May Fitness Goals

I'm almost embarrassed to post about how horrible I did on my goals last month. Can we just skip that part and go straight to May's goals? No? Well...okay...
April's Goals
1) Make a schedule and stick to it... Well, I made the schedule. 50% done!
2) Quit skipping breakfast... Check and check! I love breakfast and I could probably eat breakfast food for every meal so making the time to eat breakfast was an easy one for me.
3) Drink more water... Yup! I bought some new cups that hold a little more than 2 cups a piece and I've found that if I throw a straw in that bad boy, I can easily get at least 8 cups in a day. Yay for getting back on the water train!
4) Exceed my weight-smart challenge for work... I did it! I did it! I totally did it...I ended the challenge at 103% to goal. Go me!
5) Lose 8 pounds. Close but not quite. If I had stuck to that schedule I made I probably would have made it, but I only lost 5 pounds this month. Which is still awesome, don't get me wrong! May's Goals
1) Try not to eat like a pig on vacation. 'nough said.
2) Do a 'cleanse' after returning from vacation to 'restart' and get back into the mind set of eating 100% clean and healthy. It sounds a lot easier than I know it's going to be.
3) Run. Just do it. I need to be able to run 3 miles by August and that's going to creep up on me if I don't get out there and just run. My goal is 3 times a week. This shouldn't be so hard to accomplish!
4) Exercise. Even if it's just walking. This has been my biggest downfall the last couple of months and I need to motivate myself just to do it. 10,000 steps a day is a must with this goal!
5) Take some really great family photos. How does this relate to fitness? Well...I want to see how much I've changed already, and also have a visual in a year from now when I've killed my goals even further. -------------------------
Say a little prayer that as I'm lounging on the beach right now, I'm not shoving my face full of foods that are going to add pounds on the scale and inches on my waist. Did you set any goals for May? I'd love to hear about them so I can support you through them this month!

Progress [April]

We are leaving for vacation tomorrow(!!) but if I want to keep up with any kind of post while trying to juggle getting the house prepped for the sitter and the bags packed, my progress update post would be it.
So how did it go this month?
Well...okay.
I've had a really hard time the last 2 months keeping up with every thing but I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things and putting my act back together. I haven't stopped or went backwards, but it's been much harder and it's required constant dedication. However, I am determined and I want to be totally honest through this process. No masks guys.  

One year apart!

Not to shabby, eh? I'll post my goals for this month later in the week so keep an eye out.

I won't lie and say this has been easy. Losing weight is one of the hardest things I've ever had wanted to do. Well...that and running. Being overweight is in my genetics, is in my husband's genetics, and it's easy to just give in and remain the same despite all the benefits. (Plus, hello! Food!) But I won't. I am so determined to continue on this journey, even if it takes just baby steps along the way to get to my end goal.

My goal for 2014 was to lose 60 pounds and I am more than halfway there.

I can do this.

I sincerely thank you all for your continued support and encouragement: your positive words are what carry me through on those days that I just want to give up.

April Fitness Goals

Last month I set a few goals for myself and since the month came and flew by, I've got a fresh month with new goals in mind. But first, let's see how I did with my previous goals.
1) Start running - Check! I averaged about 3 runs a week and it wasn't easy, but I did it.
2) Work-out 5 days a week - I totally failed at this. In all honestly, the entire month of march was (almost) a huge failure for me and other than running, I rarely worked out at all.
3) Eat clean - Done and done. We had pizza once or twice and dinner with the in-laws once that was less than clean, but overall, this month was a huge success when it comes to what foods I was putting into my body.
4) Lose 5 pounds and 2 inches - Did you read my update yesterday? Crushed this!
5) Fit into one piece of clothing hanging in my closet that was a bit too small - Two pieces came out of my 'too tight' pile this month and is currently hanging in my closet for daily wear.
Overall I think I did fairly well for March, but I know I can do better. Today is the 2nd day of April and I have an entire month to focus on my health and becoming a better me. Time for some new goals!!
1) Make a schedule and stick to it. Ideally I would like to run three times a week and do strength training the other two days a week. I'd also really like to get in a 3 mile walk/run before this month is over. In order to keep up on my strength training, I've found these several challenges that I think I'm going to do.

