It has taken me awhile to form my thoughts in order to write this blog post, I did not know Stephen “Twitch” Boss But his passing lingers for me. He was always smiling and full of life while he was on social media dancing with his wife or kids. And I think that is what stays with me the most, those that seem the happiest can be in their darkest moments. We are only seeing a glimpse of what someone wants us to see. We need to remember that depression does not have a certain “look”. Just because someone is showing us on social media the perfect life does not mean they feel they have the perfect life or feel perfect. We all have different stresses in life and all handle it differently. Some of us keep our feelings in and are not comfortable sharing with others. Sometime the strongest people have the hardest time sharing their feelings.
I talk alot about my journey and about the physical and it is so important to remember the mental part too. If we are not taking care of our mental health then the we are only fighting half the battle. Just know you are not alone, you are loved and there are people out there that are here to help.
Please remember to lean on your friends or family and talk to someone about how you are feeling. Whether you are the one struggling or if you have a loved one and don’t know what to do, I am here , to listen, to talk or to just go take a walk to get out. Don’t fight this fight alone because please if you take anything away from this long winded ramble of a post, YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU ARE LOVED!
If you know me or have read my journey you know the struggle I have with the scale. One of my favorite health and fitness people is Chris Powell, Here is some great advice on weigh yourself daily : I found it helpful.
How often should you weigh yourself? Do a quick search on PubMed and you will find numerous published studies and research articles in this arena and every single one points directly to the fact that…The more often you weigh yourself, the more likely you are to lose the weight AND keep it off. In fact, those who weigh themselves DAILY have the greatest success – both losing the weight and keeping it off. Now HOLD ON!!! There’s a big ‘BUT’ here: For a lot of us, stepping on the scale can be an emotional/mental slippery slope to misery – especially if we cannot separate our self-worth from the number on the scale! And this can lead to very destructive behavior in the long run: chasing the scale, disordered eating, depression, etc. SO BE AWARE!! When weighing yourself daily, you must fully understand these 5 RULES: 1 – Your self worth has NOTHING to do with a number on the scale. 2 – Your daily weigh ins are to increase your daily awareness off your habits and patterns – that’s it. 3 – You can only lose a small fraction of a pound of FAT on a daily basis. 4 – You should expect to see significant daily fluctuations of water weight in pounds on the scale. Some days it will be up, some days it will be down. If you chart your weight daily, it will likely look like a sawtooth pattern! 5 – You should only expect to see true fat loss trends on a weekly basis. Bi-weekly is even better. So for anyone who can follow the 5 rules – enjoy the learning process and seeing your bodyweight fluctuate on the scale daily! It’s pretty fascinating. But if weighing daily is not in your best interest, here’s some tips to get the most realistic trend for your weight:1. Weigh once a week on the same day2. Weigh yourself in the morning right after you wake up3. Wear the same light clothing every time. And if stepping on the scale at all is not healthy for you mentally/emotionally, track your progress with some other amazing methods to quantify your weight loss, like inches lost or clothing sizes! Hope this helps, my friends!
So if you read my blog you know that I have a passion for heart health and fitness. It is basically the whole reason I started this blog I wanted to make an impact in other people’s lives and let them know they were not alone in their fight. The biggest part of my passion is working with The American Heart Association. I started volunteering with them in 2017, this was mostly in part due to the passing of my husband’s aunt from atherosclerosis followed by my own mom having to have a triple bypass (from which she suffered two strokes during recovery). This is when I decided I needed to make changes in my own life; but more than that, I wanted to know what I could do to help others make changes as well. Working with the American Heart Association has been one of the most rewarding things I have done, it has really sparked an interest in being healthy and trying to be more active. This last February during the Go Red for Women luncheon they announced that they had nominated six amazing women for The Go Red for Women Woman of Impact. I was blessed and honored to be included as a nominee with these outstanding women.
It wasn’t about the title, for me it was just being included amongst so many wonderful women who shared the same passion I do. I love sharing what I learn, whether it is on social media or my blog so this was such a fun campaign to participate in. After eight weeks they let us know that I, along with another amazing woman, Kerry, and been named the first two inaugural Woman of Impact Award winners for the American Heart Association of Northern California.
I was blown away! I could not believe it! To be nominated for something that you truly love doing is really a blessing and I had no expectations of actually winning. I am more determined than ever to continue to share my experience, help raise funds, spread life saving information about cardiovascular disease, and help close the gender research gap. I will continue to use my voice to increase awareness about the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and stroke. And as always I will continue to be a relentless force for longer and healthier lives.
