Julie Jones - I was just thinking

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Tue, 28 Jun 2016 02:12:00 +0000

Crossfit is about data. It is measurable and repeatable. It has benchmark workouts and heroes workouts that crossfitters do periodically to see how they have grown.

Today we repeated a workout from last summer.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Power Cleans

Last year when I did this WOD, I use a 75# barbell and 20" box. Today when we retested, I wasn't sure what to do. When you retest, you can either use the same weight and try to go faster or go up in weight and try to get around the same time. I decided to do the latter. I surprised myself.

Today was a good reminder that looking back is good sometimes. We can get caught up in where we are right now and forget about how far we've come.

Crossfit Strong; not a four letter word.

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 03:21:00 +0000

Meet Amanda Hill

I have had this ongoing conversation with several other women and there are two opinions out there regarding strength. Everyone wants to be strong in some form or another. But some women feel afraid to "look" strong because they feel like that will make them look masculine. I disagree with every fiber of my being. If I'm walking down the street, I want to look strong enough that no one will consider jumping me and if they do, I will be able to handle my business. But are there women who have large muscles that resemble men's muscles? Absolutely! But most who get to that point have occupations that precipitate that sort of definition like body builders.

Female professional Crossfit athletes do build up muscle, but many still look feminine in their everyday lives. It's only when dressed in workout gear that their full definition can be seen. Because of their training programs, they know where to find balance. And from a body physiology standpoint, they don't do the same type of work that body builders do to gain the kind of mass that matches a man. It's not until artificial means are introduced into training that unusual and unnatural muscle gain is seen for the most part.

Therefore, I propose that real strength is not masculine or feminine. Strength is the ability to be functionally fit to carry out life's daily task and to be healthy while doing those tasks. The key is to understand your body's natural composition. Your body's shape is your body's shape. You can't change your inherent shape structurally. Your bone structure is what it is. You have to be happy with the body you have. But having said that, you should embrace and strive for the healthiest version of you; not the healthiest version of anyone else; just you. Strength is intrinsically connected to health. Don't be afraid of strength. It will keep you living longer and independently for many years to come.

Front Squat 1 Rep Max and more

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Fri, 17 Jun 2016 15:35:00 +0000

Earlier this week, we retested our 1 rep max front squat at my crossfit gym, Crossfit Cove. We initially tested this lift on April 19th and I was able to lift 215lbs. Over the next two months, we worked on various rep schemes of the front squat.

As you work through a strength cycle, you look to improve form and strength. So there are days when you do multiple sets with multiple reps at a lower weight to improve those aspects of your lift. On June 9th, I managed to hit 205lbs for 2 reps and 225 for 1 rep. This week, I got back to 215lbs and so I attempted 230lbs. That's what this photo shows.

I didn't make the lift. I tried 3 times and couldn't do it. But you know what? I'm ok with it. I ran a 5k the day before; my first since November 2015. So I could've been more rested. If I had tried a little later in the day or later in the week, I might have been able to hit 230lbs. Or maybe I wouldn't have. Who's to say.

But I shared this picture for a completely different reason. This picture shows physical strength. So if you fall down, I can probably pick you up if I needed to. But it also shows something else that no one sees. The past couple of weeks have been very stressful on so many fronts. Dealing with challenges at work, health issues, car issues, and other things that life has thrown me have just been difficult to deal with. They have weighed on me like carrying this weight on my shoulders.

Encouragement from my friends and family and lots of prayers have helped me get through. Some issues are ongoing and require continued endurance and prayer. Some other things have been resolved or are being managed. The key is to remember that disappointments and trials that we face are temporary and that our heavenly Father Jehovah is our source of strength. The bible tells us that "No temptation has come upon you except what is common to men. But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out so that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The Apostle Paul mentions temptations, but this scripture also applies to us when we are facing trials. No trial that we face is uncommon to humans. But Jehovah promises to help make a way out for us to endure the trial. That may not mean removing the trial. But it may mean putting people in our path to encourage us, giving us articles in the Watchtower or Awake at just the right time, or putting it our hearts to read that one scripture that just gives us just what we need to continue on.

