I'm still learning

All these posts and blogs about resolutions have spurred some wonderings in me.  Over my last 30 years I've gotten to know myself pretty well.  Part of me wishes I could make goals like normal people do...lose 30 pounds, go without sweets, workout 5 days a week every single week, or get pregnant and know that I will succeed in those goals.  But I know I won't.  I'm not normal.  I'm a special kind of crazy.  Yes, I know how that sounds.  There's no doubting it though.  Those above are goals I've made for myself in the past.  Many times actually.  I've even been able to stick with them for long lengths of time.  When goal setting, one issue for me lies in maintenance.  Just because a goal is set and attained, this doesn't mean the goal goes away...a new goal slides into place or it must continue.  For instance, I've lost 30 pounds five separate times in my adult life.  Yes FIVE. Now there are two ways to look at this. 1) I achieved my weight loss goal five times!  Whoo hoo!  Way to go!  2) I did five times as much work as I would have needed to and put my body through a lot of unnecessary stress. Had I maintained my goal at age 21 when I lost the weight the first time, I wouldn't have had to deal with the last 9 years of yo-yo weight loss and weight gain.    A second roadblock in goal setting is attainability.  Are the aforementioned goals attainable for me?  Well, yes I could probably lose 30 pounds, but not if I continue to weight train.  I will most likely lose fat and gain muscle, which could put me at a 10-15 pound weight loss and be healthier than if I would have not gained muscle and lost it along with the fat.  Can I go without sweets?  Yes, I did it for 7 months.  Is it a lifestyle for me?  No.  I love food and through all of my battles with food and migraines, I have come to believe that it's all about moderation.  Will I be able to attain the goal of working out five times a week every week?   Possibly.  Will I get sick?  Yes.  Will I get hurt?  Well, if my broken finger proves anything, it's that one little broken digit can put you out of the weight room for 3 weeks.  What about pregnancy?  That was my goal last year.  Silly.  Just silly.  I have absolutely no control over whether or not I can get pregnant.  So why make that a goal?  There are things I can do to help, but I can't make that happen.  Only God can.  Now, onto my biggest personal roadblock with goal setting...failure.  At one point or another I will fail.  And when I fail, I stop in my tracks and throw in the towel.  It's mental.  I know it.  When I see a goal, I want to achieve the heck out of it and the perfectionism in me just can't deal.  As I said before, I have gotten to know myself pretty well and here are some things I've learned so I CAN make attainable, achievable, maintainable goals...
>I know that just because I make a goal, it doesn't mean I'll stick with it. 
>I don't do well with group accountability...you know like running groups or workout buddies, etc.  >Comparing myself with others doesn't push me...actually it makes me want to sit down with a bag of oreos.
>People telling me what to do makes me dig in my heels (personal trainers, books, motivational speakers, etc.)
>Rewards don't do much for me.  It's all about personal pride and accomplishment.
>I do really well with a plan.  I love plans and lists and calendars.  They help me set up my days and weeks with everything from things to accomplish, things to buy, food to cook, etc.  Heck, I make lists about my lists and write things down I did yesterday just so I can cross them off my list!
>Meal prep is huge for me.  I buy what I know I will eat and I make it ahead of time so I am poised to make good choices.
>If it's not in the house, I won't eat it.  If it is I'm ALL OVER IT like white on rice.
>It's me vs. me that really pushes me to succeed. If I can make a better version of the same meal than I did the last time it's a victory.  If I can run even 5 seconds faster than I did last Tuesday, I'm on cloud 9.  If I can look at a picture of myself from this summer and see my face is thinner now, than it was before, I'm set.  If I have a deeper relationship with my friends than I did last year, then it's all good.
>Food is a comfort to me, but I've learned and my husband has learned that it doesn't matter what kind of food you give me...chocolate or cauliflower...they both have the same calming effect. 

Reading these over shows me just how stubborn, anti-social and self-absorbed I can be.  Honestly, I think it's really healthy to take an honest look at yourself every once in a while...introspection at it's finest.  But I digress...

Looking ahead and taking all these things I've learned about myself into account, I can now attempt to make some goals for 2014.  They will probably sound pretty vague to you, but I've learned that I don't do well with specific, detailed goals.  When they are vague, usually I blow them out of the water...for instance, in November my goal was to work out more days than not.  I worked out 23 days.  See?  There's a method to my madness.

In no particular order...

