Does vacation mean a free for all?

So when you go on vacation do you take a break from diet and exercise? Most people do only to gain at least 10 pounds, then beat themselves up when they get home. I went on vacation last January. I live in an area that doesn't really have my favorite eateries. So when I went home I was ready to indulge. Well I quickly thought twice. I did have In & Out Burger but I only ate about half the meal. I ate at Cheesecake Factory. I ordered a Chicken Salad Sandwich, a salad with non fat dressing. I had the sandwich cut in fours and ate my salad first then one slice of the sandwich. I left the rest on the table and had no dessert. I did hit the treadmill that day as well. I went to Me n Eds Pizza where I ate salad and had part of a personal size pizza. I ran along the San Joaquin River in the rain. I went to La Boulangerie where I enjoyed coffee and an almond croissant on the patio. I did eat celery and carrots also. I did manage to lose a third of a pound. It was still a loss. I enjoyed myself but I didn't over do it. I still exercised. I made a lifestyle change. I am not just doing a short term diet. I am changing the way I think and the way I look at food. Also I have made exercise a part of my life. I have added it in my schedule. So when I go on vacation it is just another day in my life. I may make some different choices and I will adjust for the day however I am in this for the long haul. I want to have a better quality of life in my latter years. It is that important to me.
No matter what you do just keep moving!

So I'm not a scholar..this is about weight loss and getting healthy!

First off I know how frustrating it can be to read a post that has poor grammar and misspelled words. I apologize. I am the worst speller and I try really hard not to run on and on. I am writing this on an iPad and it spell checks me. If I get carried away and forget to pay attention to what I am typing, it will change my words. Sometimes not good. So I am sorry. Please bear with me, as I will improve.
I went to the gym this morning. Our weather is the pits! It was cold and rainy this morning. I did 30 minutes and burned 340 calories on the Elliptical. I love that machine now. I am just so happy that I can actually stay on it. It's just weird how when I start to exercise, no matter what I am doing, I just can't get going. I have a harder time in the first mile than in the last. Once I am in my zone I can go forever.
This Saturday is Den's 40th birthday. Since I live in. The real world, I had to think of him and what to do for him. I am running a 5K that morning. I did tell him that I was getting healthy so that we could have a long life together. Since he is thankful, it wasn't what he wanted for his birthday. I don't blame him. On Sunday's we have dinner at his grandparents. This Sunday I invited his cousins and their families and decided to order a cake. Yes a CAKE! I went to the fanciest wedding cake place in town, it is his 40th, he is having a hard time with this birthday. So I asked her if we could do Red Velvet (his fav) with buttercream tinted light brown with a out door theme of rocks and mountains with a stream. I took her a toy Jeep to add to the scene. Instead of "Happy Birthday" it is going to say "I ain't ready for the junkyard yet" haha. While I was there I was asking questions and making choices they wanted me to taste frostings. I know what they taste like thanks, no you need to try ours. Ugh! Ok a small taste. Cake really isn't my thing. Thankfully! I asked his grandma if she could pick up the cake for me so he doesn't see it, she asks me what would he like for dinner, he tells me LASAGNA..oh my..and he wants me to make it. Thats a problem! My husband loves my cooking. Hmm can I pull off turkey lasagna, whole wheat pasta, non fat ricotta with egg whites? IDK? If he doesn't see. I might be able to change some ingredients but not all. My solution is make two. One healthy one not so much. Lucky for him it's his birthday and I don't cook like that everyday. I know that in the real world there will be times when I will be eating an occasional meal that is not the best for me. It just means move forward. It's just a meal. It's not a free for all. Still portion control. Still calories. Whether it is a wedding or a birthday I will face those times. This is why I must Keep moving

Frustrated But working through it!

As we know life does not slow down for us! I have been juggling workouts with work. Trying to get enough sleep and take in proper calories and nutrition. I have been preparing for a 5K and hoping to finish faster than I did last time. At times I am so hungry I can't stand it. There are days that I burn 700-900 calories in training. That makes me hungry. I try and eat more protein and fiber to stay full, but that does not always work. Yesterday I did 3.68 miles and burned 700 calories on my morning workout and spent the day starving. I had whole grain cream of wheat with a banana pre work out 174 cal, 1 egg 1 slice whole wheat toast 2 slices lean bacon unsweetened ice tea post workout lunch 300 calories, fuji apple 70 calories snack, 1/2 lean hamburger patty grilled on 1/2 wheat bun with tomato, lettuce, dill pickle, mustard, sliced potato oven fries 354 cal dinner, almonds 127 cal snack. I was so hungry all artfully that I could have mowed through the kitchen all day. It was a good thing that we were not home! I am just so frustrated. I just don't know what to do to keep the hunger away. I fear that I will fall. I don't like that. I do not want to blow it. This might be normal to some who are used to working out. I am not that person. So what does a chronic over eater do in this situation? The old me would have just said screw it and headed for the drive thru line, but I am not the old me. I am however still learning. I will always be fighting.
Tomorrow it is going to be cold in the morning so I am going to the gym. I will be doing 3 miles on the elliptical. I am hoping to run outside by Thursday so that I will be better prepared for Saturday. My goal is 55 minutes. That is doable. The next will be May 14 and I hope that by that one I will down 12 pounds and I will finish in 47 minutes.
I am challenging you to set a goal, just a short term goal. Make it realistic then strive to achieve it.
While you are reaching your goal keep moving!