This life is hard. There is no doubt about that. But the hardships we face are temporary. We can face them with prayer and reliance on faithful friends.

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/awake-no1-2016-february/

Figure it out

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 17:05:00 +0000

The next time you think you "can't" do something, take a look at this video.

"When you are supposed to do 70-lb. goblet squats but only have one leg, you figure it the [] out. Also after 80 double Unders ... on one leg." —Anthony Kemp

Clean and Jerk

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 13:48:00 +0000

As I get ready for my first weightlifting meet, this is the goal. Not the weight, but the form.

30 days and a million lessons

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Wed, 04 May 2016 17:54:00 +0000

My 30 sabbatical from Wodify and Rx+ Metcons

It started with open workout 16.3. Well, I should say that it became apparent to me during 16.3 that my attitude about Crossfit had changed. After almost a year of loving workouts, my view about training and metcons in particular took a negative turn. My coaches saw it before I did. I was doing metcons at Rx+ almost constantly. That little red badge by your score almost guarantees that you will be at the top of the whiteboard at the end of the day. For a competitive person, being on top all the time can be hard to resist.

It starts with a seemingly innocent competition to beat your friend in a metcon or skill WOD. When that happens, it's a nice feeling. I'm not gonna lie. But the next time it happens, it feels different. It starts to feel like something you have to do. Eventually, beating your friend isn't enough. What you need to get your fix is to beat everyone else. That top spot on the white board is like taking the podium at the Crossfit Games; you are the fittest in your box. You don't say it out loud. But you do think it.

Then that day comes when you find yourself with the whiteboard open all day to check the scores like a gambler at the race track. If you already did the WOD, your main concern is that no one beats your score. If haven't done the workout, your main concern is how you can beat every person that jumps to the top of the whiteboard throughout the day. You think to yourself, "if I do xx reps per minute, I can get this score." You actually start gaming the WOD. But the really low point comes that day when your friends when they do well on a WOD and you don't and you aren't happy for them. You know that day; it's the day when you find yourself in the back of the box upset about that WOD that just didn't go your way. That is the day when you realize that you're in a bad head space.

But wait, didn't you start Crossfit to get in shape? Weren't your first few months so much fun because you were learning so much everyday? Weren't you taking thosee things you learned and becoming functionally fit? Yeah, you were walking taller, feeling confident, eating right and talking about how Crossfit helped improve your health.

That was me. I started off right. But a year later, I was addicted to being on top. I left Wodify up on my computer all day. My low point was when I didn't get a bar muscle up during 16.3. I was mad about it. But what took me over the top was when I saw all of my friends get their first bar muscle ups, one right after another, it just ate away at me on the inside. It was like battery acid on my heart. It burned me alive. When I tried to get one after two days off and didn't get it, I was devastated in a way that I had never experienced before. I was sad and shortly after afterwards deeply ashamed for not being happy for everyone else. You'd think that would be the tipping point for me. But ironically it took two more weeks to see the full depth of my problem.

After the open, I talked to two important people in my life who told me point blank that I needed to get it together. The competition thing had gone too far. So I agreed to take 30 days off from doing Rx+ WODs and 30 days off from Wodify. Now to clarify, I didn't stay completely out of Wodify. I sign in from my phone a couple times a week when I am running late for class. And when we are repeating a skill WOD or Metcon, I check to see what I got previously to gauge where I should be in terms of weight or time. But outside of class, I don't check the whiteboard. Wherever I end up on the whiteboard is no longer been my concern. It's not my business to worry about it.

Now, I didn't miraculously have that realization. At the beginning of my sabbatical, I started meeting ladies from the New You Challenge group. They are all new to Crossfit and for some of them, new to fitness in general. They are starting their journey and everyday is a great day because they are learning new things and seeing gains in all areas of their lives. They are me one year ago. Meeting them and helping them achieve new skills brought me full circle.