Pray more.
Spend more quality time with my husband.
Call my friends and family more.
Send more cards.
Make a monthly calendar and exercise more days than not.
Make meal plans for most meals.
Avoid the chocolate/candy aisle.
Eat more veggies.
Eat more protein.
Up my weights.
Get faster at running.
Get faster at swimming.
Get faster at biking.
Keep going to counseling.
Read more.
Play with my dog more.
Stay off of my phone more.
Doubt myself less.

July it is!

Oh I have so much to tell you!  It's so good to be writing here again.  I'll start off with some updates.  My migraines have been reduced with the continued implementation of the "Low Tyramine Headache Diet" as well as keeping a consistent sleep schedule.  YEAH!  I'm still dealing with stress and anxiety, but I know that's no way to live and that I need to let go of the control.  I've been seeing my counselor now for almost a year and she has helped me so much.  Love that woman!  Most importantly, I know God has it covered and has a plan for me.  Mmm...God is so good! 

 

This sign hangs in my living room and serves as a much needed daily reminder.  :)

 

As for the baby update, we've been dealing with infertility going on 15 months so we went back to my OB.  Tom had tests done (which was a crazy, awkward situation...lol!  I might tell you about it later)  Then, I had blood work done as well as a sonogram and everything came back just fine.  Woo hoo!  Praise the Lord!  Since everything came back normal, my OB put me on Clomid.  From what I understand, it tells your brain to tell your body to ovulate.  It does increase your odds of having multiples by 8%, but we would be good with twins.  You take the Clomid pill days 5-9 of your cycle and then wait.  Today was my last dose for this cycle.  I kept hearing all about these horrible side effects, but I had no negative side effects.  If anything, I felt better!  If I don't ovulate this month, I'll take a higher dose the next cycle and then one more time if I still don't ovulate.  After three months of increasing doses, my OB will take me off.  Hopefully, though, it will work! 

 

So, you're probably wondering why I've titled this post "July it is!" Well, let me tell you...I've decided July is a great month for me to refocus and concentrate on my goals because I have the whole month off with no big commitments.  I can focus on my faith, health and well being to make my body the best place for a baby to grow.  I've changed my eating habits slowly, but surely.   Fruits have always been easy for me to incorporate into my diet.  I eat veggies most every lunch and dinner.  Milk is always a standard at the dinner table and I stay away from liquid calories (soda, alcohol, coffee, etc.)  When I cook at home I always use olive oils instead of vegetable oils, don't fry food and rarely bake sweets.  I've been taking Rex for a walk twice a day each day, doing weights at the gym twice a week, and Tom and I started a Couch to 5K program, which has us training times a week. 

Here's a pic that captures our true feelings about running...hehe.

 

 

My issue is snacking, eating out and portion control.  So I pledged to take a picture of EVERYTHING I eat and post it on Instagram (follow me on Instagram @spicycurrie83) for a whole month.  I'm on day 13 and WOW!  It has really kept me accountable! 

 

Also, I've been tracking my food on the Loseit app.  I've been making a big effort to stay within my daily calorie budget and so far, in the last month I've lost 7 pounds!   Here's a progress pic from 2010 to present.  That's a 27 pound difference, folks! 

Another wake up call was reading the book, Wheat Belly.  I've been avoiding wheat (not completely, but making better choices ex: eating fajitas with a fork instead of putting them in a flour tortilla)  It's a very interesting read.  Check it out!  Well, I think that's the extent of my updates!  I hope you are doing great and are loving life!  Happy July! 

Remember, today is the FIRST day of the REST of your LIFE! 