I have lost 52 pounds! I am on my way!

Since December 2 2010 I have lost 52 pounds. No quick fix! No miracle diet! Just plain old fashion diet and exercising! You have to burn more than you take in! You have to count calories and you have to MOVE YOUR BODY!
Cardio will burn the fat and build your vascular system and strengthen your immune system. It all works! Make time for you and exercise. You will love it! Well you will love the results.
Try it this week..keep moving!

You are what you eat..diet can control many diseases and disorders

We live in an age where we hear more and more about ADHD, ADD, Ticks, and Autism. there are many Medical professionals that believe we as a nation have are unhealthy based on what we eat. The level of preservatives in our diet is alarming. We are always in a rush to get the kids to practice and dance ECT and we live on drive thru food. The Doctors are more than ready to hand out pills for this and that. But what if you took a really hard look at what you are feeding your kids? What if you learned that your Childs diet was the culprit in causing that Vocal Tick that has been getting him/her detention, would you do everything in your power to change it? If you were told that cutting Dairy, Soy, Corn and Gluten out of your Childs diet would take care of their ADD ADHD would you change the diet of the family to help that child? In many cases this is exactly what is going on in many families today. Removing all these major factors from the Childs diet and replacing them with all natural preservative free foods will change their lives.
I would recommend a visit to a Holistic Dr for testing. This is for everyone. Find out all about your body from the inside out. Take the necessary supplements and enzymes. Build your diet around what they tell you. If you have an intolerance to gluten or dairy then cut it out. Take a bar of margarine and place it on your counter for a month. It won't change. It won't melt nor mold. Weird. What is it doing to your insides?
I have had this conversation with 2 parents who are doing just this with their kids to combat these issues, and it's working. I have read where Autistic kids are responding to diet changes. If you at the end and feel you have no other avenue, just try it. What do you have to lose?
Keep moving for your health

People piss me off...hello it's called an addiction!

I have no patience for ignorance. I was just on Facebook, I rarely ever pay attention to the all the Pages I have Liked. Anyway I saw something that caught my eye on Jason Aldeen's page. He posted a Video that was made to raise awareness for COPD. My dad died of COPD. I'm a little sensitive to the matter. I chose to read the comments. Well some idiot thought it would be cool to shown her intelligence by commenting "I am an RN people have COPD because they smoke and we are supposed to feel sorry for them?" well needless to say that struck a nerve. Even if you feel that way keep it to yourself. In watched my dad suffer and then die from this disease. Not good. He would have taken it all back if he could. I had to let her know just what I thought of her and that I doubt her job was an RN. Oh and that I thought she was a female dog. Sad as it is smoking is an addiction. We all know the warnings that it causes cancer, and low birth weight and on and on. Still a lot of people smoke. It's hard to quit. I myself don't smoke but my addiction is with food. I have turned to food for comfort and have used it to stuff feelings and on and on. Like any other addict we all know the risks. Heart disease, diabetes, stroke ECT. But we ignore it and hide. Unlike smokers food addicts can. Try and deny our problem. I was good at that. I would eat in secret. In my car. I wouldn't smell like food like a smoker would smell like cigarettes. I could pretend I hadn't eaten all day. I could not go into a store to pay for gas because I would buy chips and candy. I still have to pay at the pump. Like all addicts I have to know my triggers.
In April 2009 I was told, after a routine Doctor ap, that I had a heart attack. My GP sent me to a Cardiologist and they read my EKG and confirmed that yes that is what it says. I had a Nuclear Stress Test and Echo Cardio Gram and Blood Tests all to learn that no I had not had a heart attack my cholesterol was good blood pressure normal but my one valve was enlarged and there was a small amount of scar tissue on my heart. The Dr said that all of this was due to weight. If I lost the weight the valve would return to normal and the risk would lessen. I was scared. I started to eat right and I did everything that they told me to do. Then we moved. I became depressed and old habits came back and I started doing old behavior all over again. The risk to my health was not even enough to make me keep up the change.
The night that my dad died, 7 out of 9 people that were in his room lit a cigarette when we hit the parking lot. I yelled at all of them and told them how stupid they were that they all just watched my dad die from smoking related illness. I drove straight to Mc Donalds and drown my sorrows in a fish fillet.
Unlike other addictions, we all have to eat. It is knowing when not to eat that is the question. I have learned that food is fuel. It is not my comfort or my friend. It really isn't my enemy either.
I have had heartless people snicker and make rude comments behind my back about my weight. It doesn't feel good. You don't know what people are going through. I can guarantee you that anyone with an addiction does not want it. No matter what it is. I spent years hating myself and the way I looked. I wanted to be rid of this weight. I just did not know where to start. I now am on the right track but I will fight this everyday for the rest of my life. I will always be in recovery.
This is a very sensitive subject for me and I did not want to expose this side as it is personal. However ignorant people just irritate me. I just had to rant.
Thank you and this is why I Keep Moving..because don't take it for granted.

Am I hormonal or just plain losing it?!

