Secrets To Healthy Weight Loss

Are you looking for healthy weight loss secrets, or the next weight loss gimmick? There are many fad diets, crash diets, and weight loss gurus on the internet today. Each has the "best", the "easiest", and the "fastest" way to lose weight. But the question that you should ask before starting one of these plans is "is this a healthy way to lose weight?" What is the point of losing weight to fit into those skinny jeans if you are compromising your health in the process? You may fit into the jeans, but no one looks good when they are ill. Below you will find the secrets to losing those pounds without losing your health.

Get Plenty Of Sleep
If you are up all night, or spend the night tossing and turning, then your body suffers as well as your life. You reach for the caffeine and sugar to get you going in the morning. You are running late so you don't eat a healthy breakfast, instead grabbing some fast food, or even skipping breakfast. Your mood is negative and you just don't feel like doing anything. People that don't get 7-9 hours of sleep regularly weigh more than people that do sleep well.

Don't Skip Breakfast
Your metabolism is what controls how fast your body burns calories. After sleeping all night, your metabolism is very slow. If you want to lose weight, then within an hour of waking, you need to eat breakfast. Breakfast comes from "breaking the fast", which is what you body experiences as you sleep, fasting. Eating within one hour of waking jump starts your metabolism and you burn more calories throughout the day than you would if you skipped breakfast. Just make sure to pick something healthy and with nutritional value, like scrambled eggs and oatmeal, instead of empty calorie laden foods, such as doughnuts, danishes, and coffee cake. It sounds counter intuitive, because you believe that if you skip breakfast, then that means you eat less calories during the day. But the truth is that those that eat breakfast end up eating less throughout the day. You will also make better nutritional choices because you will not be battling cravings.

Eat The Right Foods
Wanna boost your metabolism and burn more fat? Then you should add some of the following foods to your daily diet. Some boost metabolism, some help flush fat, and some help build muscles. The more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn. But all have additional nutritional benefit, such as being high in calcium or omega 3. Just remember, all things in moderation. Try these foods: pecans, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, flaxseed, grapeseed, mustard seed, celery seed, chia seed, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hempseed oil, wheat germ oil, canola oil, olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, chia seed oil, avocados, mushrooms, hot peppers, apples, pears, citrus fruit, dried fruits, olives, kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, bok choy, broccoli, celery, celery seed, marjoram, mustard seed, basil, thyme, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, oats, whole grains, brown rice, beans, sage, parsley, rosemary, lean meats, sardines, salmon, tuna, herring, spirulina, quinoa, lowfat yogurt, dark chocolate, vinegar, and purified water.

Losing weight is easy. There are thousands of fad diets and weight loss plans out there. But if you are searching for the right way, then follow the secrets to healthy weight loss. Not only will you melt the pounds away, but you will also feel better and be healthier.

Felix Makmur is the owner of Weight Loss Secrets where he shares free tips and information on how to lose fat, build muscle, and live a fit and healthy life. Download your FREE Report "Extreme Weight Loss Secrets Revealed!" worth over $37 at http://www.weightlossfitnessonline.com

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Quick Weight Loss Tips to Maintain a Healthy Body

Eating whatever you want is one of the greatest pleasures in a person's life. Unfortunately gaining weight usually partners this way of eating, making your health and weight out of control at a later stage. You, like many others, might start gaining unnecessary weight around the age of 25, when you reach your full maturity. This often leads to panic and many people start thinking of quick weight loss methods. They will try dieting, exercise and all possible ways to cut down the excess fat, which they have gained throughout the years. The truth is, quick weight loss is only possible if you have very strong will power.

Many people do not have much patience and often drop the whole weight loss effort in the middle of it. Ultimately by the age of 50, many people are obese with a list of accompanying diseases.

Is there a way to loose unwanted weight within a short period of time? Is quick weight loss possible? These are common questions asked by many people nowadays. Is there a solution to the problem of middle-aged obesity? Continue reading to find out about some best ways to lose extra weight quickly.

One of the biggest reasons people find it difficult to lose weight quickly and permanently is because they rely on quick fad diets. Fad diets diets do not work in the long run and people eventually get tired of the program. Unfortunately many books are written on these kinds of high failing diets. When you adopt a quick weight reduction method, it should be one that is proven, reliable and effective.

When you find a proven, reliable and effective quick weight loss method, stick to it faithfully and you can experience significant changes within a month's time. Here are a few quick weight loss tips, which will help you in losing your extra pounds safely.

Always pick out a quick weight reduction method, which is suitable to your lifestyle and daily routine so that you can follow it without any difficulty.

Then, decide the amount of weight you want to lose within a fixed period of time. Have a target weight, that is attainable and practical. A quick weight loss method can be effective and safe if you stick to it sincerely. Some people think they can lose weight simply by exercising and continue the intake of junk foods and high calorie stuffs.

The kind of food you eat is very important when you're trying to lose weight. Food in it's natural state is best for you health and for weight loss. Drink plenty of water to keep your cells well nourished and energetic throughout the day. The water will also help diminish your appetite and keep you well hydrated. Water is essential for clean skin and for removal of toxic materials from your body which add to the weight gain. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water everyday. This is the most important measure to adopt for a quick weight loss.

Reduce high caloric foods from your diet. Totally eliminate "empty caloric" foods such as alcohol and sodas. Take one spoon of butter less everyday and slowly reduce it to a minimum. Have most of the foods you would normally eat, but at a minimal level so that your body will not go nutrient deficient. An ideal weight loss diet will include all vital nutrients so that your body will always stay fit and healthy. The easiest quick weight loss program to follow is to eat half of everything you normally would eat and eat 5 to 6 smaller meals instead of three larger ones.

Quick weight loss is possible if you have a strong will to stick to a proven process. Get to know your body. Once you have reached your ideal weight be sure to keep it permanent. This will keep you from having any excessive weight related problems.

Tina T Willer is a Personal Trainer, Coach and Successful Entrepreneur. She holds a certificate in Personal Training, Nutritional Counseling, and has an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Tina authors articles & books on many aspects of Personal and Financial Health. Right now she is offering a FREE 353-page book "The Secret Of Health Without Drugs" and many useful articles on quick weight loss.

Click on the highlighted words to CLAIM your FREE BOOK and articles. The proven techniques in this book and in the articles can give you many quick weight loss techniques to maintain your ideal weight, which is one component of you having great health your entire life.

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10 Killer Tips for Rapid Weight Loss

In order to make the most of your weight loss program, finding the most effective ways to burn fat will maximize your results and minimize your waistline! Follow these 10 tips for fat burning if you want to lose weight and lead a healthier way of life.

