weight loss

Progress, baby!

Standard

My progress may not me the same as yours, and that’s okay.  Progress is the goal.  Consistency is key.

I am sore and hate every second of it, but am walking on air!  Another three pounds, gone!  Another few inches, gone!  While my official measurement day is a week away, I decided to take a peek.  After this past few days of pain, I needed something to make me feel like the work is paying off.  It’s paying, baby! 

Clean eating + working as hard as I can = progress.  My progress may not me the same as yours, and that’s okay.  Progress is the goal.  Consistency is key.   It took me a long, long time to learn that.  It finally clicked and things are moving in the right direction.

I will get through this.  I will continue to work within safe parameters while working hard.  I will continue to get stronger.  I will continue down this path.

Here’s to finding the path that is yours.  And finding success on it.

Until next time, peace.  

December!

Standard

I love this time of year.  Yes, it’s somewhat stressful, but it’s kinda chill at the same time. People are a little less grouchy and my kids are particularly well-behaved.  As if one month of the super straight arrow role will make a difference on present day.

I usually gain a few pounds during the holidays, but not this year. I am moving down and keeping on track. I will end the month smaller and fitter than I started it.  My plan:

– Exercise 7 days a week.  That includes walking at least 3 days, Beachbody workouts, and yoga.  

– Shakeology daily – as a shake or in a recipe.  

– Clean eating with one cheat meal as week – if I feel like one.  

This is a simple and effective plan.  Keeping flexibility in the type of workout will keep me from getting bored. Including a cheat meal (not a cheat day) in my eating plan makes it more doable for my life without guilt.  And Shakeology is a no-brainer.  It makes a yummy mocha, delicious smoothie, and killer vegan chocolate mousse.  It’s one less meal to plan and makes it easier for me to avoid temptation.   

What are your fitness plans for December?  

The thrill of victory

Standard

First off, Go Gamecocks!  Nice game last night.  Sorry, Tigers.

(Remember, I’m a Cubs and Raiders fan – I don’t get much opportunity to celebrate.)
Hubby and I decided to start a friendly competition.  He joined a gym and focuses on working out there.  I work out at home but join him once or twice a week at the gym. I’m also eating cleaner than he is and having Shakeology every day.  We took our measurements on October 26 as our starting point.  We did not set any particular goals. Well, I did – I wanted to beat him, lol.   Guess what – I did! 

11 1/2″ inches lost overall (neck, chest, waist, hips, arms, and thighs).  YES!  He lost 3″ and immediately said I won because I’d been working longer.  We started on October 26, buddy.  Suck it up and deal!  I love you.  

This is huge for me because he loses weight easily while the scale tends to laugh at me.   That’s alright.  I have what I need to stay motivated and focused:

Shakeology Chocolate Mousse?  Yes, please! 

  • Shakeology – every day.  Breakfast, lunch, lat dinner on crazy days, a snack, or dessert.  
  • A mix of my favorite programs – Tai Cheng, 10 Minute Trainer, Turbo Jam, and Rockin’ Body.   (And some are on sale right now for the holiday weekend).
  •  Nearly-new clothing in my closet that I love and cannot wait to get back into.
  • Visions of a future with less pain and better health.



I know I’ll end 2012 stronger and fitter than the beginning.   What about you?

Until next time, peace.  

Early Morning Exercise Person? Not me.

Standard
Exercise, yes  Early morning?  Not so much.
Dream Designs photo.

Yeah, I am not a 5:30-6 am exercise person.  Maybe by 6:30 I’ll be awake enough not to trip over my own feet.  Maybe.

We don’t all have to get moving this early.  I know how I am, and a morning person I am not.  Trying to
force it makes me resentful and ready to quit.  I won’t focus on what I’m doing, but on how much I hate being up and active other than the usual morning thing.

But that’s okay. Knowing that this isn’t my style is okay.  Trying to force it when I have the option of flexibility is not okay.  Making this time my time to reflect and awaken is good.  Having breakfast (Shakeology with almond & coconut butter, ice, and unsweetened almond milk – noms!) and checking my calendar this morning is more my style. I like to ease into my mornings is I can.  The alternative does not bode well.  For me or anyone in my path.

So why am I up this early?  Hubs is starting a new routine and that means I’m starting one, too. I don’t have to like it, but I am supporting him.  So I’m awake for now.  And working a little.  Kinda.  Checking the calendar and completing a little research isn’t going to kill me.  I don’t think it will, anyway.  Ask me again in a few hours.