Back in the saddle

So I have fallen off the proverbial horse these past couple of months.  I've gained 2 pounds back, which puts me at a total 28 pound loss for the year.  Don't get me wrong, I am EXTREMELY happy with that weight loss, but at the rate I'm going it won't stay off for long.  I'm actually surprised that I haven't gained back more because I've been eating pretty much whatever I want (thankfully what I want still consists of strawberries, raspberries, spinach salads, sugar snap peas, milk, oatmeal and flax seed).  However, I also want Oreos, pumpkin bread, pasta, and ice cream sandwiches, especially now that I've found out that food isn't my main migraine trigger.  Those foods in excess combined with little exercise would be the 2 lb. weight gain culprits.  Since my 10K over a month ago I have exercised a total of 4 times.  IT IS TIME.  So this morning I got up early, went to the gym and swam laps for a half hour.  Whew.  I am beat and have SO much respect for swimmers.  I really miss running too.  I miss being sweaty from a good workout.  However, I've only had 4 migraines this month.  I'm really thinking my migraines are sometimes triggered from heart rate elevation.  Three of the migraines were this week...boo!  I woke up all three times with serious jaw pain and sore neck and shoulder muscles.  They were so tight that they were twitching...no fun.  So I went to my TMJD doctor and he treated me.  Thank goodness.  The nurses there lifted up my hair and said, "Whoa, the back of your neck is so swollen!" That was before I even had a chance to tell them how much pain I was in.  Now I am supposed to take Ibuprofen every 6 hours for 3-4 days to reduce the swelling.  "Have you been under a lot of stress, Laura?",  they ask.  They know me so well there.  Apparently, stress creates tense muscles as well as teeth grinding and ultimately, migraines.  Fun stuff.  So I need to work on more exercise, better food choices, and less stress.  I think that is America in a nutshell.  At least I'm not alone.  Seriously though, it's so important to be proactive about my health.  Exercise produces endorphins which help with energy and stress levels.  Also, food plays a HUGE role in whole body wellness.  If you eat crap, you will most likely feel like crap, and feeling like crap is stressful.  So if I eat well and exercise frequently maybe, just maybe my stress level will decrease and so will my migraines.  Worth a shot.  I just need to get in the right frame of mind.  Let's do this!

100th Post

Wow, I can't believe I've already published 99 posts!  I started this blog on a whim and it's turned into more than I would have ever imagined.  It is such a blessing to know that this blog has inspired others to start their own blogs, grow more in their faith, begin an exercise program, experiment in the kitchen and explore their own hidden talents.  It has been a great journey for me and I hope it's been as beneficial to my readers as it has for me over the past 9 months.  What an amazing realization for me to look back 9 months ago and see exactly how far God has taken me in life. 

Laura's life changes in the past 9 months:

Dec. 2011                                         Aug. 2012

Just beginning to cook                       Cooking up a storm of healthy meals

Weight: 209.2                                   Weight: 179.2

Skeptical that I could paint                Completion of 6 paintings-1 sold

Could not run more than 30 sec.        Ran 60 minutes without stopping or walking

Never read through entire Bible        About to start 2nd reading of Bible

I am blown away at all of the positive changes that have occured in my life in less than a year. 

What a difference the support of family and friends, self discipline and prayer can make.

I wonder what God has in store for me in the next 9 months?  Whether good or bad, I know that it will be just fine because I have been richly blessed with an amazing support system full of love and encouragement.  Thank you to each and everyone of you who have read by blog. You have been a huge inspiration and encouragement to me.  Thanks for sticking with me and we'll see what the next 9 months bring :)

Weigh in...post vacation

Everytime I go on vacation I come back with a few souveniers...not all by choice.  Unfortunately, a few of them are extra pounds.  I'm pretty positive that I'm not alone in this plight, however.  You go on vacation, a little dessert there, a bacon cheeseburger here, a couple extra sugary beverages and BAM!  You have yourself 5lbs of extra you coming back home.  Well, I planned out 10/11 meals and was pretty active.  However, I still splurged with an extra chicken sausage, pizza and a giant ice cream cone.  Plus I didn't run.  So I wasn't sure what the scale or the measuring tape would say today.  But I have been tracking all of my food and exercise every day.  Our Marathon Weight Loss weigh in day is Monday so I had no access to a scale last week while on vacation and then waited for the official weigh in day.  Here we go.

Wake up, use the bathroom (sorry TMI) deep breath, exhale, step on and wait....


Blink....


Blink...


Blink...


YES!!!!


Down 2.6


All of the planning was worth it!!!  I'm so excited!!  My hard work is paying off.  Definitely encouraging. 

That brings my total weight loss to exactly 28 pounds since January and 36 pounds since after breaking my foot.  I tend to get discouraged when I lose 0.2 pounds or gain back what I lost the previous week, but all of those little set backs and small losses add up over time.  Over 30 weeks I have lost 28 pounds so that averages out to a little less than a pound a week.  Woot!

30 before 30

I was inspired by a fellow blogger, Hannah over at http://willmoveforcake.blogspot.com/ to compile a list of 30 things I want to accomplish or do by the time I'm 30.  I've got 8 months before I turn 30. 

Here's my list...

