Pretty Complete Day

Friday, March 04, 2011

Today has been "complete" in the sense that I've been all over the place with this new healthy lifestyle I've adopted. What I mean is...I struggled with wanting to eat too much, but was able to control myself and stay within calorie limits. I was successful in adding fitness in that wasn't "scheduled" for today when I went to a kickboxing class that my company offered over the lunch hour. Then, I had lunch with some lovely co-workers (part of my Biggest Loser team at work) and we got pretty deep talking about our marriages and issues that cause us to stumble there, which led to some pretty great and unexpected emotional healing. This is awesome, since these emotions have so often in the past driven me to eat. I have a caffeine withdrawal headache...but was still able to motivate myself to at least cook my go-to healthy meal that I always whip up when I'm too lazy or not feeling creative enough to find a healthy recipe (pasta, olive oil, diced tomatoes, garlic and some seasonings - simple, but yummy and pretty healthy). Looking forward to relaxing with the kids tonight for Family Movie Night like we do every Friday.

So, the day has been filled with ups and downs and ins and outs of day to day life. I'm so ready for it to end. But, all in all, glad for the day I've had. Because I've proven to myself that, even in the mundane, I can make healthy choices.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PATTIBL 3/4/2011 7:01PM

Great job with not only sticking within calorie range but adding in a cardio session! Report Inappropriate Comment

MARVEEME 3/4/2011 6:29PM

Keep on TRUCKIN'! Report Inappropriate Comment

Reality Check

Thursday, March 03, 2011

So, all this time, I've been thinking that I need to lose 80 lbs., which is a lot. Tonight I was working on adding some tweaks to my Spark Page and typed in the standard "I want to lose 80 lbs." goal. Once I had everything the way I wanted it, I hit "Save". I happened to glance at my weight loss tracker and it was like reality just smacked me right in the face. Weight to lose: 101 lbs. WHAT?! Well, I've been basing my goals off of what I THOUGHT I weighed. And forgetting that, when I weighed in this week for our Biggest Loser contest at work, I actually weighed more than I thought. I had not taken this into account or even thought about this.

Wow. ONE HUNDRED POUNDS! How am I possibly carrying around 100 extra pounds on my body??? I don't FEEL like I'm THAT BIG. But, when I glance in the mirror on my way to the shower, I can confirm that this is accurate. This is a really hard place to be. It's disturbing and sad and frustrating and scary all at once. This morning I read the article on osteoarthritis and and the factors that contribute to it and my eyes were opened. I thought, "I am most certainly going to get this when I am older...and maybe even when I am younger." Same with Diabetes...and who knows? Maybe even breast cancer. (I still wonder if it is linked in some way to America's horrible diet.) In that moment, I realized that this is about so much more than just losing weight for a contest at work or even about looking good. As over-dramatic as it sounds, it's about staying ALIVE. I can close my eyes and pretend that I am not in the state that I am...or I can be completely honest with myself and realize that I need to do something now before it's too late to do something about this.

I am only 32 years old. Therefore, I have quite a bit of life ahead of me. I have youth on my side and I have a body that is strong enough to get itself into shape, if I will just move it.

I don't know how I'm going to do this. But I'm just going to keep doing my best and being mindful of how I treat my body, what I put into it, and how often I work activity into my life.

Oh my goodness...a hundred pounds. Ugh!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

PATTIBL 3/3/2011 11:37PM

I have never been thin or average weight. When I was 12, I wore a size 12 and that is the smallest size I ever remember getting into. The BIG number overwhelms me when I think about it so I set it up in small increments. I am going by 20lbs. I lose that then re-evaluate. I know I will do it a couple of times but 20 seems much more manageable to me. You are right, many diseases are increased greatly due to size. It is important to be healthy to prevent them. You are on the right track. Keep up the great work! Hope this helps, Report Inappropriate Comment

Busy busy busy...no time for snacking

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Don't you just LOVE a busy day that is so crazy, you don't even have a chance to THINK about food? Aside from the stress, I actually do like it.

What are your thoughts? Easier to eat healthy when you're busy? Or tougher (because you eat mindlessly)?

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MARVEEME 3/3/2011 7:15PM

Sometimes get so busy I forget whole meals, let alone the snacks! lol Idle hands are the devil's workshop! Report Inappropriate Comment

Feeling Good...

