Mommy in Motion

Jackson Sparkers Results- Week One

2009-01-10T18:46:00.000-08:00

My cardio goal for this past week was 210 minutes. I made my goal, but did not pass it. In addition to 210 minutes of cardio, I also got 310 minutes of other exercise in, bringing my exercise total for the week to 520 minutes. Not too shabby!

I lost 4.8lbs in our first weigh-in, so I am pretty excited right about now!. Our current challenge is to set a personal water goal. My goal for this week is 600 oz. I'm off to a bit of a slow start, but I think I can get there!

There is no team cardio challenge this week, although my personal goal is to get at least 150 minutes in this week. I haven't done any yet though- I plan to start either later tonight or tomorrow. We'll see how this week goes!

Biggest Loser (SPOILER)

2009-01-07T09:24:00.000-08:00

I started watching this show in season 5 and got hooked. Season 6 was interesting, but a bit of a disappointment as well. The contrast was amazing. In season 5, there were contestants I wasn't crazy about but, overall I was happy for everyone and so impressed by them. In season 6 I found myself wishing that people would have a bad weigh-in just so they would be eliminated. How horrible is that? I knew I should be happy for all of them as they made that journey- but the cattiness and attitudes were a huge turn-off.

So I watched the first episode of season 7 with some trepidation. I wasn't sure if this was a show that would be worth sticking with, but I was pleased with the first episode. So, here's my little recap, since I have an opinion about anything and everything under the sun!

The Contestants

BLUE TEAM: Filipe and Sione- I was very impressed by these two cousins. I loved their attitude and the way they seemed to stick together. They are trying to send a very important message that just because being over-weight might be "normal" for your community does not mean it is healthy! Being a resident of the fattest state in the nation- I think this is a wonderful message and I hope they go far.

BLACK TEAM: Dane and Blaine- These two cousins are going to be a force to be reckoned with! So far I am pretty impressed with them, although I am not sure if I will really like them as the show progresses. They're pretty serious though, and they can both go far if they stick with it!

SILVER TEAM: Carla and Joelle- If I had to pick a "least favorite" team, silver would be it. These two best friends don't seem to have what it takes to really support one another. I know they show does a lot of editing- but the conversations they aired between the two of them made it seem as if they don't have a strong "team" mentality. I think this is going to hinder both of them.

WHITE TEAM: Estella and Jerry- WOW! I am so impressed with these two, and so worried for Jerry's health. I think it's wonderful that they are taking this chance to get healthier so they can be around to see their grandchildren, and just think they are a cute and sweet couple.

PINK TEAM: Helen and Shannon- I'm not sure what I think of this mother/daughter team. They didn't stand out to me one way or the other, really. Usually I enjoy seeing mothers and daughters interact- and it's possible they will start to "make their mark".

ORANGE TEAM: Dan and Dave- I am very hopeful for these two friends. Dan is the heaviest contestant ever weighing in at 454 pounds to start. I really hope that they can both turn their lives around- they need this so much!

PURPLE TEAM: Cathy and Kristin- This mother/daughter team hasn't impressed me yet, either. I'm sure they will though. They had a wonderful attitude about being chosen last when teams were picked, so I know they are willing to give it their all.

GREEN TEAM: Tara and Laura- I'm unsure about them. Tara is definitely a force to be reckoned with, she's a strong competitor with a very upbeat attitude. Laura, on the other hand, seems to be struggling already. I hope she can find some inner strength and pull through!

BROWN TEAM: Ron and Mike- I was impressed with this father son team. Especially because Ron has had a gastric bi passe surgery. I think this sends a good message to people- that quick fixes and surgeries are not always the answer, and the best results come with plain old proper diet and exercise. I hope they go far.

YELLOW TEAM: Mandi and Aubrey- these two sisters are going to be hard to beat. They did really well this first week, and I am pretty impressed with them so far. I tend to be drawn to yellow teams though (I liked Kelly in season 5 and rooted for Coleen throughout season 6)

RED TEAM: Nicole and Damien- I hope this couple does well. I think it is wonderful that they are trying to get healthy together before their wedding, and I hope they have a long and happy, healthy marriage!

The Challenge

I thought the bridge race was a great challenge, and it showed how some of the teams worked together. Black team won, although Yellow gave them a run for their money. It was interesting to see which contestants helped their teammate and which ones didn't. You saw the red and white teams pulling eachother over the obstacle- but I noticed that Tara (Green) didn't do the same thing for Laura. I'm wondering how that will play out in weeks to come. Black teams reward for winning was immunity at the weigh-in.

The Weigh-In

WOW! Those were some HUGE numbers dropped, but what a dissapointing night! Usually week one's weigh-in is so upbeat and positive, but this night was filled with dread. They announced at the beginning that only ONE team would be left intact, and that the other 9 teams would have to send one person home. Each team that didn't get above the yellow line was so depressed, what a downer for all of them. Brown team one the weigh-in, and everyone else had to pick someone to leave.

The Twist.

None of the 9 contestants sent home are "eliminated" They have to go home for 30 days and at the end of the time, if their teammate is still in the game, they get to come back. I think this will help America see that it CAN be done at home, and I am hopeful that this will workout to everyone's benefit.

For now, the remaining contestants are: Dane & Blaine, Ron & Mike, Damien, Tara, Kristin, Daniel, Jerry, & Joelle. I can't remember the other three, but I think it's Mandi, Helen, and Sione.

I can't believe they eat THAT!

2009-01-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

That's a comment I tend to get a lot when people who don't know us very well see S and F sitting down to dinner. It's usually "I can't believe they eat that", "My child would never try that" "Why aren't they picky like other kids?"

I don't think we do anything all that spectacular with our children, but people seem to think that we do. It's normal for us, though.

For starters- I am not a chef or a caterer, and our kitchen is not a cafeteria or a restaurant. I make one dinner and one dinner only. Family members can eat it or not- but nothing else is going to be made. I'm not a Burger King- special orders DO upset me! Because of this, though, my kids simply aren't that picky. Sure, they have things they won't eat. Neither child will touch a tomato (although they do like tomato soup) and F is very anti-pickle. Those things don't bother me.

We also have a rule about tasting everything. S is five, so he has to take five bites of everything on his plate. F, who is three, has to take three bites. After five (or three) bites, if they still say "I don't like that" or "I don't want that"- it's fine. As long as they give it a shot, I don't really care. In my experience- getting them to try something is most of the battle. With S in particular, most of the balking is because something is new or looks different, and before five bites are gone he has decided he likes it.

One thing our family doesn't seem to understand about the "bites rule" is that it is NOT a bribe. It's not "try 5 bites and you can have dessert" or "try three bites and then I'll make you something else" I don't want to teach them that they have to eat healthy foods to get a reward- I want them to eat them simply because they ARE healthy foods!

The other thing we do (or try to do, as often as possible) is offer reasonable choices. I try to make 2 veggies with every meal, and as long as they have one on their plate, I am happy. If there is a food they have tried several times and still do not like, I don't make them eat it (hence the tomato ban S & F have going on!) I still offer it, but I don't like to force them to eat it, or they will never really like it.

I don't think these things are that unusual, and I am certain we are not the only parents who do this. It works for us though, and I am happy about that. One thing I do try to do that I have noticed many parents (in our circle, at least) don't do is be upfront. My SIL for example- tells her kids that everything is chicken. Having pork for dinner? It's chicken. Beef? Chicken again. We don't do that. If my kid's ask "what's this?" I tell them. It gets mixed results. F usually says "oh, I don't like spinach" and we have to resort to the three bite rule. S usually just says "oh, ok" and tries it. I think he just wants to know what he is putting into his mouth (which isn't a bad idea!)

No Running Away

2009-01-04T10:24:00.000-08:00

I am a huge fan of quotations, one-liners, meditations, and words of wisdom. I kind of "collect" them. One of my favorite websites is quotationspage.com, and I love their feature for motivational quote of the day. Well, most days.

Today I was a little under-whelmed by their chosen quotes. Then I remembered that I hadn't read yesterday's yet- and I found this one on January 2nd.

"You cannot run away from a weakness; you must sometimes fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?" -Robert Louis Stevenson

How very true! And it's something I have been struggling with myself. Yesterday is a pretty good example for me. I went to the gym and got a great workout in. I went out to eat but, when I totaled my calories at the end of the evening, I was doing ok still. And then I saw them.

Oreos.

I have a terrible weakness for sweets. So I read the package. One serving=2 cookies. I had 2. And then 2 more. And then 4 more after that.

I finally stopped after 8 and spent the rest of the night being angry with myself. I wasn't all that hungry. I knew that I should stop with 2. I ate out of boredom and exercised a lack of control.

I usually try to run away from my temptations and weaknesses by simply not buying sweets myself. But, living in someone else's house right now- that's not an option. I can't run away from it. I have to learn to deal with it. I have to learn to eat sensibly. To control my portions, my cravings, and myself.

Why not now?

Jackson Sparkers Challenge

2009-01-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

I am trying to be more active on Sparkpeople and, since moving home, have tried to get the Jackson area team to be more active. One thing I have noticed about Sparkpeople is that, while there are a lot of really active groups- the "local teams" tend to be pretty slow. I'd love to change that though!

We are starting a New Year's/Valentine's Day challenge on our board. Running from yesterday and ending on the 13th of Feb. (hence the "Valentine's Day") Yesterday was our "Getting to Know You" day- and today we officially start- including a weigh-in and goal setting.

My starting weight for this challenge is 142 lbs. My goal for this challenge is to lose 7lbs (seems reasonable for 6 weeks) so my challenge goal weight is 135 lbs

Our first team challenge is to focus on getting our cardio in this week (which I think is a good way to start!) I tend to do cardio 3x a week, but I really want to start doing 30 minutes a day. So my goal for today through Jan. 8th is 210 minutes of cardio. We'll see how I do!

New Life Resolutions

2009-01-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! If you haven't yet settled on your top goals for the year, do so today. Writing down your goals (in specific terms) means you're more likely to achieve them.

It's New Year's Resolution time again. Like many people, I am find myself making resolutions every January. Like many people, I find myself breaking most of those resolutions by March.

I thought I would try something different this year. Instead of making Resolutions for 2009- I am going to make a Pledge for my life from today on. I have found several pledges online, most of them very similar to one another. I chose to write my own. I took bits and pieces from the various pledges that I came across- so I am not trying to claim this as a 100% original work.

I Pledge to Live Healthy

Today is the most important day of the rest of my life. Today I am deciding to live a healthy life from now on. My health is important for me. It is important for my own life, my success, my happiness and my meaningful living. It is also important for my family and my loved ones. I realize that I can not take my health for granted and I have to make conscience decisions & efforts to achieve good health. It is primarily my responsibility and today I make a commitment to make healthy living as part of my attitude and every day life.

Today I Pledge that...

I will not "diet" but will understand that eating healthy is a way of life.
I will drink more water and will enjoy its benefits to my body and my health.
I will not beat myself up if I occasionally slip up, but will always prod myself to get back "on the wagon"
I will find a way to be active every day- whether through formal exercise or my daily activities
I will learn to love and appreciate myself, and to know and accept my limitations and strengths.
I will learn to prevent and manage stress in my life.
I will strive for balance, to be neither too anxious nor too casual about my personal health.
I will encourage my children and loved ones to live a healthy life, and will strive to lead by example.

What are your resolutions this year?

Most Useful Fitness Gadget

2008-12-27T12:00:00.000-08:00

This was a fun message board question that I found today. It was a thread titled: "Mose Useful Fitness Gadget" The question was pretty simple: "What is the most useful thing you've bought that has helped you get fit?"

My answer, on the other hand, is not that simple. Picking one thing as the most useful is hard to do! There are a few that come to mind though...

DVD's a-plenty! When I was not able to get to a gym, having DVD's to do at home were great! I bought several different ones with different types of workouts on them. It was fun to try new things, and it helped me stay on track by breaking up the boredom.
Free Weights. I bought my first set of hand weights a while ago- to help amp up my pilates DVD. I only had one at the time, and I was getting pretty bored doing the same workout all the time. Adding some weights to it made it more challenging, and helped me stick with it.
Good Shoes. A MUST have item! I am a compulsively cheap person, and I hated spending $50+ dollars on shoes when I could find them for at least half of that at other stores. But trying to run in the wrong shoes caused shin splints and other injuries. It really was worth it to get some good shoes and use them just for the gym/my workouts.
Treadmill. Having a treadmill at home made it easy to get cardio in. Going to the gym or exercising outside wasn't always an option. To be honest, I am not thrilled with the treadmill that I have, but I am glad I bought one, and I am looking forward to upgrading it when the opportunity arives.
Yoga mat! I LOVE my yoga mat. It wasn't very expensive, and it's a simple thing- but it's been great to have. I keep it where I can see it, and it reminds me to get a workout in, whether it's yoga or pilates, or just doing a little bit of stretching when I am sore.

Power Up Your Yoga

2008-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:00

I keep trying to bring yoga to the forefront of my fitness. It's the one thing that I really want to do, and yet, somehow, never make the TIME to do.

I blame everything by myself for this, of course. It can't be me- it's just that Fitness Lady doesn't have any strictly yoga classes. It can't be me- it's just that my yoga mat is currently in storage (with the rest of our stuff!) It can't be me- it's just that I am living in someone else's house right now, and I don't feel comfortable exercising in their living room.

Well, guess what. It CAN be me. It IS me.

Trying to get back into the spirit of things (it wasn't that long ago that I was planning yoga routines to practice with my children!!) I went looking for a routine to try out. I found this one on Shape Magazines website. Power Up Your Yoga. Here is the routine...

Downward Facing Dog

Plank Pose

Side Plank Pose

Chatarunga

Mountain Pose

Chair Pose

Warrior I

Warrior II

Food Guilt

2008-12-20T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was reading the message boards again today- and I found a thread titled "Tracking food guilt". Here is what was posted: "do you ever feel guilty when you overeat while tracking calories on spark people and then feel ashamed to record the damage. I do, I feel like a helpless failure when I overeat and hate to face the music"

This is something I struggle with all the time. It's really hard to change an ingrained mindset about "bad" foods or "cheating". I'd like to say that I never feel that way. That I either A) never over-indulge (yeah right!!) or B) just smile and say "tomorrow is another day".

