Determined to be Healthy

Flexitarian :)

2011-03-16T19:17:00.002-04:00

I think it's time to update everyone....since I haven't blogged in ages. To start I have become interested in and tried many new and exciting things in the last few weeks. Basically since the beginning of March. February was a total wash, I was miserable unhealthy and at that point tired of looking outside and only seeing white! Then the rain came and so did the grass, which I think has helped my overall mood and disposition.

Anyhoo I read about a friend who started a raw diet and she also started juicing. I found this very intriguing and began doing research about this type of lifestyle. Another friend also mentioned she was going to try a cleanse for a few weeks from a book she was reading and I wondered about what she meant by this exactly. So one day walking through BJ's Wholesale I noticed a book with a white and brightly colored cover titled "Crazy Sexy Diet" by Kris Carr. This book is amazing! It is informative, scientifically backed by doctors and also truly inspiring for everyone. The best part is it's not a "diet" it is just a change in your lifestyle...exactly what I was looking for all this time.

So I don't want to share the book's every detail (because I do believe you should read it) but I will fill you in on how it has changed my life so far. I BOUGHT A JUICER!!!!!! Yes this is the biggest change in my lifestyle so far, I seem to juice everything. Ok well maybe not everything but green veggies that I thought should only be in a salad I now drink. My favorite juice recipe so far is....

Sarah's Green Breakfast
2 cucumbers
3 celery stalks
1 handful of parsley
1 small slice of Ginger root (1/4 in)

All items placed in a juicer and juiced... It makes about 16 oz

I also have found a few vegan foods and recipes that I enjoy. Pop chips are one favorite snack they are very similar to potato chips but healthy. One bag is 8 weight watcher points plus (I was told by my leader) and they are also a vegan food. I like the Salt and Vinegar flavor the best. I have tried the Original and Sour Cream and Onion they were just ehh in my book. I have also tried chocolate (avocado) pudding which is absolutely AMAZING!!!! It is a very chocolately thick texture, better then ANY pudding I have ever had and I usually don't even like chocolate. I found this recipe here at www.beautiful-vegan.com . On the right side of the page there is a recipe box and when you click on it there are a lot of great ideas. You can also freeze the pudding and have ice cream, my favorite. Speaking of ice cream I have also experimented with mashed frozen bananas which creates a smooth frozen treat. Yummy! And last but not least I made the most delicious strawberry banana smoothie yesterday. I sliced and froze 2 bananas over night, sliced up 2 cups of strawberries, added both of those to a blender with a cup of Unsweetened Blue Diamond Almond Milk and a tiny bit of agave nectar as a sweetener, it was sooooooo tasty. I want some now just thinking about it.

So looking back over the last month and a half I have thought so negatively about things because I have gained some weight back since the new year and it has really bothered me but after writing about all of these great new experiences I am happy about where I am today and the amount of info I have learned about my body and health, even if I am not losing a pound a week. But don't get me wrong in the long run I am still focusing on these ideas to have a healthier thinner me. So in closing I would like to refer to my self as a person in transition or in other words a "Flexitarian" and in the Sarah dictionary this means someone who is exploring her food options and could be leaning towards a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle but is nervous about making the official declaration.

Let me know your thoughts, recipe ideas or any other comments you would like to share. :)

All Done!

2011-01-30T09:27:00.003-05:00

All done...with winter that is. Does anyone else feel unsure of their emotions these days? Trying to be happy and think positive but all I feel is lazy and tired. My brain is thinking get up and run, I really want to run. But then my body doesn't seem to move from the couch once dinner is cleaned up. I really could use a winter heat wave or a tropical vacation. Yesterday I realized how bad I needed the warm weather. I decided to check out Old Navy's sale wearing a short sleeve shirt and fleece because I thought it was sooo warm (35 degrees), how sad. But while shopping I came to a realization that I can't wait for Spring and the warm weather. I want to wear all of the cute, fun styles without feeling self conscious. Therefore I need to get my lazy, tired body off the couch and continue exercising. Before the new year I was able to drop 12 pounds but since then I haven't had much progress. I am ready to change my habits and change my body. Here's to positive thinking and going forward.

This morning I woke up, immediately put on sweats and sneakers then went running in my neighborhood for 20 minutes. It was exhilarating!! Also in the past month I read a great book and found an awesome website. Finally Thin by Kim Bensen and www.kimbensen.com, she is an inspiring women. I also found an english muffin with less then 3 points plus. Fiber one hearty wheat multigrain English muffins. The carbs are measured in mgs instead of grams which lowers the points by a lot! Another news update, I cancelled my WW subscription and I'm getting back on track on my own. I think my brain thinks about food differently while a WW member, almost obsessively and so I need to concentrate on my health in a different way.

I'd love to hear from you, the reader, how do you turn around the winter blues? Or what do you do to keep your body healthy?

Stay healthy and happy!
Sarah

Resolutions...

2011-01-01T10:36:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year!

That being said many people make resolutions or promises to themselves without thinking it through just because it's a new year. But when you make these resolutions it is important to plan your attack for each day so your wish (oops I mean resolution) can be accomplished. Recently I learned about how to make a resolution or goal that could change your life. Your goal should be measurable, realistic and it should fit into your life. After much thinking I have two personal goals that I will concentrate on in 2011. First, I want to be a little less practical and a little more girly :) I was always the one to pick out comfy clothes and comfy shoes instead of something cute or pretty and I'm tired of being "frumpy". In the future I will work on stepping out of my comfort zone and picking items that will make me happy. The second idea is to try running another 5k or maybe multiple races over the next year. To reach my goal I will continue to lose weight to make running easier. I will also use the treadmill on the colder days but when I can I will get outside and run in the neighborhood. To measure my goal I will run at least twice a week and I will do Zumba the other days to stay active and as a race gets closer I will increase my running.

Ok, enough about me and my goals. What are your goals or what is your New Years resolution? I would love to hear about your goals and your plan of attack that will help you accomplish it.

Happy New Year!!! I wish everyone happiness, peace and health in 2011!!! :)

Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T15:52:00.003-05:00

Wow, a lot has happened in the last four weeks since my last post. So I will try to catch you up on everything. I did decide to join weight watchers and I attend Sunday morning meetings. I love it, the leader and other members are helpful, funny and easy to talk to. The first three weeks of the new program wasn't a huge success but none the less i was still losing weight. The first and second week I lost approximately one pound combined and the third week I stayed the exact same. I always think it is absolutely amazing that you can stay the same on the scale. Anyway this past week was my fourth week of ww and it was also Christmas, I was a little afraid. But the week started and I tried planning out my food except at work there were hundreds of snacks and baked goods, by Thursday I couldn't bare to even look at another sweet treat. Needless to say I ate many cookies and many unhealthy treats during the week and at first thought my weigh in was doomed. Then as the week went by I realized that even though I probably ate more then I should of I still drank lots of water, exercised and filled up on zero point fruit. Those tactics helped me get through until Thursday. Friday I ate an spinach and artichoke souffle and it was delicious!! Then I had Christmas eve dinner and a little dessert, trying not to go overboard. Christmas day we had everyone for breakfast and I ate fruit salad and a cinnamon bun, then went to Gram's and had dinner. Overall the actual holiday was better then the days before. Now the holiday is over and I went to my meeting this morning with the attitude of "I have nothing to lose". If I gained then I would move on and if I lost I would do the same and move on. So with happiness I would like to say this was my best week yet and I lost 2.6 pounds bringing my personal weight loss to over twelve pounds. Of course WW says I have only lost a little over three but it's all ok. By losing this weight I have achieved a number that I have not seen in about four years!!