Eating healthy can be easy, affordable and delicious. It’s all about making smart choices to build an overall healthy dietary pattern.
After all, a healthy diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke and lots of other things you’d rather avoid. The good news is, eating right doesn’t have to be hard or require you to give up all of the foods you love.
Here are some tips to help you and your family adopt a healthier eating style:
Choose mindfully, even with healthier foods. Ingredients and nutrient content can vary a lot.
Read labels. Compare nutrition information on package labels and select products with the lowest amounts of sodium, added sugars, saturated fat and trans fat, and no partially hydrogenated oils.
Watch your calories. To maintain a healthy weight, eat only as many calories as you use up through physical activity. If you want to lose weight, take in fewer calories or burn more calories.
Cook and eat at home. You’ll have more control over ingredients and preparation methods.
Look for the Heart-Check mark to easily identify foods that can be part of an overall healthy eating pattern.
More Tips
Healthy Swaps for Common Foods – Healthy home cooking and smart shopping puts you in control of what goes into your recipes and your body. Follow these healthy guidelines to update your eating style and improve your nutrition profile.
Get Smart About Superfoods Infographic – So-called “superfoods” alone won’t make you healthier – but adding these nutritious foods to an already balanced diet can bring health benefits.
Healthy Foods Under $1 Per Serving – Eating healthy on a budget can seem difficult; but it can be done! Being creative can help you stick to your budget and incorporate nutritious foods into your diet. Try these tips to incorporate some of these inexpensive foods into your weekly menu.
Healthy Post-Play Snacks – All too often, kids are rewarded with unhealthy foods and sugary drinks and desserts, but there are lots of healthy choices that taste great!
Healthy Snacks for Summer Vacation – By Devin Alexander – Chef for NBC’s Biggest Loser and author, Devin Alexander shares her personal perspective as a chef in this blog entry with great ideas for healthy snacks for the whole family to bring on their summer vacation or anywhere!
How to Make Breakfast a Healthy Habit – Part of being Healthy for Good™ is creating simple daily habits you can stick with. One important habit that can help kick-start your day is eating a healthy breakfast. Think outside the (cereal) box with these quick and easy ideas.
Is 3 Meals a Day the Only Way – The number of meals you eat may not be so important. How you eat those meals is what matters most when it comes to decreasing the risk of heart disease and other health problems that come along with being overweight.
Organic Food Fact vs Perception – Many shoppers assume organic products are more nutritious and safer to eat, but these perceptions are based more on hype than hard science.
5 Tips to Deal with Picky Eaters (Both Kids & Adults) – Picky eaters can miss out on a lot of good food! Not only can it be challenging cooking for folks who refuse to eat some foods, but they can also miss out on important nutrients found in foods often on the I-Don’t-Eat list.
Are you fitting in at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of heart-pumping physical activity per week? If not, you’re not alone. Only about one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health. Being more active can help all people think, feel and sleep better and perform daily tasks more easily. And if you’re sedentary, sitting less is a great place to start.
These recommendations are based on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. They recommend how much physical activity we need to be healthy. The guidelines are based on current scientific evidence supporting the connections between physical activity, overall health and well-being, disease prevention and quality of life.
Recommendations for Adults
Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week.
Add moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weights) on at least 2 days per week.
Spend less time sitting. Even light-intensity activity can offset some of the risks of being sedentary.
Gain even more benefits by being active at least 300 minutes (5 hours) per week.
Increase amount and intensity gradually over time.
Recommendations for Kids
Children 3-5 years old should be physically active and have plenty of opportunities to move throughout the day.
Kids 6-17 years old should get at least 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, mostly aerobic.
Include vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week.
Include muscle- and bone-strengthening (weight-bearing) activities on at least 3 days per week.
Increase amount and intensity gradually over time.
A Little Means A Lot
Moving (even just a little) improves your heart health. Donating (even just a little) improves the lives of countless others.
What is intensity?
Physical activity is anything that moves your body and burns calories. This includes things like walking, climbing stairs and stretching.
Aerobic (or “cardio”) activity gets your heart rate up and benefits your heart by improving cardiorespiratory fitness. When done at moderate intensity, your heart will beat faster and you’ll breathe harder than normal, but you’ll still be able to talk. Think of it as a medium or moderate amount of effort.
