What's up with me lately?!? I'm just NOT in the mood to exercise. It's gotta be the weather, right? Winter just takes the motivation right out of me. Blah. :/
I stumbled across this idea through Self Magazine that suggested a way to exercise proof your workout with a stack of index cards. Here's what you do: write down your biggest 'exercise barriers' on the front side of an index card. On the back, brainstorm all of the ways you can bust through those blockades. I know this may be a stretch, but bare with me because I'll pretty much try anything at this point. Here are my two biggest excuses: I hate winter and I'm too tired. Even just writing out these index cards gave me more motivation to get my be-hind moving! I'll let you know how it works out! :D
Yesterday was another good day! The sun was gorgeous and it was perfect for getting outside to exercise! I did my Slim in 6 workout in the a.m. and had some yogurt, granola and banana for breakfast and then followed the Couch to 5k system when I got home from school. For lunch I made my daily salad, which was so YUMM! I have a physical with my doctor next week so I had to go in and get some lab work done yesterday afternoon. It's always an uneasy feeling not knowing what it going on with your body and at the same time trying to lose weight and exercise. So, I wanted to be sure that everything was okay just to put my mind at ease. I am sure it will be!
Today was the hardest day so far. I guess you could say that I am tired and super sore. I know there comes a point where you feel like you've hit a bit of a wall and motivation is a little lackluster. However, I did both of my workouts today and still stuck to my meal plan. I knew I would be disappointed with myself if I didn't stick with it! I just feel exhausted and all I wanted to do was sleep all day long. I am just trying to stay positive and keep up my energy! Drinking LOTS of water and taking vitamins and supplements seem to help and hopefully I can feel better tomorrow!
I have fallen in LOVE♥ with almonds and Luna bars! Almonds are my new go-to snack between meals and the Luna bar took the place of my salad for lunch today! (I had plenty of fresh veggies too.)
For dinner tonight I made...Spaghetti & Meatballs! (the healthy way!).
Ingredients:
Whole wheat spaghetti
red pasta sauce
1 pound ground turkey
1 tbsp. rosemary
1 tbsp. basil
salt & pepper
1 tbsp. oregano
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix turkey, rosemary, salt, pepper, oregano, and bread crumbs together and form small meatballs.
Place meatballs on cookie sheet and cook about 25 minutes, or until done on the inside.
Pasta is cooked just like normal except that I used whole wheat pasta. I am a huge fan of turkey burger and I didn't think I would be. It tastes just the same as ground beef to me and it is so much better for you! It was de-lish! :D
*Speaking of better for you - Last night, I came across this website called NuVal™ Nutritional Scoring System. It was totally cool! Basically, it is a system that scores food on a scale of 1-100. The higher the score the better the nutrition. And it's coming to every aisle of our grocery stores - right on the shelf tags. (I looked up Safeway and it wasn't on their list yet so I recommended it and so should you!) But, how cool would that be to have something to help with picking better choices at the grocery store?! There is much more to it, so you should check out the website. I know that it would help me out tremendously!
Tomorrow will be the true test! I have two houses I am supposed to be at, my mom's and my sister's. I think what I am going to do is eat a meal replacement bar before I go to my mom's so I don't eat very much and then when I get to my sister's I will just have a sliver of dessert? I don't want to be rude and not eat...but at the same time I need to stick to my regimen! I know they will understand because they are very supportive!
I am feeling so energized right now...I have NEVER felt better in my entire life! I am so happy and PROUD of myself! On top of it my 5 year old son gave me the best compliment today that actually made me tear up a little bit! I showed him this picture from my SLIMQUICK website to explain to him exactly why I am exercising and why we are eating better food than we have been: I pointed to the girl on the right and said that I want to be able to go outside and run around with him for hours and not get tired. He said, "Mom, that sounds like a plan! But, I want you to know that I love you just the way you are." In that moment my little 5 year old sounded like he was so grown up and it just about knocked the wind out of me. I gave him the biggest hug and with a frog in my throat I managed to say, "Thank you, sweetheart." This is THE best day I've had in a long long time.
Today's Schedule: 50-minute Ramp It Up! workout plus 10-minute Slim & 6-pack. Instead of the afternoon workout I started the Couch to 5kplan because the sun was shining and I felt like I needed the fresh air. Connor brought some toys and played while I ran on the track, so it worked out perfectly! He's getting too big for a stroller (unless I splurge for a big jogging stroller), but he's not big enough to run along with me...so I'll have to figure that one out I guess.
Tonight, I made a fantastic dinner using a recipe I got from Tina @ Carrots N' Cake.
