Making choices~

Today's cooking included the challenge of using up some of the produce I'd amassed over the last week - either from my garden, the farmer's markets, or as gifts. For both meals, I was able to make enough of the meal a substantial vegetable dish, that I could do a vegetarian day for me, with added protein for the boys.

Lunch was fried up bluegill (thanks to my son's fishing yesterday), with a vegetable parmesan on the side using my eggplant and zucchini in tomato sauce, and pear crumble for dessert. Dinner was crock pot pork chops with roasted cabbage and potatoes.

I loved that I had a variety of vegetables to work with, and was able to create yummy dishes without recipes that the entire family enjoyed. The kicker was being able to fill up on veggies instead of meat. Makes for a happy woman.

Summer eating

Summer makes it SO easy to eat well. At least for those of us who enjoy fruits and veggies. :)  Each week, I hit at least one farmer's market, and I also have an extensive garden of my own. I find it so easy to get a huge variety of produce into each day's diet. My hope is to keep up the variety in order to ensure whole health.

This morning I had frozen strawberries and grapes for breakfast. Lunch will be minestrone LOADED with veggies (summer squash, zucchini, peas, beans) and a cucumber radish salad. Dinner will be a stir fry of zucchini, summer squash, red and green peppers, onions, garlic, and tofu.

I am also in the heart of harvesting - and preserving - our garden for the winter. This week I'll can grape juice (hoping for 7 qts) and salsa, and I'm drying plums as I type.

Hoping you all take advantage of the opportunity at this time of year to eat well. The vitamins, minerals, and fiber you'll get from all this amazing produce cannot be beat. Especially in this part of the country, upper Midwest, where our growing season is really only 3 months. Take advantage of it!

Worrying about sliding back...

Now that summer zumba has ended, it's gotten way too easy to put off formal exercise. I'm busy with canning, making jam, etc., and I've completely put exercise on the back shelf. And I am so angry with myself. But it's only been a week, and it's not too late to start - to get into a new routine - so I don't go soft.

I have great muscle tone starting from zumba, and I cannot let that go. I will keep myself in focus. I have made too many good changes - CANNOT let it go to waste!

The "best summer ever"

I tossed around many names for this post.

The girls of zumba

Zumba summer

etc.

But the bottom line is, this was the best summer ever. For me. For my health. It's the first time in YEARS (as in 20+ years) that I've really made myself a priority. I gave myself only the money to pay for the zumba classes, but the time to attend them.

I made it to 22 out of 27 summer zumba classes. And I loved every one of them. My joints are better, I've lost weight, and my cardio ability is so much better. I am stronger, leaner, and healthier. And so happy about it.

And so sad it's over.

I've loved my summer zumba sessions. We are a crazy group of ladies - not your typical zumba group I'm sure. A mix of mothers, and daughters, friends, and co-workers. In age, we range from 16-60+. From young, healthy girls to overweight women like myself trying to get healthy.

I've found my groove again. I have always loved dancing, and zumba gave me that back. I'm going to miss it terribly. But hopefully I'll use my moves as I clean house, garden, etc. Won't quite be the class, but it will be fun.

TWO HOURS OF EXERCISE?

Oh, how my life has changed.

Today I had a busy day - and on one of my walks downtown, I started to add up all the minutes of exercise, and I'm already at TWO HOURS for today, and taking a night walk with my bestie after dinner tonight!

Started the day with zumba - which means walking to and from it, as well as 45 minutes of intense cardio zumba. Then I walked to and from downtown twice, working at the store - an entire hour.

CRAZINESS

There was a time when I wouldn't afford myself two hours (and more later) of exercise "me" time in a day. Too much to do! Too many others to take care of.

Wow, am I glad I changed THAT thinking!

So I'll be over 2 1/2 hours of exercise by the end of the night. That, my friends is a good day. And the lesson to be learned - that fitting in 15 minutes here, 45 minutes there, a half hour there, it all adds up. And it's ALL good for you.

Here's to being active!

An off week

For some reason, I was not myself this week. I was tired, and unable to do all I wanted to do. Fatigue I guess. I did go to Zumba three days - but even then, felt funny afterward. My period is a week late (and no, no chance of pregnancy).

So I know my body is out of whack. So I've decided that diet and exercise need to be the focus this week. I have been filling my diet with a large variety of fresh veggies, lean protein, and grains. I have NOT been drinking enough water - that needs to be tackled too. And I've been exercising. 180 minutes of cardio already this week and it's only Saturday.