Examples of moderate-intensity aerobic activities:
brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)
water aerobics
dancing (ballroom or social)
gardening
tennis (doubles)
biking slower than 10 miles per hour
Vigorous intensity activities will push your body a little further. They will require a higher amount of effort. You’ll probably get warm and begin to sweat. You won’t be able to talk much without getting out of breath.
Examples of vigorous-intensity aerobic activities:
hiking uphill or with a heavy backpack
running
swimming laps
aerobic dancing
heavy yardwork like continuous digging or hoeing
tennis (singles)
cycling 10 miles per hour or faster
jumping rope
Knowing your target heart rate can also help you track the intensity of your activities.
For maximum benefits, include both moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity in your routine along with strengthening and stretching exercises.
What if I’m just starting to get active?
Don’t worry if you can’t reach 150 minutes per week just yet. Everyone has to start somewhere. Even if you’ve been sedentary for years, today is the day you can begin to make healthy changes in your life. Set a reachable goal for today. You can work up toward the recommended amount by increasing your time as you get stronger. Don’t let all-or-nothing thinking keep you from doing what you can every day.
The simplest way to get moving and improve your health is to start walking. It’s free, easy and can be done just about anywhere, even in place.
Any amount of movement is better than none. And you can break it up into short bouts of activity throughout the day. Taking a brisk walk for five or ten minutes a few times a day will add up.
If you have a chronic condition or disability, talk with your healthcare provider about what types and amounts of physical activity are right for you before making too many changes. But don’t wait! Get started today by simply sitting less and moving more, whatever that looks like for you.
The takeaway: Move more, with more intensity, and sit less.
Science has linked being inactive and sitting too much with higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and lung cancers, and early death.
It’s clear that being more active benefits everyone and helps us live longer, healthier lives.
Here are some of the big wins:
Lower risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, dementia and Alzheimer’s, several types of cancer, and some complications of pregnancy
Better sleep, including improvements in insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea
Improved cognition, including memory, attention and processing speed
Less weight gain, obesity and related chronic health conditions
Better bone health and balance, with less risk of injury from falls
Fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety
Better quality of life and sense of overall well-being
The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you are also likely to enjoy a higher quality-of-life too.
5 Steps to Lose Weight & Keep It Off
Learning to balance healthy eating and physical activity can help you lose weight more easily and keep it off.
Take it from people who have successfully maintained weight loss:
98% have modified their eating habits.
94% have increased their physical activity, especially walking.
Set realistic goals. Know where you are today so you know how to get where you want to be. Learn your Body Mass Index (BMI). Set yourself up for success with short-term goals, like “I will make lifestyle changes which will help me lose (and keep off) 3-5% of my body weight.” Short-term goals can seem more achievable and keep you on track toward your long-term goals.
Understand how much and why you eat. Use a food diary or tracking app to understand what, how much, and when you’re eating. Being mindful of your eating habits and aware of your roadblocks and excuses can help you get real about your goals.
Manage portion sizes. It’s easy to overeat when you’re served too much food. Smaller portions can help prevent eating too much. Learn the difference between a portion and a serving and how to keep portions reasonable.
Make smart choices. You don’t have to give up all your favorite foods. Learn to make smart food choices and simple substitutions instead. Discover healthy snacks and how fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help keep you fuller longer.
Be physically active. Physical activity is anything that gets your heart rate up, like walking. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week. Move more, with more intensity, and sit less.
Conquer Cravings with These Healthy Substitutions
We have all experienced food cravings – and often those cravings have to do with texture – like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures
We have all experienced food cravings – and often those cravings have to do with texture – like something creamy or crunchy.
Food textures play a big role in whether we like or dislike certain foods. For example, while you may not like mushy canned peas, you may be surprised that you like fresh or barely cooked peas.
Luckily, eating healthy includes foods of all sorts of textures and flavors. Here are some suggestions on satisfying your cravings with nutritious snacks of a variety of textures:
Creamy
Instead of this: While ice cream may come to mind first, there are a variety of other smooth snacks that can be just as satisfying. Try munching on this:
Fresh avocado spread on whole grain bread OR ½ avocado eaten plain with a spoon
Warm 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter in the microwave for 10 seconds and drizzle over ½ cup low-fat, no added sugar frozen yogurt.
Puree some berries and swirl into a cup of low-fat yogurt with no sugar added.