1.) Drink More Water

One of the best weight loss secrets is to ditch the sodas and stick to water! Experts say you should drink approximately eight glasses of water a day to stay hydrated and healthy. Instead of turning to calorie-laden or sugar-rich drinks, grab a refreshing glass of water. In addition to flushing toxins out of your system, drinking water encourages you to build muscle.

2.) Eat More Meals

A traditional three-meals-a-day plan just will not cut it if you are in the market to burn fat. Your body is not able to metabolize large meals and will quickly turn any excess into fat. Many experts believe you should eat six small meals a day. Be sure you cut back on your food consumption at each meal, or else you will be doubling your intake--and doubling your fat storage!

3.) Work Out with Weights

One great way to maximize the amount of fat you are burning is to add a weight program to your work out routine. Weight training will not only tone your physique, but will strengthen your body and improve your general health. Lifting weights will also burn calories and fat more quickly than traditional exercising, and it will also boost your metabolism.

4.) Choose Protein

Choose protein-laden foods for boosting your metabolism and enabling your body to burn fat rapidly. In addition to burning fat, consuming a protein-enriched diet will help you rebuild muscle after work outs and maintain leanness of that muscle. Wisely choose proteins for your diet. Take great care to pick proteins low in fat so you do not consume extra calories.

5.) Cut Calories Wisely

It may be tempting to drastically cut your calorie intake when starting a healthy lifestyle. Instead, use a step method when cutting your calorie intake to minimize risk. Reducing calories too quickly results in your body rapidly burning all available calories, which will lower your metabolism. Furthermore, you are more likely to maintain your healthy lifestyle through this step method.

6.) Reward Yourself

When it comes to successfully dieting to burn the most fat, be sure to reward yourself. Everyone has temptations and favorite treats--so allow indulgence. You will be less likely to cheat on your new diet if you grant yourself small rewards. If you are a chocolate lover, treat yourself to a small square of chocolate or single chocolate kiss each evening.

7.) Avoid Marathon Work Outs

The biggest mistake people make when looking to burn fat and lose weight is to have one long, extensive work out session. Instead, break up your work out plan into small chunks throughout the day. Take a brisk walk in the morning, enjoy a work out at lunch, and then exercise more in the evening. In addition to staying active all day long, breaking up your work out will better maintain your metabolism.

8.) Mix It Up

Choosing to engage in a variety of quality exercises will keep your interest and best allow you to maintain your goal of burning fat. Instead of doing the same exercises each day--mix it up! Opt to swim laps one day, jog another, and bike the next. Rotating your activities will not only allow you to experience a variety of athletics, it will also allow you to better tone your body.

9.) Skip Happy Hour

For those individuals who want to burn fat quickly, avoid alcohol. Rich in sugars and carbohydrates, alcohol is a calorie-rich substance. These empty calories can add up quickly and take away from necessary nutrients that should be included in your daily diet. Furthermore, alcohol acts as an inhibitor for burning fat, allowing your body to store it more quickly.

10.) Try a Low GI Diet

A low GI diet is an excellent method of burning fat quickly. This diet encourages individuals to consume high amounts of foods with low rankings on the Glycemic Index. These foods are nutritious and will aid your body in burning fats and calories at a quicker pace. This diet includes many of your favorite fruits, vegetable, meats, dairy, and grain products.

Copyright 2005 Wesley Atkins

Wesley Atkins is a fitness and nutrition coach. His website “The Low GI Diet Breakthrough” reveals his inside secrets, tips, and resources that allow his students to routinely lose up to 19 pounds in just 21 days. To claim your free report visit: http://www.lowgidietbreakthrough.com

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10 Fast Weight Loss Tips You Need To Use!

Weight loss can be tough, but if you make a plan and stick to it, you will succeed. Check out the following ways in which you can vastly improve your eating lifestyle and take those pounds off.

1. Identify your target weight. Aside from any Hollywood standard, what is your ideal weight? If you need to lose 25 pounds total, then set a weekly goal that will help you reach that ideal weight over time. The healthy habits you adopt should become permanent, to help keep the weight from returning.

2. Start a work out routine. Find something you like in a conducive environment and do it at least three times a week. No matter how much you cut calories, you are not really going to burn fat and drop the weight you want without serious regular exercise.

3. Stop drinking soda. Period. It's very unhealthy for you and even the so-called diet version contains too many empty calories. There are things you could be drinking like green tea and bottled water that will work in conjunction with your weight loss efforts; use them liberally!

4. Eliminate all junk and fast-food. There is really no excuse to keep eating at burger joints and filling yourself up with potato chips; if you are serious about weight loss, you just won't let yourself do that anymore! Although it's difficult to completely eliminate processed foods from our diets, it's easy to skip the drive-through and pork-skins.

5. Fill up with water. Not only is this a healthy drink for you, it will also trick your tummy into thinking you are full! Have a glass right when you wake up, even before coffee, and all your internal organs will function better over the course of the day. Enjoy one glass before every meal, and you will find yourself much less hungry.

6. Start using small plates. Over the years, the plates Americans eat on have gotten bigger and bigger: this really is no surprise, considering obesity statistics. Invest in smaller serving plates to limit portions on a regular basis and this alone should result in noticeable weight loss over time.

7. Avoid all fad or crash diet methods. No matter how tempting, such efforts are futile and counter-productive to long-term and healthy weight loss. Don't consider using any diet plan that your doctor would not approve of.

8. Try eating several small meals throughout your day. This can be very beneficial to your digestive system and aid in systematic weight-loss. Calculating everything you eat and making sure it's healthy will eliminate dangerous between-meal snacking that will keep pounds on.

9. Get plenty of sleep. People who are sleep-deprived tend to over-eat and make poor choices throughout their day. Those who get a full eight hours have plenty of energy to sustain them and don't indulge in diet-costly binging. Don't overlook this important element of weight loss.

10. Stick with it! Depending on your age and metabolism, as well as other individual circumstances, your weight loss may not happen as quickly as you'd like. Despite your tireless (and often tasteless!) efforts, you might see only marginal progress on the scale, but don't give up! You're eating and living much healthier now, and it will pay off!

Use these tips regularly and you will lose the weight. Remember to keep it healthy and not give up!

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Quick Weight Loss Tips - Calorie Tapering

There are many tips and techniques out there for losing weight. Today we'll discuss some simple but highly effective quick weight loss tips that you can start implementing NOW! It's a little thing called calorie tapering.

What is Calorie Tapering?

Let's just start off by saying it has to do with breakfast. When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is go to the kitchen, grill up some eggs, maybe a little healthy bacon, a salad, a nice piece of ham, and maybe a few other items as well! I generally eat very healthy but lots of food.

Breakfast is the time to eat the most!

