Wow! It’s been a while since my last posting. But don’t worry! I haven’t given up on the journey! My work schedule has made going to the gym a challenge. I’ve only been going once a week to meet with my trainer while the rest of the week is spent with my butt in a chair at my desk. I admit that I have gained some weight back and lost some strength and muscle. But I’m doing my best not to let it get me down. This is just a hiccup, a temporary set back.

Luckily there is a light at the end of the overtime tunnel. I start a new position in a few weeks so fingers are crossed that I will be back to regular work hours. Regular hours mean my big butt can get back into the gym and put me back on track to reach my weight loss goals!

As for the food aspect of my journey, that has slipped a bit as well but I’m quickly getting back on track. I really enjoy eating clean and have been reading more about it as a lifestyle instead of a temporary fix. When I eat clean my energy is up, my weight goes down, I physically feel better and my mood is much happier. It works for me.

Well, this is going to me a short posting as it’s time to hit the hay.

I promise to start writing more frequently in the coming weeks.

Liz

It’s been an eye-opening week. I’ve been tracking as much as possible and what I have found was a bit of a shock. Ok, I shouldn’t say “shock” because it really wasn’t. I think surprising is more like it. I found that foods that I usually consider “good for me” are actually costing me a lot of calories. It’s not that the foods I’m eating are unhealthy, it’s just when you add them up into your daily intake, it adds up pretty quick. For example, I have been snacking on Greek yogurt. I consider yogurt pretty healthy and I want the calcium. But, the yogurt I was eating was 200 calories! That’s a pretty high caloric snack! Another example is my caffeine intake. I LOVE my Keurig coffee maker! LOVE IT! The k-cups come in different, lovely flavors and I can’t seem to get enough of vanilla cappuccino or mocha. But at 80 calories per cup, is it worth it? As you all know, I’m also an emotional snacker. If I have a bad phone call from a customer (and being in auto claims the calls can get pretty bad) or just a rough day, I reach for something, anything, sweet. That’s not good.

Last week I also had a bout of kidney stones which made me re-think my water intake. Not fun.

So, I took a look at my daily caloric intake and thought about what I could whittle down, trade for, or just plain cut out of my diet. I switched the high calorie Greek yogurt with 80 calories Greek yogurt. I gave up my cappuccino and mocha for flavored coffees (5 calories per cup) and fat-free creamer (10 calories per TBSP). Reaching back to my former vegetarian lifestyle, I traded my sweet treats for bananas and strawberries or whatever fruit is in season. Now some of you may say “but fruit has a lot of sugar and calories!” Look, we need to get off of the “fruit is bad” craze that came around 10yrs ago. It is a dangerous and sad fad diet, and I think you all know which diet I’m talking about. Yes, fruit has sugar and calories. It also has tons of vitamins, minerals and fiber that YOUR BODY NEEDS!!! If I’m going to snack on something sweet, I would rather is be a gorgeous orange instead of a piece of candy.

And thanks to nature’s little reminder to me about the importance of water, I upped my H2O intake quite a bit. The only downside? I’m peeing a heck of a lot more. But I feel much better. 🙂

These may seem like “no brainer” changes, but sometimes we need to reflect and realize that we forget about their importance. We need to remind ourselves of things we already know. And sometimes, Mother Nature, will do the reminding for us.

Liz

Word to the wise: Do NOT take a month off from exercise!!! As you all know I sort of took a month off from the gym back in December. Don’t ask why, I just did. OK, twist my arm! I took a month off because I had my photo shoot and got a bit lazy. Well, there was a week that I was actually sick, but the rest of the month was laziness. I’m regretting it now. Before my workout hiatus, I was up to running 2min straight, then fast paced walking for 3min during my 45-50min session. When I returned to the gym a few weeks ago I had lost so much strength and endurance, it was almost as if I had to start over. I struggled to reach 1min running. Slowly (the entire month of January) I’ve been working my way back to 2min and should probably hit that mark by the end of this week. My strength training suffered as well. I went from holding a plank for over a min, to struggling to hold a plank for 30 seconds and my overall endurance and strength has declined quite a bit. I WON’T BE MAKING THIS MISTAKE AGAIN!!! From now on I plan on keeping my workout schedule to 4-5 days a week. The days I can’t make it to the gym I will either workout at home or find an alternative to stay active whether it is I do some extra walking during my lunch breaks at works, or I try to workout at home.

I have also been upping my game by using some great tools to help keep me on track: myfitnesspal.com, my trainer Lauren, and my new Fitbit. My trainer talked me into the myfitnesspal.com app and it’s almost like facebook for fitness. You have “friends”, you track your food and activity on the app and your “friends” have access to it all (if you choose), and you can link it to your Fitbit app and your Facebook app. My trainer can monitor my meals and activity and help me adjust where needed. Just another great way to be held accountable for my calories and activity. I LOVE IT!! Now, the Fitbit is a whole new level of fun! I bought the Fitbit Charge HR last week and now I’m obsessed with it. It monitors my steps, calories burned, distance, floors climbed, AND my heart rate. The heart rate monitor does NOT require you to where the chest strap. You wear it higher up on your wrist and it monitors both your resting heart rate and your active heart rate. Fitbit even monitors my sleep patterns! CRAZY!!! I can link my Fitbit to other apps like Runkeeper, and as I mentioned earlier, myfitnesspal. Through the Fitbit app I can set goals I receive “badges” when the goals are reached. For example, when I reach 10,000 steps Fitbit vibrates. When I drink my 8 glasses of water, I get a badge on my app. The Fitbit is a fun tool that helps keep me motivated.

