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Thursday, August 29, 2013

Minor Setback

I was all ready to continue with my reset last week, but instead I chose to make some bad choices.  I really don't regret it because I had a lot of different things that I did over the past 7 days and that's gonna happen every now an then.  So this week, I'm going to re-read my post from last week and use that reset button.

I gained everything I lost last week, which was 4.2 lbs.  Again, I'm OK with that because I know why.  It's more frustrating when you don't know why.  I've had a lot of experience with losing weight, I've done it all my life, and have come across many people that say "I'm doing everything right and I'm still not losing weight".  They get frustrated and quit.  What I find difficult to believe is that if you do everything right for a long period of time, that you're not losing any weight or gaining for that matter.

There's no way that everything is being done right if you're gaining.  Plateaus do happen (I've been on one for 3 months... but not because I've been doing everything right - because I've been giving into temptation more than not).  So in my opinion, if this is happening to you - you're probably not doing everything right.  So maybe think about it and be honest with yourself... I've still been exercising (a lot - mostly, except for this week and the week I went on vacation) over my "plateau" but I'm definitely making bad choices along with that.

The only way to correct MY plateau is to get myself back on track, track and eat well -- along with my exercise which is usually not a problem.  I've been doing a challenge for the last 15 days, I'm half way done.  It's hard, it's the ONLY thing I'm doing right now... but at least I'm doing something.

If you're on a plateau, what will you do to get back on track?  I'm going to:
  • Journal this week (I barely journalled last week)
  • Get more exercise in - I didn't run this week because it was too hot and it's not worth it to me to get a headache because I want to run (I dislike running on dreadmills)
  • Make better choices
Maybe this will also help...  I asked on my facebook page If you were to give one tip for those trying to get healthy what would it be?  These are the tips that were shared by people like you :
  • Remember how you feel when you eat healthy AND when you don't!
  • Don't focus on the number on the scale. Focus on how you feel
  • Do it for yourself! Make short and long term goals and reward yourself!
  • Think about the things you do well, not the things you slip up on. Don't beat yourself up!
  • When you don't work out you don't have energy - but working out gives you energy - try to press through the "I'm tired" feelings that's just your couch calling you home
  • Its easier to eat healthy when you have fresh fruit and veggies in the fridge front and center ready to go. (this was a major problem for me this week, but usually isn't.)
  • Try doing the 80/20 rule--80% healthy & 20% not as healthy when eating.
  • I would say, to make one change at a time...don't try to Change diet and add exercise...give yourself time and start simple
Good luck to you this week, I know I'll need it :)

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Need A Reset?

Me: "What do we want?"
You: <screaming> "To be Healthy!"

Me:  "Who do we want this for?"
You: <screaming> "Me!" (meaning yourself)

Me:  "What do you need?"
You: <screaming> "Love, Support, Willpower, Healthy Foods, Planning and a reset button!"

BOOM

I feel like I've hit the reset button about once a month for the past 4 months.  Last week after weigh in, I did a look back to 12 weeks and wanted to know my net weight loss so far this summer.  It was 2 lbs.  2 lbs!!!

The funny thing was that I was not upset.  Not upset at all, but used it as an eye opener.  I feel like I'm trying so hard (which I am).  I feel like sometimes I just want crap food (which I do and then I eat it and then I feel sick).  But honestly, for the summer I've had and all the "stuff" we've done - I've still lost 2 lbs.  2 lbs!!!

I didn't gain over the summer... where you have all these temptations, all these parties, bonfires, vacations, mini trips, county fairs (this one doesn't count for me, but maybe for you) - just everything.  One of my best friends told me that summer time is the hardest for her.  Because people want to be outside and doing things outside - we don't want to be cooped up in a gym, in our homes, etc.  It's when all the good fruit is out, but also all the picnic / party food.  The temptations.  Temptation after temptation.  Shoot if you've only given in 1/2 of the time, you've done that much better than you did the time before.  Celebrate those little things.

So I found myself once again resetting my button this week... and guess what, it paid off!  I lost 4.2 lbs this week.  Can you believe it?  I find myself sitting at (close to) the same weight loss again for the 3rd time, but shit - I am here again.  I didn't give up.  I just reset my mind and my body.  Sure I made a few adjustments this week - re-introduced yogurt an almonds.  High point snacks (not so much the yogurt, but the almonds) and found myself so much happier and satisfied.

