Tuesday was a much better day. My desire to eat healthy was strong, and it has been for several months. It's just this bad habit of turning to super easy things to eat and I love the way sugar tastes in my mouth. I'm beginning to hate what it does to my body. It's too bad that good things take a minute to cook. But in the long run I can see some benefit in that as well. I can take the time to think about what it is that I am making, preparing, and cooking and how good it is for me. I can also think about how grateful I am that I have good food to eat to help my body become what God intended it to be. This may sound silly. But I think there is great power behind doing this. I am going to give it a go.
What did I eat yesterday. Toast and a peach for breakfast. Lunch I had left over broccoli soup, beet salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and roasted butternut squash. I also had a slice of whole wheat bread with pb and j on it for my sweet fix.
I snacked on a relish tray. In my desire to eat more grains I attempted to make some super healthy muffins. I think it was a success. In 24 muffins there was just 4 TBL of oil, and 1/2 cup brown sugar. I substituted bananas for the sweet and applesauce for the fat. I also added bran and whole wheat. They were hearty and delicious. If you'd like the recipe you can get it here at A Happy Healthy Heritage. My good friend Melissa sucked me into doing another blog. But this one is awesome and I'm super excited to start sharing all my yummy recipes.
Although my day wasn't perfect. I am not looking for perfection, I'm looking for progress. It was a good day. I got in a jog, was conscious of what I ate and loved everything I made. I think that is a good day.
I still have pain from Monday. But I guess that is good too. I hope to work on my upper body today to balance out the hurt.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
No Pain, No Gain
So, the burning question is how did I do yesterday? Well, no sacrifice was given. I did end up throwing away the ice cream in my freezer, but not until after I saved the mint chocolate chip. I couldn't let my fav. flavor go to waste. When I left the house yesterday I left super hungry and without eating anything. Not smart, for anyone to do. So I ended up eating a 7 layer burrito from Taco Bell, and purchasing a York Peppermint Patty from Shopko. Again, no good. At dinner I was going to indulge in my roasted butternut squash and beets. But decided against it since I didn't have a "perfect" day. Again I just ate what I fixed for dinner which was cheddar broccoli soup, heavy on the broccoli light on the cheddar. Then it was time for dessert after FHE. I thought I didn't want it, but I ended up taking a chocolate chip cookie and dolloping a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of it. I guess not ALL the ice cream got thrown away. I felt no pains of sacrifice yesterday. As I look at what I ate, no wonder I feel heavy, slow, and zapped of energy. Things must change if I want to be a runner and a hiker!
I do have some pain today though. I did follow through with my desire to work out every day rotating between weights and cardio. Yesterday I did the Biggest Loser work out and I am sore sore sore today. Painful really. But it's a good pain. Can pain be good? Yes, it can be. The soreness in my muscles is a testament of my hard work yesterday. Even though I felt no emotional or spiritual pain yesterday, at least I gained something.
With sacrifice comes pain. Pain from growth and sacrifice is something I do desire. I know I am on the right path to becoming the person I so much desire to be. I am grateful to be writing my journey here. It helps me keep track of all things good and bad. Monitoring wither or not sacrifice was made and pain felt.
I know no one desires to feel pain. But there is some pain which is good and helps us to grow. I know I will feel pain as I get my sore muscles moving during my planned "run" today. I hope to build upon that pain by sacrificing crappy foods which make me feel heavy and slow. No more of that I say. Bring on the light and energized!!
I do have some pain today though. I did follow through with my desire to work out every day rotating between weights and cardio. Yesterday I did the Biggest Loser work out and I am sore sore sore today. Painful really. But it's a good pain. Can pain be good? Yes, it can be. The soreness in my muscles is a testament of my hard work yesterday. Even though I felt no emotional or spiritual pain yesterday, at least I gained something.
With sacrifice comes pain. Pain from growth and sacrifice is something I do desire. I know I am on the right path to becoming the person I so much desire to be. I am grateful to be writing my journey here. It helps me keep track of all things good and bad. Monitoring wither or not sacrifice was made and pain felt.
