Weekend Reunion

Update on last week's goal... I did have a lot of liquids but it was mostly soda or pepto since I had food poisoning or the flu.... either way, not a fun week.  I still lost a couple of pounds but that sure wasn't due to exercising.  I took the week off in order to let my body recover from whatever I had.

Looking towards this weekend I am feeling a little scared... family reunion.  You know what that means.  Lots of food.  Lots of snacks.  Lots of treats with unlimited access, and everyone telling you to let loose and eat whatever you want since it is a special occasion.  Now, I'm not opposed to having a treat here and there.... but when it is uncontrolled and unmonitored eating that it becomes a problem.

A couple of weekends ago I was at another family get together and there was junk food everywhere!  But I went into the weekend with my mind already made up.  I wasn't going to cheat, at all!  None!  Surprisingly, it was a pretty easy weekend for me.  Usually when I am faced with a large bowl of ice cream with a side of a few candy bars.... I sit and debate with myself about if I'm going to give into my craving or not and I usually give in and end up eating everything in sight!

So when I went into the weekend with my mind and will power already set it was amazing!  This weekend I will probably end up eating something delicious and very fattening.  But I'm making up my mind right now that I can indulge just a bit.  Now that doesn't mean snacking all day long, having huge meals, snacking some more and finishing the day off with a dessert buffet.  I will indulge just a bit without letting myself go crazy!

Whether you choose to not have anything or choose to just have one or two things then great!  Go for it.  Just be strong and stick to your plan!  So wish me luck, and if you want to read a little article about not cheating... see this.

I'll be reading it and I'll do my best to not gain back all the weight I've worked hard to work off!

Week 2 Goal: Drink Up!

GOAL: Drink 8 glasses of 8 oz of water everyday.

Water is so so good for you.  I always have a hard time drinking enough water though.  I find keeping a water bottle with me the entire day helps me to remember to drink.  I also like to use sugar free sweeteners sometimes as well.  

It's important to drink before, during and after workouts.  Once again, having a water bottle on hand helps a lot.  I also try to have a full glass before I eat, another during my meal, and another one once I am finished.  I find that this helps me to feel more full so I don't over eat as much.  Sometimes between meals I feel "hungry" but I know I've had enough food and that really isn't the case... sometimes I just feel like snacking.  Drinking some water or your favorite low-cal drink will help you with that unsatisfied feeling.  I try to drink water most of the time and I save a diet soda or a low-cal drink for those times to get over my sweet tooth.

As for last week... I had a crazy week with my work schedule and I never made my 9:30 bedtime.  I will try again this week though.  The important thing is to not give up and to keep trying to improve each day! I'm sorry about only posting once last week, I'll do better this week!  So drink up and I'll be back soon!

Weekly Goal: Sleep

GOAL: Be in bed by 9:30 this week.

Sleep is a very important aspect of your health.  I've already posted on what sleep can do for your health here.  Not only does it help your emotional and mental health, but it also plays a crucial role in how your metabolism is performing... aka... it plays a role in weight loss.

 Researchers from the University of Chicago has found that when you get enough sleep while trying to loose weight, you lose more fat compared to those who don't get enough sleep and they lose more muscle mass.  And just like I described in my earlier post, they found that when you are sleepy your body makes a hormone that makes you feel hungry....causing you to over eat and not lose weight.

I have found this to be very true.  I have noticed a significant difference in the way that I feel emotionally, mentally and physically depending on how much sleep I get.  When I was in college and I decided I wanted to change my life and get really healthy- I was in bed by 9:30 during that semester.  It was so hard to do!  I had homework, friends, and my roommates were all up till the early hours of the morning, but I forced myself to keep that strict bedtime and after a couple of weeks I felt like a completely new person.  I felt so good!  Better than I had ever felt!  After getting married and moving on with life I have lost that habit and I can feel the effects of it.

So this week I am going to be in bed by 9:30.  Hopefully after a week or two I'll have more energy like I use to.  Now you don't have to choose 9:30, maybe 10 or 10:30 is a big step for you!  But do try to focus on getting to bed earlier this week.  It won't be easy, but stick with it and you might be surprised at what a difference sleep can make for you!

Weekly Goals

As I'm working on my own journey to being as fit and healthy as I can, I'll be posting about nutrition, what my eating plan is, what my workout schedule is, and how I'm dong with all of these things.  I've had so much success so far (down 29 pounds) and I'm excited to share what I've learned about eating and exercising in a healthy, realistic, and affordable way!

