Spring Cleaning

What do you think of when you hear the term spring cleaning? Does it bring to mind cleaning out closets, deep cleaning your kitchen and bathrooms, or purging your home of clutter? What about your mind and soul? Do you ever consider spring cleaning your life?

While I believe that cleaning our houses, closets, etc.. can be cathartic, I think a spring cleaning of the mind and soul could be tremendously helpful also.

I've been giving this a lot of thought and I have come up with a few ideas for cleansing your life.

• Prayer - How's your prayer life? Does it need a revamp? I personally believe that prayer is a very important part of a personal relationship with Christ. I sometimes get into a rut and need to reevaluate. It's simple really. Like talking to a friend, just be honest and speak from your heart. I believe that God understands that we are human and sometimes need a fresh start. 
• Mind Dump - Do you have a lot of negative thoughts or clutter in your mind? I know I have days where I am overwhelmed by the negativity that seems to surround me. Some simple things to try to purge those thoughts: praying, meditating, deep breathing, exercising, listening to music, reading a good book, starting a list of all the things that you are grateful for; try one or all of these the next time you get overwhelmed by your own thoughts.
• Health/Diet - This one is a top priority for me. I recently had weight loss surgery and my diet has changed radically. I concentrate on getting a lot of protein in my diet, staying hydrated, and eating little to no carbs and sugar. I feel like if we take care of ourselves physically then the mental and spiritual will follow. Let's face it, we just feel better overall if we take care of our physical health. Just remember, garbage in, garbage out.

I think we need to be intentional if we want to live a healthy and fulfilling life. I'm working on me, in every area. It's a daily commitment to create and maintain new, healthier habits. I pick one thing to work on and when I've mastered that, I move on to the next. Trying to change everything all at once is a set up for failure. 

It's not easy to live a life free of negativity, but we can take small steps everyday to bring some balance by engaging in activities to relieve the stress that life brings. 

My challenge to you this week is to choose one area of your life to spring clean. It may be a different area than what I've mentioned. Just focus on decluttering or developing new habits in that area. We only get one life to live and it really is a beautiful life.

Hanging Out On a Plateau

Sorry it's been a while since my last post. I have just been hanging out here on a plateau.

In my last post I shared that I had gained a few pounds and unfortunately, I'm still holding on to them. Thankfully, I haven't gained more.

It's very frustrating to be hanging out here in this place, stuck! I keep reminding myself of how far I've come to keep from giving up. I don't want to go back to where I was before.

So, I thought I would share some research I've done on how to break through a plateau with you all. I plan to incorporate these steps into my routine to hopefully perk things up.

1. Adjust your calorie intake: You need to revise you calorie goal about every 10 pounds. You metabolism may drop as you lose weight as your body will require fewer calories. MyFitnessPal is a good tool to use to help you with your weight loss goals.  
2. Quality: It's not just about calories in and calories out. Processed foods just won’t do anymore. Stick to quality whole foods like vegetables, beans, high-fiber fruits and lean proteins.
3. Change up your routine: If you've been doing to same exercise routine for the past several months, it’s time to change it up. Muscles will get familiar with the same workout, making the same old routine less effective. To see a change, try getting outside of your comfort zone.  Do something different with a little more intensity. 
4. Watch the extras:  An extra bite here, a little nibble there. Those calories count and will add up. 
5. Sleep:  A full night’s sleep is important to losing weight because it resets your hormones. Even just a small amount of sleep deprivation can lead to increased cortisol, a stress hormone. Elevation in cortisol levels can lead to fat accumulation around your midsection.
6. Stay hydrated:  Even if you are mildly dehydrated your body will often crave food. Aim to drink 80-100 fluid ounces (2.35 liters) of water per day plus additional fluids lost during activity.
7. Add protein:  Protein burns more calories during digestion because it has the highest thermic effect of food. Protein contains amino acid and leucine, which studies have identified as a effective agent for burning body fat.

Hopefully adding these things to my routine will spice things up and get the scales moving again. I will let you know how it goes.

As always, feel free to share your tips, struggles or success in the comments!

Till next time, God bless! :)

What I've Learned So Far

When I began sharing my journey, I said I would be honest. So far the journey has been slow but steady; but in the past two weeks I have experienced a set-back. I have gained a few pounds and I feel I must share not only my success, but also my miss-steps.

I have no one to blame but myself. I have indulged, I haven't exercised as often; in general, I've been lazy!

What I've learned through this whole process though, is how strong I really am and how far I have come since the beginning.