Wouldn't that be nice?

Instead, I do tend to beat myself up a little mentally. I am guilty of many inward cringes as I watch the calorie totals rise on my calculator, I hesitate to enter "bad" foods into my food journal, and sometimes I just don't track at all for the day because I know I had a completely "off the wagon" day.

I read once, though, that it's important to have a quote, phrase, or saying. Something to be your personal mantra- something to repeat to yourself when you are struggling with motivation. I'm a bit of a quote junkie- so I had a lot of fun trying to find my perfect mantra.

For me, it's "Fall seven times, get up eight". I have it where I can see it often, and will repeat it to myself when I am feeling particularly challenged by my choices.

Right now, I still sometimes have moments of mental wallowing in self-pity. And I've decided to allow myself those moments. After all, if I never regretted those decisions, I would never change. But, after a few moments spent contemplating what I did wrong, I try to take a deep breath, repeat my mantra to myself, and then ask "why" I made those choices so that I can find a way to avoid it in the future.

Diet on the Down Low

2008-12-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

I found this article posted at Women's Health.com, and thought it was written in a really fun, and informative way. Here is the article: Diet on the Down Low. And here are some of the tips that I thought were pretty great!

Your mission
Get through T-Day without consuming a week's worth of calories.
Your game plan Pile on the vegetable sides and white meat. Then, put a scoop of sweet potatoes or stuffing smack-dab on top. It'll give the illusion that your plate is loaded with carby goodness, even though it's mostly low-cal fare, explains Lisa Young, Ph.D., R.D., an adjunct professor of nutrition at NYU and the author of The Portion Teller Plan. Skipping the dark meat and buttery potatoes will save you a few hundred calories.

Your mission
Maintain your party-girl cover without sucking down more martinis than James Bond.
Your game plan Order an extra-spicy Bloody Mary and no one will dare call you a pansy. The old-school beverage delivers just 110 calories, and studies show that the Tabasco kick may actually help curb your appetite. Just don't let anyone catch you nibbling on the celery stick.

Your mission
Stick to your diet at a restaurant without making your friends feel guilty for splurging.
Your game plan "Order two appetizers--one a healthy dish, like broth-based soup--and explain that so many things on the menu look good, you just can't decide," suggests Cynthia Sass, R.D., co-author of Flat Belly Diet. According to a study at Penn State last year, having soup as a first course can help you shave about 20 percent of the calories off your meal. And who can accuse you of being a food prude when you've ordered two dishes?

I am so glad I found this article. One of the biggest challenges I have during the holidays is eating healthy without drawing attention to that fact (and when it seems that no one else is). Usually, I end up having a night where I say "forget it" and just eat whatever I feel like. And then, of course, I regret it the next day.

I think I am definitely going to have to employ some of these tips at our next get together! It's Saturday, actually, so it should still be fresh in my mind then!

Denial...It's Not Just a River in Egypt

2008-12-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

This was the title of a post on the weight loss forum I frequent. (Moms Losing Weight- it's linked on my sidebar and they are a WONDERFUL group of women!)

Anyway- I was really impressed with one of the responses, and I wanted to share it. Instead of posting a link and blogging with my own thoughts about denial- I am just going to C&P this response (it's THAT good!) I will edit some (to remove names in case some of the women are uncomfortable with it) but here it is...

*Warning* I just wrote a small novel! I'm hoping it doesn't sound harsh or anything, but i've been where you are and sometimes it takes a little push and I KNOW you can do this because I've done it and S******* has done it, and I*****, A*****, A***, and poor S******** who has been working her tushy off and chipping away those pounds slowly but surely and everyone else on this thread that is doing so well but has had those "That's IT i'm throwing in the towel!" moments.

You're only "going to be this way" and the food only "wins" if you allow it to. You always cheat and you have no motivation huh? Sounds like THAT is the problem and not that "this is just the way you are". SO lets ask a few questions...

1. Is there cheat food/junk food in your house right now? If so why? Why set youself up for failure by tempting yourself when you don't have to? Saying it's "for my kids and Dh" is not a valid answer. First, your kids don't need crap (technically neither does dh, but that is his choice). If dh is going to whine about the lack of unhealthy foods then delegate him a cupboard and put a combination lock on the sucker that only he has access too (haha you laugh like you think i'm kidding). Kind of tough to eat junk when you can't get to it and it takes him all of 1 minute or less longer to access it which he should be willing to do to support his wife!

2. Are you going to fast food places? If so why? Keep healthy snacks in your glovebox to hold you over until you get home. HAVE to eat out?? think chicken, grilled, plain and an all veggie salad w/ dressing on the side. Hate chicken...ME TOO...order a junior sized hamburg plain from any fast food joint and your out at the most 7 points, it will hold you over until you get home and can eat a big salad. Don't cook? ME NEITHER. My slow cooker has become my best friend. You litterally can't screw that stuff up. You dump everything in and 8 hours later you have dinner! They even sell prepackaged meals to go in the crockpot, just add water.

3. Are you eating too big of portions? Try dividing everything up into those little plastic containers as soon as you fix it or bring it home, makes it easier to stop when your done if the container is empty!

4. Tired of diet food? Are you eating the same things all the time? Look for some new recipes, new items in the grocery store that will give you a little variety. I was actually very surprised at how low cal I could get some of my favorite foods down to.

5. Are you feeling deprived? Have Dh set out ONE hershey's kiss or ONE hundred calorie pack of cookies from the cheat cupboard for you each day. A little taste might keep you from going off the deep end. Try eating mini meals every three hours instead of three really big meals so you don't feel hungry (plus it keeps you metabolism happy).

Okay, on to motivation, by FAR much much harder...with harder questions!

1. Are you happy w/ yourself the way you are? If you are, then I agree w/ you stay where you are. My mom is one of those people. She is overweight but okay w/ it and she is healthy according to her doctor. However most of us can not look in the mirror overweight and say we are happy.

2. Not happy? What would being pleased (or even less upset w/) your appearnce do for you? I wasn't happy either and it showed in the way I was toward my family and my in general life attitude. I was miserable. Everytime we had to go out it turned into a scene because I was cussing at my wardrobe and so po'd about the way I looked I couldnt' enjoy myself. Now I love to go out and do things w/ my family and we don't have that lovely "scene" beforehand. I can take P***** out for long walks and bikerides and we're going to be spending a ton of time at the beach this year which he loves. Losing weight gave me the confidence to start running, something I thought I would NEVER be able to do (only really "fit" people ran) and not only do I run, I did a 5K and am planning on doing a 5-miler in August and a half marathon after we have baby #2.

3. Do you have a reward system set up? As soon as I complete my 2 weeks w/o one cheat challenge I'm rewarding myself w/ something form Sephora i've been really really wanting, but not letting myself buy until I hit that goal. When I get back to my original goal weight (five more pounds) I'm renewing my tanning minutes, and when I get to my new goal (10 more lbs) i'm getting my hair done. The trick w/ this is REALLY wanting whateve your goal item is and not letting yourself have it until you make that goal.

4. Do you journal? Write down EVERYTHING that you take one bite of? SOmetimes that ONE chip doesn't look so appetizing if I have to take the time to log it into sparkpeople.

5. Have you looked at the before and afters lately? There are a few ladies on that thread that have lost over 100lbs (one of them being our lovely S*******). If they can do that you can lose 10lbs right...and then just 10 more....etc etc.

6. Are you exercising? I mean doing more than the quick 10 minute stroll down the street? If you're exercising at an intense level (i'm talking I want to see some sweat!) not only are you going to lose quicker which will be motivating in itself, but your slip-ups might not matter as much then.

7. Do you go to meetings? Is the support system there for you? If not maybe you need to look at a different leader?

8. Have you considered joining the summer challenge? Sometimes knowing that weight gain would bring down a team's overall percentage is a motiviating way to avoid the cheats!

9. Take some time to set down and think what is really important to you. You need some kind of manta/inspiration/motivation that will get you exercising and have you turning down that cake when NOTHING else will work. It can be something petty (I want to be smaller than Jane and have her be insanley jelaous of me) or profound (I want my daughter to see you can do anything you set your mind to)....but it has to work for you.

10. Lastly, are you losing weight right now? Nothing has been more motivating for me then seeing that scale go DOWN (kind of my issue w/ maintaining lol). So if you can stick to program for two very long hard weeks, w/ NO cheats and plenty of AP's, which is going to be HARD and you can come here and whine and complain and yell about how hard it is all you want and we will all agree and then turn around and ENCOURAGE you to keep going... i'm willing to bet you're going to see the scale move and if it does, you're going to want to see it move next week and the week after that. It's only two weeks! If you get to two weeks and you can honestly say you haven't cheated and have been exercising faithfully and at a high intensity and you haven't lost weight go see a doctor first of all and make sure all the hormones okay, and if you do lose weight but still feel like you just aren't interested and don't want to do it, then maybe it's not the right time for you. Take a month or two off and then revisit the idea.

Okay, SO my CHALLENGE to you is...for the next two weeks check in every day w/ a list of food you ate and what you did for exercise. If you have a cheat on there write down why you think you cheated. Because it was there? You were hungry? You were upset about something? etc etc...knowing someone will be waiting for your update my help keep you on track. Plus, we'll all be here to support you and give you ideas on what you could do in that situation next time to avoid a cheat. Game? cool

You know that you can do it!

I just wanted to add, I am so grateful for this reply. I really needed to get it written down and copied to where I could see it more often. It's a wonderful reminder and I think it was worth passing along.

Does Accepting Myself Mean I Have Given Up?

2008-12-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

I was browsing the weight loss message boards again today- and here is a question that I came across that really made me think. It was a post titled "Does accepting myself mean I have given up?"

The poster posed the following question: "When ANY person loves him/herself the way he/she is, does it mean he/she has gave up himself? Lazy?"

Personally, I think there is a huge difference between accepting and being resigned. I sometimes remind myself that these are different words with different meanings- although sometimes they seem like the same thing. Accepting means: To regard as proper, usual, or right or To understand as having a specific meaning. Being resigned, on the other hand, means: To submit (oneself) passively; accept as inevitable or to give up; to yield; to submit.

These terms seem so contradictory, to me, and I certainly don't regard acceptance as giving up! I think that acceptance is a normal, healthy part of any weight loss or healthy lifestyle journey. Never being satisfied and always seeing flaws or problems is certainly not a healthy attitude to have!

I've been on both ends of this. I didn't lose all the weight from my first pregnancy before getting pregnant again. And, as time went on, the weight still didn't come off. I found myself thinking "I'm just always going to be over-weight", or "I just don't have the time to exercise/eat right". In my opinion, I was resigned to being over-weight. I was quitting- just thinking that there was nothing I could do. I didn't accept myself as I was, I certainly wasn't happy about how I looked or felt, but I wasn't willing to committ to change.

Now, on the other hand, I am more accepting of myself.I am not where I want to be, and I am not giving up, but I am learning to have a more healthy attitude about myself- to see who and what I am and learning to be happy. I am learning to see and understand the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I have stretch marks- they aren't going to go away. I can either hate them, or I can accept that they are a part of me and learn to love myself anyway. Due to c-section complications, I will never have a flat belly. I can either resign myself to that and just forgo ab work entirely, or I can accept this imperfection, and do my workouts anyway. My body might not be cover model perfect- but I am healthier and more active than I have ever been in my life, and THAT is what matters.

Giving up and hating myself is NOT going to change anything. But accepting myself, flaws and all, is going to make all the difference. Acceptance is going to make sure that I am healthy all around- not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well.

"ME" Day

2008-12-14T13:33:00.001-08:00

The holidays seem to be filled with "obstacles" on the road to a healthier life. Lot's of stress (which is never good), too many opportunities to stray from a healthy diet, too many activities that take precedence over exercise.

Don't get my wrong, I love the holidays. I love the family gatherings, the shopping, the excitement on S and F's faces as they see the whole town decorated and ready to celebrate. But I want this year to be different. I don't want to wake up January first and say to myself "it's time to get serious"

So, I've decided to schedule a "ME" day. I have off work tomorrow- so I am doing it then. J will be working, S will be in school, and my mother has volunteered to watch F for me. So I am going to the gym and I am going to get a chance to do a spin class (I've always wanted to try one!) I am also planning to start Week Four of the Couch To 5K program, and take some time to really devote myself to the new weight-training routine that I had put together for me.

I know this doesn't sound like much of a relaxing day but, trust me, this is exactly what I need! Usually I am so rushed with my workouts- either trying to fit them in before work, or after work as I am rushing out the door to get F from my mom's and S from school. To have an entire afternoon to work out at my own pace, relax in the hot tub or sauna, and take a nice hot shower without wondering if I will have time to blow dry my hair afterwords. Heaven!

I've been looking forward to tomorrow since last week, when I found out I wasn't scheduled for work. And that got me thinking- I must be really starved for some time to myself! After all- the thing I am most looking forward to right now is going to the gym!

Making "Me" time is, in my opinion, something very important to my general health and well being. And I've decided to try and schedule a day like this for myself once a month. It's not a lot, but I think it will give me something to look forward to- a light at the end of the tunnel on particularly stressful days. I even found an article about how important it is (coincidentally called "Making 'Me' Time"). I'm really looking forward to trying to incorporate some of those ideas into my day-to-day life, as well as scheduling the "day to myself" when opportunity for it arises.

A Healthy Perspective

2008-12-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

I woke up early this morning to get S ready for school. The weather was awful, a mixture of rain and sleet- with the promise of snow later in the day. All morning I was thinking "Great, now the roads are going to be awful." "It will be freezing and icy, and getting to work will be a nightmare." "What will I do if they close work, I could use the extra hours"

Then, I noticed F standing at the window peering outside. She turned to me and said "WOW! Look at the snow!!"

Seeing my daughter's enthusiasm for this change in the weather reminded me to step back and readjust my thinking. After all, why spend my day being eaten up by pessimistic thoughts, when I could be out in the snow playing with F?