Hope everyone's holiday was awesome, it was so nice to spend it with family! And on this note I'm going to go try out my new Zumba game on the Wii. Happy New Year!!

In The Middle

2010-11-20T07:17:00.004-05:00

Have you ever wondered where your place was in life? Whether it was at home, work, with friends or just with your self. Sometimes I feel like I just don't know if I'm moving forward or backwards. Lately I feel like I'm "stuck" in the middle. I'm not "old" but I'm not "young", I'm not married but I'm not single. I'm not thin but I really don't feel "fat". I'm in the MIDDLE!

So I have been thinking a lot lately of how to feel different. When it comes to my age, most people just say "give me a break, I would love to be almost 30 again" but that's only because they are in their 40's and 50's. To me it means "oh crap" I'm going to be 30! Starting now I just have to prepare myself and say turning 30 isn't the end of the world. It will be hard to believe but I'll manage.

The whole married vs. single problem I don't think will ever change, at least not by my doing. Friends who are married seem to never have time for their single friends anymore, or that is at least what I have come to realize. Just because you are married and have kids your life is suddenly sooo busy. I don't get it but of course I wouldn't because I am technically still single.

Then it comes to being thin instead of being fat. And to change this I think I might join Weight Watchers yet again to help me on my journey. SO far with out the help of a "program" I have lost approximately 7.5 pounds on my own. Not as much as I would of liked by this point but excellent considering the weight has stayed off. So some might say why Weight Watchers, I actually questioned myself too. It is so expensive and you really need to be dedicated to the program to be successful. How many times can one girl join Weight Watchers in a life time? I might be setting a world record if I try again, but what the hell, why would I stop now? I think WW keeps coming up for two reasons, one, because I heard there is a HUGE secret and in about a week they are introducing a new program with new techniques. (I like the idea of something new!) and two, about six years ago I attended a meeting after work every Wednesday, the leader was awesome, the group was great and I lost weight at every meeting and never missed a single one. At the same time my job offered a class that I needed to take and it happened to be Wednesday night, the same time as WW. So somehow my weight loss of 23 pounds disappeared and I grew heavier and heavier each year. I think if i continued on my weight loss journey at that time I would of been VERY successful. Since that time I have never found a leader quite like the one I used to go to, of course because all people are different and no one will be exactly like her.

The Solution:

The week after Thanksgiving I am going to walk into a Weight Watchers meeting for the umpteenth time and re register and start over. I am a clean slate wanting to learn all. Yet I still have one dilemma, I need to set myself up for success and have nothing get in the way of this journey. So here it is... both meeting locations near me are centers which most people would enjoy but I hate it. The centers are open daily with a billion meetings to chose from, different leaders to chose from and the excuse of "I can't make it to my meeting tonight so I will go tomorrow". For me all of these are problems. So I have narrowed down the locations and the meetings to a more bearable choice. I will attend the center in South Windsor, but I am not sure if I should attend the Sunday morning meeting at 9:30am or the Tuesday evening meeting at 6pm. I thought I would prefer the Tuesday night meeting but I have been weighing myself in the morning since July and I would like to keep that consistent to get a true idea of my weight. But I also like Sunday morning, a great way to start the week. Except when talking to some people they mentioned that this might be difficult because of Friday and Saturday. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I will keep you posted on my future decisions :)

Zumba

2010-11-05T12:32:00.004-04:00

Zumba addicted is how I would like to describe myself lately. I am constantly thinking when I can get my next "fix" of Zumba. Recently I found a few Zumba classes in the area and can't keep myself away. I used to do it weekly when I lived in Massachusetts but haven't been able to find a class since I moved back to Connecticut. Then with in the last two weeks I found multiple classes that I have really enjoyed. On Tuesday nights I dance in bare feet, which is a fun way to do Zumba. The class is at My Gym, a children's gym, and they don't let shoes on the carpeted gym floor. Next week I will attend a Monday and Thursday night class. This week I attended the Thursday class and the instructor was great. The class was a fun mix of dancing with some aerobic movements. The class was well balanced, a difficult characteristic to find while looking for a class. Overall I am definitely Zumba addicted!

Are you Zumba addicted? Is there a Zumba experience you would share? Has anyone tried Zumba toning classes or Aquatic Zumba? Have you lost weight due to Zumba? How many calories do you think you burn while Zumbaing? I did some research and found that I could burn around 450 calories. I found a Zumba toning class on Saturday mornings and think I might try it out tomorrow. While searching for a class on the Zumba website I came across a Zumba vacation where they have Zumba classes at a Club Med resort. It is to late to think about doing that this year, the vacation is in December but it is something to look into in 2011.

Eggs and Soup

2010-10-24T11:31:00.005-04:00

I am back from my unannounced fer low and ready to get down to business. I decided to calculate how many Weight Watcher points I would be able to eat each day even though I am not attending the meetings. To help me stay on plan I found that protein and exercise seem to be the "secret", so I have been talking to a lot of people finding out what they eat and which exercises keep them going. Here is what I found.

Food is not the enemy! I believe I found some healthy, yummy and EASY recipes to help my body loose weight. I have recently been eating 100 calorie high fiber english muffins with a little bit of peanut butter for breakfast or apple cinnamon instant oatmeal. Both have been a delicious change from the cereal that I used to have EVERY morning. This weekend while chatting with a friend I discovered an egg recipe from the South Beach Diet eating plan that will work as a breakfast option. They are called "egg muffins" because you make omelets in a muffin pan, bake them and refrigerate them for a quick breakfast. This morning I decided to make them and figured out that they are only 1 point for one muffin. First, I sprayed a 12 cup muffin tin with Pam. Then I placed some diced peppers and onions at the bottom of each cup. I added a pinch of Weight Watchers Mexican cheese to each cup and filled them to the top with Egg Whites only. Then they baked in the oven for approximately 28 minutes at 375 degrees. Once they were done I let them cool a little and tasted one, it was delicious! I can for see myself baking these every week. The recipe can also be altered to your liking but adjust the points accordingly. Some options were adding bacon and sausage. This morning I also made the Weight Watcher Cabbage Soup for the first time. I haven't tasted it yet but it smells awesome. The soup is zero points and it is very easy to make. I found the recipe online because I can't seem to find my old WW books.

