Meet Lucy

Meet Lucy Leaf.  She is a 2015 Nissan Leaf.  Lucy is an electric car.

 Look at those curves!

She has a nice trunk, too.



I hadn't really thought of getting a new car, but the tax credits offered by the federal government and state government were too good to ignore.  The environmental aspect of the Leaf is also enticing.  As I mentioned, the Leaf is an electric car, so it uses absolutely no gasoline.  It also has zero emissions.

I got the base model which is the S.  It has everything I need.  I also got the quick charge package.  I'll tell you about that in a minute.

The interior is pretty spacious.  It's not bulky, but it's not skimpy.  It's just right.

Both the front and back seats are heated.  Fancy, no?  The backseat is also pretty spacious.

The S model comes with a back-up camera that displays on the smallish screen in the dash.  It also comes ready for XM satellite radio and includes a three month trial.  There is an auxiliary input for the radio and a USB port where you can connect your smart phone.  Lucy also has Bluetooth connectivity so I can connect my phone and make and receive calls.

The gear shifter is also pretty interesting.  It has four options - Park, Drive, Neutral, and Reverse.  The transmission is constantly variable so it doesn't shift from first, to second, to third, and so on.  It just accelerates without shifting.

The dash is also pretty cool.  Because the battery is so important, the battery temperature indicator is pretty prominent (on the left side in the image below).  Equally important is the amount of charge remaining.  This is on the right side of the image below.  The series of circles across the top of the display tells you how much power you are using as you drive.  Electric cars are smart so they recapture lost power as you coast or use your brakes.  This is shown in the four circles across the top.  The circles on the right show power you are using.

 

The trunk area is pretty spacious.  The back seats fold down, so I can haul quite a bit of stuff back there. 

The image below shows the charging ports.  The port on the left is the quick charge port and the port on the right is the standard "trickle" charge port.  As I mentioned earlier, I got the quick charge package with my Leaf.  This allows me to go to quick charge charger locations and charge my car quickly.

The quick charge port can charge the car in about three hours.  The standard charge port takes about eighteen hours to completely charge.  That sounds like a lot, but if I plug it in right after I get home from work, it's close to being fully charged the next morning since I don't usually let it get too terribly low.

The image below shows a Leaf being charged using the trickle charger.  Note: You don't have to open the hood to charge the car.  You only have to open that small charging area door/panel.

Overall, I really like the Leaf.  It's a fun car to drive.  It's little and scoots around quickly.  It has 100% torque.  The video below explains the 100% torque thing:

I still have my Audi since Lucy is practical to drive around the city, but isn't practical on longer trips.  I head home to visit family several times per year and it would take me three days to get home.  I would be a nervous wreck trying to get to the next charging port!

I'll wrap up this post with the video below.  It's a Tesla Model S (another electric car) and a Dodge Challenger drag racing.  The Tesla is a luxury, power car.  It's the blue/black car in the video in case you were wondering.  =)

2014 Christmas Decorations

I don't typically go all out with Christmas decorations.  I put up a tree and few little things here and there, but that's about it.  I used to put a wreath on the door, but it reminds me of when our house was broken into several years ago, so I no longer put up the wreath.

 

Justin and I bought our Christmas tree from Wal-Mart in 2003 for less than $16.00.  It's six feet tall and isn't pre-lit.  Literally, one strand of lights costs more than the entire tree.  We upgraded to LED lights last year.  I also got some ornaments from my sister last year.  For years we used inexpensive ornaments from Wal-Mart, but the ones we used last year and this year are nicer and little more polished.

For the most part, I don't include any ornaments other than the balls.  There are a few ornaments that are exceptions.

This one is one Justin bought me in December 2003.  We were in Atlanta and visited Neiman Marcus.  We wanted an ornament to commemorate our first Christmas as a married couple.

This ornament has always been in a prominent place on the tree.

The next ornament was given to us by a former coworker of Justin's.  There is a story behind this one, but I'll save it for another time.

The next one was another gift from Justin.  I'm not sure where he bought it, but it's special to me because it's from him.  The lettering is in green glitter, but it doesn't make a mess.

I also make sure to hang stockings each year.  We got our stockings in 2003, the year we were married.  Of course Pete and Annabelle have stockings, too.  I used to work at a gift shop where we monogrammed items and all of these were monogrammed by yours truly.  We don't have a mantle over our fireplace, so I usually stick the Command hooks to the brick around the fireplace.  Last year, I decided to hang them beside the refrigerator.  It's not traditional, but it's different.

The next tree was a sale item I got at Target several years ago the day after Christmas.  It's different and I like it.

I bought the little gold tree below from a coworker who was selling items as a fundraiser for her daughter's school.  It's simple and doesn't require any assembly.  I like that.