Sesame-Soy Chicken
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 4 oz chicken breasts
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 cup water
1. In a small bowl, stir together first 7 ingredients. Pour into a large zip-top plastic bag, add chicken breasts, and shake to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Remove chicken from bag, and pat dry. Reserve excess marinade.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute chicken until golden brown on one side. Turn chicken, pour in marinade and water. Cover pan, lower heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Plate chicken, and spoon sauce over it.
Per serving: 315 calories; 16 g fat (3 g saturated); 1,590 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 31 g protein.
I made some brown rice and had a side baby leaf spinach salad as well. The best part was that Connor loved it too! It was fantastic! I'm off to play 'I-Spy" with little man and maybe figure out a way to re-arrange my furniture to make room for the Christmas tree! I am so excited that the holidays are here! Have a great night everyone. :D
It's 6:30 a.m. It's still dark outside. It's probably raining. I'm a little bit sleepy but I am excited to start my second week of...??? I can't figure out what to call it. I don't want to call it a 'diet' because diets never work, or 'journey' because that sounds cheesy, so I am left with a question mark because I haven't figured out the right word(s) for what the heck I am doing. Total body/mind transformation? Oh god, let's hope so. If you happen to know the politically correct term(s), let me know! Anyways, I am up a little earlier than usual because I had some sleep anxiety last night and didn't sleep well at all. I don't know what the anxiety was about in particular but my mind was like the freaking energizer bunny, it kept going and going and going. I thought about working out, food, my grocery list, turkey, Thanksgiving, which led to Black Friday, which led to Christmas, which led to New Years! I just couldn't turn my brain off!
So here I am, thinking about my blog. I know the Oregon Fall weather is in full swing right now but I came across this really great idea for beginning joggers/runners. Couch to 5k isa gentle introduction to getting the body moving, starting off alternating between walking and running small distances, and slowly building up until after 8 weeks, you're ready to run 5 kilometers or 30 minutes non stop. If I use it in conjunction with MapMyRun.com I think it would be a great way for me to get back into distance running again. The Eugene Marathon will be on May 2, 2010 and I really REALLY want to train for it! Anybody else training for it?
Well, the sun is coming up and it's 7 a.m. which means it's time for me to tackle my first hour of cardio today! Have a great Monday! :D
WOO HOO!!!! I've finished the first week of Slim in 6! I think what I am most proud of is that I didn't give up! I followed the meal schedule to the tee and exercised my butt off. I don't know if I lost any weight because I don't own a scale. But, what's important is that my jeans already fit a little better and my whole body feels refreshed so I know it is doing some good! Today I did a Slim & Limber workout for 15 minutes which is just something you use on your day 'off' to stay stretched and be ready for Monday. I am nervous about next week because we go to the harder 50 minute workout which I have a feeling is going to kill me. I look forward to it though! This week was full of many different emotions and trials but in the end I am glad I chose to start this week because all the heartache and stress made me work out even harder. Working out helps so much with getting the frustration out! Thanks to you all for the kind words all week, for the encouragement and the friendship. You don't know how much it means to me! I'm off to enjoy a lazy Sunday (especially since I did an extra workout last night after the Duck game, because I was so wired! hahaha!) and watch some movies with little man and do a little grocery shopping for next week. Have a fantastic day!
I'll keep today's post short and sweet. Only got the afternoon workout in today...then went on a walk with Connor, brrrrr! Meals and snacks were about 1260 calories. It was a good day!
So it's the end of day three...whew! Did you know you had muscles right underneath your boobs? Cause seriously, mine are broken. Or bleeding. Whatever is happening...it hurts so good. haha!! :)
I've finished my dinner (last meal of the day should be 3 hours before bed) which happened to be awesome. Except for one part. I made the most delicious pork tenderloin, (4 oz or guesstimated about the size of my palm) which I have honestly never cooked in my life. With 2 oz of mustard, (again, I know, but I have to say I am getting used to the idea of using mustard now). 3/4 cup of blackberries over 1 cup of baby leaf spinach, with balsamic vinaigrette. The part I did NOT like were the 2 cups of cooked cabbage. First of all, I am NOT a cooked vegetable eater no matter how hard I try to be. I can eat the heck out of pretty much any vegetable as long as it is uncooked, raw, crisp, and cold from the refrigerator. For instance, why is it that I can pick and eat green beans from the garden without even worrying about washing it first but when I try to eat a bite of cooked or even steamed green beans I want to throw up?! It's pretty frustrating! For one, I think they taste so different and the texture, OMG *gag* *cough*... it's just awful! Connor on the other hand will eat pretty much any vegetable I put in front of him and then tell me that I need to eat my vegetables. I feel like I am living with parents all over again! haha! But, the one part about this 'diet' that I am on is the leafy green vegetables that I am supposed to eat with dinner. Here are the options they give me: chard, bok choy, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and collard. First of all what in the hell are the first three? I've heard of them but, honestly, if I have to Google something just to see what it is before I eat it, well...I am just not gonna do it! The three that are left over are a freaking nightmare! (If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share!) The least nightmarish was cabbage so that's what I went with tonight. And now I'm bitching about it. Don't worry about it.
