The End And a New Beginning!

So, today is the last day of 2012!  I started my journey on January 2, 2012 and it has been a good year for my health!  I lost 24 lbs total, though have gained some back during the holidays.  I am looking forward to starting fresh again in January 2013!  I hope to lose at least another 24 lbs!

So, Happy New Year to all of you and I leave you with this thought:

Hanging in There.

I seem to be doing much better with the "view today and only today" motto.  If I mess up, I don't dwell on yesterday's mistakes.  I focus on NOW.  It seems to be working.  I've lost 2.4 lbs of what I'd put back on, so that's a good thing!

All this running around doesn't hurt either!

My next battle is going to be the Christmas COOKIES!  I am making batches for bus drivers and teachers and they are just so darn good, I'm sure it will be "1 for you, 3 for me ..."!

It also helps to keep my perspective in light of the Connecticut shootings.  Just tragic.  What's a weight loss journey and the relatively small struggles when compared to the loss those folks are dealing with up there.

So, hug your kids and live in the moment!

The Little Picture

I've been thinking about this all wrong (and probably way too much).  I've gotten so overwhelmed by the big picture - the holiday season - that I forgot the first rule of weight loss:  Yesterday is gone, tomorrow isn't here yet - all I can control is what I do today.

I need to just concentrate on today.  I can't worry about what I might eat during the week of Christmas or the upcoming Christmas parties.  I need to focus on today.  Today I can control.  I can fight and work hard right NOW.

Sure, I'm going to screw up.  But if I do, I need to remember that it's over and past and I need to concentrate on the "now" and do my best to eat better and exercise.

I must say I feel pretty good today.  I ate horribly over the weekend and just felt terrible.  Very blah.  So much rich food.  My body just doesn't tolerate it well any more.  There wasn't even that "instant gratification" when I was eating the smoked chicken wings on Saturday.  I took a bite and thought, "Wow, this is really heavy and greasy."  And I only ate one.  That's all my body could deal with.

So, today I am going to do this.  I am going to eat better and exercise.  I've already ridden my recumbent bike for 71 minutes and I've done some calisthenics and it's just now 7:30 a.m.!  So that is a good start.

I am going to try not to get wrapped up in fears over weight gain this holiday season.  I will do what I can in the moment and try to be better than I was yesterday.  I will make progress.  I am going to fight for my body, fight for my health.  In this time of thinking of others, I need to make sure I don't forget to think of myself!
To start myself on my way, to get myself motivated to deal with TODAY, I leave you with this thought:

Holiday Season .. Can I Survive It??

So today is December 1.  This is the month with lots of food, family and revelry.  How am I ever going to keep my weight loss going??

One of my friends suggested that I just try and maintain during this time.  Keep up the exercise and eating well when I can, but don't limit myself to the point of not enjoying this special holiday time.  Somehow that feels like a cop-out to me, but he does have a point.  I don't want to be miserable all month because I wanted to lose weight and ate that piece of pecan pie ...

Still, I don't really want to just coast through this month.  I want to persevere, but honestly?  I don't think it's going to be possible.  Maybe I should just coast and then start with new rejuvenation after New Year's Day. That was when I started this journey last year and I did have a lot of focus and determination at that time.

Am I silly for even worrying about this?  So long as I keep up my morning exercises and my weight lifting and kettle bells, is it okay if I eat more and enjoy more "bad" foods?

I'm having a tough time coming to terms with this.  What thoughts do you guys have?

Overwhelmed ... again!

I can't believe I have not posted at ALL this month!  It's been quite the crazy month, to be sure.  I had some extra court dates added in and then, of course, the holidays!

But I'm a survivor and I'm (hopefully) back with a vengeance!

I was so surprised and excited to be nominated by Katrin of http://gogoggygo.blogspot.com/ for the Liebster Award!

The Rules- Once you're nominated, write 11 facts about yourself.

- Then, take a look at the 11 questions the person who nominated you asked and answer them.

- Get your thinking cap on and come up with 11 questions of your own for your nominees to answer

- Then choose the 5 bloggers you want to nominate (they must have less than 200 followers) & let them know they've been nominated (there are no tag backs - you can't nominate the person who nominated you).

- Complete this post and then link it to the person who nominated you (in the comments of their blog).

So, here we go:

11 Facts about myself:

1.  I am a lawyer.

2.  I have written two books and have two more in various forms of completion.  None have been published, though I did publish a short story in an online magazine.

3.  I have four kids ranging from age 22 down to age 7.

4.  I have been married to the same man since I was 20 years old.  I adore him.

5.  I love rock and roll and rocked out to bands such as AC/DC, Judas Priest, Axe, Black Sabbath and more in my day (and I still like to!)

6.  I love cooking and have discovered that this healthy journey I'm on has been great in learning to explore new ways to make food that tastes good, offers comfort and still keeps me healthy.

7.  I tend to organize with colors.  Even my calendars are all color-coded.  I think it may be an OCD thing ...

8.  My favorite food is steak.

9.  I really dislike scorpions.

10.  I am claustrophobic which I discovered the first time I had to have an MRI

11.  I am a sci-fi geek and currently my favorite TV show is "The Walking Dead"

11 Questions from Katrin for me to answer:

1.  What is your favourite holiday of the year?  Halloween!!  I tend to go a little overboard with it (okay, now you can probably hear my whole family saying "a LITTLE????")  

2.  What is your best childhood memory?  Making up and performing plays with my little brother for the family.  We used to write and perform all the time!  

3.  I  love to blog because......  I love to write.  And what better way to keep myself on track and chronicle my weight loss and healthy journey than by writing about it!  I really enjoy the feedback and support I get from my readers - you guys get me through some tough spots - I can't do it without you!!