Many of the ladies asked me about my journey and what brought me to Crossfit and living a healthy lifestyle. Telling my story helped refocus me and it forced me to go back to living an authentic life. I was living the life of a Crossfit hypocrite. Crossfit is about fitness, yes, but it's also about community. I wasn't about community; I was about me.

My 30 days is almost over and I have been giving some thought about getting back on Wodify and back to doing Rx+ WODs. While I miss liking other people's scores, I have felt some relief from not doing it for a month. Not checking my standing on the whiteboard has forced me to be present during the workout, but then present with my life outside of the box. I don't want to give that up. In terms of Rx+, I have taken the month to refocus on virtuous form during the workouts. I feel like a better athlete because of that focus. Finishing last with good form is way better than finishing first with bad form. I can't imagine never doing Rx+ again. I think that doing Rx+ has a place in my life. It's just not first place anymore.

Watch this video from Barbell Shrugged:

It's about finding joy in your training. It was what got me thinking about making these changes in my life.

Pacers vs. Yard Sticks

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Wed, 06 Apr 2016 02:48:00 +0000

Are your training buddies pacers or yard sticks?

What's a pacer? In a foot race, a pacer is a runner who will set the pace for a group of runners who have to the goal of finishing each mile of the race within a certain range of time. So suppose you average an 8:30 mile, you would find a pacer that is assigned to the 8:00-9:00 minute per mile group. As long as you keep up with the pacer, you are mostly guaranteed to meet your goal. Pacers are great for runners who are new to racing or who are doing a long race for the first time. The first time I ran with a pacer, I set a personal record for my 5k time.

When I started Crossfit, I sought out pacers for certain movements and skills. Often Crossfit pacers are people with similar or slightly better skills. You play off each other and push each other to be better. Most of my pacers have been crossfitting for about the same amount of time as me or maybe a little longer. I do have one pacer who is also a coach. Sometimes, she's a pacer, but more often, she is a rabbit. I can't catch her, but her example gives me a goal to shoot for in the long term.

Pacers can come about organically or by design. When preparing for a competition, you need your pacers to keep you motivated and to keep you on track. If you need to get better at a certain skill, your pacers will model that skill for you or at least be there to help you improve by providing constructive feedback. Your pacers will probably also be some of your best friends in the box. You will have each others' backs outside of the box.

But what if, instead of a pacer, you have a yard stick; that person with whom you constantly measure your success against. If your yard stick gets a PR, you must get a PR. If your yard stick goes all out and does the WOD at Rx+, then of course, you have to do Rx+ even if you're not really capable of it. What happens when your yard stick has success at certain lift or skill and you don't? How does that affect your relationship with your yard stick? How does it affect your view of yourself? Is your self-worth dependent on how you perform in relation to your yard stick? Do you see the problem?

Here's the thing. We usually pick our pacers voluntarily and intentionally based on similar abilities and our own level of comfort with our pacer. The flip side is that a pacer can turn into a yard stick subtlety over time unintentionally.

So what do you do? You don't want to risk poisoning the community with toxic yard stick relationships; stalking the whiteboard to find opportunities to one up your yard stick at every turn. Or worse yet, poisoning your own relationship with your yard stick because of your own internal struggles.

Here's the easiest solution: get a new yard stick; YOU. The great thing about Crossfit is that we're always collecting data. You only have to measure up to your potential, not anyone else's potential. So view your growth as your own...and then chart it. Then retest because we love to retest in Crossfit. (Be honest, how many times have you done Fran?) Now, accept this important truth: you only have to be better than the you of yesterday. And some days, you don't even have to do that.

Freeing yourself from having an external yard stick will do wonders for your training. But it'll also help keep the joy alive inside of you and it will help you remember why you walked through the door that very first day.

Now, go do YOUR best on that next WOD.