The candle and hurricane on the dining room table are also from Target.  The candle will probably be used throughout the year.  It's a flameless candle that smells a little like vanilla.  I wish it was scentless, but the fragrance is so light that I don't really notice it.  It also has a timer so it turns on and off at night.

I got these two little guys and the tree in the background from Target.  The foxes remind me of Pete and Annabelle.  They're so cute.

The Merry Christmas sign thingy came from Target (do you see a pattern here?).  I got it in the dollar section several years ago.  I don't really know what you're supposed to do with it, but I hang it on the coat closet door knob.  It works for me.

This little wreath used to hang in my cubicle at work.  The cubicle wasn't large enough for a tree, so I hung this instead.  It now adorns the door knob on a hallway closet at my home.

I really like this pillow.  I have another one just like it on the love seat.  They make me smile.  The candle holder on the garden stool is another Christmas item I look forward to seeing each year.  I think it's supposed to be outside, but I use it inside with a candle.  The candle holder and the pillows are after Christmas Target finds.  Shocked?

 

I couldn't leave the bathroom unadorned.  This linen hand towel was an item from the gift shop.  It was a sample we used in the store that I got to take home after Christmas was over.  It's green and gold, so it's actually pretty neutral.



These hand towels were monogrammed by me.  I found the plain towels in Wal-Mart one night and grabbed them.  I added the tree and name at work the next day.  Several customers saw me working on them and had to have some of their own.  The store monogrammed probably twenty or thirty of these because of my two towels.

I bet you can't guess where this snowman came from.  It's a cookie jar but it's really too small for cookies.  I could use it as a dog treat holder.  Maybe next year.  This little guy came from the dollar section in Target.  It cost a whopping $2.50.

I'm sitting here thinking about how much I don't want to take down the decorations.  I like Christmas and hate to see it go each year.  I do enjoy spring, though, so that's something special to look forward to.

Nutrisystem - Weeks 5, 6, and 7

This coming Sunday, I'll finish my seventh week on Nutrisystem.  I lost three and a half pounds during week five, a pound and a half during week six, and two and a half pounds during week 7.  That's a total of seven and a half pounds.  So far, I'm down twenty-three and a half pounds!

I've got about sixty-six pounds left to go.  I'm just over a quarter of the way there.  If I continue at this rate, I'll be at my goal weight by the second week of December.

I've cheated a few times over the last few weeks.  I feel bad afterward, but I know it's ok.  I don't go terribly overboard and I make sure I behave afterward.  I'm noticing fatty foods make me nauseous.  That's encouragement enough to not cheat.

I know the weight loss will likely slow down in a few weeks.  I'm still currently obese, so the weight is probably coming off more quickly because I have so much extra.  I've continued going to the gym, but I'm not going as frequently as I'd like.  This is our busy time at work, so I don't foresee that getting any better in the coming months.

Overall, I'm pleased with the results.  It hasn't been easy, but I'm sticking with it.  The hard work is worth it when I put on clothes and they fit.  Prior to starting Nutrisystem, my clothes were too snug.  I couldn't even button some of my jeans.  I figure I'll need some new pants after I lose about ten more pounds.  Maybe I can make my current ones work until I drop two pants sizes.  I don't want to have to buy clothes I'll wear a month or two before getting rid of them.

Nutrisystem - Weeks 3 and 4

Last Sunday, I finished my fourth week of Nutrisystem.  I lost eleven pounds those first two weeks combined, so I hoped that would continue through weeks three and four.  It didn't.  I dropped four pounds over the last two weeks.  The program says you should expect to lose one to two pounds each week after your first week, so my four pounds over two weeks is expected.  I cheated several times over the last two weeks.  When I say I cheated, I mean I really cheated.

My sister's birthday party was August 2 (Happy Birthday, Carrie!) and Justin and I went to the party at her house in South Georgia.  I had one Skinny Girl cocktail, so alcohol didn't really cause me a lot of problems.  It was the food.  I love party food and there was a plethora of party food.  I restrained myself, but I strayed from the program.  Later that night, Justin and I went out to eat with our parents, and I cheated again.  I had another cocktail (full calorie) and some additional high-calorie food.  Shame, shame.

I got back on track the next week, but cheated again on Saturday, August 9.  A friend had a birthday and we went to Loco's for dinner and drinks.  I had more than my share of cocktails.  I also had a cheeseburger with fries and some chicken wings.  That was in addition to the nachos and fried pickles on the table that I munched on.  Overall, I consumed around 2,500 calories in that one meal.  That was 2,500 calories!