Many times people have their largest meals for dinner. This is NOT the best idea if you are trying to lose weight. Instead, you should eat your biggest meal for breakfast. Why?

Your Metabolism.

Rather than fighting your metabolisms daily fluctuations, go with it! Your metabolism starts off when you wake up and is extremely fast. You just woke up from several hours of sleep and haven't eaten anything. Your body is ready to be fed.

Use this to your advantage! Eat the most during your breakfast. Of course, keep the foods healthy as well. As the day progresses, continually eat less and less. If, for example, you ate 500 calories for breakfast cut down to 450 or less the next meal and gradually cut down more throughout the day.

Your last meal of the day should have two guidelines it follows:

1. It should be the smallest in calories of all the meals you've had

 A quick weight loss tip of tapering your calories throughout the day and having the smallest amount of calories at your last meals works with your metabolism. At the end of the day your body is getting ready to go to sleep and your metabolism is greatly decreased in speed.

2. It should be Before 7 pm!

As stated above, your metabolism slows down very much towards the end of the day. Work with this by not eating after around seven in the afternoon. By doing this you will help promote fat loss.

Rick Harris has a website filled with tips and techniques on How to Lose Weight Fast [http://dropweightfastnow.com]. He also runs a free newsletter which shows how to count calories, pick fat burning foods, and much more!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_J._Harris

Natural Weight Loss Supplements for Women

Losing weight is among the most difficult tasks on the earth; perhaps because the majority of you aren't conscious of the natural weight loss supplements for women that can make you look sexy and young in a couple of weeks. The single most common mistake women make while looking for fat loss supplements is that they go for chemically processed products that may work in the short run but over a period, the person becomes dependent on them to stay in shape. In addition, most of these pills and processed chemical formulas alter the working of your heart and other body organs. So ultimately, they turn out to be unhealthy for the person's physical and general health.

Having said that, natural weight loss supplements for women do not have harmful effects. They assist our body to enhance its organs and circulatory system and metabolism to the extent that the body works more effectively without being hooked on external stimulants. When evaluating weight loss supplements, perhaps you may encounter numerous pills and brands claiming to have 100 percent natural ingredients within their products. However, it is really not always the case; usually, the nature of the herbal product is changed completely by little processing and its benefits therefore are turned into secondary effects for the body.

Below are a few very effective natural weight loss supplements for women, which can help you shed much fat in a month. However, it should be noted here that all those natural supplements work as long as you keep a check on your diet and make your body used to some regular exercise whether, either walking or exercising. Natural or processed supplements alone cannot make a significant difference at the end. Let's look into those weight loss supplements.

Green Supplements:

These nutritional supplements can be obtained under different names and brand symbols. Green supplements usually comprise of small capsules that include extracts of just about thirty to thirty six green leafy vegetables that help improve the metabolism of the body. Initially, the diet plan supplement will surely have an opposite effect i.e. your craving for food might increase but after a number of days, the body adjusts to the properties of these capsules. Once adjusted, it cuts down on your appetite while increasing your metabolism, as a result, you start burning the excess fat within your body.

Alkaline Supplements:

Alkaline vitamin supplements work by maintaining the acidity level of your system. They also come in the form of tablets, which will be consisting of natural products with high alkaline properties. These natural weight loss supplements for women affects the digestive system of the body; improving its efficiency and assisting you in digesting your meals quickly. Furthermore, it makes you feel lighter and enhances your psychical activity. The sense of drowsiness and laziness reduces and you feel like going out and walking around on a regular basis. Because your rate of metabolism and muscle increase, you will start shedding weight without making any particular effort.

In addition, you can find the best tips and advice to lose weight naturally at http://www.weightbliss.com. Weight Bliss is a site dedicated to helping you get the body of your dreams. Start losing weight today!

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Back in the saddle again.

Doubt.

Confusion.

Chaos.  

Defeat.

Unbalance.

These are a few of my (least) favorite things.

As you know, they have been some of the most prominent things in my life over the last while, however.  So I went back to the beginning: what started all this?  What did I do that made this work?

Simple.

I didn't feel.  I didn't analyze.  I didn't get all bent out of shape about things.  There was no "A-ha" moment that made me magically start doing anything.  I made boring, calculated, measurable choices that eventually led to bigger changes both physically and mentally.

So I did it again.  I just started.

I'd gotten back up to 200.6 lbs as of about a week and a half ago.  I made myself get on the scale because I knew I needed to see it.  I broke down crying at the gym and felt like an utter failure.  Then, I went a bit numb for a few days.  

I made a boring, calculated choice to start doing what I know I should do again.  

1.5 weeks back into it?  This is what happened.  

I.  AM.  BACK!!!!!

Here we go, people.  I shall never cease to be repeatedly amazed at the simple truth that great things happen if you'll simply just do it.  

Carry on, people.  Carry on.

Breaking fat.

I’ve never thought of myself as “fat.”  I’ve always quite liked quite a few things about me.  But, how would I describe me if asked?  Do I see the same person in the mirror that others do?  How do I perceive myself? 

I’ve been struggling intensely over the last 6 months with a battle of projecting my leftover “fat girl mentality” onto others, by assuming their perception and potential reactions towards me are ones that only I have toward myself.  I’m consistently a bit baffled by all of the ways my weight affected me, and I really had no idea just how much it had influenced my mind.

That's me there, on the far right... Cowardly Lion at your service.

For years, I was literally an obstruction.  I was well over 320lbs at some point, and there’s just no getting around it – I was an obstacle at times, both physically and mentally.  I’ve had people in my life who’ve rolled with it the best they could and never made me feel as though I was a burden.  But some part in the back of my mind was and still is perpetually in this mode of constant apology, always feeling and assuming that I am an imposition. 

Something as simple as wanting to text a friend to hang out with her: 
Well, I don’t want to bother them…

I see people I know and I want to walk up to them: 
Should I? Shouldn’t I?  I don’t want to bother them…  Will they think it’s weird I’m just out and about by myself?  Will they mind if I join them?  I dunno…

“Sorry to bother you guys… Do you mind if…”

If I want to talk about anything personal with a friend, or, God-forbid, maybe show that I’m not 120% happy and ruling the world all the time, I’m petrified and just know it’s a bother, so I don’t.  I keep it in, or as you've heard me mention before, I "pull an ostrich."

Why would they be bothered? They are my friends.  If they were to walk up to me, I would most likely be overly giddy and delighted that they were there and wanted to join me.  Why do I assume people have such negative reactions to me? 

It is because it is not nearly as much about perception for me as it is projection: a projection of this bizarre, intense fear of vulnerability, rejection and failure.  At some point along the line, I allowed myself to be a defeatist.  I’ve come leaps and bounds since beginning this process, and sharing with all of you, in realizing that I have such a propensity to sell myself grossly short and prematurely fail.

