Wednesday, April 25, 2012
[movement]
Hello lovelies!!
So I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, especially about my blog.
It just seems silly to have two separate blogs. I have to admit I keep getting frustrated. I can't decide what to post where. I worry that I may abandon one blog. If I chose to just use one, which one do I use?
So for simplicity's sake, I decided to spring for a domain name. I know, crazy. But it makes sense. I've been blogging for years and have no intention of stopping any time soon.
Since I'm in the middle of finals I don't have a ton of time to set up the new domain; I'm doing it in bits & pieces as a reward for accomplishing study goals.
I know I keep changing things on you. I'm really sorry 'bout that. Life is in transition right now so my blog reflects that. I want to transition from being in school to being an "adult," hence the decision to purchase a domain instead of just relying on a free blogger site. Now if only I could afford a custom blog design...
Wanna check out the new blog?? Head on over to http://www.cdhoffman.com.
How easy is that??
Between French Toast & Burnt Toast (i.e. the new domain) will include the best of both blogs: from reflections on faith, health and weight loss to thoughts about personal style and life in general. Seriously check it out!! I'm pretty proud of where it's at already. It will only get better as I have more time to devote to it!!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
[shameless plug]
I wanted to share with you a few photos from my race on Saturday along with a shameless plug and some exciting news.
First the photos!!
In short: more pictures to come, I'm running a 5k on my birthday, and please donate to Cool Kids!!
First the photos!!
All ready to start my first ever 10k!!
Crossing the finish line!!
Professional photos from the race should be online on Thursday. If there are any that I end up purchasing I will share them with you as well! But for now I have these ones taken by my awesome fan (i.e. Mom). I'm so glad she was there to capture these moments. Honestly the second one doesn't really capture how I felt. When I was crossing the finish line I felt...terrible. I was exhausted. Everything hurt. I was out of breath. I was drenched in sweat. But somehow this was the result. I guess the camera caught my emotions instead of my physical state.
And now for an exciting announcement & a shameless plug!!
So on June 2 I'll be turning 25. Instead of having a quarter life crisis I'll be running in another race! This time I'm participating in the Lutherville Running Festival 5k. Right now I'm viewing running more as a series of building blocks: once I assemble one level I can move on to the next. The first level is a 5k. In order to assemble a level I need to be able to run the entire distance (5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon), preferably without feeling like I want to die. So I'm going back to basics, conquering the 5k FULLY and then moving on to another 10k.
You know what would be SUPER awesome?? If you donated a lil' bit to Cool Kids, the charity that the 5k will benefit. My fundraising page can be found here. Seriously though--any donation will be going to a great cause and is very much appreciated. Donations go to support the creation of an educational center for children battling cancer. The goal of the center is to keep kids from falling too far beyond in school and to provide them with the important social & extracurricular activities they would normally miss due to their cancer. Even if a child has cancer, they're still a kid and they deserve the chance to enjoy being a kid as much as they can.
That's one of the other things I love about races: they benefit a charity. A portion of your registration fee goes to the charity selected by the event planners. If you ask me, that's a win-win. Not only are you doing something good for yourself, you're also doing something good for someone in need.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
[6.2]
Yesterday was quite the milestone and it could not have come at a better time.
The past week I struggled emotionally. As my emotions spiraled out of control, so did my eating. I went back to a lot of old habits.
After lunch with a friend on Thursday I was feeling significantly better. Friday, Mom came to visit me here in Baltimore!! Even though I didn't get to see her Friday night I was so excited she made it.
Bright and early Saturday morning I got up, put on my running clothes and grabbed a banana on the way to meet Mom at her hotel. After getting her a latte and some oatmeal at Starbucks we hopped a cab down to Locus Point.
I was going to run my first 10k!!
I have to admit, I was not as prepared as I should have been. I was so nervous I dreamed about the race the night before.
If there's something I love about running in races, it's the atmosphere before and after. There's just so much excitement and energy at the start gate especially. It's almost electric. Once you start running the energy follows you. Being in a pack of runners makes me run harder than I do when I'm on my own. I want to keep up with my fellow runners which sometimes leads to an awkward tension between setting an appropriate pace and staying with the crowd. Usually I stick to my pace and just let the crowd motivate me to keep running even after I want to quit.
The other wonderful part of running in races? The support along the course. There are spectators and race volunteers around the course cheering you on even if you're not doing well. They tell you you're doing a good job and to keep going. Running, though an individual sport, is still a collective one. You feed off the crowd, the other runners.
Saturday's course was wonderful, as was our weather. Even though rain was predicted, the foul weather held off until after dinner. During the race it was in the mid 70's and sunny without much humidity. We ran around the Inner Harbor and through Federal Hill. We ran down tree lined streets lined with adorable red brick row houses. We ran along a beautiful waterfront. For all its flaws, Baltimore is scenic (we just need to get the crime under control). Thankfully there weren't too many hills involved. I finished in 1:26:33. In my heart I know that had I trained harder I would have done better.
But you know what?
I did it.
And that my friends, is all that matters to me right now.
Don't get me wrong I have a lot of work to do before I level up to a half marathon. I'll run another 5k and at least one more 10k before I get there.
For me, running is about doing something that I never thought I could. A year ago I would have heard about the race and thought, one day I'll do that too. I would have gone for a 15 minute run and given up later this week.