Moving on to exercise. I finally found a Zumba class in my area that is affordable and offered at a reasonable time. My first class is Tuesday at 6:15pm and I can't wait go! The gym mentioned it might offer a Sunday morning class too which would be great! I will keep you posted! :)

Overall, I am ready to get back on the saddle and keep riding along. I was told a few weeks ago that I never seem to follow through with things that I start. Losing weight is one of those "things" that I can't seem to keep up with. I have a great motivated attitude and before I know it something just veers me in the wrong direction. But to prove this person wrong and to get my body healthy and in shape I will stick this out til the end. I will reach my goal and enjoy the outcome of buying new clothes and having a new me!

Research / Week Eleven Results

2010-10-02T13:00:00.006-04:00

Weigh in this morning went better then expected :) I broke that annoying number that I could never seem to pass and I am happy to say that I lost 2.8 pounds since last Monday! Moving forward is the only way for me from now on!
Here's to going forward!! :)

On another note, I did research recently:

Since I decided to have a fresh start last week I began researching many options with exercise and food. I have found a lot of information online and in other programs that I have purchased over the years. I decided to combine the knowledge to make one great plan. No, I haven't created my own weight loss program but I am learning what ideas and strategies will work best for my body.

While researching food options I realized I do not eat nearly enough protein. I should be having protein at each meal and through out the day to energize my metabolism. I also learned that fish, turkey breast and chicken breast are the best choices for protein. Red meat protein does not get used in your body fast enough and usually turns into fat rather then energy.

To boost my metabolism I decided to try the 3 day heart diet. While asking around for weight loss tips and searching online for healthy ways to jump start my body all talk came back to this 3 day eating plan. It is an intense and strict menu that causes a chemical reaction with in your body which results in weight loss. So I decided this weekend that I would try the 3 day eating plan and review the results on my next weigh in. Today was day one. It was difficult but I feel accomplished because I followed the menu perfectly. Day two and three will be challenging but I am curious about the results. If you Google "The three day diet" or "the three day heart diet" you will find the eating plan I am referring too. If you participate in Weight Watchers, many members have tried this eating plan when they hit a plateau. I was told that it amounts to approximately 24 daily points.

I also researched some exercise options and read an article that said if a person exercises in the morning before eating they are burning "stored fat" and not carbs. This idea is said to work because your body has been fasting while sleeping during the night. To accomplish weight loss a person needs to do a sweat inducing exercise for 45 to 60 minutes. I started exercising in the am last week. I made it to the gym twice in the AM once before work (boy that was an early morning) and one weekend morning. That little bit has seemed to pay off. More updates to follow.

Hope some of my research helps you in your weight loss journey!

Starting Fresh!

2010-09-27T07:18:00.002-04:00

Weighed myself this morning and I went down .9 from last week when I didn't record my weigh in. I am also going to bed much earlier these days and I am going to try and work out before going to work. I was reading an article on the Jillian Michaels website and it said to work out in the morning because your body has been fasting for 8 hours and has no carbs to burn just fat stores. It seems to make sense and I like working out in the am, I just need to get my body out of bed at 5:30am. YUCK! But I'm going to give it a try :) Have a great week! I'll keep you posted on my morning workouts. :)

Frustrated!

2010-09-21T20:00:00.004-04:00

Frustrated! I have been feeling very frustrated since my 5K and maybe even a little before my race. I seem to do well keeping off approximately 5 pounds but I can NEVER get lower then that on the scale. I did not chart my weigh in last Monday because I was so frustrated. I ran a couple of short runs the week of the 13th and then I ran the entire race on Sunday the 19th. I drank a lot of water throughout the week and ate healthy salads and such. The day of the race I ate a good breakfast, something I would normally have and then for lunch that day we went out to Olive Garden and everyone ordered a dinner except I really just wanted a soup and salad. On Monday morning the scale said I went up approximate 1 pound. I WAS SO FRUSTRATED!

On top of being annoyed about my weight, being sore from the race, I also woke up Monday morning with a horrible cold. All of these thoughts together did not get my motivation to exercise up at all. So all week I pondered about what I could be doing wrong and why I can't lose more then 5 pounds. Eating salads for lunch and healthy breakfasts and decent dinners is really annoying when it doesn't matter on the scale.

So I need your help. I realized I created this blog to help me through this struggle that I have been dealing with for years. Right now I need help to overcome this plateau that I have been dealing with for a long time. Looking back on all of my years of trying to lose weight and recording it each week I noticed that I was the same weight a year ago and yet I seem to get stuck here. I think I need to exercise more and maybe that will help. Does any know how to get out of this FUNK!! Any thoughts would be helpful :)

Not expecting a loss this week but I will record it no matter what! That is why I started this blog anyway. Next July is the ultimate goal day but by Christmas I would like to lose about 19 pounds. My new short term goal 19 pounds by December 25,2010.

My First 5K Completed!

2010-09-19T20:39:00.003-04:00

Looking back on my first 5K it was a great learning experience. The organization was for a great cause and it was awesome to look around and see everyone supporting their family and friends. But it also seemed to be a little disorganized. I preregistered and went to sign in, we received a long sleeve t-shirt and I thought we were going to get a "goodie" bag with items from community businesses because that is what was advertised but we did not. The race was suppose to start at 10am, which I thought was late to begin with and then when we were waiting 10am came and went and the race didn't start. Around 10:15am the event organizer started speaking and told everyone we would get started around 10:30am and that she had a few speakers that would be sharing their stories before hand. At this point my excitement was fading and I just wanted to get started. Finally it was time to line up and while this was happening they said we would be running on the sidewalks and to please stay off the roads. Then off we went on what was said to be a flat course with one incline at the end. What LIARS! They obviously never ran the course before, even though this was the 4th annual run/walk for this event. We started running down hill and then we turned on to multiple rolling streets. One person running near me was talking to her partner and said "I thought the course was flat?" as I was thinking the same thing to myself.

Moving on to the positive race experiences. The weeks leading up to the race I worried about being the last runner or not being able to make it the whole way. While running today though and realizing my fear of being last was coming true I also realized that it doesn't matter because I am doing this race for me. I will finish while running the whole way and be proud of myself for following through. It was also helpful when everyone on the course shared their encouraging words, it made it that much easier to keep going.

In the end I FINISHED my first 5K and want to continue running! :)

Week Eight Results

2010-09-13T07:20:00.002-04:00

I hit 5 pounds today!! I think I have reached this number before but I can't seem to go any lower. This week is my race and I will be focusing also on the scale to pass this stubborn set of numbers. Heading into work early today, have to run!

How can you take advantage of the cool weather? I can run easier when it's cooler, use the change to help you achieve your goals!! :)

A Little Berserk

2010-09-12T12:47:00.003-04:00

Maybe fortune cookies are valid :) Just this week I broke open a fortune cookie and it read "If you want to win anything - a race, your self, your life - you have to go a little berserk." Upon reading this fortune I just chuckled to myself, this could be so true.

On August 11 when I decided to sign up for the 5K race in Glastonbury, race day felt so far away. I thought to myself "how am I EVER going to train to run three miles in a month. I have never ran a day in my life and enjoyed it, why would I ever want to sign up to run a race". How ever inexperienced I felt at that time the determination and craziness about me was more powerful then the uncertainty. You might say "I went a little berserk". But boy I am glad that I took that leap and made a choice.

