Fiance Boot Camp

I came home from work last night feeling better about being re-committed to weight loss, but I am also battling an awful sinus infection, so I was less than thrilled at the thought of working out or going on a walk.

I neglected to tell you yesterday that I had a mini break down of sorts on Tuesday night which resulted in me crying on Ron's shoulder and him pledging to help me get back on track and back in shape.  Let me just say that this is not the first time that my sweet fiance has agreed to help.  However, he is easily persuaded by me and in a general sense I wear the pants in this relationship, so I little hope that he was going to be my main source of accountability.

I got home and Ron was already here whipping up dinner (salad, corn, grilled chicken) and was all pumped up for our walk around the neighborhood.  I was kind of crabby from sitting in traffic and making excuses to just wait one more day before we start our "walk routine".  He wasn't having it at all.  He basically said, "put your tennis shoes on now, we are leaving!"

We got about 4 blocks from our house and I noticed that it seemed like we were on a mission.  Like Ron seemed to have a plan about where we were walking that I was not clued in on.  We were deep in conversation and enjoying the sunny 70 degree weather, so I didn't bother asking him what he was up to.  The next thing I know we are in front of Target.  I was SHOCKED that we had walked all the way to Target in less than 30 minutes.  We walked in and got what we needed and started our trek home.  

I am amazed by my fiance tonight and so thankful that he is really proving to be my rock.  He is not letting me give up this fight and most importantly he is not taking, "no" for an answer.  If this day is any indication of what the summer has in store then I am going to be well on my way to success come Labor Day!           

Spring Top Five's and My Go-To Lunch

Happy Thursday!  It is finally feeling like spring here in Minnesota!  It is in the 60's for the first time since last fall!  Yesterday on the radio they were talking about spring and someone said, "What does spring mean to you?"  This got me thinking and I decided to make a list of 5 things that spring means to me.

1. Being active outside.
       -I love to ride my bike, to go for walks and to just play around outside and after a hibernation-like winter I am ready to get out and enjoy the great outdoors once again.

2. Grilling!
       -There is probably nothing that I love more than grilling food on the grill outside.  All of the delicious veggies and lean proteins that I am going to make this spring/summer.  I can't wait!

3. Spring cleaning.
       -So, it is that time again to spring clean.  I am a relatively clean and organized person, so my house isn't usually too messy, but this year it is an absolute disaster!  I debated whether or not to show you pictures because it is that bad and I decided to show you so that you can see the kind of craziness I am living in right now and to also give me a push to get it done!

Entryway filled with boxes.

Dining room table filled with everything.

Wine rack covered with mail and a peek into the dreaded living room.

Piles of stuff to sell on craigslist/pack up.

What we have packed so far and things that are waiting to be packed.

Yikes!!!  I need to get my house back to normal!

4. Losing weight!
       -The winter is filled with cold and dreary weather.  It is dark when you leave for work and even darker when you get home.  It is hard to find motivation.  It is filled with holiday's and food.  It is bad my waistline and bad for my overall health.  I always find it easier to lose weight in the spring and summer because I am just so much more active and the food choices are lighter and more healthy.

5. Moving!
        -I was asked to compile a list of my past addresses for 10 years.  It turns out that I have lived in 8 different places in the past 10 years.  That translates to a lot of moving.  Usually I dread moving, but this year we are moving to our first house and I am overjoyed.  Even if it means that my life is pretty stressful and my house is a total mess!


On that note I am off to have lunch.  I am eating my standard go-to lunch today.  It is a half of a turkey sandwich with a half slice of mozzarella cheese.  An apple, 14 carrots and 25 baked cheetos.  What is your go-to lunch that you always like and eat when you're not feeling adventurous or creative?

My lunch with a giant glass of the good stuff... H2O!

Yummy!

Have a happy and healthy day!  I am making spaghetti quash for dinner!  Pictures will come later.