This might not seem like a diet, fitness, or health topic- so it seems odd to put it on this blog. But I think that emotional health and wellness is just as important as the physical, so it seemed like a good idea to blog about it a little bit today.

I did a little bit of online research this morning, and found this article on BBC News called: Negative Thoughts Make You Il l. A few excerpts from the article...

A study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences links "negative" brain activity with a weakened immune system. ... Scientists already knew that pessimists - people rated as more sensitive to negative events - show more activity in a part of the brain called the right pre-frontal cortex. ... Those who had shown the most powerful right pre-frontal cortex activity also had the worst immune reactions.

This makes a lot of sense to me, although it is hard to curb my tendancy towards negative thoughts. But looking around Sparkpeople I found this article: Optimism and the Power of Positive Thinking. I really liked this excerpt- and I am hoping I can remind myself of this over time...

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life
Luckily, you can change your thinking patterns over time. Even a pessimist can become an optimist with enough practice! All you need to do is to reframe how you define events. Instead of dwelling on the bad experience, analyze it to figure out what good can come of it.

How Can I Do This My Whole Life?

2008-12-10T12:37:00.000-08:00

I browse a lot of weight-loss message boards and communities, and sometimes the messages and questions that are posted catch my eye. I thought I would try and make a point to address some of them here every now and then.

Today I was reading a post titled "How can I do this my whole life?" and a lot of what was posted struck a cord with me. Some of it... "Do I have to be doing this my whole life? Yo yo dieting? Always being careful? Punishing myself?"

There are certainly times when I feel this way too. However, over the years I have made a conscience effort to alter my thinking about weight loss, dieting, and exercise. I've tried to stop thinking about this as a diet- or something I do to lose weight. Instead, I remind myself that I am not just trying to lose the extra pounds, but to become a healthier and more active person, to change my eating habits for the better, to find joy in exercise, and to motivate and encourage my children to lead active, healthy lives.

Being careful with what I eat can be difficult. There are times when I slip up, some times when I don't track my calories at all. But little by little, I am starting to make some natural changes to my diet that I don't even have to think about anymore. Things like ordering food grilled instead of fried, drinking skim milk or buying whole wheat bread. Learning to eat vegetables as they are instead of smothering them in cheese or sauces.

The same thing is happening with me with my exercise habits. I'm not perfect, and there are times when I don't work out nearly as much as I should. But I learned to love it. I no longer think of it as a chore that I have to do if I want to lose weight- it's become something I LOVE to do. Some days I will feel disoriented or out of sorts if I am running late and don't have time for a run, or if we have too many plans and I don't get up early enough for a workout.

The most important thing I have had to learn though, is to NOT punish myself. Yes, I slip up. Yes, I am feeling lazy or tired so I skip workouts. Yes, I grab a candy bar at the check-out register, or a bag of cookies in the supermarket. These things happen. And, when they do, there is nothing I can do to change that. Beating myself up, punishing myself, or being down about it is not going to get me out of bed earlier, or put those cookies back. All I can do is stop, remind myself of what I am trying to do, and move on.

Holiday Motivation

2008-12-07T11:16:00.000-08:00

For me, it's usually very hard to stay on the right track during the holidays. For some reason, this year is different. It could be a number of things, really.

Maybe it's my new job. After all, it's hard to work in a gym and exude confidence if you know you are eating like crap and not exercising. Plus, there are all the employee requirements I have to meet- meaning I have been doing a LOT of exercise lately.

Maybe it's my husband. He has been saying every other day that he wants to get back on track. And I am trying to be supportive of that without being pushy. So I have stopped suggesting going out to eat so I am not encouraging him to "stray". And I helped him clean out the garage to have a place to exercise- which is encouraging me to exercise at home too.

Maybe it's just time. I've been yo-yoing with my weight and fitness levels for 2 years now. I have seen myself get sidetracked and gain and regret it so many times. Just last August I was 3 lbs from my LTG- and now I am 18 lbs away. I don't want to push myself further from what I want, so I am being more conscience of it this year.

Usually when I am trying to be "good" I feel deprived. Not this year, though. Lately, I have been feeling very empowered by being able to say "no, thank you". I've been learning to limit desserts and "bad" foods to just a taste, instead of a plate full. And I am not bothered by this.

I think that I am finally where I need to be, honestly. I exercise because I love it, and not because I want to lose weight. I watch my calories because I hate feeling like my life is controlled by food. And yes, I am hoping to lose some weight again- but I am finally learning to like myself, and I know that, even if I don't lose any more weight- I am healthy and happy, and just fine how I am.

Eat a Red Apple Day

2008-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

What a fun holiday! December first is National Eat a Red Apple Day. Here is a little excerpt from the page describing this holiday.

Apples are delicious. Apples are nutritious. That's a great combination. Apples date back to the garden of Eden. In that garden, the Bible tells us it was the "Forbidden fruit".

It is really easy to participate in this special day. There are thousands of varieties of apples grown all over the planet. Your mission today, is to pick an apple among all of these varieties, and eat it.

We all know that fruits and vegetables are good for us, and need to be a part of our daily diet. So why not use the holiday as a chance to encourage our kids to make healthier snack choices? S and F love apples- and this is definitely a day worth observing with them. I made sure to go to the store to stock up on apples for them, and to have plenty extra for S to take to school in his lunches.

Sparkpeople has an article called An Apple a Day. The article is actually really interesting, since it gives tips on what types of apples to buy depending on what you want to use them for.

For eating straight from the basket, crisp, juicy, and tangy varieties are best. Red Delicious is the most popular eating apple, but if you prefer a denser, tarter snack, try a Granny Smith, or a softer-fleshed McIntosh. Or check out the distinctive tastes of local farm varieties like Newton, Pippin, Macoun, or Sweet Sixteen.
To make applesauce, McIntosh is moist and flavorful. Cortlands and Braeburns also make good choices.
When baking, Rome apples are recommended because they hold their shape well. You can also try Fuijis, which are sweeter, wetter, and have a spicy flavor.
In pies, a mix of apples is best. Include Golden Delicious for sweetness and good shape, a tart apple like Granny Smith, and some flavorful varieties like Pippin, Winesap, Crispin and Jonagold.

Mini-Challenge

2008-11-28T15:50:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to avoid the scale, but I have noticed that, when I don't weigh-in, I end up slacking off way too much. The weight-loss group I am a member of (Mom's Losing Weight) has moved to a new board and started a mini-challenge to go from today to Christmas. I've decided to join in, hoping that it will help me find the motivation and drive I need to get back on track.

I have to admit- I love these challenges. I am competitive by nature, so it appeals to me. And this is the only real friendly competition I have ever seen. Yes, each week there is a team that "wins" and a team that comes in "last"- but everyone is there to support one another in their goals and I think that is wonderful. I also love being accountable to someone other than myself. Being part of a team keeps me on track easier- because I have others that are counting on me, and expecting me to post and succeed.

So, wish me luck with the Holiday Blitz! My goal for this 4 week challenge is small, I am hoping to lose 3 lbs. It's not a lot, but it's a start. And I think it's the right way for me to go. I tend to set large, unattainable goals and then feel discouraged when I don't meet them. I end up getting down about it and quitting- or becoming so focused on reaching a certain number on the scale that I forget the larger picture- I want to be healthy!

Instead, I am setting smaller goals now- between 3-5 lbs each month. I want to keep my focus on my diet and exercise, instead of the numbers- but I also know that when there is no "number" I am prone to letting the diet and exercise slide as well. I think 3-5 lbs a month is a small, manageable goal that will keep me focused and on target- and leave me time to focus on my real goals (eating right, exercising, and creating a healthier life for myself and my family).

Getting into the Swing of Things

2008-11-26T16:29:00.000-08:00

The best thing about working in a gym is the opportunity to learn more about the different types of exercises I can do.

In the past, my gym-cardio has been limited to the treadmill (the only machine I really like). Because of work I have had to try different cardio machines (so that I can teach members how to use them). In the last few days, I have done workouts with the elliptical, stair master, rowing machine, and two different types of stationary bikes. I will be giving the nordic trak a go soon, too. I'm finding out that I enjoy these other machines (although I am still doing the treadmill too), and plan to work them into my cardio routines from now on.

I've learned how to do new weight machines, and how to create a balanced workout that targets all the major muscle groups, without over-loading any one muscle. I've discovered that I am not only capable of working out with free weights- I actually LOVE it. I feel strong and confident and I am thrilled to be incorporating them into my weight training.

I am looking forward to learning more, and hoping that this will help me get into the swing of a new, healthy routine and lifestyle.

New Job!

2008-11-21T09:01:00.000-08:00

I have a job working at a local gym called Fitness Lady! I am very excited about this, and think this is a step in the right direction to pursue my personal trainers certification. Just wanted to fly by and mention that!

Take a Hike Day!

2008-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today is Take a Hike Day! I found this out while browsing the internet looking for unusual or uncommon holidays to celebrate with S and F. Here is an excerpt from the page explaining the holiday...

Walking, and hiking is an excellent way to get exercise, and get into shape. Hikes are distinguished from walks, in that they are taken in the woods, hills, mountains, or somewhere else in a nature setting. Hikes not only give you exercise, they also provide scenic sites and vistas, that are good for relaxation of the mind and soul.

Finding out about this holiday got me thinking that hiking would be an excellent, healthy activity to take up that I could involve the entire family in. If we start with easy trails, both our children can keep up- and it would be a way to do something fun together that doesn't involve a Happy Meal or movie theater popcorn.

I searched for some trails near us, and came up with this website that I thought I would pass along: LocalHikes.com

:::EDITED Nov. 18::: We were short on time yesterday, so we didn't go to one of the hiking trails in the area. We did, however, go to a local park and walk the trail there for a little while after S got home from school. S and F both seemed to enjoy it a lot, and I was glad to get out and moving with the two of them!

It might be crazy but...

2008-11-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

... I've started giving some serious consideration to pursuing work as a personal trainer. I'm sure many people who know me think I'm a little off my rocker. And I might be. I've certainly had my share of doubts about it.

I wonder if I am going to be able to find work right now, with the economy bad. I wonder if the pay will be enough to help support our family now that we are no longer associated with the military. And I wonder if I can even do this. After all, I have a hard time keeping myself on track- how am I going to help others stay on track too?!?

BUT... I think I really want to do this. I think this might be the right thing for me. While job hunting, my FIL told me to picture something I really enjoy doing- and then pursue that. I've been interviewing for secretary positions and, while certain aspects of the job are appealing to me, I can't picture myself waking up in the morning happy to go to work.

But I like to exercise. I enjoy the feeling I get when I know that I am making the best choices for myself each day. And I think I would like sharing that feeling with others. So I've decided to pursue it, and tackle my doubts along the way.

1) The economy- I have no intention of trying to start my own business at this point, so I am not too worried about that. I have applied for three gyms so far, and that's just the three on this street! I have a list of 20 others that I am planning to call over the next few days- and I am sure I will be able to get my foot in the door with at least one of them.

2) Income- I've been looking into getting certified. I know that general floor workers are not going to make a lot of money off the bat, but with a certification I can make more, and perhaps even teach some classes. I found an article that lists the 7 accredited Personal Trainer Certification Programs, and I am starting to do some research on them, and will pick a program based on which ones are most highly accepted in this area to increase my chances of getting work!

3) Staying on track- I think that this might actually be the push I need to keep myself in check! Afterall, what better way to stay accountable in a healthy lifestyle than to focus on health, nutrition, and fitness for a living?

I'm still not 100% sold on the idea, but this is the most I've been excited about anything in years- so I think I might have found my calling.

Quote of the Day

2008-11-10T04:50:00.000-08:00

"You can only lead others where you yourself are prepared to go." -Lachlan McLean

I set sparkpeople as my homepage on my computer to try and encourage myself to use it more. I haven't been doing a very good job lately. But this was the quote of the day on the main page this morning, and it got me thinking.

I've been trying to lead my children in a more healthy lifestyle, but I myself have been falling short. S takes his lunch to school, and he brings water, juice, fruit, a sandwich and a second healthy snack of his choosing every day. I make sure he gets a healthy breakfast (cereal with skim milk or oatmeal) in the morning, and try to get him to eat a balanced dinner with at least 2 veggies every night. F stays home during the days right now, and I try to make sure she is getting the same balanced diet as well.

But then I think about what I've been eating lately. Sure, I've been buying low-fat or low-calorie snacks, but I am still eating more than I need to. Diet soda's are ok on occasion, but I've been drinking nothing but. My journey towards a vegetarian diet has started moving in the opposite direction than I wanted. How can I lead my children to make positive, healthy choices if I am not? How long before S and F start noticing that Mommy and Daddy are fixing them dinner at home, and then going out to eat junk themselves?

S loves to exercise, and I have been encouraging him to do it. My father in law gave us a bench and a set of weights, including some small 2 lb weights. S goes into the garage after school to lift the 2 lb weights, and to do some yoga. He is proud of how strong he is. Since coming home, our family has all been surprised by how enthusiastice S is about exercising. They think it's amazing that he is a five year old who thinks being healthy is fun! I tell them that it's because he got so used to Mommy exericing-- jogging, doing yoga and pilates, Wii Fit, DVD's-- he thinks it's the norm.

But I realize now that, he's not seeing that anymore. Other than a couple of walks with the dog and a few days using the hand-weights myself, he hasn't seen me exercise at all. Soon he's going to stop seeing this as the norm. Soon he's going to change his interest to the more unhealthy activities that he is seeing me model for him. I don't want that to happen!

I know that if I want to continue to lead S and F into a healthy life and habits that they can keep with them throughout childhood and into adulthood- I need to get myself going!

The perfect streak was too ambitious, I think. It's something I could do with no real hassle when I was on track, but I do need to do something. I am hoping that I can start making more conscience decisions to be healthier. Hopefully I can start following S's example, and let him lead me where I want to go!

New beginnings

2008-11-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

S had his second "first" day of school. Since we've moved he gets to start all over again, and he was soooo excited about it! I figure people can have as many "first" days as they want, and we celebrated and made a big deal just like we did back in August.