After dinner I thought about this skinny B that I saw on t.v. today wearing a bikini and I had a conversation with myself, "I don't think I have any pictures from when I looked awesome in a bikini, all tanned and toned, with no cellulite or stretch marks, getting looks from cute guys and the occasional rotten old man which was really okay because I know I really did look good and why not soak it up because one day I'll be old and I should enjoy it all and..." OOPS...sorry, I kind of went off on a tangent there...*clears throat*...excuse me! Anyhoo, after this conversation with myself I realized, "Why am I talking about my bathing suit wearing self, as if it was a person who had died?" I can still be that person who feels good about their body and proudly wear a bathing suit. I just have to work for it. So that is more incentive to reach my goal. I don't want to give myself a time-line to lose weight. I know it can be a long process sometimes. However, perhaps by May 2010 I can be ready for the Eugene 1/2 marathon and even better maybe be bathing suit ready for next summer! How awesome would that be? I am already thinking about shopping, hehe ;) A girl can dream her wishes true if she wants something bad enough!
Today is day three! I started my new workout on Monday and I just have to say that it is totally kicking my ass! There are muscles hurting that I didn't even know existed, but it is only the beginning! I know that my body will only get stronger and healthier each day so that is what is keeping me motivated! I have a scheduled meal plan that gives me 1400 calories a day and so far I seem to be handling the cravings pretty well. The meal plan really follows many of the foods I like so that has really helped. It seems like diets I have tried in the past have really pushed a lot of crazy foods and I am just not the type of person to go outside the box.
My meal schedule on Monday was:
- Up at 7:30 a.m. with an 8 oz glass of water and then some light stretching followed by my Start It Up! AM workout that lasted 30 minutes. After the workout I did an ab routine that took 10 minutes.
- 8:30 a.m. breakfast which consisted of 1 cup of plain (nonfat) yogurt, 1/2 banana, fish oil capsule, 4 oz of 1% milk (I can't stand skim or soy, so I modified it a bit for me). (approx 325 calories)
- Pre-snack 8 oz glass of water with lemon added.
- 10:00 a.m. snack of 1 medium apple.
- Pre-lunch 8 oz water with my vitamins and supplements.
- 12 p.m. lunch consisted of 1 cup of baby leaf spinach, 1/4 cup of sliced cucumber, 1 cup of bell pepper, 1 tablespoon (or about 10 sprays) of balsamic vinaigrette (I used caesar vinaigrette), with 4 oz of diced chicken I had pre-cooked the night before. (approx 270 calories)
- Post lunch 8 oz water after lunch.
- 3 p.m. workout consisted of higher intensity Ramp It Up! workout that lasted 50 minutes.
- 6 p.m. dinner 4 oz of turkey on one slice of whole grain bread, with lots of veggies, 2 oz of mustard, 1 cup of sliced strawberries. (approx 280 calories)
*This schedule is only used for the first 6 days to kick-start the process. Then they give you free reign to make choices for yourself. I have a huge list of food to choose from so I can make plenty of healthy choices. Throughout the day if I feel a craving I grab some whole almonds or a luna bar (which are soooo good, btw) which help tremendously. For the most part I just need to watch the fast food and the amount of food I am eating. I am realizing that it is all about portion control for me. Other than that, I don't usually drink soda or eat particularly bad food, so I am hoping that this transition won't be so difficult.
Tuesday was a bit of a challenge for me because Monday night I went to the hospital to visit my uncle who had been battling lung problems since he was a child. My dad and he were good friends and roommates when I was younger so I have a lot of great memories of my uncle Jimmy growing up. Some of the family was there and they wanted to go home to get some much needed rest after the long couple of days they'd had. For me, I decided to stay because I didn't want him to be there alone in case anything happened. A little after 5:30 in the morning everything happened so fast that I barely had time to call my mom. He passed away shortly thereafter. I take comfort in knowing that he went peacefully and that he was not alone. With his health problems I didn't see him frequently but we emailed and talked on the phone now and then. It's always sad to lose someone but I am staying focused on being positive. Now more than ever I have motivation to get healthy for myself and my family.
After getting caught up on sleep yesterday/last night I woke up rested this morning with the sun shining and the energy to work out. It felt fantastic. I am excited to keep going! I have made an appointment with my doctor to get a physical. I think it's important for me to determine the general wellness of my body as I start this journey. Keep me in your thoughts and thank you for all your words of encouragement because they are REALLY helpful! Thank you everyone!