1) Get pregnant.
2) Eat ice cream without getting a migraine.
3) Sell 3 of my paintings.
4) Learn how to french braid my bangs.
5) Sign up for a mission trip.
6) Start a journal.
7) Read through the entire Bible again.
8) Volunteer somewhere outside my comfort zone.
9) Make my own bread from scratch.
10) Run/walk a 10K.
11) Read Gone With the Wind again.
12) Write a poetry book.
13) Make my own laundry detergent.
14) Make my own hummus.
15) Run 5 miles straight.
16) Go horse back riding and be comfortable with the horse trotting and galloping.
17) Go to a local winery.
18) Be a mentor.
19) Make a snowman with Tom.
20) Drive my SUV out of state.
21) Go kayaking.
22) Watch a sunrise with Tom.
23) Watch a sunset with Tom.
24) Learn to sew.
25) Start a Bible Study for college students.
26) Write a thank you letter to my 1st grade teacher.
27) Go to a fancy dinner and eat out of the bread basket without getting a migraine.
28) Bake a turkey all by myself.
29) Make my own Christmas cards.
30) Be thankful that I get to turn 30.

Eating my exercise

As a three times Weight Watchers veteran, I was ALWAYS told at meetings to eat my exercise points.  So now that I've been adding up my food and exercise on http://www.loseit.com/ I have been eating my exercise calories for the mostly every day.  However, I've only gone over my daily calorie limit twice since I've started counting calories and really haven't been losing weight.  I've gone up and down and am down 0.8 from the start a month ago, which I realize is better than gaining, but it's not what I was expecting.  I put in my weight, height, age, etc. and entered in that my goal loss each week is 1.5 lbs.  So according to loseit, my daily calorie input is around 1,500 cals.  On average, I burn between 300-500 calories in exercise daily.  I've been reading a lot of blogs, discussion boards and I've noticed that many people are only eating 1,200 cals/day.  Plus exercising on top of that and not "eating their exercise".  That just doesn't add up to me.  So let's say you do a 400 cal. workout and eat 1,200 cals.  So your body is only working with 800 cals. for the rest of the day?  It just doesn't seem like enough and that your body would rebel.  Can someone explain this to me?  Is my 1,500 cals. too much?  Maybe these people are just MUCH smaller and shorter than me.  I'm 5' 8" and 183.8 lbs.  (Yes, I did just share my height and weight...yeah I didn't intend to do that til I reached my goal weight, but I think this info is important in figuring out calorie intake) Maybe I just need to stop eating my exercise calories?  We had a Sole Sister conversation about this a few weeks ago.  Most people say not to eat the calories unless you save them for a special treat or big dinner out.  That's what I'm trying this week.  However, today I ended up eating half of my exercise calories because I ate three servings of Snackimals.  But half is better than eating ALL of them I suppose.  I also realize it's not all about the number of calories, but what kind of nutrients are in those calories.  I feel like I'm doing pretty well with eating a good balance of protein, veggies, fruits, dairy and grains.  I could definitely do less cheese and grains, but I feel good about what I'm eating for the most part.  I'm going to try not eating my exercise calories and see how that goes and then possibly adjust.  Help me out here if you think I'm onto something or if I'm completely off track.  Thanks.

On losing a marathon...

As most of you know, my friends and fellow Sole Sisters, Jess and Heather have come up with a challenge...to lose a marathon.  That's 26.2 pounds for those of you who were wondering.  That's a lot of pounds!  Well, this is week 5/13 of the challenge and I've lost 0.8 pounds.  I lost 0.2, then lost 1.8, then gained 1.8, then lost 0.6.  At least I'm going in the right direction, collectively. 

However, needless to say, I've got a LONG way to go.  So I was getting a little down on myself because there's no way I will be losing a marathon with only 8 more weeks to go.  But then I started thinking...wait.  I have already lost a marathon since January!!!!  I have lost almost EXACTLY a marathon of pounds since the beginning of the year.  And...a total of 34 pounds since I broke my foot three years ago at my all time highest weight.  Now that is an accomplishment :) 

So here's my big realization.  It's taken me 28 weeks to lose a marathon in 2012.  Not 13 weeks (the length of this challenge).  So why do I think I would lose the same amount in less than half the time?  Plus, it gets harder (for me at least) to lose the smaller I get.  What an "aha!" moment for me. 

But that doesn't mean I am stopping or giving up just because I've lost a marathon. 
I am not done yet.  There's still 25.4 pounds to go to reach my goal weight. 

So every week Jess sets a challenge for us.  This week: Photo Journal EVERYTHING you eat. 