Why should I deny him another first, when I have so many new beginnings in my own life? Today was yet another "start over" for me as well. I did my Perfect Streak competition and I am still in, I am re-starting the Couch 2 5K running program so I can run outdoors again, and I am starting a new phase in trying to be healthy by using the healthy lifestyle scale instead of weighing myself.

I think that S and I were both over-the-moon excited about our new beginnings today. I hope we can both continue being so thrilled!

Yeah, so anyway...

2008-11-02T16:49:00.000-08:00

...that 30 day challenge didn't exactly work out for me. Go figure. I thought if I made a plan, I could stay on track even with getting ready to move, but life kind of got in the way around day 18 and I didn't make it through.

I am trying to get refocused right now. We got into town on the 30th, and it's been kind of hectic and strange. It's hard to focus on diet and exercise when you are staying in someone else's home and the food is a little less than healthy. Plus, when you move home again, everyone wants to take you out to eat!

I decided to try the Perfect Streak again tomorrow- so I will see how I do with that. It will be good to really put my focus on eating right, exercising, and drinking my water.

As an added twist- I am *not* weighing myself for the time being (for at least one more week) I really wanted to get away from my scale addiction- and I know that my weight is up right now anyway.

I know that if I step on the scale I will be depressed, and I hate that about myself. The numbers should NOT dictate how I feel about myself as a person. So I am going to focus on getting healthier and use the healthy lifestyle scale each night to see how I am doing. After a week or two I might go back to weighing myself, I'm not sure.

Day 20- 30 Day Challenge, Fourth Weigh-in, Second Measurements

2008-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Snack on raw vegetables and fruits instead of chips and pretzels. When you have them on hand, making healthy snacking choices becomes easy. Keep sugar snap peas, raisins and carrots in your car, office, or backpack.

Exercise of the Day: Standing Side Bend with Towel

Yoga Pose of the Day: Cow Pose

Weigh-In

Starting Weight: 125 lbs
Previous Weigh-In: 126.1 lbs
Current Weigh-In:
Total Loss/Gain:

Measurements

Waist

Starting Waist: 31"
Previous Measurement: 30"
Current Measurement:
Total Loss/Gain:

Hips

Starting Hips: 35"
Previous Measurement: 34"
Current Measurement:
Total Loss/Gain:

Day 19- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Walk the dog. Fences and doggy doors let Fido outside without supervision, but you could both use more exercise. Schedule a morning and evening walk and get healthy together.

Exercise of the Day: Lying Adduction

Yoga Pose of the Day: Dolphin Pose

Day 18- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Look for "green flag" menu words. Healthy restaurant foods are usually described as: baked, boiled, broiled, fresh, grilled, light, multigrain, poached, reduced, roasted, seasoned, steamed or stir-fried.

Exercise of the Day: Lying Triceps Lift

Yoga Pose of the Day: Fire Log Pose

Day 17- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Use positive language all the time. Positive words can turn into positive actions! Frame healthy habits as good and exciting so your child will view them similarly.

Exercise of the Day: Reverse Crunch

Yoga Pose of the Day: Happy Baby Pose

Day 16- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Try the salad bar. Take advantage of your grocery salad bar, which provided precut varieties of fruits, vegetables, and beans. Eat them as snacks or toss into a salad with less prep time.

Exercise of the Day: Lying Abduction

Yoga Pose of the Day: Warrior One Pose

This weekend was harder to stay on track than I anticipated. I wasn't counting on a three day weekend, and didn't really exercise today. I still have an hour before day 17 begins, but I think I'm sitting this one out!

I've been trying to decide whether or not to continue with this right now. I'm pretty over-whelmed trying to get ready for our move. The movers come to pack up our house a week from Tuesday, and we leave Vegas for good 2 weeks from Tuesday. A lot on my plate right now!

I think I am going to try and see this through, though. I know it's going to be very hectic for me, trying to eat right when I am so busy with everything that needs to be done. I think if I drop my challenges, I am just going to regret it later. So I'll see how "good" I can be!

Day 15- 30 Day Challenge, Weigh-In #3

2008-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Dress for comfort. When you're comfortable, you're more likely to walk further and stay active than if you're wearing stuffy clothes or painful shoes. Go casual at work (whenever possible) and on your own time.

Exercise of the Day: Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Yoga Pose of the Day: Lotus Pose

Weigh-In #3: 126.1 lbs

I'll be honest, I didn't weigh myself. I used my weigh-in from Friday for the Turkey Day Challenge. Mostly because, I am trying to get past my addiction to the scale, partly because weekend are hard for me. I don't have a lot of time on the computer, and I don't have a lot of time for exercise either. So I'm re-using a previous weigh-in. Oh well.

Day 14- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Monitor your sodium intake. Less than 2,300mg each day is ideal-- that's about 1 tsp of salt. Look for salt-free and reduced sodium versions of canned and frozen foods.

Exercise of the Day: Modified Plank

Yoga Pose of the Day: Supported Shoulder Stand

Today was a pretty good day for me- better than my sabotage day yesterday! The two exercises today are ones that I enjoy- so I think that has a lot to do with it. Starting my Saturday morning with an hour of exercise helped too. I normally don't exercise much on the weekends, so it was good to start off on the right foot!

Sodium is always a challenge for me, so it was good to be reminded that I need to keep a watch on it. I've only stayed under my recommended sodium-intake about half of the days I've been doing this challenge. I want to try my hardest to monitor it for the next 16 days and see if I can keep it under 2,300 mg the rest of the challenge!

Day 13- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Exercise with your kids. If your kids are old enough, you can bike, run, walk, or rollerblade together. Start a routine and stick with it.

Exercise of the Day: Forward Lunges

Yoga Pose of the Day: Bridge Pose

The tip of the day today is certainly a fun one for me! I love doing active things with S and F. It's fun for all three of us, and good for all of us too. Knowing that today's tip was to exercise with the kids, we pulled out the Wii Fit to play together. F is very excited about the Penguin balance game- and S is loving the Bubble balance game- he's better at it than I am!!

My morning got off to a pretty good start- I did some yoga this morning, and boxing on the Wii Fit to get some cardio in. I had my first weigh-in with the Moms Losing Weight Turkey Day Challenge- and was pretty disappointed. 126.1lbs this morning. The scale is going the wrong way! Instead of exercising some more, I've been sabatoging myself all day. I had a 300 calorie chocolate cookie after lunch, and I'm sitting here with a Diet Pepsi instead of water. I really need to get over my dissapointment and get back on track!

Day 12- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Eat seasonally. Fruits and vegetable are cheaper and more nutritious when you buy them in season. They taste better too!

Exercise of the Day: Dumbbell Flys

Yoga Pose of the Day: Plank Pose

Day 11- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Act like a kid. Who says you have to be young to play? Find a sport or other activity and join a league or class. When it's fun, it doesn't seem like exercise. Schedule playtime each day, just for you.

Exercise of the Day: Hip Flexor

Yoga Pose of the Day: Downward Facing Dog

Day 10- 30 Day Challenge, 2nd Weigh In, 1st measurements

2008-10-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Slow down. Savoring your food in a calm environment helps you tune-in to your body's signals. You're less likely to overeat and experience problems like acid reflux when you take your time and really enjoy the moment.

Exercise of the Day: Dumbbell Squats

Yoga Pose of the Day: Easy Pose

Weigh-In #2: 125 lbs

Hip Measurements #1: 34"
Waist Measurements #1: 30"

I'll admit to being a little disapointed with my second weigh-in, since I have gained back the weight I lost in the first 5 days. I'm not surprised with the gain though, I think some of it is probably water-weight (the problem with being female, I suppose!) I've lost two inches in the last 10 days though (one from my waist and one from my hips) so I know I am making progress, even if the scale is not showing it.

I think the Tip of the Day is an excellent one, and it's something I try to keep in mind. Now that J is back on day-shift, we have reinstated family dinner time, and that helps. We've made it a rule that everyone stays at the table until all four family members are done eating, and it has helped me to slow down and just enjoy our time together.

Since today's focus is on meal times and, in our house, the benefits of family dinner, I thought I would pass on an article called The Benefits of Eating Together. Here are the reasons listed to enjoy meals together as a family...

Reason #1: Communication and Well-Being Conversations during the meal provide opportunities for the family to bond, plan, connect, and learn from one another.
Reason #2: Model Manners (and more) Family mealtime is the perfect opportunity to display appropriate table manners, meal etiquette, and social skills.
Reason # 3: Expand Their World…One Food at a Time Encourage your children to try new foods, without forcing, coercing, or bribing. Introduce a new food along with some of the stand-by favorites.
Reason #4: Nourish Meals prepared and eaten at home are usually more nutritious and healthy.
Reason #5: Become Self-Sufficient Children today are missing out on the importance of knowing how to plan and prepare meals. Basic cooking, baking, and food preparation are necessities for being self-sufficient. Involve your family in menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation.
Reason #6: Prevent Destructive Behaviors Research shows that frequent family dinners (five or more a week), are associated with lower rates of smoking, drinking, and illegal drug use in pre-teens and teenagers when compared to families that eat together two or fewer times per week.
Reason #7: Improve Grades Children do better in school when they eat more meals with their parents and family.
Reason # 8: Save Money Meals purchased away from home cost two to four times more than meals prepared at home.

***post edited***

I wanted to add a picture I took last night of the kids helping me prepare rice for dinner. I figured that, since my focus for the day was to slow down, enjoy meals, and use them as an opportunity to teach the kids about healthy choices, last night was a perfect time to get them involved in meal preparation!

Day 9- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Make family exercise a priority. Provide clean workout attire and reliable transportation to and from activities to keep kids active, like YMCA basketball league or pick-up game soccer.

Exercise of the Day: Dumbbell Chest Press

Yoga Pose of the Day: Upward Plank Pose

Now that S is out of school, I have more time to be active with the kids, and we are loving it! We spend a lot of time running around on the playground in the afternoons and it's great to get out with them and stay active. I really love the increased energy I have since losing weight.

I found a great article called Fun Family Fitness Ideas. Here is an excerpt...

Combine exercise and household chores. On small pieces of paper, write down chores and body weight exercises. Throw the papers into a couple of hats and have everyone pick one of each. Maybe Dad gets to clean the bathroom and do a set of squats every few minutes until he is finished, while one of the children is cleaning the kitchen and doing forward lunges, etc—the combinations are endless. Mix it up with yard work, seasonal chores, and even some aerobic components like jumping rope.
Hire a certified personal trainer to design a program for each family member based on their individual needs, and then work out together. If Mom is looking to tone her body and her teenage daughter wants to improve her basketball conditioning, a similar circuit can be set up at home, indoors and outdoors, to achieve both.
Have each family member pick an exercise at the beginning of the week and do as many reps as they can. Then train throughout the week with the goal of improving by the weekend. The family member who has the highest percentage increase is rewarded with something small (but motivating). Keep the focus on the fact that everyone is improving.
Designate one evening as family fitness night. Each week, a different person designs the family workout that you will all do together. Whether it’s swimming, rollerblading, walking, Frisbee golf, or a two-on-two basketball game—everyone gets to do something they enjoy, and your workout will never become dull.
Buy small pieces of equipment to keep around the house. Then make some fitness rules: Exercise during commercials every time you watch TV; stretch before bed each night. Purchase a few inexpensive items (jump rope, resistance bands, stability ball, dumbbells) and rotate them through the house on a daily basis. Treat them as scavenger hung finds-- if you find the jump rope placed in the garage, you have to use it for one minute. Next time you may find it on the porch, or in the basement.
Each week, measure your fitness levels to determine your family’s overall fitness average. Add each person's own calculation of their level of fitness for the week; zero meaning they did nothing, and 7 meaning they exercised daily. Divide the total by the number of family members. Set a goal to average at least a 5 or 6 each week, rewarding the entire family if it's met.

Day 8- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Buy unripe produce too. Bring home both yellow and green bananas, for example. Eat the ripe stuff now as the rest ripens later in the week. You'll have fresh food without making multiple grocery runs.

Exercise of the Day: Dolphin Pose

Yoga Pose of the Day: High Lunges

Day 7- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Make time for morning fitness. Spend just 5-10 minutes doing pushups, lunges, jumping jacks and stretches before you shower. You'll strengthen your muscles and feel more energized each morning.

Exercise of the Day: Calf Raised with Chair

Yoga Pose of the Day:Hero Pose

Day 6- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Know your "red flag" menu words. Avoid restaurant items described as: battered, bottomless, breaded, buttery, cheesy, country, creamy, crispy, fried, giant, loaded, smothered, and stuffed.

Exercise of the Day: Boxer

Yoga Pose of the Day: Child's Pose

Here is an article from spark people on the red flag (and green flag!) menu words. Know Your Menu Watch Words.

It's definitely something I try to keep in mind when I am eating out. I know that fast food is almost never healthy, but I can cut hundreds of calories out of a meal by ordering a grilled sandwich instead of a crispy sandwich.

Day 5- 30 Day Challenge, First Weigh-In

2008-10-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Maintain an upbeat attitude. Healthy habits should be fun. If you're having a good time, your kids will also look forward to nutrition and fitness instead of dreading it.

Exercise of the Day: Crunches

Yoga Pose of the Day: Cobra Pose

Weigh-In #1: 123.7lbs

I've reached my first mini-milestone of this 30 day challenge. I have to admit, doing this has really helped me feel more on track. I've probably done more exercise in the last 5 days than I have did in the entire month of September. And it feels great to be moving in the right direction!

My first weigh-in is a 1.3lb loss, 3.7lbs from my challenge goal. I don't expect the next ones to be as big- because I used my Friday weigh-in as my starting weight instead of weighing myself Sunday morning, so I'm sure it was already a little lower than 125 to begin with.

I really liked the Tip of the Day for today- this is one of the things that is really important to me. I never wanted my kids to have the same healthy and body-image problems I did, so getting them active and involved in healthy eating choices is something I try to focus on every day. I thought that since the Tip is focusing on healthy kids, I would take advantage and post some pictures of mine!