Tomorrow. It's always tomorrow. Tomorrow, I will start working out. Tomorrow, I will start eating better. Tomorrow, I will stop making excuses. Tomorrow I will start this fad diet. Tomorrow, I will fast for 7 days. Tomorrow I will hit play on that workout DVD that I have owned for 3 years. Tomorrow became my arch nemesis. Procrastination became my middle name. Something always came up, or so I thought it did. Among the many excuses were 'I don't feel good', 'I'm tired', 'I have too much homework', 'I need to get Connor out of the house and do something'. In all reality, I really am tired. The reason I am tired is because I am overweight and out of shape. It has taken me 5 years to finally be fed up.
Before I had my son, I was a svelte 145 pounds. I was healthy, active and most importantly I didn't over-eat. My first OB appointment I was 145 lbs. Over the course of my pregnancy I gained 54 pounds. At my last OB appointment I was up to 199 pounds! I had never been so heavy in my life. I had never had a problem with weight. I understood that having a 9 pound 12 ounce baby, I was bound to gain a few extra pounds and I think that subconsciously I just assumed that the weight would just fall off and I would be back to my old self within the year. I remember thinking, "My son is only 6 weeks old." and then I'd give myself a break. Then I remember thinking, "My son is only 4 months old." and then I'd give myself another break. After a year I got down to about 170 pounds without trying and then it just STAYED there. For about a year I fluctuated around the 170 mark. Then year after year it gradually started to increase. I went up to 180 for a year. Then 190 for a year. Everyone told me that I looked fine, I was so tall (5'8") that I didn't LOOK like I weighed 190 lbs. I kept thinking, "Are you people crazy?" But, I guess in some way I let it be okay because people were telling me it was okay. I used it as another excuse.
Then one day a couple of months ago, I randomly tore my rotator cuff and needed to go see the doctor. I maybe see my doctor two or three times a year. When I got called back they weighed me and I just assumed that I would see 190-195 like 'normal'. That's what I'd been seeing for the last couple of years at least. Then the numbers 210 came up. I seriously about had a breakdown in front of the girl. I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I honestly barely paid attention to the rest of my appointment because all I could think was, "Wow, I am actually FAT." I texted my best friend and said, "I weigh 210 pounds! I can't believe it!" She said (and I love her so much because she is my best friend and is truly oh so supportive all the time), "Well, you did just eat a bagel sandwich right before you got there, don't worry too much about it." In the back of my mind I was thinking, "Did I eat a 20 pound bagel sandwich?" I laughed so hard at myself. Then I cried. I cried because stress, anxiety, depression and general unhappiness had all crept into my life. I had started to avoid social situations. Which is so NOT me! All I can think about is seeing people I know and instead of them looking at my face first they were looking at my stomach first. Or not looking at me at all, which was ten times worse. I get the occasional, "Oh wow, I didn't even recognize you!" Or "You look great!" with the fake smile. People don't know this about me but sometimes I will be getting ready to go out for a fun night with my friends and I will try on 2-4 different outfits and get so disgusted with myself that I will either just not show up or cancel with some excuse that I made up. Then I sit on the couch, watch a movie and eat a bag of chips. Baked chips ARE healthier for you but I doubt they intended for me to eat the WHOLE damn bag. If I do go out that is why I am always late. Because it takes me at least 1-2 hours to 'get ready'. I wonder too often what people think when they see me. "Wow, she has gained a lot of weight." Or my favorite (which I got asked this year unfortunately), "Are you pregnant?" I have NEVER been so embarrassed in my life. I actually contemplated saying yes! It would have been so much easier than saying, "No, I'm just fat."
In the end, I am a little apprehensive about talking about this for everyone to see but I think it is important for me to stop hiding behind 'upper body-only' Facebook photos, stop hiding behind my son in pictures, stop wearing sweatshirts and jackets to hide the stomach, stop wearing jeans all summer long and avoiding shorts, and most of all stop avoiding social gatherings that I love and miss so much. So, a few weeks ago I heard about this Slim in 6 program. Probably one of the nights I was up until 2 am watching infomercials. I kept thinking about it for a couple of weeks thereafter. So, I ordered it. I'm a little embarrassed, but oh well. I am more embarrassed about everything else, so it can't hurt to make a conscious decision to stop being lazy and change what I don't like. Make a lifestyle change. I hope that everyone that reads this is supportive and will encourage me. Blogging about this for everyone to see my 'dirty laundry' gives me incentive to make it happen. I am going to start a daily blog about what I am going through and what I am doing to be a happier and healthier person. This is just the beginning...wish me luck!
Even just writing out these index cards gave me more motivation to get my be-hind moving! I'll let you know how it works out! :D