In May I will be 43, yuk!! I'm sorry but I really do hate the fact that I am getting older. There are times when I actually forget that I am old, in my mind I am still 18ish. Maybe that is why I am pushing so hard to be athletic now before I completely fall apart. LOL!! Anyway, I have been having these days lately, more than I care to admit, that I just feel blah! Sometimes almost sad. For no reason! I ignore it and push past it. I find that I feel better if I workout on those days. There are times that I feel like I could just snap. I have to stand back and count to ten. As much as I hate to admit it I am probably on the verge of menopause. I have not had hot flashes just yet thankfully. I am going to break down and go to a local pharmacy that specializes in Biodentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. I think that I need to get tested. I remember when my mom went through this and I vow to not make my husband or co workers suffer. I can just feel the crabby (that is being nice) well up inside me. I hate it! I just want to run away from myself. Now it doesn't happen all the time. It kinda started yesterday and is still hanging around today. Little things irritate me like sand paper on my skin. I mean stupid little things. When I think about it, even I am like "really?" the last time I remember feeling like this was right before Christmas. Then it was uncontrollable crying for no reason. Now I can control the crying but everything makes me cry. I feel silly. I try and act like it's my allergies. Even if it isn't sad or tear worthy, I still cry. All of this behavior is just out of charachter for me. I just go from raging lunatic to crying fool in 2.5 seconds. I just don't know when it is going to hit. So lucky me I think that I am entering that stage yay! Hmph!

I hit my 2nd goal..yay

Goal 1 was the 5k and today I hit 50 pound weight lost. I have found that setting little goals along my journey is making the bigger picture not seem so big. In all my failed attempts at weight loss I was so overwhelmed by the larger scheme of it all that caved under the pressure. Early on this time I just set small more reachable goals. That way as I accomplish them I am pumped to take on the next. Goal 3 is the 5k on April 2 which by the way is Den's 40th birthday. I finished the last one in 58 minutes this one I hope to finish in 55 minutes. That is shaving a minute off of each mile. I actually hope to do better but I want to be realistic.
Keep moving and changing the way you look at food it works!

It's all relative..but wow

A calorie is a unit of energy. 3500 calories is equal to 1 pound of body weight. This is why to lose weight we need to take in less than we burn so we burn what is stored. When I started exercising I would come close to death and only burn 200 calories on the treadmill. So I quickly began to look at what I was putting in my mouth. So today I did this little equation
There are 3.4 calories in 1 Plain M&M Candy 17.6 Football Fields in a mile. If you walked a 26 minute mile you would burn 9.15 Calories in walking 1 football field. So are 3 M&M's worth a football field? When my friend Melissa runs a Marathon she burns 4500 calories. That is 26.2 miles in 5 hours of constant running. Thats 11:45 minutes a mile and 173 calories a mile. Yesterday I burned 570 calories on 2.87 miles walk/run and a 1 mile bike ride. I haven't been on a bike in years. Today I am sore, very sore! This information is nothing new to most people but it was a huge eye opener to me. The other day I was talking to a friend during our morning workout and she didn't know that a pound was 3500 calories. Today I saw the calorie value of an m&m and it made me think. Funny how my thoughts have changed. However if this is old news to you please forgive the redundancy. I am still trying to wrap my mind around how it takes me 3 grueling miles of sweat and agony to burn off the equivalent to a piece of chocolate cake. I hope you look at a football field and M&M's differently. LoL
Keep moving

Quinoa.. weird name awesome benefits

I like to add new items into my meal plan. Some things have been a hit and some not so much. Quinoa is one that has been a hit. Pronounced Keen-wah it's a small grain with a big punch of goodness. It is grain like and full of protein. Can be used for breakfast cereals, breads, salads, side dishes or main dishes. The possibilities are endless. It has a natural nutty flavor that is light so it picks up the flavors of the spices that you add to it very easily. Tonight I am making a Curried Quinoa with chili powder as a side dish with grilled chicken. I think that Dennis will eat that and not care that it is good for you. I am trying to get away from white rice and potatoes, Quinoa is a nice transition. If you have issues with Gluten, Quinoa is Gluten Free and very easy to digest. I am excited about just how good this is for you and all the ways that you can prepare it. Having a picky eating eater in my house it can be a challenge to get him to eat foods that are good for you and that taste good. When you only eat 1500 calories a day you want to make sure those calories are beneficial.
Try adding new items into your diet and mix up flavors to see what works. I like spicy and fresh. I use lemon and curry a lot. I love Red Roasted Curry. I am also breaking away from the salt shaker. I add spices for flavor. I use Turmeric with orange and thyme and tarragon with garlic. Play around some will be good but don't be afraid to experiment even if it bombs. Trust me it might bomb, even Paula Deen has had bad days.
And as always Keep Moving!