What's the one change you can make this week to help you?  Maybe it's more than one?  Think about it and execute on it.  It's the only way to push through.  If you've been at a stand still (or like me going up and down up and down) you have to make a change.  For me, it wasn't exercise.  It was fixing my snacking issues.  That's a freakin' simple change to make.

So, this week I challenge you to make your change up and let me know what you're going to change.  Then, next week - tell me what it did for you.  If it was a change on the scale, change in your mood, change in how you feel... whatever.

Take care and have a great week!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!

Thursday, August 15, 2013

I Promise!!!

So, this week has been tough.  I'm not exactly sure why but I can guess I may know by next week (if you know what I mean).  I've been super hungry - all.the.time.  I need to let myself be hungry, I know that.  But apparently that's not what my mind wants.  So I've given in a few times this week.

I gained .4 this week, so in the past two weeks I've gained almost 2 lbs - I'm still over 90 lbs gone (barely)!  I'm not sure why I gained last week, but I know why I gained this week.  Regardless, I need to change something.  So what should I change?

I'm still making my salads, eggs and fruit up each week.  But there's something missing, for some reason I'm way more hungry during the day.  I get plenty of protein with my lunch - but it's after lunch.  I can't just have a little snack, I need a snack and then another snack and then another snack.  Then by the time I get home I want dinner. A normal sized dinner - and I'm out of (over) my points.

The one thing I haven't been doing is bringing my almonds.  Maybe I need to bring those back into the mix.  I should probably eat some yogurt too... my snacks have been within 2-4 points, but they are not always the best snacks to have like almond and yogurt.  So that's what I'll do!  No more sweet snacks during the day (I'm not gonna say no more sweet snacks period, because that won't work).

Also - another thing is that I finished up my 30 day work out with Shaun T - Hip Hop Abs on Sunday. ( I seriously recommend it.  It was hard enough, but fun - so it didn't seem so hard.)  I tend to get into this pattern though... once I finish a work out set - I slack off for a few days.   So I started running again (I have a 5k in September I'm running) and thought I'd start right away.  So I ran Sunday... and then didn't do anything Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.  NOT.LIKE.ME.  But I needed a break.  I did run today - so that's good and I'll run again either tomorrow or Saturday.  But I will need to work in additional activity - so back to water aerobics tonight!

I can tell you this:
  • I promise that I will figure it out.  
  • I promise I'm not giving up.  
  • I promise that I'm still here to support you and myself.  
  • I promise I will keep going.
  • I promise to give it all I've got!!

Here's to a new week with new adventures and trying to implement the snack changes.  The exercise is a given, I will do that.  That's NOT my problem.  My problem is food.

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Mud Run #2 - Dirty Girl

I had a bit of a hiccup this week (Friday-Saturday and Tuesday) Friday and Saturday I had used up all my extra points plus some (I was negative about 22 at this point).  Tuesday was even worse.  I have issues on Tuesdays - I'm all alone at home and that is dangerous for me :(  STILL.  See you're not alone.

I seriously need to figure out how to be alone in my house and not binge.  Maybe I need some sort of therapy.

Anyway - I wanna talk about fun stuff this week.  I want to talk about how far I've come (even with the hiccups this week).  This weekend I did my second mud run, it was called Dirty Girl.  It was so much fun!  The obstacles were not that hard, maybe 2 of them really made me nervous and it was only because I'm afraid of heights and they were TALL yo!  I wanted them to be a little harder than they were, but will still do this run again.  Actually I already signed up for the 2014 run.

If you want to join me - go to the Dirty Girl Website here and sign up on my team Healthfully Ever After at 8:30 am.

The one thing I need to improve on is my running game.  So I've signed up for another 5k at the end of September so I make sure I keep up with my running.  Anyway - wanna see some pictures???

I'm such a tough girl!  ps... I can't wait to get my arms done!

My bestie Shelly - she also did the mud run with me in June.  We've been friends for 20 years and were roommates for 5 years after college.
A shout out pose to Daina E... Shelly's sister.