2) Quit skipping breakfast. This was a big issue for me in March. I am always so busy in the mornings that it is so easy for me to focus on everything else and never eat. I have noticed that this actually slows my own progress down so there is no excuse for me not to take a few minutes, make a smoothie or cook an egg, and eat.
3) Drink more water. The dog chewed up my water-bottle about mid-way through March and ever since I've had an issue keeping up on my water intake. My goal is between 80-120 ounces of water a day and before I was killing that. Now I'm struggling to get 60-80 ounces in a day. I bought a new bottle but it's just not doing it for me so I'm going to have to come up with a new way to get my water in.

4) Exceed my weigh-smart challenge goal for work. I am three pounds away from meeting my goal for work. THREE POUNDS. I know I can do that by the 27th and I'd really like to exceed it. I really hope that when I hit that 100% mark, it will inspire my co-workers to know that they can do anything they set their minds to.
5) Changes: I'm going to set a huge goal of 8 pounds this month, simply because if I lose those 8 pounds, I will hit a huge milestone of losing 40 pounds this year alone and that would be a huge accomplishment right before vacation.

Are you setting any goals for the month of April? If so, let me know so I can encourage you along your journey!

Progress [March]

Is anyone else glad to see March go? It seems like March was nothing but one reminder after another that Ohio does not like to give up winter in exchange for spring. I mean, we had snow two days ago: SNOW. I'm so over it. This winter has just been so very long.
I haven't let it stop me though; I have rocked my goals for this year to become a healthier, happier me.

This month I lost a total of 7 pounds and 7 inches. I look at that total for the year: 17.5 inches, and I wonder where the heck it came from. I mean, I know I'm a little smaller, but I sure don't feel like I'm 17 inches smaller.

Okay, so maybe this picture helps me realize that it's came from somewhere. End of January to March...what a difference!

Bye, bye belly!

Three months in and I am still just as motivated and determined as I was on January 1st. I am going to do this, and I have such an awesome support team that I don't think they would let me stop at this point anyway. I'll be posting about how I rocked my goals from March and my new goals for April later this week!

March Mid-Month Update

Hooray for progress, right?

This month has had a lot of ups and downs for me. The first week I was just as sick as could be and I still haven't completely gotten rid of the upper respiratory issues I was having but I've tried not to let it hold me back.

I finally got out and started running. I won't lie and say that I'm running an entire mile. I incorporate a lot of walking into the days that I get out and go, but every day I add a little more and a little more. Eventually I will get there - I just know it. I've found that the only time I can get out by myself is before Henry is up in the morning and Jeremy leaves for work. I hate getting up early, but it's worth it.

My first solo-run clocked in at at 15:34/mi pace so when I got out this morning and ran and saw that my time was 11:54/mi when I got home, I was thrilled. Like I said, about half of that was walking. Most days I take Henry with me and I pull him in the wagon behind me as I walk and run. Once we get to an area in which I don't feel like I need to be right next to him the entire time, I'll branch out and run a bit ahead and then back. Henry likes to run with me too as long as I hold his hand. He usually insists on pulling his wagon home himself so I consider that my 'cool-down' time. We usually clock a mile in 18-22 minutes, depending on how cooperative he is being and such. It's definitely not a great time but it is what it is and a mile is still a mile.

Hopefully this progress will continue into the rest of the month. I have a lot of big and small goals floating around in my head right now, and I had set a goal of 40 pounds for my challenge at work (which was huge, I know) and I only have about 6 weeks to lose another 12 pounds. Two pounds a week is doable at this point, but I've gotten to a point where 1 pound a week is very comfortable for me and anything more tends to be pushing myself too hard. So...we will see.
Thank you all for your continual encouragement and support!