When I weighed last week and saw a gain, I was truly angry with myself. The rest of my day was a disaster, as far as self control goes; let's just say, I didn't have any. I literally threw in the towel, but only for the day.

By the end of the day I was still angry at myself, angrier because of my loss of control, but more determined than ever to get where I'm headed.

I can't explain it, but I just know, that I know, that I know that I will only fail if I don't get back up, dust myself off and get my head straight again.

I know that with God's help I can do anything I put my mind to.

So, with all that said, I'm scrapping a couple of bad weeks and starting fresh.

I've learned that giving into a craving and having it in the house leads to a binge for me. I just can't handle it. If I'm going to have a treat, it needs to be a serving size and that's it, no left overs, no seconds. If it's here, I will eat it.

I've learned that I need to exercise. Even if it's just for 15 minutes, I need some form of exercise everyday.  It not only helps me with weight loss, it helps with my mood. I'm a much happier, relaxed person when I exercise.

So, I've stumbled, I've taken a step back, and now I'm dusting myself off and I'm back on track. I hope that by sharing my journey, the good, bad and the ugly, that I will encourage someone else who is fighting the same battle.

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to comment and share your struggles, successes or tips!

Till next time, God bless!! :)

Frustration

Monday, October 13, 2014 - 9:00 a.m.

I know I really shouldn't be complaining.  I have lost 7 1/2 pounds since starting over.  But this past week the scale hasn't moved and it is incredibly frustrating.

I have tracked all my food, I have stayed within my calorie range, I have exercised and nothing, not even 1/2 a pound.  It's days like this that I get so discouraged and wonder if it's even worth the fight.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up.  I just need to vent and I promised I would be honest.  I wouldn't be being honest with you or myself if I didn't admit how hard this is sometimes.

Monday, October 13, 2014 - 10:48 p.m.

After the frustration of this morning's weigh-in I was determined not to let my disappointment affect my choices today.  In the past it has been my downfall.  Having a bad weigh-in would almost always lead to a binge.

Not today, today I made solid choices.  I had soup for lunch and a smart, healthy afternoon snack.  I saved the bulk of my calories for this evening.  I had Bunco at a friend's house and I was pretty certain there would be something tempting to eat; and I was right.  My dear friend made Apple Dumplings for dessert and I was able to indulge.

I'm so proud of myself for not losing control.  I can go to sleep tonight with no regrets on my mind.

Starting Over Again

"I can not change yesterday, but I can change today!"

I am so hesitant to come back to this blog.  It's extremely difficult for me to admit my failure.  When I started this journey, I really thought I would be so much further along. But, here I am, over a year later, starting over.


I have failed at every attempt I have made to lose weight since high school.  I have gone up and down the scale 10, 20, 30, even 50 pounds.  And, I have gained it all back every time.  The most frustrating part of this struggle is that I can't explain or understand why I can't seem to win this battle.  Why I can't hold on to the success.  

It's so hard to think about needing the lose weight 24/7.  I get so tired of counting calories and thinking about all the food I shouldn't eat, but desperately want.  

In the past three weeks I have started using Fitness Pal again; entering everything I eat and staying within my calorie goal.  I have also started exercising.  I have lost 7 1/2 pounds so far.  

I'm not going to lie to you, it's been hard.  I don't like recording everything I eat, I don't like counting calories and I hate exercising.  What I do like is the progress.  It feels good to see results.  I pray daily that I can keep it up and not lose my will power.  

I also have to tell you that I'm not doing this just to lose weight or to look good.  It stopped being about that a long time ago.  My main goal at this point in my life is to be healthier.  I need to be able to breath when I walk.  I want to feel comfortable in my own skin.  

If you want to follow me on this journey, you are welcome.  I will always be real.  I will share my struggle, my joy, my success, my failure, no matter how ugly it gets; I will be real.  
I welcome your feedback.  Share your journey, your tips, or just your encouragement in the comments section.  Haters are not welcome.  There is no need or usefulness in nasty or hurtful comments.

So, why am I back here today?  The answer is that no matter how many times I fall down, I always get back up.  

Tip of the Day:  I'm eating a lot of apples right now.  They seem to satisfy my sweet tooth and they're also filling between meals.  My favorite is Honey Crisp.

Fluid Retention and Weight Loss

I have been retaining fluid this week.  And, as I shared in my last post, my weigh-in this week was very disappointing with a five pound gain.  So, I did a little research and I found the following tips:

Diet Changes That Can Help Relieve Water Retention

• Reduce your sodium intake.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. 
• Drink up to eight glasses of water a day.
• Add 15 minutes of aerobic exercise daily, especially on the days you are retaining fluid. (Exercise reduces stress and promotes blood circulation, which creates a positive effect on your metabolism and this in turn assists the body in regulating itself.)