I am now down 49 pounds...yay

In 3 months and 18 days I have lost 49 pounds. I am super excited. I have done a 5k and have another coming up. I am running and today I bought a bike. My butt hurts real bad but I am going to keep going until it doesn't hurt anymore. A year ago I would have not believed I would be doing this. I have totally changed my lifestyle. A year ago I was having a hard time walking through the mall. My legs would hurt and cramp from lack of exercise. Until I changed my lifestyle I ate fast food everyday. I drank sweet tea and ate fried foods. I was taking in around 6000-8000 calories easy a day. I was killing myself. I wanted to change but I didn't know where to begin. I would start a diet and by dinner I was blowing it. I was hungry. I had been on every crazy diet and I knew that none of that stuff works. I just didn't know how to start. I read all the time. I still read every article I can on diet and nutrition. What do runners eat, what to eat to stay full, and so on. I am always learning.
No matter what you do though it's not rocket science. You have to burn more than you take in, however you do have to take in enough calories so that your body does not go into a starvation mode.
I look forward to exercise now. It's not my favorite thing. I like what it is doing for my body. I love when it's over! I can't go more than a day without it. I have always heard that if you do something for 21 days it will become a habit, so try it. Make exercise a everyday part of your lifestyle.
Keep Moving it really does help...it lowers cholesterol, reduces belly fat, and lower blood pressure.

Hello Spring!!!

I am so happy to see winter leave! I really didn't think that I was going to make it. I found out just how much I hate snow. I like to visit the snow covered places but I don't like living in it. I'm happy thatni don't live in Alaska. I am ready for spring weather. I love the cool mornings warm afternoons breezy evening. I really want a bike. I sat on one yesterday and I don't know if I am ready for that adventure yet. I don't think my rear could handle it lol. That is such a small seat. I really was never one that had to had the most expensive bike as a kid. Unlike Dennis. Apparently with boys bikes were a much bigger deal and price was a huge factor. When I suggested to Dennis that we go to Academy sports and buy bikes he said "no" he would not ride a bike from there. See at 40 it must be a big deal to not have a off brand bike either. He said that those bikes weigh too much and that makes a difference, I don't plan on carrying my bike down the road. He went to the local bike shop yesterday and found one that he likes for $500. I mean really. We are talking a Sunday ride through the park he is not Lance Armstrong. I have heard other men say the same thing. I just don't get it. It has wheels and rolls down the street. BTW we are now looking on craigslist and in the paper for a used bike for him.
Keep moving..enjoy the nice day

You have to eat to lose as weird as it is........don't starve yourself

Over the years I have heard some of the strangest diet plans from people. Some skip meals while some only eat candy, really! Cutting carbs, protein, calories, ECT is all good when done right. However you must eat! You need to find just what your body needs to survive daily. You need to determine what your caloric intake should be. If you exercise that needs to be taken in to consideration as well. I had to raise my intake by 300 daily after I started exercising. My body freaked out and I stopped losing weight. When iwas told to up my calories I said NO!! How could I add 300 calories a day and not cheat? That was crazy to me. After 3 weeks of a plateau I gave in and ate 300 more calories and the next day I lost 3 pounds.
If you are having a hard time getting the weight off look at your diet. Recalculate your calories and eat!
Most of all keep moving

I can't believe what they feed our kids!

Today I was talking to a client about school lunches. It has been awhile since I had to deal with that issue so I was unaware that there was still a problem. I thought that the lunch program had been revamped. I remember, while still living in California, that Gov Huckabee began lunch reform here in Arkansas. I was surprised when she told me the disgusting lunch she witnessed the school feeding her 6 year old yesterday at $1.50. It was a rotten banana ( no exaggeration) cold hard French fries, and a cold ham and cheese sandwich that was supposed to be warm. She said that she had wanted to pack her son a lunch everyday and he would protest stating that he would get less recess time. However after seeing that she has insisted to him that he will be taking his lunch from now on. She was apauld that the school would feed her son slop. Food that was ready for the trash. That is terrible. At $1.50 per lunch they can serve better food than that. When I was a kid I loved the lunches at school. We had hot food that was cooked on site. For some kids this is the only meal they may get until dinner. If a child isn't a big morning eater or maybe they only eat a snack in the morning. If they do have a good breakfast, kids play hard and they are growing. Some play sports and they may not eat a snack after school. What kind of nutrition is that? As parents we should make sure that our kids are eating proper, we also trust that the school that we intrust our kids welfare with is also feeding them proper food. That kind of lunch is empty carbs. That will burn off fast causing them to crash and leave them sleepy and hungry. They will be unable to pay attention. Processed cheese and processed ham is full of preservatives and artificial flavors, colors, and oils.
Unfortunately this is where it starts. Bad eating habits! I know that on nights when the kids have ball games it is easier to hit Mc Donald's than to cook something nutritious. I am not against the occasional mc treat. There are some that have turned dinner tine into drive thru time. It's just easier to get take out than cook ever. Our kids are fat and un healthy due to this. Obesity among our youth is on the rise. Don't get me going on video games lol. That is a whole other rant. When I was a kid my mom almost never took us to fast food. We ate so balanced. Nothing processed. Nothing boxed. Even cookies were homemade when we had them. Sweets were rare. Never had soda always water. I thought my mom was mean. She never told us why we ate that way. That is was for our health. That it was the right way to eat. So when I was on my own I went crazy. I ate fast food and did everything wrong. I suffered the ill effect of it also. I don't think that kids should be forced to eat all their veggies but there are so many ways to incorporate veggies into meals without them knowing. Be creative. The Internet is full of information.
If your kids are eating school lunches take a look at what they are eating. Make sure it's good food.
Keep moving

4:40am

I woke up today at 4:40am and met the girls for our morning routine. It was easier than I thought. It was the first one since the 5k and the time change. The best part was that after 38 minutes and 471 calories I was done for the day. That is awesome! I work long hours and book way too many clients, so by the end of the day I am tired. Knowing that my workout is done is priceless. I am not a morning person at all! The fact that I am doing this is nothing short of a miracle. So I know that if I can do it anyone can do it. Just take that step. Get up and move. Small steps at first are ok my first day was 15 minutes. Anything is better than nothing.
Add something new to your diet. Try couscous. It is good, it will pick up flavor from what you put with it. It is good for you. Quinoa is another good one. Venture outside of the box.

