Becoming the trainer I need & want

After two months of some crazy stress and eating, my doctor(s) and I have come up with some culprits. The big one is a new medicine I was put on... wait for it... two months ago. Shockingly, one of the main side effects is increased appetite/ weight gain!? Needless to say, I am officially off said medicine effective immediately. :)

My next step was spending the day contemplating how to get back on track since I feel so completely off. I was perusing my fb feeder wall when I stumbled across Oxygen 90 day challenge. The first thing I noticed was the cost and then was thinking about all the money I've spent in the past decade plus then I watched the videos that the two trainers made to promote their challenge. As I watched all I kept thinking is THAT could be me, not the bodies per say, but I could be training others in how to eat and train... I have ALL the knowledge. Why spend more money to listen to someone explain to me the things that I have already read in several books, heard from many mentors, and learned from years of experience. I know what works for me, why not tell others and remind myself and capture my journey, for those interested, as I progress along the way.

I haven't worked out all the details and I am starting my family trip this week BUT I am going to start tomorrow. I am going to write up what I'm eating for the day, what I'm doing to workout (detailed plans for those needing a plan to follow), and perhaps some motivational videos here and there to give everyone a good LOL!

I will be brutally honest and post my before pics and measurements tomorrow. I know that it may be rough with a family trip and then a move to Sioux Falls but everyone has life stresses and, optimistically, I will relate to somebody out there that is having similar trials in their life and we can get through it together!

Here's to tomorrow and my new adventures of Katie-isms!

Fitness and Motherhood

When people ask me how much I work out or the time I put into meal planning, it usually has a chord of disdain. Many people look at me or others that spend time daily on their health as selfish and with a hint of jealousy. The problem is that I'm actually being a better mom now that I do take that time to care for myself. I am showing my children that my health and their health are important and need to be continually worked on. They see that I am not perfect and that doesn't mean I throw in the towel, I push through the difficult times and keep moving forward.

Spending time working out doesn't just give my children something to look toward, it also gives me the mental down time I need. It provides me with the opportunity to refocus and to sweat away my frustrations, boosting those endorphins that allow me to have more quality time with my kids! Before I would come home from work stressed, frustrated and ready to snap. My poor kiddos and husband would get the blunt of my build up. Now I look forward to my sweat session after work and come home amped up ready to be with my family.

Start the week off on the right foot, commit to being a mother; loving yourself enough to eat right and workout in order to provide your children a role model and a less stressed, healthy parent.

Someone shared this on fb this week and it hit the mark with me: Fit mom, happy mom

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... :)

I h

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)!

Sprain on my parade...

Sunday was awesome, I was so happy to have been able to run six miles... unfortunately, I don't think my body was completely ready. My muscles are not sore, but by Wednesday I was feeling pain in my foot. I went in this morning and was praying that it wasn't broken. Fortunately, the PA couldn't find any breaks but she did say it was badly sprained and I had to take it easy (no running) for at least a week. I am more than grateful that it isn't broken but less than thrilled about having to take it easy... and what does that really mean anyway? I have to move around the house and take care of my kiddos and I have to clean up and organize my classroom for end of the year checkout. I guess I'll just have to scale back on all of my extras and pray for speedy recovery?

I did HORRIBLY this week, I'm talking over eating every evening and giving up on tracking points almost the second I walked through the door after school. I know that it started with all the graduations last weekend and as I watched the scale take a hit, my self esteem did too... and as my self esteem took a hit it became easier to give up plus the added stress of last week of school paperwork, cleanup, etc.... it was kind of like my week was set up to destroy any progress I had hoped to make.

So where do I go from here? Past experiences keep surfacing to my mind and saying, "Give up,  you can't do it," "This is your body's way of saying you aren't strong enough," "It's easier to be sedentary!"

It would be really easy to say I'm done, I tried and failed, and move on but no, I just can't throw in the towel. I have to take this opportunity to prove to myself how important these changes have been to me and how much better they have made me become as a person. If I give up, I am showing my kids that it's okay to call it quits when the going gets tough. Instead, I will "take it easy" for a week and only go to spinning and weight lifting, I won't do any weight baring activities other than the normal day to day stuff and I will take care of my foot (ice, elevate, rest) as much as possible. I will also amp up my efforts in my diet, no more fluffing it or estimating that... I have to be more strict than normal to make up for the lack of cardio.

After this week I will restart my half marathon training and body sculpting efforts in a slow progression, no jumping into a six mile run! I will make sure to give myself 'rest' days and become a healthy food guru for me and my family. I am excited at this chance to learn from the challenges I've been presented and to grow into a better me. Happy Memorial Day Weekend, Welcome Summer!