Race day is next Sunday at 10am and I have never felt more determined. This past week I was able to run 3 miles on two different days and I was able to keep pace for approximately 40 minutes each time. I remember looking back, with the help of my boyfriend, on the first few weeks I tried running and I barely could run a mile. When I tried to do 2 miles I had to walk in between. I also felt like I couldn't survive more then 20 minutes of run/walk exercise. But now I am extremely happy to say that I have run for 40 minutes with out stopping and I have completed 3 miles more then once.

So maybe the fortune cookie phrase is right, we do need to "go a little berserk" to accomplish great things whether its a race or your life, determination and believing in yourself is the only way it will happen.

Regardless of the scale, by doing this healthy challenge I have learned a lot so far about myself and about how my body works. To think I learned all this in less then eight weeks, what will I be able to learn about myself in 52 weeks? Even if the scale doesn't say I'm losing weight, my body has become healthier in other ways.

In closing, think about ways that you can "GO A LITTLE BERSERK" in your life and see all the doors that can open and all the tasks you can accomplish! :)

3 Miles

2010-09-08T00:23:00.002-04:00

I ran three miles tonight!! Finally I did it :) It took me 37 minutes and change and that included hills, straight areas and inclines in the road. I was so afraid I wasn't going to be able to run the 5K on October 19th but maybe I'll be fine :)

I realized tonight stretching before and after really helped in my stamina. I wasn't sore or achy while I ran. My third mile I started feeling it more then before but even then it really was not that bad.

Feeling very proud of myself, it's Tuesday (a work day) and I came home and ran 3 miles!!!! YEAH ME!! :)

Week Seven Results

2010-09-06T19:15:00.002-04:00

When I stepped on the scale this morning I was down and pleased. I feel I have made good food choices and now need to work on the exercise aspect of the plan. My mind wants to exercise more often and for a longer period of time but my body can't seem to follow through. It's quite frustrating.

Today I was psyched to go running this morning and mid run right when I was feeling great my right upper outer thigh had a pain. I'm not sure if I needed to stretch more or I needed more nutrients or water but it was painful enough for me to stop my run and walk it out. Once i walked for a bit and stretched it out for a second I tried again the pain was there but I ran through it just to get home, hoping it would go away.

More news today, I received more pledges for my run! The thermometer on my personal pledge page is rising! If you would like to make a donation to the Free to Breathe Lung Cancer organization you can go to the link on my page. My goal is to raise $100 before the race on September 19th.

Have a wonderful short week! Tomorrow is Tuesday!!! Yeah! :)

Non Scale Victories

2010-09-04T11:40:00.005-04:00

With race day 15 days away I am becoming more nervous and apprehensive rather then happy and excited. I went running today and completed a mile in about 12:20 but felt like I was going to die. Why do I feel like such a sled :( The first couple weeks of running felt amazing and now as time goes on when I thought it would get easier it feels like its getting harder. UGH! I will work to push through it and hope it pays off in the end. Any first time running tips are greatly appreciated!

As for everything else, I am making slow (very slow) progress. But I am very proud of my non scale victories. I have been drinking lots of water. I went to dinner last night with friends and they chose the Cheesecake Factory, I was a little worried about what I would eat for dinner but I think I made a good choice. I only drank water with lemon, I had one piece of the appetizer and for my dinner I ordered grilled mahi mahi, broccoli and sweet potato fries (they only had fries or mashed potatoes). And the most successful part of dinner is I walked away from the "Cheesecake" Factory with NO cheesecake!!! Yeah me!! Do you have a non scale victory to share? Let's hear it!

As for today I have drank 32oz of water so far, had a light breakfast,thinking about lunch options and all the chores and errands I have to run. Have a great day and I'll keep you posted on my long weekend successes.

Wednesday...Hump Day

2010-09-01T08:19:00.002-04:00

The middle of the week and a lot to still work towards. After the Monday morning weigh in and the disappointment of gaining concentrated on drinking more water. I also think my Monday morning weigh in was higher due to the Sunday afternoon picnic that I attended and the food consumed while I was there. When I weighed myself yesterday just to see with what I would be dealing with for the week, I was approximately 3 pounds less. But anyhow that is old news.

Moving forward from today, Wednesday, I have to go running either inside or outside before the day is over. I would prefer outside because it is MUCH harder to run outside then on a treadmill, which I never realized until I started training for the 5K. Exercise is my main goal for today.

Gotta run, first day of the official new school year at work today. Lots to do :) Have a great Wednesday!

Week Six Results

2010-08-30T08:17:00.003-04:00

So I have realized no matter how much water I drink or healthy food I eat, if I don't exercise this weight is not going to come off. I went up this week and I'm a little disappointed in myself for not trying harder. But at the same time I feel that since I have started 6 weeks ago I have made great strides in learning about my body and becoming more healthy.

I was chatting with a family friend yesterday and she helped me understand that as long as I am doing this for me and enjoying it then that is all that matters. It was also mentioned that you could measure portions by handful, if it is bigger then your hand it is probably to big of a portion. Now of course not everything should be measured in that way but the delicious unhealthy food that you should not over consume could be measured in this way. It is a way to keep you thinking about portion control, something I struggle with most of the time.

Now on to week seven, I think I'm going to set goals at the beginning of the week and work on achieving them. So this week my goal is to drink at least 64oz of water a day and exercise 5 times in the next 7 days. What is your weekly goal and how do you accomplish it?

Have a great Monday! :)

Motivation wagon ...come back!

2010-08-28T09:20:00.003-04:00

Almost the end of week six and looking back it seems I have fallen off the motivation wagon. At the end of week five I was excited and ready to move forward in my weight loss experience, but that wasn't the case as the week progressed. Between the long days at work and the long nights awake trying to catch up with my home life, I did not make time for exercise. :(

Looking back at my menu this week I did well sticking to the plan and eating healthier foods. So I had a successful week in that aspect. As for my water intake, it started out well and slowly decreased as the days went by. But I think I just thought of one solution to my water drinking problem while I was just typing. I need more nalgene bottles just like a co worker suggested. If I have a water bottle ALWAYS filled and ready to go then there should be NO excuse. P.S. I LOVE the nalgene water bottle that my brother bought for me. It is dishwasher safe, it holds 32 oz. of water and I have had it for a while and it is still like new!

Now on to the exercise issue. Well the ONLY issue is that I'm NOT exercising! Even though I don't want to be a scheduled exerciser I think that might help stick to my goal. For example if I write on my calendar "exercise" on the days I need to get to the gym or run outside then I think I would be more apt to do it because I don't want to let myself down. I have also noticed that I was very excited to run the 5k but because I was always concentrating on how far or how fast I was running I stopped using the other machines at the gym. I know many studies say running is the best exercise and burns probably the most calories but my new running body can't seem to run everyday of the week, which means on those off days I should probably use the elliptical or the bicycle at a low intensity. Do you have concerns about keeping up the motivation or ways that you try to keep up your excitement? I would love to share new thoughts and ideas.

So here is to a great weekend of water, exercise and healthy food!
CHEERS! :)

Week Five Results

2010-08-23T07:57:00.002-04:00

There is good news and bad news...