Spring forward....ugh

Is it just me me or is the time changing getting harder as we get older? I am having a very hard time with the Spring forward this time. I was off to a good start. Sunday was great. After the 5k Saturday, and waking up at the ridiculous hour that I did, I was dog tired that night so I crashed. I woke up at 6:30 and got out of bed at 7:00 Sunday made breakfast. I felt like I had this thing beat. WRONG!!! Sunday night I was well rested and could not go to bed. Same Monday. So this morning there was no way that I could get up. It was very cold so we cancelled our morning run but I was going to go the gym. That didn't happen. I hit the snooze button twice then reset the alarm. I absolutely have to be up at 4:45am tomorrow. So I have to get to sleep tonight. Why can't they just leave the time alone? Now in November I will be ready for that time change. I like the extra hour.
Since I have been running and walking in excess of 10 miles a week I find that I am starving some days. I have been playing with protein bars trying to find one that is high protein but tastes good. That is no small task. Really! who makes these things? Some are just gawd awful. I had one today that was like small pieces of styrofoam in my mouth. Millions of small pieces. Tasted like cardboard. Yuck. I love how they try and make them chocolate flaovred. Power Bar has one that Dennis said is a chocolate adobe brick. Low caorie high protein equals bad taste. I have found that power bar Pria 110 is do able, not that bad taste or texture and low calorie is good. Fiber One 90 chocolate peanut butter is very good. Low cal great taste and high fiber. It is so hard to find things to keep you satisfied and your hunger under control and still stay on your plan. I keep Blue Diammond Oven Roasted Almonds with Sea Salt in my car and protein bars in my purse and desk that way if I find that I am hungry I am prepared and less likely to go off and eat bad.
My main strategy is to always be prepared. I don't eat out much (except Subway) but when I do I already know what their menu hs to offer for low calorie selections. Every restaurant has their menu online and I look from my iPhone even in the parking lot. Applebees has a great 550 menu. Olive Garden has a good choice flow calorie choices. Their salad is awfully high in calories, but their soups are great. The minestrone only has 100 and the Zuppa Toscano has 170 that is my favorite. You can ask for no dressing on the salad and use lemon. If you are lucky enough to have a Chick fil A they have some good choices too. Their 8 piece Chicken nuggets
have 260 cal side salad 70 cal low fat berry balsamic vinaigrette (I use half) 70 cal that is a total of 400 calories for lunch. Input the chicken on my salod and it is great. It's skinless real chicken breast. I have only had it twice but likes having a place to eat that was fresh and good.
Well I must get to sleep so that I can drag my rear to meet my girls in the morning.
Keep moving and make good choices

Dennis is coming around...he is liking the new dinners...yay

I made Lentil's for dinner tonight with ham, carrots, celery, garlic, onion, tomatoes, and lots of spices Dennis loved it!! He actually said it was delicious! I also made oven roasted garlic and herb red potatoes. He said that he thought something called a Lentil would be so gross. Lol You have to know Dennis. He is a picky eater. He does not like veggies or anything healthy. He likes junk. Chocolate, pizza, chili, cheeseburgers, ice cream, and cookies it's a wonder he doesn't weigh 300 pounds. He has stomach trouble because of it though. I am glad that he likes the good food. Most of all he is willing to try it. He is surprising himself.
I did run in the 40 degree weather today it was HELL! I hated it but I was happy I did it. I only managed a mile but better than nothing. Tomorrow I am going to the gym since it will be in the 30's in the early morning. That is not for me!!!
If you haven't seen an episode of Heavy on A&E you need to watch them online. They are amazing. I love to see how people change and turn things around. It helps me stay motivated.
Try a new recipe tomorrow or change an old one to make it healthy. Eat an extra serving of veggies. Most of all keep moving.

ITS freezing today....ugh

I'm so tired of the Nasty weather. I am ready fir pretty green spring days. Today is grey and very cold but it is going to be 80 Saturday and Sunday yay!!! I am running at some point today and I am going to freeze. I forget to breathe or I hold my breath in this cold. I hate that. It hurts. I sound like a baby lol. It really does suck! However late in the hot summer I will be complaining about that too. I will be running on the treadmill then. There is nothing better than when the weather is nice and the breeze blows on my face and the sun shines on me. I love that. To hear the birds sing as if to cheer me on, my heaven.

