(Over)Weighting No More!

Getting Caught Back Up!

2016-06-16T08:22:00.001-04:00

Whoops.....its been almost a FULL YEAR since my last post.....

My. Bad.

And there's no excuse for it either....except that I just didn't do it.

It seemed like yesterday that I was posting that my 40th birthday had come and gone...(tear)....well...now I am a completely grown adult of "42"...I have been this age for about 3 days now....and so far...so good!

I have recommitted (again and again and again) to my health and wellness...this time using the amazing ladies in my community as group support system (see...Facebook IS good for something!!) and keeping things simple!! (K.I.S.S!!)

June 13....I turned 42....and weighed myself and took measurements (those are numbers that don't really need to be posted at the moment...)

June 16....3 days into 42....and I weighed myself and took measurements......down 1.8lbs and down 4.5 inches!!!!

Whoooo.....Hoo!!! And while I know there will always be ups and downs to this crazy unstable thing we call health and wellness.....I'm putting this one in the "win" column for this week!!

In the next 52 weeks I will (or at least I hope to!) let you in on my tips, tricks and journey as I try to conquer my 40s and although I know I will NEVER regain my pre-pregnancy body (thanks, children....)I'm excited to see what comes of getting back into the "swing of things".

Time to Banish the Buddha Belly!!

2015-06-12T22:30:00.001-04:00

Yup...there's the Buddha. And his belly.if I was to put my picture up...there would be some similarities...sigh.

And now for the umpteenth time I am planning my journey down the "highway to health "...where I will make it to the elusive fit destination.

How am I going to do this??!!

A few ways....first I'm using the my fitness pal app...love it, it has changed and proved so much since the last time I used it.

Second...It Works products.

More to come!!

OCD with my weight loss?

2015-01-18T13:52:00.001-05:00

I don't know if anyone is like me.....but I'm fantastic at planning the perfect, no fail outline for working out and eating so that I can lose weight, and feel better.....but I always seem to fail.

A few years ago I completely took meat out my diet, I felt like I needed to...I was constantly run down, and every month I was sick (cold sores and a very high temp for about 2 days)...my body was definitely telling me something. I felt amazing.....no cravings, high energy, the monthly sickness was gone....I could literally feel every single cell in my body thanking me for giving it real, raw (for the most part) food.

But...like everything else for some reason, I toss it to the side, opting for the "easy" meals ( hot dogs anyone?) that I was throwing at my family. I knew better. I know I knew better....but I didn't do anything about it......until now.

Now....I'm not going to let one wrong choice or moment of weakness derail my plan and focus for a healthy and happy future.

Now....I'm going back to the basics....real food...minimal meat (or at least real, farm grown meat...not the overly, cheap water-filled meats that you can get at any box store/grocery...should those stores even be called a grocery store.......?)

Now.....it's time to take care of myself.....and the rest should take care of itself.

I'm sort of OCD in a way...if it doesn't go exactly to plan, or how I've written it down...then it's garbage....so, that's why I'm not going to focus so much on my food journal (which I know...people tend to be more successful with food journals, being accountable...blah blah) as much as I will be focusing on my workout journal. I don't like to deprive myself of eating....it will just come down to making better choices, having those foods in my house, and even making better meal options for my family.

In the end, I think we'll all win! Know...I know it will be a cold day in hell to think I can get my husband to workout/exercise....but I can get the littles to do it! My youngest already likes to workout with me (when I would workout, in the past.....) and my oldest needs to get a bit more activity going on.....beyond Minecraft....

What started this ball rolling all over again?? It was this fancy gadget...a spiralizer I purchased over Christmas.....used it last night to make zucchini "noodles".....yum.

So needless to say...this morning I woke up feeling great (instead of groggy from a heavy and fat filled dinner) and ready to take on the day!

Stick around to see how things turn out...every week I'll be recapping my week...from food, to mood and exercise and even my starting weight....I'm going to be {over}weight no more!!

New year.....looking for the new me...

2015-01-06T06:39:00.001-05:00

Well, it's a new year again...funny how that just creeps up on us every year!

I feel like........garbage.

...mainly because that's all I've been eating lately.....is garbage.

So I'm great at planning my wieght loss journey....just not the greatest at holding myself to it.

Here's hoping!

We'll....I'm 40.

2014-07-01T10:24:00.001-04:00

And nowhere near my fitness goal of not being overweight....some days I feel ok with that...but most days I just feel down.

BUT.....I've picked myself up, dusted myself off (for the umpteenth time) and I'm focused on making good changes, great choices and just be healthy (and maybe happy!?) ....that's what it's all about isn't it? Life is like the hokey pokey.....putting yourself in, taking yourself out, putting yourself back in and then shaking it all about......

...I'm putting myself back in and shaking it all about! (More about that later)

I just spent a weekend last month with the BEST bunch of friends a girl can ask for......these ladies have been in my life since high school(and some before that)...we all turned 40 this year and decided to celebrate with a weekend away to celebrate our milestone year (and to celebrate our 25+ years of friendship)...it was totally the thing I needed to recharge my battery and refocus on my goals.

So....that being said, my fitness plan is set, I'm not going to put too much focus on my meals (which I do want to get back to plant based meals)

Here's to Monday!

The nitty gritty starts....

Things are going great...for the most part;)

2013-12-10T07:43:00.001-05:00

I am human after all....right!?
That, and my sense of will power is close to NONE....ugh.

Thanksgiving I put being "vegan" to the side (though not too far to the side...the veggies still took up a HUGE portion of my plate) and made room for meat.
I'll be honest...this was the first Thanksgiving that after eating I didn't feel my stomach coming out of my body....and I think it's because of how I've been eating for the majority of the week.

Again, I'll say I'm about 80/20 when it comes to being plant based with my diet.

Here is a rundown of what I would like to have as a "typical" day for me: I tend to or I feel I need to eat every 2 hrs....only small "meals", if you can call them that..for me I find it helps to keep my energy level up...I try not to ever "be" hungry, because that's when I make poor choices in foods.

Morning: I wake up around 5am to make hubby's lunch (and in case I've forgotten to unpack my kids lunches from the day before, so I can get their ice packs into the freezer)...at this time I have a glass of water with lemon in it....if I'm cold, I'll warm up the water...I've also started adding ginger in as well...here's why:

Ginger: activates blood circulation in your body and improves overall radiance but also helps improve the tone of your skin! It’s really refreshing and ginger is great to help fight off colds as well. Fresh ginger contains something called gingerol, which possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, which aids in healthy cellular activity in the gastrointestinal tract, so make sure you are putting fresh ginger root in your water!
Lemon juice: contains high levels of potassium and vitamin C. A strong antioxidant, lemon juice is also a mild diuretic, so adding lemons to your drinking water can help support your liver and kidneys in their natural job of flushing out toxins.