S making a game out of seeing how many times he can jump
F running off some energy kicking a soccer ball

S being a monkey with his after-school snack
F very excited about this whole banana thing

Day 4- 30 Day Challenge

2008-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Choose canned. Canned fruits (without syrup) and veggies (with low sodium) are just as nutritious as fresh. Plus, they're easy on your wallet and your schedule, making cooking a breeze.

Exercise of the Day: Bridges

Yoga Pose of the Day: Cat Pose

Day 3- 30 Day Challenge

2008-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Park further away. You'll add extra steps to your day and save time by walking briskly (and not waiting for a closer spot). In a shopping center, park once and walk to and from your car between stores.

Exercise of the Day: Alternating Dumbbell Biceps Curls

Yoga Pose of the Day: Chair Pose

Day 2- 30 Day Challenge

2008-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Day: Keep a food diary. Before you can improve your diet, you have to know where you stand. Record everything you eat and drink for five days and use this info to improve your diet a little bit each day.

Exercise of the Day: Back Extension

Yoga Pose of the Day: Baharadvaja's Twist

I really like the tip of the day I selected for today. Keeping a food journal is one healthy habit that I keep trying to create, and continuously fall short on. But, in the spirit of this 30 day challenge to myself- I've decided to try and hop back on the bandwagon.

There is a calorie counters thread on the weight-loss board that I post at- and I rejoined that thread last night. Hopefully having to report my daily calorie totals will be the incentive I need to keep this habit going this time. Who knows, maybe after my 3o days are up I will have formed the habit for good. I don't think I've ever counted 30 days straight- so it's worth a shot!

There's an article I read a long time ago in sparkpeople, and saved to serve as a personal reminder. I figured it was time to pull it up again and re-read it. The article is called The Key to Weight Loss Success. Here is an excerpt...

Studies show that people who keep food journals lose more weight and keep more of that weight off in the long run. The National Weight Control Registry–an ongoing research project tracking more than 3,000 people who’ve lost an average of 66 pounds and kept it off for five years–found that keeping a food journal is the one strategy used by the majority of successful dieters. In fact, in a study of 685 dieters conducted by a health insurance company, the best predictor of weight loss throughout the first year was the number of food records kept per week.

There are certainly compelling reasons to count calories and track the foods in a journal. And I know that when I write down everything, I am less likely to cheat. However, I've found my way around that nagging guilty conscience when I am eating less than healthy foods- I just don't journal for the day. Not exactly productive!

I can't gurantee that I will stay in my calorie range the entire 30 days of this challenge- but I am going to commit to keeping a food journal the entire time. Even if my choices aren't the healthiest- I'm going to get them written down!

30 Day Challenge

2008-09-28T12:24:00.001-07:00

Earlier this year I tried a 90 Day Challenge to try and reach my goal weight. I didn't meet my goal, but I did make some positive changes to my diet and exercise during that time. I started running agin during the last challenge, and I still do it. Not as often as I should, but I know I can work on that! I also made a move towards a more vegetarian diet- and I have stuck with that. Right now I still eat fish (I think the official label is "pesca-vegetarian") and I really don't have any intention of giving that up. I'm not very good at getting protein from other sources, so keeping a little fish in my diet once or twice a week is a good balance.

I might not have met all my goals, but I did like having a long-term goal to work towards every day. I have a month to go before we move back home, and I am only 5lbs away from my LTG. I don't feel like it is unreasonable to try and lose 5 lbs in 30 days, so I am going to give it a shot!

Challenge Info:

Start Date: September 28th, 2008
End Date: October 27th, 2008
Starting Weight: 125 lbs
Goal Weight: 120 lbs
Starting Measurements: Hip- 35", Wasit- 31"
Goal Measurements: Hip- 33", Waist- 29"

Challenge Goals

Water Goal: 2,000 oz of water
Cardio Goal: 600 minutes of cardio
Yoga Goal: 600 minutes of yoga
Strength Goal: 600 minutes of strength training

Interesting Article

2008-09-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

I found an article on sparkpeople that made me stop and think, so I wanted to post it here. I'm not sure if anyone reads this blog or not- but maybe someone will see it. If not, at least now I know I can always find the articles again when I want to re-read them.

Confessions: This is How Much I Weigh

The short version is this- a fitness professional wrote an article explaining why she rarely ever weighs herself, and feels that people focus too much on the number on the scale, rather than on their general health and fitness. I know that I definately fall into that group, although I am trying to break out of it.

I am trying to lose weight right now but, more than that, I am trying to form life-long habits for eating right and staying active. I would like to believe that, once I meet my goal weight I will have formed this habits- and I will hopefully be able to keep myself fit and active with only periodic weigh-ins.

I would like to be able to measure my health not by the scale- but with other factors. Knowing that I exercised each day, got plenty of water and fruits & veggies, got enough sleep, took a vitamin, and tracked my foods. The last one might not seem like a step away from the obsessing that I do- but I never really planned to give up calorie counting- just the compulsive stepping on the scale several times a day.

The article mentions the healthy weight range- and here is a link to the Ideal Body Weight Chart. The problem is- I always found these charts to be pretty vague, since I really don't know if I am small, medium, or large framed. And it does make a huge difference!

According to this chart, for a woman my height (5'5") the healthy weight ranges are...

Small frame: 117-130
Medium frame: 127-141
Large frame: 137-155

That a 38 lbs range between the lowest healthy weight and the highest healthy weight (on this chart) I set my LTG based off another chart altogether- one that told me the healthy range for my height was 114-145. I thought 120 seemed like a good number, I could gain 5 lbs and still be at my high school weight, and lose 5 lbs without worrying about being unhealthy.

But, according to this new chart- I could actually be "underweight" already. I'm around 127 lbs right now, 10 lbs lower than the lowest healthy weight for a large framed woman, and at the very lowest healthy weight for a medium framed woman. I never really considered myself to be "small"- so I'm not sure what to think of these new numbers.

It's definately given me a lot to think about!

Drive-by post

2008-09-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

3 days down of the "No Cheat Day" challenge. Since this is not a perfect streak competition, I am able to define it a little vaguely. Ordinarily I consider staying in my calorie range to be not cheating- but without the perfect streak exercise guidelines, I decided to add at least 30 minutes of exercise to that. So that make 3 days of 30 (+) minutes of exercise and not going over 1,550 calories. Yay!

Still doing pretty good on this team vs team cardio challenge, and I am starting to think I didn't set my goal high enough!! 2 days into it and I have done 155 minutes of cardio. I have four more days, and 100 minutes 95 minutes left to do. I did 95 minutes today alone, so I am certain I will meet my goal no later than Friday.

Get Moving: Daily Tips for Staying Fit

2008-09-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

I found this article on yahoo health. I'm not sure what I think of it, but I thought I would pass it along anyway. The article with reader comments can be found here. I'm also posting the article in its entirety here as well, so that I can add my own comments to it. The article posted is bolded, my comments are not.

It was not too long ago that obesity was not the raging universal health problem that it is today - partly because we all used to have more physical activity in our lives.

I do agree with this opening statement. I remember spending hours playing outside every day when I was a kid. That Guy used to bike miles every day before he got his first car. I'll admit, I don't see a lot of children outside playing in our area (although that could be due largely to the Vegas crime rates and scorching heat working together to keep people inside!)

To help curb this problem, what if we stopped thinking so much about "starting an exercise program," and concentrated more on increasing our physical activity, moving more throughout the day? Undoubtedly, we would see results like weight loss and a decrease in illnesses. So let’s consider simple ways to become less sedentary.

This advice is pretty simplistic, but also very true. Every time I try to focus on creating a weekly or monthly plan to follow, I find it all too easy to fall off course. Miss one day of "the plan", and I feel like I've screwed it up, and then I have a hard time getting back on focus. I do agree that it is better to just focus on getting moving each day- a little or a lot.

1. Here’s an easy one: use the stairs. I know you have heard this before but sometimes a simple reminder is all you need to take an action. Whenever you have the choice, walk up and down stairs – it’s a simple way to get where you are already going, and in the process log some great calorie burning, muscle strengthening miles in your week.

Nice tip, but I hate it! I despise having stairs in my house. I can jog for 30-60 minutes straight, I could walk for hours every day- but put stairs in front of me and I want to pass out in 2 minutes! I don't know why that is.

2. Walk your dog, and your kids, at least once, preferably twice, a day. We condition our kids and our animals to behave as we do, so if we don’t exercise them regularly, they become sedentary, and out of shape, just like us.

I love that she crammed two tips into one here. Walking is excellent exercise- and getting active with your kids and pets is also extremely important. The Boy, The Girl and I walk frequently, at least 30 minutes 5 days a week- and sometimes walking on the weekend as well. The Dog and I don't get as much exercise together though, she whines and howls every step of the way and never did learn to appreciate her leash!

3. Walk to the market, or the post box, or a nearby restaurant for your meals. Imagine the gas you’ll save, not to mention how much healthier you’ll become by leaving the car at home whenever possible.

I do this now, but it's more because it is neccessary than for health reasons. Simply put- I don't have a car right now. So if I want to take The Boy to school, go to the grocery store, or get something to eat- I walk. I am hoping though, that my 10 months in Vegas will start a life long habit of walking where I can!

4. Walk to school or walk your kids to school, or park a few blocks away from any destination (a movie, a restaurant, your work). Parking just 3 blocks away (6 blocks round trip) from your intended destination, just a few times a week, will very simply increase your activity level. And since you are already going there, it’s kind of the perfect plan.

And here is why I wasn't quite sure if I liked this article or not. Tip one was good. Tip 2 (both parts) was good. Tips 3 & 4 are a bit repetitive. The article is beginning to sound a lot like a broken record at this point.

5. Take the initiative to plan activity time, versus sitting around time, with your friends and family. Take a hike, or a walk on the beach, or walk through and discover a new neighborhood – then you can sit down for coffee or a meal.

I do think this is an excellent tip- and it's something I keep trying to instill in our weekend plans. I would love to go hiking, camping, canoeing, bike riding, etc... That Guy isn't quite on board though. The advice is sound though.

6. Keep comfortable shoes at the office and enlist your work friends to join you for a break-time walk-about. This is such a good way to reduce work anxiety and mingle/bond with associates.

This isn't something I've ever really thought about. Of course, I've never had a job that required me to wear un-comfortable shoes, so it hasn't really been much of an issue. It's something I'll have to keep in mind in the future though.

These may seem obvious, but if you're not doing them, well, maybe doing what’s obvious isn’t such a bad idea.

Obvious is a good choice of words to describe this article. Also simple. And repetitive. I do like it though, and I think that sometimes, simple and straight-forward writing is the best way to get good advice out there. All in all, I think it's a good article for someone just starting out and looking for some motivation to get going. For someone who has an active lifestyle already though- it's nothing that you haven't heard a million times already- and probably nothing that you are not already doing.

Peace and Happy Trails –
Debbie Rocker

Here is a link to the authors bio for anyone that wants it. It sounds like she's been a part in starting some great fitness programs, so I am a little surprised by the lack of unexpected new ideas.

Team vs Team and No Cheat Challenges

2008-09-23T23:17:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post tonight!

First, our Team vs Team challenge. I eventually settled on 250 minutes of cardio over 6 days. I got 60 minutes in today, so I am off to a good start. I feel confident that I can meet my goal- maybe even pass it. Passing it will be hard, since it will require weekend exercise (something I am NOT good at)- but it will be an interesting challenge!

I'm also still on track for the no cheat day challenge I am participating in. So far 2 days down. And I know that 2 days is not terribly impressive, but every little bit counts- so I feel good moving in the right direction!

Time for some Cardio!

2008-09-22T23:41:00.000-07:00

Our new team vs team challenge is going to be setting a personal goal for cardio minutes (Tuesday-Sunday) I'm still trying to decide on my number.

I know that I will get 105 minutes in just from walking The Boy to-and-from school four of those 6 days. So, 105 would be a very achievable goal- but not exactly a personal challenge- so it defeats the purpose a bit!

I think I am going to aim for the walks to-and-from school, plus 3 30 min. jogs during the week and at least 30 minutes on the weekend, which would bring me 225 minutes. Just to make it challenging, I think I am going to round up to 250 for the week. It's not going to be easy, but I guess that's the point!

I'm also participating in a no cheat day challenge. I got 4 days in the perfect streak before I blew it on Saturday! The no cheat day challenge started today. I've defined "no cheat" as not going over my calorie range and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise. I managed to do that today, so one day down!

Weigh-In 4 (Back-to-School Challenge)

2008-09-19T11:45:00.001-07:00

Today's weigh-in was 126.8lbs. 4 weeks in, and only 1.2lbs down from my starting weight. Bleh.

However, last week I was 130 (I took a pass) so I am down 3.2lbs this week- I guess that's a postive!

And I'm finally feeling more on track. I've been making a point to do 60 minutes of exercise before lunch- it's amazing what a huge difference that makes in my day! I've noticed that, over this last week, I've made much better choices when I start the day off right.

I'm still doing the perfect streak competition with my team. I've done 3 days so far- and I am working on day 4 today. I just need to get my fruits and veggies in today and I will have made it four days. The real challenge will be to stay on track Saturday and Sunday!

Health Yo-yo

2008-09-17T11:20:00.001-07:00

That's what I feel like right now. I'm either doing great, doing terrible, or kind of half-assing my why through this. I wish I could get a burst of energy and see this through, but so far I'm stuck in the muddling through- trying to make healthy choices without putting any effort into it.

My weight this morning was 127.9lbs. Normally I weigh-in on Friday's, but it's been almost 2 weeks since I weighed myself at all (Friday before last I was 129.)

The good news is I seem to be on a pretty good kick these last few days, and hopefully I can keep it up.

The weight loss challenge I am doing is keeping me from falling off the face of the earth all together, at least. Right now we're doing two challenges- one is a team vs team challenge of 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. I got 7 yesterday- and have had 3 so far today, so I am on a good track with that at least.

Our team is also doing an in-team challenge of a perfect streak. (Yeah, again- maybe I can stick with this one!) It also started yesterday- so as of right now, I only have one day done. As long as I don't cheat at dinner I should have day two under my belt though.

