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| Oz is my boy! He’s getting older but is still a puppy. |
So I set a first set of goals. – and beat some! I’ve hit or surpassed my goals for my hips, waist, arms, and body fat! Yes! I’m getting closer on weight, thighs, and blood pressure! Yeah, baby!
I need to set some more, but first, celebration! With time outside on this gorgeous day. With my fav walking buddy.
Peace, all.
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| One of my fav lunches – chickpeas on a Greek-inspired salad with lots of lemon juice |
I look forward to the weekends like most people with typical schedules. The kids are home from school, hubs is off work, and we try to do something together besides just hang at home. I can keep on track with food and scheduled exercise during the week, but on weekends, all bets are off. I plan to keep steady, but that isn’t always the case.
On weekends I can be swayed off track between errands and the lazier schedule. I will concede if outvoted by the family on places to eat, and if I’m tired or overly hungry I’ll just pick something heavier instead of making cleaner choices.
Am I alone in this? I can’t be. Can I?
I know how I can get if I go too long between meals, and I plan to stash something in my purse to help me get through, but if I’m rushing about I forget. And I tell myself I can wait 5-6 hours, but by that time I am heading for a crash and either get grouchy or shaky. Either way, it leads to heavier choices, like deep fried instead of grilled or starch fests instead of a balanced plate. I hate what I’m eating while eating, but while ordering I ignore the call for better food. Oy.
But on the plus side, even though I’ve ignored the scale for a few weeks, nothing has changed for the better or worse. That in itself is a victory to me. It means I am making good enough choices when I’m not really on track. But it’s time to make better choices, period. More greens, less starch, and more movement!
Until next time.
So I started a yeast and sugar-free way of eating last week and had foggy brain by Wednesday. By Friday night I was in a rage. It was not pretty, I felt horrid, and scared my family a bit. Eating clean in general (no junk or sugar with minimal if any bread) made me feel good and I had few if any symptoms I need to combat. So back to clean eating I went – a combination of Radiant Health, Inner Wealth, Eat to Live, and clean eating guidelines. Lots of veggies, water, clean veggie protein, and no sugar. I feel better and am still detoxing.
Do I feel like I failed or am bailing? No. I know what detox feels like, and that was not just detox. I was either yelling or crying with nothing in between. If I didn’t work from home, I may have been fired. Yes, it was that bad. I feel like I hurt my family and never want to feel that way again. I never want to make them feel that way again or tiptoe around me like they did.
So here I am, even tempered and enjoying meals rather than dreading them.
Until next time, peace.
Exercise, how I both hate and love thee. I know I need you, but some days you hurt me so much I’m not sure if I’ll ever let you back in. But I do, and I don’t regret it.
Nope, I am not fond of that word, ‘exercise.’ It is, however, a necessary evil. When I say it’s time for exercise, I groan, grumble, and try to think of 100 other things I also need to do. But when I say I’m going dancing or to walk, I don’t see it as exercise and enjoy it. Finding an activity that inspires me is key to getting me up and moving.
I love karate and obtained my yellow belt 14 years ago. Since my accident, I dream about getting back into a dojo and throw a little kickboxing in when my body can take it. I decided to check out Tai Chi and Qigong as alternatives to karate that my crumbling spine and crotchety hips can take. They feel awesome and I burn a decent amount of calories in 30 minutes. It might be slow and steady, but it feel like much more. I feel energized and strong, and those feelings carry me through the day.
How do you exercise?
It might not seem that a lot happened in 2011, but it did. I am coming out of it stronger and more aware of what’s going on and what I need to do.
(Yes, my daughter and I are hugging giant chickens. It just had to be done.)
Food in 2011 was awesome! One of the biggest things we did was purchase a freezer. We can stock up when things are on sale (BOGO Gardein for the win), cook ahead for quick meals, and keep fruit and veggies at the ready no matter how the vegetable bin looks.
New cookbooks were added to my collection and I’ve been giddy. Decadent goodness from Vegan Diner sits along side Radiance 4 Life, Eat to Live, Happy Herbivore’s books, The 21 Day Weight Loss Kickstart, Get Healthy, Go Vegan, and Appetite for Reduction. I’ve been cooking a lot more, reduced my sugar intake, and eat out less.
I’ve also changed my mindset somewhat. While the scale may not move as much as I’d like, I’ve noticed major changes in my body. Three weeks ago I bought a pair of size 20 jeans. Two days ago, those jeans were falling off of me, but the scale stayed the same. Not long ago I’d be upset about the scale, but now I celebrate the clothing size. The weight loss will follow the size change.
And it’s easy to change how I think about my body when I can look at how far I’ve come even with the pain. Remember this? I do, and I still cringe when I look at it. But that was August, and the chicken-hugging pic is from yesterday. I knew it would be a full body shot and I didn’t care. Scratch that, I wanted it to be a full body shot. I had no fear of it. That is huge for me.
I think 2011 is ending on a positive note and am so excited about 2012. Why be exited about the year when something scared the Mayans into ending their calendar? Well, I’m not a Mayan and have plans. Both the daughter and I are graduating in 2012, and those big days will be celebrated. I’ll hit the big 4-3 and tackle my first big race since my high school track and field days. The year will kick off on a fantastic vegan note (and another PCRM 21 Day Vegan Kickstart will start on January 2) and the weather in town will be lovely.
I’m sitting here with a silly grin, blogging and smiling at hubby on the desktop ad listening to the kids game in their rooms. I am a happy wahm this New Year’s Eve and hope that you are happy, too.