Breakfast: Most mornings it's a shake (plant based....mostly Vega brand...LOVE the vanilla almond one, especially with frozen cherries, it's like drinking cake batter..) with a cup of unsweetened almond milk and whatever frozen fruit I have on hand.

Other times (when I'm in a cereal kind of mood and if it's in the cupboard) I'll have a bowl of GoGo Quinoa cereal (in cocoa flavour) with almond milk, nuts (like almonds or walnuts) and fresh fruit. But I don't have this too often...just like commercial cereals it has lots of sugar (I usually only do a 1/2 c serving)...but it's yummy (and wheat and gluten free)

I like having the options I guess.

Snacks: I have a few snacks during the day....they range from almonds with 1/2 apple, walnuts with 2 tangerines, hemp protein shake (mostly after a workout or at the end of the day), "trail mix" (raw nuts with goji berries and unsweetened coconut), and right now I'm just starting to experiment with roasted chickpeas..

Lunch: salad...I say salad but it's more like a big bowl of whatever raw veggies are in my fridge that day...and I add in hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds for my fats and protein (did you know that Hemp is a complete protein source, meaning it contains all 10 amino acids that the body requires, as well, it's a great source of omega-3 and omega-6...hemp also contains Edestin, an amino acid specific to hemp, that has been considered an integral part of our DNA which then makes hemp seeds the closest plant source to our own human amino acid profile...interesting isn't it!?)
...I've also been getting into making my own dressing...just made my own creamy ranch using soaked cashews as the "cream" base...it was really good (I'll put the recipe on here soon!)

Dinner: This is where I usually have some meat (if I'm feeling like it)...or I just do a quick stir fry and add in hemp seeds again, sesame seeds (which are a great source of calcium!!) or if I have had time during the day, to try out any vegan recipes that I happen to come across (right now I'm into making "patties"...zucchini and chickpea to be exact...kind of my "meat" on my plate...)

To get more food ideas, I tend to go to my "books"...right now they are "Whole foods to Thrive", "The Thrive Diet" and "Crazy Sexy Kitchen"...and Pinterest is always a good place to find things;)

.....AND....now here's where for "the most part" comes in....(BIG sigh here)...and maybe my extreme (and ever lasting?) AH-HA moment!

For the past month...I've been eating like CRAP. And it's showing...actually it's amazing that it's showing so quickly and how....WARNING...picture isn't that appealing...be careful.

When I first went "vegan" and decided to go all vegged-out and processed food free....amazing things happened....
* the extreme redness in my cheeks went away (meaning the inflammation in my body was disappearing), my skin tone and colour evened out with this as well (many people commented on how "glowy" my skin was!)....minimal makeup was needed.
* my extreme dry skin disappeared (especially on my feet...which were TERRIBLE...and I'm an aesthetician to boot!)...
* my hair did amazing things (was shiny, easy to manage...I have very curly hair..)
* and the pain that I experienced on a daily basis...whether it was a headache, joint pain, back pain etc...went AWAY. swear. on. my. life.

then....I started eating meat/highly processed foods again....the redness in my face came back (and increased my use of more foundation and concealer!! ugh..)....my dry skin has reappeared...strange, but only my right foot has thick dry skin on it (remember I warned you about the picture...it's posted way at the bottom, so if you don't want to see, you don't have to....you're welcome!)....and my hair has completely revolted against me (and the "Grey Family" has invited more friends to join them on my head...lovely)...and headaches became a daily thing.

So....seeing how I can visibly notice the difference between how I feel when I'm eating "vegan" versus how I feel when I'm eating "non-vegan"....you'd think it would be an EASY decision on how to resume my dietary lifestyle.....but it isn't...everyday is going to be some sort of struggle...our "world" isn't equipped for healthy eating...you can see junk food everywhere you look...when I'm watching the morning news, commercials for Wendy's hamburger combos are on...really!!?? At 7am there needs to be a Wendy's commercial?

Anyhow....it will be a long (and I think frustrating) road...but if it means I feel good...my body is getting what it needs, and if I can ignore those strong cravings....then it should be ok.

Ok...now...here's the picture of the bottom of my foot....sorry.

Happy health~

plant based diet....aka Vegan.

2013-09-27T14:32:00.000-04:00

so...I'm contemplating a change......a change in the way that I eat, and eventually maybe even the way my family eats.
for awhile know I've been looking into plant-based eating/raw foods....and for a girl that grew up on a dairy farm-I never thought I'd see the day.

I've always had some sort of animal on my plate, and I've always been told it's good for me.....but is it?

there are so many reasons to avoid animal consumption...the main ones being personal and environmental health. the animals we have available to eat now are not the same as years ago....evolution of the food chain....but does it really benefit us in the long run? big food companies have invested large sums of money in R&D in the hopes to produce inexpensive foods but still sell them at a high cost....bottom line is profit...and those big companies want it ALL!

in a nutshell they have found cheaper ingredients that aren't only void of any necessary nutrition for the human body...but these ingredients have the ability to trigger cravings in our body....almost mimicking the same effects as most hard drugs.

sickening isn't it?
....and what's even more disturbing....most of the meat we ingest is rotting inside your body as it's waiting to be digested! yum...?

now...don't get me wrong....i love steak, bbq chicken and ham at Easter...it's what i grew up on (especially being in a dairy farm) and what we perceive as "normal".

I'm trying to change my state of normal....I'm sure it will be a very hard thing to do....withdrawals from sugary and processed foods are much like withdrawals from drug dependency...headaches, low will power, irritable and so on....especially since I'm a "food addict"

a little while ago i watched a documentary called " Fat, sick and nearly Dead"...a man decided to document his journey from being fat,sick and nearly dead into a slim,healthy person....he did this thru juicing...for 60 days he did nothing but juice his "food". i was so inspired, i grabbed out my blender that had been gathering dust in the cupboard and went at it....though i only did it for 5 days....it was amazing......I was honestly impressed!

my skin looked better,clearer...i had energy....and the best thing wad i didn't have any major withdrawal symptoms that i thought i would have by only juicing.

people are kind of scared with juicing/vegan concept....
how do you get enough protein? simple...all veggies and even fruit contain protein....honest they do !
spinach contains 49% protein in a serving!....it's just plant protein instead of animal based...and this protein is much easier for your body to break down.

am I getting too much sugar? Yes and No. The sugars I'm getting are pure, unaltered sugar in it's natural state("white" sugar is bleached..)...but my juices are mainly veggie based...the fruit is just to add sweetness to the drink so it will be more palatable..
what about the fiber? I get fiber too....the "juicer" I use is a juicer/blender combo...so I still get some of the pulp into my juice...plus, I do eat other food...just going to be decreasing the processed kind...

