There’s been some changes happening around here lately. I have avoided the gym like the plague, I’ve been swamped by school work and the food I have been eating leaves a lot to be desired. This all has to stop now.
There really isn’t a reason to take care of myself. I worked hard all summer long to drop thirty pounds and I’m watching it pile back on. I do not want to be fat anymore, therefore I just need to stop. I know what’s healthy. I know what makes my body feel good.
I’ve decided to put a pause on my pricey gym membership for 60 days for financial reasons but that doesn’t mean I can’t work out outside. I have an ample number of yoga and work out DVDs and the plan is to start using them. Even just going for a short walk will help keep my body busy and the stress at bay.
Bedtimes have been getting later and later and I don’t want it to become a problem. I need to put the electronics down, do a mind dump and go to sleep at a reasonable time. I’m simply fed up with my own excuses. I deserve better from myself.
Moving forward I’m going to work on maintaining baby steps. Better choices snowball over time and slowly I will get to where I want to be. I need to remember that it’s not going to happen immediately. It’s a process and I need to enjoy it.
Since being back from vacation I have done pretty good about eating healthy. I guess there really is something about feeling like crap to motivate you to keep going. My official weigh in from after holidays was only +1 pound. It felt like a lot more so I’ll certainly take it. I would be disappointed if I said I wasn’t unhappy, one pound is still one more pound I have to take off.
As far as food choices go I have been fairly consistent. Yesterday was the only day I semi-slipped and went and bought a sandwich for lunch. It was one of the best sandwiches I’ve eaten though. Real chicken, home made bread and a ton of veggies. At least my slip up was relatively healthy.
I’ve struggled to get back into running since being back. My feet just don’t seem to want to budge. This morning I woke up super early to hit the gym before an 8am work meeting. The treadmill has a special way of kicking my ass. It is a truly great feeling and I know all my hard work will be worth it when the weight slips away and I cross that half marathon finish line.
When I stopped using weight watchers last week I was really excited. I felt a sense of freedom. I don’t know why I felt what I did but I liked it. The long weekend showed up and my good choices food wise fell to the wayside.
Friday night was Chinese food ad cupcakes, Saturday was chips and way to much salt and Sunday was a big family BBQ that included an insane brownie covered in cookie dough and a late night cheeseburger with Natasha. Monday was better. I had a migraine which actually mostly kept me out of the kitchen and away from junky food. As much as the headache was a pain ( it was probably brought on by crappy eating) it almost did a reset for my mentally.
When poor food choices start to snowball it can be hard to stop it from happening everyday. Sometimes I find it overwhelming. I’m so consistent for a few weeks and then it seems like I have 2 or 3 bad days. I really want to start figuring out what triggers me to weekend binge eat. There is just no reason for it!
My exercise as of late has been good but not great. Even with my vacation(!!!) coming up in a few short days I really want to amp up the exercise. My body feels great and my mind is clear when I am working out hard. Plus I still have that half marathon I’m training for, I can’t let that fall by the wayside.
This week my goal is to be consistent with my morning workouts and give it my everything. I can’t expect amazing results without giving my everything at the gym. In the evening I am going to keep up with my yoga challenge but I would also like add in a few easy realms to help stretch out my legs and keep the momentum going.
Monday’s are rough. You get thrown into a week of work, responsibility and stress. As soon as Sunday rolls around I start dreading the week ahead. Lately I have really found that taking an hour or two to plan and prep for my week makes a world of difference in the way I eat and in the attitude I have.
Sitting down and planning meals can seem kind of tedious at times but I find it really does make a big difference. Not only does it help cut down extra cost at the grocery store (no more mindless purchases) it also helps to streamline things when I’m in a rush. I don’t like to get overly specific with what I plan, mainly putting my focus onto dinners. What I eat at breakfast is usually a combo of a few core meals I rotate through. There are a few days where I don’t want to eat what I had planned but that tends to b a pretty easy fix. I’ll change up the protein or throw in a different vegetable and my tastebuds are satisfied yet again. Whatever I make for dinner is typically turned into a small meal for lunch the next day. It makes it super easy!
