Decorating- My Own Nutcracker

I'm so Sorry that I'm only getting this post on my Blog now. I really wanted to post it before Christmas but, I didn't have the time. Decorating- My Own Nutcracker...a wonderful idea. My sister gave me two last year. I never did anything with them, I just wasn't sure what to do. I was down at the dollar store and saw this guy, an idea hit me...I would make this guy in the a Newfoundlander. He would be the perfect one to turn into my Newfie Nutcracker.

My NEWFIE NUTCRACKER.

Do you know if your body is apple-shaped or pear-shaped?

I have been doing some research on whether I was an Apple or Pear. I'm a Woman who weighs 278 pounds and I'm 5 ft 4in tall. My body mass index is 47.8. Over 30 is considered obese...between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight...between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered a healthy BMI. I want to get down to that healthy/normal area. This is the Website I use to find out this info http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
And you ask: How Can Overweight and Obesity be Reduced? This is what I'm doing about it:

Overweight and obesity have their related noncommunicable diseases and are largely preventable. People have choices by making the healthier choice of foods and regular physical activity. These are choices  that can help prevent obesity.

You can:

• limit energy intake from total fats;
• increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts;
• limit the intake of sugars;
• engage in regular physical activity;
• achieve energy balance and a healthy weight.

It can only have its full effect when people have access to a healthy lifestyle.

OK, now whether I'm an Apple or Pear Body Shape???
Just measure your waist circumference and your hip circumference, then calculate your waist to hip ratio. If you are .80 or above you are an apple. Below .80 you are a pear.
Pear Body Shape have hips wider than their shoulders because their bodies store fat there and on the thighs. Pear shaped bodies carry their extra weight below the waistline, and do not seem to have as high a risk of developing health problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, ... than people with an Apple Body Shape.
Apple-Shaped women who gain weight around their middle are more likely to develop disorders like heart disease, diabetes, or breast cancer. They're also more likely to have anxiety, depression, menstrual irregularities and fertility problems. Pear-Women who add pounds around their hips, butt and thighs - are more susceptible to problems like osteoporosis, varicose veins, cellulite, and eating disorders. They're also more prone to lower self-esteem due to a poor body image and likely to have a rough transition through menopause.

Apple Tips:

1. Eat Fiber-Filled Foods. They slow digestion of sugars, lower insulin and cholesterol levels and lower risk of heart disease and diabetes.
2. Do Aerobic Exercise. Thirty minutes daily is the easiest way to lose l fat.
3. Test Blood Sugar & Blood Fats. If these tests are abnormal or even borderline, apples should be concerned and look into ways to remedy a possible problem.

An apple-shaped woman has large amounts of deep fat stored in the waist/abdomen called visceral fat, which is a glandular powerhouse. This fat is inside your abdomen surrounding your organs. It contributes to inflammation and an increase in blood sugar. It produces chemicals and hormones that make a woman more vulnerable for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Pear Tips:

1. Eat low-fat foods. Pear-zone fat cells are FAT magnets and will continue to store fat the more you consume, making your problem areas even worse, which can lead to poor body image or even eating disorders
2. Do resistance training. This type of exercise is great for pears to strengthen their bones
3. Get bone density scan test,particularly as you approach menopause to know your risks for osteoporosis.

Pear-shaped women are biggest on their lower body where they store the majority of their fat. They tend to have a lower self esteem and are prone to get more eating disorders. Their fat is called subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous/pear-zone fat is a passive storage department. It stores fat as energy for release only in childbearing/breastfeeding. It acts as fat magnet. Any fat we eat that we don't immediately need for energy is stored immediately "on the hips."

Pear shaped people usually lose fat in the upper body, so their overall shape doesn't change much when we lose weight. So, Girls do everything to improve  your health, and remember feel great about your bodies now. So, your body shape can forecast health destiny. 

Show of Hands

Dear Zoe,

Ok, Show of Hands. Who's tired of Snow? I am. Out today shovelling snow. I'm so sick of it. I feel so fat dressing in winter clothes with all the layers....sweater, fleecy coat, and a huge hoodie...all to stay warm oh, I did forget about wearing two pairs of pants. On my quest to lose weight so far I have lost 50 pounds. For the past month plus a little more I have lose nothing...I keep on losing and gaining the same 3 to 4 pounds over and over again. So, this morning I do what I always do...I pull the scale away from the wall and stand on it. I was ready for my disappointment...but...when I look down I see I have finally lose 2 pounds. What????? I don't believe it. Now my total is 52 pounds. I hope I keep myself on this path and continue to lose weight.

