2012 Yearly Wrap Up

Hello and Happy New Year!!!

After taking a short break to my “get crap back together” after the school thing, am very happy to be back and will be blogging again regularly. Missed everyone but have been busy learning new fitness, nutrition, and motivation tips and tricks to help us all!

But first a quick wrap of “2012 Goals Achieved“!

INCHES LOST: I lost 4 inches off my bust, went from 22 to size 16/18 in pants and from 1X to Xlarge and some Large/Medium as well. Sold or Donated 80% (or more) of my clothes and shoes and, except for one shopping trip, have gotten everything but sneakers from Goodwill.

FAT LOST: I lost 15 pounds this year and have kept it off. Went through a cycle of gaining and losing, then plateaued for about 5 months but kept going.

STRENGTH: I am doing much better. Can do 3 rounds of full range of exercises with trainer. Bench press 40 pounds and squatting 60 pounds. Much better endurance and able to run 2 miles easily.

MOTIVATION: I began working in July with an amazing trainer and hit the gym at least 3 times a week now, if not more. That includes fitness classes, strength training, C25K training, and yoga. Also tried P90X with a group.

RUNS ACCOMPLISHED: I completed 3 separate 5K’s this year, up from 1 last year. Also decreased time on the last one – Thanksgiving Day – by 15 minutes!

DIET: This year I struggled with sweets and junk food, especially pastry, but was able to get friends on board with my “healthy eating program”. Also did a great job with food choices during the holiday’s compared to last year, and did a 1 day water cleanse yesterday – even with going to a friend’s gathering a being surrounded with AMAZING FOOD.

BREAKFAST: Eat breakfast every day, use stevia not sugar, cook with cooking spray.

WATER: Drink it like it’s out of style (at least a gallon a day). That, coffee, and protein shakes are all I drink now.

ENDING THE BLAME / GUILT CYCLE: I am finished blaming my weight gain on my condition (1 med a bit of an issue but have overcome it), my mom for passing the condition down, and beating myself up when I slip off the wagon, hit a wall, or fail at something. Now I can accept life as it comes, deal with it, and move on to make healthier, smarter decisions next time. This is a HUGE step for me!

TAKING CARE OF MYSELF FIRST: After the whole “class thing” and backsliding, I have been extra vigilant about self care, meds, preparing healthy meals, eating on time, and getting to the gym. The healthier I am in all areas of my life, the better wife, friend, and overall person I will be. Can’t help others with half a tank!

OTHER GOALS ACHIEVED OF NOTE:

SOCIAL: Went from anxiety/depression central and trapped at home 2 years ago to planning and hosting 3 parties/gatherings this year: a “Harry Potter Movie Marathon and Authentic Menu” Party, “Cocktails/Mocktails” Party, and a “French Country Christmas”. Also captained the 2012 NamiWalk, great success! Am almost anxiety free now and ready to kick another med to the curb! And will be reconnecting and visiting with friends monthly.

EDUCATION: Signed up for and completed 90% of a college class.

FINANCIAL: Also studying and creating a financial plan for my family for next year to knock out our debts. Paid off car and refinanced house this year. Exciting plans for 2013.

Have another set already of goals for 2013, some carried over from 2012, but many new.

Pleased to report that achieved almost everything on our “2012 Vision Board“. So for those of you who don’t know what a vision board is or just haven’t used one – I HIGHLY recommend it! Seeing your goals in color every day and the “check marks” stuck to the one’s you’ve achieved is an incredible motivator. Gives such an amazing feeling of pride and accomplishment. Have a blog entry from January 2012 explaining how to make your own vision board but even if you just create a “2013 Goals List” and display it where you’ll see it every day, then check things off as you do them, you’ll still get those “warm fuzzy feelings”.

So, welcome back everyone! 2013 is a year of challenging myself like never before, beating the sugar monster, and getting in the best health I’ve been in since my late 20’s. And I challenge you to go after your goals and “knock them out of the park” as well! Would love to hear some of your plans and goals for the New Year and your accomplishments in 2012. This is going to be exciting and thrilled you’re along for the Ride!