Premature failure: the tendency to over-analyze things to an excruciating extent before actually taking action because, despite all potentially good outcomes, the result is nothing short of impending doom, hurt, and/or humiliation.

Problem sorted. Crisis averted.  Humiliation avoided.  Progress: none.

When it boils down to it, the problem is fear. 

Fear can be a crippling, stifling, cruel beast if you give it too much power.  I have no idea why my tendency is to submit to it, but I’ve reached my limit. 

It has been really, really tough. 

Here is what I am going to do about it.

I’m going to talk about it. Both to you all, because you deserve to know about all the mind-bending wonder you might encounter through the weight-loss process, and to someone who’s a pro.  I think it would be good for me, especially if I can find someone who's talked to people going through the weight loss process.  I’m going to make a conscious decision to do the opposite of what my fear is saying in hopes that, eventually, I’ll have ignored it enough to have overcome it.  I’m going to create a structure for better managing my time, my budget, and my work. I’m going to track my food more meticulously for the time being.  I’m going to create a new list of goals and desires to strive towards.

As someone said to me recently before I set off on a cold walk alone in the rain, “Everybody’s gotta be a big girl sometime…”  And it’s about that time.

Love & do. And don't stop.

I wanted to remember something, so I grabbed my little cork notebook that I carry with me at all times. I suppose it's a journal, but for some reason I have an aversion to the word "journal." It's full of thoughts; sometimes a word, sometimes a few pages.

I opened it up and came across this. I really needed to remember this today, and thought I'd share with you.

You are great. You are unique. You are special. And the same applies to you.

Progress and preparation!

I'm looking to let go of a whole lot of clothes. Some in person, some on eBay! I'll keep you all in the loop. I have a lot of great barely/never worn shoes, winter coats, great jackets, skirts, tops, belts, accessories - you name it.

I couldn't help but smile at this moment below while organizing... Progress is great, but I really do miss some of my stuff. It's certainly a nice problem, though.

Here's the thing: whether we are 125lbs or 325lbs, we all deserve to feel good, look good, and have fun with fashion. I just so happen to have had a bit too much fun at times! So if you need some new duds, I may be able to help.

More details headed your way soon!

Run, Sarah, Run.

Tonight, I ran.

The forecast said rain.  Dusk had already set in.  But, something about getting caught in the midst of what will most likely be the last warm, rainy deluge of the season just sounded enchantingly refreshing.  IPhone in Ziplock baggie (yeah, makeshift waterproofing...), Tanlines in earbuds, I set off.

I hit record on my my MapMyRun app, and set off walking to Green Grass by Tanlines (which I have listened to at least 30 times today - no exaggeration).  Then, I started running.  What felt like about 2 minutes later, I heard the lovely voice from my app tell me, "Time:  Eight minutes and three seconds.  Distance: 1.0 miles."

Ehhhhh...  That can't be right.  I'm restarting this app...  Yeah, that can't be right.  Do over.

So, I started recording my run over again.  This time?

Lovely-app-lady voice:  "Time: Seven minutes, thirty seconds.  Distance: 1.0 miles."  She said the pace and whatnot, too, but I just couldn't believe it.

Me:  "WHAAAAAAAA?!!!  NO way..." and decided to push myself a bit.

The next mile was under 7 minutes.  So, I kept running until I heard her say, "Time:  Twenty-nine minutes, 23 seconds.  Distance:  4.0 miles."

In the middle of the sidewalk just outside of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, I exclaimed, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!  HECK yes!"  Surely, everyone walking out of the museum exhibit there tonight could hear the lovely woman's voice giving me such delightful news in my ear, too...  I actually felt myself accidentally smiling at this elderly man as I walked by as though he should be really excited for me, too.  Ah well.  Worst case scenario, he'll think I'm weird.  Best case scenario, he'll get a chuckle out of it.

Forgive the rambling - I am writing this while post-run endorphins are in full effect.

Part of me wanting to keep going - just because.  Why not?  I'm feeling up for it.  And then, like a kind little nudge saying to be happy with what I'd done but not push too hard, the rain began.

Point is:  I ran 5 miles in about 38 minutes, and this is something I never imagined that I would be able to do. Little by little, I'm improving.  Push a little harder.  Run a little further.  You will be happily surprised.

Update:  I'm thinking my app was totally off.  I did some figuring, and it was really more like 45 minutes, but I am still pleased as punch with that!

I can fly.

By the seat of my pants.

Over the first big hump and giant fall on a rollercoaster.

Off a diving board.

Through my favorite online shops in .2 seconds flat and pinterest the heck out of them.

Through 2lbs of raw green beans in 30 minutes flat.

And out the side of a mother-loving plane 13,000 feet up.

People...

So much has been up in the air.  My living situation, my job changing yet again, plus all the magic, random, greatness summer throws at you 794 times a week; all of these have made for a few months of so very much uncertainty, and a scrambling-frazzled-slightly-kookoo Sarah.  It's all I've talked about!  Because: it's true.  

In the midst of a run a while back, I got a call from one of my nearest & dearest who was having a rough evening due to some general douchebaggery that she had, unfortunately, experienced.  After calming down my inner rage-monster (don't mess with my loves, and don't keep me from working out - I go green and play with SUV's like they're Tonka Trucks), I met up with my friend, and a pretty grand opportunity arose.

Her:  "Wanna go skydiving?"

Me:  Instant elation, mental image of running and jumping out of a plane at full bore, intense desire to do it immediately.  And then I used my word(s)...

"YES!!!!!!!!!"

I've never had an intense desire to skydive, but as soon as this opportunity presented itself, it was done.  I was smitten with the idea.  I could not wait until the moment I got to jump out of a plane, and this mental video clip, of sorts, just kept replaying in my mind of me sprinting unreservedly out of a plane with the biggest grin on my face ever.  It was done.

As soon as we got there, I saw this guy.  He was nutty.  He was loud, hilarious, rough around the edges, and looked like he'd be a whole lot of fun and/or trouble.  So, when I heard him say, "ALL RIGHT - which one of you's SARAH?!" I was pleased.

I kept waiting for the moment when I'd get nervous or have second thoughts, but it never happened.  They even had to make us wait to resolve an issue with the plane, and that made me even more excited.

Fast forward past some coffee, great tunes, and watching others make it back to planet earth a few times to me, dangling out in mid-air, strapped to the chest of Crazy Todd.  My eyes are closed, yes, but it was a moment of happiness, I assure you.  