Oy, I digress.  How did a discussion on morning exercise turn into something about work?  Oh yeah, I’m not completely awake.  Wow.

Anyway, exercise is important to me.  Whether it’s a walk, strength training, yoga, pt, or sweat time with my fav videos, I need it.  Finding the optimal time for me to exercise mindfully is important.  And the early hour wake-up calls are not optimal for me.  I’m a late morning type.  It’s when I’m more functional, so it’s when I need to move.  The mid-morning or early afternoon coffee break is my sweat time.  I fel better that
way and move better that way.  And don’t want to strangle anyone that way.

So here I am, coming out.  I am not a morning person and that’s okay.

Your turn.  When do you schedule your time to move?  There are not wrong answers; just different ones.

I’m working toward a stronger, healthier me. Join me?

Standard


You all know that I’m semi-broken and in pain 95% of the time.  What you might not know is I’m not going to let that stop me from reaching my goals.  It might take a little longer than others on the same path, but it’s not a race.  I’ll get there when I get there; without making things worse for myself like I have in the past.

Yoga and Pilates are good for my flexibility, building some strength, and helping me handle pain better.  But I need more.  I need to get in more exercise (a mix of fun cardio and strength training) and to eat better.  I’m learning as I go along.  The veggie path isn’t enough on its own; it has to have more veggies and less veggie junk food.  More water and less veggie junk food.  Notice I said ‘less’ and not ‘no,’ lol. Balanced meals that give me everything I need are on the menu, whether at home or out.   


From now through July 31, there is a killer deal on Beachbody.com – challenge yourself for 30 days for just the cost of shipping.   You can try P90X, Brazil Butt Lift, or Turbo Fire, a month of Shakeology in your choice of flavor, and a 30 day membership in Team Beachbody’s Club for $14.95.  If you decide you don’t like them or want to go a different route, just cancel and return the DVDs.  But if you like how you feel and what you see, stick with it.  Then you’ll be charged the full price for the challenge pack.  Interested?  Visit http://beachbodycoach.com/WAHMinSCor email me. 

I’m not alone in this and neither are you. Slow, steady, consistent progress is what I’m going for.  What about you?


Feel free to ask anything about my routine (a mix), my menu (gluten-free veggie), my mood, and/or progress.  I’m all in and not scared of questions.  

Overfed and Undernouished

Standard

Part vent, part epiphany.  Oh, and a request for a swat on my hand or bottom if you see me slipping into destructive behavior.

Yep, that’s been my way of eating for years now.  On and off that is.  First it was about money and later about convenience.  When I focused on speed or cost more than getting what my body needed, I ate too much to help quench my hunger without giving my body the nutrition it needed.  And I gained.  A lot.

The various eating plans and diets I’ve tried over the past 15-20 years have taught me what works for me and what doesn’t.  I know meat doesn’t work for me.  I hate the thought of it and hate how it makes me feel more.  I love carby, yeasty, and wheaty goodness, but it does not like me at all.  And cheese used to be my beloved, but alas it broke my heart.

What does work for me is produce and lots of it.  Produce and protein.  It’s simple, right?  I mean, beans, greens, fruit, and nuts.  Why does this scare me so much?  Why do I fall back on goodies and are so bad for me?  I know what I have to look forward to when I deviate (and I’m feeling some of that right now), so why torture myself?

Well, partly because I’m feeling lazy.  I’m fighting off something nasty (chest colds, woohoo – not) and want to reach for my old favorite comfort foods.  So I did.  Two sandwiches and two days and I feel horrendous. On top of the elephant sitting on my chest, I have blocked sinus and a migraine.  Were those grilled cheese sammys worth this?  Today, nope, but at the time, yes.  I know better, dammit!

I also torture myself because part of me feels like I’ll spend too much money on food.  This is a dumb one I’ve debunked several times.  It’s cheaper overall when I eat what’s good for me because the ingredients are cheaper (and better) than the packaged versions of kinda food-like substances.  What I feel guilty about is the amount of Gardein and Boca I snagged before going gluten-free. Hubs said he’d happily eat them, and I know he will.  I just feel bad about how much I spent.  I can’t get it back, so I need to let it go.