Right back at it...Training that is

I did my first 5k yesterday however i am not stopping there. I am on to #2 in three weeks. On Den's 40th Birthday, April 2, I will participate in my next 5K.I am just as excited. This time I am kicking it up a notch. I am starting a 5 week Training Program for 5K and I will be in the third week of it at race time. I will do what I can. Even after that run I am not stopping. I have another 5K scheduled for May 14 which is just 2 days after my 43rd Birthday. I couldn't do this on my 23rd Birthday. I am so proud of myself. Today I have 139 pounds to go to my goal. I am fighting my way to that goal. I am so happy that I have a great support system and that I can be an inspiration to someone. This keeps me going. So thank you all for your kind words.

This picture is from 2009 and I was about 13 pounds heavier when I started my new lifestyle in December.
I DO NOT ever want to look like this again. This makes me sad. I have neglected myself for way to long. I am so happy that I finally woke up. The girl in that picture is miserable and in denial and is desperately wanting to change her life but has no idea where to begin. I am NEVER going to live looking in the rear view mirror again. I am accountable what what I know now and I am no longer in denial. I now have the tools that I need to not only get the weight off but change my health for the better and improve my life. I am going to live out loud!!
Keep moving and together we will reach our goals

Yummy healthy Pancakes

Like everyone else I like good tasting food. The hardest thing about dieting is eating! Most people quit because of hunger and the food just plain sucks!! Well I have made a life change so I decided that I was going to still eat the things that I like from time to time I was just going to make them healthy. Dennis actually does like these too. This morning I made Wheat Pancakes with Berries and Cool Whip. I used my usual recipe I just used better ingredients. I have added the link to my recipe that I put on www.sparkpeople.com so that you can see the nutrition breakdown. I did use less oil this time which will cut even more fat and calories and I used Blue Diamond Almond Milk unsweetened for even less calories. None of the flavor is lost and you will feel you are cheating. I am usually not a Cool Whip Fan but with the Sugar Free version, I feel that I get a treat. With Berries it's not bad. I have added a picture of my actual breakfast this morning.

I made the Pancakes a little smaller so I would consider this 1.5 servings
1/2 c Fresh Blueberries
1/4 c Fresh Strawberries Cut up
1 Tblspn Truvia Sweetener
1/4 c Sugar Free Cool Whip
278 Calories
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1516434

I crossed the finish line

Today I accomplished my  first goal. I completed a 5K and I crossed the finish line walking upright. I did 3.1 miles in 58:10 I had the worst pain in my right foot. My toes were in agony. Felt almost like they were asleep but they hurt very bad! Weird. I pushed through. My girls did awesome!! They finished in 47 minutes! All of our hard work paid off. However as we can bask in the after glow of this personal victory we hit the training again next week as we are on for a second 5K in 3 weeks. I hope to cut that time down and also my weight. I am really liking this. I never thought I would but it's self gratifying knowing that I can do this!! In such a short time I accomplished this!! That feels good...YAY ME!!
Keep Moving!! Get off the couch and move..If I can you can

I don't freaking believe this!!!

Since 2:07am I have been wide awake!! For no apparent reason I just woke up! Then tossed and turned finally my stomach started to growl and I figured this is pointless! I got up. Any other day this would be fine but in 4 hours I have to run in a 5K then I have to work for 6 hours. I am going to crash!! Right now I am the opposite of tired. I might of had 4 hours of sleep and I feel like I slept 9. I am AWAKE!! Weird!! I ate some plain pasta. Needed to spike my blood sugar and hopefully get some glucose in the muscles, if not for today's run then for later when I am working. It sounds good anyway.It's going to be a long day!!

Tsunami

I arrived at work bright and early at 7am then learned of the devastating Tsunami that hit Japan. I was in shock to hear that it was heading for the California Coast line. In fear of my family members safety I called my sister at 5:20am Pacific Time she was less than pleased with me for her early morning wake up call. I am very sad for the people of Japan but relieved that my family was spared. Keep the Japanese in your prayers.
As of today I have lost 48 pounds. This week I have battled borderline starvation! LOL I can only think that I must have really kicked up my metabolism with all the training I have done. I am eating lots of fiber, good carbs, and proteins. I don't eat sugar and foods that would make you hungry. I burn a lot of calories a week. I carry Fiber one 90 Bars and Almonds in my car. I limit myself to one of these in the morning before my workout and then one in the afternoon if needed. Today a client told me of a delicious lunch from Olive Garden. Seafood Brodetto it is 480 calories and its Talapia, Shrimp, Scallops, Mushroom, Spinach, and Tomatoes served with Sourdough toast (no pasta) I added Minestrone for 100 calories.  Since I had a crazy busy day I ate my soup but brought the rest home for dinner. I have the 5k tomorrow so I felt it important to have pasta tonight, I added spaghetti to my seafood and ate only a fourth of the serving and passed on the bread. I have to say it was very good!! I did add Romano cheese to it. Overall I think that I did very good. I have more than enough for dinner tomorrow and I only added 52 calories with the spaghetti.
I will be posting pics of the run tomorrow and my stats. I am nervous but I am ready.
God Bless, Keep moving!!!

Oh no!! Runners Feet!!!