The good news is the weight god was listening to me last night as I was praying to him. "Please, please let me stay the same on the scale or go down. I do not want to gain weight, I have been doing so well." So when I stood on the scale this morning I took a big breath and prayed again and I looked down to see that my weight was EXACTLY the same from last week. YES!

Now for the bad news, my weight is EXACTLY the same from the week before. Which means I need to be more cautious of my crazy food intake and make smarter choices. I also need to move more on the non running days. I am trying to think of less intense exercises like taking a bike ride or using the bike at the gym, playing Wii, going swimming or just taking the dogs for a walk.

Working harder for a better weigh in next Monday. :)

Weekends are Tough

2010-08-22T19:23:00.002-04:00

I had an enjoyable weekend and did many family activities. Throughout the weekend I ate out often and also had some high calorie desserts. I have learned that it is difficult to limit myself when the food is convenient. I definitely believe in the phrase "out of sight out of mind" because that also means for me "off my plate and off my hips". My eyes have always been bigger then my stomach and I think that has been my problem for years. For example I bought cookies at the grocery store today and they were sitting on the counter all afternoon and I couldn't get them out of my head. I was constantly craving one but then I put them in the cabinet and haven't thought about them until just this second. To keep myself accountable every few days I step on the scale to see where I am for the week. On Saturday morning I found out that I was on track and I was psyched!

Saturday afternoon I went to the Milford Oyster Festival and did really well or so I thought. I had a light breakfast and brought my 32oz. water bottle with intentions to drink it during the day. While at the festival I bought a small bag of fresh popped kettle corn and shared it with my Mom. Then we stopped at Subway and I got a 6 inch sub for lunch. On the way home we were both in the mood for something sweet and decided to get some ice cream. Well not just any ice cream, Rich's ice cream. Neither of us have had it in a long time and it was delicious. Again I thought I did well because I had enough to feel satisfied and then threw away the rest. I NEVER usually throw ice cream away especially Rich's Farm ice cream. Then for dinner my boyfriend and I went out. Instead of getting a smaller portion or healthier option I chose a big fat cheeseburger with a few fries. Wow! What was I thinking? Obviously I wasn't.

Sunday I woke up and checked the scale again and did not like what I saw. So I ate a nectarine and headed right for the gym. I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes and walked 5 minutes before and after running. Staying on track was my goal for today. Breakfast was a bowl of Cinnamon Life cereal with skim milk, yummy! Then I had a salad for lunch with light dressing. For dinner we had company. I made chili and homemade biscuits. I probably had one to many biscuits but I made them with skim milk, hopefully that will help a little. Dessert was cake like brownies with chocolate frosting provided by our guests and of course I had one.

As for my exercise and 5K training, both Saturday and Sunday I ran 2 miles and for approximately 30 minutes each day. Saturday my run was outside on the road but due to the rain my workout was inside this morning.

Now looking back I will understand if I went up or stayed the same on the scale tomorrow morning. But if my whole week was on track with no dessert or high calorie food except for the weekend then hopefully everything will even out. Overall I am curious to see how everything works out on the scale in the morning. No matter what the results are I will not beat myself up over it. I will learn from my mistakes and move on with out feeling guilty. I did not feel bad as those delightful foods were being consumed so I will not get upset now. Try to stay positive and think positive thoughts! :)
Good Night

The "Perfect" Sneaker

2010-08-18T21:26:00.002-04:00

After work I followed through and went to Dick's Sporting Goods Store to find the "perfect" pair of running sneakers. I tried on approximately four different brands and decided on Nike. I chose Nike Air Span +7 sneakers. They offer stability support, cushioning, arch support and in the future I could purchase the Nike plus i pod system. I also learned that the Dick's Sporting Goods Store offers a one year sneaker warranty program that is a small extra fee. For one year if the rubber on my shoes start to separate or the mesh tears etc. I could call the phone number and they will send me a gift card for the full price of the sneakers. Overall a great bargain. I bought a pair of Nike's normally priced at $90 on sale for $75 and then used a $15 off coupon and bought a warranty for a final total of $69.

Now to see if they work, the next challenge of the "perfect" running sneaker. So tomorrow is the big test, I plan on going to the gym and using the treadmill to break in the new shoes. Since I have been home tonight I have worn them around the house to get used to the feel. I love them so far, but if my love fades I'll keep you posted.

Running Shoe Guru or Exercise Slacker?

2010-08-18T07:45:00.003-04:00

I definitely NEED to get my new sneakers today! I have been obsessing over which brand to buy, how much to spend and talking to EVERYONE more then once about which sneakers they prefer. It's getting old, now I just need to take the plunge. I talked to the running specialist at one shoe store and he was extremely helpful. He showed me how to find a stability shoe versus a non stability shoe. The stability shoe will have a grayish area between the arch and the heal on one side of each shoe. This gray area is suppose to offer better support in your arch and heel so my ankle won't roll in. Also did you know you can stand in a full length mirror and if you put your feet close together, bend your knees and then watch your ankles, if they roll inward that means you over pronate. You learn something new each day and this new running hobby has me learning more then I expected. The world of running is a lot more detailed then I ever imagined. Also a friend said she loves Nike id, so I went on their website. YOU CAN DESIGN YOUR OWN SHOE! It was totally awesome except they don't offer stability control :( bummer! I also learned that Brooks is a running sneaker company that has been around for years and makes awesome shoes but they are small and don't advertise as much as the well known brands.

With all of that being said, I am going to the store after work to find the right sneakers. Since I had to return my other pair I haven't been running or even exercising these last few days. But there is no excuses if I want to keep up with my challenge I need to keep up with my exercise. I will keep you posted on which sneakers I picked and finally stop obsessing over the "perfect" running sneaker.
Have a great Wednesday!

Week Four Results

2010-08-16T08:20:00.001-04:00

Hi everyone! ... running a little late this morning but I did weigh in and I am up .5 a pound. I'm OK with it though because I'm still ahead. Have a great day!