I know no one desires to feel pain. But there is some pain which is good and helps us to grow. I know I will feel pain as I get my sore muscles moving during my planned "run" today. I hope to build upon that pain by sacrificing crappy foods which make me feel heavy and slow. No more of that I say. Bring on the light and energized!!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sacrifice
Here I am again, on a Monday ready to change my life. Although the last year has been a journey to change my life in a completely different way. I feel as though this is just a continuation of that journey. Now that I am truly grateful for my body and the things that I can do, and experiences that I have, the next step in the journey is going to just build upon that. But this next step is going to be hard. Sacrifices will have to be made. If a sacrifice doesn't hurt, it's not a good one. I heard that somewhere, sometime ago. The sacrifice that I will have to make has to do with food, sugar mostly. I love to eat my red vines, candy corn, and ice cream. But in my quest to become a good runner, a faster hiker, these types of food zap all my energy, and keep me feeling heavy. Feeling heavy is not going to help with my running and my hiking. I also feel as though sugar has a lot to do with me feeling tired and slow.
And so it goes, the sacrifice that I knew was inevitable, starts today. I know it's going to be difficult. The only thing that I wont give up, not yet at least, it my Coke Zero. I just can't give that up just quite yet. I know I will need to. Slow and steady, not all at once.
What am I going to do today to help be on my way to being light, fit and healthy? I'm going to throw away all the ice cream cartons in my freezer, and all the left over candy that is in my pantry. I'm doing this because I want to. Not because I have to. I want a better life. I want to feel better. Not only am I doing this for myself, but for my kids. I want a legacy of good eating, and an active lifestyle passed down to my children. I am going to have a relish tray ready for my kids to devour when they get home from school. And that will in turn help me to snack on the good things too. It's a win/win situation.
I'll let you know how things go.
And so it goes, the sacrifice that I knew was inevitable, starts today. I know it's going to be difficult. The only thing that I wont give up, not yet at least, it my Coke Zero. I just can't give that up just quite yet. I know I will need to. Slow and steady, not all at once.
What am I going to do today to help be on my way to being light, fit and healthy? I'm going to throw away all the ice cream cartons in my freezer, and all the left over candy that is in my pantry. I'm doing this because I want to. Not because I have to. I want a better life. I want to feel better. Not only am I doing this for myself, but for my kids. I want a legacy of good eating, and an active lifestyle passed down to my children. I am going to have a relish tray ready for my kids to devour when they get home from school. And that will in turn help me to snack on the good things too. It's a win/win situation.
I'll let you know how things go.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Gentleman of Inspiration
Wow, I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted anything. This summer has gone by way too fast. Why is it that each year seems to go by faster then the last? It's just not fair.
This summer I decided to get back into jogging. I don't run, I'm far to slow for that. But jogging, I can do. I didn't go for about 3 weeks due to Girls Camp and recovery from that. Yesterday was the first time back on the trail and back to running. I wanted to push myself but no too much. As I came around the loop on the trail I run on I was going to stop. As I was about to pass a few older gentlemen one of them noticed me and remarked, " You look like you go about my pace, may I join you?" A little surprised I said yes. Even though I was going to stop and start walking. I ended up jogging with this older gentlemen almost to the beginning of the trail. I was stunned that I could have gone that far. This gentlemen started running when he was 42 years old. Currently he is 69. He's run 13 or 15 marathons, including St. George and Boston, and over 200 10 and 5k's. What an inspiration! Little did he know that he was encouraging me on that day. I realized that I can push myself harder then I ever though possible.
Before my run that day, I was doubting that I would be able run in a 5k in September. A goal I set for myself at the beginning of the summer. Watching myself yesterday, it was confirmed to me again that I am stronger then I think I am. I'm like my kids sometimes. I would rather do what is easier, rather then stretch and make myself grow and do hard things. Life is about doing hard things. Running when your 40lbs overweight is a hard thing to do. At the same time, very rewarding.
I am ready to finish off my summer strong, doing hard things that make me grow.
This summer I decided to get back into jogging. I don't run, I'm far to slow for that. But jogging, I can do. I didn't go for about 3 weeks due to Girls Camp and recovery from that. Yesterday was the first time back on the trail and back to running. I wanted to push myself but no too much. As I came around the loop on the trail I run on I was going to stop. As I was about to pass a few older gentlemen one of them noticed me and remarked, " You look like you go about my pace, may I join you?" A little surprised I said yes. Even though I was going to stop and start walking. I ended up jogging with this older gentlemen almost to the beginning of the trail. I was stunned that I could have gone that far. This gentlemen started running when he was 42 years old. Currently he is 69. He's run 13 or 15 marathons, including St. George and Boston, and over 200 10 and 5k's. What an inspiration! Little did he know that he was encouraging me on that day. I realized that I can push myself harder then I ever though possible.