One other thing I like to do before the week starts is write my workouts on a calendar. Once I complete a workout I cross it off and continue on to the next day. There is something satisfying about seeing a whole bunch of accomplished workouts on a calendar. It helps keep my focused.
Monday mornings are important for me. They set the tone for the whole week and a few little steps help me ensure I’ll have a healthy and a happy week.
Do you have any rituals you do on Sunday to help set up a strong week?
Thank the heavens for iced coffee and air conditioning. This heat wave is making it seem impossible for me to get anything done. I don’t want to eat healthy and exercise feels pretty foreign. All I want to do is enjoy a few margaritas and sit around in the sun. Not the best thing for my waist line.
Today I am starting fresh and am going to make better food choices and be more active. It really can be as simple as a healthy breakfast. Right now I’m not even eating breakfast. I feel like smacking myself on the head. Breakfast is super important and I know better then to set myself up for failure.
Hopefully by focusing on healthier food and being more active I won’t completely fall off the wagon. My portion sizes need to stay in check and I need to be more careful about the amount of sugar I’m eating. I don’t want to undue all the work and progress that I have made. From here on in I going to make better choices.
What helps you make better choices when the weather is ultra hot?
I hope you all had a great weekend. Unfortunately the weather decided to do nothing but rain here. Rain is good but I will always use it as an excuse to be lazy. A nap or two was definitely enjoyed over the weekend. Sometimes low key is what is needed and I feel refreshed and ready to take on the week.
Over the weekend I found a new yoga website that allows you to stream videos. Do Yoga With Me is an all free yoga website that allows you to stream a video of the instructor and practice along. So far I have done a few of the videos and found it to be helpful. I still prefer to be in a class with the help of an instructor and the momentum of the class but in a pinch this works just fine.
These last ten days have been really hard for me to keep on track with my healthy eating and exercise. To help I am going to start making weekly goals which will hopefully help set me up on the path of success and keep my momentum going. This week my goal is to work out 5 times. I just want to keep my body moving for an hour a day at least 5 days a week. As soon as I start moving my body I find my eating habits seem to fall back into place, so with some hard work I will be back kicking ass in no time.
I am a total sheep when it comes to fads. You don’t have to pull any teeth to get me to admit it either. I like trying new things and juicing has been no different. The movie “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” is what pushed me to break down and buy a juicer. I know I am not alone in this. The movie is so inspirational. Essentially Joe Cross ( the man the documentary is focused on) decides to do a 60 day fast on nothing but juice. Seriously. Just juice. It sounds a little crazy but as you watch his body and his health transform you can’t help but deny the health benefits of the juice.
Now this juice he is drinking isn’t some pre-packaged, pasteurized product. This is fresh fruit and veggies (mostly veg) run through a juicer (he is using a Breville). What comes out of this machine is nothing short of a nutritional power house. Fresh nutrients and micro nutrients that nourish and help the body. If you get a chance to watch the movie you should jump at it. Even if you have no intention of doing a juice fast this movie still inspires you to eat healthy, natural foods and that is never a bad thing.
As soon as I found a place to buy a juicer I ran down and bought one and then headed straight to the store to buy as much organic produce as I thought I would need. Cucumber, kale, celery, tomatoes, carrots, beets and everything else I thought would taste good in a glass. I never took a photo of a the first glass of juice I made. Honestly it tasted a bit like grass clippings. I used way to much celery and it ended up overpowering everything else. I still powered it down and it wasn’t long after that I fell in love with my juicer.
This juice was one of the tastiest. I used 3 carrots, 1/2 cucumber, and apple and about an inch of ginger. It was might tasty. The ginger really adds a kick and gives the juice some interest.
This is the only juice I made that consists of only fruit. Not recommended if your diabetic just because of how much sugar it contains, but this juice tasted like a tropical island to me. This glass was 1/2 a pineapple, and apple, two oranges and a handful of strawberries. All I really needed to do was add vodka.
