Checking In - Week 4

Quick check in this morning! First, remember when I went off about how I was going to be soooo committed to exercise? That was before I got sick. Over Christmas. :( Between laziness, swollen tonsils, and lots of Christmas goodies combined with me plastered to the couch instead of the treadmill I expected to gain a few this week.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I couldn't eat as much as I wanted to over the holidays. I ate moderately, relaxed, enjoyed the holiday with my family, and, sure, gained a little weight. The result?

192.2 lbs.

Less than a pound. Over Christmas! Which I can easily lose this week if I put in a little effort. Luckily, my tonsils have returned to a normal size, although my throat is still sore from the coughing and hacking and my nose is all red from the incessant blowing. But I'm a little on the mend. Hopefully. Which means no excuses for eating. But the exercise is still going to have to wait.

As are the measurements. No point in depressing myself over Christmas. :) Measurements will have to wait until next week!

Exercise - My Biggest Challenge

**WARNING**

This is a big long post of me mostly rambling and complaining about how hard it is for me to workout. Read at your own risk.

Exercise is the hardest part of getting healthy for me. All of it is hard, but exercise is the most difficult. I really struggle with finding the time, motivating myself to get it done, and keeping up with it consistently.

I LOVE the way I feel after I've worked out! AFTER. Not before. Not during. Just after. I do not love exercise. But I know it's good for me and I know that I need it to achieve my goals. Because, you see, I don't just want to be skinny. I want to be toned and healthy. I want to have increased energy. I want to be active. And losing weight isn't going to get me there. It will help. It's part of it. But it isn't enough.

So exercise is becoming my priority this week. Yep. The week of Christmas. When I'm crazy busy with finishing up shopping and wrapping and cooking and activities. Because if I can't get to it when life is crazy I know I just won't get to it when things are "normal".

#1

There are several factors that making working out a challenge for me. First and foremost is SLEEP. I heart sleep. More than almost anything in the world. I always have. Growing up, my alarm would go off and I'd hit the snooze button. My dad would come downstairs to find me with a glass of water. He would threaten to pour it on me if I didn't get up. And a lot of the time, he followed through on that threat. A lot. So I would get up and immediately get in the shower. I would go to the bathroom, lock the door, turn on the steamy hot water, climb in, and lay down and go back to sleep in the bath tub with the shower water spraying on me. Heaven. Until my dad came down banging on my door. :) I was late for 99% of high school. I just wanted to sleep!

Right now, my beloved sleep is very, very compromised. I am not at all in control over when I go to sleep, how many times I wake up during the night, or what time I get up in the morning. I get to go to sleep AFTER I get all three kids to sleep. Which wasn't until eleven last night. (I put them to bed at eight. Grrrrrrr.) Lucas then decided to wake frequently last night. Wouldn't trade that boy for the world, but MAN would I love a long stretch of sleep! And then of course I had to get up this morning to get Payson off to school.

That said, I could be better. Sometimes I stay up late after the kids go to bed just to savor the child-free quiet. When I should just tuck myself in and take advantage of sleep. Or I fall asleep on the couch in front of the tv. Again, sleeping in my own bed would provide a much better night of rest. And I really should start to sleep train Lucas. It's just so hard to think of letting him cry. First of all, it just breaks my heart into pieces! And second, he'll wake up the others. Which will be a nightmare. But if I just do it, it will only last a few days (hopefully) and then I'd possibly get a better night of rest.

Anyway, sleep is a challenge. One that I am committed to working on starting tonight. I will put myself to bed, in my bed, at a decent time. And Lucas will sleep in his bed. Not in mine. And hopefully that will make a little difference. Although I will still be up at night to feed him. And who knows if the others will throw fits like last night.

#2

Enough about sleep. It frustrates me to think about it. My second challenge with exercise is time. Making time. Finding time. Using my time wisely.

I know myself well enough to know that if the workout isn't done first thing in the morning, it's not going to happen. Because I sweat. Like a mad woman. My face drips like crazy! People who see me working out are always concerned that I'm going to pass out or have a stroke or something. I'm not. I'm fine. I just sweat a lot. It's genetic. The whole fam is face sweaters. And if I workout, I'm going to have to shower. And if I'm going to have to shower, I'm going to have to take the time to do my hair and get ready. And my hair is high-maintenance. I wish it wasn't. Because I'm really a pretty low-maintenance kind of girl. But my hair doesn't understand that.

So if I work out, I have to get ready. Which cuts into my time in the day to get things done. And lets face it, there just isn't enough time in the day to get everything done. Especially when I'm husband-less and have to do it all by myself.

Then of course there's the baby. Sometimes he is needy. He's actually a very low-maintenance baby. But he tends to want something when I want me-time. And there's feeding him. Which is really time consuming and energy-sapping.

And then there's the part where I can do better. Using my time wisely. If I would get off the computer or turn off the tv a little more often, I would get a lot more done. It's true. I used to be really good about not watching tv. Lately I haven't been so good. I need to work on that. And I need to leave the computer for evenings, AFTER the important things get done.