I love that I'm finally really in tune with my body. That I notice subtle changes like energy levels, etc. And that I can then address them, naturally.

I have let myself eat some not-so-healthy foods this last week, so I'm guessing that I'm dragging, and not my normal self, because my body is not fueled properly.

The veggies of the week? Thur: summer squash, zucchini, onions, carrots, peppers, and broccoli. Fri: patty pan squash, onions, broccoli, and corn. Today? Beets, broccoli....who knows what else! I will also get up a jar of last year's cranberry juice, and grape juice. Get some antioxidants.

Variety is the key for me.

This weekend, I need to focus on water also.

My new addiction

This afternoon I laid down on my bed for a nap - to catch 45 minutes before zumba. A cold front going through, I had both windows open, creating a beautiful cool cross-breeze. I actually had to use a comforter. The birds were chirping. It was literally blissful to lay there and nap.

When the time had come to get up and go to Zumba, I DID IT. I got out of that blissful place. I just couldn't think of missing Zumba! I know how much I love it, how amazing it feels to sweat like that. And I didn't want to miss it.

Who would've thought! I think I'm addicted to Zumba. ;)

Crazy as that sounds, I'm getting to that point where I crave it. I have to find a way to keep my zumba on when this session ends. The instructor is taking a few weeks to get into school. I cannot think of WEEKS without it! So I will need to find some kind of DVD to work on. Something to keep me moving and grooving.

Happy with my new addiction. Life is good.

feeling skinny....looking fat

As I am lifting, weeding, painting, etc., I feel so much better. I feel leaner. I feel stronger. I can FEEL my muscles working.

It is SO frustrating to look in the mirror, and see me - -- still fat.

I know I have a long way to go. And building the muscles is the start to great things, which should end with weight loss, as the muscles use more calories. But right now, I still look fat in my mirror. And that is SOOOO frustrating.

I know I need to have patience. Because I'm doing this the right way - with lifestyle changes. Increased activity, better eating. So it will be slow progress, but it should be permanent progress. I need to stop focusing on quick results. That is not the answer.

So for now, I have to be happy FEELING better - stronger, healthier - knowing that looking better will come later.

God, grant me the patience. To know that I'm doing my body good by the changes I'm making. And that it's not just about the mirror.

progress!

Finally got on the scale today - after a week - and am down a couple of pounds. I know I'm making progress, I can feel it in my muscles, and my ability to work out. Close are looser...and looser. Some I can't even wear. But it's still good to see it on the scale!

Keeping physical!

Walking, jogging, walking, gardening, moving furniture. Oh, it is GOOD to be physical. I am feeling so much stronger, leaner. Starting to see it on my frame. Changes are happening, especially in my upper body.

I was once again reminded today of how I lost all the weight in college. It started with weight lifting. I need to get back to my roots. Building lean muscle burns more calories, gives our bones the support we need, and gives us the core to do all the physical activities that keep our hearts strong!

My biggest loser 3 weeks...

I am notorious for using taking care of others as an excuse to not take care of myself. My husband left this morning for a three week trip, and I've decided it is the chance to jump start my health.

I walked a 2 mile race yesterday, finishing with a pace of 15:49 per mile. But I had something left at the end.... I didn't push myself like I could have. And I've always wanted to run. So I'm taking these three weeks to push myself further.

I started this morning walking/jogging to the highway and back, a 1.5 mile route, in a time of 25:43:82. I mapped out another 1.5 route, and a 2 mile route, so that I can track myself, and see if I can push myself to improve.

I also think I can spend time exercising a couple of times a day during these three weeks. And I'm scheduling a hair cut and color for right before he returns. I'll be a brand new me to welcome him home!

Here's TO ME!

Seeing progress, being inspired.

Tonight was our annual Heart and Sole race, a 2 and 5 mile walk/run to start off the 4th of July celebration. The last time I walked it was 2 years ago, and it about killed me. Last year I was ill with whooping cough, so I did not walk. I was excited to jump in, even though I've fallen short of my goal of training into a 5k.

Started the walk with a solid power walk - for ME. I am overweight, and went at a good pace for my health and size. At the 1 mile, I was at a pace of 16:13, bottom half of the pack, but not last! Kept up my pace through the second half, breaking into zumba moves several times as I passed people cheering me on. (There are over 800 participants, but as many people cheering locals on!)