I promised an epiphany, didn’t I?  Well, I realized I know what works.  Instead of searching for a new answer, I need to get back to basics.  Shopping in season and preparing good food.  That’s it.  Summertime harvests make a huge difference for me.  I love the colors and selection of produce this time of year.  Focus on that, throw in some nuts, seeds, and other forms of protein, and I’m golden.  Avoid gluten and dairy and the headaches and joint pain will ease to manageable levels – if I hurt at all.  Keep sugar intake down (especially easy with all the berries and melon around) and I’ll feel even better.

Wow, I’m chatty today, headache and all.

If you see me out and about, say hi.  And if I need a gentle swat on the hand or bottom, please remind me that I asked for them.

And speaking of bottoms, mine is still getting firmer and higher.  Yeah, baby!  The scale is holding firm, but the body is firming up.  I’ll take that as a win.  

Peace, all.

I hate doctors. My former doc in particular.

Standard

Nice hibachi dinner at Sake House.  Skipping the soy and other sauces
helps keep it gf, but does not guarantee there won’t be cross-contamination.

I’ve been holding back on this post for a while because I’ve been angry. No, not just angry, but dead on pissed off, ready to kick down doors and punch holes in walls. Why? Because for years I’ve been hurting and was told my two docs that I’m just fat and/or not trying hard enough. But something was very wrong and they blew me off because I was overweight. That is unacceptable.

Yes, I was (and still am) heavy, but that is not a sign of laziness or lack of trying to be healthier. I’ve tried on my own and with medical professionals to find out what could be causing some of the problems. My last doc sent me for GI films (and oh man is the Barium smoothie horrendous) and blood tests (twice without telling me to fast first) and prescribed meds left and right. When I told her I was at loss because my weight was not changing and I felt horrid (and still dealing with chronic pain), she said I needed to suck it up a work harder and that I must not be honest about what and how much I was eating. I was counting points and measuring everything. I worked out at Curves, and she said ‘only chubs go there. You need to find a real gym and really work.’ I felt stuck. I had to see a doc for help, but she wasn’t helping me. She was mocking me and blowing off my concerns because I weighed too much. I left that day and did not go back.

The past few months have been particularly bad. My migraine had gotten out of control and the scale refused to budge. My body hurt all over and my stomach was bloated and ached constantly. I had no energy and had trouble sleeping. Just fracking miserable. Veggie eating was not helping me and I kept my calories and fat in check. Nothing seemed to be working. I wanted to crawl into bed and stay there.

I broke down and called a naturopath. She told me to cut gluten because it seemed to her I might have gluten sensitivities. So I started cutting. I didn’t go completely gluten-free, but stated feeling better. I had more energy and a lot less tummy distress. And it seem to be shrinking. The scale still didn’t move, but my clothes were getting looser. Two weeks ago I went completely gf, no cheating. I had multigrain gf bread, muffins, and fantastic vegan and gf cookies from Little Whitney’s Cookies. My energy level skyrocketed, I had no headache all week (for the first time in years), no stomach issues. I ate really well and did not exercise because of a sore ankle. I switched my usual whole wheat flour and pasta for gf options and made no other changes. And I lost 8 pounds and did not have joint pain. My blood pressure was the lowest it had been in years with meds. And I cried. Then I got angry. I’ve been suffering for years and my doctors did not help me. They made me feel like a failure instead of helping me. They had me return often for drugs and abuse.

I’m getting angry all over again. Gah.

As soon as I said screw docs, I’ll do this on my own, I felt a little better. I called a naturopath when what I did stopped working, and she helped me more after one consultation that my former docs did in 8 years. The moral of the story? Trust your gut! You know when something is off, so do not let the doc tell you it’s nothing. Do some research (real research, not fly-by-night stuff), talk to people dealing with whatever you’re dealing with, and go from there.

And once you cut gluten, do not follow my example and allow a cheat day. One meal off track and I’ve been feeling it for days.   Next time I crave a Bloody Mary, I’ll make it at home with Grey Goose and the mixers from scratch.  Owww. 

Short and sweet – three days in.

Standard

So it takes three weeks to form a habit.   I intend for some form of morning exercise to make my day complete.  I restarted on Sunday and am two days with morning exercise.  I know without a doubt now that my battered body requires modifications if I am to keep on track without injury. 


My mind and body are finally connecting as they should.     

So call me lazy or undisciplined because I don’t get in hard core workouts that leave me dripping in sweat.  I’m moving at a slower pace so I can keep moving instead of ending up yet again on injured reserve.  I’ll bet my lazy way leads to a stronger me.  

My former workout buddy,  RIP, Willow.

Until next time, peace.   

Keeping track on weekends

Standard
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.