Not anymore. Over the course of one year, I went from barely being able to run a block to finishing my first 10k. I ran the first half and some of the second half but I have to admit, that second half was rough. But I did it. I saved just enough energy to run the final stretch. And tackle Mom, which I'm pretty sure she didn't really appreciate. I was quite sweaty; in fact my sunglasses are still stained with sweat. I'll have to take soap to them later today. Thankfully Mom was there to guide me to the water and bananas. Something about running just makes me crave bananas.
Turns out, accomplishing something was just what I needed.
The past week I struggled emotionally. As my emotions spiraled out of control, so did my eating. I went back to a lot of old habits.
After lunch with a friend on Thursday I was feeling significantly better. Friday, Mom came to visit me here in Baltimore!! Even though I didn't get to see her Friday night I was so excited she made it.
Bright and early Saturday morning I got up, put on my running clothes and grabbed a banana on the way to meet Mom at her hotel. After getting her a latte and some oatmeal at Starbucks we hopped a cab down to Locus Point.
I was going to run my first 10k!!
I have to admit, I was not as prepared as I should have been. I was so nervous I dreamed about the race the night before.
If there's something I love about running in races, it's the atmosphere before and after. There's just so much excitement and energy at the start gate especially. It's almost electric. Once you start running the energy follows you. Being in a pack of runners makes me run harder than I do when I'm on my own. I want to keep up with my fellow runners which sometimes leads to an awkward tension between setting an appropriate pace and staying with the crowd. Usually I stick to my pace and just let the crowd motivate me to keep running even after I want to quit.
The other wonderful part of running in races? The support along the course. There are spectators and race volunteers around the course cheering you on even if you're not doing well. They tell you you're doing a good job and to keep going. Running, though an individual sport, is still a collective one. You feed off the crowd, the other runners.
Saturday's course was wonderful, as was our weather. Even though rain was predicted, the foul weather held off until after dinner. During the race it was in the mid 70's and sunny without much humidity. We ran around the Inner Harbor and through Federal Hill. We ran down tree lined streets lined with adorable red brick row houses. We ran along a beautiful waterfront. For all its flaws, Baltimore is scenic (we just need to get the crime under control). Thankfully there weren't too many hills involved. I finished in 1:26:33. In my heart I know that had I trained harder I would have done better.
But you know what?
I did it.
And that my friends, is all that matters to me right now.
Don't get me wrong I have a lot of work to do before I level up to a half marathon. I'll run another 5k and at least one more 10k before I get there.
For me, running is about doing something that I never thought I could. A year ago I would have heard about the race and thought, one day I'll do that too. I would have gone for a 15 minute run and given up later this week.
Not anymore. Over the course of one year, I went from barely being able to run a block to finishing my first 10k. I ran the first half and some of the second half but I have to admit, that second half was rough. But I did it. I saved just enough energy to run the final stretch. And tackle Mom, which I'm pretty sure she didn't really appreciate. I was quite sweaty; in fact my sunglasses are still stained with sweat. I'll have to take soap to them later today. Thankfully Mom was there to guide me to the water and bananas. Something about running just makes me crave bananas.
Turns out, accomplishing something was just what I needed.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
[exercise tips]
I wanted to share with you some things I've learned so far on this journey. I'll be focusing mostly on exercise today.
The most important thing about losing weight? Do what works for you.
Let's start with exercise. First, pick a time of day that works best for you. Try out different times: morning, afternoon and evening. Try different things within a time of day. For example, try working out before breakfast one day and after breakfast another. Try working out when you first get home from work or school. Try working out later in the evening too. Just try different things until you find what fits you best. I know there are all these arguments that you should work out in the morning instead of the evening but what good is forcing yourself to work out in the morning if you're going to hate every second of it and lack motivation to do it again tomorrow?? It doesn't matter what time of day you exercise if you're not going to do it.
That brings me to another point about exercise. Second, find an activity that works for you. I love running. It feels kind of like flying. It makes me feel alive and free. But if running's not your thing then find something else! I highly recommend trying an activity a few times before making a decision. Sometimes we go into things with preconceived notions that color our experience. If after your second or third try you still loathe it, drop the activity and move on. In college I tried kick boxing. I thought I would love it. I hated it. Hated it. Turns out you need rhythm for kick boxing which I lack. I was a hot mess the whole class and felt like I spent the entire time trying to get caught up. At the same time I have a friend that hated yoga but kept sampling different types of yoga practice. She found one that she liked after a few tries. Once again, if you hate something then you're not going to do it again. No matter how good it is for you, if you don't do it then it won't matter. There's something else to keep in mind here too: when picking what exercises you want to stick with, make sure to give a lot of consideration to how the workout makes you feel when you're done. I hate doing strength training DVD's like Bob Harper's Pure Burn Super Strength when I'm doing it. I loathe it. But afterwards I feel so amazing. It's that afterwards that keeps you coming back for more.
Third, keep it fresh!! Even if you find an exercise or two that works for you, keep trying new things. THis will keep you from getting bored. It will also keep your muscles on their toes so to speak which is exactly what you want. Even if you're training for something specific like a half marathon, cross training is super important. You don't want to overwork or overtire one particular muscle group.
At the end of the day exercise is a lot like personal style: just because something is "in" right now doesn't mean that you should follow the trend. If skinny jeans look wrong on you don't wear them. If doing a bootcamp in the evening is wrong for you don't do it. There's another way exercise is a lot like personal style: you have to try it on first. You don't know skinny jeans look bad on you until you try a few different pairs on. Likewise you don't know that doing bootcamp in the evening is wrong for you until you try it out. It may be the fit of that particular type of jeans or that particular bootcamp instructor that isn't working for you. Try a few things on but know when to say when.