The Whole 30: A vegetarian's perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Wed, 27 May 2015 12:43:00 +0000

I have been giving some thought about what I wanted to share about my experience doing the Whole 30. I was able to maintain it for 21 days before I decided to stop. As you know, I went into this with the intention to scale it because I am a vegetarian, primarily for health reasons. Since I wanted to be fully informed about the challenge, I bought "The Whole 30, the 30 guide to total health" thinking that it would be a good guide to help me through the challenge. It is a great book, with lots of recipes.

However, as I read the book, it became clear that the Whole 30 is not for vegetarians or vegans and the book is, in its own way, kind of disrespectful of people who have chosen that lifestyle, even suggesting that they re-introduce meat into their diets for 30 days to see how it affects their health. For me, this was a deal breaker. I stopped eating meat because I was having digestion problems that only went away by removing meat from my diet.

The other part that was hard for me as a vegetarian was giving up meat substitutes. While you can have extra firm organic tofu and some forms of tempeh, you can't have most other meat substitutes, which is a big source of protein for me. I get it that these foods are processed and have some added sugar, but it left me with fewer choices and there are only so many ways to eat tofu. So I found myself eating most fruits and vegetables, which, while healthy, ended up not being enough calories at the end of the day.

By the middle of third week, I found myself considering eating meat because I knew I wasn't getting enough protein. The Whole 30 book suggests that vegetarians aim for as little protein as possible, which is unbelievable to me. So in an effort to get some protein, I ate some eggs and they made me sick for about two days. But what was more distressing was the fact that I even made that choice. As a vegetarian, I chose to go along with a plan that went against what I believe in. That was bothersome to me. In my everyday life, I eat pretty clean, opting for mostly organic, non-GMO foods. So I ended up talking to my weight watchers leader about the challenge and she told me that she was very concerned about me doing the challenge In the first place. Her box also does Paleo challenges and knowing how I already eat, she was concerned that this would be too restrictive for me. She suggested that I end the challenge at that point and incorporate the healthful things that I learned into my life, like consuming foods/drinks with little or no added sugar since that seemed more manageable for me.

So in the end, eating less sugar (added sugar specifically) is what I will take away from this experience. I was already good at limiting my processed foods and as a vegetarian, I will probably never be convinced that a diet that includes meat is good for me specifically. I think the goal of The Whole 30 is to see what foods are problems for you and I think that is a good thing especially if you are used to eating a lot of processed junk/fast food. For me, I know that meat, eggs, dairy, and nuts are harmful to my body. And over the past two and half years, I have learned what's better for body. That's mostly because of what I've learned through Weight Watchers and listening to my body.

I will say that after doing the challenge, I can see that I got stronger. Once I got over the sugar withdrawal, I felt like my moods were much more even. I don't have extreme moods normally, but I do feel like I handled difficult situations in a much calmer state of mind. I also think that I became stronger physically as well. I had a couple of Rx WODs and improved my baseline WOD time. So although it seems like hated the challenge, I don't regret doing it. If we do it again, I'll know how to do it in a way that works for me.

And also... Bread-less pudding... Enough said.

Crossfit, The Whole 30 & Fitbit Challenges

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 18:43:00 +0000

CrossFit

It's been a month since I started doing Crossfit and Crossfit Cove, I got hooked when my friend Noelle invited me to a class at her box. I instantly loved it and I could see how Crossfit could take me to the next level with my exercise goals. I was looking for a change and Crossfit was the answer.

In the past month, I have seen my strength and endurance improve. I have even started doing things that I never felt possible. I'm close to a pull-up, I got on the ropes and lifted myself up one level and I have even done a handstand push-up.

The Whole 30

The Whole 30 is a clean eating challenge that the folks at my Crossfit box are all doing. We're eliminating processed foods, including sugar, grains, and dairy. As a vegetarian and a person with nut and seed allergies, this is going to be a challenge. In terms of soy products, I am limiting them to organic extra firm tofu. Fake meats tend to have added sugars. So I'll have to be creative. I bought The Whole 30 book and thankfully there is a section for vegetarians. So I am getting proteins.