#3

And last workout challenge is motivation. Just getting off my butt and doing it. And that comes down to commitment, really. How badly do I want it? Because I say I want to workout. But do I want to workout MORE than I want to not workout? Obviously, the answer to that in the past has been no. I would rather NOT workout and do other things than push myself and get the workouts in and enjoy the benefits.

And that is why I'm making a commitment now. It has to be a priority. Even if that means I sacrifice something else that is important.

Right now, I am absolutely not willing to sacrifice my sleep. I tried. It didn't work. It made me stressed and tired and grumpy and it made me hate working out, when I already dislike exercise enough.

So with my 3 challenging factors, I can work on two of them. I can work on my commitment level. And I can work on how I use my time. It might mean that I'm not showered and ready for the day until 2 in the afternoon. It might mean that my house is only cleaned when Jason is home to help me. It might mean that other activities get pushed aside. But this is just for now. I will not always be up at night with a baby. I will not always be breastfeeding. Life will change over time and I'll be able to adjust the routine.

In the mean time, I will be making workouts a priority. I will start slow. I will make sure that I'm eating enough. I will sleep when I need sleep. But I will also make sure that I get a workout in. Because if I don't make it a priority now, it's never going to happen.

Checking In - Week 3

The holidays are proving to be a little challenging, but I'm managing to find a balance between enjoying the goodies and parties and shopping and watching myself carefully. Shopping seems to be harder than the parties for me, actually. At the parties I PLAN. I know what I'm going to let myself do going in. But when I'm out shopping I tend to end up being out longer than I expect and not packing snacks or having to eat out and making worse choices. It's tough! But I'm trying to make up for it on the days I'm home and know I can make the best choices.

Anyway, here are the week's results! On Monday, December 12th I was 194 pounds. As of this morning I was 191.4 pounds! Another 2.6 pounds down! Overall I have lost 28.2 pounds and brought my BMI down FIVE points from my highest weight!

I'm trying to focus on those numbers. The "how far I've come" numbers, rather than the "how far I've got to go" set. Because those are pretty overwhelming. I've set some lofty goals for myself in the coming months and I know there will be some disappointments alongside the triumphs. I just need to focus on how well I'm doing and keep the discouragement at bay.

Because I've lost almost 30 pounds!! Over 50 if you look at my highest weight in July. I'm working hard! And I've kept it up for a few months. Which means it's becoming a HABIT to eat this way. And that's more important than how far I have to go.

Surviving the Holidays

From the end of October through the first of January is the hardest time of the year to lose weight. Halloween candy, Thanksgiving feasts, and Christmas goodies and parties seem to lurk around every corner!

That Halloween candy just lingers around for weeks and weeks, sitting in bowls on kitchen counters and screaming at us every time we walk by. By the time it's gone, Thanksgiving leftovers are begging to be eaten for days after the holiday feast is over. And the second we make it through Thanksgiving the Christmas parties begin. And when you're not standing in front of a holiday party spread, some sweet neighbor is probably knocking at your door with a plate of some homemade deliciousness that is just too hard to pass up. Even then, it doesn't end at Christmas. We munch on leftovers for a week, finishing them off just in time for one last food-filled holiday bash on New Year's Eve.

In the past I've just given up entirely, indulged through the holiday months, and then tried to undo the damage with the rest of the world by setting a New Year's resolution to lose the weight that I will inevitably fail. Which will make me feel like crap. So I'll go eat something delicious to make myself feel better.

This year I have managed to change this ridiculous pattern of behavior and I've lost over 25 pounds during the seemingly impossible holiday months! Halloween proved challenging, but I survived. Thanksgiving was difficult, but not impossible. And last night I survived my first Christmas party without doing too much damage! So I thought I'd share some tips.

#1: The holidays are not an excuse. I forced myself to face the truth this year: Just because there are holiday parties and everything seems to revolve around food, that doesn't give me any excuses. I still need to eat like a normal person. This means that I don't get to "enjoy the holidays" by eating everything in sight. It means that I eat like a normal person! I eat regular healthy meals every day. That way when the holiday party arrives, I don't have to feel guilty about have one or two little treats. Sure, maybe I'll gain a little the night of the party. But eating normally again the next few days will bring those pounds right back off and then some!

#2: There's gotta be a plan. I can not walk into a room full of delicious, fatty foods and goodies and hold it together. I just can't. So I have to have a plan of action before I show up. Sometimes that means eat a healthy dinner before going and then allow myself a treat or two. Sometimes it's bringing my own healthy options. Whatever it is, I need to make decisions before I show up and my stomach is growling and I can smell all the yumminess and my inner fat girl takes over and eats everything.

#3: Keep the water coming. I take my water bottle with me everywhere I go. I keep it full and I sip on it constantly. It keeps me hydrated. It keeps me from feeling hungry even when I'm not. It keeps me from putting other things in my mouth. I once read that it's really common to mistake hunger for thirst. I find myself feeling "hungry" a lot. But if I drink a glass of water I'm fine. Obviously I wasn't really hungry in the first place. It keeps me from over eating. Water is my favorite.