A Truth about Fear

There are very few things in life that I keep to myself. I have no issue (for the most part) sharing my life with others. I like to be an open book with very little surprises, not only do I believe being open and truthful helps others along their journey, but I feel as if it makes my life easier too. I mean, who wants to carry all of life's burdens on their own, or constantly put effort forth to hide the details of their lives? 
There is one thing, however, that terrifies me to share with others.
I touched on this subject a bit in a recent post, Confession of a Fatty, but it's really reared up it's ugly head in my life in the last couple of weeks.
Beginning to run again was one of my goals for this month and although I was sick as a dog the first week of March, I have rocked this goal the past few days. I've clocked at least a mile a day for the past four days, and while the majority of that was walking, I am slowly incorporating more running into my routine.
When it comes to running, the worst part isn't the burning in my legs, or the shortness of breath, or my inability to run very fast or very far, but the eyes of others. While getting out and training has been an extremely rewarding feeling for me, I make sure that while I'm doing it, I am out of sight. I walk out of town to the cemetery to run, or go to a park in town that is surrounded by trees and tall grass to make sure that no one sees me.
I don't know why this is so hard for me, but I feel like the more I talk about it the better I feel. If I could run 3 miles without stopping (or even a mile, let's be honest) or lose enough weight to where it looks like I should be running, I think I would be okay. But there is something about that silent voice in the back of my head saying 'people are going to talk about you doing this' that absolutely paralyzes me in fear.
I just can't get the idea out of my head that people are going to almost point and laugh and say 'Look at that fat girl running down the street. What in the world is she doing?'
Is that silly? Am I being too hard on myself?
Probably. But I'm not sure how to get over it. Perhaps giving it a little more time, and allowing to prove to myself that I can do this will give me the confidence I need to face this fear head on. I don't know.
I know I'm not giving up and if I have to run out of sight for weeks on end in order to build up the confidence to do it in the public's eye, then I will.
I just wish it wasn't this hard.

March Fitness Goals

Last month I set a few goals for myself to help me along my fitness journey. Ya'll should be proud of me because guys, I rocked them.

I added measurements and was wowed by the amount of change my body undertook. I added circuit training to my weekly fitness routine and fell in love with it. I exercised at least 3 times a week, if not 5, or 6, or even 7. I didn't replace a meal every day with a smoothie or protein shake, but after a trial week, I realized that doing so was hurting me more than helping me progress. So...I still drink my green smoothies most days, and some nights when I have to work I take a protein shake for dinner. Those changes were beneficial, but replacing meals daily did not work for me and that's okay. I did find an exercise that Jeremy and I can both do, actually we agreed on a couple of things, but unfortunately our wonderful Ohio weather has prevented from partaking in them together.

So what are my goals for March?

1) I want to will start running again. Running is pretty much a dream of mine. I admire people who can run and can push themselves to keep going. Hopefully the weather will change a bit so that I can get out and at least start on this journey again.

2) I want to will work-out five days a week, no excuses. I'm already doing this most weeks so this should be easy for me to accomplish! 

3) I want to will eat better. I'm already eating pretty well but I've had a lot of 'cheat' days in the last couple of weeks due to this and that (which are all just excuses). My goal is to really focus on what's going into my body this month, no excuses.

4) I want to will see some numbers change. I want to lose at least 5 pounds and at least 2 inches. I think this is very doable for me!

5) I want to will fit into a least one piece of clothing I have hanging in my closet that is too small. I have several pieces and at least one of them better fit by the end of this month!

I'm gonna do this guys. Thank you so much for your continued support and encouragement! Do you have any tips to send my way? What are your fitness goals for this month?

Progress

Today marks the end of another month and we are officially entering into the third month of 2014. Guys, where does the time go?

I've found myself anxiously awaiting this day simply because I get to write down my month's progress in my fitness journal and then sit back and relish in the thought that hard work pays off.
I know that there are some of you out there that can understand my journey, that know that feeling when you look in the mirror and see change. You also understand when you can't see the change, when the numbers aren't there, when you just don't feel like it anymore, and when it takes a double dose of strength and courage just to get up off the couch and move.
I've been here before and I'm trying to tell myself that this time is different. I'm trying to convince myself that I won't give up this time. Convincing the mind may just be the hardest part.
I don't know why it's so hard because it feels so good to move, to feel my body changing, to use a work-out I did a month ago as a warm-up. It just takes so much determination and discipline and some days I can't seem to find either any where.
However, the progress is there, and that is something that I cannot deny. And it feels good to say, "look at how much I've changed, how much I have grown, how far I have come", even two months in.

Pray for me as I continue my journey, I have so far yet to go and there is so much I want to yet do. I can do this. I will do this.