The post above was one I started in the spring....I was sluggish, overweight (still am;) and feeling awful because of my food choices.

I would say that for a good portion of the summer, I remained a steadfast "vegan" (about 80/20)....for most/all of the day I would eat a full plant based menu...quinoa, greens, juices, salads, almonds, etc...but then once I started making my family dinner (which usually comprised of meat with veggies and such) I caved and had meat.
What I notice though, is that after the meat dinner...I am sluggish, tired and my tongue has a weird fuzzy feeling to it (honest!) and I usually have a headache......after my plant based meals...I wasn't "full", but I wasn't hungry, I had a ton of energy, my head was clear and I just overall felt great.

BUT...then WHY....when I know all this information about plant eating and how it makes me feel.....DO I GIVE IN AND EAT TERRIBLE! ugh....(as I sit in a chip and ice cream coma...yup, that's right)

So...for the MONTH of October I am going to try to go 100% VEGAN! Yup....I'll be going 31 days without eating meat, meat products, dairy, eggs (which is OK b/c 2 out of the 4 of the people in my house can't even EAT eggs due to allergies..)...luckily my family loves fruits and veggies, so the only thing I'll have to steer clear of is their dinner....

So....yet AGAIN I'm going to try and keep up with "tracking" my progress, with posts here at least twice a week!!
~happy (vegan) health~

Do you have any questions or thoughts about being Vegan?

Happy New Year!! (yes...I know it's March!)

2013-03-06T09:08:00.002-05:00

So....as you can see my last post was December 31st...in 2012....and it is now March 6th 2013.

Where have I been??
...I have was sucked back into the "lazy, non-exercise, non-healthy lifestyle"...and I feel like JUNK.(also add in there a few bouts with being sick and such....ya know...life...just not in a good way)

BUT...where am I now!?
...back on track, taking it one day at a time...one workout at a time....one good clean meal at a time...
...and I'm not going to let one bad meal ruin my path to health and wellness.

I have taken these past few weeks...gone thru my Pinterest pages and written down ideas, meals, recipes, snack ideas and for workouts I've gone back to the roots, where I know I'll get quick results...Turbo Fire.

IF you FAIL to PLAN....you PLAN to FAIL!

and with that being said...I'm going back to my "plan" that gave me the BEST results....

5:45am workout

ugh...but at the same time it's nice...I have such a busy day as soon as 7am hits that I don't have any "time" to workout...and I don't really feel like doing it at 7pm at night...so, seeing how I'm UP at 5am...

just finished a Fire 30 and Stretch 10....I feel great...now....this week is going to be the hardest hurdle to jump...one of the side effects of starting a workout is feeling the muscles....they are achy (but in a GOOD way...because of exercise and activity....not because they are suffocating under a thick layer of fat)

Also...earlier on in the year I was able to have an opportunity to become a part of a weight loss documentary......so I had to do some soul searching for a bit. Part of the outline of the contract (it was for a year, following people struggling and succeeding to lose weight) was that I wasn't able to discuss my weight loss on ANY social media...and that included my blog.
And I had just started my blog...and quite enjoyed it to be honest. (and I am very humbled about the number of people that read my ramblings...thank you.)

Needless to say.....I declined the documentary....why? Because THIS is what kept me accountable in the past...and will in the present....and will for the future. This is my journal....and while, normally my journals of the past included a lock and key...I want to share my ups and downs with everyone.....so in that I would hope to start seeing more UPS versus downs....more success and capture the holy grail of health and wellness....to the point where it is natural...

Here's to getting UP and starting again...

~happy health~

My Challenge "re-start"....

2012-10-29T07:30:00.002-04:00

That's right....I'm going to pull out the Mulligan card....and "restart" my Challenge!!

The start of my week was fan-freaking-tastic.....and then cupcakes showed their face in my house....and it all went downhill......luckily, I still managed to do a workout on Friday to minimize my bad eating habits....I was all over the 20% portion of my week (I do an 80-20 rule....80% of the week is clean eating and workouts, while 20% of the week I'm not so strict with what I eat, and I still workout)

But...on Sunday I sat down...got out my planner....and SCHEDULED the next 3 months. Done.

Today was my Day 4 in my TurboFire schedule (I wanted Sundays to be my day off, as I usually grocery shop and take the boys skating)....I stick Day 1 and Day 2 at the end of the schedule...it all works out!

So..........drumroll........I am pleased to announce........that I completed my workout this morning!!
Fire 30 and Stretch 10! Here's a little preview of what I did this morning:

Phew!

This is what I'm up to today....

2012-10-26T08:22:00.000-04:00

What about you?! In the first 6 weeks I was/am losing 1lb a week, and only doing 30 minute workouts a day.......it's as easy as pushing play everyday!

This month I'm dedicating my time to the WHOLE workout (for the days that I can!) scheduled!

As the saying goes "you are one workout away from feeling good!" (or something like that!)

(PS....I'm now OUT of the 200lb range and into the MID 190's.....haven't been there in 4+ years!)

WHAT?!?! I have to PLAN to be healthy!!???

2012-10-09T10:32:00.000-04:00

Yup...you sure do!

No different then organizing your kids' hockey schedule, or completing your grocery list (you DO make a grocery list before going to the store.... right??) and when you have a plan...there's usually a goal/end result that comes along with it...and it's pretty good, isn't it?

I recently became "friends" with my schedule...and I'll tell ya...my days are a lot easier and I (physically) feel a lot better WHEN I stick to my "plan"....the old saying "failing to plan is a plan to fail"...totally rings true. There is a lot that everyone squeezes into a day......right now I'm carving out 30 minutes/6 days a week to working out.... I have a schedule for my workouts that I follow...and man..when I do it I feel awesome and my days are great!! (long, but great!)

I just read a great article in the Harvard Business Review by Peter Bregman about managing time effectively.
Though this is about being "at the office"....but really, it can be applied to any/everyone.

He says that managing time needs to become ritual and not vague (or else you are just floating thru the day) with ongoing/regular things that we can/will follow no matter what, as that is what keeps us focused (ever lost 3 or more hours just "sitting at the computer"? Those are precious minutes that you'll never get back)

Here is how I have set MY schedule....and maybe this can give you some thoughts about how YOU can give yourself 30 mins for your HEALTH!!