Something New

2010-08-15T19:41:00.003-04:00

OK so something happened with my computer and I have to re type my entire post. Very Frustrating! ... Anyway...
Over the weekend I tried some new foods. The first item I tried was a CranBran Vita Top from the Vitalicious company. Vita Tops are delicious muffin tops that only have 100 calories and a lot of fiber and protein. They are a great breakfast, snack or dessert depending on the flavor that you like. I usually have the deep chocolate and it really fills my chocolate craving during the day. On Saturday I wanted a light breakfast so I decided to have half a grapefruit with a CranBran Vita Top and I was happily surprised to find out that the muffin was very tasty. You can purchase Vitalicious products online at Vitalicious.com or in the health food freezer aisle in the grocery store.
The other new food was a yummy fruit smoothie that I found while perusing the grocery store health food section. Another girl was stocking up on her weekly supply of fruit smoothies and it caught my interest. She was buying Bolthouse Farms Berry Boost fruit smoothies and they looked delicious. The women at the market said she loved them and enjoyed the smoothie for breakfast, so I decided to buy it and try it. When I got home I was very curious and needed to taste the smoothie, so I poured this thick 100% fruit juice smoothie into a glass and took a sip. It was very good and I am excited to have something new to drink besides water, sparkling water and skim milk. :)
I have also been running in the morning on the weekend and noticed during my run that the outside of my right foot is sore. So while running my errands today I stopped at the New Balance store because I recently bought new 600 series New Balance running shoes at DSW because I had a coupon. This store also has a pressure pad that helps choose the right shoes for your body. The results of this pressure test were informative but frustrating at the same time. Come to find out my feet over pronate which causes pain in the outside of my right foot. Pronation is the pressure that your feet make when your heel touches the ground to when your toes push off the ground. A normal person will pronate or roll in a small percentage but to much of a roll causes problems. Once the salesman new this, he pointed me to a sneaker that is suppose to support my heel and ankle so it doesn't move while running. He also informed me that my 600 series shoes aren't going to help my feet. A little frustrated I looked at the sneakers he offered (not planning on purchasing another pair of shoes) and then I looked at the price. Wow! $129.99! I think I will stick with the sneakers I bought and deal with a little bit of pain, especially considering this is my first experience running.
To end my post I must add that I'm a little nervous about weigh in tomorrow morning, I don't think I lost weight this week and I am ready to accept that as an outcome, but I am staying positive until I see the results tomorrow. Have a great night!

Your Playlist

2010-08-14T00:12:00.002-04:00

So since I have started running I have been taking my ipod with me, but recently realized I can't stand listening to the same songs over and over. My songs are a little dated too because I wasn't exercising daily before this challenge. While running I got so tired of my music that I actually turned my ipod off and finished with just the noise of the road. So right now I am in the process of adding songs to my ipod that help motivate me while running. But the purpose of writing is to ask what songs do you think would be great for my ipod? I have a clean slate except for a few Lady Gaga songs that I just added a few minutes ago. PLEASE help me! I'm not the greatest when it comes to song names and the artist that sings a particular song so all help is greatly appreciated. I'm trying to think of up beat music that will keep me moving even when I just want to fall over. OK so I'm falling asleep at the computer ... any suggestions would be helpful. Thank You!

First 5K

2010-08-11T22:15:00.003-04:00

I just registered for my first 5K race in Glastonbury,CT on September 19th. I can't believe I'm really following through with this idea. Like I said before, I have NEVER been a runner but I am excited give it a try. On Monday I went out and bought new running sneakers and I have been shopping around for fun running gear. So in 39 days I will be standing amongst other runners getting ready to complete my first road race. I am definitely nervous and excited all at the same time and I can imagine that on race day these feelings will intensify.
The race is organized by Free to Breath which is an organization that raises funds and awareness for Lung Cancer. To help this organization I set a personal fundraising goal of $100 and I'm looking for help to reach this goal. The Free to Breath blog post has my personal fundraising website as a link. Also if anyone is interested in running with me I would LOVE company and it is also a walk if running isn't for you. Do you have any tips for a novice runner? I am very curious about what I should expect for that day and how the actual race will work any insight would be great.

Free to Breathe:

2010-08-11T21:55:00.000-04:00

Free to Breathe:

You Are What You Eat! - Week Three Results

2010-08-09T07:52:00.003-04:00

I guess the saying "you are what you eat" really is true! Even though it was hard at that moment to walk away from the table full of Dunkin' Doughnuts, doughnuts and muffins at the work CPR training, it was well worth it in the end. I have realized this morning that even though I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE food, food only gives us satisfaction for that short time that you are consuming it. But feeling healthy and proud of yourself for accomplishing something gives your body and mind an extended feeling of satisfaction. It is definitely tough to give up yummy foods that you love, so it is also about evaluating your day and if you truly want it, eat it, just know that you might have to work a little bit hard the rest of the week. I also know what most of these delicious items taste like and know that this isn't the last time I would get the chance to eat it, knowing this helps me walk on by. :) Have you had any food accomplishments lately, or ever? I would love to know about them! I believe by writing we can help each other accomplish our goals. HAPPY MONDAY! :)

Love is...

2010-08-08T21:47:00.002-04:00

Love is...when my boyfriend refused cheesecake this weekend because he knew it would be mean to eat it in front of me when I'm trying to lose weight. By the way he LOVES cheesecake and doesn't have the opportunity to have it often, so that meant a lot! Anyway after thinking about my week I realized that I passed up many unhealthy options which will hopefully help me on the scale tomorrow. Cheesecake, doughnuts, muffins, french fries and chocolate chip cookies are some of the foods I walked passed instead of indulging in them. My exercise routine on the other hand was not as successful this week. I wanted to work out Friday, Saturday and Sunday but my weekend was so busy and I was a little cranky and tired so I didn't make it to the pool or the gym like I had planned. But tomorrow is a new day and the start of a new week. I am very interested in the numbers on the scale.

Weekend Goal

2010-08-06T07:59:00.002-04:00

The goal for this weekend is to exercise, exercise, exercise and not to indulge in food just because it's the weekend. The weekend is busy but I want to run, swim and go to the gym for an inside workout. I'll keep you posted on my progress! Have a great weekend.

Grocery Shopping

2010-08-05T07:41:00.002-04:00

I can't wait to go to the grocery store this weekend and find some new healthy food options. Since I started my challenge I have been eating basically the same items throughout the day and I think I'm starting to get sick of it. :) Cereal, salad, yogurt, fruit over and over .... I need some other healthy alternatives. Sometimes I have eggs for breakfast and I was thinking of making tuna fish for lunch, even though I'm not a huge fan of tuna. I could bring healthy left overs but a lot of times I am eating lunch on the run and don't always have the time to warm something up when I am hungry. Hmm? This food thing is starting to get a little tricky. I enjoyed hummus when I bought it last time but realized 2 tablespoons of hummus and 16 whole grain wheat thins (approx.) are 5 Weight Watcher points. Now even though I am not counting points daily I still like to figure out the points for the food that I eat. A snack for 5 points is a little pricey when I look at the larger picture. So I am asking all of you for a little help, I need healthy and nutritious breakfast or lunch ideas. Looking forward to all of the great suggestions! :)
Also it looks like I'll be exercising inside tonight :( unless the rain decides to stop. Have a wonderful Thursday...wish it was Friday!

Walking Like a Duck :)

2010-08-02T20:12:00.003-04:00

I was told today that I needed to take a break from running, even though I feel great. A friend said if I run everyday my knees won't be happy, then she imitated a duck walk and said that's what will happen to me. :) I don't want to walk like a duck, so I decided to take her advice and take a night off. Even though I do feel a little guilty and feel like I should do a low impact workout. But in the end I decided tonight will be a relaxing and restful Monday night.
Also thank you to everyone who has been sharing their encouraging words and words of wisdom. I truly appreciate the feed back. If anyone is experiencing the same challenges I would love to chat about them. Feel free to share your weekly weigh in, your food success or challenges and any other health related issue.