Sunday Sessions

1. Try a 2 new fruits and 2 new vegetables this week.
Done!  I tried pomegranate and kiwi.  I have had kiwi before, but never purchased it on my own and I hadn't had it in a long time.  I really like them when they are not too soft.  They are the perfect size for a quick and healthy snack in between meals.  I also bought a pomegranate and I have to say that I have not eaten it yet, but it looks good and I just saw that someone else posted on their blog about how to cut them, so I am excited to eat it this week.  I got eggplant and spaghetti squash for my two vegetables.  The eggplant I roasted in the oven and I was not really a fan of it.  Everyone tells me to try eggplant parmesan, so when I buy it next time I will get that.  The spaghetti squash was awesome!  I even got my boyfriend to eat it.  I ate it with some low sodium sauce, sauteed veggies and some grilled chicken and a little bit of reduced fat feta cheese. YUM!


2. Move my body as much as I can throughout the day. 
I think that I did really well with this goal this week.  I parked in the back of lots, got up and moved around at work more than usual and worked out more than I have any other days so far on this journey.  I also tried to move around at work more and stood at my desk doing work for a few hours.  I know this is always something that I can improve on, but it was a great start for me!


NEW GOALS 


1. Change up my work-out routines.  As my brother-in-law calls it, muscle confusion.  Sometimes I get on the elliptical for 45 minutes and I wish the time away.  I hate this.  It makes me dread my workout and hate what I am doing.  So, I have printed off the group fitness schedules for my gym and I have highlighted all of the classes that I could attend during the week that sound good to me. I have a plan to mix-up my work outs this week and "confuse my muscles" so that I am getting a really good work out and hopefully burning more fat!


2. Organize my closet, try on clothes and get rid of what doesn't fit. 
I have clothes from one size larger than I am now all the way down to 4 sizes smaller than I am now.  I know, I know it is crazy and I need to get rid of things that don't fit me so that it isn't convenient for me to gain weight and move back into my old clothes.  I still don't know what to do with my clothes that don't fit though, so I need to organize my closet and make a plan for these items that are now too big.  Yay!

Saturday Sessions

Update from Last week...


1. I need to work out everyday this week for at least 30 minutes.  I know that this may seem like small potatoes to you, but some days I have no motivation to do this. 
Mission accomplished!! I had a personal training session, attended two group fitness classes and cardio one day at Lifetime Fitness and 3 days at home doing the Biggest Loser 30-Day Jumpstart.  This is really an accomplishment for me because I can eat healthy everyday, but working out everyday is just as important for weight loss and I need to make working out a priority everyday. 

2. I need to eat dinner on my own before 7:00.  My boyfriend works long hours and I love to eat dinner with him when he comes home, so I usually try to wait.  Some days he isn't home until 7:30 or 8:00 and one day this week I didn't eat until almost 9:00 and I try to go to bed at 10:00.  That is not working for me. I need to just eat on my own.
This went pretty good, but there is room for improvement.  I ate almost everyday before 7:00, but two days it was about 7:30, so I need to continue to work on this goal.
3. I just got my three Hungry Girl books in the mail and I am very excited to start cooking with them.  Once I get my camera back from my friend I will work on getting more photos posted and also my experience with the HG recipes.
Love this!!!  If you remember my post a few weeks ago about breaking down bawling because my boyfriend didn't like what I cooked, well I have found a solution and it is Hungry Girl!  I gave my boyfriend the cookbooks and he wrote down all of the recipes he would eat, which was at least 50+ recipes!!  Wahoo!  I was so excited that he found so many things that he liked that were still healthy options for me.  We have only made one recipe, but I am going to post pictures from now on of the meals that I make, so be on the look out for that.


New Goals...


1. Try a 2 new fruits and 2 new vegetables this week.
I feel like I always eat the same vegetables and fruit every week, so I am going to step out of the box and out of my comfort zone and try new vegetables and fruits this week and see if I find new things that I like.  I also really like buying what is in season and local produce if I can, so that is another one of my goals that I am trying really hard to adhere to. 