Team Healthfully Ever After!  Left to right... me, Kara A., Amanda C. (sister to Sarah), Sarah C., Megan L. (Shelly's step daughter) and Shelly.
Oh yeah... an action shot.




The End!  We didn't have to crawl in the mud, but hell - it's a mud run!  Let's get dirty!
Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like us? 
My mom and me... she's such a trooper (and the team photographer).


All cleaned up... ahhhhh


So back to business!  We had a great time, I've had a couple of slip ups this week (as I mentioned) and I gained 1.2 lbs.  Eh, a minor set back!  Moving on and not beating myself up!  Wanna know why?  Because I can run, I love my exercising and 90% of the time I AM GOOD.  So, cheers to a better week next week!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!


Sunday, August 4, 2013

How To Start!!!

I get asked ALL. THE. TIME. from people if I have any advice for those that are just getting started.  And I do have some advice for you/them, and here it goes:

  1. Figure out your plan of attack on how you think you're going to lose the weight or just simply become healthy
    1. Is it going to be a "paid" program - like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Seattle Sutton, etc. (I do Weight Watchers)
    2. Is it going to be on your own
      1. Are you just going to cut down on what you're eating
      2. Are you going to incorporate more healthy foods (make sure to read up on what is healthy vs. not -- I've learned a lot of what I thought was healthy - truly isn't)
      3. Are there foods you're just going to cut out completely
      4. Or a combination of all the above
    3. Are you going to use an app or program to help you through your goal?  Here's a few that I know of:
      1. My Fitness Pal (I use this along with Weight Watchers)
      2. Lose It
      3. Fooducate
      4. Itrackbites
      5. Endomondo
      6. Fitocracy
  2. Implement your plan
    1. Set your goals (start small or you may become overwhelmed)
    2. Set aside time to
      1. Take your measurements (I didn't when I first started... didn't until 5 months in and I totally regret not doing it in the beginning)
      2. Get to know your program
      3. Plan Your Meals
      4. Grocery Shop (this is a MUST)
      5. Make your meals - either ahead of time or during the week... but you need to make them
      6. Plan out your activity
        1. If you're going to use some apps on your phone, I have found these to be totally helpful.

          1. Weight Watchers (if you're a member)
          2. My Fitness Pal
          3. Runtastic (or some other run program that has GPS like map my run or Run Pro)
          4. FitBit (this requires a device - they have a good website AND an app for both android and iphone... *I love my Fitbit!!!*)
          5. Body Track It (tracks measurements and weight loss)
          6. C25K (couch to 5k... I've never run in my life, but ran a 5k this year because of this app -- I'm 39 years old)
          7. Everymove - this is a great app that works with other apps above and tracks activity.  Gives you points and rewards... some cash money (to use to buy other things)
      7. Do the activity
        1. Get some fun new headbands or clothes - OMG this totally works for me!!!
        2. Get some videos, join a gym, use the outdoors, etc.  Or use what you have (the best option)
  3. Choose some anchors and track your progress - many of the apps listed above would track your progress for you.
    1. Grab an old picture of yourself (of what you want to look like or even one that you don't want to look like again) -- I use a progress picture and I have a picture of myself from back in 2001
    2. Get a mantra going -- I use the following "I can and I will" and " when you feel like quitting, think about why you started".  These are both on my screen on my phone that I have to look at everytime I go into my phone (which is about 1000 times a day)
    3. Take those measurements... I don't recommend a weekly measurement... but maybe 1/month.  
      1. Arms (each one)
      2. Legs (each one... calfs and thighs)
      3. Waist
      4. Hips
      5. Shoot, even your wrists and neck (sometimes you just need to see the number go down)
    4. Take pictures of yourself either 1/month or 1/quarter... you will visually see results!
  4. Enjoy the results

Simple, right?  Wrong.  It's easy to follow a plan when you are absolutely into it - I call that the honeymoon period.  It's important to be in the honeymoon period for a while... hopefully you can.  But what's more important is to start slowly (baby steps).  You can't change your life completely in one day!  I mean some of you can, but it's really hard and some people will become so overwhelmed that they end up quitting.

So I'd say while implementing your plan (#2 above) that you first set your goals.  Seriously make them small goals at first.  Then implement the food piece first.  See how much time that takes, it gets less and less every week you become more familiar with whatever you're choosing to do.  Then work on incorporating whatever activity you like.

