Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Just Call Me Miley Cyrus

For as long as I can remember, I have been a goal-oriented person. I am all about competition and winning and being able to claim a prize (whether there is a real prize or just the pride of knowing I won) at the end of the day. It was very black and white in my eyes. If my team's score was less than the opponent's, we lost. If my grade was an 89 instead of an A, I had failed.

I viewed my weight the same way. I have never been happy with the number on the scale. I can remember being in 3rd grade and weighing 80 pounds, knowing that most of my friends were around 60 pounds. I hated it. I remember when I first broke 100 pounds in the sixth grade, and I heard a girl complaining that she was fat because she was 75 pounds. I hated it. I have always wanted to lose weight, fit into smaller clothes, wear a two piece swimsuit...so many things that other people seemed to do so effortlessly. So when I started my journey to get fit this year, I had a number in mind: 140. I held that number out in front of me like it was a finish line I had to sprint to, and I couldn't slow down until I got there. It was all about the finish line. It was all about the number.

I weighed in at 141 pounds today. I have lost 41 pounds since I began on January 27th. I am one pound away from the number I set in my head so long ago. Back then, it seemed so far from reach. In my head, I would be happy when I reached my goal. When I got to my magic number, I would have succeeded, and then I could rest.

Today, I have reflected on the past 5 months. I have looked at my weight loss graph and remembered each step of the way: when I first started and I dropped 7 lbs. in a week, when I stalled for an entire month and thought I was incapable of any more progress, when I cheated and ate pizza over spring break, when I stopped fitting into old clothes and bought new ones, when I stopped fitting into those clothes and had to buy more new ones, when I looked in the mirror and was so proud of myself, the countless times I went to Chipotle, attempting to cook anything Paleo and then giving up and eating chicken, when I got the flu and couldn't workout for 4 days and I thought my life was over, when I began running and got up to 4 miles without stopping, when I could bicep curl 20 pounds with one arm, when I could dip my entire body weight with my triceps for the first time...There have been so many moments--so many moments along this journey that have brought me happiness, joy, and motivation to continue.

It started out as a race to get to the magic number. Today, I am 1 number away from finishing the race, but now I understand that it was never about finishing as fast as I could. In fact, there isn't a finish line after all. I haven't "won" and getting to 140 lbs. has not brought me ultimate happiness. This is just a check point. The entire journey is what has changed and molded me into a more positive, more driven, more passionate individual. Now, it doesn't have to be about the numbers any more. It is about devoting a huge part of my life to fitness and health. There are so many more check points to reach as I continue! A half marathon, a triathlon, a full marathon, a tough mudder...heck I still can't do a push up. There's always gonna be another mountain, I'm always gonna want to make it move...I guess Miley Cyrus is more poetic than we gave her credit for? But I'll get there. And I'll enjoy every minute of the journey. I was going to say the climb, but that's enough Miley for one day.

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

50 Thoughts You Have While Running

1. Gosh I can't wait to run today
2. Wow I'm way too tired to run today
3. I suppose I should probably run since I have that race coming up
4. This weather is fantastic, gonna get my tan on
5. I'm so glad I decided to get out and run, this is great
6. 4 miles here we go
7. Well it's a bit hotter than I anticipated
8. What am I gonna eat after this?
9. Better run faster cause the neighbors are out
10. There's that stupid wiener dog
11. Shut up before I kick you, wiener dog
12. Dang I better slow down, I'm not gonna make it at this pace
13. I hate Texas weather, I could suffocate in this humidity
14. IT'S ONLY BEEN HALF A MILE?
15. Oh shoot, this is my jam!
16. I COULD RUN FOREVER TO THIS SONG
17. I'M INVINCIBLE RIGHT NOW
18. *sings* I'M WALKING ON SUNSHINE WHHOOOAHH
19. Okay maybe I'll just do 3 miles
20. Yeah don't wanna be an overachiever
21. Or 2 miles
22. No, I'm not a quitter. I'm doing 3 miles
23. Or 2.5
24. NO YOU'VE ALREADY MADE IT THIS FAR
25. This car is going awfully slow
26. I hope it isn't a kidnapper
27. Is that a dead bird?
28. No it was just a dead frog
29. Wow they need to mow their lawn
30. Have I ever mowed a lawn?
31. Okay this car is definitely a kidnapper
32. *waves to car as they pass*
33. Whew, that was a close one
34. Oh, another dead frog
35. Ugh I hate this song, why is this on my playlist?
36. I need new music
37. Yeah if I add some new music, I'll run faster tomorrow
38. I MADE IT TO 2 MILES
39. I'm gonna stop now
40. No I can't, I have to do at least 3
41. I'm so tired though
42. I'm so hungry
43. Will chipotle still be open when I finish?
44. Run faster so you can make it to chipotle after
45. I need to walk, my legs are giving out
46. Tomorrow I'll be less sore
47. Okay yeah I'm definitely stopping, it's getting too dark
48. Wait, I'm 2 miles from home, I have to run back or I'll be stranded
49. *finishes 4 miles*
50. THAT WAS GREAT AND SO EASY, I COULD'VE GONE 4 MORE LOL CAN'T WAIT TO RUN AGAIN TOMORROW