I felt the urge to run. Ok, JOG. But with all the people watching, did I really want to jog? Probably not. So I continued to powerwalk. My second mile pace was actually BETTER - ending up with a time of 31:37.

I wish I hadn't been too self conscious to jog/run. I didn't push myself. I had something left at the end of that race. But I'm not going to pout about it. I realize that my zumba workouts have been conditioning me. I can do this. And now I have my beginning point - a place to move up from here. And hopefully in the next year, I will continue to train and lose weight, so that next year I'm not ashamed to jog. ;)

Feeling strong

So I am finally starting to settle into a summer routing... Doing zumba 2 days a week. Walking all over town. Gardening up a storm. And I'm really starting to feel strong. I can feel it in my shoulders, my back, my arms, and legs... the feeling of being toned, stronger, and healthier.

It really is all about balance. Not sitting in front of the tv or on the computer all day. But keeping busy. And getting back to basics. Yard work, gardening, walking... GOOD exercise for the heart.

It's a good thing  to feel your body changing in a positive way. A very good thing.

Loving life!

Even though I haven't had more than a few hours of me time since school let out last week, I am loving life.... Making sure to get good physical activity in each day - changing it up! Zumba two times a week, lots of gardening, walking all over town... Feels SO good to be active.

Today I worked a few hours at the store, and had to carry 30 pound roasters up and down the stairs, and I was SHOCKED at how much that weight put strain on my body... and that is LESS than I've lost so far!

I'm really hoping that this summer will see another 30 pounds or so gone... I'm working on it. I'm feeling amazing. Loving life.

A beautiful start to the weekend...

While I've been looking forward to a day when I can sleep in, today wasn't one of them. I needed to be up to make sure my son was off for a day working a charity run/mudder. So I set the alarm, and got up a little early to make him a good breakfast.

The beauty of that is I found my self with a couple of free hours before we're needed at the food pantry. So I dug out my iPod and put on some walking shoes.

I headed out - to enjoy the brisk morning before the humidity sets in. Walked for over an hour, checking out the river, using our city's walking trail, stopping to chat with some friends on the way... just a small town walk.

On the final stretch, I passed the high school, and checked myself out in the windows.... because I'm losing weight slowly (the right way - not complaining, just explaining!), I don't really notice the changes. Oh, my jeans are loose, but in general I don't feel any thinner. So it was nice to see my reflection in the window while walking and actually see that my profile has changed! A wonderful surprise.

It was wonderful to get some great exercise, fresh air and vitamin d, not to mention a little boost for my self esteem. :-)

Last year I lost about 35 pounds. It would be amazing to see that progress again this year. We'll see!

Summer is coming!

Wow, it's been forever since I took time to blog this, and for that I am so sorry. I've been working full time, so I have been neglecting it! Here's a bit of an update!

Zumba - still my love. Had the GREATEST zumba workout tonight....sweaty and fun. Man I love that dance..... so thankful for it.

I've also been walking to work when not raining - which I also love. I take my coffee, throw on my backpack, and walk. How refreshing!

And then there is the garden work, weeding, planting, etc., that keeps me busy.

It's so good to be outside and active. I love summer.

End of April check in

So the vegan challenge is almost over. While I've not lost a ton of weight - I did learn many things. Vegan is not for me. BUT I found many recipes that I loved. And I found that limiting dairy is very good for me. My body feels much better with less dairy. I will  definitely be changing my diet for good.

On the exercise front, spring has finally arrived. I am able to walk places in town - and these last two days were SO wonderful, walking to school, walking down to the baseball game... Very happy to get fresh air and exercise!

My weight loss was completely plateaued over the winter - but I'm still down the 35+ pounds from a year ago. So my personal goal is to lose another 35 pounds this year. Slow and steady wins the race. Right?

So getting some physical exercise EVERY day - either zumba (two days a week) or walking to and from work/activities, and gardenging, is TOP on my list. As is weight lifting. I've been lacking in my muscle building, and that is so important as I get older.

I turned 43 this week. And I'm so proud that my lifestyle has come to what it is. Very little stress, lots of physical activity, and whole eating. Life is good, and getting better every day. Kind of like that Tim McGraw song about the "next thirty years". All good guys. All good.

vegan challenges

On the whole, I am enjoying the 30 day vegan challenge. As a foodie I have loved trying new recipes. And personally, I love veggies and grains, so it's been a treat. But I have found a few challenges:

• Not being prepared. On days when I've not cooked/prepped, it can be very tricky to eat. Hard to have things "to grab and go".
• Cooking "regular" food for my family. They are not doing the vegan challenge, so at night and on weekends, I am cooking for them, often leaving me with a partial dinner, eating only the parts of the meal that are vegan.
• I miss having cheese to cook with. It is a missing level of depth that my cooking is lacking.