Crunchy
Instead of this: Pretzels and chips have a crunchy texture that you may crave, but they can come with a lot of extra sodium that you don’t need. Try munching on this:
¾ cup whole grain cereal, no added sugar
Crunchy unsalted nuts
Whole grain crisp breads
Plain popcorn; to add some flavor, experiment with various spices like cinnamon or your favorite spice or herb
Liquid
Instead of this: Sweet tea or soda may sound refreshing, but it can take a while to work off all those empty calories. A medium-sized fancy mocha coffee drink with whipped cream can be 400 calories- and that’s before adding sugar or honey. Try sipping on this:
Plain iced tea made with a squeeze of lemon. You can sweeten with berries or a non-caloric sweetener
Add fruit slices to a glass and fill with club soda
Instead of the fancy mocha drink, choose a small latte made with nonfat milk and topped with cinnamon which is about a quarter of the calories.
Squishy
Instead of this: Jelly-like candies or even kids’ “fruit” snacks might sound like squishy fun in your mouth, but other options pack more nutrition. Try munching on this:
Fresh grapes are sweet and juicy; freeze them for a few minutes for a fun texture
Make tapioca pudding with squishy tapioca pearls; follow the directions on the box, only use half the amount of sugar or a non-caloric sweetener and fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk
Cherry tomatoes and room-temperature string cheese are squishy, stringy fun
Crispy
Instead of this: Some folks may not like apples because they can be soft and mealy or grainy; the same can be true of over-cooked potatoes. Try munching on this:
Choose crisp apple varieties like: Braeburn, Honey Crisp, Fuji and Gala; avoid Cortland, Red Delicious or Rome which can be softer
Choose red potatoes or white potatoes and don’t overcook; avoid Russet potatoes which are high in starch making them perfect for mashed potatoes – but also making them seem ‘mealy or grainy’
As we head into the Holiday season just a few helpful tips to try to keep us on track. If you are like me I have such a hard time saying no to that extra helping of mashed potatoes Also have you noticed how much candy is around once Halloween is over? I tend to want something sweet after I eat.
The one thing I am learning is to read labels. I used to just grab that frozen low-fat frozen lasagna to take for lunch because it was quick and easy. I never noticed how much sodium was in those meals. I also never knew how easy it was to meal prep with my instant pot on my day off and then I have my own pre-made meals ready to go. Eating healthy does not have to be difficult. You do not need to make this big lifestyle change. For me I started small, I used to go a few days a week to Taco Bell and get 2 burritos with extra cheese and sour cream. When I discovered I had a gluten allergy I continued to eat them because I would convince myself it was worth getting sick over because it tasted so good. Crazy right? My small change was to stop going to fast food. Once I got over the hump it became easier to not go there.
So do not make yourself promises you cant keep, do a small change, they will eventually become big changes.
Vacation! Who doesn’t love to just get away from it all? Away from the day to day, same old routine. Vacation is the thing that helps us reenergize and reward ourselves for all our hard work all year. I look forward to the special time off and the people I spend it with. the problem for me is I am getting away from my day to day routine , I know I stated in the beginning that is what I love about vacation but I don’t know about you once I get out of my routine it takes me another week or so after my vacation to really get back into my routine again. I find reasons why I can skip a workout, or can eat that junk, “there’s always tomorrow”. I know it shouldn’t matter and as long as I am staying true to myself that is all that matters, but I end up feeling guilt later.
I shouldn’t feel guilty but that is not how my brain works. I know a few
missed days shouldn’t matter but I get down on myself, Even though I know I
will get back into it. Anyone else feel this way?
We need to remember that vacation
is important for our mental health it
helps us reset our minds and bodies from our daily routines. We shouldn’t feel
guilty about getting away. And we shouldn’t feel guilty when it takes us a few
extra days to get back into our routine. I am working on this.
Aug 6, 2022
As I continue this journey I am on I learn new things everyday. 4 months ago I started with a personal trainer to help me get over the rut I was in and it has definitely changed the way I think so much. Before I was all about getting in as much cardio as possible and burning as many calories as I could in a workout. Then not fueling my body enough by not eating enough throughout the day. Working with my trainer it has been nice to have someone give me workouts that focus on all different muscles of my body . Also having my trainer give me delicious meals to eat daily is great. I was for sure not eating enough and now I am even eating breakfast daily! She has me eating every couple of hours through out the day and I am not going to lie, it’s nice not having to think about what I am going to eat or plan my own workouts. Not that I cannot do my own prepping or workouts but I seem to thrive when someone else tells me what to eat and what to do. I don’t get bored with my workouts anymore, and my food menu changes weekly so again I don’t get bored with my meals. I am still not trying to focus on the scale that is my kryptonite and only focus on how I feel, I have more energy, I am fitting into more clothes I haven’t worn in a while, basically I feel great. And obviously not everyone can go out and hire a personal trainer and that is not the purpose of what I am saying, the point of this is to mix it up change your routine, don’t get stuck in the day to day. Don’t be afraid to make changes. I am learning that I thrive with change.
