting and drawing is like endlessly making love, only you know when you're satisfied. We always want to capture that perfect moonlight, that perfect sunset. We believe nobody will understand us, and we leave our expression up for interpretation in our art."

I want to end this with something funny and sincere, I don't know where this expression came from but toodaloo . May one day you find your sunset ;)

I read this email this afternoon as I came out of the woods from a 5 mile hike in the rain. He is right, I am looking for perfection....and Im cool with that because I wouldnt want to alter my life for anything short of a sunset or the perfect moonlight. After all my heart belongs to another and I do have my art which is like endless love making.

Sunday Routine

On sunday evenings,

I spend time preparing my meals for the week.

I buy yogurt, lettuce, eggs and chicken.

I find this saves me time and money throughout the week.

Its easy and simple.

First I slept in..again

1200 - turkey sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce and tomato

1400 - 1500 Gym

1 mile of cardio

then I repeated the following list 3 times:

3 planks for 20 sec hold

10 stability ball push ups

10 mule kicks

20 leg lifts on the ball

20 reverse sit ups on the stability ball

20 sit ups on the ball with a 8 lbs wt on my chest

20 sit ups on the ball while extending my arms and passing the 8lbs wt over my head down to my feet

20 side to side medicine ball passes

1600 - 3 hard boiled egg whites

...omg thats all I had to eat today...

(this is why it is important to record what you eat)

Push ups

Reverse sit ups

Leg Lifts

eharmony sucks

...and I want my money back!

Todays Regimen

First I slept in.

1500 - turkey sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce and tomato

1600 - 1800 Gym

1 mile of cardio

then I repeated the following list 3 times:

3 planks for 20 sec hold

10 stability ball push ups

10 mule kicks

20 leg lifts on the ball

20 reverse sit ups on the stability ball

20 sit ups on the ball with a 8 lbs wt on my chest

20 sit ups on the ball while extending my arms and passing the 8lbs wt over my head down to my feet

20 side to side medicine ball passes

Then I did another mile of cardio...mainly because I followed a hot guy into the cardio room.

1830 - 6 oz of Lean MR shake

2000 - cup of tomato soup

I drank a ton of water today.

Choose Life by Amanda Delight

I would die for you.

I went down to the water today with the boss.

We threw rocks into the ocean.

As we pulled up, I saw this license plate and just had to capture it.

Who would you die for?

How many people would die for you?

So romantic.

So passionate.

No doubt.

Just pure fact.

Its a statement that is made without hesitation.

You either would or wouldnt.

...and I love that.

Marilyn Monroe Painting by Amanda Delight

Created for Beyond Beads in Anchorage, Alaska

The first layer. Using thin washes of grey,

I mapped out the proportions and composition.

Second layer.

Starting to build up the layers of oil paint.

Third layer.

Facial features and hair take form.

This painting is for sale at Beyond Beads

located on 6th between D and C Street, suite 132E

outside on the lower level of 5th Ave Mall

Food Log

0800 - yogurt

1230 - veggie wrap

1700 - trail mix

1900 - 1 mile on the precore 100i

3 sets of 10 vertical chest at 60lbs

3 sets of 10 compound row at 60lbs

3 sets of 10 pec fly at 40 lbs

3 sets of 20 situps on the stability ball with an 8lbs weight on my chest

3 sets of 5 pushups on the stability ball

3 sets of 15 medicine ball passes

I then finished with

3 sets of 20 sec planks

2000 - small green salad with chick and a half a cup of tomato soup

I was too busy at work today to get in more meals.

I was lacking energy and took a 30 min nap before heading to the gym.

Sometimes its difficult to stick to a plan when needing balance.

Watching men lift while I stretch is what I call multitasking.

Timothy Bloom, Thank you.

I needed this.

Food Log

0800 - Yogurt

1030 - 2 hard boiled egg whites

1230 - Small green salad with chicken

1430 - 2 hard boiled egg whites

1700 - small bowl of kashi

1900 - 2 miles on the precor 100i burning 285 cal.

Then I did a circuit of:

3 sets of 20 situps on the stability ball with an 8lbs weight on my chest

3 sets of 5 pushups on the stability ball

3 sets of 15 medicine ball passes

I then finished with

3 sets of 20 sec planks

2030 - Small Salad with chicken

today a drank about 48 oz of water

Change

A friend of mine whom is going through a difficult time just asked me,

"Why is change so scary?"

I replied with,

"Because its unknown, uncertain and unfamiliar. We are creatures of habit and routine. We take comfort in things that are predictable. But, sometimes change is the only option due to circumstances that are out of our control. So we have to adapt. And as scary as it may be, you CAN do this! You CAN adapt to change."

