Why Can't Life Be Stress Free???

The struggle is real. No joke intended. I can easily allow my circumstance to dictate my mood. I know that I shouldn’t. I constantly have to remind myself to STOP! Snap out of it! Appreciate this day, this moment. Right now in my life my children are not little anymore. I’m grateful but sad at the same time. My daughter, who is a pre-tween, tests me and my nerves daily. Regularly feeling like a failure. It’s very stressful and trying not to slip into past habits. I cannot say that I have been 100% successful at this.

How do you beat stress? It can come in many forms like a strong-willed child, a messy home, work, money, even your marriage at times. Stress will be present in our lives. But I definitely believe that you can work towards minimizing the damage it causes.

Laugh. Or even just smile. I like to get on Pinterest and look at funny cat pictures or gifs. YouTube has a ton of funny videos too! At work, my co-worker and I giggle most of the day in between phone calls or while we are typing. Just by talking in ridiculous voices or mentioning something funny our kids did. I am blessed to share an office with her. This really helps on stressful days. At home, my kiddos and I watch “Try not to laugh” videos on YouTube. I usually lose on the first clip. lol

Workout. Get moving! The other day I was sooo stressed out with deadlines at work, the house was messy, my husband left his lights on and his car battery died so I had to drive on the other side of town to help, and honestly I was a bit hormonal. All I wanted to do was EAT! I can’t say I was the most pleasant to be around but I did withstand the temptation to slip into old habits. I actually had a desire to sweat. I knew I would feel better. My daughter and I went to play racquetball. We only lasted 30 minutes because it was still probably 90 degrees at 8 pm. We had a ton of fun and were drenched in sweat. I felt sooo much better!!! It was way better than the alternative of my wallowing in my own self-pity.

Write it out. Because screaming at the top of your lungs is frowned upon. Not to say I haven’t ever done this. I journal regularly and it seems to help. I am able to get my feelings out and they seem less intense. Don't forget to express gratitude for what you do have. So often we get caught up with what's going wrong. I know I am guilty of this. Plus I love cute journals/notebooks! 

Put on music. I have music on all day at work (unless I take a phone call). I listen to it on my phone and keep one ear bud in. I have been listening to Pandora's Workout Radio station for about 4 weeks. If there is a song I don't like I just give it a thumbs down. I like how it customizes the station just for me. You can easily create an upbeat playlist to keep on your phone as well.  

Sleep. Go to bed a little earlier than usual. Make sure you are getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Take a nap if you can. I love a good Sunday afternoon nap! Granted I only get one once or twice a year but they are wonderful. I have even went to my car on a lunch break and set a timer on my phone for 20-30 minutes. Of course I try to park where no one can see me. This is also a lot easier when it's not the middle of a southern summer heat wave and I don't have to use the air.

There are so many more things you can do but these three are super simple and easy to add into your daily routine. Are there other things y'all do to beat stress? 

Making New Weight Loss Goals

So something wonderful happened a few days ago! I’ve been so busy with the weekend that I haven’t had a chance to post. I’ve been working towards this for what seems like FOREVER! I weighed in on Friday and I hit one of my goals! I weighed in at 199.2 lbs! I can’t stop smiling!!! I am officially in ONEderland!!! Now to stay there! 

I splurged this weekend and bought a new pair of workout shoes! They are AMAZING!!! I couldn’t wait to workout so I could wear them. My feet are grateful.  

So now what? I realized I need to set more goals. When I first started on this journey I weighed 237 lbs. My goal was to get below 200 lbs. and it seemed so far off. Six months later here we are. My next goal will be 180 lbs. When I married my husband in 2007 I weighed 184 lbs. 

Let’s do this! Happy and healthy. I’m taking life one day at a time, being present in each moment and consciously making good choices. 

 (This picture taken by my 12 year old camera boy right after my ONEderland weigh in on 6/24/16)

HERE is where my online journey began...

The Basics of Weight Loss In Plain English

Although the five things below may seem super simple, they can be challenging to complete everyday; day in and day out. They all work together to make a healthier you. Of course there are going to be days that you stumble and even fall flat on your face. But remember…fall down seven times, stand up eight. This is my new mantra. I have embraced it wholeheartedly. I have also been reciting the Serenity Prayer like crazy! 

1.     Drink water! This one is super easy for me. I LOVE water! When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do…okay the second thing I do is drink water. I will drink 8-16 oz. Some may think that sounds hideous but I really feel like it helps get me going in the morning.