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

You Are What You Eat: Part 2

The best way to eat healthy is to avoid fast food and heavily processed food at all costs. Foods that come in boxes with fun pictures and advertisements like, "Fat and Sugar Free!" may seem great at first. Then check the expiration date. If it doesn't expire for the next year, it is most likely made with chemicals that your body does not digest correctly. Check the ingredients as well. High fructose corn syrup, artificial ingredients, coloring of any sort...these are the kind of things you would make crafts out of. They are not want you want to be filling your body with. A lot of people might hear that and call it liberal hippie crap, but there is a reason that obesity is linked to fast food, sodas, and junk food. IT ISN'T REAL. That's why it's more expensive to eat healthy and fresh foods. Fresh food cannot be as widely distributed because it will go bad. Next time you go to the grocery store, take a look at some of the ingredients in packaged foods. If you ask me, the extra money for real food is well worth it!

Here is day 2 of my food log blog.

Tuesday, June 2nd:

Breakfast:
-1/2 glass of coffee sweetened with Stevia (all-natural sweetener)
-4 hard-boiled egg whites

Lunch:
-16 oz. pomegranate tea
-2 scoops vanilla Herbalife meal replacement
-2 tsp. cinnamon

Afternoon Snack:
-Outshine strawberry fruit bar
-bottle of water
-2 tbsp. natural almond butter

Dinner:
-6 oz. honey-lemon roasted chicken breast
-1/2 cup steamed broccoli and carrots

Evening Snack:
-2 tbsp. natural almond butter
-32 oz. lemon tea
-4 strawberries

**These posts are to help people achieve or begin a healthy lifestyle and lose weight in a nourishing way. This was not written to completely bash processed foods-- our way of life would not be sustainable without the wide distribution of processed and genetically modified foods. However, because we live in a country that has been blessed enough to give us options, we all have the option to eat processed foods or more natural choices. Choosing the natural foods is scientifically proven to produce better health and weight loss results in people who are striving to obtain such goals.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

You Are What You Eat: Part 1

It has been requested of me to record and blog everything I eat for three days. I'm actually very excited to do this! I always record what I eat and drink everyday in my FitBit app. If you own a FitBit watch, you can do the same! If you aren't a FitBit owner, you can download myfitnesspal and log your food as well. It will tell you how many calories you are eating in a day and how many you have left in order to lose a certain amount of weight or maintain your weight. This is the best way to get an idea of how much you are actually eating. It's easy to forget high calorie drinks and snacks...they do count! Feel free to ask me any questions about these applications or about the food you see listed below.

Monday June 1st:

Breakfast:
-glass of water
-2 farm fresh, cage free eggs
-a handful of spinach leaves
-about 1/4 cup of white, organic mushrooms
(eggs, spinach, and mushrooms were prepared omelet style and cooked on stove over olive oil; seasoned with a pinch of salt)

Morning Snack:
-about 1/2 cup of red seedless grapes

Lunch:
-32 oz. diet lemonade from Chick-fil-a (water, real lemon juice, splenda)
-4 oz. 93% lean ground beef
-1/2 tbsp. chopped green peppers
-2 tbsp. white, organic mushrooms
(beef, peppers, and mushrooms were all tossed together in a pan and cooked on stove over olive oil; seasoned with a pinch of salt and tsp. of garlic)
-1 package of All Natural Wholly Guacamole Minis (100 calories)

Afternoon:
-water

Dinner (Olive Garden):
-2 glasses of unsweetened tea with lemon
-baked tilapia
-6 mini white shrimp
-a side of broccoli
-NO BREADSTICKS


I don't measure out my food. These are just approximations.**