Whoa.  I like that idea. Take a picture of every teeny tiny bite or sip before you eat or drink it.  That's going to keep me accountable.  I know this because whenever I take a picture of one of my dinners to post on here I'm sure to make it look colorful, full of veggies, and a balance of carbs/proteins.  I might just think twice before diving into some "Pirate's Booty" snacks.  If I were to eat some "Pirate's Booty" goodness, I could just take a picture of the packaging, but I'm going to step it up and take a picture of my SERVING.  I think that will keep me even more accountable to you.  Now I don't have a smartphone so it's going to be a little bit harder, but I can go "old school" just like I have been doing and use my awesome pink Sony Cybershot.

I'm planning to make a Facebook photo album of everything I eat for the next 7 days.  I think this is going to be really good for me and I'm excited.  You don't have to make yours public if you want to join in the challenge, but I encourage you to at least take a step back and assess your food and drinks and really look at it. 

Ask yourself some important questions...Is this going to be good fuel for my body?  Is this going to make me feel gross after I eat it?  Does this help me reach towards my goals?  What is the purpose of eating this?  Will this taste good or am I just wanting to eat it because it's there?

So much of health and weight loss is food.  You can exercise like it's your job, but if your food isn't nutricious, filling, and tasty, you won't see or reap the full benefits of your hard work.  And face it, if you are going to go to all the trouble of walking, running, biking, Zumba, yoga, pilates, weight lifting, swimming, tennis, etc, then make sure it counts!  Don't spoil your efforts by eating all those calories you just burned and don't spoil it by eating a bag of cheetos after you've done a few miles on the treadmill because you "earned it".  Don't you think you "earned a healthy life" and not some food that's going to cancel out everything you've done??  It just doesn't make sense.  You are not a dog, so don't reward yourself with food.  Reward yourself with the self confidence, self assurance, and pride that you earned this healthy body of yours...even if it doesn't "look" healthier you know that if you made healthier choices your body most certainly is too. 

I think it's all about knowing why you are eating.  If you want a sweet treat or a second helping of dinner and you are okay with the calorie/fat content and will balance it out with the rest of your meals then go for it.  If you are eating it because you feel you deserve it or you feel "naughty" and just want to break your own rules then that's an entirely different issue.  Food is not supposed to be used in that way.

I too need to listen to my own rants.  I am pretty good at not seeing food as a reward for being "good".  I really dislike when people say they were "good" or "bad".  It's not all "bad" if you had a couple scoops of ice cream.  It's not all "good" to eat all veggies and fruits with no fats at all.  Our bodies need fats like those found in salmon or olive oil or even nuts.  Plus, you are not going to gain 5 pounds if you eat a candy bar.  You will not ruin your entire day or weight loss journey if you eat a candy bar.  If you eat a candy bar every day, the weight probably won't come off as quickly, but if that's what is going to keep you sane and on your plan for the rest of your meals and snacks, then do what you need to do. 

Something I really need to work on is not eating my exercise calories.  That's most likely why the weight isn't coming off quickly.  I do get really hungry when I'm working on consistantly and I tell myself that it's okay to eat an extra helping or have a "before bed" snack because my stomach is truly growling. Yes, it is okay for me to eat something extra, but not a half a bag of tortila chips or 2 EXTRA slices of Tom's homemade pizza.  I need to make better choices when I'm hungry, which all goes back to my photo journaling goal.  I hope and believe this is going to help me a lot.  This turned into a really lengthy post!  Congrats for staying with me til the end!

It's time to keep on keepin' on.  Won't lose hope...just pounds.

Somebody's Got a Case of the Mondays...

So it's Monday so that means it's "Lose a Marathon Weigh In Day".  Well, I was not looking forward to it because yesterday was a rough day.  In a nutshell, I have a rough relationship with my dad (non-existant).  Then my grandma decided to try to make me feel guilty for it at our family reunion yesterday.  Well, I got pretty emotional after that and I am an emotional eater so I ended up eating an entire box of macaroni and cheese....gross.  I felt disgusting and was so mad at myself.  I ended up gaining the pound and a half that I lost last week.  So I am the same as I was 2 weeks ago.  Which should be fine, but I look back on all the calorie counting, running, exercise, self-discipline and I want to scream.  It's just one of those things though that I have to plow through.  I know I'm not technically fatherless, but my father doesn't speak or me or want anything to do with my life so I feel that I am.  This verse keeps popping into my head..."God is a father to the fatherless."  Oh what a comfort.  I am so thankful that I have my Father in Heaven who is constantly watching out for me, holding me, protecting me, and loving me with a deeper love than I can ever imagine possible.  My Father in Heaven is unfailing and ever present in times of trouble and for that I will continue to praise him and will not be broken hearted.  I will press on and be thankful for all of the MANY MANY blessings He has given me in my life.  Tom, my mom, my family, friends, co-workers, a job, cozy house, reliable car to drive, the peace I feel when I give my life to Him and many more.  It's going to be a good day because God made it :)