April 29,2022
There are times we have to just push pause. My last post in March I was very frustrated with my weight loss journey, things were not going the way I wanted them to and I thought I had found the answer but I just kept losing and gaining the same pound. I said in the beginning of starting this journey that I am no expert and that I do not have the answers , everything I have shared along this journey I have learned from experts I have met along the way or read from the internet. So when I am at a loss of course I turned to those that know best , I hired an expert. Again I am not trying to lose weight to be a fitness model or anything crazy like that I just want to be healthy. So I hired a personal trainer to help me with my food preparation and to revamp my exercise. I love my Peloton bike but I need to change things up and get my body out of the rut it is in. After talking with my personal trainer I have realized I am not eating enough. I was actually slowing my metabolism down, I needed to actually eat more and jump start my metabolism.
It has been so helpful and it is nice not having to plan my meals, I do have to cook them all but its nice to have them all thought out for me.
I am excited to see how the next few weeks work out, I am still trying not to be addicted to the scale or care what that number says- that is easier said then done, but I am taking baby steps and trying to focus more on how my clothes fit. I know I could put the scale away and it would be easier to ignore it but then I would just end up pulling the scale out all the time- again baby steps. So moral of this post it is ok to ask for help.
March 10,2022
Sometimes we can do all the right things, we can eat all the right foods, and still we do not see the changes we want. Let me explain, I was talking with a friend the other day, complaining actually, I eat healthy I very rarely eat fast food, and I do my workouts every day but yet the scale never moves. And I know I preach how the number on the scale does not define who we are and it doesn’t. I have made alot of peace with the scale these days, I no longer look at the scale as the enemy that I need to fight, more as an overall guide. But my frustration was that I make very healthy food choices and do my daily workouts, if any other person did my daily routine they would drop 10 – 15 pounds quick. I needed to think outside the box this time , I think my body just adapted to my daily routine and so I needed to make a change. I am of course still making healthy choices ( I pretty much eat the same thing all week ) But now I try to eat every couple of hours so I prepare small snacks to eat like a hard boiled egg, cheese, protein shake , peanut butter and then a larger meal for my dinner usually a salad which is very filling. Then I changed up my workout routine to two times a day, instead of a 40 minute workout once a day, I now do 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes after work. I actually sleep better and feel better doing this surprisingly. Surprise surprise after doing this that stubborn scale is actually moving!! So the point of my rambling is don’t be afraid of making a change if something isn’t working, shake things up, try something new, never give up, keep pushing forward and reaching for your goal the point of it all is that you are making healthy choices right?
December 25, 2021
As this year comes to an end I am feeling unfinished, unfinished in my goals I set and in myself. I’m not sure when but some where along my journey I have been derailed. I mean, I know what I am supposed to do, I have the tools I have the knowledge but somehow I have seemed to have lost my mojo. I can give advice and guidance all day to someone else and build them up but doing it for myself seems to be lacking these days
I have given myself until Christmas for the pity party. I have to remember we all fall off the health journey wagon and that’s ok. I just need to regroup – restock my fridge correctly and get back on track. No more excuses about how it’s cold outside ( I workout inside ) so I need to get my workouts back on track. I have to remember why I am doing this – to be healthier for myself and my family. As I spent time with my family for the holidays I was reminded of this and it inspired me even more to get back on my health journey.
So I will no longer look in the mirror at myself and feel depressed that I don’t “ look the way I want to” but I will look in the mirror and be inspired by that woman staring back at me. She is strong and fierce and is ready to take on the health world ?
November 8,2021
It’s just a tiny square with numbers, why do we let it dictate how we feel about ourselves? I had a big epiphany this weekend when it comes to the scale and how I let it cloud how it makes me feel about how I look. I struggle constantly with what that number “should” say. I don’t know why. I have been spending the last few weeks tied to the scale. I know better of course. I am letting a number dictate how I feel about myself and how I think I look and it has been making me feel less about myself. Again, I ask why? I’m working out and eating healthy but I am stuck on the fact that the scale just does not move. This weekend I put on a dress I have not worn since July and it actually fit better now then it did 5 months ago. Also, the other dress I wore fit like a glove and looked amazing! I felt great and did not feel like the sausage the scale tells me I am. So this is where I have decided that the scale is a liar, it tricks us daily. Everyday I jump on this square looking for it to tell me how worthy I am in my workouts and every day it lies to me. It tells me I am not doing good enough , I am not working hard enough and I need to do better. How does it do this? By never moving that number. The funny thing is, I know better, I know its just a number and that I should be measuring myself with a tape measure to see how many inches I have lost not pounds.