4.  What would your dream job be?  Well, a published author would be my first choice.  However, I always wanted to be an astronaut.  Probably the sci-fi geek in me, but how cool would it be to colonize the moon??

5.  What would your last meal be?  Steak.  Without a doubt.  Well, maybe prime rib.  Red meat, for sure.

6.  Do you feel like you are in the space and place you are meant to be?  Wow, good question!!  There are times when I think I was supposed to have lived in the Scottish highlands long ago.  I have some kind of connection to that time period for some reason.  But then, I think how spoiled I am by things like toothpaste, toilet paper, running water ... I think I'm in the right time and place.

7.  George Clooney or Brad Pitt?  Brad Pitt - definitely.

8.  What is your most precious possession?  Well, I would say my children, but they aren't really possessions, are they?  Still, they are the most precious things to me in the whole world.  If I had to pick an actual object I'd have to say my kids baby books.  I scrapbook and I love going through them and re-living all their wonderful times and cuteness!

9.  Do you prefer an adventure vacation or relaxing vacation?  Relaxing, for sure.  Maybe once I'm down in weight and healthier, I'll lean more towards adventure.  But right now, the thought of a beach and a book with the sound of my kids' laughter and my hubby beside me ... that's heaven.

10.  How do you define success?  I would say success is not necessarily the end result, but rather the attitude and commitment on the journey.  Success is getting up and trying again after falling down.  Persistence and gumption.  It's definitely more an attitude than an end result.

11.  What inspired you to create a blog?  Honestly I hadn't ever really thought about it until I started my weight loss journey.  I was looking for ways to keep myself motivated and I discovered other blogs.  The more I read, the more I felt energized and motivated.  Then I realized, that if I had a blog, I could have input from readers who might help me along the way, and thus, my blog was born!

11 Questions for my nominees to answer:

1.  What motivates you?

2.  What book are you reading right now?

3.  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?

4.  Would you rather have a snowy Christmas or a warm one?

5.  What is the best vacation you ever went on?

6.  Name one hobby and why you love it.

7.  What is the most difficult thing you have dealt with in your weight loss journey and how did you overcome it?

8.  If you could have any job, what would it be?

9.  Who would you want to have dinner with?  It can be anyone alive or dead.

10.  If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

11.  What is your favorite movie and why?

My 5 Nominees are: (and I have no idea how to tell if someone has less than 200 followers, so if these have more, sorry!)

1.  Safire at: http://www.gracedishes.com/

2.  DB at:  http://204andlosingit.blogspot.com/

3.  Stefanie at: http://www.ifcurvescouldtalk.com/

4.  Connie at: http://www.fat2fitmommy.com/

5.  Frugal in WV at: http://wvfrugal-wvsaver.blogspot.com/

Kettlebells

I am so sore today!!

I have added in some kettlebell exercises to my routine, and boy do I feel it!!  I'm taking it slow because I hurt my back when I tried to do too much weight and too much activity all at once.  I'm only using a 5 lb kettle bell but the way I feel today, it might as well have been a 50 pounder!  It's a good hurt, though, and I'm pleased at finding something new to add in to my workout.  I've been wanting to for months now!

I've also lost some more weight!  I'm down to 188.0 lbs today!  I hope this keeps up!

My problem area at the moment is my waist, so I've chosen some exercises to help with that area.  I do them after I'm done with my bowflex workout so I'm nice and warmed up.  Since my bowflex works my arms, chest and core, the kettlebell exercises for my waist should be a nice addition! And given that my waist, sides and stomach are all sore today, it must be working!

I'm a little concerned because I have date night on Friday night (alcohol and Mexican food!) and the GA - FL game is Saturday (go Dawgs!) and I will be making my famous chili, jalapeno poppers (wrapped in bacon) and garlic-cheese bread.  But I am hoping that adding in the extra exercise, plus taking the Advocare energy formula again, will make the difference and I won't gain a ton of weight back.

I must say I am quite amazed that the small amount of working out with a 5 lb kettlebell can make me feel so  sore!  When I do the workout, I really don't feel like I'm doing much at all, yet my muscles are telling me quite loudly that I did.  That's the best kind of workout - one that doesn't feel like too much at the time, but gives a great punch!

I'm kind of excited!  I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes!

Get out there and find an exercise that makes you feel good!  It's worth it!

We all Need a Break

I became a bit frustrated because of all the work I felt like I was doing with no results.  So this weekend, I decided I needed a break, even though there would be football food, etc.  So I did not ride the bike.



And guess what?  I've lost weight!  I am back below the 190 barrier - weighing less today than I have in a while.

I think I just needed a break.  And so did my body.  It was getting used to the daily workout and I think it needed the break.  This morning I rode for 75 minutes on my bike, did my butt crunches, leg lifts and other calisthenics and I feel really good!  Kind of rejuvenated.



And I ate without worrying about it this weekend.  I made ham for football Saturday and we snacked on it literally all day long.  And yesterday I made home made mac & cheese (except I did use lower fat cheeses and fat free cream), and I had two helpings.  And still, I'm down in weight.

I think I just needed to give myself a break.  I was consumed with frustration for not losing any weight.

I feel so much better this morning!

The other change I've made is going back on my Advocare energy formula AND adding in the Advocare protein drink for after my workouts.  But I did neither of those things this weekend.  I took a break from EVERYTHING and just gave myself some time to breathe.  In fact, on Sunday, I watched NFL football and played World of Warcraft pretty much all day.  And still lost weight.

So, this week is back to business and I hope to be more energized and get better workouts for having taken the break.

Keep your fingers crossed, and give yourself a break.