The Fit Bit Challenge

So I've had my Fitbit for 8 months and for a while, FitBit challenges motivated me to move more. Although the FitBit challenges are meant to build friendly competition and serve as a motivator, lately I have found them burdensome, mostly because I'm getting more of my activity in non-step focused ways. So I'll workout at Crossfit for an hour, but not get a lot of steps. So right now, I'm trying to find the right balance. I still love my FitBit and I'm trying to get 10,000 steps a day. But I have to discerning and balanced.

So what's next? I have a Spartan race to train for in July. I have 10lbs to lose because I lived like a teenager for about three weeks. I have races to register for fairly soon and I still have the Crossfit goals that I wrote on the whiteboard.

Old King Cole

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 11:47:00 +0000

Project #3

WOD - 3/23/15

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Mon, 23 Mar 2015 13:23:00 +0000

Date: 3/23/2015

Deadlift (Take 15 minutes to find a 1 RM Deadlift )

Metcon (Time)

30 Cal Row
20 Box Jumps
10 Power Cleans
2 Rounds
15 min Cap

Fitness 105/70
RX 155/105
RX+ 175/125

My performance:

85lb deadlift

Metcon: 12:26, 45lbs, 20" box

Oscars Party 2015 (A Party by the Marthas)

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Wed, 25 Feb 2015 23:18:00 +0000

We did it, despite the snow. We threw a successful Oscars party filled with laughter, good food and friends.

Here are some of the highlights.

View the full album

Love The Way You Lie

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 03:17:00 +0000

While I was running my first 10K race this September, I realized what it is about running that has me hooked... or at least, I heard the words to describe it:

"I can't tell you what it really is
I can only tell you what it feels like
And right now there's a steel knife in my windpipe
I can't breathe but I still fight while I can fight
As long as the wrong feels right it's like I'm in flight
High off the love, drunk from the hate,
It's like I'm huffing paint and I love it the more I suffer, I suffocate"

When I run, everything is telling me to stop.
But at the same time, everything is telling me keep going.

It's a curious enigma. It's something that you can love and hate at the same time.
It has me in it's grip and I don't want it to let go.

HCC Challenge 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 11:37:00 +0000

Last race of the year. Finished in 27:11

Ulman Cancer Fund - 5k Run

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 11:29:00 +0000

This was an interesting run. I finished in 28:04.

Biggest Loser Six Flags 10k

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 11:22:00 +0000

I finished my first 10k in 59:35. Woohoo!

Countdown to 10K

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 03:06:00 +0000

It started with a passing thought in February 2011. I was running laps in the gym at HCC during my boot camp class. We were doing laps and suddenly out of no where I thought to myself, "I wonder if I could do a 5k". I sat on that thought for a few months and as the class progressed and we ran for longer periods of time, I gave the idea more and more thought.

At the same time, I was embarking on my weight loss journey. I started February at 190 lbs and was determined to make a change in my life. Exercise was part of the journey and a change in diet was the other half. I cut out a lot of fried food and cut back on sweets. I continued my boot camp class and tried to learn about make good food choices. But by April 2011, I realized that I couldn't do this on my own. So I joined Weight Watchers. That made a huge difference with my weight loss.

In terms of my running, I kept my goal of running a 5K in my sights too. As the weight came off, I got a little more confident that I could at least give it a try. So I signed up for a race. I was scared to do it, but a friend signed up with me and that made it less scary. My first race, the Columbia Rotary Memorial Run was on may 30, 2011. My goal was to finish in under 40 minutes. I don't even know why I picked that time, but I did it. I finished in 38:56. Since then I have worked to decrease my time.

Since then, I've run more races... well actually many more:

May 30, 2011 - 38:56
June 4, 2011
June 9, 2012
May 27, 2013
June 9, 2013
July 14, 2013
June 6, 2014 - Off Road Challenge
June 22, 2014
July 19, 2014
July 27, 2014
August 3, 2014
August 16, 2014 - 28:54

Also, on the weight loss front, I'm down 50lbs from February 2011 and I've made lifetime at Weight Watchers.