Well not exactly, I discovered a callous on the tip of my middle toe that is new. I am a Nail Tech and very anal about my feet. I have for years been able to tell if someone was a dancer, runner ect by the condition of their feet. Mostly the Toenails or lack of. They have ridges or the nail just will fall off due to constant rubbing on the shoe. I have noticed that my toe felt odd but I didn't look at it until tonight. I will be getting out the Pedi Egg in a moment and riding my foot of that. LOL That is such a new development for me. Other than a blister from new shoes, but a callous from running/walking haha. That is cool!! I am tickled sorry.
Well I have to work early (7am) so its the gym at 5am which means that I am off to bed!!
Good night all...Take the stairs or park your car a little further from the door a few more steps will do you good!!!
Keep Moving!!!

makes me smile

Everyday someone tells me that I have inspired them to keep moving and to lose weight. That makes me happy. I didn't think that I could inspire anyone. I have a long way to go. I decided that going public and putting all my diet business out on Facebook would help me to remain accountable and keep me on track. Using calorie tracking apps also make it easier to post success. It was a client of mine who said that I needed to Blog about my weight loss and I thought why not. I want this to work for me this time!! I am doing everything different. I think it was Benjamin Franklin who defined insanity as "Doing the same thing over and over expecting different results" That is why this time I am not on a diet per-say I have changed my lifestyle. I have broken very bad habits and made new ones that I hope I will do forever. I have never stuck with anything this long, EVER!!
I will blog, post, or stand on my head to make this work for me and if I can inspire someone else then that makes me smile!!
Keep moving...Change one thing in your diet tomorrow like adding fruit.

It's too freaking cold!!

I am down another pound this morning bringing my total to 45 pounds.
So I get up at 4am and look outside and to my dismay (snicker) my car is covered in frost. Well that means 1 thing "NO TRAINING FOR ME THIS MORNING!" I just can't handle the cold. Yesterday it was 44 degrees and I froze my nose off. For there to be frost it had to be 32 degrees and that is No Bueno!!! I prefer 65-70 degrees, but anything higher than 44 is better.
So I will head to the gym and hit the dreaded Elliptical at some point today. It is important that I get my burn in.
Happy Thursday and Keep Moving!!!

what a day!! WHEW

I was up at 4:45am met the girls at 6am, did 1.86 miles burned 516 miles, ate breakfast, showered and was ready for work all by 7:42am. I worked until 8:30pm. I am tired.
Den is so sweet when I got home he had made me dinner. He looked up a healthy chicken recipe online and followed it. He even knew the entire calorie count on my whole meal. Very thoughtful. He surprises me sometimes. It was tasty. Parmesan breaded chicken, wheat stuffing. and seasoned edamame. He even made sugar free yellow cake with chocolate frosting. The cake is a little dense for me, I prefer a lighter cake so I opted to skip desert. I actually like a cup of berries with truvia and sugar free cool whip for desert.
3 day to the 5K!! I am so excited!! I am happy to just finish. Whether its running walking or crawling across the finish line, I just want to finish!!
I wish you all a good night and keep moving!!!

I'm Melting...said in the wicked witches voice

I have lost 44 pounds and  21.71 inches (I just started tracking my inches 6 weeks ago) That is almost 2 feet!! That's exciting!!! I love seeing those numbers go down!! This is why I get up early and move!!!

We all look the same nood???

Just sitting here watching the new's and an Arby's commercial comes on and in an attempt to find words that rhyme with "Good Mood Food" they throw in a line "We all look the same the Nood" LOL That is my take on it. I have started google'ing everything I eat. When you limit your calories you can't take chances right?! So one night Den asks me to get him a Pizza on my way home, yea he is clueless. Not wanting to eat Pizza I thought I would get my own take out. I opt for Arby's. While waiting in the Drive thru I Google their menu and to my shock I find that they are one of the worst!! I thought I'd have a Turkey Wrap NO!! 700 Calories. Those Market Fresh Sandwiches are HORRIBLE!!! I ended up with 3 chicken strips fried at 100 calories each and I ate 1 1/2 not the best meal. What was even more awful is I bought Den 2 of their Chocolate Turnovers well 1 didn't make it home. I looked up the calories of that bad boy after I ate it and it was a whopping 510 calories. YUM. I went running the next morning and burned 600 calories to make up for it. I haven't done that again. Isn't it funny how something so heavenly good can be so loaded with calories and you have to send your self to the brink of death to burn those calories. I look at chocolate very differently now.
I have found some very tasty substitutions. Lays Light Chips have 75 Calories per serving and they taste just like Classic Lays Chips. These are not Baked they are made with Olean, no you wont be running for the bathroom after eating them, they are 100% Fat Free. I eat them a few times a week with lunch and I love them. Nice treat. I just discovered Pillsbury is now making Sugar Free Cake mix in Yellow and Devils Food and Frosting in Chocolate and Vanilla. I bought the Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting but haven't made it yet. I will let you know how it comes out. I have made my favorite recipes with healthy ingredients. Last week I made pancakes with Wheat Flour and Sugar free syrup, even Den liked them and at 126 calories per serving I did too.
So try and make little changes they will add up

The Countdown

First off I have lost 44 pounds.
I will participate in my very first 5K on Saturday. I am nervous but ready! I think that I am going to finish in 50 minutes. That is my goal. I hope to continue to beat my time with each 5K that I have committed to.   I am hitting the gym, since we are having bad weather, to use the Elliptical. I am striving to burn 400 calories in about 40 minutes. I'll keep you posted.
Have a great day and Keep Moving!!

