So I am moving. I am so excited! We are moving into my kiddos school district. It will make my life so much easier...I am sure of it! But with moving comes sooo much to do! I got sidetracked for about a week and a half. The last few days I have been back on track and playing around with some changes.
I will be offline for a little bit while we get settled. We will move to the new house this weekend. I figure a week or so I will get another post up. Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you then!
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Weightloss Journey Update: Ups and Downs
The journey is hard right now. Ups and downs are expected. The downs suck. I have been completely sidetracked. I am exhausted mentally and physically. I am trying to juggle so many things. I started relying on food again. I am starting to recognize the emotional eating cycles.
I haven't worked out in a week and a half. I haven't actually cared. That's a bad place to be. I hate it. I skipped my weigh in last Friday because I didn't want to know. I'm going to guess a weight gain. My sacroiliac joint is acting up and has been creating pain and issues with walking at times.
My family and I took a three day weekend and went to the beach. It was nice to get away and have fun. We were headed down to Texas anyways to take my step-son home. Spent time with family while we were there too. While I was there I picked up an audio CD at a rummage sale. It is called Body for Life by Bill Phillips. It helped me refocus on my goals. It is getting me out of my slump.
I know I can be hard on myself. I think we are always harder on ourselves. What would I say to a friend? It wouldn't be things like: you suck, you're a loser, you should be ashamed, etc. Why do I tell myself these things? I would tell my friend it's okay, your mistakes don't define you, you can do this! These are things I should be telling myself. This goes back to affirmations.
I will make better plans. I will make healthier choices. I will get through this rough patch. I will weigh in this week, no matter what! I am already back on track today.
Sometimes I find that if I am going hardcore, a break is nice. It can jump start me back in to the game. The problem is when the break is too long and your old lifestyle drags you back. Not going to let that happen. I need to extend myself some grace. A week off isn't going to kill me. It's over. I can't change it now. I can only move forward and try to stay positive.
I haven't worked out in a week and a half. I haven't actually cared. That's a bad place to be. I hate it. I skipped my weigh in last Friday because I didn't want to know. I'm going to guess a weight gain. My sacroiliac joint is acting up and has been creating pain and issues with walking at times.
My family and I took a three day weekend and went to the beach. It was nice to get away and have fun. We were headed down to Texas anyways to take my step-son home. Spent time with family while we were there too. While I was there I picked up an audio CD at a rummage sale. It is called Body for Life by Bill Phillips. It helped me refocus on my goals. It is getting me out of my slump.
I know I can be hard on myself. I think we are always harder on ourselves. What would I say to a friend? It wouldn't be things like: you suck, you're a loser, you should be ashamed, etc. Why do I tell myself these things? I would tell my friend it's okay, your mistakes don't define you, you can do this! These are things I should be telling myself. This goes back to affirmations.
I will make better plans. I will make healthier choices. I will get through this rough patch. I will weigh in this week, no matter what! I am already back on track today.
Sometimes I find that if I am going hardcore, a break is nice. It can jump start me back in to the game. The problem is when the break is too long and your old lifestyle drags you back. Not going to let that happen. I need to extend myself some grace. A week off isn't going to kill me. It's over. I can't change it now. I can only move forward and try to stay positive.
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Life is a Balancing Act! Stress and Weight Loss
So this summer has been hectic to say the least! We had a graduation, a wedding, drove to Texas and back three times in June. My Grandma and Aunt from Washington came to visit. My son turned 13. Now, I can't believe my kiddos go back to school in a week! Time has literally flown by! Working on getting the kiddos to bed at a decent time is not going to be easy. They are already fighting me on it!
Last weekend my hubby's car left us stranded out of town. We then spent a few days looking for the right one to purchase for him. We were blessed with the great deal we found. On top of that we want to move closer to the kiddos' school. They actually go to school 19 miles south of where we live currently. Then I drive north for work. We may have found a rental and should know by tomorrow afternoon. We've been trying to move out that way for a few years but nothing stays on the market long. Although we know that everything will work out, it is stressful.
I have a recall on my van so I have to take it to the shop tomorrow to get it fixed. I get to take a shuttle to work...super fun. Then we have open house for school on Tuesday. Taking a long weekend before school starts to go to the beach and my daughter is having issues with her feet.
Typically when life gets out of hand I get distracted. I refuse to get distracted no matter how crazy life gets! This time I've just kept swimming...metaphorically that is. Ha! Plus I keep doing my affirmations. They really do help!
I'm continually tracking my weight watchers points in my food journal, exercising, drinking my water and getting my 8 hours of sleep in when possible. I follow the basics of weight loss. You can't go wrong by following these steps!