Wednesday, March 02, 2011

It's a great day today. I can't even say what it is that makes it a great day...I just feel great. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I slept pretty well last night. Plus, when I went to the restroom today, I happened to glance in the mirror and realized that this outfit and hairstyle and makeup is really working for me today. I'm usually not great at dressing for my weight, but I have to admit that this ensemble is trimming today. Little things like this really make a difference in my day and in how I feel about myself. Sometimes it takes awhile for me to understand that it's OK to give myself positive messages like this. It isn't necessarily "conceited" to think to myself, "I look really pretty today." I wouldn't think anything of telling one of my friends the same and I wouldn't think them arrogant if they accepted the compliment by saying, "Thank you. I feel pretty today." We should talk to ourselves nicely more often, don't you think?



Why not just try it and see how it feels? I can almost guarantee that it will change a lot of things. It has changed how committed I am to my calorie goals today. It has even given me a spark of motivation to do something active today. In the spirit of CONTINUING with this positive feeling...



It really is a lot like a spark that sets a flame. So...what are you waiting for? Go to it!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MARVEEME 3/2/2011 7:21PM

Next time you pass that mirror, look that beautiful girl right in the eyes and tell her, out loud, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! You can't love anyone properly if you don't love yourself! SPARK ON! Report Inappropriate Comment

PATTIBL 3/2/2011 4:55PM

I agree, we should treat ourselves as our best friends and tell ourselves we look good! We also need to give a positive message to ourselves when we make the right choices.. like going to the gym or making a healthier choice. All to often we focus on the negative things we did not the positive. Report Inappropriate Comment

Chipotle - Brilliant or Bust?

Tuesday, March 01, 2011

So, it's the first day of the month, which means work is crazy busy for us and our required phone calls are through the roof, due to our sales team meeting their deadline of month-end sales yesterday. As is the custom, our company likes to bribe us to work through our lunch hour by giving us free food. Chipotle.



Normally, Chipotle is a total nightmare for me, calorie-wise. And do you think I ever eat just a half a burrito? Uh...NO. So, I've gotta say...I was a little worried about this. Now I won't say I'm a salad hater...in general, I do like salads. But when faced with a decision of what to get from a place like Chipotle, come on...who wants to get a SALAD? So, as much as it killed me at the time, I placed an order for a vegetarian Bowl (which I didn't know included rice - OOPS) and skipped the cheese, chips and sour cream (waaaah!), but sprung for guacamole. Because, I'm sorry...if there is an option for guacamole, you better believe I will ALWAYS get guacamole. There are some lines I just will not cross.



At any rate, lunch arrived and you know what? It was absolutely delicious. And for 445 calories (not bad!), I did not shed one tear at all for my missing meat, cheese, sour cream, chips or tortilla. I was completely satisfied. Wow...learn something new every day.



I'm convinced that adopting a healthy lifestyle is simply a series of small choices that add up to big results. The hardest part of all of it is making the choices. You don't understand how hard it was for me to NOT check that box for chips or cheese, thinking...what's the big deal? It's just a few more calories!!! Well, in the end, several instances like that will be a big deal.

So, yay for me. I, for one, am pleasantly surprised with myself at this moment.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

NASCARGRL67 3/4/2011 7:13PM

I feel your pain!!! Chipotle is one of my absolute favs! We've eaten there every other day for a week now (there was a facebook coupon for buy one, get one free - almost too much of a good thing)!!! I can forego the sourcream and the tortilla and half the rice but I NEVER, EVER do I go without the guacamole!!! It is possible to make little changes and still eat out while adopting a healtier lifestyle!!! Good for you for making better choices!!! Comment edited on: 3/4/2011 7:13:51 PM Report Inappropriate Comment

LIVESTRONG2010 3/1/2011 2:21PM

I have never tried anything other than the vegetarian bowl with half the rice and black beans and yes I do have the guacamole as well. I so love that but I don't get it that much a. Report Inappropriate Comment

PATTIBL 3/1/2011 1:02PM

Great job making a wiser choice. We are changing our eating habits as a way of life. This means finding a way to incorporate things like eating out and still maintaining a healthly lifestyle. The guac is not that bad since avocados contain a good fat and if you use that and the salsa as a dressing for the salad even better! Report Inappropriate Comment

REDRAIDERPROF 3/1/2011 1:01PM

I love Chipotle's salads. I could eat those every day. Of course I am also allergic to gluten so I couldn't eat a burrito or anything even if I wanted to. Report Inappropriate Comment