Fourth, HAVE FUN! Exercise should be fun and enjoyable so think outside the box. Grab your camera and go walk around somewhere new and take some pictures. Play with your kids on the playground. Go for sight seeing via bike instead of car. Walk to the grocery store. Walk home with your groceries. You don't have to be tied to the gym or even a set of dumbbells at home to get a workout in.
Fifth, recruit friends. One of my best runs was the one I did with my sister. Working out with a friend motivates you to work harder. Maybe have a little friendly competition!! Even if you'd rather workout solo make sure your friends and family support you. Mom lives in Atlanta so she can't workout with me. But it means the world to me to hear her say she's proud of me for working out hard. Knowing that my friends are motivated to work out because they read posts here similarly inspires me. You don't have to start a blog; just start talking to a friend!! I personally prefer blogging because I love writing. Writing is honestly one of my passions. Plus I love having a platform that I can use to inspire and motivate others. Y'all also keep me real and encourage me to keep working.
It may feel weird to ask someone to support you but do it do it do it. You cannot do this without support. Even though you ultimately have to do the work, you need moral and emotional support. Humans are by nature social creatures. To quote Mom: you are not an island. Those around you impact your actions and you impact the actions of those around you. Not all your friends and family have to be fitness obsessed or super healthy. But you do need a few that won't let you back down, a few that aren't afraid to ask you how you're doing and push you when you're not motivated.
Get out there and try something new kids!!
The most important thing about losing weight? Do what works for you.
Let's start with exercise. First, pick a time of day that works best for you. Try out different times: morning, afternoon and evening. Try different things within a time of day. For example, try working out before breakfast one day and after breakfast another. Try working out when you first get home from work or school. Try working out later in the evening too. Just try different things until you find what fits you best. I know there are all these arguments that you should work out in the morning instead of the evening but what good is forcing yourself to work out in the morning if you're going to hate every second of it and lack motivation to do it again tomorrow?? It doesn't matter what time of day you exercise if you're not going to do it.
That brings me to another point about exercise. Second, find an activity that works for you. I love running. It feels kind of like flying. It makes me feel alive and free. But if running's not your thing then find something else! I highly recommend trying an activity a few times before making a decision. Sometimes we go into things with preconceived notions that color our experience. If after your second or third try you still loathe it, drop the activity and move on. In college I tried kick boxing. I thought I would love it. I hated it. Hated it. Turns out you need rhythm for kick boxing which I lack. I was a hot mess the whole class and felt like I spent the entire time trying to get caught up. At the same time I have a friend that hated yoga but kept sampling different types of yoga practice. She found one that she liked after a few tries. Once again, if you hate something then you're not going to do it again. No matter how good it is for you, if you don't do it then it won't matter. There's something else to keep in mind here too: when picking what exercises you want to stick with, make sure to give a lot of consideration to how the workout makes you feel when you're done. I hate doing strength training DVD's like Bob Harper's Pure Burn Super Strength when I'm doing it. I loathe it. But afterwards I feel so amazing. It's that afterwards that keeps you coming back for more.
Third, keep it fresh!! Even if you find an exercise or two that works for you, keep trying new things. THis will keep you from getting bored. It will also keep your muscles on their toes so to speak which is exactly what you want. Even if you're training for something specific like a half marathon, cross training is super important. You don't want to overwork or overtire one particular muscle group.
At the end of the day exercise is a lot like personal style: just because something is "in" right now doesn't mean that you should follow the trend. If skinny jeans look wrong on you don't wear them. If doing a bootcamp in the evening is wrong for you don't do it. There's another way exercise is a lot like personal style: you have to try it on first. You don't know skinny jeans look bad on you until you try a few different pairs on. Likewise you don't know that doing bootcamp in the evening is wrong for you until you try it out. It may be the fit of that particular type of jeans or that particular bootcamp instructor that isn't working for you. Try a few things on but know when to say when.
Fourth, HAVE FUN! Exercise should be fun and enjoyable so think outside the box. Grab your camera and go walk around somewhere new and take some pictures. Play with your kids on the playground. Go for sight seeing via bike instead of car. Walk to the grocery store. Walk home with your groceries. You don't have to be tied to the gym or even a set of dumbbells at home to get a workout in.
Fifth, recruit friends. One of my best runs was the one I did with my sister. Working out with a friend motivates you to work harder. Maybe have a little friendly competition!! Even if you'd rather workout solo make sure your friends and family support you. Mom lives in Atlanta so she can't workout with me. But it means the world to me to hear her say she's proud of me for working out hard. Knowing that my friends are motivated to work out because they read posts here similarly inspires me. You don't have to start a blog; just start talking to a friend!! I personally prefer blogging because I love writing. Writing is honestly one of my passions. Plus I love having a platform that I can use to inspire and motivate others. Y'all also keep me real and encourage me to keep working.
It may feel weird to ask someone to support you but do it do it do it. You cannot do this without support. Even though you ultimately have to do the work, you need moral and emotional support. Humans are by nature social creatures. To quote Mom: you are not an island. Those around you impact your actions and you impact the actions of those around you. Not all your friends and family have to be fitness obsessed or super healthy. But you do need a few that won't let you back down, a few that aren't afraid to ask you how you're doing and push you when you're not motivated.
Get out there and try something new kids!!
[running with ginger 2: Nike+ GPS]
Ginger and I are back with another product review!!
Today's product is Nike+ GPS.