I like to exercise, so I'm very lucky in that respect.  I love how it makes me feel once I'm done, I do not however always love the act of doing the exercise.  So make sure to pick an exercise that 1) you can do and 2) you will do and 3) you like to do.  Remember to buy something fun to wear so you are excited to exercise :)... My issue right now is headbands (and these aren't all of them).

Remember this is your own journey, so don't compare yourself to anyone else.  You are doing this for you (or I hope you are).  If you start comparing yourself to others, you may get discouraged.  Don't get discouraged... it's a journey not a race.  BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!!!

 Here's a bit of before and "so far" of myself for you to chew on!  As you can see this is POSSIBLE and I know I'm worth it!!!

Let's get Healthfully Ever After together!!!



Thursday, August 1, 2013

Routine... it's a must!

I'm happy to report I've had another good week.  I've kept up on my exercising and done "fairly" well with my food.  I can't seem to stay within the points limit I'm given, but with all the working out I'm doing it's been working fine for me.  I know I can't keep that up though, so I know I need to figure out HOW to stay within my points allowed.

If you're new to reading my blog, I've been on Weight Watchers since March of 2012.

This week I lost an additional pound, so my total weight loss is now 91.8.  I feel fantastic, but not too fantastic that I want to stop.  I say that because I have been doing a lot of reflecting this week.  I've worn some super cute clothes that I'm actually feeling good in and am getting some very nice compliments.  BUT  I know I could feel even better!  I can say though, that I am at a point where I'm actually excited to get dressed in the morning.  THAT hasn't happened in YEARS!!!

Here's an outfit from this week...


adorbs huh!  You can find it at www.kikilarue.com, search for Sammie Dress or click here... they have it in green too!  Sadly for those of you that are in maintenance mode and not a plus size, this is not the dress for you.  It only comes in a 1x - 3x.  She says the 1x would fit anyone from a 12-18... which I'd somewhat agree with.... I'd say more like a 12-16 (cuz I'm a 16 and you can see how it fits me).

Enough about how cute I look!  LOL, I kid!!!

I wanted to write about routines this week.  I think it's so important to have a routine.  I don't mean do the same thing every week. I mean - carve out time for your routine and make it what you want or need it to be.  For instance:

Food:  My Sunday's are spent grocery shopping for the week.  I get all my eggs, fruits and veggies and cook/cut them all up and have them ready in individual containers for the week.  If I don't do that, I don't eat the stuff I buy or I do not eat as healthy.  We tend to eat a lot of the same stuff in our salads, but what we add for protein is what mixes it up.  Dinners are usually a meat and a vegetable - if we have time.  Otherwise we utilize the salads and throw tuna, lunch meat or eggs on it.  I also make 2 hard boiled eggs for each day (M-F) for my husband and me.  We do eat those every day - I have to or I'm STARVING all day long.

Exercise:  I have been trying to keep up with my water aerobics (I love the ladies there) as well as have an additional routine to do.  I've been choosing exercise videos that have 30 day programs.  THAT has worked well for me because I own 4 videos that are 30 or more days of structured exercise.  Some call for weights, some don't.  I cannot just do water aerobics anymore if I want to lose weight - I have to do more.  So in addition to all that - I walk too.  Mostly on weekends, but for the last couple of weeks I've been walking Mondays after water aerobics and occassionally during work.

It's a lot... which is why I've had to go back into hibernation mode and focus on me - because I was letting other things get in the way of my routine and I just can't do that right now.  I need to focus on me, my routine and keep my end goal in mind!  I WANT to be healthy, I want to feel good, I don't want to be out of breath for one flight of stairs like I was, I don't want to have heart burn every night, I don't want to be on high blood pressure medicine (I'm still on 1, but I seriously think that needs to change)... lots of "I don'ts" and some very important "I do's."

Ask yourself what you want?  Make your plan and get your routine.  Start slow, I didn't always do all this when I started Weight Watchers.  I chose to focus on my eating first and once I felt comfortable with that, then I started in on figuring out my exercise routines.

You can do it, You just need to want it bad enough!  See you next week and remember...

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!