#4: Nothing is off limits. The truth is, it's the holidays. And the holidays are to be ENJOYED! And part of enjoying the holidays is enjoying the treats. So far I've had cupcakes, chocolates, and hot cocoa. And I plan on having more of my favorites at upcoming events. The key is in moderation. I'm not eating everything at every event or every day. But I'm not going to say no to everything either.

Finding the balance may be difficult. But it's not impossible! There are still skinny people left in the world come January every year! Which means there IS a way to do this without completely sabotaging myself! So here's the a healthy Christmas and a skinny New Year!!

Orzo Vegetable Soup

I'm not a huge salad person. The salads I like are the kind that have more fat and calories than a Big Mac. So I get my vegetables in soups instead. Yes, even in the summer. Because soups are my favorite. Soup, how I love thee! Let me count the ways:

*There's only one pot to clean when I'm done.

*Loads of hearty veggies for little calories and fat.

*They're really easy to make (most of the time)!

*There are about 4 trillion different healthy soup recipes out there.

*I can use up what's in my fridge.

*They're CHEAP to make and still feed a LOT of people! :)

*They're warm and filling.

*I can make one pot of soup and have a quick, easy, and delicious lunch for the whole week! Soup leftovers are the best!

*They're delicious.

Okay, that wasn't really counting. I just wanted to make a list of reason I love soup.

This particular soups is a new favorite. It's snowing outside. I wanted something warm, but I wanted something quick and easy that would be low calorie/fat and warm me up inside. Also, I sort of just wanted to use up some of the veggies in my fridge before they go bad. Soup is the best for that! So I literally threw this together while I was cleaning. Chopped some veggies, threw some stuff in the pot, let it simmer while I cleaned, added the pasta at the end, cleaned a little more, and by the time my family room was sparkling I was ready for a hot lunch!

I ate 2 1/2 cups of this stuff for only 287 calories and 1 gram of fat! Two and a half cups! That's a lot of soup. You could have a smaller bowl with a side salad, some crusty bread, whatever. It was delicious enough to eat on it's own. But I may have it tomorrow with some dry whole wheat toast for dipping. Mmmmm. Leftover soup is the best!

Orzo Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 medium stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup carrots, sliced (about 1 large carrot or 10 baby carrots)

1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced

1/4 head of red cabbage, sliced into thin shreds

2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4 (15 oz) cans of vegetable broth

1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 cup orzo pasta

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Saute onion, celery, and garlic until soft. Add remaining vegetables and cook until cabbage wilts down to about half it's size. Add 2 cans of broth and seasoning and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. (This is the part where you go clean or nap or whatever floats your boat. Just check on your soup once or twice.) Add remaining 2 cans of broth and return to a boil. Add in orzo pasta and boil for about 9 minutes. Remove from heat and serve!

Makes 8 servings.

Nutritional Information:

115 calories, 0.5g fat, 972mg sodium, 25g carbs, 2.6g fiber, 3.5g protein

The Clean Plate Club

I'm a life-long member. I probably always will be. And I really don't think there is anything wrong with that!

You see, back in "the day" parents always made sure their children finished the food on their plates. Their reasoning? To make sure their children ate their vegetables, to avoid waste, because it's what their parents did... I'm sure they had plenty of reasons.

And then portion sizes blew up and so did parents. Kids started to blow up right along with them. So we started hearing that IT'S OKAY to not lick your plate clean. Stop when you're satisfied. Good advice, right?

In theory, yes. We really should fuel our bodies when we feel hungry and stop when we're satisfied. But after years of training my body to just eat as much as I could of whatever tasted delicious until I made myself sick, it's really hard to figure this out. So I don't.

Instead I serve myself normal sized portions, and 99% of the time I eat every last bite. I just finish what's on my plate. Because I'm consuming a very low amount of calories right now. I need every one of the calories I put on my plate.

I'm still flexible. If I've over-served myself, I stop eating when I realize I'm starting to feel full. And if I finish and find myself hungry a while later, I allow myself an extra helping or a snack.

But most of the time I just eat what's on my plate. And I'm okay with being a member of the clean plate club.

Snack Time! Baked Zucchini Chips

If I have a little extra time for a snack, this is one of my new favorites. I've made it as a snack and as a meal and both are fantastic!! Yes, it takes much more energy than a piece of fruit, some pre-chopped veggies, or a granola bar or something. But it tastes sooooo good!!

Baked Zucchini Chips

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium-large zucchini, sliced as thin as you want (I usually do about 1/8-1/4 inch thick)

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1 egg white

pepper to taste

non-stick cooking spray

Pre-heat over to 475 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Crack egg white into one bowl. Mix parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a seperate bowl. Dip zucchini slices into egg whites, then breadcrumbs, coating thoroughly. Place on cookie sheet. Spray tops with non-stick spray. Bake for 5 minutes, then flip and bake another 5 minutes.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional Information:

282 calories, 8.4g fat, 934mg sodium, 32g carbs, 4.8g fiber, 21.8g protein

I dip these in 1/4-1/2 cup marinera sauce and they're delicious!! We even made them once and covered them in sauce and cheese, re-baked them, and then served them over whole wheat pasta with a side salad. (I'll have to share that recipe sometimes soon!) Delicious healthy meal!!