This app is more serious in many ways but it does have some really fun features built in to spice things up.
Cons
I have to say there aren't many things I dislike about this particular app. I guess I don't have much to say for this section then!
I do have one small complaint: I wish there was a custom option for time or distance. When you select to receive notifications at set times you can only have them at 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 15 minutes. For distances you can get notifications at 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1 mile or 2 miles. You can set a custom time or distance to try and run for, just not for notifications. A friend recommended doing intervals of 2 minutes running followed by 2 minutes walking. Unfortunately in order to do this sort of run I would have to set the 1 minute alert and then every other alert change from running to walking or vice versa. I tried it once and found the 1 minute alerts extremely annoying.
Pros
There are so many things I love about Nike+ GPS. When you open the app it shows how many miles you've run using the app total, the number of runs you've gone on, your average pace, how much time you've spent running and how many calories you've burned. I love seeing the numbers climb! My favorite feature is the miles that I've run. Currently I've run 42.47 miles using the app, plus all the times I used other apps or didn't use any app at all. From there you can chose whether you want to start a new run, outrun your friends or select a challenge.
There are three options for new runs: basic, time or distance. I love having all 3 options. Basic runs have no time or distance set. It still tracks you but you're not striving for a specific time or distance. The time or distance options allow you to set a distance or amount of time you want to run for. They give you an update when you're halfway there. The time and distance options give you a little motivational speech when you're nearing your goal.
I love how perky the app is. Even if you're doing a basic run an athlete or celebrity (who also enjoys running) will tell you when you're close to breaking a time or distance record. They cheer you on and tell you how great you're doing. I'm not into the whole celebrity thing but I do love having people tell me I'm doing a great job. Let's be honest: who doesn't like that?! When you finish your run the app tells you your distance, total time and average pace. You also get a congrats for important milestones such as fastest average time, furthest distance, and if you've run more miles this week then last. Sometimes they randomly congratulate you for just getting out there. It's important to remember that just going on a run at all is a huge accomplishment so I'm glad the app keeps that in mind too.
That brings me to another favorite feature. Have you ever gone to a marathon? You know the sound the crowd makes? The cheering, the noise makers, etc? Well you have an option to post to Facebook that you're going on a run. If your friends hit like or comment on the app post you hear the sounds of people at a marathon cheering. It's so unbelievably inspirational to know that your friends and family are supporting you, especially when you're out there struggling through a run.
You can incorporate music, set notifications at certain times or distances or just run with the app silent. Of course they track the normal stats: distance, time, average pace, etc. You can also record how you felt on your run, what the conditions were, etc.
I haven't tried it yet but the app also offers a form of tag you can play with friends. You can select who gets to be "it" from 3 different options: (1) the person who runs the shortest distance is it, (2) the person who runs for the shortest amount of time is it or (3) the person to get out there and start a run is it. There's also an option to challenge yourself to outrun your last distance, time or speed.
Conclusion
Overall the app is a wonderful way to track your runs and improve them. I have to say this was another one that was worth every penny ($1.99 from the app store). From options to run inside or outside, challenge yourself or just run with no real goal in mind, listen to music or run in silence, this app has an option for everyone.
Today's product is Nike+ GPS.
Image from here
This app is more serious in many ways but it does have some really fun features built in to spice things up.
Cons
I have to say there aren't many things I dislike about this particular app. I guess I don't have much to say for this section then!
I do have one small complaint: I wish there was a custom option for time or distance. When you select to receive notifications at set times you can only have them at 1 minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes or 15 minutes. For distances you can get notifications at 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile, 1 mile or 2 miles. You can set a custom time or distance to try and run for, just not for notifications. A friend recommended doing intervals of 2 minutes running followed by 2 minutes walking. Unfortunately in order to do this sort of run I would have to set the 1 minute alert and then every other alert change from running to walking or vice versa. I tried it once and found the 1 minute alerts extremely annoying.
Pros
There are so many things I love about Nike+ GPS. When you open the app it shows how many miles you've run using the app total, the number of runs you've gone on, your average pace, how much time you've spent running and how many calories you've burned. I love seeing the numbers climb! My favorite feature is the miles that I've run. Currently I've run 42.47 miles using the app, plus all the times I used other apps or didn't use any app at all. From there you can chose whether you want to start a new run, outrun your friends or select a challenge.
There are three options for new runs: basic, time or distance. I love having all 3 options. Basic runs have no time or distance set. It still tracks you but you're not striving for a specific time or distance. The time or distance options allow you to set a distance or amount of time you want to run for. They give you an update when you're halfway there. The time and distance options give you a little motivational speech when you're nearing your goal.
I love how perky the app is. Even if you're doing a basic run an athlete or celebrity (who also enjoys running) will tell you when you're close to breaking a time or distance record. They cheer you on and tell you how great you're doing. I'm not into the whole celebrity thing but I do love having people tell me I'm doing a great job. Let's be honest: who doesn't like that?! When you finish your run the app tells you your distance, total time and average pace. You also get a congrats for important milestones such as fastest average time, furthest distance, and if you've run more miles this week then last. Sometimes they randomly congratulate you for just getting out there. It's important to remember that just going on a run at all is a huge accomplishment so I'm glad the app keeps that in mind too.
That brings me to another favorite feature. Have you ever gone to a marathon? You know the sound the crowd makes? The cheering, the noise makers, etc? Well you have an option to post to Facebook that you're going on a run. If your friends hit like or comment on the app post you hear the sounds of people at a marathon cheering. It's so unbelievably inspirational to know that your friends and family are supporting you, especially when you're out there struggling through a run.