Before my run that day, I was doubting that I would be able run in a 5k in September. A goal I set for myself at the beginning of the summer. Watching myself yesterday, it was confirmed to me again that I am stronger then I think I am. I'm like my kids sometimes. I would rather do what is easier, rather then stretch and make myself grow and do hard things. Life is about doing hard things. Running when your 40lbs overweight is a hard thing to do. At the same time, very rewarding.
I am ready to finish off my summer strong, doing hard things that make me grow.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Going through Life with Gratitude
Going through this process of being more fit and more healthy with a sense of Gratitude has made all the difference in my Attitude towards Life. Before, everything I did was done with begrudgingly. Always in the back of my mind was the fear of failure and resentment towards that failure. I hated my body and what it meant to me.
Now that I understand that my body is a tremendous gift that I have stewardship over, all my activities seem do be done because I want to. Not because I have to. My body gives and gives and gives and gives to me all day long. How do I give back to it? How do I nurture my own body. I tend to nurture EVERYTHING and EVERYONE else around me. The idea of nurturing myself is a foreign idea to me. But it feels right. Making these changes in my life are being done so that I can live a better life, not to be skinny.
I have never before done activities like running, hiking, or even gardening with a sense of gratitude in my heart. My heart literally fills like it's going to burst with gratitude. My body is amazing. I can do so many wonderful things. Now I just want to eat right so that I can do even more wonderful things, so that I can run faster, hike higher, longer and steeper hills. Eating candy is not going to give me the effect that I desire.
I'm sure this is all a review of what I've said the past few weeks. But it is so powerful to me right now.
If I could ask anyone who reads this blog to change one thing, that one thing would be to have gratitude for you body. No matter what shape or size it is. Your body is amazing, a gift given to you with great love. Recognize that love, be grateful for it, and nurture your gift.
Now that I understand that my body is a tremendous gift that I have stewardship over, all my activities seem do be done because I want to. Not because I have to. My body gives and gives and gives and gives to me all day long. How do I give back to it? How do I nurture my own body. I tend to nurture EVERYTHING and EVERYONE else around me. The idea of nurturing myself is a foreign idea to me. But it feels right. Making these changes in my life are being done so that I can live a better life, not to be skinny.
I have never before done activities like running, hiking, or even gardening with a sense of gratitude in my heart. My heart literally fills like it's going to burst with gratitude. My body is amazing. I can do so many wonderful things. Now I just want to eat right so that I can do even more wonderful things, so that I can run faster, hike higher, longer and steeper hills. Eating candy is not going to give me the effect that I desire.
I'm sure this is all a review of what I've said the past few weeks. But it is so powerful to me right now.
If I could ask anyone who reads this blog to change one thing, that one thing would be to have gratitude for you body. No matter what shape or size it is. Your body is amazing, a gift given to you with great love. Recognize that love, be grateful for it, and nurture your gift.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
3 Meals vs. Every 3 Hours
The debate is on. Which is a better way to eat during the day? Just 3 square meals? Or every 3 hours? My trainer friend, with pleading hands, begged me to eat every 3 hours. She is convinced that if I do eat every 3 hours I will start to drop weight. I've tried that in the past and all I end up doing during the day is thinking about what I'm going to eat next. When eating 3 meals a day I find that I get famished and tend to make not so good choices. What does it really matter when I'm counting calories too? Just as long as I stay with in my allotted amount of calories I should be fine right?
Today I seemed to be SUPER hungry. I had gotten back from the water park with my kids and I was just hungry. Something about being in the sun and water that makes one's hunger roar like a lion. I didn't make very good choices. But those choices didn't completely derail me either. I would say that is success? What's a fat girl to do? Brush off that twix and move on to better choices.
I think tomorrow, to prevent my hunger from roaring like a ravenous lion, I'm going to try and eat every 3 hours. I think another of my problems is that I'm not getting enough protein in my diet. I know protein keeps me fuller longer and helps me to build muscle.
Off to make something yummy for dinner.
Today I seemed to be SUPER hungry. I had gotten back from the water park with my kids and I was just hungry. Something about being in the sun and water that makes one's hunger roar like a lion. I didn't make very good choices. But those choices didn't completely derail me either. I would say that is success? What's a fat girl to do? Brush off that twix and move on to better choices.