Related articles

• The Secrets to Realistic New Year’s Resolutions (news.health.com)
• It’s a wrap! A year of running mayhem, by the numbers (strideandjoy.com)
• Yearly Roundup: December 2012 (thedailyquirk.com)
• Setting achievable goals for 2013 (winecountrymom.com)
• 2013: What to do? (letslivehealthily83.wordpress.com)
• Setting Your 2013 Yearly Goals (greenandcleanmom.org)
• 2013: Happy, Healthy, Hot! (eat-spin-run-repeat.com)
• Goals for 2013 (alteregolifestyle.wordpress.com)
• 13 Goals for 2013 (bloomfieldroad.com)
• Looking Back (and Looking Forward) (mylittlereviewcorner.wordpress.com)

Sunday AM Gratitude

Good morning! If you are in the States, did you change your clocks yet?

– and while you’re at it, maybe take a moment to think about a few things you

are grateful for on this beautiful Fall morning! And sending best wishes

to all those impacted by Sandy.

It’s All About Inspiration!

What is the hardest thing about achieving and then maintaining weight loss and any kind of fitness program?

Yep: Staying Inspired and Motivated!

That’s the reason I post videos, motivating quote pics (see above), and reblog great posts from bloggers who inspire me. You can count calories all day, run until you can’t breathe, and spend hours at the gym. But at some point, we all hit the wall.

It’s when we stop caring what we put in our mouths, whether we make it to the gym, and that cool workout and yoga stuff we bought to have at home starts collecting dust. The business world calls it burn out, I call it just plain tired.

Today’s tip is to embrace the burnout. It’s your body’s way of saying it needs a break. You may also be in a weight loss plateau at this point. That’s normal, too. When we have a lot of weight to lose (or even just a little), it’s typical to get to a certain point and stall. And to control how far we fall off the wagon, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for these burnout periods. To build in 2 slices of pizza (but not 4). To allow yourself a weekend off activity wise and let yourself get completely bored watching telly and finally getting up to “go do something”. It also gives you a chance to research a little and make some minor adjustments for when you get back to work. Changing what and how you’re eating a little, switching to a new/harder class, doing cardio before instead of after strength trainer (or the reverse), adding or subtracting a day.

A few posts ago I talked about the cruel truths of long term maintenance and leading an active, healthy life. Mixing it up on a regular basis is one of those truths. Your body gets bored the same as your mind. It gets used to a routine / way of eating and gets complacent. It’s your job in the control room to keep it guessing and challenge it!

In that vein, here’s the perfect example of an inspiring blog from a blogger I admire very much. She’s a Runner. Pre-Service PE teacher. Personal Trainer. Sports Nutritionist. Les Mills Body Pump Instructor. Yogi. Torquay & Surfcoast Lover. Wow! So if you’re feeling sluggish this morning and not in the mood to get in much activity check out what she’s doing today. And get that butt off the couch!

juice-cleanse-day-2

There is NO “I Can’t”

There truly is no “I Can’t” and the only limits we have are those we impose upon ourselves. No one exemplifies this more than South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius, a quadriplegic who is competing head to head with the rest of the those running in this summer’s 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“Oscar Pistorius, running on prosthetic legs, finishes last in race, first in hearts”

(South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius pops out of the starting block in the men’s 400m semifinals during the Summer Olympic Games on Sunday, August 5, 2012 in London, England.)

At the tiny gym I go to now (not sure it’s really a gym, more like a place where serious athletes and body builders train), one of the owners – my trainer Liz – is going to put a huge poster of Oscar on the wall so anytime anyone says “I can’t” or wants to quit when they still have something in them, she’ll point him out as an example. Not only did he make it to the Olympics, and even with all the padding, those prosthetics HURT! He’s in pain and he’s still running! And maybe he came in last in his first race but he still has the 400 to go. Talk about “never say die”!