2. Move my body as much as I can throughout the day. 
This seems obvious, but when you really think about it we probably don't move as much as we can throughout the day and we often take the easy way out.  What I mean by this is that we park as close to the store as we can, take the elevator, take the bus all the way to our destination and so on.   I am going to take the spot at the back of the lot, take the stairs and get off my bus a few stops early every day this week.  I want to push myself to be active as much as I can since my job requires so much sitting.  I heard a story a few weeks ago about an older man who owned a shop right down from hill from his house (about a half a mile or less) that he used to drive to everyday.  He started to walk because the weather was nice and at his next check up his blood pressure was dramatically lower, he had lost 25 pounds and was no longer pre-diabetic.  So, some small changes can make a BIG difference. 


I will post more later today or tomorrow.  I will also update some of my pages, add new recipes and some new photos of me at my worst and best.

Saturday Sessions

I am going to start a new feature on my blog called Saturday Sessions which outlines my goals or plans for the week.  There are some things that are working for me on this journey right now and some things that are not, so this is my attempt to make a weekly plan and hold myself accountable every saturday to see how I did.

1. I need to work out everyday this week for at least 30 minutes.  I know that this may seem like small potatoes to you, but some days I have no motivation to do this.

2. I need to eat dinner on my own before 7:00.  My boyfriend works long hours and I love to eat dinner with him when he comes home, so I usually try to wait.  Some days he isn't home until 7:30 or 8:00 and one day this week I didn't eat until almost 9:00 and I try to go to bed at 10:00.  That is not working for me. I need to just eat on my own.

3. I just got my three Hungry Girl books in the mail and I am very excited to start cooking with them.  Once I get my camera back from my friend I will work on getting more photos posted and also my experience with the HG recipes.

I am growing increasingly frustrated with my job lately in the sense that I am not up moving around.  I sit for the majority of my day and it just kills my energy.  My question to anyone who reads this is what do you do when you are at work to try and stay fit?  Does anyone have any tips or ideas to keep moving at work?  I try and take the stairs, get up and move around when I can, but it seems like sitting at work is hampering my lifestyle change.  Let me know if you have any suggestions.

I am off to visit with my boyfriends family today (she is making a delicious balsamic chicken and asparagus salad today, YUM! Tomorrow I am heading north to visit my Mom with some of my siblings and nephews/niece for Halloween.  It is a fun-filled family weekend and I am very excited about it!  Have a good weekend everyone, make it positive and healthy!

Permanent Weight Loss

WARNING: This is a long post, I apologize.  I promise they won't all be this long. :)

This afternoon I was browsing some sites online looking for some inspiration for meals,
workouts and just healthy living tips in general and I found an article that I really like on
  Eating Well website which is about tips for permanent weight loss.  This whole thing
that I am working on is not a diet.  A diet is often times  most of the time a temporary
thing.  This is a lifestyle change and is something that I want to be permanent.  A way of
 life, something that I do daily without even thinking about it because it is as habitual as
 brushing my teeth and taking a shower.  I know that this website often uses the word
diet, which is probably because for some people it is just that, but for me it is something
much different.

I read this article several times today to soak it all in and that is when I decided I wanted
 to blog about it and to discuss out loud where I think I fall for each of these steps.  My
 comments follow each step in the purple font.  Make sure you check out the full article
 on the website that is linked above.

Step 1. Make Sure You’re Ready for Change

Of course you want to lose weight—that’s why you are reading this—but in order to make a
 life plan you can stick with, you must be ready—truly ready—to make the commitment.
Losing weight will take some time and effort, and it will require you to make some sacrifices.
(If it were easy, everyone would be thin!) The first step is to make sure you’re ready to get
started. Read more.