I had my weigh in two days ago. I am down 1.2 lbs.! Yay! The week before the scale didn't budge at all. Of course Aunt Flo was visiting for the second time in July. Thanks PCOS.
I am focusing on 1 lb. at a time. Exercising and eating healthy actually helps me through the stressful times. I did have my cheat meal today. I ate too much chicken alfredo and I had a glass of wine. It's okay though because next time I intend to only have the serving size on my cheat meal. Plus I went for a 45 minute walk after dinner and am currently at 12,246 steps. Now time for sleep...
Last weekend my hubby's car left us stranded out of town. We then spent a few days looking for the right one to purchase for him. We were blessed with the great deal we found. On top of that we want to move closer to the kiddos' school. They actually go to school 19 miles south of where we live currently. Then I drive north for work. We may have found a rental and should know by tomorrow afternoon. We've been trying to move out that way for a few years but nothing stays on the market long. Although we know that everything will work out, it is stressful.
I have a recall on my van so I have to take it to the shop tomorrow to get it fixed. I get to take a shuttle to work...super fun. Then we have open house for school on Tuesday. Taking a long weekend before school starts to go to the beach and my daughter is having issues with her feet.Typically when life gets out of hand I get distracted. I refuse to get distracted no matter how crazy life gets! This time I've just kept swimming...metaphorically that is. Ha! Plus I keep doing my affirmations. They really do help!
I'm continually tracking my weight watchers points in my food journal, exercising, drinking my water and getting my 8 hours of sleep in when possible. I follow the basics of weight loss. You can't go wrong by following these steps!
I had my weigh in two days ago. I am down 1.2 lbs.! Yay! The week before the scale didn't budge at all. Of course Aunt Flo was visiting for the second time in July. Thanks PCOS.
I am focusing on 1 lb. at a time. Exercising and eating healthy actually helps me through the stressful times. I did have my cheat meal today. I ate too much chicken alfredo and I had a glass of wine. It's okay though because next time I intend to only have the serving size on my cheat meal. Plus I went for a 45 minute walk after dinner and am currently at 12,246 steps. Now time for sleep...
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Meal Planning: Do I really have to do that?
In my opinion, the most important part of weight loss is meal planning. This isn't just, "what are you going to cook for your family for dinner?" This is what are you going to eat everyday, all day, day in and day out. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks...
It is time consuming while you are getting the hang of it and at times I don't want to do it. This is so important to my success though and to yours too. I can get bored with food pretty easily so I really don't eat the same thing for more that 3 days in a row or through out the week.
My family...okay my children...are pretty picky when comes to dinner. I am always trying to please everyone and make it healthy. Well, healthy-ish that is. This is where portion control and willpower come in. Sometimes they go M.I.A. Ugh.
Grocery shop once a week. Typically produce lasts this long before spoiling and I find that I save the most money doing it this way. I've tried to shop for two weeks at a time and plan to go back for produce and bread in between those visits...and I always spend more money than needed. Going to the store less than once a week...ain't nobody got time for that!
Once you get in the habit of meal planning it becomes easier. Plus the simpler you make your food, the simpler the planning is. I am not a chef and do not claim to be. I do have a Pinterest board named YUM!!! with a ton of recipes if you need ideas. (I can't promise they are all super health though!) My sisters and I also pin things we have made to my board Tested and Approved!!! I try to keep recipes to 5 ingredients or less. I also rotate meals. We have our staples that I make often like tacos, meat loaf, chicken, jambalaya and spaghetti to name a few. I use ground turkey majority of the time for it's cost effectiveness and less calories/fat.
I typically eat 5-6 times a day. I always have a drawer full of snacks at work. I also bring lots of produce. I was blessed with a love for almost all fruits and veggies. My go to items are carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, celery, grapefruit, watermelon, bananas, apples and berries. I will have pretzels with either peanut butter or cheese. Luckily no one at work eats other people's food so I can bring in a few days worth of produce and safely store it in a crisper drawer. I also keep oatmeal packets, almonds and prunes on hand. This prevents me from wondering over to the vending machine on breaks and I am able to stay on track.
Each week I make a grocery list. I always double check my cabinets/fridge to take a quick inventory of what I already have and what we are almost out of. Then I will plan a meal for each night. I will shop for my produced based on what is in season...you can usually tell based on the price. I do 90% of my grocery shopping at Aldi. I do not go out to eat for lunches but maybe a few times a year. I am pretty frugal and I refuse to spend money when it's not necessary. We may grab fast food once a month or so, go out to eat for a special occasion, or if we are out of town. Even when we go out of town I pack healthy snacks. Otherwise, I prepare all of our meals at home. It's the only way to control what I am eating and it's cost effective as well.