I’ve posted the “Versus” motivational video numerous times because it is so powerful. Any goal we want to achieve – mental health, weight loss, getting in shape, relationship or career goals, school, whatever – can be daunting, especially if we don’t have a solid ground of support and/or achievement. There comes a time when it’s necessary to become our own cheerleaders. To discover the strength we have RIGHT NOW inside us to start down a new path. If it helps, print out Oscar’s picture and put it where you’ll see it the most. Use his example to remind yourself that anything is possible, anything that can be dreamed can be achieved.

I believe in you. Now it’s your turn. If you’re already there, I’m working my a** off to catch up!

Tuesday Night Inspiration – And “Food For Thought”

Happy Tuesday!

After hardcore workout yesterday, a bit tired all day but found some terrific items to share with all of you.

First off, an incredibly inspiring story about a 19 year old rockclimber “Making Her Way to the Top”.

“Rock Climber Sasha DiGiulian, 19, is making her way to the top”

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And just when you thought the weight loss related articles, items had fled after the last few days of posts, here’s one that truly is “Food For Thought”:

“Western Diet: A Killer in Okinawa“ –  a YouTube News Story

This second story is, I think, yet another glaring example of how the “fast food, bad habits” western way of life is spreading and impacting otherwise historically healthy and long-lived populations. Cheap corn and government subsidies aren’t the answer. Access to healthy, non-gmo foods for EVERYONE is. What can we do, each of us, as part of the answer, not the problem? (That’s a big question I know – let’s all run over to TED and look for presentations!)

Enjoy, learn, laugh, and think a little! Have a great night!

 

 

Food & Activity Log: 7-22-12

Well, you’ve had a whole week of my new “Daily Photo Log”. What do you think? Have had a comment or two and they’ve been super positive but would like more feedback to continue this project as part of my blog. Please either “Like” or “Comment” – you’re a huge part of why I’m on here!

Glad you liked yesterday’s “Skinny People” post. Some nice tips, one of which I took today – eat early. We had dinner before 5 pm and that’s all the food for the day. And now, without further ado, here’s today’s Photo Food Log!

FOOD LOG:

Breakfast: Total Calories – 220 calories

Coffee w/ fat free half & half –25 calories

Hot water w/fresh lemon juice – 3 calories

Protein shake w/ unsweetened almond milk – 150 calories

Oatmeal (less than ¼ cup) – 42 calories

Lunch (?): Total Calories – 820 calories

Cherry Danish – 410 calories

Puff Pastry – 410 calories

Dinner: Total Calories –741 calories

Cuban Ropa Vieja – 264 calories

Cuban Yellow Rice – 64 calories

Cuban Black beans (1/4 cup) – 153 calories

Fried (Plantains) Tostones (4) – 260 calories

Green Tea (large) – 0 calories

TOTAL CALORIES FOR DAY: 1,781 of 1,700

Net Calories For the Week: -481 Calories

ACTIVITY LOG:

Had a bad “emo” day. Went to a meditation / reike class and it sent me right into a bp episode. Stopped for pastry at Publix on the way home and then napped all afternoon. Needed to take xanax early and will go to bed early as well. But only 81 calories over daily target.

Related articles

• 15 “Negative Calorie” Foods (mytechnologyworld9.blogspot.com)

Whew…Back on the Saddle Again

Today’s Lesson: See Above!

After a 45 minute mixed strength workout yesterday from sparkpeople and other online video workouts, today I WENT BACK TO THE GYM!

And it felt good to be back, especially since I was meeting with a trainer to help me get back into the “groove”. After 2 weeks of much lower activity, this week I did a power yoga class, 45 minutes yesterday, and 20 minutes of interval training on a stationary bike with a trainer today.

Did I feel lightheaded and like I was going to throw up – YES! Did I do it anyway – YES!