For the last time in 2011, peace.
Yep, I’m getting smaller and Hubby says my butt is higher. Neato! I’m still watching my portions, keeping my protein and simple carbs in check, and going ballistic on fruit and veggies. I like how I’ve been feeling!
The kids are out of school now, so it will be just loads of fun to exercise around them. Really – no sarcasm there. We bought a Wii Fit last week after Hubby & the kids argued over who would rule supreme on a snowboard and I’ve been on it 4 times so far. It’s addicting and it is possible to work out a sweat on that thing. Today I hit Super Hula Hoop, a run, a few strength training exercises, a little soccer, and hit the snowboard, all in 31 minutes. I loved it! Hubby was blown away by my score on the plank position (he can’t remember ever seeing me do it, sigh) and feels the need to beat my scores. Snort! Ain’t happening!
On the food front, my fav breakfast these days is a fruit salad topped with a dollop of fat free plain yogurt, flax seeds, oatmeal, and a tsp. of local honey. It’s really good! DS has been snacking on it and DD just goes from her fruit plain. In general we’ve all been eating a lot cleaner. Both of the inlaws are diabetic, so Hubster wants to do whatever he can to avoid that diagnosis. He’s pre-diabetic now, so changing the family’s way of eating has become more of a priority.
On the exercise front, in addition to the new game, I’ve again signed up for the Woman Challenge. So far, I’ve met or exceeded my goals for the past 4 weeks and am going strong. Swing by, take a look, and join me.
Until next time, see ya!
I took another tumble. I forget that my balance is nowhere as good as it used to be and that I can’t be moving without paying attention. Especially where heights are concerned.
I’m at 231 and holding. In a week or two I’ll be cleared to exercise full on again. In a couple of days I can get back to the elliptical.
Gah.
Dinner tonight: lentil soup (lentils, celery, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, and water); massive salad with mixed green, cukes, tomatoes, celery, pepperoncini, & either fat free feta or a boiled egg.
So far, so good! I’m down a few pounds and inches, learned to hate my pedometer, and discovered that I’m faster than I thought.
I’m at 231. Not a big loss, really, but a big loss to me. Six pounds down since I started paying closer attention to how I eat and went back to my veggie ways.
Didn’t I mention that I backslid? Yes, I ate meat a few times after Christmas. All kinds of meat including a meat lover’s pizza. I felt just heavy and oily. I know I didn’t always choose the leanest cuts of meat, but even when I did I felt heavy. You know how it feels when you’ve eaten too much bread? Bloated and overstuffed? I felt like that when I ate meat, no matter how balanced my meals.
I cut all meat out starting last Saturday and have felt so much better since. Yay veggie!
On to the pedometer and my walking speed. I started taking laps around the neighborhood in either the morning after seeing DD off to school or afternoon. I took my pedometer with me once so I could measure the distance. My pedometer read 1/4 mile. Well, this evening we drove around the neighborhood so we could check the reading. It was .7 mile. I took 2 laps in 20 minutes the other day – the only time I’ve remembered to time myself. I thoguht I was dragging horribly, but today I discovered that I wasn’t. I feel a lot better about my semi-broken body now.
Speaking of, I’ve been punching, kicking, squatting, and shaking my butt on a regular basis. It feels good, but it’s still cardio – which I hate. Deeply, truly, passionately hate. But, as long as hubby gets on my nerves, I can picture his face as my target.
Before you get all out of whack, I’m not going to really hit him. I’m not violent. I just have a semi-violent imagination at times. It’s healthy.
I will reach my goals, dangit, and have already reached one – I can wear more of the gorgeous tops I bought in size 18-20! That is a big deal to me and I am celebrating. A few weeks ago I couldn’t do that.
Every inch and pound loss is worth celebrating. Every (refillable) bottle of water finished is worth celebrating. Every day I eat well is worth celebrating.
Be well.
The year has flown by! My kids are getting older and smarmier. Hubby and I are turning into old people, lol.
All in all I feel pretty decent about my progress. I haven’t lost weight, but I haven’t gained overall, either. I am more active and mae a better effort in keeping track of my eating and activity. 2009 will be different.
I joined SparkPeople. It’s a community focused on fitness and nutrition that isn’t intimidating. Food logs, day planners, journals, blogs, and SparkTeams are there to help you find encouragement, assistance, and give you a better idea of how you’re doing. I’m wahminsc there if you’d like to say hi. I’m a member of a few SparkTeams – join me?
Exercise today: Turbo Jam Learn & Burn; yoga
Yep, 10:42 am and I’ve gotten in a good sweat. It feels good!
Here’s to a great Sunday!
Ok, I forgot to post earlier in the week. Right now I’m taking a break from my assignment because it was giving me a headache. The assignment and DD’s refusal to complete any of her assignments. Oh, and Snorificus is on the couch drowning out all sounds but his own. Yay…
I had a gain this past Sunday and I expected it. I didn’t journal and it came back to haunt me. I usually have a monthly gain, and this was less than usual, so I’m not as down as I could be about it. I wonder if I could have avoided the gain altogether if I had kept my journal. Seeing the food log in print or on screen makes me think twice about what I have at a later meal.
On the positive side, I had tons of water, fruit, and vegetables, even when we ate out. And I kept the caffeine level down.
Gah! My body is rebelling – my hands are cramping up like they usually do during a flare up. Yay flareup.
Plan for next week:
Add 10 minutes to my walks
Keep the fruit & veggies preppeed and ready to go
Keep foods with inflammatory properties to a minimum
So, how has your week been?