About a year ago, I decided to set the goal to run a 10K race. In two days, I'm going down to Six Flags America for the Biggest Loser Race. I'm excited for the race. I'll post my results afterwards.

I'm a veggie. Why the change?

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 03:27:00 +0000

I was talking to someone recently about the things that people say when someone they know becomes vegan. Let me say this first -- what I'm about to say is not meant to offend anyone. But it is meant to begin a thought process and a dialog about veganism, lifestyle changes, and how we respond to other people's decisions.

1. I joined Weight Watchers in April 2011.

2. I became a vegetarian in January 2013.

3. At some point around 2006-7 I developed an nut/seed allergy.

4. Since I was 18 years old, I have had a milk allergy.

Surprisingly, the 3rd and 4th statements are things that most people understand and respect. Most people who know of my allergies are super protective about the foods around me. They make sure that I don't accidentally eat something with nuts or seeds, mostly because they reaction could be serious and life threatening. I am grateful for people's concern and protection in this area.

When it comes #1, most people who haven't known me long can't believe that I'm on Weight Watchers. Since joining Weight Watchers, I have lost about 35lbs. However, I decided to start the the journey to a more healthy life style before joining Weight Watchers. At my heaviest, I weighed close to 230lbs. I was able to get down to 190 lbs and stayed there about four years. In December 2010, I was ending one of the longest years of my life. I saw a photo of myself and realized that I had become complacent. A change was needed. To be fair, I needed to change a number of areas of my life. But my weight was the one area where I would have 100% control. So I signed up for Weight Watchers.

That decision caused me to lose out...to lose out on aches and pains...to lose out on being the slowest one walking anywhere...to lose out on feeling less than and not worthy of the best life. I have to confess that I didn't mind giving up those things. The draw back was feeling like the freak in my circle of friends at times because I had changed my lifestyle. I didn't eat a lot of the junk that I previously eaten. I can't even tell you the last time I went to McDonald's and even if I thought about going, my friends and family are quick to say, "can you eat that?" Or "how many points is that?" I know that they are looking out for me and I appreciate that.

Decision #2 -- this was hard one to make. Not only was it hard to make, but it was hard for other people to accept. To decide to become a vegetarian was a decision that I thought about for a while. But as soon as I was ready to make the change, things seemed to shift. The people who watched my journey to health and wellness understood that this was a natural evolutionary step. I was eating cleaner than I ever had. In fact, my body was starting to reject meat, in particular, red meat. I just couldn't eat it any more without feeling sick for days.

Don't get me wrong, the way animals are treated in this country in some places is disgusting. While I'm not an animal rights advocate in one sense, I do believe that they should be treated better than we humans have been doing. That's all I have to say about that.

What I find is that it's important to other people to know why a person would decide to become vegan or in my case vegetarian. If I say that I don't eat foods with milk or nuts because I have allergies, that's perfectly acceptable. My body physically rejects that food, sometimes in a most unpleasant way. However if in my mind and heart, I decide that eating meat doesn't fit into my life style, people are concerned about my protein intake and they wonder if I've joined some kind of hippy cult. I hear "oh, I couldn't do that" a lot in my food travels. The thing is that each of us has to decide what's best for our health, physical and emotional. For me, a vegetarian lifestyle puts me in the place that I want to be physically and emotionally.

So, the next time you meet a vegan/vegetarian, just relax. Ask her what she likes about the lifestyle and be open to the lifestyle. Don't think of that person who "can't" join in. Instead, be open to something new. Just be supportive. It'll go a long way.

Fitness: Tips for staying motivated

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 23:02:00 +0000

Retrieved From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/fitness/art-20047624

Fitness: Tips for staying motivated

Fitness doesn't have to be drudgery. These tips can help you add focus and fun to your routine.By Mayo Clinic Staff

Have you ever started a fitness program and then quit? If you answered yes, you're not alone. Many people start fitness programs but stop when they get bored or results come too slowly. Here are seven tips to help you stay motivated.

