Eating Healthy this Summer!
July 12, 2012
I am trying to get back to the reason I have this blog and that is to keep myself on track as far as maintaining my goal weight and inspiring others on a similar journey.
You would think that Summer would be the perfect time to be on a diet with all of the fresh fruits and vegetables that abound this time of year. However, I have heard from so many people that they are going along great and then there are ball games, barbecues, picnics, weddings etc. that take them away from their goal.
So far it has been 7 months into my maintenance program and I have kept my weight within my goal of 131 – 135. That is not to say that it has always been easy or that I haven’t let myself splurge a bit. We all have to eat and a lot of us, myself included, love to eat. The one thing I have found during this journey is that I have become extremely picky. I plan out my splurges for the really good stuff and then I let myself thoroughly enjoy it without the guilt. Diets have room for extras just not all of the extras. Let’s say you are going to the ball game and you really want a hot dog. Okay. You can have that hot dog but just don’t have the nachos, cheese fries, cotton candy, cracker jack and all of that other stuff too. That can be your downfall. Also, if you are going to the game on Saturday you don’t have to throw caution to the wind on Tuesday and eat all week leading up to the game. Be careful all week and then enjoy yourself at the game.The one thing I have learned is to splurge for one meal or for one day and then get back on track. That way you really enjoy the special times but you are not paying the consequences for days afterward.
If you have gotten off track this summer don’t beat yourself up about it. This is a great time to get back on a diet. The sun sets later so you can stay more active and treat yourself to some delicious fresh fruits and vegetables. Stone fruits like peaches and nectarines are in season as well as berries and sweet corn. Sprinkle a little brown sugar on the peaches or a dollop of cool whip or light whipped cream on the berries and you will think you are having a special treat which you are but without the guilt. The other thing to do is to challenge yourself with a new exercise goal or try a new class. We just bought a stand up paddle board and have had lots of fun paddling up and down the lake. Enjoy the rest of the summer and know that you can still have fun without making huge sacrifices. After all you are worth it!
Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting Moment
July 2, 2012
Weekly Photo Challenge: Create
June 25, 2012
Mornings are not my favorite time of the day so needless to say I don’t see many sunrises. I’m not saying I am proud of that fact but it is what it is. Last Summer my daughter was participating in a triathlon in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and we had to leave the house around 5:30 am which did not excite me too much but what could I say. When it’s one of my kids I’ll do most anything. As we pulled up to the starting point and walked down to the beach we were greeted by the most amazing sunrise I have ever seen. It definitely took my breath away and when I saw the theme this week I immediately thought of this picture. I really think that creating comes from a higher power and there is no higher power than what is evident in this picture. It inspires me and hopefully can inspire you too.
Ocean Sunrise
Weekly Photo Challenge: Close
June 18, 2012
SOME OBJECTS ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR
This picture was taken at the Milwaukee Art Museum which was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
Half-Marathon, Check!
May 31, 2012
Well I did it!!! Here is a picture of me holding my finisher’s medal after completing the Chicagoland Spring Half-Marathon on Sunday, May 20,2012. Wow, what a difference a year makes. If you told me a year ago that I would be here I wouldn’t have believed you. It is those small changes every day that add up to big changes in your life. I am going to take this time to revel in this accomplishment and I will be back. Just know that if I can accomplish this goal then you can accomplish any goals you set for yourself too and that is no lie. 🙂
Get in the Shape of Happy
May 18, 2012
It has been a couple of months since I have written anything and no it is not because I have fallen off the wagon and gained weight. Luckily I have been able to stay within my three pound range even with vacations and parties and graduations etc. After I got down to my goal weight everyone kept asking me what next? Hmm I had to think about that for awhile and realized I did need a new goal so I decided to train for a half marathon. Yes I know. What was I thinking? I don’t think I was thinking. It just sounded like a good thing to do at the time. Also, running makes me happy and as I was walking around my house wondering what my next goal should be I saw a workout bag from “Lucy” and the saying on it was, “Get in the Shape of Happy”. It was kind of a no brainer after that. That holds true for all of you. You don’t have to run but get out there and do something that makes you happy, whether it is gardening, dance class, bowling, golf, biking whatever. It doesn’t matter what it is but that you do it and that it makes you happy because then you will keep doing it.
Well I digress. So the last couple of months I have been busy with life as well as training for this half marathon. The half marathon will take place on Sunday and I am ready. I hope. I am honestly a bit nervous but am ready to tackle this goal and get ready for the next one. If you had told me a year ago that this is where I would be I probably would have laughed and said not a chance. It’s funny with goals. When you set small ones pretty soon they become big ones and you can’t believe you got there.