Lately my only exercise has been walking- taking my son to and from school, walking to the store. Pretty light cardio, and not too much to be proud of. This morning I got up and did 30 minutes of yoga and a 30 minute jog- so I feel like I am on a much better track at least. I'm hoping I can keep this going.

I stopped really exercising almost 4 weeks ago. I started getting cramps and pains and just didn't feel like doing it. I went to the Dr- and he ran a couple of tests but didn't come up with anything. He seems content to just leave it at that- personally I think unexplained abdominal pain isn't something to let go with "well, it's not what I tested for, so I guess you're fine"

I've had issues with painful cysts in the past though, so I'm thinking it might be that again. He also mentioned the possibility of endometriosis (sp?) and abdominal scarring (I've had 4 abdominal surgeries in my life) but he hasn't set up my radiology appointment yet to get that checked out. I'm planning to call and nag some more today to make him get on the ball with that.

Anyway- the point is, I was using my discomfort as a reason to "take it easy" But it doesn't look like the discomfort is going to go away any time soon- so I've decided I really just need to make myself push through it if I want to see results!

On-again, Off-again

2008-08-21T22:48:00.000-07:00

That pretty much sums me up. I want to reach my goal, but I have a hard time staying on track long enough to see real progress. A new challenge is starting on the weight-loss board- and I am a captain again. This time I am hoping to make some real progress this time, and that means staying on track.

The article I read today is 25 Ways to Get Back on Track Today.

Here are the tips the article lists...

Try a short workout.
Try a new recipe.
Eat a healthy breakfast.
Drink your water.
Look at Motivational Spark Pages.
Track your food today.
Update your SparkPage.
Share your goals.
Exercise for 10 minutes.
Find a buddy.
Take a walk.
Create a motivational collage.
Go shopping for some healthy foods.
Check the nutrition facts before you go out to eat.
Ride your bike.
Work in the yard.
Take the stairs.
Rack of those SparkPoints!
Listen to an inspirational song.
Re-start you Spark People program.
Measure your portions.
Eat a piece of fruit.
Slow down during meals.
Play! What kids call “play,” we often call “exercise.”
Learn something new.

I think some of the tips are excellent, and some of them are so spark people oriented that they don't really apply to everyone. I decided to pick a few to try and focus on over the weekend though.

Drink your water: there is no reason for me to not do this, but I still slack off. I want to get my 64oz a day each day this weekend.
Take a walk: This is something simple that I can do with the kids, so why not? We're walking down to the school tomorrow for The Boy's orientation- and I'm sure we can find reasons to go for a walk on Saturday and Sunday as well.
Check the nutriton facts before you go out to eat: I really need to focus on this one. I know I can find the information, I just need to make an effort to look for it, and plan ahead a little!
Play!: This is something I can do, and should do! The kids want to go swimming at the lake, so we're going to try and do that this weekend. There's plenty of opportunities to be active with an activity like that.

Dealing with Stress

2008-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

There's a lot going on in my personal life right now that has me feeling stressed almost 24/7. I know I can't be the only person who is stressed out a lot- so I thought I'd pass along the 7 Simple Stress Busters article.

The tips are...

Take a walk
Call a friend
Write in a journal
Play a board game
Work up a sweat
Plan something fun
Take a hot bath

Consistency

2008-08-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about why I am still trying to reach my goal weight. After all, I've been working at this for two years. My major problem is glaringly obvious- I haven't been consistent for two years. I've been off-and-on the fitness bandwagon throughtout that time. Sometimes my "off" periods are short- just a few days. Sometimes much longer- months at a time. So, continuing my purusal of sparkpeople articles, here is another one to share.

3 Simple Ways to Build Consistency.

Rule #1: Never tell yourself “I’m not motivated.”

Guilty, guilty, guilty. I do this ALL the time. I've I'm feeling depressed, stressed, or just plain worn out- I end up thinking "I just don't have the motivation" If I slip up and eat something I shouldn't I tend to think, "I've already blown it today, so why bother" I definately need to work on this!

Rule #2: Build momentum one step at a time.

I'm pretty good at taking one step at a time. It's gaining momentum that's the problem. Sometimes it seems like my body is content to crawl along a a snails pace, and I just never seem to kick it up another notch!

Rule #3: Always have a plan B.

I always have a plan. I don't always follow through, but the plans are there. Usually on paper. And then, when something comes up that throws my plan off-track, the paper gets tossed aside and I think to myself "I'll try again tomorrow" I guess I never realized how important it is to have a back up plan. So now I get to write extra lists every morning, lol!

Morning Exercise

2008-08-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am not a morning person. At least, not by choice. But with two small children I find myself getting up early anyway. And most mornings I fix their breakfast, and then just kind of laze around on the couch until the children are either done eating or request something of me.

I've decided that I can put that time to better use, so I am challenging myself to workout at least 30 minutes before 9am each day this week. Hopefully I can get into that routine and stick with it.

And, as usual for me, I do have a sparkpeople article to go along with this. The article is called Learn to Love A.M. Exercise- and provides ten reasons to get up early and workout. In condensed form, they are...

Exercising early in the morning "jump starts" your metabolism, ... As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long
Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you.
Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity ... Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.
Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep.
When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes.
Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day.
People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to.
Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life.
If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.
Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? ... tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!

Stress eating

2008-08-15T23:59:00.001-07:00

That's what I've been doing the last two days. That, and barely exercising. I know it's not good. I know it's counter-productive. I know a bowl of ice cream is not going to solve all my problems, and just make me feel worse in the end. But somehow I just cannot stop myself.

There is a new challenge starting on the weight loss board. I had hoped that I wouldn't be participating. It ends in October, and I had planned on meeting my goal by the end of August. Not gonna happen now. So I signed up. And I hoping that, maybe, just maybe, I can do something right this time and stay on track for an entire challenge. Six weeks. That's not too long. I CAN do this. If only I can focus. And stay out of the fridge!!

In an attempt to regain some control over this- I browsed around spark people and found this article: Get a Handle on Emotional Eating. Here are some of the tips the article has to offer...

Get your trigger foods out of the house, get your crutch foods out of arms' reach
Go for a walk or jog. Physical activity relieves stress.
Do deep breathing and relaxation exercises
Keep a reminder of your goal handy
Talk to a friend
Visit and post on the support message boards
Surround yourself with positive reinforcers, like pictures and people
Keep a journal that includes your best personal accomplishments
Track your eating patterns, including when and why you pick up food.

I need to start food journaling again (didn't do it today) and re-dedicate myself to exercise. I think that will be my best way to handle this. Hopefully I can get back on track now, while I'm just teetering a bit, instead of waiting until I've gained 5 or 10 lbs!

Re-Streaking

2008-08-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

I didn't make day 5 of the perfect streak. And, in typical fashion for me, having an "off" day one day led to a bad day yesterday as well.

The good news is that our final Team vs Team challenge is going to be a perfect streak as well- so I am starting again today. I need to make 6 days to avoid letting my team down. Personally, I'd love to make it all the way to my anniversary, so we'll see how it goes!

Right now I'm going to try and look up some healthy options for eating out, since I know that weekends are going to be really hard for me. I'll post what I find if I can get it all organized!

Perfect Streak- Day 3 and Day 4

2008-08-09T22:55:00.000-07:00

I am still in the perfect streak competition, I just wasn't able to post last night. I've been having issues with my internet connection- so I will continue to post when I can, just don't know if I will be able to each day of this streak.

Day Three

No Cheat Day: Done! 1,442 calories
30 minutes cardio: Done! 30 minutes (walking)
30 minutes strength: Done! 31 minutes (Wii Fit)
64 oz water: Done! 96oz
4 servings fruits/veggies: Done! 7 servings
Food Journal: Done! Logged on sparkpeople

Day Four

No Cheat Day: Done! 1,264 calories
30 minutes cardio: Done! 40 minutes (walking)
30 minutes strength: None
64 oz water: Done! 64oz
4 servings fruits/veggies: Done! 5 servings
Food Journal: Done! everything logged on sparkpeople

Weekly Wigh-In

2008-08-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

I weighed in this morning at 125.8- down 2.9lbs from last week! I'm thrilled with this loss, and really hoping I can continue on at this pace to reach my LTG in the next three weeks. I keep trying to update the side element that is tracking my losses, but my internet is being a real PITA right now and is limiting how much navigating I can do.

This weigh-in is a new "milestone" for me. I reached my pre-pregnancy weight when I got to 130- as of today I am offcially at my lowest weight. I went up and down between 125-130 all through high school, but never lower.

My LTG is 5 lbs lower than my high school weight because I was never happy with my weight then either, and I am really hoping that, as I lose these last 5lbs, I can start to tone up and add more definition. That's definately my goal at the moment!

August Goals- Week 1

2008-08-07T23:26:00.000-07:00

I tend to set goals for myself each month and then I never keep track of them. So I'm making a real effort here. I wanted to be at my goal weight by the 30th- and I think the only hope I have of getting there is to really buckle down and focus. So here goes...

DIET GOAL: Track calories every day- I've done this. It hasn't always been pretty (especially considering that John's birthday was this week) but I tracked it all. My average over the 7 days was 1,409. Within my range, but on the higher end due to having 2 cheat days this week.
DIET GOAL: Continuing move to vegetarianism- So far, so good. The only meat I have had this week has been turkey sandwhiches (trying to use up the lunch meat since I'm the only one who eats turkey!) and shrimp when we went out to eat over the weekend. Not too bad!
FITNESS GOAL: Workout 30 minutes a day-I didn't track exercise two days this week. I'm almost certain that I did exercise on August 1st- but I didn't record it so I have no idea. Overall, I did get in 240 minutes of exercise this week.
FITNESS GOAL-Jog/run 45 miles this month- 5.06 miles down, 39.94 miles to go!
KID GOAL- Continue getting children involved in making healthy choices: We've definately been working on this. The kids are helping me cook almost every day, we talk about healthy foods when we go to the store, and today we started making their own cookbook. :-)
KID GOAL- Try a new Yoga pose every day- We haven't been doing this. The kids just aren't as enthusiastic about it at the moment. However, we have been doing something active each day, taking walks, playing Wii Fit together, or yoga.

Perfect Streak- Day 2

2008-08-07T23:22:00.000-07:00

2 days down!

No Cheat Day- DONE! 1,182 calories today
At least 30 minutes of cardio- DONE! 30 minute jog- 2.13 miles & 30 min walk- 1.5 miles
At least 30 minutes of strength- DONE! 30 minutes of yoga (using the Wii Fit)
At least 64oz of water- DONE! 96oz of water today
At least 4 servings fruits/veggies- DONE! 6 servings today; blueberries, lettuce (x3), tomato, and grapes
Keep a food journal- DONE! Everything logged on sparkpeople.

I definately feel like I'm on track. I love doing these perfect streak competitions- because I'm pretty competitive by nature. Having a goal to meet- and having to track and report it makes me more likely to make the best choices. Plus, the scale has started being nicer to me, and I want to keep it that way! :-D

Perfect Streak- Day 1

2008-08-06T23:39:00.000-07:00

Just logging my stats for day one of the perfect streak challenge

No Cheat Day- DONE! 1,132 calories today
At least 30 minutes of cardio- DONE! 30 minute jog- 2.93 miles!
At least 30 minutes of strength- DONE! 30 minutes of yoga (using the Wii Fit)
At least 64oz of water- DONE! 96oz of water today
At least 4 servings fruits/veggies- DONE! 5 servings today; strawberries, lettuce, apple slices, baked potato, & broccoli
Keep a food journal- DONE! Everything logged on sparkpeople.

All in all, I'm feeling pretty good. Yes, it's just day one- but this is what I needed to feel like I was back on track.

Since starting my "back to vegetarian" plan- I'm getting a lot more fruits and veggies each day. Today was actually a "low" day for me- with 5, which is still pretty good! We're due for another trip to the store for more fresh fruits and veggies- so tomorrow should be better.

And I'm thrilled about my cardio- this was the best distance I've gotten on the treadmill so far! Previously I was getting around 2.5 miles in 30 minutes- I came soooo close to the full 3 miles today- WOOHOO

Perfect Streak

2008-08-06T10:26:00.001-07:00

I've been doing ok so far this month, but I am definately slacking. I'm getting 30 minutes of exercise in- but it's very light (walking)

So I'm joining a perfect streak on the weight-loss board.

To remain in the streak- I have to do the following each day...

~MUST have a no cheat day (self defined): for me it's not going over my calorie range
~MUST have at least 4 of the 5 following...

30 minutes of strength training
30 minutes of cardio
4 servings of fruits/veggies
64 oz of water
post a food journal.

These are all things I should be doing each day anyway- so I'm excited to start this, and curious to see how long I can keep it going.

New Month- New Goals

2008-08-01T00:08:00.000-07:00

I really, really wanted to reach my LTG by my anniversary. It's on August 30th, and if I don't break this plateau right.now I don't know if I can do it. But I'm going to give it my best shot!

Here are some general goals I want to accomplish this month...

Diet

Track my calories every day. Even if I go over- make a point of getting it all down so I can see where I went wrong and avoid those mistakes in the future
Continue my goal towards being vegetarian- I've cut out pork and beef, by the end of the month I would like to have cut out poultry as well.

Fitness

Try to workout at least 30 minutes every day. Even if it's just a half-hour walk, do something active every day.
Jog/run 45 miles this month. I surpassed by 30 mile goal for July- so let's see if I can take that further!

Kids

Continue getting the kids involved in making healthy choices. Allow them to help prepare at least one meal a day, and let them select fruits and vegetables when we go to the store.
Yoga- try a pose a day. The kids like their sequences, but they have lost interest in doing a full sequence every day. I think focusing on one pose every day, and introducing them to some new ones will get them excited again!

Non-Scale Victory

2008-07-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

I haven't been having much success with the scale lately. I am so sick of 130lbs that I think I am going to scream! I'm determined not to give up, so I've been trying to focus on other signs that my desire to live a healthier life is paying off.

Recently, a new grocery store opened up near our home. It's called Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market- and it's a chain out here on the West coast. I'm definately going to miss it when we move back to MS! There are several things that I really like about it.