My point is your worth is not defined by a number on a scale. Your worth is defined by YOU. Just you not your weight or your size, I know we get stuck in these cycles and sometimes we feel down on ourselves because we feel we are not doing enough. To that I say did you wake up today? Did you do something for yourself today? Were you kind to others? Then that was a successful day.
As for me I will remember that as long as I am true to myself and remember that I am making healthy choices daily it doesn’t matter what that silly scale says.
September 4, 2021
Why is it so easy to put weight on than it is to take it off? I had been doing really good on my health journey, I had a goal to focus on ( My pageant in July) and that kept me on track. I went to my pageant and felt really good about everything, even placed in the top 10 🙂 Then we came home and I went a little off the rails. I decided it was ok to go off track for a bit, I deserved it after all I worked so hard for so long. This is where I tell myself its ok a few days won’t hurt. But it’s never a few days and its never just a couple of bad meals. I quickly put 8 pounds back on. None of my clothes fit right again and I started to get down on myself. I was not depressed or anything. I just convinced myself it was ok because I worked so hard I deserved a break.
I can honestly say I enjoy getting up and starting my day with my Peloton workout. I feel so energized after and each weekend when I meal prep my food I know I have given myself more time during the week to not have to think about what I am going to eat. Now that I have gotten myself back on track and focused again, I have shed 6 pounds. Not that it was about the pounds it was about feeling healthy again.
I am the kind of person that needs structure I thrive on it. It is what makes me function better. When it is missing I feel that I am lacking something. The point of this is to ask yourself is what helps you function better? How can you make your week better and help you thrive?
May 29, 2021
Personal perception can play tricks with your mind sometimes, and if you don’t keep yourself in a good headspace it can really mess with you. I say this because every once and a while we all have that moment where we look at a photo or a video of ourselves and say “do I look like that”? Last month I saw a video of myself and had this thought, and it’s crazy, it messes with you for a moment and you have to really remind yourself that it is almost like looking in a fun house mirror, it’s just a bad angle. I took these amazing pictures earlier in the day and felt so glamourous in my dress and then later that night I saw this video of myself in the dress and instantly thought, Oh Dear! Why on earth did I wear that? I look awful and it took me a couple of days to get my mind back into focus to realize I was being silly. Why was I letting a video let me feel so low? I felt gorgeous in that dress before that and I needed to remind myself of that. I could easily slip into a negative space and immediately over think this. Am I working out enough? Am I eating healthy enough? Thankfully I have such a wonderful circle of people that I surround myself with so that I do not slip into that dark negative space for very long. They keep me motivated and remind me everyday that I am always enough. I don’t workout to be a supermodel, I workout so that I can be healthy for my family and my amazing circle of friends that remind me everyday I am a fierce force. It’s not about being perfect, it’s always about being my best self. I am my best self when I acknowledge my flaws and accept them for what they are and then use those “flaws” as assets.
April 23,2021
So it’s been a minute since I have written but don’t think it’s because I have fallen off of the healthy journey path. This is not the case actually it is the opposite. I have been so excited and involved with my new “toy” I just haven’t had time to post about it. I bought a Peloton!! (not sponsored) I am loving the cycling classes and being able to workout and take these classes whenever I want to is so much fun! It has seriously changed my whole mindset. I start every day with a great work out and then my mind and body is so ready for the day and that’s really what I want to write about today. Getting ourselves in a good headspace. We get so caught up in our day to day lives making sure we take care of others and get all the bills paid and go to work sometimes we forget to make sure we are taking care of ourselves as well. For me taking care of myself IS going into my workout room and putting on my cycling shoes and sweating out all the negative that is dragging me down. It’s also spending time with my “circle of people” and going out and doing the things I love in my community. Of course steak night with the husband also helps 🙂 I know it is tough when we are feeling down from all that we have gone through this past year and sometimes we just can’t seem to pull ourselves out of it. But please know you are not alone, you are loved and there are people out there that are here to help. I remember when my daughter was a teenager and going through depression and suicidal thoughts. It was a very tough time and while I was trying to do all I could for her. I could never really understand the scope of what she was going through. All I could do is sit by her side and just let her know I was there , I felt helpless, but honestly I was not helpless I just didn’t know where to turn to for help and what people that I myself could talk to so that I could maybe understand her pain better. Had I talked with someone who had gone through this I feel I would have been been better equipped to know what to do for her, other than just sit next to her while she sat in a hospital bed waiting to be evaluated .. again… because she wanted to hurt herself. I am fortunate, my daughter is still fighting the fight and getting help and learning how to deal with her depression. I have friends who have not been so lucky and I want to there and let them know I am here , whether you are the one struggling or if you have a loved one and don’t know what to do, I am here , to listen, to talk to just go take a walk to get out. Don’t fight this fight alone because please if you take anything away from this long winded ramble of a post, YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU ARE LOVED!
