Week 3 - Life Happens

Last Saturday while I was doing a 30 minute workout I sprained my SI joint. I've done this before and I knew immediately when it happened. During a one legged dead lift with an upright row. Of course the pilot asked me if I stopped when I felt it. Lets just say I finished the workout. Not sure why he asked when he knew the answer to the question. Anyway after that I realized I wouldn't be able to exercise the last week of this challenge. I enjoy exercising and I usually workout out 5 to 6 days a week so not being able to is kind of hard for me. 

We went to the mountains for a couple days and I brought healthy food with us to our condo. However, the very first night we went out to eat, I had 3 fish tacos, green chili fries, and a margarita. Now I could say my back really hurt so I had the margarita to help but the truth is I just really like fish tacos & margaritas. The next day I stuck with the plan and only had one treat, a small serving of gelato. By Wednesday I was able to do yoga and put some time in on the elliptical when we got home.  I stayed with the diet and I've made it to day 20 out of 21. I weighed in at 135 this morning, so it seems my splurges didn't necessarily hurt me. Again I'll point out the good and the not so good.

Good: I have to say this month I've saved a lot of money not going out to eat. I also decided I didn't need to purchase any more workout clothes. This is a big decision for me since that is truly my wardrobe right now but I have enough. Having healthy food in the fridge and several options for dinner to make at home has been great. The convenience of the beach body on demand is wonderful, I can work out at home and its only 30 minutes a day. That has probably been my favorite part. The shakes are tasty and truly curve my cravings. I've enjoyed getting to know new people in the Facebook challenge group. They have helped me stay accountable on this journey.

Not so good: I only lost 3 lbs and that happened the first couple days of the challenge. I haven't taken measurements but it doesn't seem like much has changed. Feeling guilty for one splurge meal. I guess in the past I wouldn't have thought twice about that but being part of a group made it worse. The price of the shakes. Feeling bad because I couldn't work out, I know I shouldn't but it felt like I was quitting. 

Going forward I've decided to continue the subscription to Beachbody on demand, it's only $12 a month. Totally affordable and a lot less than any gym membership I've ever had. I love that I have access to workouts from my phone and my iPad. I cancelled my next order of shakeology, the bargain shopper part of me just can't justify the price. I've done some research and found Vega One has almost all the same ingredients at a fraction of the price. I ordered some on Amazon to try it out and see if it can curve my cravings. 

About 4 years ago I would've loved to find a group that was doing this challenge because I know I would've lost the excess weight that was bothering me. I haven't always been happy with my weight but at this point in my life I feel like I'm at a maintenance phase. As long as I eat healthy 90% of the time I can afford those splurges or treats 10% of the time. I love the new tools I have but going forward I feel like I can do this on my own. Shakeology is a great product and the people I've meet who are part of this are great. However, its just not for me. I'm searching for a balance in my life, I want to be healthy but my plan is to not give up the foods I enjoy for the rest of my life. I'm talking about you Mr. Avocado and Mr. Cheese!!! Feel free to ask me any questions about my experience, I'm happy to share.

Week 2

I feel fit and smaller but the scale doesn't reflect that, I'm still a solid 135. I'm not unhappy with that number however after cutting out alcohol, most of my carbs, & fat I thought that number would've changed this week. I thought I had lost an inch off of each thigh, turns out I just didn't measure them in the right place. My mind is still clear and I have so much energy. The pilot even told me he was a little jealous of my energy and wanted to steal one of my shake packets! Just like last week I'll start with the good and then the not so good.

Good: I'm consistently working out and eating healthy. Before I use to struggle with what to make for dinner and now I have a plan. Makes my life a lot easier. I always have healthy options available for me and the family. The pilot eats healthy as well so I don't have to worry about making separate meals for each of us. I believe writing down what I eat daily is probably the best way to keep me accountable. I average at least 80 to 100 oz of water a day. I have 3 flavors of the shakeology, chocolate, vanilla, & cafe latte. I've got lots of recipes and variations I can make with these 3 flavors. A couple of my favorites are vanilla berry (vanilla shake, frozen berries & almond milk), vanilla latte (vanilla shake, almond milk, coffee, & ice), chocolate with PB2, banana, almond milk & ice. Cafe latte was good with a banana, almond milk, ice, & dash of cinnamon. I usually have a shake after a workout or for breakfast.