What I USED to do: Make lunches the night before (and squish them into the fridge) and then I would stay UP LATE and watch my "shows"...going to bed maybe by midnight or so...the next morning I would hope that my husband remembered to grab his lunch from the fridge (and grab the right lunch...) and make his coffee and maybe a piece of toast or a bagel......50% of the time I ended up being too tired to make lunches at the end of the day (and so then, they weren't made...meaning my husband had to BUY his breakfast and lunch...cha ching!) and I still stayed up late, because I was just floating thru the day...getting little things here and there done, but really not making a dent in the real "work" I should have been doing.

What I do NOW: I get UP at 5am...make breakfast and lunch for my husband, grab a pre-workout snack, drink a big thing of water(to rehydrate my body from sleeping...and it seems to wake me up)...change into my workout clothes (which I keep all together in one place) DO my workout....by Pressing Play.....have a shower, and then I'm ready to start my day as my first daycare kids arrive at 7am.
Yes...it's early. But...now I have the REST of the DAY to get everything else done!! Even a 20 or 30 min power nap (yes...you heard me...I nap...something I never could do, but now because I'm up so early...I have to)....now that my workout is OUT of the way....I get laundry done, dishes, and plan for dinner....AND I do/try to get into bed by 9:30/10pm the LATEST....luckily, most of my "shows" I can watch on the computer if I want, or On Demand, but most of the time it just doesn't bother me if I don't watch them.....I find it's very easy to get SUCKED in to sitting and watching TV all night....my husband is a PRIME example of that......but, hopefully I will get working on his workout schedule and carving out some time for him in the next few weeks....poor bugger...but at least he'll be fit;)

I know I'm lucky because I get to work from home...but trust me, there are some days where the time just gets away from me....

Does your schedule need to be more organized? Take some time to put your "regular" schedule down on paper...I bet you'll be able to find 30 minutes...if not...send ME your schedule and I can find it for you;)

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble.....Gulp!

2012-10-07T07:58:00.001-04:00

For anyone reading this that ISN'T in Canada.....it's Thanksgiving Weekend here. And what does that mean for most families....FOOD. And Lots of it!

My family has 2 events this weekend.....currently we are up at my parents house and then we head to my husband's family gathering.......for me this is the start of SO many temptations!! And with my Biggest Loser weigh in on Wednesday...ugh!

But...I'll be honest....it's been so far so good....except for the last few days when I ended up getting NO workouts in:(.....some mornings I have an amazing amount of energy, and some I have NONE (that and a few new business things have come along my way and they have monopolized my time in the mornings....but not starting Monday....it's back to the grind!)

So back to the "feasts" that I will be exposed to......first....visiting my parents. Where my parents live, the community comes out to support everyone and everything......whenever an event/fundraiser is held, you know pretty much the community and surrounding areas are attending...so you need to get there FAST and early! We had to(my mom wanted to) leave the house at 10:30..now mind you the event didn't start until 11 and the Community Centre is only a 2 minute drive away......BUT there was a LINE UP to get IN!!

This weekend at my parents, the area Church holds their annual Thanksgiving Fundraiser....which comprises of a bake sale, crafts, and other goods that people in the church have decided to make and sell (all $$ is donated back to the Church)....there is also a large donation table, where large businesses have donated amazing items, and for $1.00, you get 5 tickets to place infront of the item you'd like to win and then cross the fingers and hope to get a call.....we didn't get a call.......nuts.

Usually my mom does all her own baking...cookies, etc....but lately she's been backing off (which isn't a bad thing......then she has more time to take care of herself and do what she wants to do)....and purchasing pies, cookies and chocolate treats at this fundraiser.....so not only is she STILL supplying us with yummy treats....she's supporting her community.

So...after fighting (nicely) the crowds to get the pies...I took them to the car and then went back inside....met my mom at the chocolate table.....oh my....my mouth was watering!!! But...I resisted temptation and only got my boys a treat....well, I knew that whatever my mom got, some of it was coming home with us anyhow....
then later on, we had an amazing Thanksgiving Dinner....turkey, turnip, squash, peas, potatoes and my mom's yummy, irresistible crock pot stuffing....oh, and did I mention Cherry Pie and ice cream for dessert?
Needless to say...I ate. And ate. I even had a few extra bites of stuffing FROM the crock pot....at this point, my husband ``reminded`` me of the progress I`ve made in the last 4 weeks (thanks for being nice about it dear!:).......AND because we get to do it all over again Sunday, he didn`t want to see me spiral out of control (which would usually happen!)......so my game plan was to ``indulge`` some at my parents, and keep it in check at his family dinner......so I will REALLY need my strength for this one....that and I think I`ll take a veggie platter....that way I can just munch on veggies through the day.....then I`m back to the workout schedule and regular daily routine.

For me...Thanksgiving is the start of my busy time.....first, Thanksgiving, then Halloween (I know it`s not a holiday, but there is candy involved)....then my son`s birthday and party, and then 6 weeks after that...Christmas and New Year!! Phew....I`m already tired just thinking about it!!

But, in the end, it`s nice to be able to get together with family and friends and celebrate holidays and events. Unfortunately my brother wasn`t able to join us this weekend, but my parents are going to have Thanksgiving dinner and visit with him on Sunday....some times plans work, and sometimes they don`t...luckily I can talk to or see my brother whenever, so missing one family meal together isn`t the end..

but back to the grind Monday....
happy health

October...October....how did we get here so fast!!

2012-10-03T13:23:00.001-04:00

So, a week or so has passed since my last post....sorry about that!

I have been taking some time to "educate" myself on having a good blog, AND on being healthy, happy and balanced....I was finding that I was posting the same things, just different days, and now I'm trying to organize my thoughts and make sure this isn't a "diary", but more of an inspiration/reminder to myself as well as to anyone else that stumbles upon this little blog!

so....please bear with me as it may be a few days or so between posts....it comes down to time management, and I can either manage my time to learn things on the computer OR I can complete a post....(and I still need to fit time in for those pesky things, like cleaning, kids and such;)

So....to throw a question out there...how do you get yourself balanced, happy and healthy??

Do you just jump right into it and start no matter what, or do you wait until "the next Monday", or wait until you have an eating plan/schedule in place??

All about my 2 day "bender"....:(

2012-09-21T09:22:00.000-04:00

Well....things were SO on track...working out every day (or early morning) eating great, feeling great.......

then.......I made a terrible mistake......

I decided to make the kids I look after during the day.....PANCAKES.......and that's all I remember

I think there was pudding (yum), pizza,chips and hamburgers mixed in there too over the 2 day blur.....

AND ZERO EXERCISE!