1. Set goals

Start with simple goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It's easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious.

For example, if you haven't exercised in a while, a short-term goal might be to walk 10 minutes a day three days a week. An intermediate goal might be to walk 30 minutes five days a week. A long-term goal might be to complete a 5K walk.

2. Make it fun

Find sports or activities that you enjoy, then vary the routine to keep you on your toes. If you're not enjoying your workouts, try something different. Join a volleyball or softball league. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a health club or martial arts center. Discover your hidden athletic talent. Remember, exercise doesn't have to be drudgery — and you're more likely to stick with a fitness program if you're having fun.

3. Make physical activity part of your daily routine

If it's hard to find time for exercise, don't fall back on excuses. Schedule workouts as you would any other important activity. You can also slip in physical activity throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk up and down sidelines while watching the kids play sports. Pedal a stationary bike or do strength training exercises while you watch TV at night.

Keep Calm and Keep Tracking

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 03:23:00 +0000

One week ago I went to my Weight Watchers meeting and arrived not so please with myself. I am less than 10 lbs from my goal weight. I've been less than 10 lbs away for months, partly because I haven't been consistently tracking my food and activity. For a variety of reasons, I haven't been able to get my act together. I let other things get in the way. I'm working on that.

In January, as a group we started the Simple Start program, which is a great program for people just starting Weight Watchers. During your first two weeks, you are given a ton of meal options (that you cook yourself) and you eat all power foods. Oh yeah, you don't have to track points plus values for the first two weeks. Great for a newbie... not so much for someone like me. I needed to get a handle on tracking.

After a couple weeks of seeing small results and then a gain, I was feeling kind of defeated. That was last Saturday. Then my WW leader Noelle said to me, "We need a challenge. What can we do? Let's do a 7-day tracking challenge". That was it for me. I was on board. I love a challenge. I knew that if I had Noelle counting on me to hold up my end of the challenge, I had to do it. It also helped to know that she was doing it with me because she was having the same struggle. It's easy to think that your WW leader has it all under control all the time and that she doesn't struggle. But what's great about Noelle that she's totally one of us. She struggles and hates tracking. But she knows that if she doesn't do it, she won't do well. I also love that she knows the points plus values of anything you can think of. I can't do that, but I can guess them from a food label.

What I know for sure is that I can be self motivated in some areas, but when it comes to WW, exercise, and health, I am much more externally motivated. When other people are involved or need me to "show up", I can be extremely motivated and present in the situation. If I am needed, I'm all in. I recognize the benefits and drawbacks of that mentality. But for right now, I operate on a "whatever gets the job done" frame of mind. This is a journey and I haven't reached the "completely self-motivated" stop on the journey yet. But I can see it in the distance. I will get there one day.

So this week, I knew that I had verbally declared that I would track 7 days in a row and plan to be active the next day every day of the week. I was active 5 of out 7 days and I tracked all 7 days... and today, at the weigh-in, I was down more than I have been in over a month. I am officially 6 lbs from goal. When I got on the scale, I felt like I had taken the first step towards something tangible. I felt like reaching my goal weight and subsequently lifetime was something doable. And to add icing on the cake, Noelle had also tracked 7 days and she had also had a great weigh-in. So Noelle and I decided to up the stakes. 7 days was good, but 30 days is even better. Also, losing the last 6 lbs in the next 6 weeks would be awesome. This week showed me that I can do it even with a nightmare of a week. I just have to decide to do it.

So that's what I'm going to do... or should I say, I have done! All I need to do is "Keep Calm and Keep Tracking".