In addition to posting these things, I would like to have weekly goals.  These goals will target a specific thing so hopefully I can start making these goals turn into healthy habits.  I'll be posting these goals each Monday and report how I'm doing, and give tips for success that have worked for me.  This coming week I will be focusing on sleep.  More on that on Monday but start thinking of what your new sleep goals could be for next week!  See you all then!

Finally!

So I've been stuck on a plateau for a few weeks now.  I've been exercising and eating well but the scale has been at a stand still.  But I kept trying my best and I tried not to get too discouraged.  I was seeing results even if the scale didn't show any.  I have gone from only being able to fit into one pair of pre-pregnancy jeans to fitting into most of them!  It's a good feeling when you can wear some jeans that would have been impossible to wear just a month ago.  So I've kept my spirits up knowing that something good must happening... as tempting as it was to give up for an evening or two and just eat whatever I want... since I was working so hard and nothing was happening.  But this morning I am so happy to report that I have lost 3.5 pounds since last week!  It's finally paying off!

So just know that if you feel like you are working hard and you aren't seeing the results... put away the scale for a week or two.  Just pay attention to how your clothes are fitting.  Measure your inches once a week and track your progress there.  Whatever you do, don't give up and keep working hard.  It will finally pay off!

Goals

`Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?' asked Alice.

`That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,' said the Cat. 

`I don't much care where--' said Alice.

`Then it doesn't matter which way you go,' said the Cat. 

Just like Alice, if we don't have an idea of where we want to end up, then it doesn't really matter where we end up!  If you float around aimlessly in life, then you won't have much say in what happens to you.  The same principle applies to your health and fitness.  If you don't know what you want, then how do you know what to work for?  How can you track progress?  The best way to track progress and to make sure you end up where you want to is to set some goals.

Right after I had my first baby I decided that I wanted to train to run a half marathon.  At the time I could hardly believe that I had set such a goal.  I hadn't been running for the past year and I wondered if I could be ready in time.  Once I got the 'okay' from the doc to exercise again I had three and a half months to train and to be ready to run.  I must say that setting this goal was the best thing for me.

On days when it was hard to run, or I didn't feel like training, the thought of finishing my goal helped motivate me to get going!  I remember my first 'long run' day... six miles.  I got home from my run and tearfully told my husband that I couldn't do the half marathon.  I had just about died running six miles!  How could I ever run 13.1!  But I had already registered and paid for the race and I was committed to finish.  I got excited to think that someday I would actually run a half marathon.  Me!?  That's crazy!  I loved the thought of accomplishing something I thought that would be "too difficult" for me.

I was nervous and excited on race day.  I was ready and I wanted to run!  My goal was to finish the half marathon under three hours and I did!  It was such an amazing feeling!  I was so happy to finally cross the finish line!  The last couple of miles had been brutal!  

I got my medal, and my creamy (best creamy I've ever had) and met up with my family.  They were such a support to me and I couldn't have done it alone!  It felt so good knowing that I had set a goal, worked really really hard, and I had accomplished that goal!  I felt so powerful!

The thing that I love most about goals is the direction they give you.  Your goals are so personal and they belong to you.  I hope you all have your own goals that you are working towards.  Write them down!  Look at them often!  I like to keep a list by my bed so I can read over them often.  If you need to revise and write new ones there is nothing wrong with that.  Just do what you want to do.  Set some goals regarding your health and fitness.  Set some goals involving relationships and personal growth.  Have something to work towards and stretch yourself.  Stretch yourself and you will be amazed at what you are able to accomplish.  

I hope you sit down and seriously think about what you want to accomplish.  Have fun with it!  Don't stress and as my mother use to say, "believe in yourself, it works!"

Strawberry Lime Slush

Being healthy doesn't mean you have to give up the sweet things in life.  You just have to be smart about what you eat.  There is no reason you need to live a life eating organic fig bars just for the sake of being healthy.  

The other night it was pretty warm outside and I was having my nightly sweets craving.  I had a bunch of strawberries in the fridge that needed to be eaten so I thought I would make a delicious slush to cool down and have a treat.

Strawberry Lime Slush

1 liter Sprite Zero

1 package of fresh strawberries (or 3-4 cups frozen)

1-2 cups of ice

1/2 lime

Blend the Sprite, strawberries and ice and add enough lime to taste!  I used the juice from half a lime and thought it was perfect!  So easy and so delicious!

It's very low in calories, full of fruit, and sweet and tasty.  So the next time your sweet tooth comes calling give this baby a try!