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

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! :)

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!

Dear Stress...

Dear Stress,

Our relationship has been a long one. You have been with me for as long as I can remember. You have been there whispering in my ear as I completed endless assignments, tried to figure out the best way to approach relationships, over analyzed countless conversations with others, picked apart job interviews and numerous decisions that have been made, battled with weight loss and finding inner strength, struggled with finances, etc. I'm sorry to inform you this way, but it's time for me to move on. I have been unable to enjoy my family & friends the way I deserve to and the way they deserve to be loved!

I don't mind if you want to stop by once in awhile to keep me on task and focused but any more than that will no longer be tolerated. Please know that I will use all of my power to escort you out of my life (i.e. running, yoga, aerobics, meditation, prayer, playing with my children, talking with friends & family, cuddling with my husband, reading a good book or enjoying a bubble bath). This relationship is terminated immediately, I will not look back, only forward at the countless possibilities waiting for me in this new chapter of my life. 

With Deepest Regards,

Katie

I am my own worst enemy...

This weekend has been very productive; laundry done, house cleaned, lessons planned, attended Chisel & Step Aerobics, played at the park with the kiddos, and a new blog site started. So I should feel satisfied, right?!? Wrong :(   One of the other "accomplishments" of this weekend was recording my Weight Watcher points and, lo & behold, I went over by quite a few points this weekend. Ugh! It just proves what my WW leader said yesterday, "The points you don't record today find there way onto the scale tomorrow!" I wish there was a magic pill that gave me the same will power that's motivated me to exercise as to say no to snacking, anyone know where I can find it?

Alright, my pity party is over for the day! I'll get up first thing in the morning and head to aerobics class and start the week on the right foot. Tonight I'll plan out what I'm going to eat tomorrow (including my snacks) and stick to it NO MATTER WHAT!! I do find it can be difficult to not want a snack right after working out. I just have to be more mindful and plan my breakfast after my morning workout and supper after any evening workouts. Now to say a little prayer that my mind, stomach, and will power work together...

I also wanted to mention another big decision coming up this week. Lent will be ending on Sunday and I've successfully given up pop. Now I'm struggling with whether to start drinking it again after Easter. My husband says that if I've gone this long without why start again? My mind says that I've wasted many points on coffee and creamer the past 40 days in order to keep up with all the things going on in day to day life, it would be nice to go with zero point diet pop?! Hmm... I put a survey on my blog so if you are reading this and have a minute, I'd love your opinion! :)

Start the week out on the right foot, make healthy choices and be active!

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