Simple Start - January 12, 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Mon, 13 Jan 2014 04:34:00 +0000

A day of power foods... keep it simple. pic.twitter.com/Vjqul6zPDC

— Julie Jones (@webkidjulie) January 13, 2014

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Morning

1 cup(s) cooked oatmeal

1 muffin Thomas English Muffins

1/3 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Starbucks Coffee

Subtotal

Midday

3 oz extra firm tofu

1 bag Nature's Promise Nature's Promise Natural Vegetable Sticks - 6 CT

1 muffin Thomas English Muffins

1/4 cup Kraft Shredded Cheese

1 tbsp Kikkoman Soy Sauce

Subtotal

Evening

1 oz 100% Feta cheese fat free with tomato & basil

1 cup(s) cooked frozen kale

1/3 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread

2 oz Wegmans Spaghetti

2 slices Fiber One Bread

1/2 Vegetarian Chili

Subtotal

Anytime

No entries for this meal time.

Subtotal

Food PointsPlus values total used

Food PointsPlus values remaining

Activity

No entries for activity.

Activity PointsPlus values earned

Check off these important items daily:

Liquids	Milk & Milk Products
Fruit & vegetables	Multivitamin/Mineral
Healthy Oil	Activity

A Simple Start to 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 03:00:00 +0000

Weight Watchers has a new problem called "Simple Start Plan" which is a two week program designed to help new members ease into a new way of living. It gives new members two weeks of meal plans before they start tracking. All of the meals are made up of mostly Power Foods.

We were all asked to give it a try in January. I was resistant to try it, after all I have been struggling with tracking. Being told not to track and just eat until I'm satisfied was actually terrifying. After all, eating until I'm satisfied is what made me HAVE to go to Weight Watchers.

My other concern was that there aren't many vegetarian options among the suggested meals. Then a friend, who is vegan, posted some meals that she made for the two weeks that she did the Simple Start plan. So I reconsidered the plan. In addition, I went to my Weight Watchers meeting today and heard about the great results people were having on the plan. So I decided to give Simple Start a try. I went Power Foods shopping today with a plan for meals for the next week made up of almost all Power Foods.

To track my progress, I've decided to photograph all my meals. I think that this will help me to be mindful of my meals. After all, I don't want to take photos of bad meals. But the other reason to photograph all my meals is to create a log of recipes for the future.

So here are today's meals (Jan 10, 2014):
Breakfast: Scrambled Tofu and stir fried veggies with a side of coffee.

Lunch: Veggie Dogs and French Onion Soup

Dinner: Lettuce Wraps with Vegetarian Chili and Fat Free Feta Cheese

Dessert: Plain Greek Yogurt, blueberries, raspberries and a Weight Watchers Brownie.

Using the tracking method: 27 PP for the day.
Using Simple Start: 6 Indulgence Points
Not bad for day 1.

Theatre Bio

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Fri, 04 Oct 2013 03:38:00 +0000

Julie Jones is enjoying her sixth season as the Audience Services Manager at the Horowitz Center. Jones is well known for her role as Website Designer in Howard Community College’s production of the Horowitz Center as well as her recurring role as “The House Manager” in various Rep Stage and Arts Collective productions and HCC Concert Series. The highlight of Jones’ on stage work came when she played the role of “The Curtain Speech Lady” in Rep Stage’s 2013’s production of Home in which she won rave reviews from the cast and stage manager. Jones is excited to continue her ensemble work with Rep Stage as it embarks on its 21st season of outstanding theater!

More from Digital Photography Class...

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Fri, 24 May 2013 03:44:00 +0000

I learned a lot from my digital photography class. I don't know if I'm better at the photog... but I'm practicing which is the best way to become better. Here are the highlights from my 4 week adventure.

There's more on my Google Photos Albums

Digital Photography 1 (Week 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Webkidjulie) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 03:48:00 +0000

I just started taking a digital photography class so that I can learn to use my camera more effectively to take better photos. The class is four weeks long. These are some of the first photos I've taken. They are my favorites from the first week.

These are my favorite shots for the week

A flower by Frankie

My Friend Renee

My Friend Becky

Rocks in the Quad

More Rocks in the Quad

and lastly....

The Quad