You can incorporate music, set notifications at certain times or distances or just run with the app silent. Of course they track the normal stats: distance, time, average pace, etc. You can also record how you felt on your run, what the conditions were, etc.
I haven't tried it yet but the app also offers a form of tag you can play with friends. You can select who gets to be "it" from 3 different options: (1) the person who runs the shortest distance is it, (2) the person who runs for the shortest amount of time is it or (3) the person to get out there and start a run is it. There's also an option to challenge yourself to outrun your last distance, time or speed.
Conclusion
Overall the app is a wonderful way to track your runs and improve them. I have to say this was another one that was worth every penny ($1.99 from the app store). From options to run inside or outside, challenge yourself or just run with no real goal in mind, listen to music or run in silence, this app has an option for everyone.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
[stop this madness]
Y'all.
I seem to have fallen off that wagon that everyone's always talking about. I keep seeming to do that.
I just feel too...settled. I feel complacent. The newness of the plan has worn off and I'm losing interest. Sure I'm running a lot (after all the 10K is in 10 days). But eating?? Meh.
Don't get me wrong. I'm still eating. But I've gotten lazy and lukewarm about weight loss. So I've started cheating more. I've started rationalizing my way into chips and other "treats." As a result the numbers on the scale are starting to climb steadily upwards. And that is a disturbing trend. But apparently it's not disturbing enough to stop sneaking little snacks. After all I essentially lost my job last week. And school is ramping up for the final push. And I'm just plain bored. I know there are a variety of recipes on my plan but they are all ultimately the same.
That's why I'm going off plan.
No I'm not quitting. Not in the least.
But to bust the boredom that I'm feeling lately I'm trying something different. I may just sample different weight loss menus that I find instead of sticking so tightly to just one plan or another.
This week's menu? I'm using Eating Well's plan, found here.
Essentially you use the calculation they provide to figure out how many calories you should be eating per day. Once you chose your calorie target you pick a menu designed to hit that target. They also offer some 28 day meal plans that you could pull from.
Any diet plan that includes Cheerios is totally okay with me. I've loved plain Cheerios since I first learned to eat solid foods. My love for them remains just as strong as it was when I was two years old. I have no idea why I still love them so darn much but I do.
But I digress.
I am concerned about one thing: cost. This will not be a cheap trip to the grocery store. And given that I'm trying to save money I'm not so keen on expensive grocery bills. So what's a girl to do??
I'm considering two options:
1. Buy the ingredients for all 7 days. Prep everything and freeze what I don't eat.
2. Picking 3 or so of my favorite days and doing those this week. I'll repeat one or two of the days and then pick up the rest next week.
Personally I'm leaning toward option number 1. If I'm trying to combat boredom why repeat meals at all?? I have a tendency to not eat frozen leftovers which is my main concern. But since I may be facing a lack of income soon that position will likely change.
Right now I'm considering pulling meal plans from a variety of healthy sources and combining them to make my own meal plan. I'm just not one to chose from a set menu every day for weeks on end. I feel constrained by sticking to the book and only choosing recipes and meals that are found there. It's this whole idea of deprivation in options that's killing me. Honestly, Sass does a good job of giving you options: there are over 100 recipes in the book.
I'm just one of those people that finds forbidden fruit irresistible. Even healthy recipes are technically forbidden fruit right now and it's killing me.
To quote my grandmother: Oy vey.
I seem to have fallen off that wagon that everyone's always talking about. I keep seeming to do that.
I just feel too...settled. I feel complacent. The newness of the plan has worn off and I'm losing interest. Sure I'm running a lot (after all the 10K is in 10 days). But eating?? Meh.
Don't get me wrong. I'm still eating. But I've gotten lazy and lukewarm about weight loss. So I've started cheating more. I've started rationalizing my way into chips and other "treats." As a result the numbers on the scale are starting to climb steadily upwards. And that is a disturbing trend. But apparently it's not disturbing enough to stop sneaking little snacks. After all I essentially lost my job last week. And school is ramping up for the final push. And I'm just plain bored. I know there are a variety of recipes on my plan but they are all ultimately the same.
That's why I'm going off plan.
No I'm not quitting. Not in the least.
But to bust the boredom that I'm feeling lately I'm trying something different. I may just sample different weight loss menus that I find instead of sticking so tightly to just one plan or another.
This week's menu? I'm using Eating Well's plan, found here.
Image from here
Any diet plan that includes Cheerios is totally okay with me. I've loved plain Cheerios since I first learned to eat solid foods. My love for them remains just as strong as it was when I was two years old. I have no idea why I still love them so darn much but I do.
But I digress.
I am concerned about one thing: cost. This will not be a cheap trip to the grocery store. And given that I'm trying to save money I'm not so keen on expensive grocery bills. So what's a girl to do??
I'm considering two options:
1. Buy the ingredients for all 7 days. Prep everything and freeze what I don't eat.
2. Picking 3 or so of my favorite days and doing those this week. I'll repeat one or two of the days and then pick up the rest next week.
Personally I'm leaning toward option number 1. If I'm trying to combat boredom why repeat meals at all?? I have a tendency to not eat frozen leftovers which is my main concern. But since I may be facing a lack of income soon that position will likely change.