5.75 Inches

Excuse me while I rant and celebrate both in the same post.
 I stepped on the scale this morning and weighed two pounds more than what I did a week ago, or even two days ago when we returned from our little trip.
It annoys me.
But I decided not to be discouraged and did 30 minutes of Zumba and some strength training, took a shower, got dressed, dolled myself up a bit, and took time to notice that these pants are almost too big now.
And I ignored the scale, because it taunts me at times.
Then I grabbed my fitness journal (yeah, I have one of those) and decided that although I promised myself I would only take measurements once a month, I was going to record my progress half-way through the month. Because...ya know, a girl sometimes needs some encouragement when the scale refuses to cooperate.
And I did. 
And I wasn't 'surprised' because I may have taken measurements just a few days ago (for the first time this month, I'm not obsessive, promise), but it felt good to put them onto paper and know that it makes them permanent and that I've really come this far already.
I've lost 5.75 inches.
Just this month alone. Like two weeks. Like...18 days to be exact. 
That's so amazing to me.
And I really needed that boost, that confidence in knowing that I'm doing something right because although the scale isn't changing, my body is.
I know this will not be a short journey. It will take a lot of time, and work, and dedication, and ups and downs to see the finish line.
But I'm okay with that.
I'm willing to put this work in. I'm willing to make hard choices (like offending my mother-in-law and bringing my own dinner to dinner Sunday night) and I'm willing to tell myself daily that this could take years because it will be worth it.
It will be worth it.

Feb Health & Fitness Goals

New month, new goals.
I decided to kick it up a notch and add a few different goals for February when it comes to health and fitness since January went so well and made me feel so good. I've realized that setting goals makes me feel like I wake up each day with some sort of purpose, and that is my ultimate goal for this year.
1) I'm adding circuit training to my fitness plan, which in January just consisted of walking and Zumba. I finished my first one yesterday and felt like I was going to DIE. This should kick my butt in the next month.

2) I'm adding measurements to my journal to see how I progress month to month. I want to focus less on weight, which is hard, and I think this is a great way to move towards that goal.
3) I'm replacing at least one meal a day with a protein shake or smoothie. I always hated this idea, but I was recently out and about and needed lunch but didn't want to eat fast-food and bought a protein shake instead and it seriously filled me up for HOURS. I've been loving on the green smoothies for almost a year now, but usually only 3-4 days a week. I think this will be a good step towards portion control too.

4) I'm pushing myself to set time aside to exercise no less than 3 times a week. Last month I exercised, sometimes 3-5 times a week, sometimes only once, and I felt kinda down about it when I thought about how sporadic it was. I love the way exercising makes me feel so I don't know why I put it off. I want to kick this habit and wake up wanting to exercise daily.
5) Before the month is over I want to find some sort of exercise that Jeremy and I can do together. He finally jumped on the bandwagon and has joined me in eating clean and making healthier decisions. However, I know he is not going to do Zumba, or go running, or do a lot of exercises that I enjoy, so I'm hoping we can find at least one thing we enjoy doing together. I'd totally lift weights, perhaps we'll look into joining the Y.
Do you have any new health or fitness goals for February? If so, do share!

Confession of a Fatty

The fact that I am overweight is not a new-found fact around these parts. The fact that I have been working my butt off (literally) to change it is nothing new either. But I have a confession to make, and it's not easy for me to say:
I don't care if people know that I'm fat, but I hate when people know that I'm trying to change it.
I don't know what it is, but others around me knowing that I'm at home, eating right and working out, makes me almost sick to my stomach.
Recently I took position as a team captain for a weigh-smart challenge at work. It goes from January 27th to April 27th and essentially the goal is to achieve your 'ideal' weight in that time. Obviously, someone like me will never be able to achieve a goal that big in only 3 months, but I am determined to be a face of change and do my absolute best in that time.
My hope is to inspire others.
But my biggest fear, the thing I despise, is that I don't want them to look at me and say 'she doesn't look any different' or 'she'll never do it'.
It scares me to put myself out there like that. It shakes my confidence. It makes me feel like all eyes are on me, all of the time, watching my every move, my every meal, my every 'bad' or even 'good' day.
Have you ever had to put yourself out there like this? Letting people into something that is already tough for you, and somewhat private? What helped you to boost your confidence and stand as a face of courage instead of fear?
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Now go link up with The Girl Between the Lines link-up. It's a free week, so write about anything you would like!