I have noticed that the reduction in dairy is definitely good for my body. I will maintain that I think later on. All in all, I feel amazing. I'm putting tons of different fruits, veggies, and grains, into my body - which we all know is good!

Keeping up the challenge!

Vegan cleanse - day one begins!

I am a little behind my friends trying the vegan cleanse, because we were out of state on vacation. But I"m excited for the challenge today! I cooked up some high protein grains, so that for lunches and breakfasts, I have things ready at my fingers! Having brown rice with apples and cinnamon for breakfast, and have brown rice and black beans with salsa for lunch. Not sure what I'll go with for dinner - will think about that at school today!

I weighed myself this morning, and I was very worried. It was a BAD vacation for eating. We ate horribly. Rich, bad-for-you foods all over the country. But I was very happy to see that I'm still at the same weight - still down over 35 pounds since this time last year. So we'll see what a month of vegan eating can do to boost my health - and hopefully restart my weightloss!

Vegan research

I am starting to get excited about the vegan experiment. I spent a few hours yesterday doing research - finding recipes, reading up on balancing a vegan diet, etc.

I don't think I'll have a problem finding foods to eat. I love whole grains and veggies, so it will be easy to find meals to make.

My challenges will be:

1. Being prepared. Taking time to prep meals so that I'm not having to rush and pick unhealthy choices. I need to spend time prepping grains, fruits, and veggies each week.
2. Making sure I'm getting balanced nutrition. Will need to plan out menus, to make sure that I'm getting all that I need in a day.
3. Figuring out how to eat vegan on the road. I have two major vacations within the month I am planning the cleanse. Not great timing, but I was asked to join a group with plans already in place. Will have to determine if I will try to do the vegan on the trips, or just try to be good. This is a cleanse, not a lifestyle choice, so I feel I can make those determinations.

I have a lot of foods/recipes ready to go. And my shopping list is ready as well. I am really getting pumped. Starting to wonder if I need to wait until April 1st, with the group, or just start now... Maybe when I run errands today I'll pick up a few of the things I wanted. No hurt in starting to incorporate it early/!!

a vegan experiment

A friend has asked me to join him in a vegan experiment, or cleanse of sorts - one month of vegan eating.
I am very excited about it. I will continue to make normal food for the family, only introducing them to vegan options here and there. I am lucky, because I can honestly cook for myself. And I am so excited about it~!

So today I am researching....thinking of meal ideas, and creating a grocery list. We are not beginning until April 1st, so I have a couple of weeks to figure out what I need, and start weeding the non-vegan products out of the house.

I am a huge fan of whole grains, so I am very excited about reintroducing them into my daily diet. And i love ALL veggies, so that will be fun to experiement with as well!

So here's to a vegan cleanse!

Meditation experiment - day two

So yesterday I started a 21 day meditation program. I've always wanted to try one, and was glad to see this come across my email.

Day one - I really enjoyed the message. And I enjoyed the relaxation. But at the end, I was told to "bring my awareness back into my body". I'm pretty sure mine never left... It was relaxing, the deep breathing and all, but I'm PRETTY sure my awareness was right where I left it when I started.

Day two - today. Again - I really enjoyed the message. Today, knowing what to expect, I went into the spare room, turned down the lights, and got comfortable. Staying focused on the meditation seemed much easier today. Only a few times did I need to return to the mantra to center myself. And honestly, today felt SO much different than yesterday. Today, my eyelids got very heavy, and I truly think that I started to enter a different plane of awareness. I felt amazing after today's meditation. While I am not sure that my awareness left my body, I was definitely in a deeper state than yesterday. And my progress excites me for what is to come in the next 19 days.

Years ago, I spent time at an Aveda spa. I think it's time to really dig into the study of Ayurveda. Living wholly - may be my next step.

Namaste.

zumba update

So because of teaching confirmation, I've only been able to go to one zumba class a week, but as of this week, I am again free to do both Mondays and Wednesdays.

But the real update - I finally have found that with most of the songs, I am comfortable enough with the moves, that I am actually concentrating on isolating muscles, and pushing myself.

I'm not just following along to keep up. But at times, I'm pushing myself to make myself sweat.

ah, it's good, people. It is GOOD.