Right now I'm considering pulling meal plans from a variety of healthy sources and combining them to make my own meal plan. I'm just not one to chose from a set menu every day for weeks on end. I feel constrained by sticking to the book and only choosing recipes and meals that are found there. It's this whole idea of deprivation in options that's killing me. Honestly, Sass does a good job of giving you options: there are over 100 recipes in the book.
I'm just one of those people that finds forbidden fruit irresistible. Even healthy recipes are technically forbidden fruit right now and it's killing me.
To quote my grandmother: Oy vey.
Monday, April 9, 2012
[the lovers, the dreamers & me]
Heads up: today's post is rather picture heavy. In fact, I think today will be pretty much all pictures. On to the meals??
Breakfast: chocolatey pear ginger smoothie
Snack: whole wheat crackers with homemade olive spread (olive oil, garlic powder & olives), Laughing Cow wedge & grapes
Homemade salsa (recipe from here)
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, April 7, 2012
[game of thrones]
"It's not a gift. No one gave it to me. I'm good because I've worked at it every day of my life."
Friday, April 6, 2012
[sloth]
Let me be painfully clear about one thing: this post is not political in any way, shape or form. Hopefully that will be clear if you actually read it in its entirety.
Earlier today I came across this on Pinterest:
Sloth is a deadly sin. It's swept under the rug on a regular basis but that doesn't make it not a deadly sin. Sloth is very much alive in our culture as well. I hesitate to say it's alive in other cultures, mostly because I'm not as familiar with them.
Today I was at mass. Two pews in front of me was a woman so old & frail that she could barely walk without a cane. Directly in front of me was a woman about my age.
Now Good Friday mass is a bit different than normal mass. There's a lot more standing and a lot more kneeling than normal. I'll be darned if that old woman didn't stand and kneel with the rest of us. I would have cut her some slack; after all these years she's earned it.
I'll be darned if the woman directly in front of me couldn't be bothered to do either properly. You know how people do that half kneel? They're technically on their knees but their butts are still on the pew. When she kneeled that's what she did. No effort to kneel properly was ever made.
It broke my heart.
It infuriated me.
We just read the story of Christ's passion and you can't be bothered to kneel or stand?
What have we come to that sloth and laziness are acceptable like this?
I know the American way is efficiency but there's a point where advances in efficiency become advances in sloth instead. I'm not willing to draw a bright line between the two but at some point the transition happens.
One of the most shocking revelations along this journey relates to sloth. For years I thought that since I was in school I was clearly not suffering from sloth. The people suffering from sloth? They were the unemployed, the ones who sat around drinking all day and complaining that the world would not cater to them.
Earlier today I realized that despite being in my third year of law school I suffer from sloth. You can be productive and slothful at the same time. It's an odd contradiction but it can happen.
I wanted to lose weight but I wouldn't work out or eat any better.
I wanted to get a job but I wouldn't apply for any.
I wanted to have friends but I wouldn't spend time with them.
I wanted to get married but I wouldn't bother myself to speak to men.
The list goes on and on. In recent years it wasn't depression that locked me in my apartment. It was sloth. It was simply easier to lay on the sofa. Watching TV requires a great deal less effort than a run or lunch with a friend or a craft project or job searching. Heck craft projects and job searching can be done with the TV on but getting off the sofa still seemed like too much effort. There was thinking and planning and commitment involved.
So I didn't do it.
Until this semester.
It's incredible. The more I do, the better I feel.
I work out more now. I eat healthier too.
I'm applying for several jobs a day and I've had multiple interviews.
I'm spending time with friends at the minimum once a week (hey we're still in law school).
I've completed two craft projects in the last week.
The last one? Sorry Mom but there's no news on that front. But for once I'm willing to try. And that is a huge improvement.
I'm tired. But I'm tired of something different now.
Life, real life, is not handed to you. It's earned with hours of hard work. I know it sucks to get started. I know it's easier to stay on the sofa. Trust me, I know. I've been there.
But trust me when I say this: breaking sloth's grip is doable. It takes time, just like everything else. But it can be done.
Don't get me wrong. Downtime and rest are wonderful things. Both are important to a well balanced life.
Just make sure they stay in check.
Earlier today I came across this on Pinterest:
Source:
Sloth is a deadly sin. It's swept under the rug on a regular basis but that doesn't make it not a deadly sin. Sloth is very much alive in our culture as well. I hesitate to say it's alive in other cultures, mostly because I'm not as familiar with them.
Today I was at mass. Two pews in front of me was a woman so old & frail that she could barely walk without a cane. Directly in front of me was a woman about my age.
Now Good Friday mass is a bit different than normal mass. There's a lot more standing and a lot more kneeling than normal. I'll be darned if that old woman didn't stand and kneel with the rest of us. I would have cut her some slack; after all these years she's earned it.
I'll be darned if the woman directly in front of me couldn't be bothered to do either properly. You know how people do that half kneel? They're technically on their knees but their butts are still on the pew. When she kneeled that's what she did. No effort to kneel properly was ever made.
It broke my heart.
It infuriated me.
We just read the story of Christ's passion and you can't be bothered to kneel or stand?
What have we come to that sloth and laziness are acceptable like this?
I know the American way is efficiency but there's a point where advances in efficiency become advances in sloth instead. I'm not willing to draw a bright line between the two but at some point the transition happens.
One of the most shocking revelations along this journey relates to sloth. For years I thought that since I was in school I was clearly not suffering from sloth. The people suffering from sloth? They were the unemployed, the ones who sat around drinking all day and complaining that the world would not cater to them.
Earlier today I realized that despite being in my third year of law school I suffer from sloth. You can be productive and slothful at the same time. It's an odd contradiction but it can happen.