So, just to recap…DO NOT TAKE A MONTH OFF FROM BEING ACTIVE…EVER!!!! Just my 2 cents. 🙂

Liz

For info on the Fitbit, click here… http://www.fitbit.com

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The last day of the year.

Most people start thinking about making their New Year’s Resolution. Personally, I decided long ago to stop setting New Year’s Resolutions. Why? Because they are a setup to fail! You see, New Year’s Resolutions are set with the expectation that we will not follow through and will give up within the first month of setting them. “This year I’m going to quite smoking!” “This year I’m going to build my savings account.” “This year I’m going to start going to the gym and lose 50lbs!” How many people do you know that have actually followed through with their resolutions? None in my world. And when those resolutions fall through, no one is surprised or disappointed. Again, we set goals that we either know we cannot attain (or have no real intention of reaching) or goals that we laugh at for “trying.” Sad.

So, since everyone expects to fail at their resolutions, there is really no point in setting one. BUT, if you are truly dedicated to making a real change in your life, start by NOT calling it a “New Years Resolution” and instead call it a “positive lifestyle change.” By changing something as simple as wording, I find that I’m personally more accountable to stick to my goals, instead of giving up at the first setback, shrugging my shoulders and saying “oh, well.”

Last year was the first time I stopped setting “resolutions” and actually made a lifestyle change. And guess what? I’ve stuck to it! Ok, so I have slipped here and there. I’m only human. But instead of saying to myself “well, I tried” I just got back on the horse and kept riding! Now this month has been a struggle for me. I’m not making excuses. I like holiday food and I get lazy around the holidays. But does that mean I have failed? H-E-double hockey sticks NO! In fact, it makes me stronger to acknowledge my weaknesses, embrace them, and move through them. I don’t like giving up, I don’t like failing, and I really don’t like excuses. So, back on the positive lifestyle change train and let’s get 2015 started!!!

Happy New Year!

Liz

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Well, I made it through my 46th birthday. It was a little tough this year because I feel like I’m now past that “half-way” mark for age. At least I can say I’m physically in pretty good shape. Still moving forward with my goals in sight! I have lost 22lbs over the last year and a half and have another 20lbs to go before reaching my goal weight. It’s been a very slow process for me, but an educational one. I’m physically stronger than I have ever been in my life, and I’ve seen a lot of good changes in my figure. I may never get my 20yr old body back, but I have to say I’m looking and feeling pretty damn good! Happy birthday to me!

It’s also getting close to my 1yr mark with my personal trainer. She asked the other day if I was going to go it alone, or stay with her as my trainer. The answer is very obvious to me. Of course I’m going to stay with her!! When I first contemplated getting a trainer, there were a lot of things to consider. How committed was I really to exercising? Did I have time in my schedule for sessions? Was I going to wimp out at the first sign of heavy breathing? And the biggest question… could I afford it? Well, here it is a year later and I’m loving it!

People ask me about having a trainer and if it’s right for them. I simply ask them how far are they willing to go to get healthy? It is not a cheap investment, but IT IS an investment… in yourself! YES!! IT IS OK TO INVEST IN YOURSELF!!! You invest time, energy, and money. You are investing in your health and well-being. Our society is very focused on taking care of others, which is great. But what about taking care of ourselves? Many view investing in yourself as being selfish. I would like to argue that point. Taking care of yourself, physically and emotionally, is not selfish. By making and keeping yourself mentally and physically strong and healthy you are then able to be there to take care of others (family, friends, etc). If you are unwell, how are you going to help anyone else? We should not have to sacrifice our health and well-being in order to please others. You are the only “you” you’ve got. It’s OK to take care of YOU!!

With a personal trainer you have a guide, who really does care about YOUR well-being, standing next to you motivating you to push further than you ever thought possible. Their goal is to help you achieve YOUR goal. My trainer helps me stay on track and talks me through the days I struggle. In all honesty, if I had just joined the gym alone, I probably would not have gone as much as I do now… if at all. Having Lauren show me the proper techniques for exercising, lifting weights, using the machines, and running has kept me motivated. She pushes me to try harder and many times I surprise myself as to how far I can go, how much I can lift, and how long I can run. By having a trainer I feel I’m accountable for how often I go and how hard I train. I’m one of those folks that needs the extra push. Now, don’t get me wrong. A personal trainer is not for everyone. Again, it’s expensive and once you sign that contract you are stuck. But it truly does work for me.

Long story short (too late!), Yes, I will be keeping my trainer for as long as I possibly can! She is truly the best investment I have ever made in myself!