WOW. A rude awakening

This is a blog where I am brutally honest with my ups and downs of weight loss and health. And yesterday was a DOWN.

Went to a public event with a friend of mine. She is a couple years older, but tall, slender, and healthy. When we went to pay admission, the lady asked her if she was paying for her mother also. (Meaning me.)

Ok. I have never felt I look old. I am obviously starting to notice changes. I am almost 43. But WOW. It hurt. It hurt a LOT.

Beginning a wholistic overhaul

While I'm so very proud of the changes I've made, and weight loss to this point, I am definitely not on my game right now. So tonight I did a little research, and am going to turn it up a notch - by doing some more wholistic therapy.

Tonight I started with an all natural detox bath. Epsom salts, baking soda, and ginger.... to increase circulation, increase my magnesium levels, and detox. Not to mention - taking time to relax in a bath for 40 minutes is priceless!

Years ago I did an all natural detox, and for the life of me, I cannot find it. But I know the basis of it. I need to increase water, reduce/eliminate caffeine, stay away from refined sugars, processed foods, and fats/proteins. Increase consumption of fruits, veggies, and grains.

Not rocket science. Not by any means. But in all reality, I do not do any of this enough. And I know that in the end, this will give me more energy, better sleep, and in the end, better health.

So my jumpstart of the detox bath was my little kick-off to my wholistic renewal. Here's to whole health!

some "not so good" experiments...

I have to say, that not all culinary experiments go well. Still trying to make some small changes in our family diet to help us ALL. This weekend I've had two FAILS.

First, I made whole wheat pancakes. They are just not the same. And they are too different for my boys to approve. I need to find a yummy healthy alternative. We don't do pancakes often, but I'd love to find a good option.

And this afternoon, I made a cookie out of frozen bananas, mashed, cinnamon, and quick oats. Very bland. DS was not impressed. I think there might be potential there - and what a ridiculously healthy option. So I might play with that one some more. But as they are, he wouldn't eat them again.

Oh well. Not every recipe can be a winner~!

Where have I Been?

I have been BUSY. But I am surviving, and moving forward.

Right now my focus is on creating well balanced meals. Good-for-my family meals. On a budget. So it's tricky, but a challenge!

I am writing down everything I eat every day now, which was QUITE an eye-opener when I started. I put a lot of incidental junk into my body!

Also focusing on water consumption.

AND exercise - zumba twice a week, and elliptical in between. I've also recently been trying to add weight training, as that had great success for me back in college.

I will talk about my progress soon. Been a crazy month in my life, just trying to get caught up!

Today's the day

I've been inspired to refocus on something I've always wanted to do - run. I know that sounds wierd, but I've always wanted to run. But I've been too big. So I've decided that I have plenty of time to jumpstart my weight loss (or reinvent I guess, as I've already begun) - so that I can run a race this summer. I've always wanted to run a 5k. But my first goal will be to run the 2 mile race here in our home town on the 4th of July. There. I've put it out there. I want to RUN the 2 mile race. July 3rd of THIS year.

So today I'm starting a slow regimine on the elliptical. To start building my endurance and pushing my weight loss ahead - so that once the weather is better I can start training outside.

DAY 1~here we go!

Stealing a friend's inspiration!

Stealing a quote from a wise young lady, someone who has had her own share of difficulties in life - more than many.

..." Never give up on something you think about everyday".

This is so true. And I think about my health every day. I am excited about becoming healthy, and more athletic. I think about taking day hiking trips with my family.

 I think about running a 5k. daily. I am obsessed with being able to run a 5k.

So I guess I'm not going to give up on it. I'm going to try harder!

Here's to not giving up on something that is in your heart - and your thoughts!

My visual award...

So after the holidays - I've realized that I am up a few pounds, but still down 38 from a year ago. I can deal with the little hiccup over the holidays. I'm back to eating well, staying active, and getting healthy!

I had wanted for a long time to do something I'd seen on Pinterest - and yesterday, I had time to hang in my workshop and PLAY!

I took two quart size blue Mason jars. I counted out 118 glass beads - my total goal of weight loss. In one jar, I put the 38 that I've lost. The rest went into the other. Tagged with "lost" and "to lose", they are on my window in workshop. A beautiful reminder of how far I've already come, and how far I have to go. To everyone else, they simply look like pretty jars of glass beads.

To me, they are SCREAM....

"BRAVO"!

 

"WAY TO GO MELISSA!"

and I need that sometimes!