Not so good: I miss cheese. You have to understand my full on love for cheese. When we took a trip to Seattle we went to a cheese shop that make 4000 lbs of cheese a day, I was in heaven!! I think I spent about $50 on cheese. I would choose cheese over dessert any day. My options each day are a small amount of cheese for my fat or avocado. WHAT??? And the avocado portion is only 1/4 of an avocado. Normally I would eat one whole avocado a day, every day of the week. So I have a daily battle, do I choose cheese or avocado. Next I miss carbs, I can have 2 servings a day. Just a small list I can choose from for carbs: beans, bread, cereal, brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, pasta, sweet potato, 2 corn tortillas, 1 waffle. So my dilemma is if I have oatmeal for breakfast and 1/2 a sandwich for lunch, that leaves no carbs for dinner. I'm struggling a bit to balance what I want to eat more.

Here is a sample of what I ate yesterday: Breakfast - scrambled eggs w/mushrooms, Snack - Vanilla berry shake, Lunch - Turkey wrap & baby carrots, Snack - Apple & peanut butter, Dinner - Taco Bowl.

I think I've become addicted to peanut butter since its the one indulgence I feel I get on a daily basis. I buy the honey roasted grounded peanut butter at Whole Foods, it is AMAZING!! Freshly ground and I look forward to that little piece of heaven daily. And I lost the creamer battle, I decided for about 20 calories a day I could afford one teaspoon of my sweet cream. And my pilot thanks me for that because one day I thought I was going to bite several heads off if I didn't get my creamer.

Next week is spring break and we are headed out of town. I plan on doing my workouts and staying on track with my food. I have a plan. I'm on day 14 of 21 days. I can do this!!!

Week 1

I have to say I was a bit skeptical using shakeology and following this plan. I tried this some time last year and I didn't really 100% commit. I was only making shakes with 1/2 the packet of powder and I hadn't given up on my creamer. So now that I'm all in, let's talk about the good and the not so good.

Good: I weigh 135, believe me I was shocked to see that number after only a couple days. I got on and off the scale 4 times to make sure it was right.  I feel amazing! My mind is clear, I have lots of energy after my workouts, and my sugar cravings in the evening are gone. I won't bore you with all the ingredients but if you'd like to see what is in these shakes visit this website, she breaks down each ingredient http://sweetlifefitness.net/shakeology/shakeology-ingredients/
I'm part of a Facebook group where I post a sweaty selfie daily as well as what I've eaten for the day. Trust me this group keeps me accountable. Its difficult to cheat when I know I'm going to share what I've eaten. This also keeps me motivated to workout. I enjoy the workouts that came with the program, they are very efficient and only take 30 mins. I am going to Orange Theory once a week and I use that to replace my cardio day. I also go to Core Power once a week which replaces my Pilates day. I mindfully choose my meals and don't eat randomly. I believe the added fruits and veggies in my diet are also contributing to how I feel.

Not so good: The coffee situation, the don't list includes: cream, half & half, sugar, honey, other sweeteners, non-dairy creamer, artificial sweeteners, flavored syrups, & chocolate syrup. The do list: lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, 1 tbsp low or nonfat milk, stevia. I've been trying several different ways to prepare my coffee that doesn't include my creamer and so far nothing has worked yet. I'm going though creamer withdrawal. Today I tried cold coffee with my vanilla shakeology, it was actually pretty good but not the same as my creamer. My right butt check has been sore for 3 days, ever since I did the lower fix extreme workout. I guess it means its working but I sat on our hot tub jets last night and I've been stretching like crazy to work it out. Okay, not the worst problem to have but its uncomfortable.

