Streaming Netflix is Distracting Me

We have a Netflix account. And I confess, I love it beyond all that is rational. Why? Well, let's face it, with the death of every DVD rental place (I almost wrote "video rental place" but that makes me look way old. Why don't I just start writing about the BetaMax now and seal my fate?) there's no place to rent. And I was a little behind the curve on finding out about RedBox. I know, I know. I'm a late adopter, remember.

Anyway, the beauty of Netflix is that they have all of those crazy English shows I love to watch. Ad nauseum. Shows that no one else will watch with me. I can stream them right to my computer or iPad and it's a beautiful thing.

So why am I writing about Netflix on my fitness blog? Here's the thing--you can also stream Netflix through your Wii. Or other gaming console thingy, which we don't have. We have a Wii. Not that I know how to work it, but we have one.

Now, awhile ago, a year? More? Heck, I don't know. But awhile ago, I made the boys move the Wii to the basement because I couldn't stand the competitive arguments they would get into while playing. Plus, it interfered with my Oprah watching while I was making dinner, but I digress. But after the Wii moved to the basement, we received a disk in the mail from Netflix. You could use it to set up Netflix to stream to your gamey thingy.

We tried it. It didn't work. I didn't pursue it further. I figured it had to do with having the gamey thingy in the basement.

So a few weeks ago, Declan discovered that it has nothing to do with the gamey thingy being in the basement. No, it apparently had something to do with the fact that I had no idea what I was doing. Imagine that.

Now, the streaming works. In the basement. Which cracks me up because now the kids sit down there for movie night, which is kind of weird. But I'm liking it, too, because I can watch all of my crazy English drama down there.

This is good and bad. It's bad because that makes me want to work out on the elliptical so I can watch TV at the same time. I think the elliptical is lame for burning calories. I find it boring and I don't push myself on it. Bad. Not pushing is bad.

But it's good because I've started doing something a little different. Today I did a high intensity workout DVD first, burned a bunch of calories, then hopped on the elliptical, kept my heart rate up and trotted along while I watched my current English show of choice--Mi5, or Spooks if you're in the UK. It was a win-win all the way around.

Dear Rupert Penry-Jones, I love you.

Tip of the Day: Watching Rupert Penry-Jones will boost your heart rate and you will burn more calories. Try it and see.

Goals, Schmoals

I haven't done crap on my goal achievement this week, people.

Yes, I've worked out, but my eating has been marginal at best and I haven't been recording my food past about breakfast each day. And how about that goal to blog here 3 times a week? Not happening.

When does school start????? Two weeks? Two weeks = eternity in my world right now.

I'm just hanging on by a thread. I know I'll be sad (well, maybe not really sad, but just sort of sad in a "oh my word the fact that they're back at school means time is passing quickly and I'm getting old" type of sad. It's always all about me.) when they go back. Declan will start middle school and we'll enter a whole new era.

Blah blah blah, I know. Whatever.

I'm just sort of flapping along and trying to stay afloat until I can get my work finished during the day again. And then maybe go to bed before midnight.

So my goal report is really kind of lame. My goal for August should really just have been: not have a nervous breakdown. That was my goal for July and I achieved it, but just barely.

Anyway, my tip of the day: Don't have a nervous breakdown. I'd be sad if you did.

I do confess I'm also looking forward to September and starting a real workout schedule again. I will be setting some pretty aggressive fitness goals for myself this fall and I'm excited to get rolling on them.

Wake me up when September comes. Even though that's not how the song goes.

I Ate Pie. And It's Not My Cheat Day.

And that about sums up today.

Yesterday was my cheat day. It involved tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream and popcorn.

My ankles are a little puffy today.

Today I ate super clean all day, and low on calories, so that I could afford a piece of pie and some ice cream tonight for my nephew's birthday.

That right there is the tip of the day: If you know you have some sort of celebration, plan for it earlier in the day (or even earlier in the week). That way you can enjoy a small treat without blowing your calorie budget out the window.

Now we're watching 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, or as Finn calls it 40,000 Legs Under the Sea. We challenged him to count how many legs he sees during the course of the movie.