Night time

I love to watch Heavy and The Biggest Loser. I love to see the transformation. It motivates me!
The weatherman is calling for rain tomorrow morning so my workout will be at the gym on the Elliptical. Since I have been running outside I can kick ass on that monster now. I will try and burn 400 calories.
I'm really sad that I can't go home for Micheal's funeral. In the last year I have lost 3 cousin's and this will be the second funeral that I am unable to attend. In May we are having a Family Reunion in Kentucky and as my dad would say "If the good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise" I will be there. Why is it that as we get older the only time we seem to get together with our family is at Funeral's? Growing up our family was always together. My cousin's were my first best friends. We take too much for granted. Lately I have heard from several people that I have inspired them to lose weight and get moving. I am happy for that! Let me encourage you to pick up the phone and call someone you haven't talk to in awhile and tell them you love them. Even if you had a fight, be the bigger person. Life is too short and tomorrow is unknown. It's easier to swallow pride than to live with regret.
God Bless

Heartbroken

I learned this afternoon that my cousin Michael passed away this morning. He was 48 years old. What is disturbing me is that he bled to death in the Hospital from a stomach ulcer. How does that happen in 2011? He was supposed to go home today and in the night he began to bleed and they couldn't stop it. I am just heartbroken. He was too young. In 2009 he lost his wife and I know that he was lost without her. He has 2 sons that are just awesome young men. His younger brother died last summer. My poor uncle. You shouldn't bury your children. It's just a very sad day for my family.
It is a clear reminder of why I had to change my lifestyle. I was on a one way path to my grave. Unhealthy eating and lack of exercise was leading me to heart disease and diabetes. I was afraid that I would die before my time. I can't stop an accident but I hope I can now can stop a heart attack.  I lost my dad too early from a smoking related illness. As much as I love my sleep this is why I get up at 4:45am to run!
Keep moving!! It is so worth it!!!

Monday Monday

Today is a rest day and I am happy for that!! I'm running by the salon for a client then spending the day with Dennis. With all this training I am hungry all the time, which when dieting is not good! I need to find foods that keep me full that fit in the diet plan.

Training

First off I have lost 43 pounds as of Friday. That is an average of 14.3 pounds a month. Pretty good. 

On Monday January 3 2011 I started going to the Gym. I was determined to do the "Couch to 5K" program to prepare for my first 5K (didn't have one in mind at that time) 
 On that first day I, in all my brightness, thought I would train on the Elliptical. I sometimes have momentary lapse of sanity. I begin the workout with a 5 minute warm up, for those of you who have been on the Elliptical, 5 minutes is a lifetime when you have no fitness level. For those who have never been on an Elliptical, go try it you'll see. I did the first 4 intervals of Run/Walk 15 minutes into Day 1 I thought I was going to die. I was sweating more than I ever have in the Gym. I was always saying that "it takes a lot to make me sweat" WRONG!! I was not working out hard enough. I decided that my first workout was done and stepped off the machine. My legs were like Jello. I barely made it to my car. Dennis even asked if I were ok. I must have been a sight. 

On Day 2 I decided that the Treadmill was the better choice for my training. I did make it through 6 of the 8 Run/Walk intervals. On my 3rd day of Training I made it through the whole 8 intervals perfect. I was amazed!! I could not believe how fast my body responded to this. Soon I signed up for my first 5K. Now I had a goal. WOW!! I have never done anything like this. I was never the athletic type. 

For the next several weeks I faithfully trained at the gym on the treadmill and thought I was becoming a track star. I was really running. Burning calories getting stronger and preparing for the 5K I was so proud of myself. 4 weeks ago today my friend and I thought we would go to the course where the 5K is going to be and see just how much we can run.

So armed with attitude and feeling confident I was convinced that I would be able to run at least half of the 3.1 miles. WRONG!!! Not even a 1/4 of it. I had heard that running on the treadmill was very different than running on the road, I had no idea how different. About a half a mile into it my friend asks me how far we have gone, I check my GPS and to my dismay it was only a half mile. No freaking way. I huffed and puffed moaned and groaned and really thought I was done for. My friend thought I would never run outside again and just stick to the treadmill. Little did she know I am very stubborn and I am not giving up. By the end of my first outdoor training session we did 2.25 miles in 43 minutes. It was rough!!! 

I was so sore after that but I knew that I needed to train outside if I was going to do this 5K. I texted my friend later that day and told her that we needed to meet at 6am at the Park to do this right. We worked out a schedule of 4 days a week at the Park and Sundays at the Course. By the 2nd Sunday we did 3 miles in 59 minutes, it was easier. 

I get up at 4:45am to meet my friends by 6am. I have slept in on accident and one day I just could not go . I have 100 pounds on them but I am busting my butt to do this and I am getting stronger. 

Today was my 4th Sunday at the Course and I did 3 miles in 59 minutes again. I walked most of it. My legs felt like led filled bricks. 

It has been amusing, but all fun aside I am so proud that I am out moving. My body is responding quickly. I am learning new things. I have changed Calorie Count Apps to Spark People. I love that site. My first 5K is next Saturday at 8am. I now have 3 more planned. I didn't want to stop. I want to beat my time with each race.