Recovering JUNK

It's officially been one month since I starting taking great care and purpose with the food that goes into our bodies. I will say that it's been both a wonderful and challenging experience all the same. There have been days when I've wanted nothing more than to chow down on junk food, days that I have done nothing but chow down on junk food, and days that I have felt so sure about this new journey that I just knew I would never even think about junk food again (haha).
Despite the good days and the bad days, eating clean foods with purpose for this past month has completely changed my outlook of food and it's affects on our bodies altogether. They say you are what you eat and here are a few of my top reasons why I absolutely believe it!
1) Junk food makes you feel like JUNK.
Can I make it any clearer? One night last week I had fried chicken for lunch and pizza for dinner from fast-food places. I felt guilty at first but then told myself that we all have bad days and figured I would get back to eating my healthier, clean foods the next day. But the next day I felt so horrible, I didn't want to do anything. I had a headache, absolutely no energy, and zero motivation to do little more than sit in my recliner and watch TV. When I've ate nothing but a clean palette of food for several days, I wake up in the morning and am ready to tackle my day while feeling energized and great doing it.
2) Junk food makes you look like JUNK.
Despite the obvious weight-gain that junk food can cause, junk food can also wreck havoc on things like your skin and hair. One month ago it would be completely normal for me to wake up in the morning and have a huge pimple growing on my face. But over the course of the last month, I've noticed something amazing...my skin has begun transforming into something almost completely unrecognizable. I have no pimples, my complexion is evening out, and it has a sort of glow. I have wore little to no foundation or concealer in the past two weeks because I simply feel as if I do not need it. I've also noticed my thin hair becoming thicker and shinier - and who doesn't love that? Mentioning that 'obvious' weight-gain that comes from junk food, I've lost almost 20 pounds in one month. TWENTY POUNDS. I've watched the weight fall off faster than ever simply by eating clean foods.
3) Junk food makes you think of JUNK.
I absolutely, 100% believe that food can be an addiction. If you've never struggled with food as an addiction before, then bless your heart because you have NO idea how hard it is. I think most of us have - we do know first hard how hard it is to say 'no' sometimes. This has been my biggest challenge, despite the benefits, it is so hard sometimes to say no to junk foods. I've also noticed that if I eat a bunch of junk one day, then the next day it's what I crave. The night that I mentioned before, with the chicken and pizza? Despite feeling like absolute junk the next day, I literally had to talk myself out of eating the leftover chicken. I wanted it so badly even though I was currently suffering from it's poison from the day before. The more junk you eat, the more you want it, the harder it is to resist it, and the more often you'll give in. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
I feel great after a month of clean eating. Does this mean I will never eat junk food again? Absolutely not. But it does mean that I'm moving forward being more in tune with my body and the new found knowledge of the effects that junk food has on me. If you're looking to feel better, look better, and think better, consider clean eating. It sure has done wonders for me!
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With all the different clean-eating definitions floating around out there, I thought I would give you a quick definition of what it means to me:
Food that are natural, unprocessed and without additives. Essentially I have cut all processed foods, sugar, white flour, pork, and most diary from my diet. I still eat, I just eat things that have been prepared by me and come from reliable sources. There are very little boxed, canned, bagged, or bottled food left in our house.
My goal is to eat with purpose, and I purposely want to know where my food comes from and what is in it so I can best nourish mine and my family's bodies.

Health with Purpose

January always means one thing, America - time to go on a diet!

I didn't set any 'health' goals this year for one reason and one reason only: I never stick to them and I see no point in going back and being all 'oh snap, about that...' one year later when I fail. Lord knows we don't need any more disappoints in our lives so why even start?

I'm so sick of the dieting 'fads'. One week it's Atkins, the next week Weight Watchers. Something works for someone, another person fails at it, and they all usually backslide and gain 20 pounds more than what they lost in the first place. No thank you.

I decided this year that I'm taking control of our lives in a different way. I'm not focusing on weight-loss or dieting even though I need to lose weight like now; instead I'm bringing our entire lives back into focus in a different way.

This year I am focusing on becoming the healthiest us we can be. This means going back to the basics of food in general, realizing what it is we're putting into our bodies and making drastic changes to cut out the things that are absolutely horrible for us.

Call it 'clean eating' but really it's just finding purpose with our food.

However, I am not just focusing on food alone. I am also putting a huge emphasis on our mental health this year and the image we perceive ourselves to be.

No more negative talk about ourselves or our bodies. We are going to focus entirely on being happy with who we are in the moment, no matter what. I am going to look myself in the eye every day and tell myself that I am enough, right now, in this moment, no matter what.

I know this is going to make a huge difference in our lives and I am fully confident that when I look back, I'm going to be so glad that I did this instead of some diet. 2014 is my year, I just know it.