Usually, my "benders" last a few days longer....luckily this time it was only 2 days and I was starting to feel yucky, tired and gross....so...this morning I got UP (at my usual 5am) and did a 30 min Turbo Fire workout and started breakfast with a healthy It Works shake!!

And I feel.......FANTABULOUS!

Also on my "schedule" for today...cleaning out my fridge and freezer and maybe(?) my cupboards....I start "grocery shopping" at home and then I'm able to compile my grocery list.....with the fall coming I'm more partial to soups, chili and pasta....but this winter I will be replacing MY pasta with spagetti squash and using butternut squash instead of french fries/potatoes.

(looks good, doesn't it!)

In the end....it's all up to ME to eat and exercise properly in order to see the changes I really want....I can sit around and continue to "binge" and have no energy, OR I can TELL myself that I just need to DO IT!!

Right now with my schedule, I have decided on 30 minutes a day minimum of exercise......that's it. And if I happen to get more in...then that's just an added bonus....baby steps are what works for me I think.

Hope everyone has a fun and Healthy Friday!!

happy health

My new found LOVE for CARBS!....

2012-09-17T10:12:00.001-04:00

...that's right!

This weekend was amazing weather wise...so much so that Friday, Saturday AND Sunday I was able to get out my rollerblades and blast some major calories! What did you do this weekend for activites?

I also managed to log pretty much my whole week last week on MyFitnessPal...something that I think makes a big difference for me, because if I'm really wanting to eat something and I put it into my schedule....it really makes you make wise decisions when it comes to food choices!

The biggest difference for me (and what I think is making the process easier) is that I'm adding CARBS back into my food menus!! Yes....carbs in the form of brown rice, brown rice pasta, whole grain/whole wheat bread and last night I had baby red potatoes...yum.

The following is taken from dummies.com...it explains what carbs are for and WHY they are important in our diet!

Carbohydrates Do More Than Make Energy for Your Body

Making energy isn’t the only thing your body does with the nutrients in your diet. Carbohydrates also protect your muscles. When you need energy, your body looks for glucose from carbohydrates first.

If no glucose is available, because you’re on a carbohydrate-restricted diet or have a medical condition that prevents you from using the carbohydrate foods you consume, your body begins to pull energy out of fatty tissue. Your body's next move is to burn its own protein tissue (muscles). If this use of proteins for energy continues long enough, you run out of fuel and die.

A diet that provides sufficient amounts of carbohydrates keeps your body from eating its own muscles. That’s why a carbohydrate-rich diet is sometimes described as protein sparing.

What else do carbohydrates do?

Regulate the amount of sugar circulating in your blood so that all your cells get the energy they need.
Provide nutrients for the friendly bacteria in your intestinal tract that help digest food.
Assist in your body’s absorption of calcium.
May help lower cholesterol levels and regulate blood pressure (these effects are special benefits of dietary fiber).

So carbs are good, right? So how does pasta ends up on your hips when too many carbs pass your lips? Your cells budget energy very carefully. They do not store more than they need right now. Any glucose the cell does not need for its daily work is converted to (animal starch) and tucked away as stored energy in your liver and muscles.
Your body can pack about 400 grams (14 ounces) of glycogen into liver and muscle cells. A gram of carbohydrates — including glucose — has four . If you add up all the glucose stored in glycogen to the small amount of glucose in your cells and blood, it equals about 1,800 calories of energy.
If your diet provides more carbohydrates than you need to produce this amount of stored calories in the form of glucose and glycogen in your cells, blood, muscles, and liver, the excess will be converted to fat. And that’s how your pasta ends up on your hips.

So...when I said I've added CARBS back into my foods...I don't eat it at every meal...AND I'm selective WITH what carbs I'm eating!

Since adding carbs BACK into my life, I've had less "headaches", less grouchy, and have had less cravings then when I only kept my "carbs" in veggie form (yes, there are carbs in veggies)

Our bodies are pretty much fine-tuned machines that work well on their own....we are the ones choosing what "fuels" to put in it...imagine having a diesel car, and you go and put regular gas into it.....do you know what will happen??!
(hint: it won't work and will wreck the car!)...imagine that being the same for our bodies....our "cars" need to have the RIGHT fuel to work well and the tanks need to be filled often (our metabolism doesn't get the best mileage!)

I hope with this blog to get a bit more organized and post some recipes of things I've done, tried , hits and misses, as well...feel free to follow my food journal on MyFitnessPal...

happy monday! I'm off to make myself a whole wheat turkey, lettuce and cheese sandwich to have for lunch:))

happy health

Keep on Keepin' on!

2012-09-14T12:03:00.001-04:00

Yup.....I'm going strong!
Ate pretty good all week (though I DID have pizza last night....but I had my fat fighter to help me digest some of it) and did all my workouts (except my Stretch 40...which became a house cleaning mission instead!)

Just finished a Turbo Fire 30 and Stretch 10...and I am STILL sweating....but I feel great!

Now... I am sitting down with the grocery store flyers and planning out my meals for the week (for me, my fam and the daycare...phew).....I try to keep everything healthy and "real".
I did also try to get into "couponing" for groceries, but now only do it for "household items" (toilet paper, cleaning items, toiletries) because I don't want ice cream, chocolate bars or other junk food items...

(WARNING: rant coming!)

I'm noticing more and more every time I go to the grocery store, that there's less "real food"...know what I mean?
And it's so frustrating because it takes me so long to get thru the store, just to get my "real" items of food....when I'm in a real mood (haha) I grumble to myself and wonder HOW these companies can say that what they make is "food"...when a lot/most of the time it's a main contributor to why people are overweight! These companies KNOW that we don't have any self-restraint...and when you put something on sale for $.50 of COURSE it's going to be bought in multiples...and then eaten a box at a time (eg. Oreos....yum those little devil cookies;)

I think the stores totally have it backwards.....my opinion...price the junk food HIGH and the good foods LOW...bet they wouldn't have to throw out as much fresh foods at the end of each week as they do now!

And don't even get me STARTED on strategic marketing and placing of certain items in grocery stores....we are all victims of the good "sale" at the end of the aisle...2 for $1 bag of chips....yet we also have to pay at least $2 for a bag of carrots....see something wrong there?...and nothing like standing in the checkout line, just to stare at chocolate bars and candy! grr....rant done;)

off to have lunch and plan my grocery shopping!
happy weekend and happy health!

M.I.A....

2012-09-12T06:28:00.000-04:00

Yup...so I've totally been Missing (In Action)...there have been ups and there have been downs since my last post. Unfortunately my weight has been one of the "ups" (and NOT in a good way)

BUT.......I have just paid my money and signed up for a "small" group of ladies that are doing the "biggest loser" challenge. Its for the next 3 months, with a weigh in each month. It's exciting....because there's $$$ on the line!!
I've done this a couple of times before...would have a first great few weeks..just to fade out.....THIS time I'm NOT going to let this happen (and if any of the ladies are reading this...don't let it happen to you too!!! Keep going!)...THIS is becoming my "lifestyle" with great food choices and excercise.

