Or So She Says

I'm totally obsessed with this blog. It's written by one of my friends from high school who's super clever, cute, fun...I could go on and on. It addresses almost everything pertaining to mommyhood....really womanhood in general. Check it out and you'll be hooked too. Today there was a great post about staying healthy. I loved it!

5 Easy and Practical Ways to Boost Your Health

Chicago Runner's High

At my house, we've been super busy getting ready for the big move. (I guess you can't really characterize it as BIG if you're only going an hour and a half away.) I was pleasantly surprised to sit down at my computer after a long day and find that my husband's cousin (would that make her my cousin-in-law?) started a running blog. HOORAY! She lives in Chicago and runs all the time. Check it out!

Chicago Runner's High

Talk Nice

If you frequently read this blog, you know that I'm obsessed with Kristin Armstrong. Here are some words of wisdom from her most recent post on Mile Markers, "Talk Nice."

Can you think with me for a second about what we could really do if we stopped telling ourselves that we couldn't? If we changed old habits of self talk, and rephrased our way to victory? I challenge you to listen to the way you describe yourself, out loud and in your head. Stop yourself mid-sentence if you have to, back up, and restate your claim. Words are powerful. Trust me on that–I am a writer who runs.
And a runner who writes.

Over-Indulging

You may remember me talking about my amazing cousin Fleur who lost 65lbs by making healthy life changes. I asked her to give us some advice about how she avoids over-indulging during the holidays. Learn more from her at http://www.fleurshrinks.blogspot.com/.

"I have over-indulged a few times. I proved to myself that I have changed some of my habits though- because eating too much junk made me feel awful! I had about two days of cookies and candy (I have found the most wonderful caramel recipe), then I didn't even want to look at another sweet. I had a salad and it tasted so good! In my "old life" I could eat almost nothing but cookies and candy for days and days and not feel a thing. Now, I am still surrounded by goodies, but I'm not scarfing them down. I love baking, especially this time of year. But, I sample one bite from every recipe (just to make sure it turned out the way it was supposed to), and then I give the rest away. I'm really not even all that interested in it. I make myself remember how hideous I felt after those two days, and then I eat balanced meals with small treats here and there. I am maintaining my goal weight (well, within five pounds), so I know my current approach is working. I guess my advice is pay attention. Pay attention to how you feel after eating something. Allow yourself treats, but don't go overboard. Think of the treats you really want (the ones you can only get this time of year, or the ones that it just wouldn't be Christmas without) and leave all the rest alone."

What a smartie! Thanks for sharing Fleur!!! Merry Christmas Everyone!

Tis the Season for Candy

These are my weakness lately. I LOVE M&Ms and have to admit that I've had more than my fair share this week. Today I was reading one of my favorite new blogs: Fleur Shrinks. I love the way she is open and honest about her success and challenges with creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.



Her most recent post is about resisting the urge to binge on Halloween Candy. If you're like me, I need all the help I can get in that area. Click here for her wonderful words of wisdom: Tricks for Treats.

Picture of Success

Words can't express how proud I am of my cousin Fleur. She has been working like crazy to become a healthy weight and now 65lbs later she is the picture (literally and figuratively) of success. Reading her story has been an inspiration to me and I know it will be for you too. Nice job Fleur. Keep up the good work!!

Before I am a 30 year old wife and mother. I have a nine-year-old son, and five-year-old twin daughters. My weight began creeping up in college, then shot up during my first year of marriage. I managed a few short periods of weight loss between pregnancies, but never anything more than a few pounds, and never for very long. After I lost my baby weight from my last pregnancy, I found myself still to be 65 pounds overweight.


In 2008 I finally decided that enough was enough. I wanted to lose weight, and I was going to figure out how, no matter what! I started doing research online. I loved reading people's success stories, but found it hard to identify with them. Have you noticed that most people only post their stories after they've succeeded? You don't get to see all the heartache, frustration and bad days. I guarantee you that every person who has successfully lost weight had bad days, whether you got to see them or not. I had days that I would eat an entire pan of brownies to try to feel better. It didn't work. Then I would feel so angry with myself that I would cry myself to sleep. I regretted eating junk food as soon as the taste faded from my mouth. But, the cravings were so strong that I felt like I just had to give in. Extreme, short term diets never worked for me. I had spent my entire life eating what I wanted, when I wanted. I couldn't stick with deprivation. I decided that I needed to learn how to live healthy- not just “diet”.


I believe that in order for someone to make a major change in their life, they have to find the right “groove” or mindset. I found my groove a couple of times. It wore off. Then, I found it again. I tried many, many methods of weight loss. Calorie counting, low-fat, low-carb, pills, supplements, etc. The first groove-inspiring method was calorie counting. I was a big Dr. Pepper drinker. I was disgusted when I learned that I had been consuming around 1,000 calories a day, just from Dr. Pepper! I knew I would not be able to give up soft drinks completely, yet. So, I made the switch to Diet. I knew it wasn't much healthier, but at least it was calorie-free. I lost about 20 pounds. Calorie counting was too tedious and cumbersome for me. I still had too many bad habits, and the scale wouldn't budge anymore. I started looking for something else.