This juice was pure veg. Beet, kale, carrot, tomato, bell pepper and celery. I loved the rich purple of this juice. It is pretty amazing that only a quarter of a small beet turns everything into a gorgeous purple. I have never felt better than when I started including juice into my lifestyle. Not only is my body getting what I need but I just have more energy. I have also been eating really well and working out so the combination of all three has helped me get to a place where I am happy. The weight is falling off and the smile is back on my face. There really isn’t anything better in the world.
What are your thoughts on juicing? Have you ever given it a try?
Life has been pretty great lately. Normally I am one to look for the positive side of things but the last few weeks I have really made an effort to do what makes me happy. The nice thing about happiness is how simple it is. Sometimes happiness is an extra ten minutes of sleep or turning down going out one night. Sometimes its putting on my nicest shoes and hitting the town for a few drinks, sometimes it is just a matter of being content. Life has a funny way of working itself out and lately I have been incredibly relaxed. Making myself a priority has certainly made me a happier healthier person.
Last Sunday I weighed in and I hit my first mini goal! I was officially down 25lbs ( I have lost a few more since then) and it honestly couldn’t feel greater. I haven’t noticed a huge difference in my body yet but my energy has skyrocketed. It is easier to get out of bed in the morning and I have energy throughout the whole day. Everyone always asks how I have been losing the weight and honestly there is no magic trick. You all know that. Nothing but healthy choices and hard work make weight loss possible. I have my moments of weakness just like everyone else but at the end of the day you just need to remember whats important to you. Turning down a cookie has never hurt anyone (at least I hope it hasn’t).
My next goal is the 50lb gone mark and I am well on my way to getting there. I really want to focus on getting into the gym more consistently than I am. Keeping my body moving is a big part of having a healthy maintainable weight loss and as I lose the weight and work on my body things like running or yoga get easier and easier to do.
This last week has been fantastic as far as healthy eating goes. I finally feel comfortable in my healthy eating skin. I feel confident I can make the right choices, fuel my body properly and improve my overall health. As a bonus I am only 5 pounds away from my first goal. Hopefully I surpass that goal this week.
A few things have really helped me in getting my shit in order. First of all I don’t even allow myself to buy food that is going to tempt me. I still allow myself to indulge and have a treat every now and then. It is just preferable if I don’t have 10 servings available at all hours of the night. My self control is not that good yet. Another thing that has really helped me is loading my meals and snacks with fresh veggies. It sounds pretty simple but I did not get to be 100+ overweight by overindulging in vegetables. My body just feels so much better when I am eating a lot of veggies and fruit. I have energy, my sleep is better and overall I just feel great. The weight loss is just a bonus.
This week I really want to focus on getting into the gym and starting a work out routine that is maintainable. I have signed up for a 10km, a 5km and two (!!!!!!!!) half marathons so I need to get my but in gear. Now that I feel comfortable with the healthy eating aspect of weight loss it is time to kick it up in the gym. I know my body wants more and I am totally ready to let it have it.
What is your Monday motivation to kick ass this week?
What a beautiful day today. I woke up with a screaming headache and then promptly went right back to bed. Fortunately on wake up #2 I felt refreshed. Want to know something else that is even better then a headache free morning..
I am down 8 LBS!!
There is honestly nothing better than seeing a smaller number on the scale. It just reinforces that everything I have been doing is right. Choice by choice I will lose this weight and get healthy. I can not wait to see more weight fall off. My good mood is only encouraged by all of this spring weather. Last night I bough two pairs of flip flops in anticipation of tossing my flats and summer being here. All I need now is a pedicure so my feet look presentable.
{I am loving the Grande Carmel Macchiato – 140 calories of awesome}
Hopefully the rest of this week goes by quickly and the weekend can be here. Honestly I am looking forward to Monday at 9am. I will be done my midterms and have some time to myself again. Even better that Eric gets back from vacay next weekend. I can’t wait!