Oh and go check out my guest blog over at http://www.eatteachblog.com/ today!  It's a good one, I promise!! :)

Tips from a yo-yo dieter

When I talk to people about weight loss, they ALWAYS say, "Ohhhhh!  Have you tried Weight Watchers?"  I respond, "Well, yeah I've actually lost 40lbs 3 times with Weight Watchers." They usually give me a confused look at this point so I go on to explain that it was the same 40 pounds that I kept losing over and over because I gained it all back EVERY single time.  No offense to WW, I think WW is an intelligent, doable program that has helped so many people.  The program works.  It wasn't the program.  It was me.  I couldn't handle the maintenance.  So to date, I've lost 120 pounds with WW, 15 pounds with wedding/masters stress, and 27 pounds with eating no sugar/no preservatives.  Hmmm...let's just add that up.  Grand total: 162 pounds lost.  Well isn't that interesting?  That's a whole person!!  Good grief!   

So here's the top ten of what I have FINALLY concluded after almost 10 years of trying to lose weight. 

1) Maintaining is WAY harder than losing. 

2) Just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean you are mentally and emotionally ready to lose weight.

3) I can't imagine writing down everything I eat for the rest of my life, but I might just need to.

4) If I say I'm going to exercise it happens maybe 50% of the time, if I tell someone I'm going to exercise it happens maybe 75% of the time.  But if I enter it into loseit.com and see how many more calories I could eat in a day, then I exercise 99% of the time.

5) What works for all of your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers may not and probably won't work for you.

6) Weighing myself everyday gives me anxiety and depression.  Once a week is healthy for me.

7) "Motivation pictures" of skinny people do not work for me.  They make me want to go eat everything in my cupboard and then drive really fast to Dairy Queen. 

8) "Motivation pictures" of me being skinny do not work for me.  They make me remember that I wasn't any happier being skinny than what I am now.  Being skinny doesn't make your life roses.  I was just healthier (maybe...actually I think my body is healthier now than it was 25 pounds lighter, even with this extra fat)

9) Don't call it a diet.  Whatever you do, don't say the "D" word.  It will sabotoge you.  A diet in our culture means you go on it and off of it.  Hence the term "yo yo dieter".  Don't do it.  It's a lifestyle change, but only if you make it one. 

10) Start an exercise program that is realistic.  Sure you can do a month long program of intense ab work, and get incredible muscles for a few weeks, but when you stop, get tired or just don't have the time do your muscles really stay strong and lean?  Possibly, but probably not.

I'm not a doctor.  I'm not a nutritionist.  You need to find out what works for you.  Think about what makes you eat.  Think about why you don't exercise.  Get past the excuses of being tired or busy and really think about the reasons why.  We all know how to lose weight and how to eat healthy.  But what's really stopping us?  Why do we allow it to?  I don't know all the answers to these questions yet, but every day I'm getting closer.  It's not just to "look good" but I'm doing this to be healthy and not end up having to give myself shots because I'm diabetic, etc.  I'd love to hear what works for you and what your journey has taught you.  Email me anytime at spicycurrie83@gmail.com.

Guest poster!

Good morning!!  This is my first post of July and I had intended to go out and run this morning before it got to hot, but well those comfy sheets and soft pillows got me and that didn't happen.  So....it's off to the elliptical for me.  I finally figured out how to amp up the incline so I will be a sweaty, calorite burning, fat shrinking woman when I finish but it's going to be great.  I love the elliptical.  It's one of those exercise machines you either LOVE or HATE with a passion. 

Does it feel like Tuesday to anyone else??  Since Tom was off work on Wednesday, yesterday felt like Monday and now it still feels weird and I'm all off, but it's all good because I had a GREAT 4th!