Why did I decide to do this? Well, I had always dibbled and dabbled in running but it is hard when you weigh over 200 lbs. It has become way easier and a lot of fun. Following a training program has been the key because I have trained slowly over a period of 12 weeks so it has not been as painful as it could have been. I have followed the Hal Higdon 12 week plan for novices. You can get it on the internet and a lot of people have used his programs. He has them for all sorts of races from 5ks to marathons and even tailors them to different levels of runners. If you are interested in getting started in running you should definitely check it our. http://www.halhigdon.com
So anyway, think of me on Sunday and I will be back next week to let you know how it went. I’ll be participating in the Chicagoland Spring Half Marathon and I wish good luck to all of the 1300 runners who will be participating with me. You can find more information at http://www.allcommunityevents.com If you have any tips before Sunday please let me know what they are. This is a first for me and even though I have been training I welcome all of your (constructive) advice. Till next time. xo 
Grateful
March 20, 2012
It has been one year since I started on my diet, reached my weight loss goal and began concentrating on maintaining that goal. My anniversary date was March 16th, 2012 and I weighed exactly 70 lbs. less on that day than a year ago. It is with deep gratitude that I look back on this year and realize what I have been able to accomplish. While dieting and weight loss is a personal thing and only you have ultimate control it doesn’t mean that there aren’t people around that have truly helped you get there.
This is my chance to thank all of those people. First and foremost are my husband and children. They never said anything about my weight but were so supportive when I was ready to make the change and do the work and they were very proud of me every step of the way. My mom and the rest of my family and friends were also supportive. They have seen me struggle through the years with my weight and know how hard I have worked and I want to thank them for their support. Of course I can’t forget my personal trainer, Dawn Morris, and all of my friends at the Lake Forest Recreation Center who were also an integral part of my journey. Dawn was an inspiration herself as well as being there to inspire me. She had lost 85 pounds a few years ago and had changed her life. She is now a fitness instructor, personal trainer, mentor and friend. You can check out her blog at http://fit2bfree-fit2bfree.blogspot.com/2012/03/motivation.html?spref=fb Dawn had been there so she could see through all the excuses and the struggles but she kept believing in me. I met her three years ago when I showed up to one of her Zumba classes. That one class changed my life. The other women in the class were so friendly and welcoming and I found an exercise that was fun. I actually looked forward to going and still do. It is one of my favorite times of the week. You can definitely find a Zumba class in your neighborhood. http://www.zumba.com/ Their motto is “Ditch the workout, Join the party! You can’t argue with that 🙂 Weight Watchers also deserves my gratitude because their plan gave me the tools and guidance I needed to achieve my goals. http://www.weightwatchers.com
I am so grateful to all of these wonderful people in my life and feel so blessed. Thank you all. You are my strength, my support, my everything ((Hugs))
Weight Loss Disaster
March 8, 2012
Well I knew this would not always be easy but the last three weeks have taught me a lot. I broke one of my top rules which is to only weigh myself once a week. The reason for this is that when you weigh yourself too much you get totally screwed up from day to day. If the number is good then you can enjoy the day but if the number on the scale is bad then, at least in my case, it not only ruins the day but I start sabotaging myself. It becomes a vicious cycle.
Let me start at the beginning of my ordeal. My husband and I were going on vacation and I was really monitoring what I was eating because I wanted to enjoy my vacation. Well, we decided to have a nice Valentine’s dinner with the family on Sunday, Feb. 12th and then of course we had to have another special meal on the 14th. When I weighed myself on that Wednesday I weighed 134.6. I freaked out because we were leaving the next week and that was getting on the high end of my accepted range for myself. So of course I weighed myself again on Thursday the 15th and I was at 132.4. All was well with the world until I weighed myself on Tuesday before we left for our trip and I weighed 135. This was crazy. How could I be all over the map like this. Something must be wrong with the scale. Right? Yikes 
This was not a fun way to start a trip.
Breaking my cardinal rule yet again I weighed myself on the hotel scale two days later and it read 131.2. Boy did I feel stupid and drained from all this worrying about weight. Now I could enjoy the trip. I didn’t go crazy but I did eat things that normally I wouldn’t like bread ( I am telling you though it was worth it because the bread was amazingly delicious 🙂 and sinful desserts but I also exercised about an hour every day so I figured things would even out. Well I hoped they would. No I didn’t obsess the whole time and I did stop weighing myself which was a good thing. And I did feel pretty good wearing some of the new clothes I got to buy because none of my summer clothes from last summer fit anymore. This is one of the best things about losing weight I must say. We had a great time and then came back home back to reality.
Against my better judgement I weighed myself the next day because it was Wednesday which is my weigh-in day and I needed to assess the damage and move on. The scale read 138 and this time I really flipped out. This could not be right and of course I blamed myself which I tend to do and it is not helpful. I also took my scale out of the bathroom and brought in another one I had recently bought and yes I weighed myself the next day and it read 135.4. Better but still not good. You can see how tormented I get but I do not want to go back to my old ways and I am petrified that that will happen. Anyway, I digress. I just didn’t like this scale and my old one had really seen me through good times and bad so I went out and bought new batteries, gave it a little pat and put it back in the bathroom. I also immediately went back on the Weight Watchers plan and diligently tracked for the next week. This is the beauty of having a plan because I didn’t have to think about it. I knew it backward and forwards and put it back on like an old favorite sweater. I also did not weigh myself again until yesterday which is my regular weigh in day and I am back down to 132.6. HALLELUJAH !