Week Two Results

2010-08-02T07:52:00.003-04:00

Good Morning and Happy Monday!
I woke up and hopped on the scale, I went down .2 pounds from last week. I am proud of my achievements so far even though I didn't loose a pound this week. I still went down from last week and I am still ahead of my goal.
Anyway, I also had a restaurant accomplishment this weekend. Thinking back I ate dinner out both Saturday and Sunday but I also made careful choices. On both nights I passed over the bread basket and didn't indulge in bread and butter, usually one of my triggers. I also passed on the appetizer yesterday, Cheese Fries, I wasn't even interested in taking a bite. Oh and not to mention both times I drank ice water instead of another option. So even though I only went down .2 I am happy at the success that I had throughout the week. Not to mention the last 3 days I ran a mile or more. Happiness all around! Have a great day and drink water! :)

I think I'm in LOVE ...with exercise! :)

2010-08-01T08:39:00.003-04:00

OK so tomorrow is weigh in number two and I'm curious to see how I did. Eating has been basically the same all week with salad, yogurt and healthy fruit. Yesterday I did have some snacks, probably more then I should of but my eating schedule was all off. I started the morning with cereal and milk and then had a yogurt around 11:30am, after that everything went downhill til dinner. In the afternoon I snacked on a peach then went to the mall and was starving so I got Pretzel Bites because it was already 4ish and didn't want to spoil dinner. For dinner we ate out with friends at the Cheesecake Factory, the menu is like a catalog with few affordable healthy choices and some how they think a salad with 550 calories or less (I believe is the number they said) is a "Weight Management" salad. Overall I think I did well ordering, I order the "Renee Special", which included a cup of soup, half of a turkey sandwich and a salad, but of course at the end of the meal I ordered a piece of Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cheesecake. The good thing was I didn't finish the cheesecake and when I left the restaurant I didn't feel like I was going to explode. :)
As for exercise, I think I'm in love! :) Yesterday morning I went running again and completed one mile in 16 minutes and 40 seconds and I didn't walk at all. Then in the afternoon I went swimming. I swam back and for a few very short laps and could feel my body exerting itself! I noticed at dinner last night the front of my thighs were a little sore when I walked, I smiled. Even though I don't want to feel sore all the time, being sore reminded me of all the hard work I did in the morning. So this morning the Boxer woke me up at 7:20ish, I took the dogs out, fed them and got changed into running clothes. I ran the first mile and decided I was going to walk the second and third mile. When I finished mile one I began to walk probably a total of 2 minutes and then decided I felt good enough to run a little bit more. I couldn't believe it but I started running again and ran the second mile too! I completed both laps in 33 minutes and 40 seconds! I didn't continue to the third mile today, maybe tomorrow. I think I'm going to run the "Free to Breath" 5k in Glastonbury. If you would like to join me I think I'm going to register this week. This race is to help raise money and awareness for lung cancer. If you would like to donate towards the cause I will be taking donations as well, but I'll let you know about that at a later date :)
Oh, I also found a post that a friend made on facebook about healthy vegan black bean brownies, they sound good if anyone wants to try them the link is below.
HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE!!!

A Milestone

2010-07-30T20:38:00.002-04:00

Tonight a definite milestone was reached. I began my 5k training and decided that I would run outside instead of going to the gym. I found this great website that lets you map out a run and tells you the distance of the route. I attached the link below. So before I left my house I created a one mile run. All day I thought "how hard could 3 miles be?", well tonight I realized it was a lot harder then I expected. Before running I said to myself "I just have to do this loop 3 times", but about a quarter of the way through my first loop I realized how hard this was going to be. With my ipod playing I just kept thinking about all of the readers and how proud I would feel if I ran the one mile loop. Breathing hard, feeling every muscle in my body I just kept pushing through and to my surprise I ran the entire mile except to cross the street at one point. When I reached my door I was so excited, I went inside drank 4 glasses of water and calculated my one mile time. My first one mile outside run was completed in approximately 16 minutes, definitely a lot better then I expected. I'm looking forward to another run tomorrow morning, it can only get easier from here.
Eating also went well today. Cereal for breakfast, salad, yogurt and berries for lunch and a small amount of homemade macaroni and cheese made with skim milk for dinner. My water intake has also gotten much better lately. I have made it a habit to drink one bottle of water before I leave for work in the morning, today I drank 2 bottles of water. Then throughout the day I drink approximately 6,8oz. glasses and 2 glasses for dinner. Hopefully all of these small changes help reach my goal of 1 pound a week.

5k Fun Run

2010-07-29T21:41:00.005-04:00

I'm going to embrace running as a new hobby. All my life I have tried running. The physical fitness test in school and playing basketball were always frustrating because I could never keep up with everyone else. Now later in life I have dreamed of becoming a "runner", someone that does it because they enjoy it. About 2 years ago I began running a few times a week on the treadmill at the gym and felt great. By giving my self short time goals I felt that each minute I was able to run was another accomplishment. Except I only did this for a few months and then just stopped for some reason, probably because I decided my life was to busy and I boycotted exercise. I tend to go through phases of anti - exercise. While working in Massachusetts one of my co-workers ran the Boston Marathon and I thought WOW that is truly amazing. Since then I have always wanted to enter into a race except I'm chicken. I'm a chicken to run on the road and I feel like I have so many unanswered questions. Where do you run? Do you map out your course before you start? Where do people put their house keys, or do they just not lock their door? Do you run with the cars or against the cars? If I wear my earbuds for my ipod will I hear the traffic? As you can see I'm a little nervous. I would like to start running outside as soon as possible, most likely through August. Then in September I found a couple of 5K Fun Runs in surrounding towns and I would like to register for them. My thought is that I will run as long as I can and if I need to walk for a minute or two to catch my breath that's OK, then I will continue my running journey. The links to the 5K runs that I found are linked at the bottom of my blog page. I would love company if anyone is up for the challenge.

Exercise Success!

2010-07-28T22:51:00.002-04:00

Late night writing at it's best. Finally sitting down today...against my boxer's wish, he's whining while I write. I have a chance to reflect on my day. Almost 11pm and looking back I had a great day of exercise. I walked for 25 minutes on my lunch, breaking a sweat and going back feeling revived for a long afternoon of inside activities due to the air quality warning. Then after cleaning up for dinner I walked over to the gym in the clubhouse and used the elliptical for 60 minutes. Watching an hour sitcom really helps, especially when the show is suspenseful and you need to know the ending. According to the machine after my 60 minute workout I burned 607 calories and went 4.70 miles. Now I'm not exactly sure how accurate the calculations are but those are great numbers even if they aren't perfect. Off to bed, suddenly I'm exhausted! :)