On the 4th of July, I celebrated by running my very first race!  The Firecracker5000 5K!!!  Woot woot!  I finished in 3.1 miles in 41 minutes and I was NOT last...in fact, 90 people finished behind me.  :)   I cooked up a new recipe this week and my teaching brain is starting to fire back up after having a month of rest.  But you will have to wait to hear all about it because I'm going to be featured as a guest poster for Divya at http://www.eatteachblog.com/ and will be sharing all about my race, my new recipe and some teaching tips there on MONDAY!  So exciting!  Divya writes a great blog for you whether you love to eat, love to run, love to teach or just love the ups and downs of life.  Definitely check her out.  She made these AMAZING banana bread pancakes that look incredible.  The recipe is on her blog.  So be sure to check out http://www.eatteachblog.com/ on Monday and you can read more about my race experience and get a new recipe!

In the meantime, I'll update you on my progress.

The Great Migraine Battle Continues...

Jan. 4

Feb. 4

Mar. 12

Apr. 5

May 11

June 10

July 1 (to date)

I really don't know what to make of all the migraines in May and June, but hopefully my hormone therapy will start to kick in and if it's what the doctor's hypothesize, the migraines will diminish!  I can only hope!

As for the "Lose a Marathon Challenge", I have lost 1.8 pounds since June 25, when the challenge started.  So I have 24.4 more miles (pounds) to go!  The next weigh-in is Monday so we will see how far I've come then!  I've still been logging all of my food and exercise on http://www.loseit.com/.  It's really helping me to better understand portions and keeping me accountable of everything I am putting in my mouth. 

::Spice it up with new workouts and new recipes::

The other day I stumbled across an AWESOME website with hundreds of links to YouTube workout videos.  There's everything from Insanity to pilates to runner's stretches on it. 

Here's the link...

http://tosee-her-abs.tumblr.com/post/20049751727/girlgrowingsmall-get-vs-angels-workouts-here

My goal is to try out a different one each week.

As for food, I am keeping up with 1/2 my plate being veggies at meal times.  Still trying to find some new recipes because I keep fixing the same ones over and over.  I did find a great recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup and another for Energy Bites.  I haven't tried the soup yet, but the energy bites are DELICIOUS and super easy to make!  They have PB in them, but I seemed to do fine eating them.  Maybe I'm allergic to certain types of nuts like pistashios or walnuts, but not peanuts.  I don't know but I do know that the Energy Bites are difficult to pass up ;)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 rotisserie chicken (any grocery store will do)

1 carton chicken broth (watch for sodium and added preservatives)

2 jalepenos (chopped)

1 can fire roasted stewed tomatoes

1 can black beans

1 can corn

1 fresh tub salsa

1 tbsp chili powder (or more if you like it hot!)

2 flour tortillas (cut into strips and warm in oven for 5-10 min( depending on how crispy you like them)

Throw all ingredients into stock pot.  Bring to boil and simmer for 20 min.  Top with baked tortillas and enjoy!

Energy Bites (No-bake!)

1 c. oatmeal

1/3 c. honey

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 c. coconut flakes

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. ground flaxseed (this is supposed to be REALLY good for you...if you can't find ground flaxseed, use a Magic Bullet to grind it up)

Combine all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Chill in fridge for 1-2 hours.  When they are chilled, roll into 18-20 balls. Store in fridge.  YUM!

Here's some Dr. Seuss motivation to leave you with...

I'm off for a jog!

My Journey

This has been a great week with lots going on.  We had Relay for Life this weekend, which is always a wonderful time of reflection for me.  It reminds me of all the blessings I have in my life and how blessed I am to have an amazing and strong family and support system.  Thinking about all of my blessings made me think about my own journey over the past 6 months and how far I've come. 

I haven't done it on my own and couldn't possibly have been successful on my own.  God has been holding me and guiding me as well as Tom, my mom and the rest of my family and friends.  Praise God for an amazing support system. 

Here's an update on my migraine and weight loss journey over the past 6 months...

The Great Migraine Battle

Jan. 4

Feb. 4

Mar. 12

Apr. 5

May 11

June 8 (to date)

I've been doing more research on trigger foods for migraines...they are primarily bananas, preservatives, nuts, chocolate, citrus fruits, lunch meats and sausage (among other meats containing nitrates and nitrites). Since I'm already avoiding preservatives, nitrates, nitrites, nuts and chocolate, all I have left are citrus fruits and bananas.   We just ran out of bananas so I just won't buy anymore for a while.  I'm going to eliminate them for the next month because there seems to be an overwhelming number of people who's trigger is bananas. 