I got back on track on Monday and am trying to behave this week.  I cheated a little on Tuesday (two cocktails, three chicken wings, part of a soft pretzel, and a few fried green beans).  I was invited to happy hour again tonight, but I declined and kept my appointment at the gym.

Regarding the gym, I really need to commit to going more frequently.  I went on Monday and tonight this week, which is a lot different than the zero times I went last week.  I'm noticing my recovery time is getting quicker.  That's a good thing.  The goal at OTF is to spend about thirty-five minutes in the green zone and no more than ten to twelve minutes in the orange and red zones combined.  The remainder of the time should be in the blue zone.  I always spend too much time in the orange and red zones (usually thirty-five or more minutes in those zones).  The image below is my report from tonight's workout.  I spent more time in the green zone than I usually do, so that means my body is getting more fit.  I don't normally run at the gym (I'm considered a power walker and use incline on the treadmill to push myself), but I did tonight.  I didn't feel completely exhausted when class ended tonight. 

I'm excited to see these changes.  I recorded my measurements the day before I started the program.  I measured my upper arm, chest, waist, hips, and thigh.  With the exception of my arm measurement, everything dropped by one to two inches.  We've done a lot of upper body strength training at the gym, so the arm measurement doesn't shock me.

Overall, I've lost sixteen and a half pounds, which includes a couple of pounds from this current week.  That's an average of about four pounds per week.  I'll take it!

Nutrisystem - Weeks 1 and 2

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned I was beginning the Nutrisystem program.  At that time, I had completed day 1.  I continued with the program that week and this past week.  The first week was rough.  It was rough.  I kicked-off my weight loss with Nutrisystem's Fast 5 program.  That program is designed to help you lose at least five pounds that week.  Monday through Friday, I followed the program pretty much as designed.  I was hungry for the first few days.  I was not a pleasant person for the first few days.

The Fast 5 program gives you meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  You also get two shakes - an energy shake and a craving eliminating shake.  The energy shake doesn't taste all that great.  The craving shake was actually pretty tasty.  I was also allowed to include non-starchy vegetables during that first week.

The breakfast muffins are good.  I had the banana nut muffin on day 1 and it was very good.  The cinnamon streusel muffin on day two was also very good.  They're not very large, but I think that's the point.  =)

The shakes are pretty easy to prepare.  I bought a shaker bottle since I think I may include the shakes in some capacity ongoing.  This is the energy shake.  It has a funky aftertaste that's a little odd.  They're definitely drinkable, but not something I really looked forward to.

The loaded baked potato lunch was tasty.  Again, I could have eaten four of these.  I had this entrée again yesterday and it wasn't as good.  I don't think I added enough water the second time.

This is the craving eliminating shake.  It's actually pretty good.  I enjoy this shake.

Dinner that second night was a chicken pot pie.  Something I find interesting about the dinner entrees is that they're not frozen.  They look exactly like frozen food in the package, but they're stored at room temperature.  This makes heating take no time!  Some of the entrees require you to build them.  The chicken pot pie included the veggies in the tray and the topping/pie in a separate packet.  You heat the veggies and then top with the pie piece.  As you can see, the pie was very flaky.

Justin is being supportive by eating a bagel with cream cheese in front of me.

He's so proud.  =)  He has actually been supportive.  He had a moment of weakness here.

Here is the blueberry muffin.  It is good.  I had one again this morning.  Yum.

I had chili with beans and beef one night.  It was very tasty.  I could have eaten twice this much!

More support from my hubby.  =)

The kung pao noodles lunch entrée was good.  I love pasta so the noodles were plentiful and made me happy.

The Italian flatbread pizza was tasty.  It was one I had to build.  The crust was in one package, the sauce was in a pouch, and the cheese was in another pouch.  You assemble and heat for about a minute.  The crust was a little chewy, which I like.

The lasagna didn't look terribly appetizing, but it was good.  I don't really remember if it had cheese, though.  It was very good.

I love spaghetti, so I was hoping the spaghetti with meat sauce would be delightful.  It wasn't.  It had an odd flavor.  I think it was a spice, but I'm not sure.  I could eat this again, but I likely won't order it.

Last night's dinner was macaroni and cheese with beef.  This was a lot like Hamburger Helper's Cheeseburger Macaroni.  It was yummy.  You add boiling water and let it sit for about ten minutes.  That was hard because I was hungry.  This is one I'll eat again and look forward to.

I don't know why, but I got into the habit of transferring the food from the Nutrisystem container to actual plates and bowls.  I think maybe it makes the food seem more like home cooked food that way.