This morning I got up and did a 30 minute workout of walking/jogging in place, leg lifts, stretches and a little bit of dancing.  I hate watching a video to workout.  I prefer to either turn on some peppy music or just watch television and get moving.  

After my workout, I went to take my shower.  The whole time I was in the bathroom the scales were calling out to me.  So, against my better judgement, I decided to weigh again today.  (I usually don't allow myself to weigh more than once a week.)  But, it proved to be a positive experience; I had lost one and half pounds.

It was a relief to see a little bit of that gain was gone and it really gave me a boost of motivation for the week to come.

Till next time....God bless!

Exercise

We all know that exercise is important if we want to be successful at losing weight and keeping it off.  Regular exercise is also a great source of energy, produces feel good chemicals and relieves stress.

One major issue I have with exercise is that I get bored very quickly, so I need variety to keep me motivated.  The following are a few I plan to give a whirl.

With the exception of the jogging, these are simple, easy to do exercises that don't require a gym or any equipment.

1. Jogging in Place  - Jogging in place is a great high impact aerobic exercise that can raise your heart rate quite high.  A 150 pound person burns 544 calories jogging in place for one hour.  You can jog in one place or around the room, kicking your feet really high and raising your arms to increase your heart rate.  
2. Leg Lifts - Leg lifts are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs.  If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.  I am currently doing these.  I do 60 reps per leg in 10 set intervals.  I vary the position of my leg and I alternate flexing my foot for 10 reps and relaxing my foot for 10 reps.  I also vary lying on my side and on my back.
3. Dancing - Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart.  Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well.  This is a no-brainer for me.  I love music and I love to dance.  Furthermore, dancing doesn't feel like exercise; it's just fun!
4. Walk in Place - Walking in place requires no special equipment and it won’t put a strain on your body while you do it.  Just march your legs up and down.  I'm gonna try doing this while watching television.  

I look forward to reporting on my progress.  In the meantime, if you have any exercises, tips or advice you would like to share; please feel free to comment.

Finding My Power

Someone shared the following quote on Facebook today and I have made it my new motto:

"You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself."

Glinda in The Wizard of Oz

When I read the above quote today something clicked inside my head.  I have always had the power inside of me to change my health for the better.  I just had to believe it.  And nothing is more empowering than progress.  As of today, I can report that I have lost two more pounds bringing my total loss to six pounds since returning home from vacation.  

This new journey is not easy; but what is that old saying?  "Nothing worth having ever came easy."

Getting a handle on my eating habits has been easier than increasing my activity levels.  My biggest problem is lack of energy.  At the moment I am really battling my insomnia.  No sleep equals one very sluggish woman.  However, I am aware that regular exercise will produce more energy and boost positive emotions; so I'm going to start putting one foot in front of the other and pushing through.  Hopefully my sleeping will improve as well.

Speaking of exercise, I promised that I would keep you all apprised of my Zumba experience.  I was very optimistic and excited about trying it.  But I really should have considered how terribly uncoordinated I am before I ordered the DVD.  I suffered a temporary lapse in judgement; I forgot that I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.  That being said, I'm not giving up.  I'm just going to move and try to have fun at the same time.  Like I've said before, if I don't like it, I won't do it.

Before I go, I want to share a few tips/tricks that I am finding helpful.  Maybe they will work for you too.

• Munch on Crushed Ice:  This keeps me from looking for something to eat between meals.  Added benefit; I'm upping my water intake.
• Brush Your Teeth or Chew Minty Sugar Free Gum:  Brushing my teeth or chewing minty sugar free gum will temporarily cause foods/treats to taste bad.  
• My Fitness Pal:  As I mentioned in my earlier post, at http://www.myfitnesspal.com you can sign-up for a free account and journal your meals, exercise, and progress.  I can't recommend this tool enough.  It is essential for me to keep track of my calories so that I don't get off course.

It is my hope that sharing my journey will encourage others who are struggling.  I am by no means a professional. There are going to be ups and downs and I am going to make mistakes along the way.  But I feel like I have finally found my power.  I encourage you to search within yourself and find yours too.  It's there, you just have to believe it!

Until next time, God bless!!!  :)

Keeping Track Keeps Me On Track

I always do my best when I keep track of what I eat.  In the past I have used a notebook to keep up with my daily calorie intake but not anymore.  I have found a free, easy to use, website/phone app that makes this task a lot easier.

