Calories don't count of vacation, right?!?

I'm trying so hard to be good, I really am! It's extremely difficult to be active AND eat healthy when driving across the country, stuck in a car for countless hours, limited choices in healthy food options and numerous temptations at each destination.

I've learned many new tricks along this trip to travel as a healthier me. We have been fortunate to find a few grocery stores and load up on fruits, veggies and sandwich supplies. I've made sure to get out and walk around every time we stop. We've taken our kids to parks and played ball, tag, hide n seek, etc. as well as taking the stairs whenever possible. I have discovered the hotel fitness centers which are very hit and miss but anything is definitely better than nothing. Hotel pools have also been a great benefit. My boys love to swim and it's fun to race them and play games in the water while burning some extra calories, plus I'm not as self conscious about being in the water knowing it's great family and workout time! Having a YMCA membership has also proven helpful since it can be used at any YMCA and many of the towns we've visited have one (however class schedules haven't always worked out in the traveling schedule).

I think the most important thing that I've learned and appreciated from my new habits is finding out how much more enjoyable a destination is when you run, hike or walk through it. I'm not talking about the tourist destinations (although I greatly appreciated the trails through Niagara Falls Park) but the trails and paths they have for the residents who run and bike. I would have never thought to venture out onto my own until I had started running and now I am so grateful for the new experiences it has given me. I have found beautiful neighborhoods, meadows, parks and scenery that I would have never seen otherwise. It's so easy to bring along a pair of running shoes and go out to explore while burning off a few calories (just avoid the "sketchy" neighborhoods and try to stick to the trails and sidewalks)!

I haven't been able to make it to a Weight Watcher meeting this week, not because I haven't tried, but they all seem to be at times when we are on the road... hopefully sometime this week so I can check to see how bad the food damage is costing me! A reality weight check may be necessary so it's not so hard to say no to that extra seafood platter or dessert! Until then I'll keep focusing on how to stay active and fill up on all that water and produce... :)

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Milestones Met

"The best is yet to be." -Robert Browning

A little more than 6 months has passed since beginning this journey. I decided over Christmas break that I was done putting off beginning a healthy lifestyle. I joined Weight Watchers and have had wonderful success. In March, I rejoined the Y in order to become more physically fit. There have been many ups and downs (many of which have been written about here) but I am happy to say that I finally passed a big milestone! As of Saturday, I have officially lost 27 pounds, made it into my BMI range, and completed my first 10K.

It is truly an elating experience to witness what seemed to be near impossible goals materialize. I have been down similar roads before. The difference between my past experiences and my current situation is the amount of time and the process. Times past I would order meals or over regulate calories/ food groups and quickly watch as the scale drastically dropped. Most times I did not incorporate much fitness and never any type of weight lifting. I also would hit my goal and then slowly revert back to my old habits, with much naivety, thinking that my weight wouldn't return despite not making any permanent lifestyle changes.

This time is different for numerous reasons. Instead of buying special, expensive pre-made meals, I have been buying a lot of produce and incorporating healthier food into my family's cupboards, fridge and freezer. We have also made fitness a family endeavor, going on family walks, swims, bike rides, etc. The results have been great for not only me and the kids but also for my husband, James, who has lost 30 pounds since February. It makes a HUGE difference to have a support system in your own home and not feel like you're going it alone.

Speaking of going it alone, I also am fortunate to have many friends that encourage me to go running or working out with them. Knowing that someone is waiting for you doesn't allow you to opt out of a workout because you just don't feel like it! My awesome running friends have also peer pressured me into a half marathon and relay race not to mention the 10K I ran on Saturday. Networking and finding more friends that can help hold me accountable and vice versus has been a tremendous advantage in this journey.

The final piece to what I know will be long term success is the goals that I have made. I know that making it into my BMI range doesn't mean that I can revert to old ways of eating. I have another 5K in a week and a half marathon coming up. I also want to be comfortably in the middle of my BMI range to ensure that it would take a lot of "oopsie" days to climb back into the overweight zone. I also have bigger goals of doing a triathlon and the Mickelson bike race as well as the week long trek across SD. I would like to make my kitchen even healthier by eliminating processed foods, sugars, and artificial sweeteners. Am I going to do this all at once?!? No!! But I know that these kind of long term goals will help me to stay the course and keep me and my family living a healthier lifestyle.

The new me is VERY happy and excited! The old me would never have thought any of this was possible... which makes me think, what goals will be met in the next 6 months?

James and me last June (2013) and this past weekend before running the 10K

Trust the process, stay positive!

Some days it is really difficult to stay focused on the positive. My mind slowly succumbs to its past thought patterns and I let all the negativity weigh me down. I incessantly remind myself to look for the positive. Thus far this week my pessimistic feelings have come from my lack of will power against brownies, my over reactive stomach, and the incredible metabolism & will power of some individuals.