I wanted to lose weight but I wouldn't work out or eat any better.
I wanted to get a job but I wouldn't apply for any.
I wanted to have friends but I wouldn't spend time with them.
I wanted to get married but I wouldn't bother myself to speak to men.
The list goes on and on. In recent years it wasn't depression that locked me in my apartment. It was sloth. It was simply easier to lay on the sofa. Watching TV requires a great deal less effort than a run or lunch with a friend or a craft project or job searching. Heck craft projects and job searching can be done with the TV on but getting off the sofa still seemed like too much effort. There was thinking and planning and commitment involved.
So I didn't do it.
Until this semester.
It's incredible. The more I do, the better I feel.
I work out more now. I eat healthier too.
I'm applying for several jobs a day and I've had multiple interviews.
I'm spending time with friends at the minimum once a week (hey we're still in law school).
I've completed two craft projects in the last week.
The last one? Sorry Mom but there's no news on that front. But for once I'm willing to try. And that is a huge improvement.
I'm tired. But I'm tired of something different now.
Life, real life, is not handed to you. It's earned with hours of hard work. I know it sucks to get started. I know it's easier to stay on the sofa. Trust me, I know. I've been there.
But trust me when I say this: breaking sloth's grip is doable. It takes time, just like everything else. But it can be done.
Don't get me wrong. Downtime and rest are wonderful things. Both are important to a well balanced life.
Just make sure they stay in check.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
[five]
First I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has reached out to me to support my mission here. It means the world to me and boggles my mind that people are responding so supportively. Y'all are the best!!
Sometimes in life the rug is ripped out from underneath you.
This morning that's exactly what happened to me. I received an email that rocked my world and threw my future into chaos.
Earlier this semester I got a job offer. I happily accepted and agreed to contact my boss this month to work out the details. So I did. And I didn't hear anything for several days. I started to worry; he always answered within an hour or two in the past.
Turns out I was right to worry. I may not have a job next month. Nothing's definite yet. But the strong possibility that I'll graduate unemployed is still there.
It took a while for the news to settle in. About half way through my morning class my heart sank in my chest. Now what?? That one question just kept running through my mind.
But this blog isn't about sad personal stories or doom and gloom. This is about losing weight.
My first instinct when the news sank in was to turn to an old friend: food. I wanted to run to the grocery store down the street. I wanted to buy a bag of Cheetos and a package of Oreos. I wanted to run to the McDonald's at the harbor and chow down on some chicken nuggets and fries. I wanted a liter of soda, a one pound bag of candy, a pint of Ben & Jerry's.
I went to my afternoon meeting, still in turmoil (sorry about that ILS board--I was not with it this afternoon). I came home and ate lunch. The lunch was not quite my usual; today I opted for homemade tuna salad with canned tuna, a tablespoon of mayo and some red onion. Not the best but not the worst either.
Mom and a friend of mine had the same advice for me: go for a run. So I grabbed Ginger, fired up Zombies, run! and hit the pavement.
Is the problem solved? Nope.
Am I still upset? Definitely.
But I feel better now. I feel stronger. I feel like I accomplished something. I know that the choice to run was better than the choice to binge. I know that my decision is not one that will cause me regret. I know that those Cheetos or Oreos or McNuggets or Ben & Jerry's would only make me feel worse about my situation. Not only would I have to address the job situation, I would have to battle guilt from my binge.
So please say some prayers for me over the next few weeks. Goodness knows I need them.
Sometimes in life the rug is ripped out from underneath you.
This morning that's exactly what happened to me. I received an email that rocked my world and threw my future into chaos.
Earlier this semester I got a job offer. I happily accepted and agreed to contact my boss this month to work out the details. So I did. And I didn't hear anything for several days. I started to worry; he always answered within an hour or two in the past.
Turns out I was right to worry. I may not have a job next month. Nothing's definite yet. But the strong possibility that I'll graduate unemployed is still there.
It took a while for the news to settle in. About half way through my morning class my heart sank in my chest. Now what?? That one question just kept running through my mind.
But this blog isn't about sad personal stories or doom and gloom. This is about losing weight.
My first instinct when the news sank in was to turn to an old friend: food. I wanted to run to the grocery store down the street. I wanted to buy a bag of Cheetos and a package of Oreos. I wanted to run to the McDonald's at the harbor and chow down on some chicken nuggets and fries. I wanted a liter of soda, a one pound bag of candy, a pint of Ben & Jerry's.
I went to my afternoon meeting, still in turmoil (sorry about that ILS board--I was not with it this afternoon). I came home and ate lunch. The lunch was not quite my usual; today I opted for homemade tuna salad with canned tuna, a tablespoon of mayo and some red onion. Not the best but not the worst either.
Mom and a friend of mine had the same advice for me: go for a run. So I grabbed Ginger, fired up Zombies, run! and hit the pavement.
Is the problem solved? Nope.
Am I still upset? Definitely.
But I feel better now. I feel stronger. I feel like I accomplished something. I know that the choice to run was better than the choice to binge. I know that my decision is not one that will cause me regret. I know that those Cheetos or Oreos or McNuggets or Ben & Jerry's would only make me feel worse about my situation. Not only would I have to address the job situation, I would have to battle guilt from my binge.
So please say some prayers for me over the next few weeks. Goodness knows I need them.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
[the details]
I wanted to share something that struck me today during Bible study. It's especially relevant to my mission here.
