Motivation!

Let's talk about motivation for just a moment...

I just finished logging my daily food intake into my MyFitnessPal app. I was under my calorie goal quite substantially today (actually two days in a row).  Not sure why though - I ate when I was hungry and I felt satisfied all day; I am not starving myself (just in case anyone was worried :-)  ).  For some reason I have just not felt hungry lately... not complaining though... :-)  :-) 

Well, when I completed my entry today it told me at the bottom of the page that if every day were like today, I'd weigh 199.7 lbs in 5 weeks!!  (It is still hard actually sharing that number... sigh...)  That will be down 16 lbs from what I weigh now!!  Holy crap!!  WHOOP  WHOOP!!

That is awesome!!  Now I know that not every day will be like today - I am realistic.  HOWEVER, this does mean that what I am doing could actually work and that was very motivating!  That one sentence will keep me watching what I eat and will keep me exercising twice a day!!

HAPPY DANCE!!  HAPPY DANCE!!  But it will be an even happier dance when my scale actually reads 199.7 lbs!! 

Quick side note:
I do have to say though, that if you or anyone you know are trying to be healthier and/or lose weight, I highly recommend logging your food intake and exercise into an app such as MyFitnessPal or one similar to it.  I have been watching what I eat and making healthier food choices the past several weeks, but when you have to actually look at how many calories, sugar, carbs, etc. are in a food item and see how those items all add up at the end of the day, you truly do look at your food differently.  I am much more mindful to not finish Bekah's sandwich or nibble a little of the macaroni and cheese sitting on the counter when I know that I have to log those items (yes, I am being that careful and actual with what I log).  It is also motivating to see how your exercise adjusts the amount of calories you can consume as well.  So, apps like MyFitnessPal get two very enthusiastic thumbs up from me.  (No, this is not any kind of affiliate endorsement - it's a free app or you can use it for free online as well - I actually use both all day long.)


That's all for now...
Stay healthy my friends...

Fitbit Giveaway Link

I mentioned in a previous post that I would LOVE to have a Fitbit Flex to track my steps, activity level and sleep!!  I don't have one... yet.  I did see on my Facebook newsfeed today the Ree, the Pioneer Woman is giving some away.  Go to her site at this link to enter her giveaway.  Let me know if you win!!

Not sure what a Fitbit is, you can check out their website: www.Fitbit.com.  (This is not an affiliate link and I do not benefit in anyway by sharing this with you.  :-)  )

Stay healthy my friends...

What is your motivation? Here is one of mine...

 

Although I am no longer a Rick Warren fan,

I found this pic on Pinterest and had to share it.  :-)

Food and exercise journal already paying off!

Well, I have only been logging my food and exercise for a couple of days but have already noticed something... I'm not drinking enough water.  Although I have increased from what I was drinking before, I am still not getting enough water.  I have read that you need half of your body weight in ounces; so, in my case, I would need 109 ounces per day (217 x 50% = 109).  That is almost a full gallon a day - WOW!!  I think that part of the issue is that I have been drinking some distilled water which I like a lot better than our tap water but I have run out of distilled water.  We have well water but our water is hard and I have noticed that it leaves a metal-y taste in my mouth (never noticed it until I started drinking distilled water... go figure!).  I just have a weird "thing" about BUYING water at the store... I know, weird! 

I think my other struggle with not getting enough water is that I used to drink a LOT with my meals.  However, I have recently learned that drinking too much (water, milk, etc.) with your meals is bad for your digestion.  "The general rule of thumb is to avoid drinking water from about 15 minutes before you eat until at least one hour after you eat."  (You can read the full article here.)  My problem is that I am forgetting to drink water while I am cooking; that would probably help me a lot.  Old dogs can learn new tricks... it just takes a while!  :-) 

I still need to get my exercise done today.  Better get that done before the USA v. Ghana World Cup soccer game tonight!!  I BELIEVE THAT WE WILL WIN!!!  (Here is a video where you can chant along!)




Stay healthy my friends...

Embarrassed to share this but will for accountabilty and tracking

I mentioned in a post last week that I would share my "before" pictures.  Well, I had my hubby take the pics last Sunday night but I have been avoiding the blog since then because I didn't want to have to actually share the pictures.  Well, I think I have finally gotten over that and I am going to share the pics with you along with my "before" measurements.  I plan to have a big celebration a year from now (or sooner...) to debut the new, healthier me!!  My blog last week was: a year from now, you'll wish you'd started today; well, a year from now, I WILL BE HEALTHIER and slimmer!!

So, here it goes... no haters (I have done enough of that myself already, don't need any help :-) )...

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okay, there, I did it...  and for the purpose of accountability and tracking, here are my measurements (taken 6/11/14):
Weight:  217 lbs
Thigh:  27 1/2 inches
Hips:  50 1/2 inches
Waist:  44 inches
Abs:  45 1/2 inches
Upper arm:  15 inches
Neck:  14 inches
Jeans:  I currently wear a size 18

It can only get better from here! RIGHT!!!
I look forward to posting progress pictures in the future!! 

I think I will plan to weigh and measure myself at the beginning of each month for tracking.  More often than that and I will likely be frustrated; less often than that and I may lose motivation.  Again, I know it's not about the weight, but I know that I need to lose weight as part of my health journey.  (I think I say that in each post, don't I... LOL!)