Healthy Tip of the Day

2010-07-27T20:19:00.003-04:00

Today was just an average Tuesday. Work was extremely busy but I stayed on track with my eating plan and didn't let my emotions get the best of me. Packing my own lunch and not having cash accessible keeps staying on track easy (so far). Today I brought Rold Gold cheddar flavored small twist pretzels to work as a snack, 20 pretzels are 2 weight watcher points. Very yummy! I also have to admit the news about Special K Original cereal having high fructose corn syrup in its ingredients is very frustrating! I actually have enjoyed eating it every morning for the last couple of weeks. All the other healthy cereals like Kashi Go Lean Crunch and Cherrios are good too but I needed a change and found LOVE in my box of Special K. I need to do more research about this ingredient, I want to know the details and why people believe high fructose corn syrup is so unhealthy. I'm a little behind on the healthy food trends. I have also decided that I'm going to take the night off from the gym and all the machines. Instead I followed the health tip on my blog and I have been doing squats throughout the night while putting away dishes, doing laundry and then adding a few extra here and there. I also plan on using my exercise band to work my triceps and back muscles before bed. Looking forward to a great Wednesday. :)

Trying Something New

2010-07-26T20:14:00.002-04:00

So today went great! I had Special K for breakfast with skim milk and a bottle of water, then a salad, yogurt, and berries for lunch. But my new snack that I tried yesterday and today was Spinach and Artichoke Hummus with Wheat Thin crackers...delicious! I tried hummus once before and wasn't to sure about it but the flavored hummus is really good and 2 tablespoons is 2 weight watcher points, which isn't too bad if your following their plan. I also bought an avocado to try with my salads this week. I love avocado but never bought one myself. I did some research and the skin of the fruit is poisonous to pets if they eat it and when the inside is exposed to air it turns black. I planned on just using it a little bit each day this week but i don't know if it will be possible. Looking for avocado tips if you know of any. :) OK now I'm off to the gym. I have been using the elliptical machine and the bicycle. Does anyone know the difference between the stationary bike and then the long bike. I have been using the long bike when your legs stretch out in front of you but I'm not sure that is the best choice. Suggestions? Have a great night everyone.

Week One Results

2010-07-26T07:46:00.002-04:00

Happy Monday Everyone! It's definitely a happy Monday for me :) I have never been so excited to wake up on a Monday morning and stand on a scale, I went down 3.5 pounds this week! Special K and skim milk for breakfast with a whole bottle of water, usually a salad with 1 hard boiled egg, greek yogurt, and berries for lunch and then a dinner of my choice. This week I'm going to change up the menu a little but I'll let you know about my additions later this evening when I reflect on my day. Have a great Monday!

Week One Review

2010-07-25T09:28:00.004-04:00

The last day of my first offical week and looking back I think it went great! During the week I did well at work, keeping to my healthy eating plan and at night being able to enjoy a dinner of choice. But when the weekend came, I became a little worried about my eating habits. I am definitely a person who likes routine and during the week I am able to pack a similar lunch from day to day and know when I will eat it. On the weekends I am not that structured and meals end up being at all different times, which I think slows down my metabolism. For the most part I am not a snacker. I don't keep snacks like chips, ice cream and cookies in the house because I know I would eat them. So during the weekend my metabolism probably doesn't work as hard because I will go hours with out eating something healthy. My goal during this challenge is to be more conscience of my weekend eating.
I have also decided that during this challenge I will try to blog each night and reflect on my eating habits and exercise habits for that day. I need to be held accountable not only for the food I eat but the exercise regimine that will help with my weight loss. This week I started off exercising Saturday, Sunday and Monday but Tuesday through Friday I didn't go to the gym. I also decided that working out in the evening during the week and in the mornings on the weekend is better for my schedule. Overall, I think I will be happy with the outcome on the scale tomorrow morning and look forward to another great week. Now I'm off to the grocery store to stock up on salad and yogurt. No need to buy fruit this week, I went orchard hopping yesterday. :) I bought locally grown cucumbers,peppers and picked my own peaches and blueberries. YUM!

Day One :)

2010-07-19T22:35:00.004-04:00

So the day didn't start off exactly how I had expected, 5:45am is just too early for me on a Monday. But when I did wake up at 6:45am and started my day everything went great. For breakfast I had Special K Vanilla Almond cereal with a cup of skim milk, I think it has become one of my favorite cereals. Then I packed a lunch for work that consisted of Greek yogurt, 1c of blueberries and 1c of strawberries and a salad. It was delicious and I didn't even feel hungry or look for more when I was done. :) Then when the kids had afternoon snack I enjoyed a few carrots and a little bit of ranch dip. After work I went to the grocery store, blueberries and strawberries were on sale and I ran out of cereal. Dinner was quick comfort food two hot dogs each on a slice of bread and about 1/2c of baked beans. Once that was all cleaned up I broke my habit of watching T.V or put zing around the house and I changed in to my gym clothes and walked over to the community gym. What a mess! The gym is in the club house of my community. It has two treadmills, two ellipticals, and two stationary bikes along with some weight machines and every machine was being used. I have never seen the gym that busy, of course I was not a faithful member, but still that is crazy! So I did one weight machine and decided to go home to use my Wii. I psyched myself up for that work out turned on the T.V., turned on the game and tried to use the controller and neither of the batteries were charged. For a brief second I thought "maybe I'm not suppose to exercise tonight" but then realized I was just trying to make up excuses. So at about 9:30pm after I made my lunch for tomorrow I decided (with my boyfriends encouragement) to go back to the gym and try again. SUCCESS! I burned just over 200 calories and went 2.04 miles in 20 minutes. I was hoping to workout a bit longer today,my goal is 45 minutes a day but at 9:30 at night I decided that was good enough. So the lesson learned today, stick to this and it will work and don't give up on exercise because it feels great in the end.

The Challenge

2010-07-19T00:42:00.000-04:00

I have been pondering over this idea to create a blog for several weeks, ever since I watched Julie & Julia, so hear I go.
Weight loss has always been my challenge and I have grown more frustrated with each passing year. For the last nine years especially I have been trying to figure out this weight loss science, trying different eating programs and gyms but in the long run just adding more weight to my short 5"4 frame then before I started this long journey. Right after college in 2003 I was a size 14 and loving it, my stomach was flat and my body seemed proportioned. Then life got in the way, as a Pre - K teacher I was exhausted at the end of the day and a gym wasn't accessible like it was in school so the pounds crept on quickly. It also might of had something to do with the birthday parties, holiday parties and parents food donations at work all the time. I realized that a child's day revolves around food; breakfast, AM snack, lunch, PM snack, dinner, repeat. Oh and not to mention that moving home after college also put me closer to my boyfriend and dinner out turned in to almost a daily occurrence. I know, I know you are saying well no wonder why you are fat ( I hate that word) or "squishy" as someone once said to me(yes someone,not a family member,called me squishy), because you eat out all the time. So I decided that I don't want to get married and have children as an obese person (i hate that word too) instead of being a size 18/20 I would prefer to be a 12/14 and healthy.
So I have challenged myself to lose 52 pounds in 52 weeks and I am determined to be a healthier person next year. I feel my food choices are OK, but portion control and breaking old habits is a constant fight. So in the weeks to come I will be interested in new food options and recipes that work for you. I will also wake up earlier to go to the gym instead of waiting until after work because once I get home, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up etc. I feel like its time for bed so I can start the cycle all over again the next day. Overall this challenge will help me use everyday to its fullest and become healthy at the same time.
I look forward to sharing my journey with you and hope I am held accountable for my accomplishments and my slip ups.
Thanks for listening :)
Sarah