It's walking distance from my house (about 1 1/2 miles round trip), so it gets me out of the house and moving.
They sell mostly fresh foods, and not a lot of pre-packaged ready to eat items, which makes me shop healthier.
They send out coupons every week, as well as each time you shop, giving you $5 off if you spend $20 or more. This weekend I was able to buy a weeks worth of fresh fruits and veggies and I only spent $15! :-)

Yesterday I walked down there with the kids to buy some granola bars and popcorn- which are the only pre-made snacks I allow in the house at the moment. My reason for this is to resist temptation, plus to try and encourage snacking healthier. I still love baked goods, and crave them often. But I keep the ingrediants on hand and I can make them at home. Doing it this way makes me think twice.

It's easy to grab some cookies to snack on and blow my diet for the day if I have a package in the cabinet. But if I have to take the time to make them from scratch, I start to think if I am really hungry, or just bored. A lot of the time I'm just bored, and it's much easier to pass up on a cabinet full of ingrediants than it is to pass up a cabinet full of snacks!

Anyway, while I was at the store yesterday, my daughter wanted some chips, and my son wanted cookies. I gave them the choice between animal crackers and goldfish- but told them they had to agree because I would only buy one extra snack. After wandering the aisles and debating for a good 20 minutes- they finally picked a snack they could agree on.

Strawberries. :-)

Seeing my kids pick fresh fruit as a snack for the day, and how excited they were to be able to eat them after dinner made me feel great. I realize that, even if my scale isn't budging- I must be making the right choices. Because my kids are starting to see fruits and veggies as a snack, and not just something they "have" to eat.

I know I need to start seeing more of these "non-scale victories" so that I don't get discouraged. I found the Sparkpeople Healthy Lifestyle Scale today, and put in my information for yesterday. I think I am going to try and do that several times a week, to make sure I am staying on track.

Weekly Goals (Wednesday & Thursday)

2008-07-25T01:18:00.000-07:00

Just to track my progress with my weekly goals so I don't forget about them...

Water- at least 64oz a day (320 oz)

Monday: 64 oz
Tuesday: 64 oz
Wednesday: 32 oz
Thursday: 64 oz
Friday:
Totals: 224 oz

Cardio- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)

Monday: 30 min jog
Tuesday: 15 min. step & 16 min. boxing (Wii Fit)
Wednesday: 30 min. (jog)
Thursday: 30 min. (jog), 20 min. (walk), 20 min. (Wii Fit aerobics)
Friday:
Totals: 161 min.

Strength- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)

Monday: 20 min. yoga & 20 min. strength training.
Tuesday: 14 min. yoga & 18 min. strength training
Wednesday: 0 min.
Thursday: 20 min. yoga & 11 min. strength
Friday:
Totals: 103 min.

Food Journal- track calories on sparkpeople (5 days)

Monday: 1,097 calories
Tuesday: 1,342 calories
Wednesday: didn't track
Thursday: didn't track
Friday:
Totals: 2 days

Fruits & Veggies- at least 3 servings a day (15 servings)

Monday: 4 servings
Tuesday: 5 servings
Wednesday: 5 servings
Thursday: 5 servings
Friday:
Totals: 19 servings

Weekly Goals (Tuesday)

2008-07-23T00:39:00.000-07:00

Just to track my progress with my weekly goals so I don't forget about them...

Water- at least 64oz a day (320 oz)

Monday: 64 oz
Tuesday: 64 oz
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 128 oz

Cardio- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)

Monday: 30 min jog
Tuesday: 15 min. step & 16 min. boxing (Wii Fit)
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 61 min.

Strength- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)

Monday: 20 min. yoga & 20 min. strength training.
Tuesday: 14 min. yoga & 18 min. strength training
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 72 min.

Food Journal- track calories on sparkpeople (5 days)

Monday: 1,097 calories
Tuesday: 1,342 calories
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 2 days

Fruits & Veggies- at least 3 servings a day (15 servings)

Monday: 4 servings
Tuesday: 5 servings
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 9 servings

Weekly Goals (Monday)

2008-07-22T01:06:00.000-07:00

Just to track my progress with my weekly goals so I don't forget about them...

Water- at least 64oz a day (320 oz)

Monday: 64 oz
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 64 oz

Cardio- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)

Monday: 30 min jog
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 30 min.

Strength- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)

Monday: 20 min. yoga & 20 min. strength training.
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 70 min.

Food Journal- track calories on sparkpeople (5 days)

Monday: 1,097 calories
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 1 day

Fruits & Veggies- at least 3 servings a day (15 servings)

Monday: 4 servings
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Totals: 4 servings

Plateau

2008-07-21T09:23:00.000-07:00

I've been at 130 lbs for weeks now. It's getting pretty frustrating. I've been trying to exercise and eat right, I've even tried adding new exercises and changing my diet to get more water and more servings of fruits and veggies.

I'm sick of this plateau- so I am making a plan for this week (Mon-Fri) to see if I can get out of this rut!

My Goal...

Water- at least 64oz a day (320 oz)
Cardio- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)
Strength- at least 30 min. a day (150 min.)
Food Journal- track calories on sparkpeople (5 days)
Fruits & Veggies- at least 3 servings a day (15 servings)

Yoga Sequence Three

2008-07-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

I'm working on getting the pictures together of the kids doing their second yoga sequence, which is why I didn't post our new sequence on Sunday. Better late than never though, so here is the new sequence...

Sukasana (Easy Pose)
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)
Dandasana (Staff Pose)
Paripurna Navasana (Boat Pose)
Dandasana (Staff Pose)
Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
Savasana (Corpse Pose)
Dandasana (Staff Pose)
Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

Summer Challenge Week 2

2008-07-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd post the planned EOTD's for our second week of the summer challenge.

Abs- Modified Plank (for added challenge, Plank)
Triceps- Seated Dumbell Triceps Extensions (for added challenge, Lying Triceps Extensions)
Glutes- Squats (for an added challenge Dumbell Squats or Skater Squats)
Upper Back- Boxer (for an added challenge Airplane Pose)
Legs- Lying Adduction (for an added challenge, Standing Adduction)

Kids in the Kitchen

2008-07-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Since I have been trying to focus on healthier eating habits for the entire family- I've started involving my kids in the cooking process. I've found this to be helpful in several ways, for both their nutrition and their education.

When it comes to nutrition, letting my kids help in the kitchen has encouraged them to try new and healthier foods. Instead of running to the convenience store for an afternoon snack- we make cookies or pretzels at home, with healthy substitutes to the recipes. We use skim milk instead of whole, low-sodium salt instead of regular salt, splenda instead of sugar, etc... to create some healthy (or at least healthier) snacks.

When it comes to my daughter- getting in involved gets her to eat more of what she should be having. In the past, she has balked at at anything green- peas, broccoli, green beans, lettuce, etc... Letting her help me make a salad for dinner gets her excited about it, and she can't wait to try the uhlissus (delicious) food she has prepared!

Plus, they have the educational benefits that come along with cooking. I have the opportunity to talk to them about healthy foods and the importance of nutrition. They have the opportunity to count and measure, we even pick foods based on a letter of the day sometimes.

For example- with the letter C we can have cereal for breakfast, grilled cheese for lunch, chicken, corn, and carrots for dinner! Today we studied the letter "P" and they've had peach flavored yogurt with their breakfast, pears and peanut butter sandwhiches for lunch, we made homemade pretzels and they're having pork chops and peas for dinner!

Sure, it takes a little more effort, and often a lot more clean up- but the benefits to them overall, health and educational, make it well worth the little extras!

Summer Challenge Week 1

2008-07-07T10:21:00.000-07:00

I am a co-captain for the Mom's Losing Weight end of summer challenge. One of the things I am going to try and do is have an exercise of the day for Monday-Friday. I thought I would post the exercises I am planning here, to serve as a reminder to me, and also to give me a work-out plan for the week.

I wanted to focus on a different body part for each day of the week, so here is what I decided on...

Monday- Abs/Obliques
Tuesday- Arms
Wednesday- Glutes/Hamstrings
Thursday- Back/Shoulders
Friday- Legs

The EOTD will be taken from Sparkpeople (it's probably obvious by now that sparkpeople is my go-to for fitness information!)

Here is the plan for week one...

Abs- Crunches (for an added challenge, Crunches w/Twist, Reverse Crunches, or Dumbell Crunches)
Arms-Modified Pushups (for added challenge Pushups, Decline Pushups, or Incline Pushups)
Glutes- Bridges (for an added challenge Bridge Ups)
Back- Back Extension (for an added challenge Superman or Swimming)
Legs- Lying Abduction (for an added challenge Standing Abduction)

Yoga Sequence Two

2008-07-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

The kids really enjoyed learning their first yoga sequence, particularly The Boy. The Girl had fun with it- but she wasn't doing it "right". At this point, though, correctness is not a concern of mine. I want them to have fun, and to learn from an early age that being active and healthy is fun. So who cares if she goes from downward facing dog to a sommersault- at least she is enjoying being healthy!

Here is a demonstration from The Boy of sequence one (pay no attention to the ridiculous pajamas!)...

Hero Pose

Child's Pose

Cow Pose

Cat PoseDownward Facing Dog

Cat Pose

Cow Pose

Child's Pose

Hero's Pose

I've been working on a new sequence for the kids, but I am unsure about it. I am trying to incorporate poses that the kids have attempted alongside me- so we will see how it goes.

Here is what we're going to try...

Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
Upward Salute (Urdhava Hatasana)
Standing Half Forward Bend (Ardha Uttanasana)
Plank Pose
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
Warrior Pose (Virabhhadrasana)
Upward Salute (Urdhava Hatasana)
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

Healthy Nutrition for Kids (Part One)

2008-07-03T02:27:00.000-07:00

I'm calling this post Part One because I got the information on kid's nutritional needs from a sparkpeople article, part of a two-part series. I will probably read and post about the second article soon, just not tonight. Article one can be found HERE.

Lately I've been looking closely at our family's diet as a whole. I realized that while I tend to track my own calories and nutritional needs very carefully to lose weight- I don't spend as much time as I should monitering my kids diets.

So I decided to take a good hard look at what they are eating- and I kept a food journal for them for today.

The breakdown of what they're getting and what they need according to the food pyramid...

Grains: 5 servings today (Recommended: 6-9 servings)
Vegetables: 1 serving today (Recommended: 3-4 servings)
Fruits: 2 servings today (Recommended: 2-3 servings)
Dairy: 5 servings today (Recommended: 2-3 servings)
Meats and Beans: 2 servings today (Recommended 2-2.5 servings)

This is a pretty typical day for us, so overall I think their diet is not too bad. I definately need to work in more grains and vegetables, and apparently I need to cut back on dairy a bit. I've been giving them a glass of milk with every meal- but add in milk on their cereal, cheese on sandwhiches, and yogurt- and it tends to add up to more than the recommended amount.

Actually, to be honest, I am still not clear on whether or not I should worry about how much dairy they are getting. I know the food guide serves as a recommended minimum, is it also a recommended maximum? I'm not sure.

Whatever it is, I am going to look up a few recipes for breads and biscuits that I can make with our meals- I think adding a bread to dinner would be an easy way to increase their grains. And then all I need to do is figure out how to work more veggies in to their diet (and mine as well!)

July Goals

2008-06-30T18:19:00.000-07:00

I still plan to continue this 90 day challenge. I know I won't meet my goal, but I am going to see it through. Still, with the beginning of a new month, I also want to set some new goals for myself. There are several things that I think I need to focus on, so I will have more goals this time. I'm dividing them into three main categories: Fitness, Nutrition, and Personal.

July Fitness Goals:

31 days of yoga
30 miles on the treadmill
Create a schedule for strength training (and stick to it!)

July Nutrition Goals:

Begin taking a daily multivitamin (again)
Make sure I get at least 64 oz of water each day
Track calories each day (even on "cheat" days)
Focus on getting more fruits and vegetables each day

July Personal Goals

Begin planning a healthy menu for my family that is good for both our nutritional needs AND our budget!
Make sure I do at least one active things with the kids each day
Focus on getting more organized and reducing stress

Hopefully now that I have gotten these goals written down, I can begin to really focus on doing what I need to do to have a healthier lifestyle overall. So far, my focus has been so much on losing weight- that I feel I am going to be completely unprepared when I actually do reach my goal weight. I am hoping that I can create a plan that will allow me to continue to eat right and remain active even after I no longer feel like I have to do daily battle with the scale!

Yoga

2008-06-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

I've been practicing Yoga for about three months now, and I am really enjoying it. I definately don't consider myself an expert- but I feel fantastic on the days that I do my workouts.

We're getting rid of cable soon, so I will be losing the Namaste Yoga program on Fit TV. I am looking around right now, trying to find a few DVD's. I think we are going to get a membership to Blockbuster video so I can rent a few DVD's and try them out first.

Until then, I am using several websites to find out more- as well as the Wii Fit's Yoga program. I've been told that, eventually, there will be a Wii game just for yoga- and I am really looking forward to that.

My kids are enjoying Yoga too- especially The Boy. He likes to try and do the poses along with me, and tells me "this is so fun!" So I've decided to try and teach them some yoga poses to do. Starting with some very simple ones, creating a little mini-sequence for them to "practice". My plan right now is to work out a mini-sequence (3-5 poses) and teach them a new one each Sunday. The poses I am teaching them come from Yoga Journal.

Sequence Number 1: Sunday June 29th- Saturday July 5th

Begin in Hero Pose
Move down into Child's Pose
Come up to Cat pose
Transition into Cow Pose
Move back into Downward Facing Dog
Come back down to Cow Pose
Transition Back to Child's Pose
End in Hero Pose

Day 81- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-06-29T11:08:00.000-07:00

This challenge is coming to an end very quickly, and I am still 10lbs away from my goal. Part of me is glad, because I did get half-way there- and that means there are 11 lbs gone for good. A large part of me is disspaointed in myself though. Still, I am going to see this through. I might not be at 120 on the 8th- but I'm going to see how close I can get!