Until next time...
Stay healthy my friends...

Feeling frustrated...

Not sure how else to title today's post... just feeling frustrated!  I feel like I've been doing good things for my health. I haven't had ANY pop/soda in 2 1/2 weeks and have been drinking a lot more water AND I've been being much more careful with what I eat!!  However, I haven't lost even 1 pound in the last 2 weeks!  Heavy sigh...  I know that being healthier isn't just about how much I weigh, but I would sure feel more encouraged if I was seeing a change on the scale.  So, I have decided to keep a food and exercise journal so that I can try to spot anything that needs to be changed.  I have used www.myfitnesspal.com in the past; I may start back up with it at least for a little while so I can get back in touch with my calorie intake.  I would like to get a Fitbit activity and sleep tracker (www.Fitbit.com); not sure if it fits my very limited budget right now. 

I have decided on some general exercises to do daily and am going to try to walk for a least 20 minutes 4-5 times a week as well (just have to figure out how to fit that into my day - but I WILL make it happen :-)  )!!  I am sure that this change in itself with help the number on the scale get smaller!

That's all for now.... 

Stay healthy my friends...

This saying has been on my mind a lot lately.  We have been making changes to be healthier and I want to look back in June 2015 and see concrete results of the work we are doing today.  I am committed to being healthier!  I really need to take a picture of myself so that next year I will be able to see the physical results.  I know that I should post my "before" picture here but am feeling insecure about doing that.  I remind myself that this is all about accountability AND that those of you who are reading this know me also already know what I look like SO I might as well just do it, huh!?  Okay fine... tomorrow I will post a before picture.

I am also thinking that I need to make an appointment with a family doctor for a general physical so that I can get my blood work done so that I also have a baseline for comparison a year from now.  My only doctor is my OB/GYN, so maybe I'll just go through her to get that done. 

Next year I will be healthier and stronger... but that all starts with today and tomorrow!  TODAY I have been healthier and TOMORROW I will be healthier too!!  I just may not see the results until next year...

Stay healthy my friends....

Inquiring minds want to know: what am I doing to get healthier???

One question that has been asked is:  "It's great that you are trying to get healthier, but what specifically are you DOING?"  So, here's my current action plan and thought process:

1.  I am drinking more water; lots of water.  When I can, I add a couple drops of Young Living Essential Oils - usually lemon and/or lime, but grapefruit as well as orange are YUMMY too!!
2.  Along with drinking more water, I am drinking my water out of a glass (usually some kin of a fun jar) and a glass straw (great Michigan-made glass straws at www.Strawsome.com).  I don't like the feel of stainless steel on my mouth (weird, I know), so I had to be creative.  I use a variety of canning jars and other jars with holes drilled in the lid for my straw.  I find that I drink more water when I use a straw.
3.  We are eliminating processed food from our diet.  For example, we no longer buying things like breaded chicken strips, poptarts, granola bars, etc.  Things that I haven't been able to eliminate are macaroni and cheese, potato chips, hot dogs (although these are on the soon-to-be eliminated list), ice cream, etc. but we are working to clean up our diet as much as possible.
4.  We are making more things homemade - brownies, enchilada sauce, chicken broth/stock, ranch dressing (oh yum!), etc.  Homemade tastes so much better.
5.  We are not using aluminum foil or pans for anything!  Aluminum is so bad for our brain!  I find that I can use parchment paper in place of aluminum foil in most cases, and that my glass/pottery dishes work fine for baking instead of aluminum pans. 
6.  We have eliminated chemical cleaners from our home!!  The toxins in chemical cleaners are the cause of so many health problems.  After being introduced to Norwex microfiber cloths (and their other products), it was much easier to eliminate spray cleaners.
7.  I have eliminated toxic personal care items - I no longer use shampoo, just baking soda and water.  I use a natural facial moisturizer and deodorant (still looking for the perfect combo for my skin though).  I use a castile soap blend for body wash and hand soap rather than the commercial soaps that are so full of nasty chemicals!!  bleh!  Oh, and I have also switched from regular toothpaste to Earthpaste (it is a clay based toothpaste and completely safe!).  I am still trying to get my family switched over to some of these things as well, but some of them are having a hard time accepting the natural products (they won't have much choice when I just stop buying some of those things - LOL!).
8.  I am also eliminating plastic dishes from our food storage options!!  Just last night I bought a set of wide-mouth pint canning jars to store leftovers in.  I also have some bigger wide-mouth jars that I can use for larger quantities!!  This is super exciting for me as I've been wanting to do this for a long time but just found what I was looking for (a big shout out to Save-A-Lot for having these awesome jars).
9.  I am also using Young Living Essential Oils in place of a lot of commercial "medicines" that we once used.  I no longer need to buy pain relievers, allergy/cold/sinus meds, antibiotic "ouch cream", itch cream, bug sprays, etc. as the essential oils have replaced all of those things for us!  I like that I am using completely natural items that have NO side effects or lingering effects!! 

Well, I could keep going about some of the changes we have made, but these are the biggest ones.  I will share more as it fits in!    

Until next time... stay healthy my friends!!  :-)