Overall, I'm satisfied with the program.  I've cheated a little, but have stuck with the program for the most part.  I did cheat badly Thursday night.  I've avoided alcohol since beginning a couple of weeks ago.  I gave in on Thursday night.  I went to happy hour with some coworkers.  I did drink vodka sodas instead of my usual cosmopolitans.  The cosmos have a lot of sugar/fruit juice.  The soda water has a lot less calories.  I also ate some questionable food.  I got a chicken BLT without the bread.  That was a massive piece of chicken.  It was grilled, but still too much meat.  I ate the gouda cheese and bacon, too.  Bad, bad, bad.  I should also mention I blew off the gym to do this, too.

The first week, I went to the gym (Orange Theory Fitness) twice.  The first visit was rough.  The second one was easier.  I went once this week and was supposed to go a second time.  I'm signed up for a class on Sunday morning and another one on Monday evening.  My goal is to go at least three times per week.  More is better, but three is good.  Each class is an hour long and my heart monitor shows I burn about 600 calories each class.  I don't know how accurate that is, but I work hard, so it might be correct.

What are the results?  The Fast 5 program guarantees you'll drop five pounds.  Even with a little cheating, I dropped nine pounds that first week.  When I last weighed on Thursday morning, I am down twelve pounds total.  I've avoided weighing since then due to my cheating on Thursday.  I stuck to the program on Friday and so far today.  I'm hoping that will help make up for Thursday.

I've got seventy-eight pounds to go.  Let's do this!

Nutrisystem

I've posted in the past that I struggle with my weight.  That hasn't changed.  My current weight and BMI have me in the obese category.  There's no sugarcoating it.  I'm obese.  That statement reminds me of a Dr. Phil photo I saw a few years ago:

It's certainly not funny, but I would rather laugh about it instead of crying about it.

On the Fourth of July, I was watching television and it hit me that I have to do something about my weight.  It's out of control!  I've tried dieting before and knew that just doesn't work for me because I won't stick with it.  I knew I needed something that tells me what to eat.

A coworker had a lot of success with Medifast.  I almost signed up for it but decided I wanted to try Nutrisystem instead.  I ordered the starter kit on July 4 and eagerly waited for it arrive.  The starter kit included food for twenty-eight days plus the Fast 5 kit.  The Fast 5 kit is your first week's food and it's designed to help you drop five pounds that first week to get you motivated.

Forty pounds of food arrived in a big box on July 10:

I unpacked the box that evening and decided to begin the program on July 14.  I knew I had an event to go to on July 12 and decided starting before that date would not be wise.  I'm not going to lie - I enjoyed as much food as possible before starting on July 14.  I hit some of my favorite restaurants and enjoyed some of my favorite food.  That was probably not the best decision I've ever made, but I did it.

I've been dreading July 14, but it arrived and proceeded with my plan.  The day before, Justin and I hit the grocery store so I could grab some items to supplement the Nutrisystem meals.  Yes, that is allowed.  The night before July 14, I grabbed my meals and put them with my work bag so I could remember to take the food with me.

Breakfast was a banana nut muffin:

It was good.  I could have eaten two or three, but that wasn't an option.

Mid-morning, I had a hunger quencher shake:

It's part of the Fast 5 kit.  It was pretty good.  It had a funky aftertaste after the first few sips, but it wasn't terrible.

Lunch was a small cup of cheese tortellini with tomato sauce.  I forgot to take a photo, but it was pretty good.  Again, I could have eaten three servings.  I supplemented lunch with a salad from the cafeteria downstairs from my office.  It was basically a pile of lettuce with a few cucumber slices and tomato slices.  I topped it with a tiny cup of salsa.  I'm supposed to supplement the Fast 5 week with vegetables, so a salad seemed pretty easy.  I'm not allowed to have dressing right now but salsa is ok.  It wasn't terrible, but actual dressing is much better.

I had an energizing shake around 4:00 p.m.  It looked and tasted a lot like the shake from the morning.  Not super tasty, but not inedible either.

I was starving when I left work at 6:30 p.m.  Dinner was chicken alfredo.  I needed to incorporate more veggies, so I heated some frozen broccoli and tossed it into the entree contents.

The entree was pretty good.  The broccoli was a nice addition.  When I eat this entree in the future, I'll likely add broccoli again.  Justin even tasted a small bite and said it was good.

I ate about two hours ago and am hungry.  I've consumed less than 1,000 calories today, which is probably why I'm hungry.  I'm used to eating close to 2,000 each day.  I tried to sign up for a class at the gym this evening, but it was full.  That was a blessing in disguise.  I probably would have dropped had I tried to workout today.  I did schedule a class for Tuesday and Thursday so hopefully I'll feel up to it both days.

My goal is to lose eighty-two pounds.  That will get my BMI and weight at healthy levels.  Hopefully I can stick with this.  I've struggled today, but know I can do this.