Take a look at this passage from the Message. If you're not familiar with the Message it's essentially a paraphrase of the Bible, placing it in more "modern" terminology.
Did you catch that last part? It doesn't say to work out our salvation, the life of the Spirit, on Sundays or in major decisions such as abstaining from drugs or premarital sex. It says to work out our salvation in every detail of our lives.
Every.
Detail.
Focus on that last word: detail. God wants to be involved in the minute details of our lives. Every trip to the fridge, He's there. Every trip to the pantry, He's there. Every trip to the grocery store, candy store or fast food joint, He's there.
Of course I can never earn my own salvation. Denying myself by denying food's destructive hold over me will never get me into heaven. Only faith can bridge that divide. But true faith manifests itself in those details.
I want to leave you with a question today:
In what detail of your life do you need to work out the implications of life in the Spirit?
Ponder that question as you finish your week. It's important to stay honest with yourself, especially when it comes to faith. Maybe your answer is different than mine. And that's totally okay. There's no detail too small for Him. There's also no wrong detail to allow Him into.
Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some new outfit photos for you. But until then, keep praying and keep working out those details (oh and your body. Work that out too).
Take a look at this passage from the Message. If you're not familiar with the Message it's essentially a paraphrase of the Bible, placing it in more "modern" terminology.
"Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good--crucified. Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives."-Galatians 5:24-25, The Message
Did you catch that last part? It doesn't say to work out our salvation, the life of the Spirit, on Sundays or in major decisions such as abstaining from drugs or premarital sex. It says to work out our salvation in every detail of our lives.
Every.
Detail.
Focus on that last word: detail. God wants to be involved in the minute details of our lives. Every trip to the fridge, He's there. Every trip to the pantry, He's there. Every trip to the grocery store, candy store or fast food joint, He's there.
Of course I can never earn my own salvation. Denying myself by denying food's destructive hold over me will never get me into heaven. Only faith can bridge that divide. But true faith manifests itself in those details.
I want to leave you with a question today:
In what detail of your life do you need to work out the implications of life in the Spirit?
Ponder that question as you finish your week. It's important to stay honest with yourself, especially when it comes to faith. Maybe your answer is different than mine. And that's totally okay. There's no detail too small for Him. There's also no wrong detail to allow Him into.
Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some new outfit photos for you. But until then, keep praying and keep working out those details (oh and your body. Work that out too).
Monday, April 2, 2012
four.
I come bearing new photos today!!
My heart was broken on Wednesday. I mean absolutely broken for the state of so many in our nation. I mean I've seen the Biggest Loser and my 600 Pound Life. But those are TV shows. And even if the people are really that large, the fact that I'm not around them in my daily life makes it seem somehow isolated and distant.
On Wednesday, the heartbreak I felt watching shows about obesity hit home in a powerful way. As I mentioned, I had jury duty this week. The jury room was one flight of stairs up from the courtroom. We were sent up and down the stairs multiple times during the day. Every time we were sent back up the stairs, close to half the jury would be panting. By the end of the day, several jurors were complaining that they were sore.
One flight.
One.
If it was three or four flights I would understand. But this was barely even one flight.
Seeing that level of struggle only reinforced the importance of what I'm doing here. I never ever ever want to be winded after a single flight of stairs. My mission is so much bigger than just looking good. I want to be healthy. I don't want to be short of breath unless I'm on a run or doing some sort of exercise. I want to be able to always do tasks as basic as walking up a flight of stairs.
There's more to my mission though than just my own health. I hope that maybe just one person struggling with their weight and health will come across this blog and be inspired to get healthy. I want people to know how doable this is on your own. I don't have a personal trainer. I don't work out 5 hours a day. I don't have a nutritionist. None of those things are bad. They're just not realistic for many overweight or obese people like myself.
What do I have? A book. Most importantly, I have Jesus. And I have motivation and drive. That's all you really need. Don't just wish you would be skinny. Don't just desire to lose weight. Your motivation and drive have to cross over into action. I found this week that there's a switch that flips once you truly get started. Suddenly being healthy becomes more important than having food be your BFF. This truly is a mental game. This takes common sense, patience and a good amount of forgiveness.
So hang in there. Stay strong. And know there are always people out there that will support you. If those around you aren't on board, I'm here for you. Always.
Also: look at this mutant pepper. I'm pretty sure it has a tumor.
Weird, right??
Outfit: Talbots jeans, Gap shirt, H&M jacket
My heart was broken on Wednesday. I mean absolutely broken for the state of so many in our nation. I mean I've seen the Biggest Loser and my 600 Pound Life. But those are TV shows. And even if the people are really that large, the fact that I'm not around them in my daily life makes it seem somehow isolated and distant.
 |
| Breakfast: apple pecan pilaf |
One flight.
One.
If it was three or four flights I would understand. But this was barely even one flight.
 |
| Lunch: Citrus salmon salad |
There's more to my mission though than just my own health. I hope that maybe just one person struggling with their weight and health will come across this blog and be inspired to get healthy. I want people to know how doable this is on your own. I don't have a personal trainer. I don't work out 5 hours a day. I don't have a nutritionist. None of those things are bad. They're just not realistic for many overweight or obese people like myself.
 |
| Dinner: turkey pita "pizza" |
So hang in there. Stay strong. And know there are always people out there that will support you. If those around you aren't on board, I'm here for you. Always.
Also: look at this mutant pepper. I'm pretty sure it has a tumor.
Outfit: Talbots jeans, Gap shirt, H&M jacket
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