I would apologize in advance for having down days, days I just can’t drag myself to the gym and blow off workouts, and occasional food disasters. But that said, I’ve lost almost 80 pounds in a little over a year – and am keeping it off. This is good news for you because if I can do it, you definitely can too!

And even though my weight loss has slowed to a crawl, my body is still changing. I can buy XL sizes in regular stores for the first time in years. And some XL’s are too big! The scale will go back and forth, you will have lapses and blow off days, that’s normal. What’s important (and I’m saying this to me, too) is to pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and (sing along) start all over again!

Together we can do this thing!

Related articles

• Whew last day of week 9! (inspired-weightloss.com)
• All that fat? (lesliejoanishere.wordpress.com)
• Help! This is a major barrier in my weight loss! (operationflatbelly.wordpress.com)
• Day 11 – 10 Pounds!!! (imchoosinglifenow.wordpress.com)

OMG!!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!!

We’re going to a concert tonight and I found out I fit in a solid size 18 jean and an XL shirt! Check this out:

And this is the pic from February, 4 months ago:

And this was at the worst, about 2 years ago:

If I can do it – YOU CAN TO!!!

Compliments…Take Them!!!

We all love compliments don’t we?

Especially any regarding our weight loss as they reinforce all our hard work.

Ok, the ones after a facial, new haircut, new shoes, those are pretty snazzy, too!

Have you noticed yet, depending on where you are in your journey, that people who haven’t seen you in awhile usually are the ones who are overflowing with “oh my gosh, you look terrific!”, “have you lost weight?”, “wow!!”?

But as good as those type of compliments make us feel, the “real” ones, the ones that make a lasting impression, are from people who see you all the time. That notice you’re still losing weight, that they see you in workout clothes more often than not (and the new clothes you’re buying that actually fit!), that you’re carrying a gym bag in after lunch, freshly showered, or carrying it out after work to go to the gym. You’re easier to live with/work with/be with, more relaxed, and seem to just glow. These are the ones that count. Maybe they’re your spouse, friend, coworker, heck, today it was the the lady who always helps me at my jeweler’s. She’s seen me many times over the last year as I’ve brought in items for cleaning, watches that needed new batteries, and today, to pick up a very good quality fork that was used for “the wrong purpose” and needed repair.

I was standing there in my work-out gear, stopping by on the way to what, go to a body pump class, and she casually mentioned how much weight I keep losing and how great I looked. That was the best compliment I’ve had in a long time! It even topped the one from the friend I hadn’t seen in 3 years who told my wife out of my earshot “my god, she’s gorgeous!”. OK, so that was pretty cool too.

So pay attention! Focus it on the people who compliment you when you least expect it, for no reason, and the smile reaches their eyes. Then file those moments away to remember during the hard times. When you’re looking down at the empty bottom of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey. When you haven’t worked out in  a week and you’re beating yourself up. When “the demon scale” strikes again. Sometimes it takes more than motivation, it takes the little gems we get along the weigh to keep us going. Write them down and take them out when you need that boost. And maybe before you dig into that pint in the first place!

Tired? Too Bad!!

Wanted this BIG, Front and Center!!

It’s been an almost week long “lady’s time” and I am wiped out. Blew off yoga twice this week and even some quick cleaning today has me back on the couch. Will be going to a core exercise class and trying to do some cardio tonight.

The Good News: I only lost a bit of weight loss leeway this week and am back on “The 17 Day Diet”.

The Not So Good News: I’ve only lost 10 pounds total in 4 1/2 months! That’s way behind schedule (where I wanted to be now – 20 pound loss). But at least still losing and maybe a good time to examine what’s going on with diet and tweaking the exercise. Always look for the lemonade!

So today will push through the fatigue and hit the gym – sure that will help kick the energy back up. So the basic lesson is one we keep practicing and practicing and one I talked about yesterday: fall down, get back up, get back to work!!

We can do this!!!!

If in doubt, watch the video below AGAIN and AGAIN until pumped back up: