Fighting Hibernation

It's about 10° outside and I am home with my son, who has to be fever free before returning to school.  He's not feeling sick, but had to stay home.  So, I have an usual day at home and the weather makes me want to stay under a blanket with my Keurig on the coffee table and knitting in hand.  There is laundry to do and such, but no motivation.   Time to add some structure to my morning and bust out a workout DVD I purchased about 6 months ago that I have not yet tried.  I normally go to my favorite Bar Method studio 3-5 times a week to strengthen and lengthen my muscles and I bought the DVD for the times I can't make it to class. (But it had become more useful as a bedside coaster). 

I set the timer so I would get off the couch after coffee and was glad that I did.  The exercises were familiar from class and the burn was just as intense.   The Super Sculpt 2 DVD is like a level 2 class: extra sets of thigh and seat work and a faster pace.  Yay!  I would definitely would recommend it for someone who has done a beginner Bar Method video or class.  

Ps. I look nothing like this when I did it and I still got a fabulous workout.  

 

Declare it Day!

Fellow Flowers, a company I first discovered at the Little Rock Expo has started a wonderful campaign and made February 1, Declare it Day!  

Goal setting is powerful.  It has made me realize that nothing is impossible and helped me focus on what I can accomplish instead of things I can't control.  

In 2014 I declare that I will finish my first triathlon.  

I am doing it because I keep thinking that I can't do it, and I need to prove to myself that I can. I know I can. I'm not necessarily afraid to do it, but something is holding me back. Not going to let that happen. 

I will CRUSH this goal by July 26, 2014.  

WIN for KC Women's tri: I'm coming for you.  

What do you declare today?

A Lifetime Diet?

The other day, one of the dozens of health related pages I follow on Facebook posted a familiar mantra: it's a lifestyle, not a diet.  I was a little surprised when someone replied that a lifestyle change sounds like a lifetime diet.  All my weight watcher instincts wanted to reply and correct this person.  A healthy lifestyle change = diet forever?!?!  

In a perfect world I wouldn't have to pay attention to what I eat and I would stay the same size and feel healthy.  Some people can do that, I suppose.  But, I am not like that.  And I'm pretty sure the majority of people have the same cause and effect relationship with food.  Over the past few years I have made several small changes that could be summed up as a lifestyle change: I have become active, I am mindful of what I eat an try to eat mostly healthy foods, I use the tools and routines I learn at Weight Watchers to be successful.   Will I ever be able to forget about what I put in my mouth without consequences? No.  Does that mean I'll always be "dieting"? No.  

I've made a choice to be in control of my health, to be a good example to my kids, and to stop buying larger sized jeans every year.   If I hadn't, my lifestyle would be this: gain weight, hate myself, diet, quit, repeat.  Sounds like a lifetime of diets and loathing and it wouldn't be fun. To that nameless Facebook commenter, I may be on a "diet" forever, and I may never convince her otherwise, but I feel good, look better than I have, and I am stronger!  

Magical Miles: Disney World Half

 

Had a blast running the WDW half this weekend! I am a Disney geek. I admit it. I love feeling like a kid and hanging with the characters. This was my third Disney Race and I planned on running for fun and not time.  This time I wanted to get pics and enjoy every mile.  Of course, I had to run in costume: an Alice in Wonderland tutu from Race Junkie and polka dot shorts from Sparkle Skirts along with a plain black tank. 

My race photos are actually good from Marathonphoto, which is a first, so I am actually going to order them.  Here are a few of my faves that I took on my phone. Most of which, were taken at Epcot post-race.   

Can't wait to run next year with Team in Training again at Disney!

Watch Me

My first week of Maintenance, the 6 week period after meeting goal that transitions you from weight loss to maintaining, was successful at the scale. Not so sure how successful it was for my mental health.  Over the past few years I have spent very little time thinking about my weight.  I know.  It's pretty shocking to me to admit it, but that number has only been a part of me becoming a healthier and active person.  Yes, I am a Weight Watcher and I weigh in at a meeting almost every week. But I made the point about 3 years ago to focus on non-scale victories (NSVs) and I have just realized that I have really done that.  I set running goals of distance and time, worked on eating cleaner, and this year started to work on gaining muscle and being stronger.  I feel pretty bada** when I look at all those NSVs I've accomplished and all the goals I have on deck.  This week stressed me out a little because I shifted focus to the scale. I have to realize that I already know what to do to be healthy and keep it all in balance.  The next 5 weeks an beyond will be amazing as I learn more about myself an what I can do when I set my mind to it. Watch me! 

Keep it Simple

 This Sunday I hit my official goal weight at Weight Watchers. Yay!!

 I am so excited, but I started freaking out about an hour after my meeting.  I have been in loss mode for as long as I can remember and now I am supposed to just be as I am.  I have to learn to maintain, while I train for my first ultra marathon April 26.  Nutrition is most important over the number on the scale, but I know myself and I have to be careful not to over indulge just because I ran a few miles. To kick off the new year, Weight Watchers has rolled out a Simple Start plan: basically eating whole foods and learning to eat until you are satisfied. So, in an effort to eat more power foods, as they are called on plan, I found some great recipes at Twopeasandtheirpod.com and added them to my monthly cooking today. I follow them on Facebook and find myself wanting to cook and eat 99% of the recipes they post.  They are delicious and healthy meals that just happen to be vegetarian.  My new favorite it is the quinoa chili.  My whole family loved it and it works for Simply filling (or 4pp as I made it for 1 cup).  

Great fuel for my treadmill run tonight and so satisfying on a cold day.