2.       Track everything you eat. EVERYTHING. This one is so important but I sometimes I will avoid my journal when I make bad choices. Like not writing it down will cancel out the calories. Let me tell you, it most definitely does not. I do keep a food journal with me at all times. It’s really just a small notebook J I use an old version of Weight Watchers. I had joined meetings back in 2007. It’s what I know and it’s what I am comfortable with. As crazy as it sounds, it’s easier for me to track my points than to track calories. Since it’s an older version I follow it fo’ freeee. (I will do a separate post on that later).

3.       Get moving! It doesn’t matter what you enjoy doing, JUST MOVE! I really enjoy walking, Zumba, Tae BO, HIIT workouts and more recently racquetball with my kiddos. I actually talked the kiddos into doing a Tae Bo workout with me when I got off work the other day. Of course it was more of them just randomly kicking and punching around but it wasn’t horrible. It kept them distracted long enough for me to get in an effective 30 minute workout without feeling like I was taking time away from them.

4.       Get enough sleep. This is so crucial to everything. If I am tired I make really poor food choices and I am super grumpy. I function best on 7-8 hours of sleep. Preferably 8 if I have a say in it. Of course with the demands of children and life it doesn’t always happen that way. I literally have a bedtime and try to adhere to it regularly.  

5.       Positive self-talk. We become the voices in our head. It isn’t something you do once or twice. You have to do it consistently. I went through Lou Tice’s course, “Thought Patterns for Success”. I loved how much it helped me. Over time I fell back into old habits of negative self-talk. I would never say these things to others so why do I say them to myself? Currently working on getting back on track with this. Saying daily affirmations will play a big role in your success. Keep them positive and don’t use words that can be heard as negative like can’t, won’t and don’t. The "Thought Patterns" course teaches you to do them right before you fall to sleep. Just repeat them over and over again. I have also done them looking at myself in mirror. It was super uncomfortable at first and I didn't even want to make eye contact with myself. Over time it did become easier and I became more confident. Here are a few things you can tell yourself:

a.       I make healthy food choices.

b.      I enjoy exercising.

c.       I am strong in mind and body and spirit.

d.      I am losing weight.

e.      I am beautiful and loved.

Small steps to get you started on the right track. They may take some practice to make them a habit but your efforts will pay off.

The Journey Begins...

I am ashamed when I look in the mirror. My weight, my size, my fat is the results of my emotions…my inability to control the guilt and pain I have. The saying, “what you eat in private, you wear in public”, couldn’t be truer for me. When I’m sad, anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed I eat. When the past tries to escape the surface of my subconscious, I eat. Sometimes I eat until I feel guilty or even sick and I forget about the past…at least temporarily. 

I am tired of the cycle. I want healing. I’ve been here before. I have the knowledge of how to lose weight. It’s putting it in action. I’ve been working on my “lifestyle” change for six months so far (this time around anyways). I am currently stuck at 202. It’s been about 2 months since I have made any real progress. I am so close to entering ONEderland. I don’t know what’s holding me back. I really thought this would be the week…I worked so hard this last week. I know my sleep was lacking at times and I had a binge night that didn’t end well. But I picked myself up the next day and got back on track.

 

I’ve lost 35 lbs. over the last six months which is progress and for that I am happy. This plateau feels like failure though. I cried so hard after realizing that this was NOT the week for this stepping stone on my journey. It’s a BIG stepping stone though. I haven’t been below 200 lbs. in quite some time. It’s time to move forward. Fall down seven times, stand up eight. It can just be so hard sometimes…but so is being unhealthy and overweight. I have to continue for my kiddos, for my husband and for myself. I know that when I take care of myself I can take better care of them. I want to have energy to get things done, mark off my to-do lists. I want to keep my house clean. I want to enjoy time with my family. I want to have a happy and productive life. 

 My journey has just begun. I am ready to be the best me I can be and the best wife and momma I was meant to be. It will be a balancing act I’m sure but I’m up for the challenge. Join me in this adventure. It’s gonna be crazy at times, emotionally trying and downright hard. But it will be worth it. I am worth it! If you’re reading this, you are worth it too! 

We have one life to live and one body to live it in. We must take care of the bodies we’ve been given or we will not have anywhere to live. Dead. Super dead. Or even worse, we’ll live miserable lives full of ailments and aches and pains. Never fully enjoying life the way it was meant to be; full of happiness and joy. I’m bound and determined to enter ONEderland and never leave!