I've been experimenting quite a bit in the kitchen lately (just wish I had pictures with it!)...I find this time of season harder to eat healthy....salads don't quite taste good to me, and I'm ready for soups and warm dishes (like lasagne, pasta)

The other night I tried brown rice noodles....not bad...(even my husband ate and enjoyed them)....so they are now on my "list"

...I made it with Honey Dijon Chicken and just put the extra sauce into the noodles with veggies.

Here's my "recipe" (which really comprises of me throwing things together and hope they work!!)

Chicken Breast (use either bone in or boneless, doesn't matter)

Honey

Dijon

Parsley

Epicure's Garlic Herb Salt

brown rice pasta

bell pepper (any colour)

broccoli

onion

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Parmesan

Take about 1/2 tbsp olive oil and heat in a skillet. Add chicken(use Epicure Salt on chicken first) and cook on low until browned on both sides (this is what takes the longest...if using boneless...make sure heat is LOW so that the chicken doesn't dry out, but is nicely cooked)

Mix together the honey (anywhere between 1/8c and a 1/4c, depending on how many chicken breasts you are using...for only a couple, use a smaller amount, and for more (up to 6) use the larger amt) and dijon(2 tsp) and parsley.

Once chicken is cooked, pour honey dijon sauce over chicken. Continue to cook and turn over a few times to ensure all chicken is coated in sauce...I usually cook until the honey becomes a thickened sauce in the skillet. Remove chicken and sauce from skillet.

Cook brown rice pasta (I do 9 minutes and drain)

Add veggies to skillet with 1 tsp oil and a bit more Epicure Herb Garlic Salt OR use garlic powder...cook until tender crisp.

Add noodles, parm cheese and sauce from chicken.

That's it.

I had started doing a pasta primavera, because I didn't know what sort of sauce to put ON the noodles...just know I didn't want a tomato sauce.....and this yummy dinner was the result (again...wish I took pictures...)

Then, last night I did the same thing (minus the honey dijon and chicken and brown rice pasta) with sausage and quinoa primavera...LOVE.

As well....I'm back into my workouts....YEAH!!! I find it makes the BIGGEST difference for me....my body needs to move in order to get results.

What's on my workout schedule today? Fire 30 and Stretch 10!
When WILL I do this?...after coming back inside with the kiddies and after they are all settled after snack (so around 10:45/11:00am)

Also...still using MyFitnessPal for tracking all my activites and meals....want to view my diary?
Here's the link...http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/simplebeauty

happy health

Phew! How do you find time to workout?

2012-08-22T08:22:00.000-04:00

I totally did just have the world's best cardio class.....and kicked 45 minutes in the A$$!!

I can't believe that I actually DID the whole 45 mins.....usually at the 30 min mark I think "oh, that's ok...I've done enough cardio...I have a good sweat on, I can stop now"...but not this time...thank goodness...I forget sometimes how GOOD it feels to be FIT and have a great workout!! No complaints here.

PS...anytime anyone in Lucan wishes to join me...I tend to "push play" (as the instructor says) around 6am most mornings...feel free to join;)

Slowly but surely I'm beating my "mind over matter" issues that usually hound me....I'm a frequent stopper and then starter...mostly because my days tend to be quite hectic and the LAST thing I felt like doing at the end of the day (10pm) is workout!

I think I've posted about it in one of my earlier ones, but for those that are just starting to read this, or haven't gone back to read the past posts....I have "added" 2 extra hours to my day...and it'a amazing!

Quick Backstory: I am a SAHWM with 2 boys and a husband. I run 2 businesses out of my home so I'm usually "working" anywhere from 7am to 10pm (long, long days...but with big breaks in between sometimes).

At first I used to make my husbands lunch at night (yes, I do that...how else is he going to eat without spending a ridiculous amount of $$ every week!) and hope that he would remember to grab it from the fridge (it was 50/50)....those lunches I made weren't very good...white bread or buns with highly processed meats, cookies, chips, pop and pepperoni sticks....wonder why he never had much energy at the end of the day....duh!
I had been "trying" for a while to lose weight, eat better and get back into shape...sort of hard when 3 nights a week the "fam" was eating pizza (frozen..not take out and because it was a quick meal) and the smells were just chasing me through the house...they usually caught up with me and I would scarf down anything that was left.

Then, I had my "aha" Oprah moment....why can't we ALL eat healthy and leave the "junk" food for special occasions/holidays etc....so I decided to change my grocery shopping habits...went to bed earlier (because really..I can watch the repeat news in the morning...) and got up earlier. The first morning I did that....I was amazed that I didn't think of it sooner....my husband had left for work...it was 5:45am...I was awake...the house was quiet...my kids were asleep...and daycare kids didn't start showing until 7:45am....I actually FOUND 2 hours for myself!! I could do whatever I wanted...be on the computer...start laundry....workout....anything!
Now, truth be told, some mornings I DO go back to bed.....I just listen to my body and do what it needs...but those mornings I still make sure I get my workout in at some point in the morning....I've tried to put it off until the afternoon/evening, and I usually find some sort of reason NOT to workout (thanks Bachelor/Bachelorette and Big Brother and so on...)

Luckily my children haven't noticed any sort of change...they were good eaters anyhow....they both love and will eat fruit and veggies (my youngest usually steals half of my salad)...their meat of choice right now is ham, but the small one will eat chicken too.

So in the end...it really hasn't been much of a change (except for the hubby, who would eat crap food every night if I would let him....but on the other hand he doesn't smoke any more, so I let him have his treats....just not everyday...once a week, or when he's really craving something)....and when I think you are trying to improve your quality of life with food and exercise...it shouldn't be a change...it should be something that feels right and fits right into your schedule...no matter HOW hectic. But...the biggest change......is how my grocery bill had decreased. Honestly. It has. I'm using the foods I purchase each week more wisely and using ALL the food before it spoils. I now imagine a price tag attached to every piece of grocery item (fresh and packaged) and it just makes sense to USE it before it goes bad...or else I'm just throwing that money away....It does mean that usually I need to grocery shop every week....but if I want to keep on eating fresh foods...shouldn't I be shopping every week? Instead of getting what I think would last us 2 weeks, I get only what will last us 1 week...and we eat it...ALL. No waste....and I only buy what's in season, so it's also inexpensive, unless I can get it frozen, then I use the store flyers. To me...that's the KISS method at it's best...

how do you find time to workout and eat right?

happy health

High Five!!