It is time consuming while you are getting the hang of it and at times I don't want to do it. This is so important to my success though and to yours too. I can get bored with food pretty easily so I really don't eat the same thing for more that 3 days in a row or through out the week.
My family...okay my children...are pretty picky when comes to dinner. I am always trying to please everyone and make it healthy. Well, healthy-ish that is. This is where portion control and willpower come in. Sometimes they go M.I.A. Ugh.
Grocery shop once a week. Typically produce lasts this long before spoiling and I find that I save the most money doing it this way. I've tried to shop for two weeks at a time and plan to go back for produce and bread in between those visits...and I always spend more money than needed. Going to the store less than once a week...ain't nobody got time for that!
Once you get in the habit of meal planning it becomes easier. Plus the simpler you make your food, the simpler the planning is. I am not a chef and do not claim to be. I do have a Pinterest board named YUM!!! with a ton of recipes if you need ideas. (I can't promise they are all super health though!) My sisters and I also pin things we have made to my board Tested and Approved!!! I try to keep recipes to 5 ingredients or less. I also rotate meals. We have our staples that I make often like tacos, meat loaf, chicken, jambalaya and spaghetti to name a few. I use ground turkey majority of the time for it's cost effectiveness and less calories/fat.
I typically eat 5-6 times a day. I always have a drawer full of snacks at work. I also bring lots of produce. I was blessed with a love for almost all fruits and veggies. My go to items are carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, celery, grapefruit, watermelon, bananas, apples and berries. I will have pretzels with either peanut butter or cheese. Luckily no one at work eats other people's food so I can bring in a few days worth of produce and safely store it in a crisper drawer. I also keep oatmeal packets, almonds and prunes on hand. This prevents me from wondering over to the vending machine on breaks and I am able to stay on track.
Each week I make a grocery list. I always double check my cabinets/fridge to take a quick inventory of what I already have and what we are almost out of. Then I will plan a meal for each night. I will shop for my produced based on what is in season...you can usually tell based on the price. I do 90% of my grocery shopping at Aldi. I do not go out to eat for lunches but maybe a few times a year. I am pretty frugal and I refuse to spend money when it's not necessary. We may grab fast food once a month or so, go out to eat for a special occasion, or if we are out of town. Even when we go out of town I pack healthy snacks. Otherwise, I prepare all of our meals at home. It's the only way to control what I am eating and it's cost effective as well.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
My First Weight Loss Video!!!
I have been working on my first video for youtube for some time now. Honestly, it's been complete for a month or so but I was super nervous to post it. I suppose I am fearful of judgment. It's going to happen, that's a given. I'm sure I'm judged regularly by others as is.
I think that if I can make a difference and help others that struggle with their weight/health then the judgement will be worth it.
I am super excited to have posted my first video! My son helped me set up my youtube channel and make the video. He's my behind the scenes guy. My daughter has been super supportive and encouraging through the process. She's my little cheerleader! Everyone needs a cheerleader!
Having a support system is crucial to your success. I'm very blessed to have my family and friends with me through this process.
I think that if I can make a difference and help others that struggle with their weight/health then the judgement will be worth it.
I am super excited to have posted my first video! My son helped me set up my youtube channel and make the video. He's my behind the scenes guy. My daughter has been super supportive and encouraging through the process. She's my little cheerleader! Everyone needs a cheerleader!
Having a support system is crucial to your success. I'm very blessed to have my family and friends with me through this process.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Dog Days of Summer...Still Need to Workout!
It is smoldering here in the South. Heat index has been 103-106 with high humidity. That alone will make you tired! Having the energy to workout is sometimes non-existent. I am an October kinda gal. I am ready for fall y'all!
I have a daily goal of getting in 10,000 steps, which is approximately 5 miles. I have a desk job so I spend my day setting at a computer but I move as much as possible.
I usually do at least one mile in the morning when I get up or a 15-20 minute quick workout to get going. Then I walk around on my two 15 minute breaks I get during my work day. Sometimes I will walk around at lunch as well. When I get home I try to do up to 2 miles or a 30 minute workout depending on where I am at with my steps and what I need to get done with my family. There are days that I do nothing...or next to nothing. LOL
An easy way to get physical activity in is walking at home. You get moving and stay inside in the nice cool air! I have been walking with Leslie Sansone off and on for several years. I have a handful of her DVDs. More recently I found her on youtube.com. I also like Jessica Smith TV for walking at home. Both these ladies do a great job of keeping you motivated during your workout. I do go to the park with my kiddos LATE in the evening and walk around while they play. I can usually only tolerate 30 minutes at a time. Did I mention I like Octobers?