I decided to learn to run, mostly due to the fine example of my cousins on this blog. I love running. I feel strong and alive when I run. But, I told myself that since I was running I didn't have to worry about what I was eating. Well, that was wrong. Fact is, weight loss happens in the kitchen. If you want the weight to come off, you have to watch what you eat. I still run, but I don't down a big plate of pancakes afterwards. Usually. :)


So, I bit the bullet and started Weight Watchers. I knew that going to the meetings would help keep me motivated and honest. The plan worked for me. Since I joined in April, I have lost 42 pounds, making a grand total of 65 pounds down from my heaviest weight. I love that the plan is designed to be used for life. I can eat whatever I want, just not as much as I want. I discovered that food actually tastes better when you're not just mindlessly scarfing it down. I learned that I can be satisfied with one small piece of dark chocolate. I learned that I still shouldn't buy Oreos, because I still have a tendency to eat the entire package. I learned that I don't have to eat something just because it's wonderful. I can do without it. I can have it later if I choose.


Life is all about choice. You do have a choice. You can make anything a habit if you practice it enough. Eat what you love. Slow down, taste it, savor it. If you don't love it, don't eat it. Don't give up. One bad day, or week, or month does not signify failure. Your life is going to happen no matter what you do with it. If you're still breathing, you can try again. Find some small changes you want to make, then make them. Be patient with yourself. Live your life and love it for all the good things. Wear clothes that make you feel good about yourself, no matter what size they happen to be. If you love yourself and are patient with yourself, the changes you want will come.


Weight Watchers was what I needed to find my groove. But it may not be what you need. There are as many ways to lose weight out there as there are people trying. Try all the healthy methods you can find. Learn what you can live with, and what you can't. Be smart about it. Bulimia is not the way to go. :)

Good Luck!

After

See...inspiring. If you want to learn more about (and from) Fleur, check out her blog.

http://www.fleurshrinks.blogspot.com/

Vulnerability of the Try

A few days ago I wrote about Kristin Armstrong's blog post, The Vulnerability of the Try. I told you I was going to think more about what I am going to try and how I need to better myself. As I spent the weekend thinking about it, I realized that I need to try to be more honest with myself. Sometimes I'll grab an unhealthy snack in the middle of the day (i.e. cookies, ice cream, etc) and say to myself, "This will be the only treat I'll have today." Inevitably, after I put my little guy down at night, I'll convince myself that I deserve more. I often say to myself, "I'll do that chore (i.e. mop the floor...yuck) after I put my toddler down for the night." Once again, the time will come and I'll justify not doing it because I'm tired or because I know I can do it during nap time the next day...or because I'm having the extra treat mentioned above. I know this happening every once in a while isn't that big of a deal but it's become a bad habit for me. For the next week, I'm going to try to be more honest with myself. I know as I do this, I have the potential to be both a healthier and stronger person mentally and physically.
What do you need to try??

What Do I Need to Try?

As usual Kristin Armstrong's blog, Mile Markers, totally spoke to me today. She's such an amazingly inspirational writer. Today I read her latest post, The Vulnerability of the Try. Below is an excerpt. I hope you take the time to read the entire post and re-evaluate what you need to TRY. I'm going to spend the weekend pondering this topic and get back to you on Monday.


"These thoughts collided at Bible Study and I wrote in all caps across the top of my journal "THE VULNERABILITY OF THE TRY." We all do it in some way, we hold back because to try would expose us, make us vulnerable. When we try something new, make our thoughts or goals known, take on a new project or a position of leadership, we become vulnerable. Suddenly, it is stated, for the record, that (fill in your name) is trying (fill in the thing)."

I Did It!

My toddler is quickly learning that he can do things by himself that we have done for him in the past. Every time he does something independently he yells, "I DID IT!!" I realize I'm biased but it's the cutest things you've ever seen.

The other day I was thinking about how my exercise has changed over the years. I've always been active but I began exercising more consistently in college after I gained the freshman 10, then the sophomore...well we don't need to go into all of that. When I first started ramping up my exercise routine, it wasn't that successful. I could tell that I was building endurance but I didn't have a lot of fun while doing it. It wasn't until I decided to start training for races that I really appreciated and benefited from working out. I remember my first 5K was The Rex Lee Run, sponsored by the University. I felt so awesome as I crossed the finish line. I couldn't believe I had just run 3.1 miles. Over the next few years I graduated, started teaching middle school and ran more 5Ks. During my first year of teaching I ran the Moab Half Marathon. Once again I felt an awesome sense of accomplishment. I also started appreciating what my body could do rather than what it looked like. I was less concern about being a specific size and more concerned about pushing myself to get better and better. Since then I've run three marathons and a handful of other races. I've discovered that, for me, confidence comes not from what my body looks like but what it can do. When I ran my first post baby 5k, I felt like exclaiming, "I did it!" just like my toddler.

Yesterday I read a Runner's World article by Kristin Armstrong called,

Circle of Life:

Making peace with the aging process is easier when you're in motion.

My favorite line was, "It is the runner in me who will age gracefully. It is the runner in me who understands that the beauty of my body is in the things it can do, not the way it looks doing them."

I hope you take the time to read her article today and decide to feel good about yourself because of all the amazing things you can do.

Too Good to be True

Lately I've been thinking a lot about fad diets and weight loss supplements that promise quick results. They kind of...no REALLY drive me crazy. I hate that people are getting tricked into believing that they can obtain optimal health without proper diet and exercise. I don't think loosing weight and making healthy choices has to be frustrating, exhausting and difficult, but I know that there are no short cuts. I also know that many if not most of these diets can actually make it harder for you to maintain and loose weight in the future. There's a website that I really like called "The Fight for Fitness" and the author often discusses this issue. Today I found a link on his blog about the HCG Diet and another about detox diets. I don't think all diets are bad but I think it's important to remember that, just like with any other thing in life, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

In other news, I attended Strollin' Moms this morning at Fleet Feet and it was tons of fun. Join us on Thursday at 9am.