The first thing that popped into my head when I read this was, "is anyone ever ready
 for this?"  I know that seems awfully pessimistic, but it is not supposed to sound that 
way.  What I mean is making changes in your life is hard, having willpower is hard, 
working out is hard, BUT being fat is really hard, so what it comes down to is 
choosing your "hard".  I have chosen the "hard" that is committing to change my 
eating habits and lifestyle (not being a lazy blob) to benefit my health. 

Step 2. Set Goals

The next step on your weight-loss journey is to decide what kind of weight loss makes
sense for you. Weigh in, assess your eating habits and make a game plan. That will
 include long-term goals and more immediate goals too. Read more.

When I read this step I was very encouraged because this is one of the first things
 that I did.  When I sat down and made a list of my goals I became even more
 committed to this and even more driven to lose this weight that weighs me down.  
I have made some personal goals that I have not shared and I have made some
 goals that are outlined on the pages of this blog so that others can see what I am
 working towards. I do need to make some smaller goals and also some NON FOOD
 rewards that I can look forward to along this journey.  

Step 3. Track Yourself

Self-awareness is self-motivation: by keeping track of your behavior, you motivate
yourself to change because you become more accountable. Track yourself with a food
diary and exercise log—some of the most powerful tools for managing your weight.
Read more.

I am tracking my every step and every morsel that goes into my mouth.  I have
an exercise/weight lifting log as well as the wonderful resources at The Daily Plate
to help me track my calories and keep my sodium, fat and carbohydrate levels 
consistent.   

Step 4. Eat Mindfully

Healthy eating means getting a variety of foods in moderation—not making any food
forbidden, but not going overboard on those rich foods that were once
special-occasion indulgences. Eat mindfully by knowing the foods that make weight
loss easier, and understanding key healthy-eating principles. Read more.

I remember when I started a weight loss journey 4 years ago that I reward 
weight loss with food that I missed.  I am not doing that.  I am allowing myself 
anything that I want in moderation.  If I say NO fries all I will want is fries, fries, 
fries, BUT on that same note it is important to watch my daily intakes and still 
stay on track with my calories, fat, sodium and carbohydrates.  I can't justify 
french fries today, a little bit of chinese tomorrow, mexican food this weekend.  
It is moderation AND frequency that matter. 

Step 5. Commit to Move More

Exercise makes weight loss much easier—but more important, people who move
more are more likely to keep the pounds off. No matter where you’re at now, you
can become “an exercise person.” Read more.

I can honestly say that this is the hardest part for me.  I have all the willpower
in the world to avoid cakes, fried food, etc, but when it comes to working out
I just plain don't LOVE it.  I have come to the realization that I LIKE working out, 
which is actually a huge step for me. As my brother in law Mike said today you 
will eventually love it once you see some more results and get used to working
out often.  I am sure he is right, but for now I LIKE the thought of doing it, but
I must say I LOVE how I feel afterwards. 

Step 6. Get Support

Losing weight is challenging—we can’t expect to do it alone. As you make your way
through losing weight, you’ll need to cultivate a network of friends, family, co-workers,
professionals and like-minded dieters.Read more.

I have told pretty much everyone I know about my plans (except for my Mom, but 
that will come as soon as results start to show up).  I have sent my sisters
subscriptions to my blog, I have told my co-workers, my boyfriend, other family
members, etc.  I want people to know that I am working towards something and
I want them to see how committed I am.  I also have paid for six personal training
and six nutrition classes with a registered dietician.

Step 7. Have a Long-Term Plan

As you reach your weight-loss goals, you’re ready for the final step: creating a long-term
strategy that will help your successes stick for good. Read more.

This one is definitely still a work in progress.  I am attending a conference this
weekend and have plans to tap into all of the resources that I can to make this 
a PERMANENT lifestyle and not something that will find me back at this same
terrible spot in years to come. I'm heading to the gym in building to get some
cardio in and then calling it a night.

The EatingWell Diet. Copyright 2007 by Eating Well, Inc. Published by The
Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091.