Old Habits

Really ARE hard to break.  It has been a TRYING week.  Snowmageddon 11 had us out of school and off work for 3 days.  My monthly visitor paid a visit, and due to bad road conditions and a promise to be in a wedding, we all 5 lived in ONE hotel 40 miles from home for 3 days (missing a 4^th day of school and work).  ALL of that chaos really threw a kink in things.  I weighed this morning, since it’s been 2 weeks, and it was a gain.  I kind of figured as much, but it still came as a bit of a blow.  The good news is, today is a NEW day, and I can start all over again!  I have already pressed play and gotten my work out in today, already read today’s reading on my youversion reading plan, Shakeology is on deck,  and it’s not supposed to start snowing again until tomorrow.

I do have to say that this week was a blessing in many ways, though.  I got to see a beautiful, unique, and FUN wedding between two of the most wonderful young people, all through a haze of huge snowflakes.  I got to spend days on end with my wonderful family and see how truly well behaved, grateful,  and charming my kids can be, and how well my husband and I can work as a team, even in close quarters and on someone else’s time line.  I loved being a part of this wedding.  I love how weddings renew our own vows in a way.  And, I loved that I got to teach my wonderful husband a little bit of two stepping AND the Cupid Shuffle.  I have always liked to dance and its fun to get the whole family involved!

So, here’s to new beginnings!  Back to school and work, back to eating healthily and working out, back to being accountable in all ways!  And, Valentine’s Day is only a week away…  :)

Snow Day

I found this definition on urbandictionary.com:  “An unexpected day when you are supposed to go to school but it is canceled. An unexpected break. An unexpected escape from it all. A day to relax, not a day to catch up on work. Do what you want on snow days.”

Yesterday was a snow day for my entire family.  My husband and I both work for the University – which was closed.  My daughters’ public school was closed.  My son’s day care was even closed.  The high temperature was 9, with a wind chill of -15, and we had blizzard and blizzard-like conditions most of the day.  Today is a snow day, too.  No more snow, but dangerously cold and crazy winds; all the same places are closed.
Needless to say, it’s cold.  And dreary. And truly a departure from the norm around here.  No one in this house ever got out of PJ’s yesterday!  My husband made fancy egg sandwiches for breakfast while preparing white chicken chili in the crock pot for dinner.  I think my 4 year old son watched a total of 6 movies yesterday.  My twin daughters now know more about Wizards of Waverly Place and Fishhooks than they do their own family.  The 3 of us girls even watched Twilight Eclipse together.  My husband and I took a nap (even if it was accidental – we were trying to watch a movie but both fell asleep).  I admit, I was snowbooking (to constantly update your status or post on Facebook during a snowstorm. Also can be used to describe Facebook users who constantly discuss, complain, or post pictures about a snow storm) because there was nothing else to do.   It was too cold and windy to even go out in it and play! It was a total do nothing day. Except eat.  And be lazy.

So, today, we will try harder!  I am going to institute a 45 minute Wii “Just Dance Kids” dance off! (Even thought I already know who will win.)  I will Press Play with Shakeology The 50 during my son’s nap time!  I will finish filing our taxes! I will not mindlessly eat because I am bored and we can’t get the car out of the driveway!  I WILL SURVIVE SNOWEGEDDON 2011 (without gaining weight)!

Guess Who’s Back?!?

Well, after a little hiatus and some technical difficulty resolution, the blog is back! I am sure you wanted an update on my week back in the real (food) life, so here is it. IT WAS HARD! We had left over birthday cake in the house from our son’s party on Saturday. And chips. And white bread. UGH! I still did Shakeology for breakfast as usual, but I have to admit I had a pretty indulgent sandwich for lunch more that one day this week… And Tuesday night we went out to a Mexican food place for #1 son’s 4th birthday dinner, and they gave him fried ice cream. I ate some… But, I also worked out! We had some neighbor issues and a sick kid on the same night earlier this week, so I didn’t get sleep that night, and therefore the workout hit the back burner that day, but I have a plan, and I am sticking to it as best I can! I am doing my best, and forgetting the rest (Thanks, @Tony_Horton). I’m even breaking out my Team Beachbody work out of choice (Shakeology The 50) and pressing play after the kids are in bed since I will be in a car, a gymnasium or a church all day tomorrow (from 6am to 9pm…)

Up to this point, I have been weighing every Monday morning. I am not sure I am up to that this week, though. I don’t want to be disappointed. I let myself have a (food) break after the fast, and I am almost afraid to see the results. So, I have all weekend to decide, but I think I am going to skip the weigh in on Monday. Mandisa (American Idol season 5 and EMI/Sparrow Records Christian Recording Artist) (@mandisaofficial) is 7 pounds form losing 100 pounds, and she only weighs every other week. I might use her plan…