My favorite workout videos are from FitnessBlender! I discovered them 2 years ago. I've got to try new workouts with them like barre and tabata /HIIT. They have over 500 videos. Fo' freeee! They are very knowledgeable and teach you proper form as you go through the workout. I highly recommend these two. Plus I am super thrifty and they help me stay within my fitness budget. :)
Although I have not been putting in heavy workouts the last month or so due to the ridiculous heat I am continuing to move and stay on track as much as possible. My weigh in this morning was 194.4 lbs. I am super excited about that! I have had a handful of off days...that's a given though. The struggle is real! Being healthy in an unhealthy world is hard work!
I have officially been blogging for one month (and a few days) and I have lost 7.6 lbs! My total weight loss so far is 42.4 lbs. Remember, fall down seven times, stand up eight! Keep going and you'll get there!
I usually do at least one mile in the morning when I get up or a 15-20 minute quick workout to get going. Then I walk around on my two 15 minute breaks I get during my work day. Sometimes I will walk around at lunch as well. When I get home I try to do up to 2 miles or a 30 minute workout depending on where I am at with my steps and what I need to get done with my family. There are days that I do nothing...or next to nothing. LOL
An easy way to get physical activity in is walking at home. You get moving and stay inside in the nice cool air! I have been walking with Leslie Sansone off and on for several years. I have a handful of her DVDs. More recently I found her on youtube.com. I also like Jessica Smith TV for walking at home. Both these ladies do a great job of keeping you motivated during your workout. I do go to the park with my kiddos LATE in the evening and walk around while they play. I can usually only tolerate 30 minutes at a time. Did I mention I like Octobers?
My favorite workout videos are from FitnessBlender! I discovered them 2 years ago. I've got to try new workouts with them like barre and tabata /HIIT. They have over 500 videos. Fo' freeee! They are very knowledgeable and teach you proper form as you go through the workout. I highly recommend these two. Plus I am super thrifty and they help me stay within my fitness budget. :)
Although I have not been putting in heavy workouts the last month or so due to the ridiculous heat I am continuing to move and stay on track as much as possible. My weigh in this morning was 194.4 lbs. I am super excited about that! I have had a handful of off days...that's a given though. The struggle is real! Being healthy in an unhealthy world is hard work!
I have officially been blogging for one month (and a few days) and I have lost 7.6 lbs! My total weight loss so far is 42.4 lbs. Remember, fall down seven times, stand up eight! Keep going and you'll get there!Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Failing Regularly But Still Fighting
I have been exhausted this past weekend. I napped for two
hours Saturday afternoon…then I made bad food choices. I did get my wellness
visit off my to-do list. (I love that my Dr. is open on Saturdays!) I am being
checked for the following:
- B12 Deficiency
- Basic metabolic panel
- Complete blood count
- Lipid panel
- Liver function panel
- Thyroid/Hormone
- Vitamin D Deficiency
I am eager to get the results but it could be up to a week
before I hear back. My moods have been up and down like a roller-coaster…thanks
PCOS…
So I was going to do a body cleanse over this past weekend
but I spent most of my time having a mini pity party and lying in bed. (My
kiddos were at their dad’s house) I did manage to drink a tablespoon of Epsom
salt dissolved in 8 oz. of water.
Usually it works within 8-12 hours. Nope. Nothing. Finally after 48
hours it hit me. Of course I was at the grocery store! Lucky me! LOL
I have felt all out of sorts for the past few weeks. It’s
like I started this blog to keep me on track and inspire others and I am a
giant mess! I know that I have to keep pressing forward. Yeah I struggled over
the weekend and I am super hormonal. I did go to the doctor to see if they can
shed some light on what’s going on. I also got right back to tracking in my
food journal, I continually hit 10,000+ steps each day, I am eating my fruits
and veggies and I am getting plenty of water in.
So I am not totally back to square one. I just have to keep
practicing to stay on track over the weekend. This seems to be my downfall. I
thrive in structured, planned environments. (Until I get super bored that is).
Maybe I need to structure my weekends more.
I am still doing my affirmations and I really have increased saying them more and more the last two days. I seem to be happier. Of course
this is one of my affirmations. ;) I am setting goals and moving forward. If you
aim for nothing, you’ll hit it every time.
I also signed up to be an AdvoCare distributor. I have been using their products for the past two years and I love them! I think this is something new and exciting and has breathed new life into me. As cliche as that sounds. LOL I do get bored easily.
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