Whew that was tiring but a good lesson in many ways. Whether you are losing weight or maintaining weight you have to have a plan. This is what gets you through the rough patches. You should also always abide by your rules because they are your rules for a reason. Thirdly, and this one is hard for me to remember and follow. Be as proud or prouder of yourself over your victories as you are disappointed at yourself over your failures.
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Chocolate, it does a body good!
February 13, 2012
Part of loving yourself more this month is finding those things that you enjoy and that are also good for you. Two loves of my life, not withstanding my husband and children, involve chocolate. That is, our chocolate labrador retriever, Ginny and dark chocolate. They both make me happy and they are good for me. There is nothing better in my book.
Ginny is our nine year old chocolate lab and is one of the loves of my life. It is a known fact that pets garner many health benefits. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) pets offer the following benefits.
Pets can decrease your: Blood pressure, Cholesterol levels, Triglyceride levels, and Feelings of loneliness
Pets can increase your: Opportunities for exercise and outdoor activities and Opportunities for socialization.
Ginny has many friends in the neighborhood so there is always a walk to go on, a play date at the local forest preserve or a doggy birthday party to attend. If there is not something scheduled I get the evil eye from her in the afternoon until we go out for our daily walk. She is always there to greet me with a friendly wag of the tail and lick on the hand or face if she can catch me distracted which she likes to do on occasion.Her favorite things to do are swim, fish and play. I spoil her quite often but this month I have made a conscious effort to plan more play dates, take her on more walks, and dole out a few more special treats. If you don’t have a pet, go visit a friend that has one or call your local shelter and see if they need volunteers. Here is a picture of my first chocolate love.
Ginny at the lake
My other chocolate love is dark chocolate and one of my favorite purveyors right now is Taza chocolates (http://www.tazachocolate.com/). My favorites are the Mi Corazon(rose and vanilla), the dark chocolate covered cacao nibs, dark chocolate with cinnamon, and dark chocolate with ginger. I realized with this new lifestyle of mine that I still wanted to have some special treats and a lot of times that involves chocolate. However, if I am going to have a treat I am going to make sure it is something really good. A friend of ours sent us a sampler pack from Taza Chocolates over the holidays and we have never looked back. Their story begins at the Taza Chocolate Factory in Somerville, Mass, where they craft stone ground chocolate from bean to bar (get the rest of the story at their website). You can definitely taste the love. Not only is it delicious but there are many health benefits as well. It acts as an antioxidant and can help lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and make us a little happier. The thing I like too about good dark chocolate is I don’t get the triggers that I get with a lot of candy. One small piece and I feel satisfied. Moderation is definitely the key. So tomorrow is Valentine’s Day which is a good excuse to go out and get yourself a nice “healthy” chocolate treat. I’m not sure if you can find the Taza chocolate near you(you can always order it on line which is what I do) but check out your local candy shop and buy a small amount of your favorite “dark” chocolate and Enjoy! No guilt. I know I will.
Current Weight: 131.6 I stayed exactly the same last week. Maybe I am getting the hang of this maintenance thing. Thanks to all for your support.
February – the month of love…
February 2, 2012
love and light
February is the month to look around and appreciate all of the wonderful people and things in your life. While you are doing this don’t forget to count yourself. If those new years resolutions have gone by the wayside don’t get upset, just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start over again. I was always so hard on myself and then I’d fall into the trap of eating and feeling sorry for myself and really getting nowhere.
The first thing to do is to have a plan. It is really imperative because there are those times when you’re tired or busy or on a trip when you don’t have the time or energy to expend on eating or exercising properly. The plan is there as a guide and fills in for you when you can’t. It is also there to come back to if you have had a relapse or a bad day. Don’t get mad at yourself or feel bad just appreciate the small steps and continue making them. The small steps turn into giant leaps.
My go to plan is Weight Watchers. I lost a lot of weight on it several years ago and even though I have tried many other diets since then, in my heart of hearts I knew it was the best plan for me. It’s like that perfectly worn pair of blue jeans, that little black dress or that classically cut tailored suit. It never goes out of style and it always looks and feels great. You are the one who can figure that out for yourself because who knows you better? Exactly. Even though I am a huge Weight Watchers fan you might have another program that you know works best for you. The next best thing to finding a good plan is consistency. You have to follow the plan and stick with it. If you have a weak moment don’t sweat it and don’t blame yourself just take it for what it was, a weak moment and go on from there. Remember the tortoise and the hare? The tortoise just kept plodding along and eventually won the race. This is how it is with weight loss. Here is a link from U.S. News and World Report rating the best diet plans. You’ll surely find the one that fits you best. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets
Don’t get discouraged. Sometimes it is hard to see the forest through the trees. Let’s say you have lost five pounds and don’t think that is such a big accomplishment. Just go to your cupboard or the aisle of the nearest grocery store and pick up that five-pound bag of flour. Think about carrying that around with you all day and you will realize what any accomplishment that was. Be proud of yourself and keep plodding.
Enjoy the week. Spread the love. xoxo Current Weight: 131.6
1fatgirlthin 