The butterflies that accompanied the initial drop were unreal. That moment of dropping straight down, feet first, was one of the greatest feelings I have ever experienced.  Falling.  Just falling...

I've felt a bit like I've been falling all summer - having jumped off of something with no bottom in sight, no person strapped to my back ready to pull the cord for me, and a frenzied, flailing, rather ungraceful fall.  I've been so concerned with seeing what I'm about to come careening down into, that I've neglected taking in the view of all the great things that have happened along the way.

Before I jumped, I had a chat with another one of the divers who worked there.  He asked how I was feeling about it, and I let him know that at this point, my only emotion was thrilled anticipation.  He gave me some great advice: no matter what, do not look down.  It wasn't that it's scary to look down, but he said, "Why bother staring at the ground, when all of the good stuff is straight ahead?"

So I took his advice.  I checked out the landscape a few times, but I spent what felt like an hour watching the skyline.  I watched as I grew closer to the clouds and then blew right through them.  I watched as the skyline faded into a slightly lighter blue.  And I smiled.  I smiled so much my face hurt when it was over.

Was it scary?!

What about the whole you-could-die thing?

Why?

No.
I didn't think of that...  I really didn't.  There was a pro stuck to my back, and all I wanted to do was run and jump and fly.
Why not?  

It was so quiet.
It was so peaceful.
It was magical.
It was absolute bliss.

The combination of being out of control yet completely at peace with the moment was just...  Correct.  I can't think of another word.  It was right.

Learning to be at peace with where you're at is something that I've been trying to learn for a long time.  During one of the key moments in my life, totally disconcerted and depressed with life as it was, my Dad told me, "Sarah.  You will not be able to progress until you are at peace with where you're at."

This is something that has come to mind more times than I can possibly recollect, and has been a bigger lesson than what I could have imagined.

So, what now?  Instead of feeling as though life is currently an ungraceful, frenzied, frightening fall with nothing but uncertainty and an impending rocky abyss awaiting to meet me, I'm going look ahead.  I'm going to remind myself that while I may be in mid free-fall, I need to take in the view and appreciate everything that's going on right in front of me.

I gave myself some time this summer to take a break and remember what it's like to live without being so overly control-freaked-out that I missed out on life.  I ate things I shouldn't have.  I drank things I shouldn't have.  I went places and did things at the drop of a hat.  While it was great, I've also been guilt-ridden the whole entire way. We'll talk more about this soon.  But, what do I have because of my giving in a bit?  Some amazing memories and life lessons, including learning to realize that the difference between falling and flying is as simple as putting my chin up.



Even if my face looks like this:

PS - Don't even pretend you haven't used "Pinterest" as a verb, too.  

Little Victory

Sometimes, I see an article of clothing that belongs to me and just can't believe that it's mine. How is it possible that I fit in that? I don't see myself as I was, but I still can't quite fathom what I am, either. Perception is a funny thing.

I remember when the drying rack wasn't wide enough for my shirts. My clothes stay on hangers now... Oh, the little things.

SWEATY BEATS!

An installment of Sweaty Beats is well overdue.

What music has you kicking fat's miserable little bum these days?  I am a strange creature with music running through my veins and brains nearly 100% of the time.  I usually wake up with a song stuck in my head.  I often dance around the office while getting things done if I'm alone.  I dance around my house unabashedly singing along, and have a strange tendency to do things on beat.  Putting dishes away to music?  Yup - on beat.  Walking to my bathroom?  Same.  I have a playlist for both walking and using the elliptical machine, and yes - I do them on beat.  I even chew gum on beat.  I love to work out, but when a song moves me, it gives me a boost like almost no other.  Combine that with espresso, and it's dangerous.

Call me crazy if you will - it's how I roll.  

And here is what has kept me rollin' in the gym...   Please enjoy these 10 gems that I absolutely can not get enough of lately.  

1.  This Must Be The Place - Talking Heads

2.  Damaged Goods - Gang of Four
3.  Tryouts for The Human Race - Sparks (My favorite for the last month BY far.)
4.  Yeah (Crass Version) - LCD Soundsystem
5.  Hey Boy Hey Girl - The Chemical Brothers
6.  Heart of Hearts - !!!
7.  Champion Sound (Alt. Version) - Crystal Fighters
8.  Ready to Start - Arcade Fire (I can't get sick of this album, The Suburbs.)
9.  Date with The Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
10.  Chains of Love - The Dirtbombs
11.  Disarm - Smashing Pumpkins (Good pace, but slowin' down. Classic.)


You know I can never choose just 10...  I am utterly shocked no 60's music made it in.  There are plenty more, so keep an eye out on twitter or the facebook page for when the spirit moves me while working out and I post a goodie or two on there.

Happy working out!  Kick some bum.

Somebody got a smart phone...

Me. Yes, me. I finally have an iPhone. And in homage, here are some photos that have been apped up the wazoo.

Last night, I made the light eggplant parmesan again for the family, and it turned out awesome. Hard pressed to find anything non-awesome with it when it's less than 250 calories for a big serving and has homemade red wine tomato sauce... Naturally, dessert followed care of my dear friend Krista - Snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches that were a dream.

Coming soon: a recipe for amazing personal pizza, and my elated face 13,000 feet up in the sky.

Mystery Workout Gadgetry

A while back, I decided to start trying random things around the gym for which I absolutely could not tell their intended purpose.

After a bit of awkward staring at people while they used the mystery gadgetry to try and scope out what it is they did with said enigmas, I've tried a few out.  My favorite so far?



I use this...                                         to do this...                                    while holding this against my chest.

I feel pretty fierce every time I do it.  I do 3 sets of 15, 3 ways - first to the center, then turned to the right, then turned to the left, totaling 90 reps.  If need be, I sometimes I take a break and put the weight down for a set.  It works my back, bum, calves, back of my thighs, and my obliques remarkably well.  It always leaves me satisfyingly sore the next day.

My challenge for this evening: to conquer that again, as well as to plank for 3 minutes.  But, instead of my usual routine which consists of 1 minute of planking then 30 seconds of rest repeated thrice, I'm going to do do 1 minute 30 seconds with 45 seconds of rest twice.

Any new, interesting things that  you all have tried lately?  

My week of getting back on track is a success so far!  Granted, I'm only 1.5 days into it, but it's going well nonetheless.  

I hope your week is going well, too!  

YO. Reality Check (one two, what is this?!)

So, you remember that on and off switch I mentioned a while back?  Well, I know I said that I was ready to turn the whole weight loss thing up a notch because I've been too casual about it lately.

That hasn't happened yet.  

Time for some honesty, people.  When I go quiet, it's because I'm ashamed.  And here is why.