Food Log

10:30 - Small bowl of Kashi with rice milk

11:30 - 2 miles on the precor 100i burning 282 cal.

(I would have done triple this but the boss pulled me off)

50 consecutive situps on the stability ball with an 8lbs weight on my chest

3 sets of 10 sec planks

then I rotated:

3 sets of 5 pushups on the stability ball

3 sets of 10 forearm/hand ...plank/pushup position thingies

3 sets of 15 medicine ball passes

13:00 - small salad containing plain chicken breast I cooked, romaine, greenleaf and sweet butter lettuce with only organic balsamic vinegar

14:00 - Walked all over downtown taking pictures and networking

17:00 - Small Salad

today a drank about 48 oz of water

Food Log

10:00 - Small bowl of Kashi with rice milk

12:00 - Less than 8 oz of an energy drink (free sample I was given)

13:00 - 2 miles on the precor 100i

50 consecutive situps on the stability ball with an 8lbs weight on my chest

3 sets of 10 sec planks

then I rotated:

3 sets of 5 pushups on the stability ball

3 sets of 10 forearm/hand ...plank/pushup position thingies (I dont know what they are called but they are fantastic for getting my heart rate up)

3 sets of 15 medicine ball passes (Sitting on the mat, you will raise your legs so that there is a 90-degree angle in your knees as well as a 45-degree angle at your hips. With the medicine ball in your hands, turn your torso to one side and tap the ball to the ground and then turn to the opposite side and tap the ground again. This counts as one repetition)

17:00 - small salad containing plain chicken breast I cooked, romaine, greenleaf and sweet butter lettuce with only organic balsamic vinegar

today a drank about 48 oz of water

I love my brother!

Some day I will get one of these.

Eating Clean by Amanda Delight

Eliminate sugar.

Eliminate white carbs.

Eliminate alcohol.

Cook your meals at home.

Only buy healthy foods to bring into your home.

Eat lean protein.

Consume protein within 30 min after working out.

Pack your own meals for the day.

Eat five small meals every day.

Eat the same calories in a day.

Set a timer to remind you when to eat.

Always eat breakfast.

Limit eating out to once a week and when you do, make smart choices.

Drink as much water in a day as you can!

Dear Paige

On my quest to better myself and improve my lifestyle with feeling good and looking good, I have gained some attention from other women in and around my social networks asking for tips and telling me that I am an inspiration to them. I am flattered by this and motivated to share as I continue on my journey. When I received an Email from Paige (a friend of a friend from Maine) I decided to share my response because I feel others could benefit from our correspondence:

Hey Amanda,

I know this is super random, but I've had the urge to message you for a few days now.

I'm completely inspired by you and all of the changes you've made to better yourself.

I really want to make some serious changes myself. I'm currently seeing someone and working on my every day life and dealing with stress and all that jazz...however, its not enough for me. I want to take it to the physical part of my life as well.

I wanted to ask you, did you work out in your home?? I know you're doing a lot of running...but what exactly jump started this for you? I know its different for everyone...but I think its great to have someone to talk about it with.

How do you stay so focused and driven? I think that would be my hardest part.

Anyway, I hope this didn't completely weird you out.

If you'd like to get back to me, that would be wonderful.

Have a great night!

Paige

Dear Paige,

Its funny you should ask me this. I saw a lady in the gym yesterday that I was compelled to talk to as well...but didn't. I wanted to ask her about her body and how she got it to that point. I don't know why women (including myself) don't talk about our images with one another.

Love your body, its the only one you have. It gets you up every day and treats you well...so treat it well. Change it for the better and you will feel better. If you eat clean and exercise, you are doing what you need to do, so love it!

Look in mirrors. Take photos of your self. Set visual goals and in doing so you can structure your physical goals around them. That is how I stay so focused and driven. I have everything in my life from a great career to a loving daughter, but I don't have the body I want. So I am changing that and you can too!

Its all a slow process and doesn't happen over night. You need to start with one step first. For me it was joining a gym. That one step alone came with fear and anxiety that I had to overcome. Once at the gym I then joined a class. That introduced me to others that were inspiring and motivating, because they all have the same fitness goals of being healthy and living well.

Do I workout at home? Yes. I workout wherever I can. At work, at home, at the gym, and outside is where I sweat. I have 4 schedules I juggle. Being organized is the key. Between my work, my daughters school, her daycare and the classes at the gym, I find the wholes and fill them with physical activity.

For years I put my daughter first. Well I put everything before my health really and now I have had to invest in playing catchup to get to my goals. As a mother, I know its hard not to feel guilty about taking time for yourself, but trust me, do it!!!

So, Step one: Join a gym.

Yours truly,

Amanda Delight