Rebooting my attitude

You know those shock collars you put on dogs to keep them from barking? I think someone should invent one for people like me to keep me from putting unnecessary food into my mouth. Okay, I had to vent that out... that's the last little bit of my pity party which ended just now after I read this great quote:

Now I'm going to reset myself. I have all the tools necessary to make every minute count towards continuing this great journey toward a new me! I have the online and face to face support from Weight Watchers, I just need to utilize the point tracker more, I have a YMCA membership and go almost every day (sometimes twice a day) so yay for that! I also received a fitbit for an early mother's day present and plan on utilizing that to motivate me to move even more and to compete against any friends who also use fitbit, hint, hint! ;)

My wonderful mom bought me a brand new outfit to celebrate my weight loss achievement so far and that was a HUGE mood boost! It definitely gives you an extra hop in your step when you can fit into a smaller size and show off some of your hard work. I need to focus on those accomplishments and not the boo hoo Sally Sue mumbo jumbo that creeps into my mind over and over to tell me that I'm failing and not trying hard enough. I've been down this road many times and my former self would begin to let self doubt take over and the pounds to slowly find their way back onto the scale. Eventually I would talk my way out of attending the gym using numerous excuses and end up back in my fat clothes.

Fortunately I have many more fail safes in place this time. I also have goals that I haven't reached and fully intend to see fulfilled before the end of June. I WILL lose 15 more pounds and I WILL become a fitness instructor and I WILL be a WW leader!! I created a vision board that I look at every morning and try to find a motivational quote to post online to inspire myself and others. I have also made friends at my fitness classes and know most of the instructors. My family is being more supportive and I love that my middle son wants to be in a weight training/ running program this summer (there is no such thing for a six year old but it's cute that he wants to do it). My husband has encouraged me to take the time out of my day to go to the gym and, if possible, watched the kiddos so I can go. I have also done the same for him so he can go run too!

Whew, I feel a lot better than I did an hour ago! Hopefully a full night sleep and a fantastic Friday will continue to push me forward on this path of positive changes!

Baby Steps...

This week my biggest struggle was illness. I'm still not sure if it was a quick case of the flu or food poisoning, but that combined with the cough that just wouldn't let go and my stubbornness to accept that I need to rest and not push myself , created a tough 24-48 hours. It was very difficult for me to stick to any kind of meal plan and I couldn't move enough to get any kind of workout in, I could barely walk around my classroom let alone do lunges or bicep curls!

After my bout of illness, I did make a great diet tip/ discovery. It's so very simple that I'm very disappointed in myself for not having done it earlier. This small change was fruit, yes fruit. Apples, pears and bananas (oh my!) to be exact! All of these wonderful fruits are worth ZERO Weight Watcher points, which I have known, but never really thought about how I could be eating more of those and then needing less of the snacks I have been eating worth 1-3 points. I went to the store and bought more fruit and, TA DA, ate less points each day without feeling super hungry.

Another small change I made this week was upping my water intake. My first major reason was being sick and pushing fluids but I continued this small change after feeling better as well. It's amazing how much better you feel when drinking more water and less pop.

The final change I made was fitness related. I decided to sign up to get re-certified to teach yoga (and maybe cycling) again. Even if it's just subbing at the Y, the extra pressure of being a teacher and wanting to present an image of fitness is a great motivator to get myself to the gym everyday. I also have to keep track of the classes I attend toward my certification, so that's another great incentive to get my act together!

I didn't get to go to Weight Watchers today since I'm out of town and there aren't any meetings here today. I did however (according to my mom's scale) lose a pound this week, so small steps create small changes that result in big progress over time, and progress is good! Happy weekend everyone, take baby steps in the right direction! :)

P.S. I have discovered that I have this awesome four pack but am struggling to get rid of the excess skin, etc. over the lower two of my six pack, thank you to my beautiful three children, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Currently, I think only a tummy tuck would remove it but I'm hoping for a more realistic option! ;)  

Make it about the experience, not the food!

Happy Saturday Everyone! I decided to make the move to a different blog site, the other one was nice but didn't have all the options I wanted and wasn't as user friendly...

Today my thoughts are consumed (pardon the pun) with food. At Weight Watchers this morning we learned that we are faced with over 200 food related decision a day, that's a lot! No wonder I feel like I'm always thinking about what I'm going to eat. :)  After letting that statistic digest (I'm so punny), I started thinking about how every celebration, holiday, and special life event is centered around food. Family and friends get together to visit and catch up as we sit in each others' kitchens and munch. We celebrate birthdays with cake and treats. We offer our kids treats for good behavior (i.e. If you're good in church, we'll go out for breakfast afterward). So how do change that? Or do you change it?

Some would say that you should go ahead and throw caution to the wind, it is a special occasion after all?! I'd have to throw the B.S. flag on that one (as my husband would so graciously say). The reason for getting together should not be about the food but about the people. You're there to be with the people you love and care for. It's about making memories that will last long after your food has settled in your thighs... well that's where my food goes anyway!

My favorite memories are playing cards and board games with family while we talked about things that we going on in our lives or razz each other & spend hours laughing together. Of course I also remember the food, all the wonderful flavors that were at Grandma's house, the candy jar hidden up in her cupboard. I still struggle with reminding myself that I don't "deserve" that chocolate or that there are other ways to recall memories besides eating a piece of German Chocolate Cake or having creamy mashed potatoes with gravy. Looking back at pictures or calling family and chatting is way more effective and won't have the side effect of guilt when I'm done! I think you could also bring healthy food choices to gatherings; veggies or fruit trays, healthier versions of traditional dishes, etc.

My goals this week are to be more aware of what's going in my mouth, recording & measuring my points, not rewarding myself or my children with food, continuing my fitness routine, and enjoying the company of others!

My Family Last Year