The end of one journey…

Is only the beginning of another! Yesterday was the last day of the 21day Daniel fast my husband and I did with our church, LifeChurch.tv. What an AMAZING experience! We learned, we laughed, we cried. But, for us, I think the most revealing thing for us is that we finished! STRONG! We did this! We disciplined ourselves. We planned ahead. And we SUCCEEDED! Now, I know I have been talking weight loss and health this whole time, and I’ll get to that in a minute, but the lessons learned over the past 3 weeks go so far beyond that!
I am just marveling at the fact that I gave up caffeine, sugar AND fat, COLD TURKEY 3 weeks ago. Now, some days were better than others – day 2 was a NIGHTMARE I was so sick, and weekends were TOUGH (this past one included), but I did it. I relied on God to carry me through. I leaned on my husband to hold me accountable in this house. I blogged about it to be able to “talk” to someone and get my feelings out. These things are all sustainable, and pretty easy too. So, I should be able to continue to make good choices, plan ahead, and start a new, LONGER journey to health and weight loss. And, God is ALWAYS on my side: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
I am stronger for this journey; wiser, too. I started new habits that I plan to maintain, not only in regards to food, but also starting every day in the Word – right now I am in two reading plans at youversion.com. I would have considered myself close to God before the start of 2011, but right now, I feel closer to Him than I ever have! I also feel closer to my husband, since we were in this together, and we BOTH came out the other side stronger and wiser. I have kept up my workout schedule – including choosing to Press Play and do Shakeology The 50 workout 2 days in a row over this past weekend! I guess I really can follow through with a commitment! It feels GOOD! All things 3 weeks ago I wasn't sure I was strong enough, committed enough, GOOD enough to do.
I know you what to know the dirt! How much did I lose? Again, it’s not all about the weight loss, but for me, this is a HUGE jumping off point, and I plan to continue to lose weight and make good food choices. I am, however, headed to Old School Bagel on the way to work today, and my husband is putting a pot roast in the crock pot for dinner tonight as I type this. But, I would say 18 pounds lost is a good way to start a new journey, don’t you think?

We’re getting close to the end

3 more days! Unfortunately for me, 2 of those are weekend days. And one of those weekend days is my son’s 4th birthday party. SHESSH! Talk about a challenge! But, I am raising the bar for these last few days. I have been trying to do a 30 minute (Shakeology, The 30) workout 3-4 times a week during the fast. I am not sure I made my goal – I didn’t keep very good track of my workouts. Having said that, I would bet I didn’t! :) I intended to do it yesterday, but it was a snow day for the schools, so my schedule was messed up. I did shovel the front porch, the front sidewalk, and about ¼ of the driveway, plus played outside in the snow with the kiddos for an hour! And, I have already loaded up the DVD and pressed play for today - even did ALL of the push ups! So, I am challenging myself to do Shakeology The 50 (a 50 minute workout) for the next two days. Saturday and Sunday. Plus, sticking to the fast. I know it can be done. I just have to pray, and be committed. So – Hold me to it! I’m going to finish strong!

I got to Press Play!

God is GOOD - all the time!  I skipped my workout this morning for prayer.  When I got to work, things were par for the course until about 10:00 am.  Apparently, some construction elsewhere on campus made the power go out in our building (as well as a few adjacent buildings).  We mulled around for an hour trying to decide what to do, and after that, my boss sent me home for the day!  So, the first thing I did? Press Play!  I did Shakeology The 30, and now I have to rest of the day to do what I need to around here.  Feelin' good!

Single Step

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  ~Lao-tzu

Today was my single step.  I got up early, I put on some work-out appropriate clothes and shoes, loaded the DVD into the player, and I leaned forward to PRESS PLAY!

Today’s work out: Shakeology – The 30

I figured, I have to start somewhere!  I have been using Shakeology as a meal replacement for breakfast for about a month now, and I feel so much better!  When I started the shakes, I was still battling the bulging disk (between L4 & L5) in my back.  I was still in a brace 24 hours a day, and pretty miserable without it.  Since then, I have been weaning myself off the brace – down to about 4-6 hours a day (mostly while sitting at work or in a car), and I can actually bend over!  So, the time had come to start moving!

Since the Shakeology workouts were already in my hands, I figured it was a great place to start.  I would say I was able to do about 80% of the work today.  I did the modified jumping jacks with Lisette, only about ½ of the push ups (on my knees), and had the worse time putting my hands under my hips and lifting up!  Since I didn’t have any workout weights on hand, my husband fetched me two cans of corn we had on hand for a holiday recipe he will be preparing tonight.  It was funny, but it worked!  LOVED working my shoulders!   I also was a bit uncoordinated on the knee lifts, but I know it will get better!

With only about 12 minutes left in the workout, my number one daughter came out of her room complaining of a tummy ache.  Less than 2 minutes later – I heard her puking in the bathroom.  I was DETERMINED not to let this slow me down, so I sent my husband in to help her and just kept on working!  Thankful for him and his parenting abilities this morning.  He HATES puke, but #1 Daughter is old enough to care for herself some, so she was OK with minimal assistance.

I felt SUCH a since of accomplishment when the workout was over.  I was hot, sweaty, and my heart rate was up.  I felt GOOD. I felt triumphant!  I felt like I was finally doing something good for myself.  I hope to keep doing The 30 for awhile until I can get all the way through it, then I will move to The 50!  Now, if I could just get my husband to do it with me…