February 28, 2021
We all go through lulls, those moments where we know we are doing everything correctly, but the results are not showing. I am currently in a lull, I get up, I do my workouts, I hit my eating targets, but it is not showing on the scale ( yes I finally stepped on it ) and I feel it isn’t showing physically. So what is a girl to do? Time to change it up. I think the problem is my body is not the only one in lull so are my workouts. I do the same workouts most days and I think my body is no longer responding to what i am doing. Plus I was finding it wasn’t a fun workout anymore, I was just doing it because I needed to workout. I need to change it up, make it fun again. I am only 2 days in but i am looking forward to workouts again and when I do that I make better choices when I eat. I keep better track and actually eat ON TIME. I think that is my biggest timing, I need to remember to eat at the proper times. My work schedule doesn’t allow me to do a normal breakfast lunch and dinner time. So I need to be better at adjusting the time to fit MY schedule. I’m working on it and I have spoke to a nutritionist to help me focus on that.
So if you if you feeling stagnant take a look at what you can change up, if you workout indoors try a few outdoor workouts, change up your meal prep, do something to shake it up. Me, I am trying dance workouts, and while I have two left feet and am totally uncoordinated I am having so much fun with my workouts and really that’s what it’s all about.
January 24,2021
New year new goals right? Sometimes we feel we are going strong and are making all the correct choices and the all of the sudden bam! you get hit with some news that makes you question what you are doing, am I making healthy choices for myself? What am I doing wrong? I am on the struggle bus at the moment and can’t figure out my slump. If you are trying to figure out what I am talking about my doctor recently told me that my glucose levels are slightly elevated and I need to cut back on carbs. I have a hard time accepting this news. I am gluten intolerant therefore I find it easier to not eat the things I used to love like pasta and bread. Basically the simple carbs
Soda ( ok I do enjoy a Diet Dr Pepper.. I am working on this )
Candy
Cookies
Pastries and desserts
Sweetened beverages, such as lemonade or iced tea
Energy drinks
Ice cream
I do try to eat more complex carbs
Brown and wild rices
Quinoa
Potatoes
Corn
Legumes, such as black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and others
While I know there are carbs in vegetables and even the string cheese snack I eat, I am eating less carbs than I would be if I was eating breads or pasta etc. Now all I can think , is it what I am eating and if so what am I eating that is causing this elevation? Or do I continue the path I have been on.. maybe my level was higher when my weight was higher and now it has lowered. How would I know? I didn’t exactly do a before test . I can talk with a nutritionist make sure I am making healthy choices for myself and just go from there.
I guess my point is we put so much weight in these numbers , what the scale says what the lab work says and while I know these things do matter , I know that I continue to make healthy choices for myself, will I be more aware of serving sizes? Most definitely I think that is where I am falling short. I used to measure out my servings with my scale and then I started “eyeballing” it. So I will set my goal this month to be more aware of portion sizes so that my food tracking is accurate.
So morale of todays blog post is not to let something like lab work from the doctor derail you. Last night I was definitely questioning myself, and I am sure I am not alone, But I know I am making healthy choices for myself and making positive changes. This is a marathon not a sprint, it will take time and patience don’t rush it.