2012-08-21T09:17:00.001-04:00

to losing weight!!

It's funny (or at least I think it is)...when I THINK and PLAN to lose weight...I don't lose weight.

When I don't think about it and just make better food choices and throw in some exercise...I do lose it.

The last time I posted, I had actually GAINED weight (and because the number was so horrendous I didn't want to post it...just know it wasn't good.)...and this time I weighed myself...DOWN 3lbs!! whoo hoo!! Even though Weigh In Wednesday isn't until tomorrow(which then I will post my numbers and will compare to the first time I've posted numbers)...I felt that my clothes were fitting a bit better and I just felt great!!...and I was interested to see if I had lost anything....I am quite pleased with the results!

I have been fairly regular with my TurboFire workouts and using my It Works products...last week I did ALL my workouts EVERYDAY and used my wrap once, defining gel all the other days, drank my Greens and used the ProFit as a snack when I really craved chocolate!! Something to be proud of for sure!! My eating was 80/20...and I still managed to lose.....a big high five!!

Now..the big test comes....our last camping trip. We are away for 4 days...I'm taking my DVD's again (and hoping for some good weather)...so let's see what gets done...I'm not going to guarantee that I will get the workouts in...but..I will eat better (taking salads, chicken, veggies fruit and nuts)...the way I look at it..as long as I don't GAIN anything, I'll be ahead of the game!

Hope everyone is having a happy and healthy summer...can't believe it's almost the end of August!!

j

Even with a kink in my back...

2012-08-18T07:57:00.002-04:00

I have still managed to complete my workouts!

Thursday was Stretch 40 which I totally needed....it's an amazing yoga/stretching session...was hoping that would release the kink in my upper back...which it didn't completely BUT I feel much better and can actually turn my head to the side!!

Today was supposed to be a Fire 45, but for those of you that know my youngest child...we had "one of those nights"...he was up since about 2am and I finally "got up" (those nights I sleep in his room...twin bed...while he plays and sometimes goes back to sleep...this time, not so lucky)
I took him downstairs at 5am because he was hungry...think it's a growing spurt, which is OK (again if you know him), made my husband's lunch and then proceeded to do my workout.

Of course, as I'm starting my workout....."mom, I hungree...mom, I need a drink..." (when I asked him before if he needed anything...his response..."no mum, don't worry about me..I ok"...so he let me squeeze out a 25min workout, which is OK, because my back was starting to hurt (pinched nerve I think...)...BUT at least I did a workout...still burned A LOT of calories....

I have decided to take the KISS approach to eating (...Keep It Simple Stupid)...sometimes I get too confused with multiple recipes, grocery lists and such...so just doing plain, simple recipes, nothing fancy dancy....especially with school just around the corner and hockey starting, I need things to be quick and easy....
Plus...I LOVE my It Works FAT FIGHTER, ProFIT and THERMOFIT and GREENS....helps me when I need it!! I've been finding that these products definitely keep me on track an minimize my cravings...and using MyFitnessPal....it's amazing the calories that you can consume without thinking about it.

This weekend we have absolutely nothing on schedule...which seems and feels weird...but it's good because it's the last quiet weekend before school starts for my kids.....so hopefully I will be able to sit down and do my grocery list, relax (because again, I've been up since 3am...thank you child) and enjoy the day......oh, and also get a workout done!

happy health!

Back in the saddle....

2012-08-16T07:51:00.001-04:00

again!

So...the last I left I went camping for 5 days...5 rainy, days. Needless to say, I didn't get my exercise in:(....BUT I did take my DVD's with me....at least that's a start isn't it? I ate Ok....still not the greatest, but I made a Big Salad (remember the Seinfeld episode?) and ate it with each of my meals and didn't eat buns, bread etc...

The last few days I have been 100% completely EXHAUSTED....and I have no idea why. I would have no problem just lying down ALL day...and that isn't like me....sometimes though I think mind over matter beats me.
I'm a professional procrastinator...I put everything off until the last second, and then just scramble to get it all done in time....if there's anything I would like to change about myself...it would be that.

Yesterday was (yet) another start...or a continue...I didn't start from the beginning of my Turbo Fire schedule, something that I've done about 20 times...I think that was my problem, not being able to get past the start and if I missed a day, for some reason I thought I had to wait and start all over.

So...technically I'm in my 3rd week of the Turbo Fire Prep Schedule (it's a 60 day schedule to get your body prepared for the more intense TF schedule...it's all the same discs, but just done differently..there's more toning and strengthening and stretching sessions with short cardio sessions)

I completely filled out MyFitnessPal's food journal...a first for me in a long time!! And it's not even exaggerating or anything....that was my day....and I felt awesome at the end of it too! I also did an It Works Wrap after my workout and I have since lost a total of 3 inches from my abdomen...if that's not motivation to keep it up...I don't know what is!! (ps...if anyone is in my area on Sunday and wishes to get more information about the wraps, feel free to stop by any time between 1pm and 4pm)

Where I find my downfall is....sitting and watching a TV show. The days that I completely ignore the Tube...the less hungry I am....

Why?? Because there are SO MANY junk food commercials that are played in general...it's kind of sickening if you think about it....and we wonder why we are obese??

I've missed weigh in Wednesdays for a few weeks now....but NEXT week I am back ON the scale and posting my numbers! I guess it doesn't matter how many times you fall off the healthy train...just as long as you get back on it!!

happy health

What the heck happened....

2012-08-06T08:11:00.000-04:00

last week was such a blur!!
Not only did I NOT get any workouts completed...I ate like crazy!! And not in a good way:(

I have no idea what happened....and now I find myself face to face with Monday......and what did I do???

I got UP and did a WORKOUT!!!

This is me after a Fire 30 workout (but to be completely honest...I did 21 minutes of it with the 10 minute stretch after....I find when I start "slow"....it works better)

This week is going to be a hard one...we are away camping for 5 days....my plan is to take Turbo Fire with me and get up early to do the exercises (using the portable DVD player in the truck...won't that be interesting...luckily our camp-site is quite secluded so not too many people will see me.)

I've had a lot of great people reach out to me in the course of this blog...sorry if I'm letting everyone down:((...but I never really thought about it before..but I think I could be addicted to sugar!!?? So, with that being said, I'm going to start looking into how much sugar I EAT and how much I should only eat and what foods to avoid....so if anyone has any advice (recipes, foods etc..) I'm all ears!!

Hope everyone has a great Civic Holiday today...I feel good now that my workout is done! Now just to make the rest of the day just as good!

happy health

Making Myself Accountable!!!