I think tomorrow, to prevent my hunger from roaring like a ravenous lion, I'm going to try and eat every 3 hours. I think another of my problems is that I'm not getting enough protein in my diet. I know protein keeps me fuller longer and helps me to build muscle.
Off to make something yummy for dinner.
Monday, June 13, 2011
In addition to...
This is my third week of getting up at 7am to exercise. It's been so wonderful to get up and get my body moving. Exercise does so many great things for me mentally, physically and spiritually. After not exercising for such a long time and feeling like crap I wonder why it is that I ever stopped in the first place. I now know why. I was doing the exercise for all the wrong reasons. I wanted to be skinny. Now all I want is to have a strong body, inside and out, allowing me to have the energy to keep up with 6 children, my husband and the demands of a busy house hold. There's a lot to get done in a single day when there are 8 people to take care of. If I'm sick and run down those task become a strain and almost unmanageable. Becoming light, fit and healthy is a process, a journey that is going to take probably a lifetime to achieve.
Today we increased our running time from 1 minute to 2 minutes. So instead of walking 2 minutes and running 1 minute, we swapped and are now running for 2 minutes and walking for just 1. I have to say it was a challenge. But I can do hard things. If I can hike the Y, I can do this. Towards the end of the run I wondered what I could eat today to help me improve my performance. I have never thought that way before. Eating the right foods will help me to run faster, my muscle to perform better and my heart to beat little easier. I struggle to make goals due to the destructive behavior that I found myself living to reach those goals. But this goal seem healthy, and one that will help me to progress in my running. Eating the right foods will also help me become light, fit and healthy.
Starting today I am going to try and eat between 1500- 1600 calories a day. I am not going to limit any foods, except for junk food i.e., red vines(my favorite), salt water taffy(another favorite), candy bars and the like. These foods are my downfall. I need to replace them, like I mentioned before, with oranges and watermelon. Candy and junk food make me feel heavy, sluggish and burdened. Burdened with the knowledge that I just ate something that I know is not going to help me feel better or run faster.
This goal is going to be a challenging one. But I can do hard things. I can and I will. As much as I HATE to count calories, I know I need to to help me get back on track and to once again bring to light my eating habits. It's all good.
I have been feeling out different website to help out with calorie counting. I decided to go with myfitnesspal.com. It is easy to navigate and another of my good friends asked me to join with her. I successfully logged all my calories today and stayed within my 1500 limit. Yes, success for one day. And it felt GOOD. I still need to add more vegetables to my daily intake. I am aware of this and I will try my darn dist to do so tomorrow. I have a ton of lettuce staring at me. I think I just need to make a great salad out of it and eat it with my lunch and dinner. I have a lot of great viniagrettes that I need to whip up. Maybe I'll even share a recipe or two.
Today we increased our running time from 1 minute to 2 minutes. So instead of walking 2 minutes and running 1 minute, we swapped and are now running for 2 minutes and walking for just 1. I have to say it was a challenge. But I can do hard things. If I can hike the Y, I can do this. Towards the end of the run I wondered what I could eat today to help me improve my performance. I have never thought that way before. Eating the right foods will help me to run faster, my muscle to perform better and my heart to beat little easier. I struggle to make goals due to the destructive behavior that I found myself living to reach those goals. But this goal seem healthy, and one that will help me to progress in my running. Eating the right foods will also help me become light, fit and healthy.
Starting today I am going to try and eat between 1500- 1600 calories a day. I am not going to limit any foods, except for junk food i.e., red vines(my favorite), salt water taffy(another favorite), candy bars and the like. These foods are my downfall. I need to replace them, like I mentioned before, with oranges and watermelon. Candy and junk food make me feel heavy, sluggish and burdened. Burdened with the knowledge that I just ate something that I know is not going to help me feel better or run faster.
This goal is going to be a challenging one. But I can do hard things. I can and I will. As much as I HATE to count calories, I know I need to to help me get back on track and to once again bring to light my eating habits. It's all good.
I have been feeling out different website to help out with calorie counting. I decided to go with myfitnesspal.com. It is easy to navigate and another of my good friends asked me to join with her. I successfully logged all my calories today and stayed within my 1500 limit. Yes, success for one day. And it felt GOOD. I still need to add more vegetables to my daily intake. I am aware of this and I will try my darn dist to do so tomorrow. I have a ton of lettuce staring at me. I think I just need to make a great salad out of it and eat it with my lunch and dinner. I have a lot of great viniagrettes that I need to whip up. Maybe I'll even share a recipe or two.
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