December 27,2020
I was going to wait until the new year to write another post but then I thought, why? 2020 has been a year of doing things differently. So instead of waiting until the new year to write and update or start another goal, I am ending 2020 on a high note. My goal this year was to make it through the holidays without going overboard with my eating or giving myself the usual excuse of “it’s the holidays”. I am happy to say I made it through Thanksgiving easy, did not over eat and still kept up with my workouts. As for Christmas I allowed myself a break on workouts, I still did some but I was not a strict. Normally I would feel guilt for missing workouts but because I did not overindulge with my eating I still feel great. I am doing my best to keep off my scale and not let the number it say define me. This is hard for me. It’s one of my biggest challenges so far but I have to keep telling myself it is not abut the number its about how you feel and right now and I feel great ! I told myself starting in the new year I would also start running again, Why am I waiting? So today I laced up my running shoes and ran 3 miles. It felt great! All the fears I had of any aches or pains I would feel or that I would not be able to make the full run all just drifted away with each step I took. I was surprised that as I continued to run I felt I could keep going maybe even go 4 miles. But I also know that I have not run in a while, and even though I have been doing walks and workouts at home I didn’t want to push myself too much on day 1 and then not be able to run tomorrow. Running today reminded me how much I love it, not because I am a great runner, let’s be real I am not running an 8 minute mile. I run because I love the feeling it gives me, the peace I get. It allows me to get out of my head and just let the music wash over me. I don’t think about work, family, my pets, bills, I just listen to the music and the sound of my feet on the ground. It is so refreshing and cleansing. I believe this is something we all need something that allows us the freedom to not think, to have our own time and space to just be and not have anything or anyone interfere. I always feel great after a run.
I am so glad I did not wait until the new year to start running again. If there is something you are waiting to start, a meal change, a workout even if it’s just to drink more water, you don’t have to wait for a resolution to start
November 21, 2020
It’s funny how one little square on the floor can be so intimidating. Everyday I tell myself I will not step on it, that it doesn’t matter what the number on this square says. But I find that I am curious, am I staying on track? Did I lose any weight? Did I eat too much yesterday? Did I overdo it on the carbs or sweets? I know I didn’t and that I am doing my best to continue my healthy journey and the biggest part of that for me is the mental one. The one where my mind is focused and clear and does not get over run with the unhealthy thoughts. I know many of us struggle with this. I struggle with the guilt of missing workouts because of a hectic work week, When I know that as long as I am still staying on track with my eating I am ok. But sometimes my mind doesn’t work that way. I still struggle with not letting the scale rule my thoughts. I tell myself not to step on it, yet I still do. I know it would be easy to put it away, out of sight out of mind, but I am trying to not let this little square run my life. I want to let this square sit on my floor and be able to pass by it without even thinking about it, I know I will get there. As the holidays approach I have told myself that I will continue doing my best to make healthy decisions and get my workouts in and not beat myself up for the things I cannot control. This journey is about being healthy and that is both mind and body. So this year as we make new year resolutions I will be making mine. It will be to continue to make choices that make me happy and to focus on the things I can control. Also its just a scale it does not define me or my accomplishments.
October 17,2020 Well since I started this journey in June I have lost 12 pounds. While this journey is about being healthy and losing weight is a part of that I don’t just want to focus on the pounds. Don’t get me wrong I am so proud of the work I have done so far and the pounds I have lost, but I am more proud of how I have done it. Like I said when I started this it wasn’t about crazy diets or strict workouts or just “being skinny”. This is about me and my everyday life trying to be to healthy and focus on how I can balance my love of food and how I can incorporate that into a healthy lifestyle so I don’t fall back into this up and down of gaining weight and losing weight. Also, my family has history of heart disease so I need to make sure that I am taking care of myself so I am not at risk for a stroke or heart attack. So I will repeat I am proud of those 12 pounds lost, that is 12 pounds less that is weighing on my body and dragging it down. But I am actually proud of the fact that I have been consistent in my efforts to just love myself and continue to not be negative if I miss a workout. That positivity is what keeps me going and helps me remember why I am doing this…. For me.
September 26, 2020
June 26, 2020 So this is me, 46 years old trying my best to find a balance between everyday life and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As with everything sometimes the scales tip a little too far to one side and we find ourselves off balance. I want to journal my journey as I get myself back on track and work to lose this crazy weight I put on. I am not a health expert nor am I a fitness expert. But I love to workout and I love to eat which makes it that much harder to find that balance. I just wanted to write this so others can see it is not about the perfect body, for me its about trying to eat healthy and still not denying myself the things I still love. This is not going to be about crazy diets to follow or strict workouts, this is me, realistic, raw and unfiltered trying my best to get through my day to day and maybe just maybe I will inspire another person to start a journey of their own.
Servings 8 
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.
Calories2 Per Serving
Protein0g Per Serving
Fiber0g Per Serving
Cost Per Serving$1.60