I'll start with the negatives (skip over this couple paragraphs if you don't want to hear my gripes). Last week I did so well on my own with a massive salad bar/ healthy food at my disposal. This week I'm back at home and was immediately faced with chips and candy that was brought into my house while I was gone. Immediately following that my dad came to help replace a door in our home and I bought and made brownies for him and the kids for the afternoon. Unfortunately, he was in a hurry and left without eating any and an entire pan of wonderful chocolate goodness sat on my counter, taunting me. 

Yesterday I made a date with a friend to go running (accountability/ workout buddies are awesome motivators). I was not super motivated but knew that she was waiting for me so I quickly ate half a veggie wrap before headed on our run. I made the extra effort to run down to our meeting point and could immediately tell them my stomach was not too happy with my decision of a pre-run mini meal. By the time I met up with my running buddy and started running I knew that it wasn't going to be pretty. I pushed through and achieved a good 2 miles jog but then had to walk/ jog for the rest of it. This put me in a sad funk knowing that I have a 10K coming up this Saturday and I know my body can handle it but not so sure that my stomach will allow it! I feel like having a full blown toddler tantrum when I've worked so hard, built a body that can run, lunge, squat, push-up, lift weights, etc. but is limited by my internal organs and their incessant need to create havoc! Okay, I feel a little better now...

The final nuisance to my week has been listening to others complain (as I am currently doing :P ) about their struggles when they seem to be able to near effortlessly drop a couple pounds. Here I am working out for at least an hour a day, counting calories and weight watcher points. These wonderful people "watch" what they eat (eyeball it) and go for a run and BOOM, two pounds gone...grrr.... Why don't I have a super metabolic rate? How to I get some of that amazing will power to say no to sweets and salty snacks? 

Venting is over, now for the positive spin! I did NOT eat the entire pan of brownies and I DID throw away most of the chips and junk food that was anticipating my return home. I didn't let my stomach totally turn my day upside down, I ran two miles and walked almost four miles... WAY better than just sitting on the couch AND I achieved 20,000 steps yesterday! Those wonderful people with amazing metabolisms are going through their own struggles and I can't be mad or aggravated by them. I know that my will power muscle has grown and continues to get stronger every time I throw out bad food or decide to keep walking, even if I can't run. Every time I sign up for another run or attend another class, make another healthy meal or snack I am making a better me. I am getting there, slowly but surely. This transformation is a marathon, not a sprint and I have to take a deep breath and remind myself of how far I've come. There will always be obstacles but it's how you manage and learn from them that mold you into a better person. Trust the process!

A Week Without A Scale

I know for some it may seem like a small feat however, for me, a week without a scale was an overwhelming obstacle in my weight loss journey. I know that you are not supposed to weigh yourself daily and I have gone days here and there without weighing myself, but I use it as a gauge to determine how the day before went and if I need to work extra hard to make up for bad decisions the day before.

This week I went to Spearfish (BHSU) for Geometry Camp (professional development). I was worried about how I would handle not being able to plan my meals, I was eating at their dining hall, and sitting in a classroom for 8 hours everyday. I brought along my running shoes and some fitness bands as well as some fruit & healthy snacks to help. The temptations were abound, BHSU has a great variety of tasty foods including a Mongolian Grill, Burger Bar, Pizza Line, Homemade Delicacies, and Dessert Counter. I used all the will power I had and stuck to the Salad Bar and Wrap Counter and loaded up on as many veggies as I could to deter myself from those other amazing foods. I believe that not having a scale and not knowing if the day before had affected my weight made me more mindful of my food choices. I was more adamant about recording my food on WW and on Myfitnesspal since those were the only tools I had to keep me "in control."

The absence of the scale and beautiful Black Hills also motivated me to get outside and be active. A typical day consists of doing some kind of workout but if the scale reflects no change or an increase I will usually amp up my workout. Since I didn't have that tool, I looked at everyday as a day to push myself. I ran the exquisite trails that weave throughout Spearfish, following the creek. I also utilized the campus fitness center when the weather wasn't as cooperative. My best workout came on my solo journey to Spearfish Canyon one evening. After a very scenic drive, I arrived at The Lodge which consists of beautiful trails. The first one was a hefty hike 1000 feet up. All my squats and lunges really paid off as I set off on the steep incline reaching a peak overlooking the canyon. The second trail lead to an amazing waterfall (pictures from both posted below). I have to say, I LOVE hiking and wish I could do do it more often!

The results of my week: 2 more pounds gone forever, 1 pound away from being in my BMI range, some much needed time by myself, and new friendships made through my Geometry Camp. I was fortunate to meet some wonderful people this week and to overcome challenges that this week presented to me. All and all a great week but I'm also very grateful for the coming week and spending quality time with my family and being a mom! :)

Success comes to those who wait... and work, work, work!