Finally...Finished

Time past so slowly, and now I'm finally finished. I have been working on this Clydesdale horse drawing for a year or what seems like a year. I was so afraid that I would renege the drawing after all it's done with a ball point pen. So, I just took my time and worked on the drawing a litte bit at a time. Now, I'm thinking I should have done it on a big piece of paper, instead I have it lock away in a sketchbook. I just may have to do another drawing on bigger paper or a watercolor or maybe a painting.

The Clydesdale - Poem of Dedication

Thudding hoof and flowing hair,
Style and action sweet and fair,
Bone and sinew well defined,
Movement close bith fore and hind,
Noble eye and handsome head,
Bold, inetelligent, well-bred,
Lovely neck and shoulder laid,
See how shaply he is made,
Muscle strong and frame well knit,
Strength personified and fit,
Thus the Clydesdale - see him go,
To the field, the stud, the show,
Proper back and ribs well sprung,
Sound of limb, and sound of lung,
Powerful loin, and quarter wide,
Grace and majesty allied,
Basic power - living force -
Equine king - the Clydesdale horse.

                                                  
                                                Detail of Clydesdale Drawing

The Horse

When in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,
friendship without envy, or beauty without vanity?
Here where grace is laced with muscle and strength by gentlenless confined.

He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.
There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent;
there us nothing so quick, nothing more patient.

England's past has been borne on his back.
all our history is in his industry.
We are his heirs;
He is our inheritance.

~Ronald Duncan~

Shopping Day

Friday, February. 17.2012
Dear Zoe,

My first real blog entry...Woo Hoo!! LOL. I should tell you that my Journal has a name...Zoe. Why I call it Zoe? Well, it feels more like I'm writing  to a friend. And Zoe is a name that I like plus, it means 'Life.' I thought it fit perfectly, so my journal entry will start off with 'Dear Zoe.' Now let's get started.

Let's see...yesterday I went out shopping...when in to Hart Store, which will be closing soon. I don't really think I would find anything there, I mean it's hard for me to find clothes because all the big clothes sells first I find. But yesterday I got two sweaters, a shirt, and two parts of legging oh and, a part of shoes. So, lucky day for me. Something, you should know about me...I put myself on a so call diet...not really a diet more like a life style change on the way I eat. But it has been working for me, so far I have lost 50 pounds. This is great but I still have trouble finding clothes but yesterday was a great day and I only pay like $42 dollars for everything. I'm here now with my new sweater on. LOL.
After finishing my shopping at the Hart Store, I was on my way to The Lair, aka Comic Book Store. A nice walk up hill, I dont know how walking up hill is nice but I walked it. I almost got hit by a car...the car turn into a street and did a U-turn back out and this guy thought he would cut me as I was crossing the road...two big clowns in a tiny red clown car...A**holes. What was I suppose to do stand out in the middle of the road and wait for him, while cars come up the hill. What I should have done was walk really really slow in front of him, I bet he would be piss then. LOL. I get to the store and pick up my Wonder Woman Comic Books and head back down so I can catch the bus to Wal-Mart. It was only a quick visit to Wal-Mart. And it was so cold up at Wal-Mart waiting for the bus I took the sweater out and put it on and put my hoodie back on. I was a little warmer, good thing I bought it. Pay for itself there yesterday.

Last night I sat down with a coffee and my Wonder Woman Comic Books. I went to bed earlier, I had to get up and do laundry today, plus clean up around the house. I don't really think much will happen today, but you never know what can happen. If something comes up I will write again. One last thing, I'm having some trouble getting paint to start the two painting I have to do. I even looked on eBay. I guess I have to keep my eye open for anything now. 

All New!!

Hey there everyone who looks at my blog...I decided to update and make some changes. I'm still going to be posting my artwork, I would never stop doing that...I just wanted to post more. I guess I could have but, it didn't seem to fit with the title and all. I just thought it was time to change that, time to use my blog the way I want. I'm hoping to be blogging more about everything that's going on in my life in every way. I hope you come along on my Journey. Here is a cute and funny picture I did on my iPhone. I just had to share it with you all. Enjoy.

My Emma Doodle. LOL.

Time To Use My Blog

Hello everyone reading this, I have been thinking lately...I don't think I use my blog enough, I mean the only time I update it is when I have a finished work of art to put on here. I think it's time to change that, I'm planing on posting more...even if it's just me writing. Why not? A blog is what you want it to be and I think I should start using mine. That's why I have it, I want to share what I'm doing or just what's on my mind.

So far this year I have a couple of pieces of artwork to work on. I have do to a portrait in pencil, a dog portrait, and a landscape painting to do. The picture I have posted here is a preliminary sketches of Coco...the dog portrait I'm going to be painting on a 8x10 canvas, the portrait in pencil will be 11x14 white paper, and finally the landscape on canvas 18x24. I think my biggest problem will be the landscape painting for my Dad, a lot of detail he wants in the painting. But I'm think I should be able to handle it...I hope. Well, that's all for this post...See you next time.