I've been burning the candle from both ends and then once it was out, picked up the wax, melted it, stuck a piece of yarn in it to try and reuse it as a candle until eventually I was out of light and had acquired a pointless ball of waxy stuff.  I burned myself out, but it's been fun.  Downside?  I'm back up to 196lbs, peoples.  I was down to 188, but I've had a complete lack of self-control with food in the midst of all the fun I've had.  

I made myself take a break from freaking out and being so obsessive over losing weight.  I needed to lighten up and do a bit of living.  The problem is, I let myself go a little too far.  SWITCH - off.  I had such a good balance going around the beginning of July and got down to 188, but then started finding comfort in food when a lot of life changes began overwhelming me a bit.

What do do you when life comes at you from every which way?  I've freaked out a little bit, which I'm sure you can tell looking back at my more recent blogs.  Finding balance, questioning things, feeling defeated, losing focus - these things happen.  But, it sucks.  I got it together for a little while, but I'm still a bit flustered.  

In an effort to regroup, I've been reading up on some of life's biggest stress-causers.  Change, even great change, can throw you for a loop!  I'm still in mid-loop-throw, it would seem.  But, a good chat with your parents, some organization, and structure go a long way.

So, unless it involves some sweet, old-school hiphop, no buggin' out necessary.  

When it's my turn, I'll bring your shoes...

In a few hours, I'm going to meet my family at a little lake in a small town not too far from here.

A few months ago, my Uncle passed away.  He was an awesome man.  He was a lovely human being, a cool Uncle, was as goofy as the rest of us, could tell a story a mile long (a few times...), loved the outdoors, loved music, and loved us.

They have a little cottage on that lake I'm going to visit tonight, and this is the first summer we've been there without him.  It was bizarre, but it felt like he'd just taken the kids out for a ride in the boat and wasn't back yet.  And then, I caught a glimpse of a silly thing.

I thought, "Oh - his shoes..."  Then, I remembered those were my dad's.  The guys loved these shoes.  My brother got them, then so did Dad.  Then, Jim did, too.

And then I remembered, "Wait.  No.  Those aren't his shoes..."

And it hit me.

My Aunt gave me a hug and told me that my Uncle was so very proud of me and would have loved to tell me so himself.  The way she said it, I could just see him, pleased as punch, knowing that I'd made this huge change in my life.  Allowing myself to really live.  It's been great, and I know he was proud.  He was when he saw me at 40lbs lost, and I know he'd have been just as delighted at nearly 130lbs lost.

Tonight, his ashes are going to one of his favorite places; this quaint little lake where we all have years of great memories with him.

It feels good to know that I made him proud.  I'm going to miss him.  

Hot diggity dog.

This is my family's dog Kylie.  She's pretty much wonderful in every way.

Except when I'm trying to work out...

As soon as she sees me in workout attire, she gets so excited it's ridiculous and knows that the likelihood of a W-A-L-K is significantly higher.  She'll swat at my legs until I give in.  Or, if I opt to do something like, ohhhhhh - I don't know...  Stretch, or do pilates, or something, she's instantly all up in your space and ready for a cuddle.  "Yes, Kylie, doing these pilates moves on my side just happens to be the ideal position for you to spoon with me, but this isn't working out so well..."  On the elliptical?  She'll sit there, stare at me, and occasionally swat my foot as it goes by.


This time?  Well, there you have it.

I've found "the one."

Yes, that's right.  It's tough, you know.  It takes a lot longer than most of us would like, and there's a whole lot of trial and error involved.  So many times, you come so close, but you know it's just not right.  There are little things you know you can compromise on, but other little things you know will just lead to disaster, or at least severe dissatisfaction and doom later on.  But, sometimes holding out is worth it.

I've searched far, wide, high, and low - and it finally happened for me.

I found a bathing suit that I actually like.

It is with much trepidation, my hands covering my face and a blanket over my head, that I show you THE bathing suit.  This was so much easier when I didn't think about how many people might see this.

Old Navy.  On sale.  Fits like a glove.  Curves like a 50's fox.  Bam.

That is all.

Last August, nearly 50lbs down.

 

Balance.

When life gives you a box of chocolates, or some lemons, or a tornado or a big sunny double rainbow - I don't know.  Feed the tornado some lemons while you juggle chocolates trying to explain to one rainbow that the other one just forgot it's not its turn that day.

Life makes just about that much sense.

These last couple of months have been interesting!  I feel as though I've fallen into a trap of apologetic blogger who means well but doesn't post enough, etc.  So, let's just get that out of the way.  Sorry I haven't been posting as diligently as I once did.  But, well, rainbows are fussy and it turns out tornadoes love lemons.  The chocolates?  Well, they looked delicious - but I'm trying to maintain my girlish figure, so I thought I may as well learn to juggle.  With chocolate.  It's been interesting trying to figure out how to balance it all.

Which brings me to today's lesson:

Balance.

How does one obtain this?  Some people just seem to inherently have it.  Others never have it, but they're really good at juggling.  Some people learn it eventually...  Others just don't have it, don't get it, and never will.  I'm not quite sure where I fall on this spectrum, but the last few months have been a lesson in this department - that is for certain.

As I've mentioned before, I don't have a dimmer.  My switch is ON, or it's off...

Kalamazoo State Theatre, Kalamazoo, MI.  My home away from home.

I work at a beautiful, historic, old theatre.  Tucked in little coves along the theatre walls are these fantastic Liberace-esque candelabras.  Until a few years ago, their only light setting was on.  Really, really on.  We wanted to install dimmers so that we could dim the lights during our events to still have that romantic, old-school aesthetic, but we knew that it was going to be quite a tedious and laborious process to get it done.  This place is nearing 90 years old, and changes like this are always quite a feat.  Getting to wiring tucked in walls made of plaster, horse hair, and more is always a bit of a trick.  Every time I sneak into the theatre during a show and see the gentle glow, though, I'm reminded of how very much it was worth it.

I've been trying really hard to install my own dimmer, but apparently it required a couple of meetings, some brainstorming sessions, a cost-analysis, some compromise, and then some difficult rewiring to install this stinking dimmer.  Actually, I'd prefer to not think of it as a dimmer, but more of a...  balancer-thingamadoojob.  Yes, that's much better.

Nearly 90-year-old light control panel.  The
switches next to the tape marked "on" actually
turn on stars and clouds on the theatre ceiling.

I'm quite hard on myself when I'm not as diligent about my food.  I stress out when I have a day that I didn't work out, and I really get perturbed when there are a few days in a week where I don't work out.  But there is so much life happening - meeting people, changing circumstances, fun things that pop up, and more.  I've had so much fun getting out and about, making an effort to be present, do things, have fun with people, enjoy new and old friends.  My role at work has evolved in a wonderful way, bringing along new, interesting challenges, and I am one busy, busy bee.  Finding time for everything I want to make happen in a day is a challenge.