Liz

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Aaahhhh, the day before the biggest food day of the year. Scary time of year for those of us that are trying to watch or lose weight. Temptation is EVERYWHERE!! Overindulgence is our holiday pastime. It’s almost expected that we put ourselves into food comas. Well, I haven’t done that for years, and here’s how…

Hubby and I live two states away from our families so we usually celebrate with just the two of us. We used to buy our Thanksgiving favorites and cook dinner for just the two of us, but we would end up with left-overs that would just go to waste. Even cooking for two we end up with too much food…and too much temptation.

Luckily, we have found a couple of restaurants in our area that serve a traditional dinner with “all the trimmings.” I enjoy going out much more than all of the cooking. Let’s be honest, I suck at cooking. Why spend all of the money and time making a carb-fillled, calorie/fat exploding dinner for just two people only for it to go to waste…and waist?!?! By going out to dinner I get all of my favorites already portioned out for me and I’m not tempted to go back for a second (and sometimes third) helping!

Pumpkin pie? Of course! One slice isn’t going to kill me. Again, it is already portioned out so I don’t have to worry about grabbing another piece. My kitchen stays clean, and nothing catches fire. Then I have the rest of my day to sit back and relax in front of a fire with my hubby.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, darlings!!!

Liz

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I have a confession to make: I SUCK AT TRACKING! Ok, that’s not really a confession because you folks already knew that. I have struggled to track my meals since my very first Weight Watchers meeting about 10 years ago. I guess my issue is having to actually sit down to try to figure out the caloric value or points value of every ingredient I stuff in my face. It’s a pain in the ass, to be quite honest. But, it’s also an eye opener. And not always a good one. If something has more calories that what I expected I either will eat it and throw the tracking out the window for the day, or I will make a different food choice and spend the rest of the day beating myself up for wanting it in the first place.

I know it’s important to write everything down to make one aware of what their daily caloric intake is, and adjust their meals or workouts accordingly. But I find that all this does it makes me feel guilty about what I eat. Or even worse; frightened of eating in general! I’ve had this discussion with my trainer. I shared my fear of NOT eating enough because I’m afraid that everything I eat is going to make me gain more weight. Now, I know this is not true. But if you have struggled with weight the same way I have (pretty much my entire life) you know what I’m talking about. I get on a roll with weight loss, then figure “one little piece of cake won’t hurt” only to step on the scale the next day and see that I’ve gained 1-2lbs! Suddenly, I scale back my meals for the day and eat a lot less than I should just to lose that 2lbs, and to make sure I don’t gain anymore. I basically punish myself for having a piece of cake even though I’m perfectly aware that one piece of cake DID NOT cause me to gain 2lbs overnight.

This type of thinking is not healthy or helpful with my weight loss journey. I’m fully aware that tracking is one of the best tools for attaining and maintaining a healthy weight. I just wish it wasn’t such a “buzz kill.” Again, I know many of you know where I’m coming from with this. But, statistics don’t lie. Tracking IS very beneficial for weight loss and weight maintenance. I just don’t like it. BUT, “it is what it is “so I need to change my attitude on tracking. I have to stop whining and accept this as my truth and part of my journey. Tracking is a bitch. But,  in the words of Vivien Vance “I’m gonna learn to love that bitch!”

Liz

So, I had a bit of a mini-meltdown in my head last night. “Why?” do you ask. Well, a couple of reasons. My wedding anniversary vacation was last week so I took the week off from going to the gym. I overindulged a couple of times with food and drink. And about two weeks ago I did something to my shoulder  and decided to give it a rest and ice it.  So, last night was the first night in two weeks that I worked my arms. I walked up to one of my usual pull-up machines and was shocked! I can usually do 10-15 pull-ups on this machine. Last night I could barely get past five! I lowered the weight. It didn’t help. I walked away from the machine in disgust at myself for losing that much strength in such a short time. I moved on to other arm exercises and finished my workout, but I mentally beat myself up for the rest of the night. I even vented a bit on Facebook. I started to feel a bit sorry for myself. I thought “Liz, you have six weeks until your photo shoot and you are nowhere near where you wanted to be!” I really gave it to myself good. Beating myself up is a crappy family trait I wish I didn’t possess.

Needless to say, it’s pretty easy for negative self-talk to take over and sabotage what we have accomplished. After sleeping on it, I woke up this morning with a new attitude. Instead of focussing on how far I still have to go, I need to refocus on how far I’ve come. After all, I have lost 22lbs, I have gained a whole lot of strength that I never knew I could have, AND I RUN! Those are huge accomplishments. Ok, yeah, I don’t have the perfect “pin-up” body that I truly want. And to be quite honest, I don’t know if at my age, I ever will have it. But I’m not going to stop my journey! I have worked too hard the past 10 months to just throw it out the window because of what really isn’t that big of a deal. I just need to forgive myself and jump back on the horse.

Bottom line – LET’S STOP BEATING OURSELVES UP OVER SILLINESS!!! Let’s be happy with how far we have come, and look forward to where we are going to go!

Liz