I haven't updated any of my measurements but I think I'll save that for day 21.  Only 2 more weeks to go, I'll keep you posted......

Beachbody starts today

I have to start this by saying I am not unhappy with my body or my weight. This morning when I got on the scale the number was 138.1, my ultimate goal was 135 but honestly 138 is just fine. Lately I've been feeling lazy and unmotivated. I feel like each day I'm just doing the same things over and over, I don't really have a plan or goal that I'm working towards. My girlfriend started this about a month ago and I decided this was something I could do. I want to challenge myself and see if I dial everything in, my workouts and my nutrition what could happen. I signed up for Orange Theory in December but after a couple months I just wasn't getting out of it what I thought I would. I go once a week because that is what I'm willing to pay for, their rates are pricey. I was hoping I'd get new ideas for my sculpt classes I teach but I only maybe get one exercise I can use. Plus its not something I really look forward to and that is when I know its time to change. If you can't find an exercise you enjoy or feel you have accomplished something its gets harder and harder to get into. I received my package last night. Although I have been watching my diet this last week today was truly my first day. I've done a couple of the workouts already and what I loved is they are only 30 minutes and really target each muscle group. As a bonus, lots of great ideas for me to use in my classes.

Day 1 I started the day with the Yoga Extreme workout, not sure I'd call it extreme but it wasn't terrible. It's hard to do this workout when I've been practicing and teaching at core power yoga but I have to say 30 minutes was perfect. Its 3:30 pm and I'm not starving so the food so far has been good. Their are containers involved and after a simple equation to figure out my caloric intake I know how many of each I get. Today I've had a shakeology for breakfast, hard boiled egg & 1/2 banana, tuna & avocado salad, peanut butter & berries oatmeal, and tonight I'll make a broccoli slaw with ground beef. My caloric intake is roughly 1500 calories a day. This is totally doable for me and I hope by the end of the week I'll notice some changes. The commitment is only 21 days, I can do that.
Today I'm washing fruit, cleaning lettuce, boiling eggs, prepping for the week. This is something I never do so already its making a difference.
I'll keep you posted and hopefully I'll see some inches off and some weight lost!

On the road of life

Things have changed throughout my life and with each passing year I feel like I gain more wisdom and continue to learn new things about myself. This past weekend we drove to the mountains. I enjoyed each moment, the drive, the dogs in the back trying to figure out how to get comfortable, my son commenting on how he was going to spend his recently earned allowance and my husband constantly touching his growing facial hair. Sometimes when time goes by so quickly each day, its nice to take a moment to just appreciate the life we have here and now. I used to stress about what other people thought of me and now, in the nicest way possible, I just don't care anymore. I want to smile and share my positive energy with those around me so they can feel and know how much I love this life. But if that's not their thing, I'm okay with that. Yesterday I taught a yoga sculpt class and I can truly say I appreciated each person who came. When I teach I have so much fun and I can feel the energy in the room with the smiles all around me. I'm hoping this energy is contagious.
Several years back I realized that I'm not responsible for others people's happiness, only my own. That is a hard lesson to learn when you want your family and those around you to be happy. But the truth is the choice is their's not mine. Finding my true calling in life and discovering how to become a stronger and happier me helps my family. It's contagious, I promise. The energy you give and shine helps those around you. They want a little piece of what you have and they want to spend more time with you.
I used to be surrounded by some toxic individuals and when you have to work to pay the bills their isn't much choice to just leave. This was my daily life and I looked forward to the end of each day and the end of each week. I wish I could've told myself back then that I didn't need to let those individuals bother me so much. To just be me and let go of the petty things that didn't matter. To  not waste my precious time with my family complaining about my day. But with everything in life hindsight is 20/20. I no longer let those negative thoughts or feelings fill my days. I lead a life of gratitude. Even in the moments I want to complain about my frustrations, I remind myself to look at the things in my life that I'm thankful for and it turns my mind around.
In this moment and in this life, what are you thankful for and how can you appreciate the moments that truly matter?