At MyFitnessPal.com you can sign up for a free account.  It allows you to enter your stats, such as weight, height, measurements, etc.  This information is used to calculate how many calories you can consume each day and still lose weight. You can also plug in your exercise and find out how many calories you burn.

One of the features I absolutely love is the iPhone app, which is also free.  It has a scan option that allows you to scan the bar code on a food label and add it to your diary right from your phone. This makes it so easy to keep up on the go.

MyFitnessPal isn't just a place to track your calories and exercise though.  You can also blog, keep track of weight lose, make friends, interact with other members through the community and so much more.  You have to check it out for yourself.

Check it out at:  www.myfitnesspal.com

Little Victories

I lost four pounds this week - whoop, whoop!!!  Everybody do the happy dance.  I know I did when I saw the numbers on the scale.

I have finally found my groove again.  I started swimming laps this week.  I have only been able to do ten and that has been a great challenge.  This old girl isn't used to that much exertion yet.  I had to take more than a few breathing breaks during those ten laps.  It feels good though to be making an effort and a change.

Today, when I did those laps I was able to take fewer breathing breaks.  I took that as a sign that I'm building my endurance and soon I will have to add some laps.

I also made some adjustments to my eating.  I am trying to eat less.  I haven't put myself on a real restrictive diet.  I don't do well with eliminating foods.  My main goal at this point in time is to eat less and move more.

I think the fact that the scale showed a four pound loss this week indicates that this plan is working for me.  I am really encouraged by this small victory, which to me seems bigger than it probably does to those of you reading this.  I have been struggling for so long to get my mind back in this place.  The place where I feel I am in control.

I also ordered a Zumba DVD.  I just received it in the mail yesterday and I am looking forward to checking it out.  My hope is that it will be a fun form of exercise that I can switch up with my swimming workouts.  It's important for me to find exercise that I will enjoy.  If I don't like it, I won't do it.  It's just that simple.

I'm really excited and I want to encourage anyone out there who is struggling to just hang in there.  Try something new and don't beat yourself up.

I'll let ya'll know how the Zumba goes!

God bless...

Why Can't I Get This Right?

Frustration - my companion and my constant frame of mind.  I am so frustrated by my lack of will power and motivation to stick to a healthy living plan.  Once again, I have edged up the scale and am in serious need of starting over.  

So, here I go again.  One day at a time.  That's all I can allow myself to think about.  I get overwhelmed if I think further ahead.  

I'm using an app on my iPhone to log food, activity and weight loss.  It has one of those handy little bar code scanners, which makes it somewhat easier to track what I eat.  

Now, I just need a kick in the butt to start exercising.  I hate exercise.  I hate to sweat!  Yes, I said it, I admit it - I absolutely hate exercise and sweating!   I know I'm not alone.  Feel free to comment on this post and share your thoughts on "torture."  

Today is day one.  My journey starts again.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Exercise....ugh!!!

I did it!  I started exercising today.  I actually walked to my son's school today to pick him up instead of driving. It was about a 40 minute walk round trip.  It was hot!  Of course, it didn't help that I was wearing denim shorts.  I don't currently own a lot, well actually any, exercise appropriate clothing.  I'm going to have to change that.

Although, it was a great opportunity to exercise and spend time with my kid, I probably won't do it again.  He didn't just come right out and say it, but I think he felt it wasn't so cool to be walking home with his mom.  At least I got started and I feel better about myself just knowing I made a positive step.

One little problem, I have a blister on the bottom of both feet.  I don't really know why; I wore my walking shoes and I have never gotten blisters on the bottom of my feet before.  I'm gonna have to invest in some blister block band-aids.  My husband's aunt told me they saved her feet at Disney this summer.

Overall, I am very proud of myself.  I have made a step in the right direction and I feel momentum bubbling up.  I know I can do this.

Doing Better

Well, I had my weigh-in on Friday and I lost half a pound.  I know it's not much, but it's definitely better than gaining.  I have done much better with my eating since then and I have great expectations for this week's results.

I still have not started exercising.  I know that I need to exercise and I also know that I will get better results if I do.  I just do not have any energy and it has been so hot.  The positive things I remember from exercising in the past are that I always had more energy and it gave me a real boost in the self esteem department.  It feels good to know I am doing something positive for my health.

The problem is figuring out what I can do and what I will stick with.  I mentioned in an earlier blog entry that I have a bad back and I have to be careful what I do or I will end up flat on my back.  I want to do something fun that doesn't really feel like exercise.

So, if any of you readers have any suggestions, please leave a comment.  I would greatly appreciate the input.