So many interesting, and thankfully, good things are happening.  I've been reminded recently by a few of you outstanding people who I've gotten to know through this blog that, sometimes, it is good and it is necessary to pause, reflect, see how far you've come, and appreciate where you're at.

I'm in the mood to turn the lights on full blast again.  Brighten it up a bit.  But, I suppose adjusting my balancer-thingmadoojob to let life happen every now & then won't kill me.  I may not be as full bore at all times as I have been, but I'm certainly enjoying the glow.

Yo Gabba Gabba on wheat with avocado, please.

Apparently, my core instincts are about the same as they were when I was about 5.

Some dear friends of mine are getting married this evening, so I knew that today was going to be a great day.  It is, however, now even greater because it started off like this.

Only 288 calories!  (See my breakfast entry on myfitnesspal.com.)

And then, this.

Judge me all you like.  I love Yo Gabba Gabba.  No, I don't have kids.  No, I'm not babysitting.  I am a full grown woman who just so happens to thoroughly enjoy parties in her tummy (so yummy, so yummy) with vegetables, Mark Mothersbaugh teaching me how to draw silly things, and appearances from the likes of Andy Samberg, Flaming Lips, Devo, MGMT, The Faint, Weezer, Biz Markee, and so very many more.  This show is awesome, and you bet your bum my kids will be subjected to it when I have them someday.  And they will dance!

Speaking of dancing, I am sure I will doing quite a bit of that later after two of my dearest friends get married this evening!  I hope your Saturday is as lovely as mine has been thus far!

Accidentally delicious.

I don't have photos - boo.  BUT!

Last night, I stopped by my favorite grocery store, D&W on Parkview and Oakland in Kalamazoo, MI.  My, oh my, do they ever have a wonderful meat counter.  Their fish selection is fantastic.  I got 1.13lbs of tilapia for $4 on manager's special, ran to my parents' house to meet a friend and work out, then realized - I need to eat.  What to do with this fish?!

Here's what I did.  I made a marinade.  An awesome, delicious, super awesome, yummy marinade.

It included...

2tsp honey dijon mustard
1tbs-ish of fresh orange zest
2tbs of orange juice (squeezed from same orange as the zest)
1 clove minced garlic
bit of basil
bit of dried minced onion
a whole lot of awesome

I mixed that all up, threw it in a baggie and let it marinate for 40 mins while I went for a walk/jog.  Which reminds me, I was pleased as punch to have completed 3.1 miles in 40 minutes!  How many miles per hour is that?  I don't know...  Rate = distance / time or something?  3.1 miles divided by 40 minutes, times 60 equallllsssss...  4.65 miles per hour.  Not bad!

After said brisk walk/jog, I returned, threw that fish and some zucchini (which I sprayed with a bit of Pam and tossed with Italian herbs & garlic) and cooked up in about 10 minutes.  The marinade was awesome.  My Mom laughed at me when I exclaimed, "This is so good...  I can't believe I made it."

Bonus?  The whole meal was 275 calories.  Next time, I'm going to do this up and let things marinate over night, and it will be even more stellar.

I keep asking this, and I'm serious - any of you have some yummy, healthy meals you've stumbled upon?  I wanna know!  I'll try it!  And I'll even take pictures, I promise.

Bathing Suit Shopping...

The one! Almost...  St. John's Bay -
Bandeau Swim Dress, only $42 at JC Penney

Memorial Day weekend has just passed.  The weather was sensational - the kind of weather you hope for in the dead of summer for 4th of July barbecues, last minute trips to Lake Michigan, or wonderful, summery tomfoolery in general.  There was so much to do!  Most of these things to do, of course, required a bathing suit.

No problem.  JC Penney has oodles of cute bathing suits in all shapes and sizes, and their new pricing is outstanding.  No clearance or sale needed.  Whereas most places the price of a bathing suit will quite easily start at around $80 and we keep our fingers crossed for a sale, their one piece suits were mostly between about $35 and $42, and a two piece could range from $18 to $50.  Yeah, I'm plugging - I was impressed.

I wasn't sure what my struggle would be trying on bathing suits 120-some pounds lighter, so I went in with an idea of what I wanted.  It needed to have some kind of skirt to hide my weird thighs (loose skin from weight loss is a bugger, I tell you...), and not be too big in the bust.

I really thought it would be a piece of cake!  However, over two hours and dozens of bathing suits later, I left empty handed. I found myself having the best luck with size 14 one piece suits, or size 10/12/Large tops and 14 bottoms.  The plus size 14's worked great for the length I wanted in skirts, but were constantly too busty.  I'm such an inbetweeny!  There was one suit that was just about the most perfect thing ever, except that it was made for a person with the torso of a 10 year old girl.  It had a lovely vintage flair to it, the skirt was the perfect length, it hugged my curves like a glove, but I was in danger of having it slide down & make for some awkward moments if I didn't constantly pull it upwards.  I never have issues with that because I'm so short-waisted, but alas...  The hunt will have to continue.

Whether we're a size -8 or 28, bathing suit shopping is always interesting!  What are some of your issues bathing suit hunting?  Have you had any luck?  If you've got some tips or favorite shopping spots, share!  

Dinner on the fly.

I'm hungry.  What am I going to do?  I have fresh salmon, fruit, and frozen vegetables, and I'm in the mood for balsamic vinegar...

Light bulb!

Here's my dinner from a couple of nights ago.  I reduced some balsamic vinegar by letting it simmer on medium heat, stirring it regularly and letting it thicken and tossed in about a 1/2 cup of blueberries, chopped up peach, and a bunch of basil.  Then, I threw my green beans in a pan to steam, and my salmon in another pan with some garlic powder, ginger, lime, and pepper.  After the green beans were done, I tossed them with a smidge of garlic powder, a bunch of ginger, and a teaspoon of soy.

Result!

The whole meal was 450 calories, which is higher than usual for me, but the piece of salmon was 5.5 ounces, about 1.5 ounces more than I usually eat and the balsamic fruit reduction added a few calories, too.  Was delicious, though!

Any random experimentation you've all been up to lately?  Share!

I want to ride my bicycle!

It's only May 20th and I've already had the immense pleasure of sitting poolside.  Twice!  I've also had the immense pleasure of getting into said pool, but it's only been filled for a week and despite the solar cover's best efforts, it was chilly. Quite chilly.  

After a lovely, lovely weekend of gardening, tan lines, bachelorette parties and more, I found myself overwhelmed with the urge to do one thing.

Well, two...

Bike.  Beer.