2012-08-01T08:40:00.001-04:00

It's so easy to sit and plan an exercise and healthy eating routine....the HARD part is following what has been laid out!

I have had a terrible case of the "tomorrow's"....(as in "oh, I can get that workout squeezed in tomorrow...I can eat better tomorrow"...and so on!)...it's now Wednesday (yikes...guess I need to weigh in...oh crap! I already had breakfast...I like to weigh myself first thing in the morning before any food consumption)....and I have YET do get a workout in:(...but that was completely my fault...I didn't get to bed until after 11pm Sunday or Monday and even last night was 11pm when I got to bed...and getting up at 5am with little sleep doesn't help in the cravings and wanting to complete and exercise department!!

Today my house will be child-less for the next 5 days(well, my children anyhow)....whoo hoo...with a side of sad. They are going on vacation to Gramma and Poppas for the rest of the week and weekend....so I am going to use this time as motivation to KICK it in HIGH gear!! The biggest problem with working out at home....being interrupted...grrrr, nothing bothers me more then getting the kids all settled and then get 5 mins into my workout DVD, to hear "mom...I need you" (that's the little one....the older one tends to take care of himself for the most part)...and of course he won't let up until I see what he needs me for....which is usually a hug and an "i lub you mum" (melts my heart...then the next thing I know I've been cuddling with the mini-monster for 20 mins and all my drive to workout has fizzled....)

But truthfully I have been slacking in ALL departments....for some reason I want to eat more and more when I'm not having my "monthly visit" then when I do have it....and when I have my "visit" I want to workout like crazy, but not after.....I'm finding I get more headaches after then during...and my cravings are completely out of control....just wish it was the other way around (then that would be my 80/20 split!)

SO....my goals for the rest of this week...get plenty of SLEEP...would like 8 hours but will settle for 7, keep track of my day, DO my workouts (which I have re-scheduled the missed ones...today is Fire 45 and Tone 30) and make wise food choices....I already have chicken in the fridge waiting to be BBQ'd for lunch and then left over for dinner....done and done.

later today...after the kids have gone...I am REALLY going to make myself accountable....taking the dreaded bathing suit picture.....not the suit I reluctantly wear now (because my small child feels he doesn't need a life jacket or puddle jumper...I'm his PFD) but the suit that I would "like" to get back into....it's such a cute pink bikini (yikes.) that I got from Esprit (remember that clothing line? love..can it even be FOUND in Canada anymore?)...and I would LOVE to wear it again...at some point...before 40...and maybe a bit after...who knows....ugh....just haven't decided if I'm ready to "post a pic", especially THAT one....maybe I should take it and then put it on my phone as my screen saver as a reminder to myself...(that is so cruel, but necessary I think)

Alright....so back to putting down what I've eaten...feel free to follow me on MyFitnessPal where I will be putting all of my meals and exercise...http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/simplebeauty I have put in my breakfast and what exercise I WILL DO today!!

happy health!

Back at the start (again)

2012-07-30T08:15:00.000-04:00

This happens every time....I start off great...do my exercises and eat well.....then I peter off....and its always at the end of my period...for at least 2 days I go crazy and its like I need every single type of starchy carb that I can get my hands on...then I go into the "nothing fills me up" phase...which I have just come off of!
So...I have fallen off the proverbial wagon and was caught under the wheels for a while....not allowing me to get out from underneath of it!!

Things weren't all that bad...just not doing the workouts is the biggest downfall for me....as long as I do that, things seem to even out (or at least I don't gain TOO much after a binge!)

So...this weekend I sat down and created my own schedule/daytimer book (seeing how I have a few businesses going on I need to keep everything in one spot) and today IS A NEW DAY!!

Woke up bright and early, had my shake, having my water and ~~planning on~~ doing my workout at 9:30am this morning!
I am starting at the beginning for my Turbo Fire workouts again (and again, and again...but I guess that's better then not re-starting at all!)...so on today's schedule is Fire 30 and Tone 30

Going to try to pre-make all/most of my meals...starting with snacks. I think that's where I have the most problems...I'm ready for a snack, but not sure what I want, and then I make "bad" choices!....so if I take the guessing out and just have all my snacks ready, then I'll be good to go...

What do you do to make sure that you eat properly?

happy health

Hitting a bad streak....and it's weigh in wednesday!

2012-07-18T06:40:00.000-04:00

I had such a terrible, terrible headache yesterday....nothing I did seemed to help it go away...I added in some carbs (in the form of crackers) but that didn't seem to alleviate the ache....neither did all the other CRAP I ate yesterday...

I had also hurt my back just a bit on the right hand side a few days ago...and since then I've been achy and sore, so maybe the headache is an extension of it?

Even though the past 2 days haven't been the best eating days...I've made up for them with maintaining my workouts (I did 2 workouts yesterday...still went pretty hard, but with my back and such hurting a bit, I had to back off some things a bit..)

Then it hit me......I haven't been having my Greens, OR having my shakes....D'oh!
Taking the small things out of my schedule have made the biggest difference....so today I will be making sure to add those back IN to my eating schedule

So, needless to say...these few "bad" days have taken their toll on me.....
Here are my numbers (sorry it's condensed ... short on time today!)

Overall body inches: 271...still down 2 inches from last time (mostly in my hips, legs and arms...went up by .5 in the abdomen...I'm a bit puffy today from the starchy carbs from yesterday...and the day before...)

Weight: 203.8.....UP 2 lbs...but I'm not going to let this discourage me...what goes UP, must come DOWN! I'm going to use this as motivation to break the 200's

I am also on the last few days of the thing that makes me uniquely "woman", and I've been finding that's when I tend to binge the most...after.....before and during I'm an extremely dedicated/healthy person...but it's when it starts to fade that I get the carb cravings....which is so weird b/c I thought it should be the other way around...

Well...it was these backwards cravings/actions that made me create this blog....so I can reflect back on the days and see what the heck is going on!!

For my schedule today....it's Fire 30/stretch 10 for exercise

For food...I'm going to get my greens and shakes back INTO my eating (and eliminate starchy carbs...bye bye corn on the cob and potato salad...you were delish!)

I have to start packing everyone for the weekend...we leave for camping tomorrow...my workout plan for the weekend is to take my resistance band, and write out a full body tone 30 for Saturdays workout and for Friday I'm going to go for a big bike ride (just hope I can get away myself so that I can actually make it a cardio workout..)

And I also need to get food organized.....busy busy!! Good thing laundry is all caught up!

happy health!

here is my eating...instead of putting it down in 2 separate places...I'm getting back to MFP and using it's site

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/simplebeauty