Finally a GREAT week! I tracked all my food and all my workouts and it showed! I was really upset with myself at the beginning of the week, so I put on my big girl pants and got to work. I had to travel all week to a professional development all but didn't let that deter me. I made sure to work out everyday, even if it was a walk/jog. I did a couple free weight classes as well as my abs, guns, and buns challenge I've been doing. I REALLY felt my muscles on Tuesday after an intense Monday night Chisel class but pushed through it for a 4 mile run on Wednesday and finished the week with a 5K in Watertown. It was AWESOME! I ran a new personal best at 28:24. It felt incredible. I started running and had to let all my performance anxieties go. After I had done that, I focused on my breathing, posture, stride and releasing any unnecessary muscle tension. I didn't have my music going so I kept pace with my breath and was surprised as I kept passing other runners, especially those whom I consider to look much more fit than me. I encouraged a few of the younger runners (there were a lot of elementary kids running) and got advise from one little guy as I started down St. Anne's hill. He said, "Make sure to keep your stride long." I thanked him as I strutted down the hill and built momentum. I thought about slowing to a walk near the zoo but saw an even younger runner working hard and that just motivated me to keep going. I ran the whole way and pushed myself at the end, continuing through the parking lot after the finish line to get the official 5k distance (not just the 3 miles that the race ended at). I think the cherry on top for me was running the race with my husband (who finished 9th overall) and friends. It makes a big difference when you get to encourage others and support them before the race begins and as they finish.

The working out was not the only thing that made this week amazing. I also kept to my Weight Watcher points as well as MyFitnessPal.com calorie intake. I was very vigilant about what I was eating and was faced with many temptations. The professional development that I attended had the temptations of travel food (an hour there and an hour back that I could have been munching), as well as a goodies table in the classroom filled with salty and sweet delicacies. I made the decision to pack my own snacks and to eat salads for lunch. I indulged in a few of the dark chocolates on the table but also made sure to record them soon after I ate them. It does take me an extra effort to record everything I eat into two places but I have to say that it has kept me twice as accountable. Not only do I have to see how many points I have eaten but I also see the calories and the breakdown of fats, sugars, carbs, etc.

I knew that I wasn't going to be able to attend this week's WW meeting in Pierre so I found a meeting in the cities (where we were going for a graduation) and knew that no matter what, I was going to weigh in this week. I'm sure that also helped to keep me focused this week. I was so happy to follow up that 5k run last night with the weigh in this morning where I discovered 2 more pounds had disappeared. I am elated to announce that I only have 3 pounds before I will officially be within my BMI range. I am so filled with anticipation to see that number and now that it is within reach, I am starting this week with immense enthusiasm. There is nothing that can stop me. I will be in Spearfish all week for another professional development and will take the extra "me" time in the evenings to go on walks, runs, workout at the gym and plan to get caught up on a little r&r when not straining my brain with Geometry!

Wow, this post became a book... I'll save my remaining thought for later this week! Wishing a joyous, healthy week to all those who take the time to read this post (and those who don't)!

If the pants are getting snug, something must be done!

It's really about the food and I can attest to that fact! The 20 pounds that I have lost since January was thanks to changing my eating habits and following Weight Watchers. Starting in March I joined the YMCA and aerobics classes on a regular basis (4-6 times a week). I lost many inches and toned my body in a way I have never done before. I love working out but lost sight of consistently tracking my nutrition. I seem to be on a weekly roller coaster of doing awesome tracking to giving up and eating whatever. It's taken a few weeks but the scale has finally reflected my poor decisions. It has been at a standstill since April but now it's moving in the opposite direction... up. :(

My wake up call was not just the scale, unfortunately, this morning I put on my favorite newer pair of jeans and they were a bit tight. Not the "too tight to wear" tight, but definitely the "little uncomfortable to bend over in" tight. Those tight pants were just what I needed to snap out of my, "I'm doing just fine" funk! I can't be motivating anyone else if I'm not willing to put in the work, motivate, and push myself farther. I still have about 15 pounds to lose and I can't be satisfied with where I am at.

Tonight I started the 30 Day Ab Challenge
(https://www.facebook.com/events/1426424270959723/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming)
 and the 30 Day Buns, Guns & Abs Challenge (https://www.facebook.com/events/1444809585761364/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming).
I also will be on the road this week but will be pre-packing some healthy snacks and lunches to keep me on track. I know that we are going to be in the cities this weekend so I also looked up when and where local Weight Watcher meetings take place and plan to attend to keep me accountable for the week. I took some new pictures and measurements today and decided that today's picture is the new "before" picture for my weight loss. I can't wait to post it next to the "after" picture in a few weeks!