This afternoon while sitting outside sunbathing with my Motherperson, the mood struck me.  So, I declared that I was going to ride my bike tonight. Wherever, for however long I like.  

A couple of hours later, one pit-stop for a Miller Lite, and one gargantuan hill conquered, I'm home and a happy camper.  

Have a good week, my friends.

By the way, if you're looking for a tool to help you log your jogs, walks, bike rides, and so on, mapmyride.com is awesome!  

Restart - Take 2

I just got hit by a rogue shell.
Fire power gone...
No worries!  There's a box with a question mark.
It better not be a coin...  I need a "big."  Right.  Now.
Great!
Wait...
NO.  No.
PAUSE!
Okay...  I can be little Mario and try to finish the level, orrrrrr...

Annnnnd I'm dead.

Meh.  Restart...

If only starting over were as simple as smacking a button on the top of my brother's Super Nintendo system...  So many times I'd get to a point where I'd try the same level over and over, and in a fit of frustration, "SMACK!!!!!"  Reset.  Do over.  Restart.  "Stupid moving pipey things with fireballs coming at me and a wizard that just keeps appearing...  OVER IT."

I said I'd start over in my last blog.  I did, for a couple days.  Then blew it...  Then I did again for a couple of days!  And then I blew it for a few days...  I'm not sure what my problem is, but I am all out of sorts lately!  It seems like every few months, I've got to sit down and hash out a game plan.  Get organized.  Get back on a schedule.  Plan out my eating.  Clean my abyss of a bedroom.  Oh, Lordy - here we go...

Step 1 
Pre-planning my food again as usual.  As I mentioned before, a key to my progress has been making sure that I have good food available to me, things that are quick and easy to grab, and often planning out what I'm going to eat for the whole day either that morning, or the night before.  I haven't been buying groceries as thoughtfully as I used to. I've got to be honest with myself.  For whatever reason lately, I've had a very difficult time sticking to my guns and I have to make sure there is nothing in my cupboard that will allow me to splurge thoughtlessly.  Usually, I've got it down. I've got control.  I don't have as much control lately, and I've got to keep things away from me that will tempt me to do the wrong thing.  It's about to get real.

Step 2
The bedroom!  They say messy house messy mind, yeah? This is true.  I'm a bit of a discombobulated thingamabob right now trying to sort out quite a few aspects of life. When I get frazzled, I let my room get uber-frazzled.  It is time for a top-to-bottom clean of my room, and a purging of the wardrobe.  Anything that doesn't fit must go.  What will I do with all of those clothes?  I will have a garage sale at my parents' - date TBD.  I've got a lot of great stuff in very gently/never used condition.  I'll keep you all posted.

Step 3
I love flying by the seat of my pants.  But, I've got to have structure.  I need to get to bed earlier, get up early and work out, and make the most of my day.  Structure may seem restrictive, but oh no, no, no, it is not.  Structure allows you to get done what must be done in a timely fashion so you can do more with the time you have left over.  I spend too much time trying to figure out what I'm going to do and how, easily distracted by - well, I'm easily distracted period, and end up spending too much time on random minutiae instead of just getting to it.  I'm a list-maker extraordinaire.  I will tackle lists like nobody's business, but if it doesn't make the list...  Bad news, bears.  I've got to give myself guidelines, timelines, lists, and things of the like or else it all goes to pot.  I'm better at this at work than I am with my personal responsibilities, and this is a change of the most critically imperative nature.

Now, if only I had a Yoshi I could ride around - everything would be sorted.  How? I don't know, but I've always wanted to ride a dinosaur with a shell on its back that can reach things from long distances with its tongue.  Haven't you?!

5k and A New Day.

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Sunday.  It should have been a great day.  I should have been really pleased with myself.

Should have...

Last year, my grand ol' city of Kalamazoo became host to a new marathon - Borgess Hospital's Run for the Health of It.  The company I work for decided to sponsor any of us who wanted to get involved, so I decided it'd be a great idea and a great example of my new-found healthy lifestyle to take part.  I had a hard time coming alive that day, but I pushed myself through it and I finished in 52 minutes.  I was disappointed that day because I knew I did over 3 miles regularly in a little less than that, but I was pleased that I'd decided to partake.

It's so interesting looking back.  One year ago, I was about 285lbs and had lost about 30.  I was in better shape and feeling really good about myself.  I walked along with my friend Erin, each of us with our pump-you-up tunes channeling into our brains through one earbud so we could chat along the way.  We huffed it!  We did the math, and we walked an average of 4.13 miles per hour and I was really pleased with the steady pace, even uphill.  It's really weird to think that I did the same thing today as I did a year ago, but about 90lbs lighter, and about 10 minutes faster.  It felt good to improve and feel how far I've come.

But.

After all of that, I couldn't stop thinking about how my lack of diligence has caught up with me and I spent the better part of the day feeling so very disappointed in myself.  I know I've put on a couple of pounds.  I've had a rough month, which is no excuse.  But instead of my exercise enhancing my weight loss, it's helped me juuuuust about break even.  I've realized that if there are easy, yummy things around me, I don't say no very well.  I'm just fine when I can control the foods around me and how they've been prepared.  When I'm not in as much control as I'd like, though, I find myself either eating without even realizing what I've consumed, or almost having an anxiety attack about how what I'm going to do so that I stick within what I know I should consume.  I've had a few awkward moments at restaurants when I pretty much have an anxiety attack over what I'm going to eat because it seems like there isn't anything reasonable for me to eat.  True story.  Ask my Mom.

What am I going to do about this?

I've gotta celebrate!  I've come so far!  I'm perfectly capable of making good choices, but I realize I'm still in a phase where I have to log my calories the majority of the time, because while I am a better eater overall, I still have times where I eat thoughtlessly and end up eating things that I shouldn't.  Work in progress here, people.  Work in progress.  And while this is nauseatingly overused, tomorrow really is a new day.  Today was a new day, too.  What did I do with it?  What shall I do with tomorrow?

I decided that today, I would reboot - get back to my good, ol' healthy eating standards and let my body get back to normal and recover from all of the things it's not used to processing.  I already feel better.

And what surprise awaited me on this day of getting back on the horse?  A phone call from my gym.  I work out regularly at my local Snap Fitness, and they started a weight loss challenge in the beginning of March.  We had to do the final weigh in last Monday, the last day of my gym membership.  I was really sad that I wouldn't be able to afford to keep it up, but it turns out  I will have 3 more months of gym membership.

For free.

Yep - for free.  I won!  Diligence pays off, and just because I may have flubbed up for a while...  Well, I am human, and I mess up sometimes.  Thank God for reminding me, though, that just because I screwed up, it doesn't mean that I am a screw up.

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