My goals

Reach LTG of 120lbs- My weigh-in yesterday was 130, up a pound from last week, putting me 10 lbs away from my goal
2,000 minutes of exercise: Goal met. As of last count I have done 2,617 minutes of exercise
Give up red meat: Goal met! I don't even remember the last time I had red meat right now!
Tone up and add muscle- I am not feeling all that confident about this one. I will see how I feel when I take my measurements at the end of this challenge.

Day 70- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-06-17T21:47:00.000-07:00

I am slowly getting back on the ball with this. My weight is up a little today, but we ate pretty horrible during the Father's Day weekend (there was cheesecake involved!) so I am not surprised at all.

Diet

This has been pretty poor, although the last two days I seem to have gotten myself back on track, so that has to count for something!

Exercise

Also pretty poor, but I started exercising again on Sunday and haven't missed a day yet (and yes, I know 3 days is nothing to cheer about, but it's something!) I ordered a manual treadmill this weekend, it should be arriving next week, and I am really looking forward to that! Plus, I got That Guy Wii Fit for Father's Day- and I think I am enjoying it more than he is! I've been using it these last three days, it's definately a fun way to spice up my workout routine. I think boredom was a major reason for falling off the wagon, and this is a fun way to get moving again.

Goals

Get to LTG of 120lbs- Today I weighed in at 130.8 lbs, Up 1.6lbs from day 59, but not too bad considering the weekend I had. This puts my loss at 10.4 lbs out of 21.2lbs to lose, putting me 49.05% of the way to my goal.
2,000 exercise minutes- Goal met! As of today I have done 2,105 minutes of exercise
Give up red meat- Goal Met! I haven't had red meat in over a month.
Tone up & add muscle- Still working on this!

Day 61- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-06-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

I definately fell off the wagon lately- but I wanted to try and get my focus back! I don't really know what happened- I got sick and then after that I just couldn't seem to find the energy or the will to get back on the ball.

Goal:

Get to LTG of 120lbs- As of Friday (Day 59) I weighed 129.2lbs, I am 56.6% of the way to my weight-loss goal.
2,000 exercise minutes- As of earlier today I have gotten 1,917 minutes of exercise in, so I am 95.85% of the way to that goal.
Give up red meat- Goal Met! I haven't had red meat in over a month.
Tone up & add muscle- Still working on this!

Day 36- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-05-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

I'm not very good about remember to keep up with blogs, so this post is a day late. I am still trying to stay on track though!

Diet

My diet is jumping off and on course a lot lately. I either do really well or really bad it seems. I need to learn how to have a cheat without actually blowing the entire day. I don't want to feel like I can't ever treat myself, but I need to learn to control those treats- limit them to one meal, or one serving size, etc....

I'm still doing good with the no red meat thing, and I am considering cutting out pork as well. We are due for a grocery shopping trip this weekend, so I am going to try and plan up a menu so I know what to buy, and see how much more it would cost if I bought pork and beef for my husband and kids, and extra chicken or fish for myself on those nights.

Exercise

Like diet, it's up and down. I either get in all the exercise I am planning for the day, or none at all. I need to work on that- find ways to incorporate a little in, even if I can't do what I had planned.

I didn't really add the videos back in as planned- I still need to start doing that!

Goals

Reach LTG of 120 lbs: As of Friday I have lost 8lbs out of the 21.2 lbs I want to lose this challenge, putting me 37.73% of the way to my goal.
Cut out red-meat: I am on track with this one, so that at least is a plus. There is no more red-meat in the house, and I don't plan to buy any more.
2,000 exercise minutes: As of today, I have done 1,761 minutes of exercise, putting me 88.05% of the way to my goal. I'd like to get to 2000 minutes by Day 45, and then I might double my exercise goal.
Tone up & add muscle: I never did post my measurements on Day 30, although I did take them. Day One- Waist 30" & Hips 35" Day 30- Waist 29" & Hips 33". So I have lost a total of 3" since starting this, that's got to count for something!

Day 30- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-05-08T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm still here, although I didn't update on day 25 like I had planned. 25 fell over the weekend, and my computer time is limited then because I try to spend as much time with the family as possible on weekends.

My weigh-in this morning was 134.6, down only 0.8 lbs in the last 10 days. I'm a little frustrated with this slow going- I'm ready for a good weigh-in to come along! I understand why it's not so great right now though. This week was an AF week, and between that and my husband and two kids all getting sick, I haven't done much exercise. Hopefully I can pick up the slack- I need a good kick in the butt right now!

Diet

I think that my diet has been better. I still fall back to eating out if I have had a bad day and don't want to cook, and I need to work on that. However, I was proud of myself on Friday. Friday is our normal cheat night/date night- and I talked my husband into going for Subway instead of any other fast food.

Exercise

I'm still feeling that rut- it's gotten old! I am still trying to keep up with running, so I made it my goal to do 17 outdoor runs in the month of May. I've done 4 so far, so I am going to have to try and do another one today. I also set a personal goal to do Yoga 20 times this month, and only have 3 of those completed- so it's time to get cracking!

Goals

Go from 141.2- 120lbs: I've lost a total of 6.6lbs so far, with my goal being 21.2lbs. So I am 31.13% of the way to my goal.
Stop Eating Red Meat: I think I can consider this one a success!
2,000 minutes of exercise: As of yesterday I have done 1,453 minutes of exercise, putting me 72.65% of the way to my goal.
Tone & add muscle: I'm still not seeing any visual evidence of this.

I wanted to do measurements today, but right now do not want to go wake my husband up searching for the tape. So I will try to update with that information later.

Day 20: Transform Your Body Challenge

2008-04-28T09:25:00.000-07:00

My weigh-in today was 135.4lbs, so only down 0.6lbs in the last 10 days. I'll admit, I was definately hoping for a more impressive weigh-in. However, I realize that I did have several struggles with motivation and getting my eating in check, so I'll take what I can get.

Diet

I am trying to get things heading in the right direction with this. We're heading to the grocery store soon, so I am going to try and stock up on healthy choices, and as few pre-packaged things as I can get away with.

Exercise

I'm feeling a mixture of motivation and being stuck in a rut. I completed the Couch 2 5K program, which is great, but in my focus on that I've slacked off in all other areas. I definately need to re-focus and push harder.

Goals

Go from 141.2- 120lbs: I've lost a total of 5.8lbs so far, with my goal being 21.2lbs. So I am 27.35% of the way to my goal.
Stop Eating Red Meat: I've been successful with this one so far.
2,000 minutes of exercise: As of yesterday I have done 1,079 minutes of exercise, putting me 53.95% of the way to my goal.
Tone & add muscle: I'm still not seeing any visual evidence of this.

Day 15- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-04-23T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm a little over 2 weeks into this, and I've reached a point where my motivation is slowing and my eating is reflecting that. It's always hard for me to stay on track, and after about a week or two I tend to sabatoge myself. Sad to say I'm about par for the course.

Diet

I've been slacking off. My daughter had her birthday on Saturday, and I tried to be very careful and plan all my meals to reflect that. But somehow it didn't work out well, and Monday my scale was showing 142! I don't know how I could have gained 6 pounds from Friday- but Monday night I just said screw it all and bought ice cream. I've been trying to get back in line since then, but I have a feeling I am not going to have a good weigh-in next time, and that frustrates me.

Exercise

I don't feel like I am challenging myself right now, I really think I need to change things up. I dropped the belly-dancing because I'm just not graceful enough! I am still doing the yoga, but not every day, I need to go back to doing it daily. I am also still doing the runs- that's the only time I feel challenged- but I only have 5 runs left before I finish the program. I am going to have to figure out what I am going to do to keep challenging myself when my Couch 2 5K program is done.

I've been neglecting my videos in favor of yoga on the DVR- I think I am going to try and do both for a little while and see if that helps things out.

Goals

Reach LTG of 120 lbs: As of Friday I was 16 lbs from my goal, hopefully I can get myself back on track and show a loss when I weigh-in for this challenge on Monday.

Cut out red-meat: I am on track with this one, so that at least is a plus. There is no more red-meat in the house, and I don't plan to buy any more.

2,000 exercise minutes: In the last 15 days I have logged 715 exercise minutes, putting me 37.75% of the way to my goal.

Tone up & add muscle: I'm not really seeing any difference here. I will take measurements on days 30, 60, and 90, so hopefully those numbers will reflect a change.

Day 10- 90 Day "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-04-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

I've reached my first official "weigh-in" of this challenge, and I'm definately pleased. I weighed in this morning at 136lbs, I haven't been that low in over a year!!

Diet

My eating has been pretty good. I cooked the last of the red meat last night, and don't plan to buy any more-so I should be on track with that goal soon. I've been doing better about tracking my calories and planning some meals in advance.

Exercise

This has been awesome this week, I am really feeling on top of this. I've done Yoga almost every day, and gone running most days too. I'm definately feeling motivated right now!!

Progress

Go from 141.2lbs- 120lbs: Weigh in at 136lbs, 5.2lbs down, 16 to go! I am 23.58% of the way to my weight-loss goal.
Cut out red meat: I'm "officially" starting this as of today, so we'll see how it goes!
2,000 exercise minutes: 505 minutes down, 1,495 to go! I am 25.25% of the way to my exercise goal!
Add muscle, tone up: this is a hard one to judge, I think I am on track but I can't really tell!

Day 5- "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-04-13T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I've reached my first official "check in" point on this journey. So far, so good.

Diet

I've been pretty good. I stayed in my calorie range Wed-Fri, although I did have a "sabatoge" moment yesterday involving Domino's pizza. I am definately a stress eater- and The Girl's continued potty training accidents had me pretty stressed. So when That Guy suggested we order pizza, I jumped on the chance.

I tend to have these screw ups about once a week, and usually a bad night leads into a bad afternoon the next day. I am determined to not let that happen though. I know that I can do this, and I am going to!

Exercise

Exercise has been going great actually. I've been running the Couch 2 5K program, and I am 2 days into week 5 right now. I am planning to do the third day today, and move on to Week 6 on Wednesday.

I've also added Namaste Yoga to my workouts (thanks to FitTV) and today I have the DVR set to record something called Shimmy (a belly-dancing workout) I've never been a dancer (I am so un-coordinated) but I thought it looked like fun, and I have read that the most effective thing to do when working out to lose weight is to keep your workouts varied.

Goals

Reach LTG of 120 lbs: not weighing in until day 10
Cut out red-meat: I only had red-meat once in the last 5 days, so I guess I am on track with that one
2,000 exercise minutes: in the last 5 days I have gotten 281 minutes of exercise in. 14.05% of the way to my goal
Tone up & add muscle: I've been told that exercises like yoga and bellydancing will give me the definition I am looking for, so if that's true then I am on track with this one too.

90 Day "Transform Your Body" Challenge

2008-04-09T01:16:00.001-07:00

The weight-loss board I am a member of recently had a thread asking if people were interested in joining a 90 day challenge to transform your body. The rules are fairly simple- you set your goals, and work on them for 90 days.

My initial reaction was "sounds great" followed quickly by "well, 90 days is a long time to commit to one thing"

I realized though that all I was doing was making excuses. After all, if I can't commit to 90 days of working towards being a healthier person- how on earth am I going to ever manage a healthier lifestyle on a permanant basis? So I re-thought my position and have joined in.

My official start day is today- April 9th. My official "end" day is July 8th.

My Starting Stats...

Starting Weight: 141.2 lbs
Waist Measurement: 30 inches
Hip Measurement: 35 inches
My Starting photos...

My 90 day goals:

reach my Long Term Goal (LTG) of 120lbs
cut red meat out of my diet
log (at least) 2,000 minutes of exercise
add muscle and tone up

I think I will try and report in how I am doing every 5 days to keep myself on track, and weigh-in every 10 days. Hopefully if I am holding myself accountable with this journal I will stick with it!

The Beginning

2008-04-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

This blog is a spin-off of my other one, The Devil's Dance Floor. I wanted something specific to focus on my journey to be a healthier person- so this is the place for that. My story thus far can be broken down into several sub-sections: pre-children, post-children, deployment, post-deployment, and renewal.

Pre-Children:

I was never happy with my weight and appearance, even from a young age. I remember my grandmother always commenting on how much weight I had put on, suggesting diets, offering to take me shopping to buy clothes to "hide" my figure. I remember being told I was fat in 5th grade, and 6th grade, and 7th grade (well, you get the picture!)

Even after I met and started dating That Guy, I didn't feel sexy or pretty. He told me he was, but I was still self-conscience about it. Looking back, I realize now that I was at a healthy weight. I might not have been active- but I wasn't as horribly over-weight as I allowed peers, family, (and myself) to make me think.

Post-Children:

Pregnancy was not kind to me, either time. I gained 50lbs while pregnant with The Boy, lost about 25 of it and then got pregnant with The Girl. I gained another 50lbs with her, putting me at my all time highest weight of 198 lbs! At my six-week post-partum check-up I weighed 178 lbs, and resolved that I was going to lose that weight and get healthier! 18 months later I had lost a meer 18 lbs. So much for progress!

Deployment:

We took family pictures before That Guy left for his second deployment. I was feeling pretty good about myself, until we got the pictures back and I realized how far I still had to go. So for the four months that That Guy was gone, I threw myself 100% into becoming a healthier person. I started calorie counting, I joined an online weight-loss group, I started exercising, and I lost almsot 30lbs. I was feeling fantasic about myself, and certain that I could keep it up!

Post-Deployment: I feel back into my old routines quicker than I anticipated. By the time we were ready to move from England, I had gained back all the weight I worked so hard to lose. I went through several cycles of half-heartedly attempting to lose weight again. I'd lose 10 lbs, gain it back again, lose 5, gain 15, on and on until this spring.

Renewal:

I have rejoined the online weight-loss group I was in before, and I am determined to get to a better place again. I came so close before, and I know that with enough determination and motivation, I can get there again. In the last 6 weeks I've lost 10lbs, putting myself back into the 130's. Little by little I am getting closer to my goal, and I know that I CAN do this!

I really do believe it's different this time. That Guy is trying to lose weight as well, so I don't have the constant temptation to cheat coming from him anymore. My children are old enough to play on their own for some time during the day, so I don't have to worry about when I can possibly fit a workout in.