Social Media: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Yesterday I read this great blog about how a woman got off her social media 2 years ago. No more Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. She recently reactivated her Facebook just for her wedding to share pictures with people who aren't able to attend, but she said she'll be off it as soon as the wedding is over. I have to say I remember over 8 years ago when I was first introduced to Facebook, I told my friend I wouldn't need it because I had Myspace! Does anyone still use Myspace??
First lets start with The Good. I have less than 100 friends on mine and 80% of that number is family. I enjoy sharing photos of my son and our family, since many of the people on my list don't live in the same state. I don't get political, religious, or outrageous on my page. I want it to be a positive and fun place to share the good things in our life. Not every moment is rainbows and unicorns but I choose to share whats good.
The Bad, the very first thing I do when I wake up is look at my phone. I check on Facebook, did anyone like my posts from the day or night before? What did other people post? Instagram, I check on all the pugs we are following and see if anyone has liked my latest Mugsy photo. Email, how many emails do I have? I need to delete the advertisements, spam the junk, and read anything that is essential. Throughout the day if I have a spare moment I'm looking on my phone. When I get in my car after a yoga class or just leaving a store, I do this routine all over again! How many minutes of my day am I spending on my phone?? I've heard so many times I should start enjoying the moments in my life instead of looking at my phone.
The Ugly, now my son is noticing. I can hear his frustration when he is trying to tell me something and I'm looking at my phone. The other day he told me he was thinking it wasn't fair how much I get to be on my phone and he isn't allowed to use his tablet during the week. The truth is he truly just wants me to pay attention to him more than my phone.
Yesterday we went out to breakfast in a beautiful mountain town and we went to a museum. I tried my best to stay off my phone and not document my entire day on Facebook. I'm not saying that is a bad thing to do but for me not reaching for my phone for a day was a struggle. Today I'm trying the same thing and making progress by still failing.
Please keep in mind I'm not saying social media is bad but at this point I feel like I need to prioritize what is important in my life today. I want to enjoy my moments with my family instead of focusing on taking that perfect photo. I want to use my time more wisely and get my eyes off my phone. I want to have real conversations when I go out with my husband, instead of us both looking at our phones. I know I existed just fine before these amazing phones that do everything for us. I looked at people, I got in my car and just drove. I didn't need my phone every where I went. So for now, its baby steps but I'm committed to try something new and maybe break up with my phone for a bit.
What in your life do you feel might be keeping you from enjoying people, moments, and life around you?

Who am I?

3 years ago I quit my desk job. I have to say it was one of the most rewarding and scariest things I've ever done. Who was I? How was I going to fill my days? What was my purpose in life? I was very lost for a couple months until I had a conversation with my husband. He told me that I had taken care of him while he was sick & not working and this was his gift to me. That completely changed my perspective. Being able to not work and be home with my son & husband was a gift. The days the pilot is home we can actually spend time together. We run errands, eat lunch out, and pick up our son after school. Its the simple moments I have with my family that make me the happiest. At this point in my life I am the most grounded I've ever been. I love our home and the life that we've made together. Our pastor a while back said you will always be happy if you are happy with what you have and not unhappy with what you don't. That is exactly how I feel. I watch my son do incredibly thoughtful things for his friends, family, and teachers and I'm so proud. I believe he has learned this from us.
I'm currently in yoga sculpt teacher training. I'm excited to enter into a profession where I can share this happiness and positive energy with my students. I know when I go to any yoga class that I feel refreshed and renewed after class. The only thing I have to worry about in that class is to be in the moment. Not to look back or forward but to just be. This isn't always easy but over the last couple years I've gotten so much better at it. It's a great time to dedicate for yourself. I'm a better person for it. If you've never taken a yoga class, try it out. Many people think its about stretching but its so much more. The yoga community is very welcoming and non-judgmental. If its a little scary, you tube is a great place to start. You can try it in the comfort of your own home.
I would like to end this by thanking each one of you for reading my blog. I'm not as consistent as I used to be but I truly appreciate each one of you. Namaste..