There's a book I've been wanting to read...Heal Your Headache: the 1-2-3 Program for Taking Charge of Your Headaches.  The author is a doctor at Johns Hopkins.  It sounds really interesting and helpful so I'll have to check it out.

As for my weight loss journey, I am part of the Marathon Weight Loss Challenge.  This was the first week of it and I lost 0.2 pounds so only 26 more to go!  It's slow going, but slow and steady wins the race!

Total pounds lost: 25

Inches lost:

Hips: 5

Belly Button: 9.5

Waist: 5

Bust: 7.5

Total inches lost: 27!!

Pant size: 12!!!!  Just bought some new shorts and capris and they actually fit!!  So excited :) :)

 

My clothes are fitting better and I feel a lot more toned since I started running.  I'm feeling healthier and overall better in my own skin.  I got my hair cut and highlighted today, which is a sure way to put me in a good mood :) 

New highlights and a trim!  YAY!

I'm planning to treat myself with a massage too and just relax this week.  I have a stack of books to read and am looking forward to being stress-free.

I also got some brand new running shoes and went for my first run in them this morning.  Love them! 

Life is good.

I hope you are having a great week and enjoy the beautiful sunshine :)



Lose it!

Happy 1st day of SUMMER!!!

 I got up at 8 and went for a 2 mile jog to beat the heat.

Maybe tonight Tom and I can go for a walk to enjoy the longest day of the year :)

How did you celebrate today? 

For the "lose a marathon" challenge, Jess requested that we submit healthy, tried and true recipes each week.  I chose to submit my chili mac recipe.  Yum yum!  If you haven't tried it yet, you can find the recipe here: One Skillet Chili Mac

It's cooking up a storm right now in my kitchen...mmm pasta!

So anyway, Jess wanted the calorie count for the meal so I looked up all the ingredients and busted out Tom's old Texas Instruments Scientific Calculator from high school.  The grand total was 456 calories per serving.  Not bad for a hearty comfort food.  Out of curiousity, I looked up the calorie count for Steak n' Shake's Chili Mac Supreme (my absolute favorite!!) and my jaw dropped...1,008 CALORIES!  No way.  Well, I definitely feel better about my homemade chili mac now.

So I got to thinking...I wonder how many calories I'm actually eating in a day??  So I signed up at http://www.loseit.com/ to start tracking.  I just started using it and I really like its user friendliness.  I can enter in my food, my goals, exercise, etc.  Just enter in the amount you would like to lose, your age, height and weight and it will tell you how many calories you need to lose that weight or how many calories you need to maintain that weight.  Pretty cool. 

I've been trying to "Pinterest" healthy dinner recipes and tend to find the same things over and over again. 

Anyone have a go-to no sugar recipe to share?

Goals

All year I've been talking to my students about the importance of goal setting in all aspects of life.  It's time for me to go from talking the talk to walking the walk.  My fellow sole sister, Jess has come up with a great weight loss challenge:

**Just to clarify, this is not to train for a marathon or run a marathon.  It's just to lose the amount of weight of a marathon.

Don't worry I'm still a slow jogger and 3 miles is still a stretch for me ;)

If I "lose a marathon" I will have lost just over 50 pounds!  Whoa. 

Crazy to think about. 

But that will put me right at my goal weight. 

This is just the thing to get me right where I need to be so I can be healthy.

So here's the plan...

Here are my exercise goals for the summer:

Eat to live, not live to eat.

Eat for my body, not for my heart or my head.

Exercise for my health, not to look good in a swimsuit.

This is how I plan to reach my goals with exercise:

I want to pick one of these activities five days a week.

jogging

walking

yoga

biking

resistance band/stretching

hiking

Since getting healthy is 30% exercise and 70% food I am making food goals a priority as well.  I already eat pretty well with eliminating sugars and preservatives.  I also eat a TON of fruit.  But I am still eating really big portions of my main course and not enough veggies.

This is how I plan to reach my goals with food:

50% of my meal/plate will be veggies or fruit.

25% of my meal will be starch.

25% of my meal will be protein.

I'm already part way there.  I just need to substitute some starches for veggies during meals and snacks and I will be good to go. :)

Snacks I have on hand:

triscuits

hummus

edamame

celery

carrots

cheese

hard boiled eggs

homemade popcorn

bananas

berries

apples

smoothies

grapes

Anything I am missing from this list that are great no sugar/high energy snacks??  I know almonds and peanut butter are great for you too, but I think I may be nut intolerant so I'm steering clear of those foods right now.

What are your goals?